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active 7 hours ago

Leny Vergara

Hello! I'm Leny. Travel is my passion, and if you're anything like me, you believe the best adventures happen off the beaten path. Japan is the first country I lived in, and I fell in love with it. It's rich in culture, a paradise for foodies with consistently high-quality cuisine, and I adore speaking the language and even singing Japanese songs. There are countless places to explore.

My goal is to guide you through the Land of the Rising Sun, creating journeys that ignite your sense of wonder. Planning your travels with me means more than just booking flights and hotels—it's about crafting unforgettable moments. I pay attention to every detail, ensuring every part of your journey is as special as you are. I'm excited to start our adventure together!

How did you get involved in travel?

"My wanderlust began with living abroad, and the first country I called home was Japan. I spent four enriching years there before returning to Manila, then moving to Vietnam, and Bangkok, and eventually finding my way back to Japan.

Driven by a dream to see as much of the world as possible, I've visited 28 countries and counting. These travels have been a blend of adventure, cultural immersion, and exploration, seeking out the finest in landscapes, cities, restaurants, and island-hopping destinations. Beyond my personal travels, my passion for culture, food, and exploration has blossomed. It's fueled my love for travel and inspired me to create dream itineraries for clients, sharing my enthusiasm for unforgettable experiences."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"It isn't easy to name just one unique travel experience, as my travels have taken me to so many incredible places. Here are a couple that stand out:

Safari in South Africa was unlike anything I've ever done. Seeing wild animals up close was so exciting. And I'm happy to say I've already spotted three of the Big 5.

Then, waking up early for a sunrise adventure at Mount Batur in Indonesia was totally worth it. Riding up the mountain in a bumpy Jeep got my heart racing, but the view at the top was unbelievable. Watching the sunrise above the clouds was just incredible.

Rio de Janeiro is such an amazing city! Its vibrant culture, stunning beaches, and iconic landmarks like Christ the Redeemer truly amazed me. The friendly and helpful people made my experience even more special. One highlight was taking a Harley Davidson tour, including an interesting ride through the Favela during the day. Experiencing real Churrasco while watching Sugar Loaf Mountain was unforgettable. Exploring the lively streets and relaxing on the beautiful beaches at Barra and Ipanema created memories that will stay with me forever. Rio is absolutely unforgettable!
"

Leny is part of the following groups: Japan Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Leny

Nice trip to Japan November 2024
Japan | Nov 4 - Nov 15, 2024

W
Wayne H.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Nov 16, 2024
Leny did an amazing job setting up our trip and our trip schedule. She was attentive throughout the trip and easy to communicate with throughout the trip. Leny added Google maps for us to assist us getting around. Leny also saw that it was my wife’s Birthday during the trip and arranged for some memorable surprises for her. We would highly recommend using Leny to plan a trip for a trip to Japan. Read more

Leny did an amazing job setting up our trip and our trip schedule. She was attentive throughout the trip and easy to communicate with throughout the trip. Leny added Google maps for us to assist us getting around. Leny also saw that it was my wife’s Birthday during the trip and arranged for some memorable surprises for her. We would highly recommend using Leny to plan a trip for a trip to Japan.

Hotel Review
Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU
Hakone

This hotel stay was one of the highlights of our stay in Japan. I would very highly recommend a stay here along with their Kaiseki dinner.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Quiet hotel surrounded by natural beauty.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Sayonara Japan!
Sayonara Japan!
Kansai International Airport (KIX)

The driver was on time and got us to the airport in plenty of time for our departure.

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo with Chanko-nabe Lunch
Authentic Sumo Experience in Tokyo with Chanko-nabe Lunch
Tokyo
Best Of Shibuya Food Private Tour - Evening
Best Of Shibuya Food Private Tour - Evening
Tokyo

Clara, our tour guide was amazing taking us around Shibuya to off the beaten path places to sample food.

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Full Day Nikko Tour from Tokyo with English Speaking Guide (Private)
Full Day Nikko Tour from Tokyo with English Speaking Guide (Private)
Japan

Very long day trip to Nikko. We went to a waterfall that was fogged in. Walked around town to a okay lake. The highlight was to the Nikko Toshogu Shrine.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tokyo to Hakone Private Transfer: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Driver
Tokyo to Hakone Private Transfer: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Driver
Japan

Harry was fantastic

 Kyoto : Experience Tea Ceremony with a Maiko (Geisha) in a Premium course
Kyoto : Experience Tea Ceremony with a Maiko (Geisha) in a Premium course
Kyoto

Maiko was good but I would not recommend this venue or experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Full day Osaka Food & Culture Tour with Government Licensed Guide (Private)
Full day Osaka Food & Culture Tour with Government Licensed Guide (Private)
Osaka

This tour was good but there actually was no food provided on this tour. That is the reason for 3 stars. It was history and culture tour only. The food portion was taking a 10 minute walk through Kuromon market.

Half-Day Tokyo Tour with English-Speaking Guide
Half-Day Tokyo Tour with English-Speaking Guide
Tokyo

Excellent day spent with Ritzuko. Very efficient

Full Day Kyoto and Nara Tour with English-Speaking Guide
Full Day Kyoto and Nara Tour with English-Speaking Guide
Japan

Good trip

Nishiki Market Delights: A Brunch Foodie Adventure
Nishiki Market Delights: A Brunch Foodie Adventure
Kyoto

Semi was an amazing guide who wanted us to sample all of the delights of Nishiki market followed by a nice lunch.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Leny Vergara
Leny
Leny Vergara
Local specialist in Japan | Replied on Nov 17, 2024

Hi Wayne and Melinda, welcome back home! thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me! Planning your trip was a real pleasure, and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it to the fullest. Your feedback will help shape even better itineraries in the future. Wishing you an amazing adventure next time!

Best regards,
Leny

Excellent tour of Japan
Japan | Oct 15 - Oct 28, 2024

H
Helene S.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Oct 30, 2024
Leny was excellent in all ways from planning our trip to Japan to communicating with us along the way, keeping us updated as to our schedule and tours. We had a stress free trip, all thanks to Leny. Everything went smoothly, all hotels were great, and all tours were terrific. We highly recommend KimKim and of course, Leny. Read more

Leny was excellent in all ways from planning our trip to Japan to communicating with us along the way, keeping us updated as to our schedule and tours. We had a stress free trip, all thanks to Leny. Everything went smoothly, all hotels were great, and all tours were terrific. We highly recommend KimKim and of course, Leny.

Hotel Reviews
Tsukino Yado Sara
Hakone

Rooms were nice with tub overlooking greenery. Food was a little disappointing.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Royal Park Hotel Iconic Tokyo Shiodome
Tokyo

Royal Park Hotel was beautiful and in a good location

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
KAYA Kyoto Nijo Castle, BW Signature Collection by Best Western
Kyoto

Very nice hotel in great location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Vista Hiroshima

Nice hotel in good location

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba
Osaka

Nice hotel in excellent location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Tokyo Asakusa Kimono & Tea Ceremony Experience
Tokyo Asakusa Kimono & Tea Ceremony Experience
Tokyo

Nice experience

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Tokyo Tour with English Speaking Guide (Private)
Full Day Tokyo Tour with English Speaking Guide (Private)
Tokyo
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Tokyo to Hakone Private Transfer: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Driver
Tokyo to Hakone Private Transfer: Mt. Fuji and Hakone Full-Day Tour with English-Speaking Driver
Japan

Recommend this tour

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Nara Tour From Kyoto with English Speaking Guide with Vehicle
Full Day Nara Tour From Kyoto with English Speaking Guide with Vehicle
Japan
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kyoto Arashiyama Best Spots 4h Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Arashiyama Best Spots 4h Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto

Highly recommend

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Hiroshima & Miyajima with English Guide (Private)
Full Day Hiroshima & Miyajima with English Guide (Private)
Hiroshima
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Osaka Local Foodie Walking Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai
Osaka Local Foodie Walking Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai
Osaka

Peco our guide was great to be with. She shared some great food with us

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Osaka Tour with English-Speaking Guide and Public Transportation (Private)
Full Day Osaka Tour with English-Speaking Guide and Public Transportation (Private)
Japan
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sayonara Japan!
Sayonara Japan!
Kansai International Airport (KIX)
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Kawagoe Tour From Tokyo with Guide (Private)
Full Day Kawagoe Tour From Tokyo with Guide (Private)
Japan
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Kyoto Tour with English Speaking Guide and Public Transportation (Private)
Full Day Kyoto Tour with English Speaking Guide and Public Transportation (Private)
Kyoto
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Welcome to Hiroshima!
Welcome to Hiroshima!
Hiroshima
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Leny Vergara
Leny
Leny Vergara
Local specialist in Japan | Replied on Oct 31, 2024

Hi Helene, thank you for your thoughtful review and for highlighting parts of your trip! It was a pleasure planning your journey to Japan with Marshall, and I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed your time there. I look forward to the opportunity to help design your next adventure!

Fantastic Trip!
Japan | Oct 9 - Oct 22, 2024

D
dana f.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Oct 24, 2024
I was planning our first trip to Japan and while researching I stumbled upon KimKim. What a fantastic find!!!! It is hard to find a travel agency with on location experience. KimKim has a terrific platform that helps to identify your needs and wants in a trip and then they connect you with a travel agent who is an expert in that location. We were connected with Leny in Tokyo. She was AMAZING!!! After filling out the questionnaire she came up with a couple of suggested ... Read more

I was planning our first trip to Japan and while researching I stumbled upon KimKim. What a fantastic find!!!! It is hard to find a travel agency with on location experience. KimKim has a terrific platform that helps to identify your needs and wants in a trip and then they connect you with a travel agent who is an expert in that location. We were connected with Leny in Tokyo. She was AMAZING!!! After filling out the questionnaire she came up with a couple of suggested itineraries. We then scheduled a phone call to discuss in further detail our thoughts about the itinerary. That really put my mind at ease, to talk to a real person and get instant feedback! We made modifications to make the trip exactly what we wanted. Leny was helpful every step of the way. She made a VERY detailed schedule for us. Organized wonderful tours and experiences. The hotels were terrific. Then she took customer service to the top level. When we were in Japan she was available for support throughout our trip! One time I could not find my train tickets and she mailed them again to me as I was at the station!!! Now that is support!! While being fairly well travelled, I was very nervous having never been to Asia. Leny put my mind to rest. She was absolutely incredible throughout this entire process. This was a very special trip to celebrate my birthday. It was a trip of a lifetime and I owe a huge part of that success to Leny at KimKim. THANK YOU LENY!!!

Hotel Reviews
THE THOUSAND KYOTO
Kyoto

Absolutely beautiful hotel. Gorgeous rooms. Delicious breakfast. Great location!

Authenticity & Character
Elegant Japanese style.
Location
Right near the train station which is plus in Kyoto.
Staff
Attentive. At the ready to help in any way they can.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everywhere was spotless. The room was absolutely beautiful. Loved the Pjs.
THE HOTEL SANRAKU KANAZAWA
Kanazawa

Beautiful hotel and lovely room! Great bath products.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier
Tokyo

The lobby is beautiful. The breakfast is very good. The room was very small.

Authenticity & Character
The lobby is beautiful but the room was very small. And the carpeting in the hallways needs to be replaced.
Location
Beautiful view from the lobby of the Tokyo Tower!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
VERY small room. Comfortable but small.
Gora Kadan
Hakone

Loved the Ryokan experience! Beautiful hotel. The onsen was amazing.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Beautiful location!!! Near the outdoor museum which was fabulous!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything! The gorgeous room. The onsen. Massage chairs.
The Blossom Hibiya
Minato
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Choi, a front desk trainee, who helped us sort out our plane tickets home. She was a lifesaver!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Hidden Gem Food Tour (adults only)
Hidden Gem Food Tour (adults only)
Tokyo

Great mix of restaurants to try. Learned lots of interesting facts about the Japanese culture. Ray was a good guide.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Half-Day Tokyo Tour with English-Speaking Guide
Half-Day Tokyo Tour with English-Speaking Guide
Tokyo

Good way to get a crash course in Japanese history and the Shinto and Buddhist religions. Very nice to have a guide show you around and take you from sight to sight.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Best of Tokyo's Shopping & Food: Japanese Cultural Experience
Best of Tokyo's Shopping & Food: Japanese Cultural Experience
Tokyo

This was a wonderful tour. Chees (our guide) took us to a mix of food stops and shops. She explained the history and the culture. It was a great way to see traditional or old Tokyo. There is so much tied into the art of Japanese craft. We also got to appreciate the architecture of the area. It was really informative and interesting.

Quality of Experience
The mix of food, shopping , architecture and history
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guide was great!
The Old Quarter of Tokyo - Yanaka Walking Tour
The Old Quarter of Tokyo - Yanaka Walking Tour
Tokyo

This was a group tour and the group was a little too large. The guide Meyu was very good. Informative.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Kanazawa Half Day Tour (Private)
Kanazawa Half Day Tour (Private)
Kanazawa

Really enjoyed walking around the Geisha and Samurai areas. The architecture was so beautiful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was very nice but not very interesting.
Treasures of Kyoto: Geishas & Traditions Private Tour
Treasures of Kyoto: Geishas & Traditions Private Tour
Kyoto

Our guide really made the Geisha quarter come to life. So interesting!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
It was interesting to have a guide who was not Japanese, but had lived in Japan for over 25 years. Her English was excellent.
Full Day Kyoto Tour with English Speaking Guide and Public Transportation (Private)
Full Day Kyoto Tour with English Speaking Guide and Public Transportation (Private)
Kyoto

Great way to see a lot of Kyoto's highlights.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Kyoto Arashiyama Best Spots 4h Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Arashiyama Best Spots 4h Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto

BEAUTIFUL part of Kyoto! Enjoyed seeing the shrines and the nature of the area.

Quality of Experience
The variety of areas we were able to walk around.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was wonderful! His English was excellent since he had grown up in the US for 18 years.
 Private tea ceremony 〜Feel Zen experience〜 (45min)
Private tea ceremony 〜Feel Zen experience〜 (45min)
Kyoto

This was our least favorite experience. The "tea master" was very formal in her explanations. And it is not her fault, but we do not like the taste of Macha. This was a waste of our time.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Leny Vergara
Leny
Leny Vergara
Local specialist in Japan | Replied on Oct 24, 2024

Hi Dana, thank you so much for your kind review! It was a joy to help you plan your trip to Japan and celebrate your birthday there. I’m really glad to hear you had a great experience and that everything came together just as you wanted. It was wonderful to be part of your trip and special celebration. If you ever plan another trip, I’d love to help again!

Great trip to Japan.
Japan | Aug 6 - Aug 12, 2024

M
michael d.
Canada | Reviewed on Aug 13, 2024

Excellent experience with Kimkim. A pretty complicated trip, with lots of destinations, transfers, trains and planes and everything was seamless. Communication during the trip through WhatsApp was instantaneous.

Our travel specialist, Leny, was outstanding. She was able to suggest or modify activities on the fly, to suit the weather or teenage preferences. Her personalized recommendations on restaurants and shopping areas (Amerika-sura) were highlights of our trip. I will seek her out for any future trips to SE Asia.

Local specialist: Leny Vergara
Leny
Leny Vergara
Local specialist in Japan | Replied on Sep 23, 2024

Hi Michael, thank you for your positive feedback! I’m glad to hear you and your daughter had a wonderful time in Japan. It was a pleasure helping with your trip, and I look forward to the opportunity to design your next adventure to Japan!