This was our second trip where we used KimKim...would definitely use them again
Peru | Oct 7 - Oct 14, 2022

Matt
Matt M.
Chattanooga, TN | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2022

This was our second trip where we used KimKim for trip planning - our first time to South America and I would never have figured out how to have planned this trip on my own - relying on local expertise for this was a must. Johanna, our agent, selected hotels, guides, and experiences I never would have found on my own - even though I'm generally the kind of person to try and plan 100% of all my own adventure travel. I kept up with how much this trip would have cost if I had planned it on my own (even though I would never have figured out how to put it together) and the "extra" you pay for using a travel agent was totally worth the expertise, advice, and options we picked. In fact, if I had tried to save a little $$ by doing this on my own the trip would not have turned out as well - so paying for someone like Johanna / KimKim is totally worth the money.

Hotel Reviews
Costa del Sol Wyndham Lima Airport
Lima

The main appeal of this hotel is proximity to the airport - and for that reason I'd be willing to stay here even if it were a 2 star hotel. Food (dinner and breakfast) was marginal, service was acceptable (but not great), and they charge you for everything (you can't drink the water in the room yet they charge high rates for bottled water - for comparison our hotel in Cusco provided free bottled water and free filtered water in both the bathrooms and lobby). With Lima being an epi-center for food and service, I would have expected more from this hotel

Authenticity & Character
It's not exactly fair to compare this to the other hotels from our trip - it's just a corporate airport hotel - but I've stayed in much nicer airport hotels.
Location
It's right next to the airport - what can I say?
Staff
Not enough agents at check-in, English was a challenge
Cleanliness & Comfort
it's a simple, clean hotel
Casa del Sol
Machu Picchu

Great hotel - but you can't hold these hotels to the same standards as those in Cusco as the remote nature means their access to supplies is more challenging. I would definitely stay here again. Be sure to ask for a room that faces the river and not the city - when trains come through at night they are literally 10 feet from your window and it will wake you in the middle of the night.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Antigua Casona San Blas
Cusco

Great location, helpful staff, beautiful hotel / courtyard. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
San Blas is an area of Cusco that's super close to the main square / action. Great places to eat just a few steps outside the front door.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Fly from Lima to Cusco, Explore the City
Fly from Lima to Cusco, Explore the City
Peru

On our own - a great afternoon of exploring.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
no guides on this day - but hotel staff helpful with suggestions
Transport
super small car - you could probably save a little $$ and just take a taxi if you're comfortable with this in another country
Cusco Tour
Cusco Tour
Peru

excellent trip - definitely a better experience as a private group as you could ask more questions to the guide and move at your own pace

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Moray & Maras ATV Tour
Moray & Maras ATV Tour
Peru

This was OK but not the best part of the trip. We enjoyed it but with hindsight would have spent this time doing something a little different - a Sacred Valley tour with more time in Ollantanytambo. 4 wheelers not well-maintained but they worked just good enough. If you're being transported here be sure to have your guide / driver stop in Chinchero to see the locals manufacture sweaters and local materials. I wish we'd been able to spend more time here.

Quality of Experience
If you have plenty of time in your schedule, this isn't bad but if you're on a short trip I'd totally skip this.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Machu Picchu Excursion (Circuit 1, 2, 3, or 4)
Machu Picchu Excursion (Circuit 1, 2, 3, or 4)
Peru

The open circuit ticket is a great option if you can get it - allows for more options depending on crowds, weather. We had incredible weather and the experience was truly a bucket-list item. Our guide was a huge part of the expeirnece.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Rainbow Mountain Trek
Rainbow Mountain Trek
Peru

Incredible experience - a long haul to get there but definitely worth the hike. It doesn't look exactly like the instagram photos you see (they've been run through Photoshop) but it's not far off - and it's truly remarkable / worth the day trip.

Quality of Experience
Food
The place we stopped to eat for breakfast and lunch was terrible - it's the pre-arranged place our operator always uses. Lots of canned food and not very authentic. There are better places along the way I'm sure (we talked to other hikers)
Guides, Drivers and Staff
EXCELLENT guide / driver!
Transport
Lunch Cooking Class
Lunch Cooking Class
Cusco

An AMAZING way to spend the day - we would have taken 2 classes from Chef Jesus if we'd known how much fun this was.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu
Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu
Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Fly from Cusco to Lima
Fly from Cusco to Lima
Peru
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Johanna Fabian
Johanna
Johanna Fabian
Local specialist in Lima, Peru | Replied on Oct 27, 2022

Hi Matt,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a feedback. I have passed this along to my team so we can make improvements in the near future.
I'm so glad to hear you had a great time in Peru with your wife and how lucky you got with great weather on both days in Machu Picchu!

We hope to welcome you again!
Johanna