Tamer Obeid

Kim Kim organized our visit to Quito, the Galápagos Islands, and several places in Peru, including Machu Picchu. The tour was exceptionally well-organized. Majo (María José) and Tamer were always available to assist.
The tour guides were friendly, informative, and engaging, providing fascinating details at each stop. Pick-up times were well-coordinated, and all transfers went smoothly, including assistance at the airport to ensure we were ready for our flight. Despite occasional difficulties with accents or fast speaking, they were always willing to clarify when needed. Their knowledge and enthusiasm made the experience truly memorable.

We could not be happier with our experience with the Ecuador-based KimKim team. The service provided by Maria Jose, who was our trip coordinator, was outstanding from day one. She made sure to understand our goals and vision for the trip, and was patient enough to work through multiple itinerary versions until we finalized it together. The chose the correct hotels, routes, and activities based on what we spoke about, and the guides/personnel on the ground that they reserved for us were trustworthy, puntual, and very knowledgeable. Every day they checked in on us with a text, to make sure that everything was going accordingly, which is a sign of excellent service. I highly recommend working with Maria Jose/Tamer and the ecuador KimKim team - I will do so for my next trip as well, and will even look into working through KimKim for visits made to other countries. 5/5, thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Hacienda Abraspungo

Guano

Excellent service, very nice people. Make sure to request the horse riding trip, it was stunning. The rooms were very comfortable, and the restaurant is 5/5. The view of the volcanoes is breathtaking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

Great team and managers, Mattia was very polite and respective of our needs during our stay. The rooms are very pretty, warm, and comfortable, and the views are breathtaking. I would definitely stay there again, and hope to return soon! Oh, and the restaurant was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Dairy Farm Visit in La Alegria

Cotopaxi

Great experience horseback riding, and the operators/owners were very nice. They even had lunch with us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excellent teams who took care of us during these 2 weeks!

Our recent trip to Ecuador was an unforgettable adventure, and we are thrilled to share our experience.
We spent three incredible nights at the Napo Wildlife Center in Yasuni National Park. The lodge, nestled deep in the rainforest, was nothing short of spectacular. The surrounding nature was breathtaking, and we enjoyed numerous canoe rides, which provided an up-close look at the diverse wildlife. Each excursion was an exciting journey, offering sights of exotic birds, playful monkeys, and other fascinating creatures. The pristine beauty of the rainforest left us in awe.
Following our rainforest adventure, we embarked on a seven-night cruise aboard the Montserrat in the Galapagos Islands. This part of our trip was extraordinary. Seeing so many animals up close was a dream come true. We snorkeled with marine iguanas, sharks, and even penguins! Our guide, Javier, was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, making every excursion informative and enjoyable. The Galapagos Islands truly felt like a paradise, teeming with unique wildlife and stunning landscapes.
We also had the pleasure of exploring Quito. Our walking tour was informative and engaging, allowing us to soak in the city's rich history and culture. A highlight was the cooking class with our guide, Sebastian. It was a delightful experience learning to prepare traditional Ecuadorian dishes and enjoying a delicious meal we had made ourselves.
A special thanks to Tamer Obeid, who expertly organized this fabulous trip for our family. His prompt communication and attention to detail ensured everything went smoothly from start to finish. Tamer’s dedication made our vacation truly memorable, and we highly recommend his services to anyone planning a trip to Ecuador.

We had a memorable trip on the Montserrat boat for 8 days. Very clean and on time withe the schedule every day. A lot to do. Enjoyed a lot the snorkeling experience. The crew was adorable and professional. Our guide was EXCEPTIONAL! Javier PICASA, has a lot of knowledge about the islands, flora and fauna. Made our experience great! He is an exceptional snorkeler and we saw a lot of animals, turtles, sharks, iguanas, sea lions and pinguins. We can only recommend him warmly!

Activity Review

Colonial City Tour, Cooking Class & the Middle of the World Monument

Quito

We had an amazing city tour with Sebastian. The cooking class was a good way to enjoy equatorian cuisine

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to the Quito and The Galapagos Islands was fabulous! The services provided by KimKim, especially Anthony who coordinated everything for us, was flawless. Every guide and driver we had were knowledgeable, timely, friendly, and welcomed us to Ecuador with open arms. We loved our trip to the cloud forest with David and our 7 day cruise around the Galapagos islands aboard the Archibel I where we saw tons of birds, sea lions, penguins, rays, and other sea animals. When we needed help making a few important changes on the fly, Anthony made it all happen. We felt very supported by him and the KimKim/Responsible Travel Team before and during our travels.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great hotel, beautifully appointed room with comfortable bed. Lots of options for the breakfast buffet and for dinner as well. Appreciated the two for one mojitos as well! Hotel has armed security 24/7 and feels safe.

Authenticity & Character

The decor in the room and in all the common speaces.

Location

Easy to walk to a few restaurants. Nice to be in a neighborhood.

Staff

While their English wasn't great, it was good enough to provide super service and help us when the safe in our room wouldn't open!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfectly clean. Good temperatures. Loved the linens on the bed.

Archipel I

Guayaquil - Ecuador

We really enjoyed our time on the Archipel I. The food was delicious and plentiful. The chef put a lot of thought into offering a diverse menu for every meal. The fruit drinks provided whenever we returned from an excursion on shore or aboard the dingy were a great treat. The rooms are comfortable, with ample amount of space for storing luggage and clothing. On the first part of the trip we were in a room at the front of the boat which was particularly bumpy, especially because of the route we were on. For the second half of the trip, we moved to a room at the back of the boat which we found a lot less bumpy. The sea may have been less wavy either way but we liked being in the back better and really appreciated the opportunity to move. Overall, the staff on this boat are super.

Authenticity & Character

Great ship to see the Galapagos Islands on.

Location

We went on the 7 day cruise - around the western islands and then up to Genevese.

Staff

Great staff -- so customer focused and efficient. They knew how to get things done and keep the group moving forward and able to address issues as they came up.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The vessel and cabins were very clean. The bathrooms, while very clean and usable, are beginning to show their age a bit.

La Palma Polo Club

La Palma Polo Club is a unique experience and location! Our room was HUGE. Loved all the windows and rustic decor. Only thing missing was a desk. Food was good at the restaurant too. Enjoyed walking the grounds. There are not many rooms so you feel like you are at a special place . We only stayed one night before catching our flight so we didn't use the pools or the spa.

Authenticity & Character

Hotel was beautiful.

Location

While the hotel is closer to the airport than Quito, it is still a half an hour a way. It is also not convenient to Quito if you want to use it as a base for touring. That said, the location is beautiful and it is a great place to stay, particularly if you want to hang out for a few days.

Staff

Very helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable! The bed was great. The decor was beautiful.

Activity Reviews

Moreno Point - Urbina Bay (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

Espinoza Point (Fernandina Island) - Vicente Roca Point (Isabela Island)

Cruise Ship

Black Turtle Cove - Flamingos and Relax in Bachas Beach

Cruise Ship

Colonial Quito City Tour & the Middle of the World

Quito

Really enjoyed the Middle of the World experience. Very fun and worthwhile. We also enjoyed the tour of old Quito and the view of the city from the Virgin of Quito statue overlooking the city was outstanding!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

David was a great guide, adjusting the tour based on our interests, and sharing with us lots of interesting information about Quito's history and current situation.

Transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Departure)

Galapagos Islands

Smooth transfer with lots of time to check in at the airport.

Arrival to Quito

Galapagos Islands

Friendly driver met us at the airport and we had a smooth transfer to our hotel for the evening.

Birding Day in the Cloud Forest

Quito

Our guide knew of a few "private" birding locations where locales set up bananas and other fruit to attract birds to their property, including hummingbirds. These locations did not disappoint! We saw dozens of colorful and unique birds and were able to feed a vast array of beautiful hummingbirds. We also went to the butterfly refuge which was okay. The highlight there was seeing two kinds of toucans and a sunbittern on or near the property.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

David knows his birds and was passionate about seeing and finding them!

Baltra Airport - Fausto Llerena Breeding Centre (Santa Cruz)

Cruise Ship

We are glad we saw the breeding center but it is nothing like seeing the giant tortoises in the wild! The breeding center focuses a lot on educating visitors about the tortoises and the Galapagos ecosystem. The baby tortoises from various islands was interesting to see.

Twin Craters - El Chato Reserve (Santa Cruz Island) - Transfer Out to Baltra Airport

Cruise Ship

We stopped by the twin craters on our way to the airport. It was cool to see the crater (we actually only had time to see one) but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it. The time we spent seeing the wild giant tortoises on property nearby was more worthwhile. There were so many of them - both male and female.

Exploring Genovesa Island: Prince Philip Steps and Darwin Bay

Cruise Ship

This island was the highlight of our trip! So many birds (red-footed boobys, blue-footed boobys, frigate birds and their chicks), everywhere you looked! Plus several short-eared owls and many other interesting things to see. It is a magical place.

Bartolome Island - Sullivan Bay (Santiago Island)

Galapagos Islands

This island was another highlight of our trip but not because of the wildlife. The landscape and view from the top is magnificent! Snorkeling after the hike around the cove was lots of fun too.

Puerto Egas (Santiago Island) - Rabida Island

Galapagos Islands

After spending a week in the Amazon jungle with friends & family on a service project, I wanted to spend another week in Ecuador, but had some hesitations as a solo traveler. Tamer understood my concerns and gave me assurances that allowed me to relax and move forward with the trip. He put together a nicely balanced itinerary that covered a few days in Quito followed by whale watching in Puerto Lopez. Tamer researched the conditions in Puerto Lopez to ensure that portion of the trip would be safe and worthwhile. Everything went smoothly including plenty of whale sightings! For the Quito activities, Tamer arranged for an excellent private guide, Sebastian, who was accommodating, extremely knowledgeable, and courteous.

Tamer was in touch every morning and evening for a quick chat and reminders. It was nice to know he had my back and was available should anything come up. He was great with details, made timely responses to my many questions, and handled with grace & efficiency some late-in-the-game changes to my plans.

Tamer was our overall trip coordinator and he was very attentive and responsive particularly given that he coordinated the trip from Quito.
Special mention to Darwin our guide for Los Tunales and to Hulio for our trek up to the Negra caldera.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Solymar

Galápagos

Beautiful vista and very helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Amazing beach for walking in the morning and the staff were very helpful (even walked us to a restaurant)!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

We were on the top floor do a bit of extra exercise but it was a nice hotel and the view was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

The tortoises’s were very memorable and the guide was very good. The food at the restaurant was excellent!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience the Pristine Beauty of Galápagos Islands: Discovering an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

Stunning vistas and sea animals. The snorkelling with the sea lions was such a special experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island

Puerto Ayora

There was a delay in the arrival of our guide/driver which turned out to be due to an unexpected cancellation. There was limited communication and when we finally got on a boat we were still not sure if it was the right excursion. The trip over was with heavy seas so it was a challenging voyage. The sites were interesting but much of the content shared by the guide was already new.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover the Wonders of Tintoreras Islet: A Journey into Breathtaking Biodiversity

Puerto Villamil

Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Ecuador

One of the highlights of our trip. Darwin was an amazing guide and even provided underwater photos to each of us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The boat driver was unbelievable navigating between the lava rocks so we could see the flora and fauna.

Hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano

Ecuador

Another great trip and Hulio was an excellent guide. Beautiful vistas and worth the 16 km. hike’

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

The trip to the beach was beautiful. Unfortunately there was not a lot to see at Kicker Tock on this particular visit but it was still a great experience to snorkel around it

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was probably my best vacation. The Galapagos islands are breathtaking.

Kimkim Team took a care of all arrangements for us including accommodations, all required permissions, transportation from island to island and daily trip activities with professional guides.
Tamer stayed in contact with us every day and answer any question we had. His assistance also helped us to enjoy our entire trip.

I highly recommend Kimkim Team service to every tourist who is planning to visit unforgeable Galapagos Islands.

Best Regards,
Zuzana Janosova Den Boer
June 2024