Jesse Barrera

Many things were not made clear during this trip. While everything was perfect from the local company Route360 in St Pedro de Atacama, arriving there and leaving from there to go back to Santiago was not very well organized.
First, no one explained us what to do in the morning we left Santiago. The driver came to pick us up from the hotel, but he knew nothing. We arrived at the airport to fly to Calama, but without any instructions and no one speaks English to explain where to go, what line to take, what register. Anyway, we were left by ourselves.
Same, even worst happen on the morning from the hotel in St Pedro to the airport. It was not clear who will pick us up from the hotel, what time and where. The hotel knew nothing. The itinerary says that the pick up will be confirmed one day in advance, but no one confirmed anything until 2 am, 3 hours before. So we had to stay whole night and wonder what will happen and will we be picked up.
The worst of all is the WhatsUp notification. The company uses Whatsup, but for every useful message from them we receive 100 spam messages, and who knows which is good and which is not. Searching through the spam to see whether we received any message became a day-long activity for both my wife and me. No serious company communicates with its clients through Whatsup. In fact, we deleted Whatsup from our phones 4 years ago for the same reason: the huge amount of spam we get from the USA
In overall, we are dissatisfied with how Kimkim organizes their trips

Our trip to Chile was a bucket list trip that lived up to our expectations, and exceeded several times! We particularly loved our time in the Patagonia region, the hiking in Torres del Paine & our trip to the Murrano glacier was unbelievable. All our local guides in those regions were exceptional! So knowledgeable! We learned a lot & had very memorable experiences.
Our visit to Easter Island was also unforgettable. Totally different culture & weather, it felt more like Tahiti or Hawaii. Worth the long flight if time allows.

Our local specialist, Jesse, did a wonderful job throughout! She was receptive to our ideas, chose locations and excursions that matched our interests, and was flexible and patient as we worked out the details for two couples--one pair of native Chilenos and one pair of English-speaking US citizens. She was available for last minute questions late at night and early in the morning. We felt well-taken care of the whole time. In terms of our experiences, our stay at Hotel Las Torres Patagonia was a splurge but was well worth it. The location inside the park was extraordinary, the rooms and food were exceptional, and the folks who worked there could not have been more welcoming. Two excursions stand out in our minds as experiences we will never forget. The first was the boat trip to Isla Magdalena to see the penguin colony there. Jesse reserved VIP tickets for us, which gave us an opportunity for good views, a nice snack, and personalized information from Guillermo, a guide from Fiordos del Sur. Another memorable tour was the day we spent hiking from Sarmiento to Amarga Lagoon in Torres del Paine National Park. Our guide, Pedro, with Patagonia Planet was fantastic! We appreciated his ability to speak both Spanish and English, the tour van with big windows that offered all of us a great view, and his patience and knowledge in answering the million questions we asked about the flora, fauna, geological features, and cultural history of the park. This trip really was the adventure of a lifetime, and we could not be more appreciative of the services Kimkim offered!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Costanera

Puerto Natales

New and modern accommodations, a nice breakfast, and a friendly, helpful staff. The hotel was a little off the beaten path, but we were able to walk to the center of town, though getting an Uber was often more convenient. The location on the water was nice!

Authenticity & Character

The women who worked the front desk were welcoming and helped us to make dining reservations each evening.

Location

Not in the center of town.

Staff

The women who cooked and served breakfast could not have been friendlier.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable.

Hotel Las Torres Patagonia

Torres del Paine

The hotel is certainly pricey, but its location in the park was well worth the money. We could walk out the front door and immediately start trekking. It was also a warm and welcoming place to rest after a long day of adventures! Our reservation was "half-board," and the breakfasts and dinners were exceptional. Every staff member we encountered went out of their way to be helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the park! We could hike to the base of the towers.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great showers!

Activity Reviews

Penguin Colony on Magdalena Island

Chile

Seeing penguins up close was amazing! Although all visitors to the island are required to stay on the paved path, we never felt herded or rushed. The walk was self-paced, and a number of guides were spread out during the walk to answer questions and give more information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide, Guillermo, who was assigned to the upper deck, set up a big map that helped us to visualize where we were and what made that route on the Straits of Magellan so special.

Transport

Safety was a primary concern of the staff, which we appreciated. The seating was comfortable, and the big windows allowed us to have clear views as we travelled.

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings

Chile

This trip was disappointing. Our tour was for just the four of us, but the small SUV we rode in required that one of us sit up front with the driver, while the other three sat in the back, with someone in the middle seat. Not ideal for looking out the windows, which was a big part of this driving tour. Two of us were native Spanish speakers with good English, and two of us were native English speakers who know a little Spanish. Our guide was fluent in Spanish, but his English was definitely not fluent. The result was that he spent 90% of the time conversing with the Chileans, and much less time talking with the English speakers. It was frustrating when we had questions. That being said, we visited some beautiful parts of the park, places we never would have seen if we had been driving on our own.

Quality of Experience

Food

We had box lunches which were very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A guide for English speakers who is truly fluent in English.

Transport

A larger vehicle with bigger windows.

Hike from Sarmiento Lake to Amarga Lagoon

Chile

The route was amazing and so was Pedro, our guide!

Quality of Experience

The route offered us extraordinary view of both Los Cuernos and Los Torres. Seeing guanacos and native birds was a thrill, as was seeing the cave paintings and imagining those who traveled this route before us.

Food

Box lunch was convenient and delicious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pedro was SO knowledgeable and shared his knowledge generously in both English and Spanish. He was also extremely responsive to our needs and abilities.

Transport

Nice big van with big, clean windows.

Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Chile

Full disclosure: The day we took this tour could not have been wetter. It poured rain the whole time, and everyone on the boat was soaking wet before we were finished. It limited the views of this incredibly scenic place. The windows were steamed up, and most people never went out on the decks because it was raining so hard.

Quality of Experience

Food

Everything. We stopped at an "estancia" for lunch. It seemed more like an event venue, a giant room filled with tables. The wait staff was insufficient for the number of people they were trying to serve. We waited forever to be served, making the lunch take hours. The food was poor. The specialty of the house--lamb--was dry and overcooked. What a disappointment! We would have preferred to have skipped this part of the experience altogether.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There was little in terms of a guide. The narration came over a loud speaker, and because of the noise level of conversation on our deck, we could hardly hear what was being said.

Transport

Toda la organización, respuesta rápida, información, calidad de los hoteles, muy buena y muy recomendable.
Lo único que falló, fue el auto que nos fue a buscar a Pta. Arenas, no era para 4 pasajeros, viajamos apretados y algo incomodos. El guía aunque muy amable y servicial no tenía dominio del inglés lo que dificultó conocer los lugares visitados. Esto se hizo más evidente cuando nos tocó un guía muy instruido y con dominio de inglés en el último día de en Pto. Natales.

Jesse did a fantastic job coordinating my trip. It was easy to communicate with her in advance of the trip. When I got in country, everything ran smoothly. All of the guides and drivers showed up as expected in the right location and on time, the excursions were a lot of fun, and the hotels were as expected. I had no reason to be in contact with her while in country, which is exactly what one would hope to be the case. My only recommendation would be to let the traveler know in advance of the formal entry requirements/forms for Easter Island. I learned through the LATAM website that I needed some special documentation for Easter Island. That made me a little nervous and would have been niceto know in advance. Aside from that, flawless!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Director Vitacura

Santiago, Vitacura, Región Metropolitana

Easter Island Eco Lodge

Hanga Roa

Wasn't the best hotel but I intentionally skimped on this hotel to save money. So I got what I paid for.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Took a little bit to understand how to get hot water. Had a couple days of cold water at first. Had a broken light in my room that took a while to get fixed. I couldn't get the screen door in the back of my room to lock--not sure if it did. But again, as expected for a two-star hotel.

Holiday Inn Santiago - Airport Terminal

Santiago

Activity Reviews

Orongo Morning Tour and Ahu Akivi Afternoon Tour

Easter Island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Easter Island Highlights Tour

Easter Island

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trekking in Easter Island

Easter Island

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour - Private

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excellent, the guides were effectively national treasures, especially Hernaldo! Hernaldo was such a delight to be around and it was great to have him tag along with us on adventures. Ray was fun too but he had to focus on driving so his input was limited. The places we saw were beautiful and interesting, the food amazing! Only negative was the hotel, the staff was good but the actual rooms and hotel itself has this sense of water logging throughout. Granted Panama is really really wet but this hotel smelled of mold throughout.

We had a wonderful trip to Chile. From airport pickup, to the tour of Santiago and Valparaiso, both driver Eliseo and guide Claudio were amazing. All the tours in our next stop in San Pedro de Atacama turned out well. We did have some questions with the transportation, but Jesse was super responsive when we reached out for confirmation. After a busy few days of tours, our last stop in Pichilemu was a delightful change of pace. Hotel Alaia offered an incredible setting and the staff were all so welcoming. Overall a great trip and we are looking forward to visiting Chile again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Eco Boutique Bidasoa

Santiago

Great view of the mountains. Felt safe with several walkable restaurants. Nice Breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cumbres San Pedro

San Pedro de Atacama

Nice resort with great pool and spa. Offered a shuttle between the hotel and town which is nice, but required as it is a little ways outside. The food was ok, but menu somewhat limited.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Alaia

Pichilemu

Spectacular setting and views. Staff was all very friendly and accommodating. Food was excellent. They have a long list of provided activities, but be sure to contact the hotel about them or book ahead of time.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Santiago City Tour - Private

Santiago

Claudio was informative and very accommodating to our interests. A great start to the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valparaíso & Wine Tour

Santiago

The wine tour and tasting were great. Claudio suggested having lunch at the winery, which was delicious. The tour of Valparaiso was interesting, informative and scenic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Stargazing Tour

San Pedro de Atacama

The stargazing tour itself was very cool. The pickup and drop off were being changed/coordinated through WhatsApp somewhat last minute. The drivers did not speak any English, but the tour itself did have a translator.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons

San Pedro de Atacama

Layana Travel did a great job with communication and the tour was incredible. The tour guide and driver were great. The meals were somewhat lacking compared to other tours nearby, but were just fine.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of Tatio Geysers

San Pedro de Atacama

Very cool. Long drive to see the Geysers, but was a beautiful spot. There were extra stops on the way back we were not anticipating. The tour dropped us in the town center and unfortunately the hotel shuttle wasn't running yet, so was a somewhat long walk back after a very early morning.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The bus did break down, but they had a new one waiting

Valley of the Moon Tour

San Pedro de Atacama

We didn't really know what to expect from this tour, but it was great. The guide and driver were both top notch. The hike was a pleasant surprise and the food spread and cocktail at sunset were delightful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I wish we knew dropoff was at the center of town, but generally good

The Best!

Jesse is one of the best in business! This was my first time in South America and I have been a bit anxious through the entire plan, but working with Jesse and her team has given me so much of comfort. It is still ongoing, have few more trips to complete, but so far every single transfer, tour guide every one went above and beyond, humbled me with the hospitality and guidance! She was able to guide me with practicality of what can be accomplished and maximizing the overall experience. I am looking forward to engaging her again when I am back next with my whole family! Thanks Jesse!

Activity Reviews

Perito Moreno Blue Safari

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Thanks to the guide for engaging me and answering me with all the questions in English!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thanks to the guide for engaging me and answering me with all the questions in English!

Transport

Victoria Island & Arrayanes Forest

Bariloche

Thankful for the tour guide who walked me through in English!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

7 Lakes Tour to San Martin de Los Andes

Bariloche

Thanks to the guide for engaging me and answering me with all the questions in English!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bariloche Circuito Chico Half Day tour

Bariloche

Thanks to the guide for engaging me and answering me with all the questions in English!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jesse planned a very last minute trip for myself, my husband, and our one year old that was wonderful for our family! We felt like we got to see a lot during our 12 day trip but the pace was not so rushed that we were exhausted. I would highly recommend visiting Chile and Argentina, they are beautiful countries with very friendly and kind people. Jesse was there to answer all of our questions and had a very quick response time when we needed a last minute change. We felt confident traveling with the itinerary she planned for us and would do it again in a heartbeat!

Hotel Reviews

Renaissance Santiago Hotel

Santiago

Very nice hotel with a great location and friendly staff.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amerian Park Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

This hotel is in desperate need of room upgrades. The door to our room looked like it had been kicked in with marks and debris on the floor and a broken/missing doorstop. We did request to change rooms however the other room the staff showed us looked very similar. The tub/shower was falling apart with pieces of tape across the tile and a moldy and cracked shower handle. Breakfast was included with our stay however the options were very limited and of poor quality. The location very central and the lobby is very modern and up to date which is why I did not give this hotel a one star review.

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very small beds with only one pillow per person. Room needs upgraded and deep cleaned.

Calafate Parque Hotel

El Calafate

Small hotel with a great location for downtown walking and a great breakfast. We did not have a chance to use the jacuzzi/sauna but loved that it was an option.

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

Stunning hotel with beautiful waterfront view. Our room looked out over the water and we loved that we could open the window to catch the sea breeze. Breakfast was delicious and the staff were very kind and helpful to us.

Activity Reviews

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings

Chile

This was our favorite day of the whole trip with stunning views of Torres del Paine National Park. Our guide was Jhon Pineda and he was super friendly and helpful and took some absolutely amazing photos of our family. He truly went above and beyond to make sure we got the best quality photos and videos and we appreciate him so much. He made sure we were comfortable with our baby all day and always checked on us. This tour cannot be missed!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jhon Pineda is an amazing tour guide!

Transport

Alex was our driver and he made sure everything went smoothly for the entire day!

Dinner & Tango Show

Buenos Aires

Amazing food and service with a tango show that was out of this world! The dancers, musicians, and singers are so talented I could have watched them perform for hours! Truly talented!

Food

Large menu to select from and very generous staff who kept the wine flowing!