Project Matka

Asko was with us every step of the way, even after we were traveling and thought severe weather might impact our itinerary. He was responsive to the point where I started to wonder when or if he slept.
We were traveling with friends, but didn’t always have the same accommodation, and I was often confused because I referenced our friends rather than our trip plans. Asko was there to redirect with an ever cheerful attitude.

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

Sydney

Were given a room with no air con. Had to ask four times for help and were eventually reassigned to another room.

Authenticity & Character

Its a standard hotel, nothing special

Location

Central ciy

Staff

Was hard to be recognized, but refused to believe it’s because I am an older woman.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Getting a room with AC

The Carrington

Character galore. Old and in some cases very old! Our bathroom had been renovated nicely.

Authenticity & Character

Charming

Location

Easy access to the area.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Taste of The Hunter

Australia

The wineries were great but could have been a better tour if the guide was a wine rather then a beer drinker. One stop was all about chi chi shimmery alcohol; it had no place on a wine tour. BTW, Sandlers Wines was the best of the day! Pucs includud.

Quality of Experience

Day was exhaustingly hot.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Clean

Palm Cove - The Great Barrier Reef

Palm Cove

I’m not one for big group activities like this, and well the boat, the lunch, on the activities themselves were fine. It was the dive staff that made this truly memorable. One of the female staff helped fit my equipment properly, and then helped my husband as well And accompanied him as first time snorkler to help him get an appreciation of what the reef offered. I couldn’t have been more pleased.

Quality of Experience

The one female who helped my husband and I. We are in our 70s

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A night at the Filed of Light Dinner

Uluru

Too touristy for me. Food okay The astronomer who spoke was the best part of the evening. The field of light is too contrived.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

60 Minute Jet Boat

Queenstown (NZ)

It was fun if you like being bumped, jostled and bounced to the point of disbelief.

Quality of Experience

Showed off the boat and driver skills

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

If you like this kind of thing it was good.

The Rocks Aboriginal Dreaming Tour (Illi Langi)

Sydney

Fundamentally important to trip Would reccommend to be part of anyones tour and think timing as part of first day of trip was good way to start trip Sidney rock as iconic part of Sydney harbor and simultaneously “holy” Aboriginal ground was particularly important! Speaker was good but not inspired Meeting spot waspoorly indicated, hard to find and should be less ambiguous

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Speaker good but not great. Clearly less connected with target audience than Mauri guide in Christchurch

Daintree, Mossman Gorge and Cape Tribulation

Australia

Scenery in Mossman Gorge phenomena Gondola over rainforest excellent But Train ride thru Barron falls even better Not to be missed!

Quality of Experience

Food

Nothing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide for Daintrer rain forrest and camp tribulation was extrdinary conservationalist very knowledgeable and helpfuf Made wholevday come alive Driver for Mossman gorge was very adroit when train up the gorge was cancelled because of mechanical issues he rerouted us so we could take the train ride back which afforded us spectacular views

Transport

Train through Bedford Falls was amazing

Melbourne Foodie Culture - Walking tour

Melbourne

Guide excellent! The start at the library to give us some cultural background, the places chosen, the order in which we experienced them and the information we received exceeded our expectations. The food choices were all excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking tour

Milford Sound Day Trip

Te Anau

Most beautiful drive ever. Terrific guide who knew the route and shared so much interesting information about the areas we were seeing.

Quality of Experience

Driver, scenery, boat staff and natural vistas

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Queenstown Wine and food Tour

Queenstown (NZ)

The driver was knowledgeable and friendly, knew the industry and vineyards very well and was a huge asset to the tour.

Quality of Experience

The selection of wineries and terrific lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Paddy amazing. Made this an A+ experience

Transport

Paddy a great driver and on time

Our trip to Australia was fabulous. Asko was easily reachable when we had questions. First, all the hotels we stayed in were great and in excellent locations making it easy for us to get around. The excursions were well thought out. We got premium seats for the Penguin Parade, that was unexpected. The Great Ocean Road was stunning. Our guides for the Penguin Parade and Great Ocean Road were professional, polite and funny. Hobart was lovely. Uluru was next and beautiful. The sunset dinner, show and sunrise at Ayer's Rock. I can't say enough. Barrier Reef was next. We spent a relaxing day at Moore's Reef. For those that didn't go in the water there was the glass bottom boat and the submarine. Our last days were spent in Sydney. The Dream World Tour was exceptional. We learned a lot, we wanted to leave with more information about the First Nation than when we came. Our trip Wildlife, Waterfall and Wine tour was a nice change. Our driver, "the other Steve", made that tour enjoyable and he provided a lot of information. Then we had a free day in Sydney to shop and relax. It couldn't have been better. Thank you for an unforgettable journey!

We recently had an amazing experience with Kimkim , specifically with the help of their local specialist, Asko, during our 5-day stay in Cairns, Australia. As a family with two kids, aged 10 and 6, we were looking for a tailored itinerary that would be enjoyable and manageable for all of us. Asko did a fantastic job of understanding our needs and preferences, ensuring that every aspect of our trip was well-suited for both adults and children.

From the moment we started planning, Asko was incredibly responsive and attentive. He provided us with a variety of options and took the time to explain each one. He made sure our itinerary included a mix of adventures according to my request like snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, visiting the Kuranda Village via the scenic railway, and exploring Daintree.

Asko's recommendations were spot-on, particularly for family-friendly attractions. He also arranged for convenient and comfortable transportation, which made our experience stress-free and enjoyable. His local knowledge was invaluable, and he even provided tips on what to pack and how to make the most of our time in each location.

Overall, our trip to Cairns was a memorable adventure, thanks to the expert planning and support from Asko and the Kimkim team. We would highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a well-organized and personalized travel experience, especially families with young children.

Hotel Review

Pacific Hotel Cairns

Cairns

Great location, close to the airport and close to where everything happens and the Marina wharf. Breakfast did not meet our expectations, same thing every day and not good quality.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

The Great Barrier Reef day trip

Cairns

Amazing experience would do it again

What a wonderful trip! It was everything we could have asked for, and Asko was amazing at helping us plan every detail. He was so communicative before, during, and after our honeymoon; we were in great hands and didn't have to worry about a thing!

I would definitely recommend KimKim to travelers and am sure to use it again.

Asko planned a wonderful trip - 1 week in New Zealand and 2 weeks in Australia. It was tremendously helpful to have someone who is familiar with the countries design the itinerary and book the between/within country travel needs. Things went much more smoothly than if we had to figure all of the details out ourselves. The schedule was designed in a considerate manner, allowing us time to explore cities on our own and participate in wonderful, scheduled activities. He selected activities that my mother and I thoroughly enjoyed and may not have chosen or even known about if we hadn't used kimkim. Something that was really helpful was that most of the hotels Asko booked had a free breakfast, which allowed us to easily fuel up before long days of adventure. Asko was prompt in answering questions and was very responsive when we encountered one glitch that was not the fault of Asko, kimkim, or us, which we appreciated.

Our first road trip in many years was an amazing 18 day journey through the north and south Islands of New Zealand. Our trip planner, Asko, spent several months working with us to plan an excellent itinerary that hit all of the things we wanted to experience in this amazing country, while giving us the flexibility to modify the activities and sights based on how much we felt like doing each day. We saw fjords with glaciers and snow capped mountains, waterfalls, hot springs and we hiked in forests. We stopped in all kinds of small towns and big cities. At every location we were able to experience something new, and the hotels and food were the best available, and often 5 star quality. There is a wonderful spirit in this country and we were able to meet and interact with many locals and fellow travelers. Thanks to Asko we have great memories of a special country. Thanks!

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Queenstown

Queenstown

Every detail was of the highest international standard. A treasure!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fable Dunedin

Dunedin

An unusual hotel. Serious money was spent on quality materials and furnishings. However our room in the back. was very dark and difficult to get to because the elevator didn’t go there, so we had to carry our luggage up a flight of stairs. It looked as if two older buildings were combined to make the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms in back are dark and hard to get to.

Distinction Luxmore Hotel

Te Anau

This hotel was the only disappointment. While the room was relatively big and clean and everything worked, the pink plastic walls and yellow plastic everywhere showed that it was cheaply furnished long ago and in serious need of updating to the standards we found everywhere else. At best, a place to sleep right next door to the bus tour pickup point for the spectacular Milford Sound. On the plus side, the attached buffet restaurant had a top quality buffet breakfast and dinner.

Authenticity & Character

Redecorate and update the quality of the rooms.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything needs to be updated and redecorated.

The Hermitage Hotel

Mount Cook Village

AMAZING HOTEL IN AN AMAZING PLACE!!!!

Authenticity & Character

WOW

Location

WOW

Staff

WOW

Cleanliness & Comfort

WOW

Fable Auckland

Auckland

Great hotel in the middle of downtown action. Close to shopping and the ferries. Parking is not close.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The only downside was a lack of parking, and it was a bit hard to park in front. We later learned that valet parking was an option, although it was not offered by the staff when we pulled up in our car.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Wellington

Wellington

Another nice hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hilton Lake Taupo

Taupo

High end classy hotel with heated pool, sauna steam room and nice restaraunt.

Hotel Montreal

Christchurch

Nice hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Powderhorn Chateau

Ohakune

Nice older hotel made of pine logs. Unique country feel. Friendly staff. Indoor heated pool. Attached restaurant looks like a fun party place during ski Eason.

Pullman Rotorua

Rotorua

Another great high end hotel near all the things you can walk to see.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Meet Yellow Eyed Penguins

Dunedin

Didn’t see any wild penguins, but the ones in the rehab facility were cute. Glad to support

The Te Pō Indigenous Experience

Rotorua

So glad to support the preservation of Māori culture. That said, the presentation had 2 parts, the first was an excellent explanation of the culture prior to contact with western culture. The musical portion however, seemed to be a mix of western music and Luau style entertainment, which I thought was designed to present what might entertain rather than educate. The buffet was good, and the geyser was a natural wonder.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Gourmet Food & Wine Tour

Auckland

The ferry ride was nice. We enjoyed visiting the wineries and chatting with the people who work there. The scenery was beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Mostly snack size bites were not really lunch….

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing Milford Sound Day tour

Te Anau

WOW! A must see for anyone visiting the area.

Asko did such a great job organising our 3 week trip around the east of Australia, and he was a huge help when we had to make several last minute changes due to severe weather. We had an amazing trip, it’s really hard to name any specific best part as we enjoyed it all so much, a good mix of organised trips and free time to explore the places we were staying. We’d definitely recommend using Asko and Kimkim to plan your next trip!

Asko was wonderful from planning to executing. Loved the itinerary he planned. Unfortunately we had to cancel our trip to Cairns due to cyclone Jasper. So we had to change our plan last minutes. He immediately changed our flights and hotels without any problem. Highly recommend him !!

Hotel Reviews

Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney

Sydney

Very friendly and comfortable hotel. Location is very convenient to major sites in the city. We loved their breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Garden Hotel

Uluru

Loved scenery around it: peaceful and beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

All-Inclusive Blue Mountains Day Tour ex Sydney

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wintjiri Wiru Sunset Dinner

Uluru

"MUST" do activity!! Beautiful place to watch sunset and have a wonderful dinner!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Uluru Sunrise & Kata Tjuta

Uluru

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Overall a great 5 days! Special mention to Fred and John, our guides on Tiwi Islands. Also the small plane flight over Kakadu and rock pool swims in Litchfield were highlights. Possibly a little too much driving, particularly for my 10 year old son. There was one unfortunate snafu involving the car transfer from Darwin airport to the hotel but that was not the fault of Asko or KimKim.