Kimkim Trip Reviews for Jordan

We had a great time in Jordan. Lena was very thorough and helpful both prior to the trip and during the trip. She was quick to respond and deal with queries and issues. She made the whole experience seamless. Yahya was a thoughtful and knowledgeable driver whose local knowledge helped us experience and appreciate the history of the area. Petra was unbelievable. Beyond what we were expecting. Bilal was a very knowledgeable Petra guide who has endless amounts of information about the area. We had an amazing time and enjoyed learning about Jordan’s place in the world and it’s part in history. The itinerary is fast paced, yet ideal to get the most out of the country in a limited amount of time.

Thank you KimKim, Lena and your local team for making this happen.

Happy Travellers all round,

Gillian and Michelle

It was incredibly helpful to have kimkim to arrange this trip. It was in between heavy work travel and I needed something to do on personal time, but I did not have the bandwidth to arrange such a complicated trip by myself. Having an English-speaking driver as well as guides at Petra and Wadi Rum was enormously helpful. They were all flexible and resourceful. I was also pleased about how easy it was to customize elements of my trip, particularly choosing and using miles to book accommodations for some nights. My favorite accommodation was the La Locanda in Amman the way it served as a local cultural spot, and I enjoyed the campsite in Wadi Rum--it was a bit awkward because it was empty due to a tour group having their flight cancelled, but I enjoyed the spirit the of the staff despite that and being alone. The itinerary was packed and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had more days and slowed down the pace, but what was put together was based on the parameters I had set.

I was glad to have visited Petra and walk around. My favorite part of the trip was Wadi Rum, as the landscape was so unusual and fascinating, and I enjoyed the feeling of being remote from the world. I was able to meet a friend in Amman and enjoyed just walking around a bit--I would have liked to see the citadel and possibly some of the museums. I think if one is going to Petra, there's not as much need to see Jerash, especially when it's hot, as well as some of the other minor stops--although I don't regret any of those. If I were to return to Jordan, I would probably opt for more of an adventure trip. The Dead Sea was a great place to recover, but I felt my time there was a bit too short to make myself feel comfortable in the large resort complex.

Mohammad was an excellent driver and we got along very well. There was slight confusion and I had been dropped off at the wrong hotel in Petra, although Mohammad was very quick in finding out what had happened and got me to the correct hotel. I would definitely have Mohammad be my driver again. We played a mix of Western and Arab music in the car, and occasionally stopped for tea or coffee. We had some good conversations and Mohammad was open about his life and thoughts. My guide in Wadi Rum was also named Mohammad and he was very accommodating when there were some French tourists who were a bit stranded in the desert with their vehicle and we assisted them.

Some things that could have been improved include having a better sense of the line item costs in the travel agency package, as that would have helped me figure out the right tips. I also personally prefer to avoid being around tourists when not at a popular tourist site. It would have been nice to stop by local restaurants in the various cities and towns, or get some street food. There was also a souvenir place around Mount Nebo that was fine to stop by, but I felt obligated to purchase something without really expecting it. I'm a bit of a minimalist traveler and don't like to add souvenirs unless I spot something at something like a boutique shop I spontaneously walk into. Also, it would have helped to get some guidance about the seasonal conditions in Jordan with the heat. It was hard even with looking up the weather in Jordan to understand how much hotter it was under the sun in midday. I'm quite happy that I was there during a low tourist season, but probably could have been more psychologically prepared for the heat.

Overall, I would use kimkim again and be more assertive about the details and my particular preferences as a traveler. I wasn't sure about how flexible I could be in these trips, but it seems like I could have customized the trip even more. I very much appreciated having someone around helping me and able to contact while I was there, so that I would not have to worry about being able to get from one place to another or smoothly returning to work travel at the end of my time in Jordan. I'm very grateful for all the work and service that went into this trip.

Raisa did an amazing job planning our trip for us! We were driven around the country in cool comfort by Ahmad who provided interesting cultural and historical tidbits along the way. He also gave us some great restaurant recommendations for when we got back into Amman. Mohammad, our guide in Petra, was extremely knowledgable and funny. Petra was amazing to experience for the history and beauty of the place. The Dead Sea at the Kempinski resort was a highlight. Floating in the water is such a unique, unforgettable sensation... wish I could do it for hours on end!!! And the service at the resort is some of the best I've ever had in all my travels. Wish I'd had more time everywhere!!!

Lena was helpful and put together a great itinerary for our group of 3, one couple and elderly parent. Make sure you do your own visa research. Our guide Burhan was very knowledgable, accommodating, interesting and helpful. The Dead Sea Spa had a lovely lunch and nice facilities for swimming in the dead sea. Movenpick was a beautiful hotel - A++. Petra was stunning - what an amazing experience. Wadi Rum - 4x4 trip was super cool. The Wadi Rum Luxury Nights camp was pretty good but I recommend confirming which tent you are in, request one with a view of the park, Number 29 had a view of another tent and a sand hill.

What a fabulous trip we had. Carmen planned the trip flawlessly and provided great itinerary suggestions. Our driver Shareef was fantastic and flexible as necessary. Highlights were Petra, Dana reserve (wish we'd stayed 2 nights!), Wadi Rum and Wadi Mujib. The trip was a great mix of culture, historical sites and hikes/canyoning. The Jordanians were ever welcoming and we did not want to leave!

We visited Wadi Rum and Petra. A wonderful experience and well organised. Excellent driver and new Hyundai Van. Driver was always on time. The guide that showed us Wadi Rum had personality, knowledge and a joy to be with.

We had an amazing time in Jordan and all of our reservations/bookings/excursions etc were as we hoped they would be. The W Amman was beautiful. Our driver and guide, Faris, was great and so knowledgeable. He took us to Petra which was a highlight of the trip, then we stayed in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum (I recommend letting people know that the drive through the desert to get to the camp takes about 25-30 minutes. It was after 9pm, dark and we were nervous about why it was taking so long. Once we got there everything was great but would have been good to know in advance.) The sunrise jeep ride through Wadi Rum was breathtaking, camel ride was a lot of fun and then we made our way to the dead sea. The resort was beautiful and we had a great time getting mud wraps and taking advantage of the hotel spa's amenities and pools. Wadi Mujib was amazing, definitely a challenge, and our driver got us to the airport nice and early for our 5:30am flight to Cairo. It was an excellent trip!

Carmen was great with helping me organise the trip based on my tight timelines.

My original driver Nedal ended up falling ill and was replaced with Ahmed who was lovely. He didn't have as much knowledge as Nedal but was nothing but professional and ensured my safety came first.

Loved the Jordanian hospitality. Amazing place and I look forward to returning, hopefully in the near future

We had a wonderful time in Jordan. KimKim was very helpful in planning our trip. They were always very quick to respond to our requests or questions.

It was amazing specially Lena and Sharif the the tour guide.Highly recommend it.

I had a great experience with kimkim. The chat is great and made it very easy to book everything. Imke was extremely helpful since the first contact. She accommodated all our changes and answered all my questions. I was quite happy with the support and overall service.

Our trip to Petra and Wadi Rum was one of the most memorable, and it was very much thanks to outstanding planning by Andy. I was trying to communicate with local tour operators to schedule a very specific, customized private tour and was not very successful doing so. I ran into the KimKim team and gave it a shot, best thing I could have possibly done.

Our trip was surprisingly smooth, everything was scheduled impeccably and the itinerary executed flawlessly. Andy captured my vision, and delivered exactly what I was looking for. We started our day in Tel Aviv, visited Petra, and spent the night under the stars in Wadi Rum in a beautiful camp. The following morning we admired Wadi Rum and all it has to offer during the day. I also want to thank our Jordan-based driver, Ali, who was nothing short of amazing. He really made us feel very welcome and was accommodating to our needs throughout the trip. I was amazed at this hospitality and professionalism.

To Andy, Ali and the other local operators: thank you!

Overall the trip was great and all of us think that Petra was the highlight. It was a rush, but that's because we had time constraints and entirely our doing. Carmen is a great planner and was in constant contact & communication before and during the trip. My thanks to her. The guides were good and knowledgeable. Najeeb may have been a little overbearing but overall no complaints. They were punctual and helpful.

The Art Hotel (Downtown) was a great location and good place to stay and get a feel of life of the ordinary people in Amman. The Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum was below our expectations in terms of accommodation. However, the staff were excellent and the jeep tour in the desert was good. (Again I am not pointing any fingers as it was my choice for a 3 star accommodation, but if I may suggest a little more information about the accommodation during the planning stages would have helped).

We were not aware that we had to pay for towels & lockers at the Dead Sea Resort - an alert/info on this matter would have helped.

Overall, we were happy. Cheers.

I could write a book or a love song about My trip to the Jordan, a story and a song that will forever remain in my heart,

The trip started with kind Tamara who knew what I wanted and the places I wanted to visit, between Jerash, Wadi Rum, PETRA, and the Dead Sea,

At the Queen Alia airport, I was met with gentleman who had a sign with my name on it waiting for me, (sincere apologies don’t remember his name) in no time he arranged for my Visa, got my luggage and out of the airport,

Outside, I was met by a familiar face, the face of the Jordanian Hospitality, named Mohammad, I was transferred to his clean well air-conditioned, safely and skilfully driven vehicle, who realized coming from Canada, not accustomed to warm weather offered me cold water and made sure I was happy and comfortable, I felt right at home enjoying every bits of every place I visited

Later, I was accompanied by Mu’ath, a gentleman a guide-who, by his knowledge made the past alive in front of my eyes, thru Petra’s ancient ruins,

My trip to the Jordan exceeded my expectations, glad I left the booking to the professionals, (no headache, and never got lost :)

I left Jordan, it’s beauty and it’s kind people but the Jordan, a song will forever remain in my heart

Overall, our trip to Jordan and Israel was great.

Our journey to Jordan was well-taken care by Akram. He led us to many spectacular spots, which were unforgettable. He also shared Jordanian history and culture. The service Akram provided was exceptional.

We were particularly grateful to be arranged to accommodate in the luxury camp in the Wadi Rum Desert. Our camp was so luxurious and beautiful, which was beyond our expectations. The food was good. And our favourite part was hooka-ing under the starry night in the middle of the desert. This was an experience that we would never forget.

However, there is still room for improvements for hotels we lived in Jordan. While it was true that the rooms are spacious, they were not as clean as we expected. There was little hair on the pillow cover in one of the hotels that we lived which implied that the hotel did not wash their pillow cover for every guest they served. Moreover, Worst of all, our experience in the Dead Sea Spa Hotel was horrible. While they had a good buffet, we were disappointed with the attitude of their staff members. Our room lock was not walking initially and the hotel made a promise that it only took five minutes for them to fix it. However, it eventually took us two to three hours to wait for the response from the hotel, in spite of our repeated and kind request to the hotel to fix the lock. We only had one night in the Dead Sea area and much time was wasted in fixing the lock of our room. What a pity!

Moreover, we were advised to purchase a 2-day Jordan pass. It turned out that we only spent one day in Petra. Perhaps better communication should be made between different parties so as to save us some money.

For our journey in Israel, we are amazed by the choice of hotel, which were so fancy. Also, the group tours are generally good. The tour guides were humorous. Yet, there was one exception, our tour to Bethlehem was poorly arranged. The tour guide looked grumpy all the time. Worse, our tour was conducted in both English and Spanish. Since it was apparent that the tour guide was more proficient in Spanish, I and my friends felt neglected by the tour guide. The queuing arrangement in the church of Bethlehem sucked! People just pushed others, without order and discipline.

Moreover, it will be great if there were fewer 'shopping stops' in those group tours in Israel. Frankly speaking, we were not really interested in shopping and we found those compulsory stays in their assigned shops was quite annoying.

Thank you Lena for all the arrangments, we really appreciate that. Generally speaking, we had a good experience. Yet, there were still minor parts that Lena should take care of to further improve the quality of similar tours later on.

Guides were great, in particular Jerusalem guide. Drivers were great, Jordan driver was very funny/full of knowledge and you can tell he really enjoys his job. When we experienced a bad hotel and had to change in Tel Aviv, Walid was great. He assured us the company would reimburse us and that their first priority is to take care of customers. I will discuss the hotel in an email/further on this, was our only bad experience, but was quite bad, unfortunately. Hotels in Jordan and Jerusalem were great, and wadi rum was really great as well.

Tamara provided great service for the booking of our last minute trip.
Khalid was an amazing guide and took great care of us over the course of three days.

I want to say BIG Thank you to my wonderful agent Tamara, who I was happy to meet in Jordan, she did a excellent job to organize my trip. She was very welcoming and kind to me when we spoke in the office. I also want to say my special thank you to my guide in Petra, and my very big thank you to my guide and driver Bassam Helalat. Bassam is the best driver and wonderful knowledgeable person. With his help I was able to see and feel Jordan, meet amazing people and see unforgettable land-scarps. I miss you all, I miss Jordan very much. It was an honor to know you all. If I ever will have an opportunity to go to Jordan, I would be the happiest person in the world. My best regards to all team. Love you all.

We are back home after a great trip to Jordan, all thanks to Carmen. Carmen was always kind and quick in responding to our endless questions. She suggested an alternative itinerary to save some transfer time and it worked well for us. She was very accommodating to all our requests and changed the hotels to meet our requirements and budget. Our driver Audi was very cheerful, helpful and a kind person and we had a wonderful time with him. The whole itinerary was well planned, all the pickups and drops were on time and everything was perfect. We loved Jordan, the people and their hospitality. Altogether we had an amazing trip. We highly recommend Kimkim, Carmen and Audi. Thank you so much :)

Been there. Done that. Have the t-shirt to prove it.

That’s usually what people say when they have travelled to a place, or have completed a task.

Well two out of three ain’t bad, especially since buying t-shirts is not part of my aesthetic. LOL!

Instead, I’ll sit grinning madly with memories of the “been-there-done-that” when I flip through my passport, my gmail account or my phone photos.

Jordan was amazing. The people are amazing. The food is incredible. The history is epochtic. The landscape is jawdropping.

Ahmad was waiting to pick me up at the airport and from the-get proved to be the best companion for this five day trip that I could ever ask for. He was my driver, my dj, my translator, my dance partner, my diary, my sidekick, my smilemirror, my protector, my lunch partner, my tea connoisseur, my phototakeouter and the best tourguide that I’ve ever had on any of my travels.

On our many roads to cross journey, I was introduced to songs that I had never heard before! Music, dancing and laughter was our modus operandi. He even played an Arabic song that would become the songtrack of my trip – so much so that I made him stop the car so that I could get out and dance barefooted in the desert. I wish I remembered it now. He told me the name but I forgot. Needless to say I had F.U.N!

Unto Jordan.

I loved visiting Jordan. I loved it. It helped that I was riding a wave of happy. The visit to Jordan was the culmination of my one-a-year odyssey that I started in 2012, visiting one of the New Seven Wonders of the World every year. Jordan was the one that happened last and may arguably be the best visit for several personal reasons.

Considering its location, the country is pretty peaceful but mostly known for the ancient Nabataean city of Petra which was carved out of rock over 2000 years ago and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The city is carved out of these massive towering boulders that occupy several complexes. There is one gate in and one gate out but you rarely ever repeat your steps; often every cornerturn yields a new and magnificent site. Its dramatic and astounding and the walls echo a remarkable history.

After you enter through the gate, you walk through what is called a Siq which highlights the way in which water was harvested and channeled throughout the city, the Siq opens you up to this massive monument called the Treasury. I got there at 7am, it was kinda cold, not many tourists were around, so I got to poke around, peep in, explore at leisure and have not too many people in my pictures. A few hours later, the place was crawling with tourists.

Then I took a different route to climb to the top of an adjacent mountain to see the Treasury from the top. After I dismounted one mountain, I began an epic journey of climbing 1000 steps to view the Monastery – the largest of Petra’s carved structures and an amazing monstrosity of a building. The symmetry of the structure built at a time when engineering was not what it is today, is a sight to behold and the views from on top of the mountain of the surrounding landscape were nothing short of amazing.

As I was making my way off of the mountain, possibly at the last one hundred steps, the sky got dark and it started to rain. I had my umbrella, so the torrential rain was hardly a challenge, but I got to see first-hand how the water is channeled through the gorges of Petra, and how the engineering actually worked. That in itself was an amazing sight. After a couple of minutes though, the water grew fierce. The guides started shouting “save yourself, run for your lives” as the water started swiftly collecting and gushing through the Siq. Not exactly what you want to hear on your travels! The Treasury was opened and tourists piled in as its higher ground provided security and shelter. Needless to say, no one died, the tourism authority trucked the tourists who were stuck far into Petra out. I walked out, but my sneakers never made the journey back. I lost them to Petra.

I called Ahmad to pick me up, I got home and changed and got to Petra Kitchen just in time for my culinary dinner tutorial on the food and delicacies of Jordan, myself and about 20 other persons cooked five courses and sat and ate them all. By the time I got home, I was spent but completely satisfied.

Over the next few days, I toured the enchanting desert landscape of Wadi Rum, where I camped out one night under the desert moon listening to a very silent night. I also visited little Petra, Shobak, the Dead Sea, Mt Nebo and Madaba. When I left Jordan, I felt such a connection with its people who at the drop, were less interested in me buying their wares, and were more intrigued to invite me for copious amounts of fragrant tea, have me sit with them as they tried to figure out from whence I came and laugh uproariously at their confusion of what the Caribbean is.

Jordan is a country of settlers and refugees in that many persons moved there from neighbouring states; and were forced to forge an identity out of a new landscape – possibly one of every three persons hail from a neighbouring country. Quite similar to what the Caribbean represents – it is a place that people make their own. I felt awed by the landscape which since biblical times had held such importance to the region and I felt moved by the culmination of my own insatiable desire to see the world as the world sees itself.

Oh, the joy of travel.

A friend recently reminded me of a response that I had given to the question of my travels, where is my favourite place in the world, and my response to him, is that I haven’t been there yet! That’s so me!

Now that the seven wonders are done, I need to see more. I need to travel even more. There is so much more to discover and so I wonder and I wander and I can’t wait to see where my wanderings take me to next!