Kimkim Trip Reviews for Peru

We had a amazing trip to Peru! Aspiring Adventures took the stress out of the trip. It was so reassuring to have our driver and guide waiting for us every day. Justino was the best guide - he anticipated our needs and adjusted as we needed to to ensure we had the best trip possible! Trip of a lifetime!!

We had a fantastic trip to Peru, a family of four with kids aged 10 and 13. Our trip went so smoothly, can't say enough in gratitude for the support we received from Johanna and her team. They efficiently helped us manage a passport mishap on day 2 of our trip! We truly enjoyed two weeks - dune bugging and sand surfing in the dessert, a trip to the Ballista islands with tons of wildlife, into the Amazon for three amazing days, followed by a week in the Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Manchu Pichu. We have travelled extensively and never had such amazing tour guides or such efficient use of our time away. Johanna was amazing when we needed to postpone making our decision about travel in Peru given the recent political instability and our home countries travel restrictions limiting our access to insurance and sense of safety. She allowed us to take extra time with our decision, we were so grateful we went ahead with our trip. Everyone we met along the way share how happy they are to have tourist back in their country, they shared their struggles with the impact of the Pandemic, followed by the impact on the tourist economy of the recent political unrest. For our entire journey we felt safe, secure, and thrilled to be travelling in such an interesting country, meeting so many locals who welcomed us with open arms. KimKim made the travel experience so easy, my kids tease me that I will keep advertising for this travel platform and look forward to using it in the future.

Johanna did a phenomenal job setting up an amazing experience. We had a complex itinerary that included the Rainbow Mountain, the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail, Macchu Picchu, the Peruvian Amazonia and Lima.
Everything went according to plan and zero issues.
Johanna coordinated the local travel agents in an expert manner, and we have to thank Kristy at MISKI travel for the great on road support, the dedicated guide Valerio at CUSI travel and dedicated driver Carlos in the Cuzco region. In the Amazonas Treehouse thank you manager Enrique and guide Weininger for an unforgettable customized experience. In Lima the food tour was excellent. All the Hotels were excellent, providing a very quaint experience. Pick up service was always on time.

Hotel Reviews

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

We liked this quaint and beautiful hotel in the artistic neighborhood of San Blas, you could see artisans working and selling their crafts out the window. We appreciated its quiet location away from the busy city center plaza but still within walking distance of attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel

Cusco

This hotel was also nice and quaint, it was located within walking distance to everything in the small town of Ollantaytambo. We enjoyed the nearby market and ruins and appreciated the hotel's proximity to the train station. The specialist also gave us recommendations on restaurants and we ate at Chuncho which was very good and reasonably priced.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mapi by Inkaterra

Cusco

This hotel was more modern and commercial-looking but still tasteful and built with sustainability in mind which we appreciated. We enjoyed the overall experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Treehouse

Iquitos

This unique accommodation offered a great experience in the Amazon region. All of our hotels were quaint and locally owned which we loved.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Antigua Miraflores

Lima

We enjoyed the beautiful mansion house in the safe Miraflores district, with its perfect location near the coast and shopping centers. We appreciated the ability to walk around the neighborhood and felt safe even at night.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cusco Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Cusco, Explore the City

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day to Explore Cusco

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainbow Mountain Trek

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacred Valley Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Inca Trail Day 1: Hiking to Machu Picchu via Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Inca Trail Day 2: Machu Picchu Guided Tour and Return to Cusco

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly to Iquitos- Treehouse Lodge

Iquitos

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival to Lima: Free Day to Explore

Lima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lima Food Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Justino was fantastic. He was funny and knowledgeable, made us feel welcome and called us family which by the time we said goodbye is exactly what we felt like.
Each of our hotel's were perfectly chosen, small thing's like hot water in Pisac or face clothes in Cusco could have made them better though to North America travelers. We did find all of our host's lovely and gracious though and enjoyed their accommodations.
Perhaps adding a down day in the middle of a 10 day tour for relaxation is something you might suggest to other groups, ours found that we were quite tired by the time we finishing but they may be our fault for not thinking we'd need one.
Ruben was a great driver, at all times I felt safe in his van.
In the end this was an amazing trip and I thank you for your time and planning.

My guide Edy, and the drivers, José Luis and Carlos, were the best!

We just finished an amazing trip to Peru. Justino was an excellent guide who provided us with an authentic Peruvian experience. We were able to engage with locals, stay at family run hotels and learn about the history of the area. Our driver Reuben was also amazing, caring, and fantastic driver who safely drove us each day. I would highly recommend Aspiring Adventures to anyone looking for a uniquely personalized Peruvian adventure!

We had a lovely time during our trip! Jessica was very patient with our indecisiveness considering the protests situation in Peru and provided us with periodic updates on the situation proactively.
Our guide Edy was exceptional- we were very fortunate to have him during the trip, our trip wouldn’t be the same without him.
Thank you!!

Hotel Review

El Albergue Ollantaytambo Boutique Hotel

Cusco

Great staff and the hotel ambience and convenience with the train station was so helpful!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Convenience to the train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Picnic & Paint in Maras

Peru

Best part of the trip!! Highly recommended!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The guides were wonderful, the people were great, the food was amazing and the mountains and culture already have me want to go back. In hindsight, I would've stayed another week to ten days and done the rainforest, and rainbow mountain.

I'd like to thank and congratulate KimKim for your help and excellent organization during our trip to Peru.
When an alternative set of plans was suggested, as a result of problems in Machu Picchu, we were a little apprehensive.
The trip to the lodge in the Amazon was wonderful; and our guide, Rey, was a delightful character, with a wealth of knowledge about all things Amazon; his English was excellent, and he got his message over with ease and humour. He is a great ambassador for this region.
The flight to Nasca was also memorable, if a little disorganized. My main comment would be that heavy banking in the flight caused motion sickness in most of our party; something that might have been highlighted beforehand. Between this and the long delay in take-off, we were unable to avail of the wine-tasting and sand buggies. A pity, but not the end of the world.
Overall we were very happy with KimKim's cooperation and flexibility during our trip.
Thanks.

We returned from our South American trip a few days ago , I’m still processing the experience. I however do wish to commend Kimkim on their handling of the difficult circumstances which arose in relation to our Peruvian leg of the trip. Kim Kim’s communication with Stuart stands out for particular praise. Stuart was kept informed at every step , group concerns and questions were answered promptly and addressed appropriately. I was also very impressed with Kimkim’s nimbleness in reorganising our schedule. The Amazon rainforest / jungle stay was a more than satisfactory alternative to Machu Pichu and the guide, Ray, proved a real winner. A gentleman , a fund of knowledge and a joy to be with. He also went the extra mile to handle a tricky luggage problem. A lone bag was tracked and made its way safely upriver 24 hours late. Thanks Ray and team in Iquitos for that. The day in Cusco while long and somewhat arduous was unmissable due in large part to the infectious mess of the guide , Ali. A breath of fresh air , a superb communicator , very personable , a real asset to the Kimkim suite of guides.
Overall what could potentially have been an anticlimactic experience was handled magnificently by Kimkim along with our tireless , unflagging and ever patient friend Stuart.
Best wishes to all at Kimkim and indeed to all our Peruvian friends . Hopefully the present Political difficulties will be peacefully resolved and a prosperous way forward found for all .
One small caveat , the Lima walking tour was , in my view , underwhelming. The guide was perfunctory and somewhat uninformative. Lima as a major world city and centre of Spanish Empire building was underserved.
That said it was the first day of a big trip and as a group we were possibly tired and somewhat lethargic. Benefit of the doubt !!!!!

I'd like to thank and congratulate KimKim for your help and excellent organization during our trip to Peru.
When an alternative set of plans was suggested, as a result of problems in Machu Picchu, we were a little apprehensive.
The trip to the lodge in the Amazon was wonderful; and our guide, Rey, was a delightful character, with a wealth of knowledge about all things Amazon; his English was excellent, and he got his message over with ease and humour. He is a great ambassador for this region.
The flight to Nasca was also memorable, if a little disorganized. My main comment would be that heavy banking in the flight caused motion sickness in most of our party; something that might have been highlighted beforehand. Between this and the long delay in take-off, we were unable to avail of the wine-tasting and sand buggies. A pity, but not the end of the world.
Overall we were very happy with KimKim's cooperation and flexibility during our trip.

A last-minute trip to Cusco was facilitated by KimKim also, during which we spent the day with our fantastic guide, Ally. She was a breath of fresh air, enthusiastic and brimming with information about her home region. We were bowled over by her personality and her ability to inform us so completely; she was great company.

Hotel Reviews

Pacaya Samiria Lodge

AC Hotel by Marriott Lima Miraflores

Lima

Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport

Lima

Activity Reviews

Private Lima City Tour & San Francisco Catacombs

Lima

Private Round transfer to a Restaurant in Lima

Lima

Private Market Tour & Cooking Class with a Peruvian Chef

Lima

Pacaya Samiria Amazon Lodge 2/3

Iquitos

Private Full Day Transfer to Pisco Aerodrome & Route

Lima

Private Walking Cusco City Tour

Cusco Airport (CUZ)

I would like to thank Kimkim and Kristy especially to make our trip a reality. We were booked to travel to Peru in December but had a last minute cancellation due to political unrest in Peru. However, Kristy was able to create our itinerary within a week for Galapagos, Amazon Rainforest and Ecuador that enabled us to keep our travel dates. We spent 4 nights in Galapagos, 3 nights in the Napo Wildlife Center and 4 nights in Quito most of which were due to transit and travel. We visited 2 islands in Galapagos - Santa Cruz and La Isabela. Santa Cruz is populated and had a feel of a touristy beach town, La Isabela was beautiful and remote. Our hotel was right on the beach and we were able to find some time to relax and enjoy the scenery. Most of the days start early at 6 or 6.30am with guided tours or travel logistics between Islands or to and from Quito. Our guides were very proficient about the local wildlife, flora and fauna. Kids enjoyed snorkeling, we toured lava caves apart from visiting the Tortoises, Iguanas and Sea Lions that are in abundance. My favorite part of the vacation was the Napo Wildlife center that required a 2.5hr motor boat ride from Coca to the cultural center and then a 2hr paddle boat ride to the Wildlife center. The hiking in the rainforest, watching caimans, giant otters, macaws, rainforest canopy were an experience of a lifetime. Thanks to all our guides, especially Jose in the Napo wildlife center to make our trip an unforgettable experience!

We had planned a trip to Peru but with just a few days until arrival, a state of emergency was declared in the country. At a moment's notice, Jesus and the KimKim team were able to get refunds and organize a whole new trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands in just 3 days.

Despite the short notice, the trip they put together was incredible. Our guides, Kathy in particular, were knowledgeable, friendly, and punctual, and did an incredible job showing us the whole country. In Galapagos, every step was well organized and handled for us. The trip couldn't have been easier and less stressful for us - even though behind the scenes we had no time to plan.

I couldn't imagine trying to book this on my own and then needing to undo it and plan a new trip - it would've been impossible. Having Jesus and KimKim gave us the safety blanket we needed in planning and their plan made the trip so amazingly smooth - we couldn't be more grateful and hope to do it again!

Activity Review

Join a day hike to the The Rainbow Mountain

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Francesca was fantastic!

She was exceptionally quick, responsive and accommodative during the planning stages of our trip to Peru. We've worked with various travel planners at other companies and working with Francesca was definitely the smoothest experience we've had.

Francesca and her team really shined when our Peru trip had to abruptly be changed. Due to a presidential coup and a state of emergency, we had to cancel our Machu Picchu plans and quickly figure out a new itinerary. Francesca jumped in and did her best to secure refunds for the Peru services that were cancelled and then was very helpful in securing new logistics and plans for a trip to Mexico instead...all on very short notice and during peak Xmas season.

Many thanks to Francesca, her local agency team and Kimkim!

Anne, and the Peruvian Soul team organised my first solo South American trip at very short notice, with impressive attention to detail, coordination and planning. I was equipped with the right information prior to the trip, communication with the team was excellent throughout and the trip was speculator. The guides were welcoming and knowledgeable, especially Julito. I will cherish the memories for a long time to come.

We took a trip to Peru (primarily Sacred Valley) over Thanksgiving with our 3 kids and our friends with 2 kids and had an absolutely lovely time. Our guide, Justino, and the driver, Ruben, were A+. Knowledgeable, flexible, fun, kind--all of the things that help make a trip comfortable and safe and delightful, they provided us with. This is our second trip to have taken with a "kimkim" vetted team and we have had special, memorable experiences. Very grateful. Highly recommend.

Hotel Reviews

Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel

Cusco

Beautiful colonial style. Well appointed rooms and lovely breakfast and food amenities. Can't beat the location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aranwa Sacred Valley

Urubamba

Well appointed and a stunningly beautiful property.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

Machu Picchu

A special retreat, well appointed, clean, beautiful, staffed with kind and hospitable people. The food is delicious, the grounds are stunning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belmond Miraflores Park

Lima

This hotel was perfection. It is beautiful, service oriented and has a lovely location. We couldn't have been happier with our stay. We felt extremely well taken care of.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Moray and Salineras with optional ATVing

Peru

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Machu Picchu!

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paddle on Lake Piuray

Peru

Very special and unique experience. We loved everything about it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Peruvian village life

Peru

It was very special.hospitable and accommodating. We loved getting a glimpse into highlander life--the kids got to dress up in traditional clothes and get a sense of what life is like for people. Beautiful day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Guide Flor was very informative and very helpful. So were the drivers, the hotel staff. Very memorable trip and for overall safety.
Thanks a lot

We had a wonderful trip to Peru. The booking process and working with Johanna on the trip plan was enjoyable and she provided the best suggestions. We had some delays due to the airport incident and Johanna was even more amazing to work with during the rebooking/cancellation process. She was always available and willing to help. Our trip would not have been a success if it wasn't for her and Kristy who went out of their way to accommodate our changing plans. A big thanks to Johanna and Kristy from all of us.

Hotel Review

Abittare Hotels

Cusco

Although the hotel's location was ideal the rooms itself were very small and the hotel was very blah. Unfortunately, we happened to stay here on the night of our 25th wedding anniversary and were very disappointed. The light in the bathroom was so dim that we could hardly see anything in there. The front desk staff was not helpful either. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone planning to stay in Cusco.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dinner Cooking Class

Cusco

We enjoyed the cooking class the lot. Chef Jesus was very knowledgeable and fun to work with. The setting of the cooking class was very nice as well I would highly recommend to other travelers in the area.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lima Food Tour

Peru

We had a great time with Patricia!! Her knowledge of Peruvian history, culture and food is very impressive. We enjoyed all the restaurants she took us too. Especially the one where we learned to make coconut ceviche. Very well planned and fun for all.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Liz prepared very nice initial plan and we were able to further tune traveling plan according to our wishes.
Liz and her team did a great job executing the plan without delays or mistakes. We appreciated that when we had some unexpected problems because of two days strike of transportation workers in Peru, Liz and her team successfully modified the plan to get the best possible outcome out of our trip.
We are quite experienced travellers, so we liked that plan was divided to organized visits and also some free time, when we were able to explore around on our own.

Hotel Reviews

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Perfectly located small hotel in the old part of Cusco.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport

Lima

Walking distance from the airport. Quite noisy because of permanent traffic. Basic room. Nice bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aranwa Sacred Valley

Urubamba

Beautiful surroundings, nice room, good food. Very remote location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca Puno

Lago Titicaca, Puno

High quality hotel. Beautiful location, but remote (out of town).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Lima Miraflores

Great location, very nice new hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private tour to The Sacred Valley

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to Ollantaytambo, Moray, Maras & Chinchero

Sacred Valley

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Machu Picchu (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Mystic Walking Tour to The Temple of the Moon & Cusco City

Cusco

A new experience for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Uros & Taquile Floating Islands tour

Puno

Very nice, we were lucky with weather.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Lima City Tour and Larco Museum

Lima

Very good and knowledgable guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was satisfied with everything. Guides and drivers were allways on time. The Andean was very helpfull, too. However, we had to make small changes because of strike and therefore missed some more time in Aguas Calientes. The team arranged all the changes because of strike. I already recomended Kimkim and Liz Karen and her agency to my friends.

Hotel Reviews

Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aranwa Sacred Valley

Urubamba

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca Puno

Lago Titicaca, Puno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Garden Inn Lima Miraflores

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private tour to The Sacred Valley

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private tour to Ollantaytambo, Moray, Maras & Chinchero

Sacred Valley

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Machu Picchu (Private Guided tour in Machu Picchu)

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Mystic Walking Tour to The Temple of the Moon & Cusco City

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Uros & Taquile Floating Islands tour

Puno

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Lima City Tour and Larco Museum

Lima

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of the arrangements made by Johanna were flawless. Hotels, tours, transportation all impressed. We had a very relaxing time knowing what was happening at each stage. The scenery and activities were fantastic and did not disappoint.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort

Paracas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Lima Miraflores

Miraflores, Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

Puerto Maldonado

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport

Lima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paracas National Reserve Tour

Peru

Who knew a desert could be so interesting? Spectacular scenery right on the Pacific coast and so much variation. The little museum was well worth a visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ballestas Islands Tour (Paracas Luxury Hotel)

Paracas

Our scheduled tour to the island had to be changed at the last minute as harbour authorities suspended trips due to water conditions. We were given a longer tour of the harbour area and closer islands and it was fantastic. Plenty of wildlife and interesting scenery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Into the Amazon: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica

Puerto Maldonado

The boat ride to the lodge was a lovely way to begin the experience and view the river. The lodge itself was rustic but very comfortable and totally in keeping with the environment. The organisation of the activities was faultless.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions

Puerto Maldonado

There were many excursions available and we did at least 2 a day with a lovely guide. Wellington boots were issued for those trips that were muddy. We saw lots of wildlife. and our guide also explained the importance of the various plants to the local population.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Jungle Excursions

Puerto Maldonado

Very flexible arrangements and the right blend of activities and relaxation.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart Puerto Maldonado to Lima, Fly home!

Peru

The transfer back to the airport was flawless, and we were able to get in a morning tour as we had a late afternoon flight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overnight Stay at Lima Airport Hotel Upon Arrival

Peru

Airport hotel was right at the airport - so easy to access. Typical airport hotel, but comfortable and convenient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport