Margarita Moreno

My trip to Cartagena was absolutely incredible all due to the careful planning of Margarita and her team! From the early stages of planning, I was unsure if it was safe for a solo traveler, but I didn't want to give up the dream to go. Margarita was incredibly attentive and patient with me through all of my concerns and reservations. She is truly the reason I was comfortable enough to experience such a beautiful, hospitable city.

Liz was also a local guide, who would constantly check in with me and greeted me on my first day at the hotel. She is fantastic.
The hotel selected was absolutely beautiful- highly recommend. Participating in a cooking class and salsa dance class, helped me immerse in the culture.

My flight was cancelled while I waited at the airport. Liz and Margarita both made themselves available to arrange additional car services and book hotel reservations for the extra nights I had to spend in Cartagena. They were both readily available to help me and ease all of the stress I had from a flight cancelation.

I cannot express my gratitude enough for Margarita and Liz making my trip so wonderful! If you are even slightly thinking of going to Colombia, you should do it! I loved my adventure and the warmth of the people there.

Hotel Review

OSH Hotel Getsemaní

Beautiful, clean, friendly staff and amazing amentities

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful rooms and the pool is also incredible. This hotel has a rooftop bar with a beautiful view of the city

Location

This hotel is located in a safe neighborhood with several bars and restaurants. Very walkable to the old city.

Staff

They greeted me everyday, introduced themselves, always cheerful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cartagena's Dance Rhythms Unleashed: Master Salsa and Mor

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Cooking Class

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy the Beaches and Coral Reefs of the Rosario Islands (Shared Boat)

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Having travelled the world for many years, including South American countries, I could never have gone to Colombia without the reliable journey planning that KimKim provided. Although I had done my own research prior to the strategies, the extraordinary planning done by the specialista, Margarita Moreno, could not have been more perfect. Each day the guides were superb, caring, knowledgeable, and enjoying the time they spent with me and my granddaughter.
Bogota was a complete surprise...a huge city that I could not have navigated on my own. The visit to Egipto responded to exactly what I wanted my granddaughter to learn about. Our guide, Andrea Morita was fantastic as we went to Monserratre and found a restaurant that should have a Michelin rating. The day with her at the Museo de Oro and Museo Botero showed that she knew the history of indigenous artwork and the life and purpose of Botero as an artist and philanthropist . Our excellent guide for Las Amazonas, Claudio Gutierrez, was fantastic. There are not enough words to describe his keen attention to us and constantly pointing out things we should see in the jungle and translating indigenous leaders conversations when our Spanish understanding was not quite enough. He gets an A++ for all that he did. Going to the indigenous sites along the Amacayacu river, like being in Paradise, will be the most memorable moments in outlives.
And Cartagena was a contrast from Leticia and everything we saw. Most tourists don't see El Pozon and Margarita's instincts were good in suggesting this region of the city. The old town is a tourist shopping center and the Misura Restaurant and the Bantu Hotel were outstanding. Our boat ride to the Islas del Rosario, with an excellent guide, was the opportunity to see birds that we did not see previously. Margarita's descriptive journey plan tells a story more about Colombia than I could ever write and I am thrilled she was so involved in making this journey so perfect for us.

My wife and I just returned from a 9-10 day tour of Columbia. The tour was quite ambitious as we visited Bogota (one full day), Amazonia (2 full days), the Coffee region (3 full days), and even a quick one night stopover in Cartagena (one day). This involved a lot of flights as all flights connect through Bogota. So it was quite tiring and rather head spinning. The good thing though was that we got to see an amazing diversity of peoples and places in one tour.
What we saw of Bogota, on an e-bike tour!, we found to be both beautiful and interesting, and Monserrate and the views of Bogota from it, were amazing (but buy a pass that gets you to the head of the line if you can).
Amazonia was, for us the greatest highlight of the tour. We found it, as lovers of wild life, birds, and peoples/cultures with dignity, a simply charming, magical place. We were based out of Punto Nariño, and travelled everywhere by small boat, except on our return trip to Leticia on a river "bus". Every boat trip was a guided natural history adventure, stopping to see the dolphins at Leticia, and on both banks of the river to photograph birds, monkeys, or to have some other curiosity pointed out. We navigated lakes with water lily pads and flooded forests. We visited two different indigenous communities and a monkey rehabilitation sanctuary, and photographed humming birds, Macaws and Toucans, birds hiding in the trees or in flocks, and butterflies. I did a night walk in the rain forest and photographed frogs and sleeping morpho butterflies. We visited a indigenous cultures museum and shopped for unique crafts in Leticia.
We also loved the Coffee Region. This is a mountainous or hilly, moderate temperature, rain forest region with coffee, fruit orchards, avocados, etc., as well as national forest. It is beautiful and the climate is very pleasant when we visited (February). We visited a beautiful hillside farm, where we were shown a fabulous orchid collection and treated to a delicious lunch, and the farmhouse, where we watched many colorful birds and humming bird feed. We visited two very beautiful rural towns, Filandia and Salento, where we visited a basketry workshop/studio and were taught by a craftsman to weave small baskets. We stayed in a charming hotel at a farm in a national park in the Corcora valley and did an early morning birding exploration in the hills. And we visited a botanical garden, where we learned about the local ecology, with a large enclosed butterfly habitat where we could view native butterflies up close. Our last night was spent in Cartagena, in a fabulous hotel just adjacent to the old city. This is also very beautiful, historical, with a lot of shopping and fine dining, quite different from our previous experiences. (We didn't have time to investigate the beaches, but not our thing anyway.)
In almost all of our adventures we were accompanied by a driver and a guide. We have very little Spanish, but the guides spoke English, and all were super knowledgeable about birds and could identify them by their calls and spot them in the trees, as well as being knowledgeable about the local cultures and history. Though it is hard to single any out, Sergio Leones in Amazonia and Juan Camilo in the Coffee Region were truly outstanding, and we learned so much from them. But even the drivers seemed to have a great knowledge of their natural history and be able to spot the birds. Our small boat trip from Leticia to Punto Nariño to Leticia on our day of arrival was a fascinating adventure as our Spanish-only speaking boat driver made many stops to point out birds and other things along the way and we had a great time trying to communicate in hand waving, my tiny amount of Spanish, and an iPhone app.
Our accommodations were outstanding, although in Amazonia they were, as you would expect, a little less refined. All were beautiful and full of character. Particularly of note were Sazagua (in Pereira) and Sazagua Boutique (in Corcora), being beautiful and having great food, and our hotel in Cartagena.
Indeed, everywhere we went, the food was outstanding, and, as you would expect given our itinerary, of a great variety.
Did we feel safe in Colombia? Yes, certainly anywhere we went we had no concerns at all (although we were with guides most of the time). Indeed I found the Columbians we met to most generous, and, especially, to be extremely pleased to be able to share their beautiful country with us, along with its natural wonders.
Would we go back again? - YES. But, probably with a more relaxed schedule, doubling down on the things we liked the most, and with some new twist.
Last, but not least, many thanks to Margarita, our Kim-Kim local specialist, who suggested the itinerary, modified to our satisfaction, worked out all the details, hired the guides, made all the bookings, watched out for us throughput the trip, and was a model of efficiency and courtesy.

Margarita and her team went above and beyond to ensure that we had a wonderful trip to Colombia. Thank you for taking such good care of us! Everyone we worked with was friendly, helpful and polite. I couldn't ask for more. Muchas gracias

Hotel Reviews

100 LUXURY SUITES

bogota

During my three-night stay at 100 LUXURY SUITES in Bogotá, I found the hotel to be excellent. The neighborhood was lovely, but it was a bit far from the downtown tourist areas, which was a minor inconvenience. The hotel itself was nice, although the distance from the main attractions was a small drawback. Overall, the experience was fabulous, and I would highly recommend this hotel.

Location

Staff

The Refuge at Río Claro Reserva Natural

Medellin

My one-night stay at The Refuge at Río Claro Reserva Natural had a few issues. It is an eco hotel with a low cost, but the staff seemed inexperienced and didn't provide the level of service we expected. The location was not ideal, and the accommodation could have been better. Despite these challenges, the staff was friendly, which was a plus.

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

I stayed at Patio del Mundo in Medellín for three nights and found the hotel to be fabulous. The location was perfect, the staff was very friendly and helpful, and the overall experience was excellent. I highly recommend this boutique hotel for anyone visiting Medellín.

Location

Staff

Rosario Del Mar by Tequendama

My one-night stay at Rosario Del Mar by Tequendama in the Rosario Islands was good overall. The accommodation was basic with no balcony or view, but the staff was extremely nice. The experience was decent, but not excellent due to the simplicity of the room.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Barú & the Rosario Islands

Colombia

The islands and the beach were great and the snorkeling was fun, but there wasn't so much to see underwater.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Valentina was great, good English, and informative. The boat driver and his son were delightful.

Transport

It took me a little while to get to writing this review, but this family trip remains vivid in all of our minds! I planned this quite last minute (my fault) but Margarita was able to put together a trip that we all loved. It felt very bespoke. Our local guides were lovely and knowledgeable. We also appreciated that some of the activities we did - jungle walks, horse-back riding, a farm and cooking class visit, a basket-weaving class, visiting Palenque, and a drum lesson - all felt like off-the-beaten path experiences. We prefer private experiences and that is what was delivered. The hotels were perfect for us, small and boutique (especially for such a last minute trip). Finally, one member of our party has celiac and needs a strictly gluten-free diet. margarita contacted every restaurant and notified them, making our dining experience truly a joy. I would definitely recommend Margarita to others (and, in fact, I have). Thank you for a lovely trip!

I returned to Cartagena, Medellin, and Bogota with the incredible package by KimKim, a travel agency that truly understands the art of crafting unforgettable experiences. What made this trip truly exceptional was the outstanding service provided by their dedicated travel agent, Margarita Moreno.

From the moment we began planning our adventure, Margarita's expertise and commitment to ensuring our satisfaction shone through. Our group consisted of high-profile, spontaneous world travellers with changing unique plans and demands, and Margarita not only met but exceeded every expectation.

One of the standout features of KimKim's service was the seamless customization of our itinerary. Margarita listened attentively to our preferences and meticulously curated an itinerary that perfectly balanced cultural exploration, relaxation, and adventure. The result was a journey that felt tailor-made for us, providing an authentic and immersive experience in each city.

What truly set Margarita apart, however, was her unwavering dedication to going above and beyond her duties. I was very impressed, when in Medellin we commissioned a large format artwork, and Margarita took it upon herself to shipped to us in USA. The fact that she went the extra mile to coordinate the shipping speaks volumes about her commitment to ensuring our satisfaction and creating lasting memories.

Throughout the trip, Margarita's attention to detail, extensive local knowledge, and proactive communication made everything effortless. From organizing private tours to recommending hidden gems, she demonstrated a level of professionalism and personalization that truly set KimKim apart.

The accommodations selected for us were not only luxurious but also strategically located, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the local culture and vibrant atmospheres of Cartagena, Medellin, and Bogota. Every day felt like a new adventure, and we owe much of that to Margarita's thoughtful planning.

This trip was really wonderful. Margarita was excellent. She was responsive and always able to come up with plans and was extremely accommodating to our preferences and requests. The on-site representatives and drivers were great. They were on time, friendly and easy to communicate with. Of note, Camelo and Andres were absolutely wonderful, going above and beyond. Andres was extremely knowledgeable about the history and facts of Colombia. He treated us like special guests throughout our time together. The hotels and restaurants that Margarita selected were excellent quality. We'll definitely be using KimKim to plan future travel adventures. Thank you!

Margarita did a great job curating our trip, communicating before and during the trip and worked hard to make sure we were well cared for and having a good time.
All of the activities and accomodations met or exceeded our expectations.
A big shout out to Sol, our guide during our time in Medellin. She brought great energy and insights and was just fun to be with.
Thank you!

I definitely recommend booking a trip through KimKim! I was on a solo trip to Colombia and I felt very well informed and taken care of throughout my entire trip. From the driver picking me up at the airport despite my flight being delayed to having a translator in the Amazon I felt that someone from KimKim was always there to help.
I even price checked and compared the cost of booking my trip with out KimKim and there was almost no difference. Regardless I would have paid extra to have the comfort and security that was provided.
Thank you so much Margarita for being with me every step of the way, you really went above and beyond my expectations!
I am looking forward to booking my next trip with KimKim in the future!
Robby Putnam