Old Town Outfitters

Our local specialist, Chris, was great with communication while planning our trip as well as during it. He was able to change our itinerary while we were in Guatemala on short notice due to an illness in our group, so that we could still do an excursion that was important to us on a different day. Our in-country tour guide and driver was also great - very welcoming and knowledgeable.

The trip was very well organized on short notice. I enjoyed the nature and the culture part of the trip. I would highly recommend it to those who would like a little adventure or relax and enjoy nature and old towns, like Antigua.

I have so many good things to say about this trip. Eduardo was great at planning with us and very communicative with us during the trip. We even had a problem when my girlfriend accidentally left her phone in one of the transport vans and arranged to have it se t on the next plane to get it back to us at our next location.

Josias was an amazing guide on both the day at Atitlán and on the Acatenango hike. He was great at both telling us stories of the culture and the area but also making it fun and lighthearted along the way. We can’t recommend him enough. In addition to a great guide the views of the Acatenango hike were once in a lifetime type experiences.

Kevin was a great local guide through all the villages around Atitlán and explaining the languages and the Mayan calendar. He took us to the Maximón house and gave us great insight into the local culture.

For our time in Tikal and Yaxhá Oliverio (Ollie) was so knowledgeable and added so much to the tours of all the ruins.

Fernando and Luis were great drivers and helped so much at the border crossing from Guatemala and Belize making it much easier than it might have been.

We loved the ATM caves and José was really great teaching us all the history of the Mayan use of the caves as well as all the geologic history of the caves, as well as all the flora and fauna on the hike.

In Cate Caulker Ragga Sailong Adventures guided by our captain Keanu and Penny were awesome showing us the best spots and getting to swim along manatees, sharks, rays, fish and all the fish on the reef was so amazing. They also had great food and drinks including some amazing ceviche.

Overall we loved the trip so much and everyone we came across were truly wonderful and I felt so lucky to be able to see their world through their eyes a bit. The hotels, food, ruins, volcano hike, snorkeling and all the activities were second to none.

Amazing trip in Guatemala. Alex was excellent at organizing the trip and making sure we would feel safe and taken care of during the entire trip. Rudy was our local guide - very knowledgeable and helpful, always smiling and supportive. It was an outstanding trip in a beautiful country. Swimming in Lake Attitlan was one of the best and fulfilling experiences...

Alex was absolutely wonderful from start to finish and our experience in Guatemala was amazing!! I would highly recommend having him and KimKim prepare your next trip! Originally, I was looking for help in planning a trip for my husband and myself. Not knowing too much about Guatamala, I wanted some local advice about what we should see, do, eat, and experience while staying safe. Quickly into the planning my mother-in-law wanted to join and soon after so did my sister-in-law, turning our adventure into a family holiday haha Alex was incredibly patient and accommodating the entire time. He helped to adapt plans and ensure we all had lots of activities we could enjoy together. Also, when we brought up different ideas he helped to coordinate diverse activities that ended around the same time so everyone could experience what they wanted to see/do without feeling like we missed out on anything which was wonderful.

Joel, our day-to-day guide was also fantastic!! He helped us with translations, cultural nuances, and was an absolut blast to be around. We laughed constantly and his presence make everyone smile. While on our hikes he was knowledgeable and patient as well.

Overall our experience in Guatemala was even better than we expected! The people were so friendly, the food was fantastic, the culture is rich and unique, and thanks to Alex, Joel, and everyone that helped us along the way we had a super easy and safe time traveling around the country.

11/10 - We would all go back in a heartbeat!

The trip was exceptionally well-organized, with Chris and the team always available to answer any questions or to make suggestions. The roundtrip itinerary was thoughtfully planned, making perfect sense for exploring the best of Guatemala. Our guide for the first part, Diana, was incredibly motivated to accommodate her guests. She has extensive knowledge of the culture and a deep love for her country. We enjoyed a very active and sporty vacation, just as we had wished for.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Panchoy

Antigua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Acatenango Campsite

Best location on the campsite!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Isla Verde

Santa Cruz la Laguna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

no warm water for showers; bathroom not very clean and with spiders; running water which made the bathroom constantly wet area

Ramon's Village Resort

San Pedro

Authenticity & Character

Location

divecenter at the hotel

Staff

overall friendly staff but sometimes a bit too pushy

Cleanliness & Comfort

food is not the best food on San Pedro; rooms were very clean !

Jungle Lodge Tikal

Peten

restaurant staff not very welcoming and a bit impolite; you always have to pay every single bill and no possibility to have one check-out bill. Even different billing between bar and restaurant. Therefore incurring creditcard costs for every single transaction. Water needed to paid for. No water offered at breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Traditional Guatemalan Cooking Class

Antigua

Day Hike to Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala

Sunrise on Acatenango & Descent

Guatemala

Boat Tour of Lake Atitlán Villages

Guatemala

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

Valley Ride - Bicycle Tour of Antigua's Villages, Farms, and Ruins

Antigua

Biking very dangerous because of traffic. we were expecting a ride in nature but this was more of a road ride. So would rather do this tour by quad for example because the biking itself is not pleasant. The tour was great! Chocolate factory, Macademia nuts etc!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Acatenango Volcano & Camp Overnight

Guatemala

Kayaking & Hiking Lake Atitlán

Guatemala

The hike had to be cancelled because of a miscommunication with Mundo hotel. Also the hike would have been at noon which is the hottest period of the day. So not very convenient timing. The kayak was great fun!!

Just returned from an exciting 9 day mother/daughter trip to Belize! This is the second tour that I've booked through kimkim in the past two years, and again, it proved to be a wise choice and an east platform to use. Our local expert, Alex Coronado, with Old Town Outfitters based in Guatemala, was very personable and fun to work with. He listened to my suggestions and concerns, and made appropriate changes to the itinerary as needed. He was then very approachable and helpful while we were en route, making restaurant suggestions along the way.

One of my biggest concerns in advance with this trip was that the ground transportation go smoothly. Alex booked our transfers through the Belize Airport Shuttle Service (BASS), which proved to be wonderful! Lilia, a local BASS representative, met us at the airport upon arrival with a friendly, reassuring face and a big hug. She introduced us to our first driver and went over the itinerary. She then kept in touch with me through Whatsapp to make sure all the pick-up times went smoothly. We loved all of our drivers!

Most of our tours while inland at San Ignacio were booked through MayaWalk tours. They were wonderful to work with, and we thoroughly enjoyed all of our drivers and guides. Our first guide, Richard, to Mountain Pine Ridge was particularly knowledgeable about local flora and animals. Our second tour was a day-trip to the Tikal ruins in Guatemala, which I highly recommend to anyone considering a Belize trip. It's an enticing glimpse into the beauty of Guatemala. On the second part of our trip, out on the island of Caye Caulker, we used Black Hawk Tours for a full-day snorkeling excursion. Those guys were an absolute blast, and managed to find not one, but an entire group of 4 manatees for us!

Finally, the hotels were lovely and exactly matched to our preferences. The Falling Leaves Lodge, our favorite, in San Ignacio, had lovely jungle grounds, and a very warm, welcoming staff. We ate most of our meals at their restaurant, the Obsidian, and enjoyed happy hour cocktails each day from their bar. They have a brand new, absolutely lovely, pool, which we had all to ourselves most evenings.

I will continue to recommend friends and family to the kimkim model, and will also consider another trip to Guatemala through Old Town Outfitters!

Hotel Reviews

Villa Boscardi Belize City

belice

Nice B&B for the final night in the country. Lovely, clean room, and a wonderful breakfast the following morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Short drive from the water taxi and the airport. Also within walking distance of a great little restaurant called Smokeez, which one of our BASS drivers recommended.

Staff

Very friendly host for breakfast.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Falling Leaves Lodge

San Ignacio

Loved the small hotel charm, and cute cabanas. Very warm and welcoming staff, particularly the guys running the bar. We loved the food at their restaurant, the Obsidian, and ate most of our meals there. The grounds were lovely and peaceful, especially early in the morning when the birds were waking up. The brand new pool was a delight, and we got to enjoy it by ourselves most evenings.

Authenticity & Character

Very charming. Loved the small size. Staff were very friendly.

Location

Good views, and nice proximity to the Cahal Pech ruins.

Staff

Because of their small size, it was easy for them to get to know people. One of the groundkeepers noticed me bird-watching, for example, and gave me a local map of excellent bird watching sites.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very nice, clean, and comfortably cool room. Loved the large stone shower.

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Mountain Pine Ridge - full day

Belize

Loved our guide, Richard. He stopped at a small road-side bakery on the way and we got freshly made plantain chips. He then told us stories about the Mayan gods en route, and provided excellent tidbits about local flora and animals all day. Lunch that day was one of our favorite meals.

Quality of Experience

Food

We had beans/rice with jerk chicken. The chicken was some of the best we had the whole trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved Richard. Very knowledgeable guide, and fun to spend the day with.

Transport

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

Wonderful glimpse into Guatemala. The border crossing was easy and fun. The ruins are spectacular. We saw lots of wildlife and beautiful trees as a bonus. Lunch en route was very good.

Quality of Experience

Very knowledgeable guide. There was another family with us on this tour, so it was fun to be part of a group.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Long drive, but a very comfortable and cool van.

Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Cave Tubing Tour en Route

Belize

Very nice way to break up the drive back to the coast from inland. The cave and the river that ran through it were a wonderful relief from the heat. The water was crystal clear and very inviting to swim in.

Quality of Experience

Easily manageable as an addition to the drive back to the coast.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Juan was fabulous. We had him all to ourselves, so really got the VIP treatment.

Transport

Good timing. He managed to get us to the water taxi with plenty of time to catch an earlier boat.

Snorkeling Tour in the Belize Barrier Reef

Caye Caulker

The guys at Black Hawk were very fun and very skilled at finding wildlife in the ocean for us to see. We were very fortunate to get to see a group of 4 manatees.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of the Black Hawk guys were very funny and personable. Our boat driver, John, was very good at finding wildlife.

Transport