Working with KimKim was a fantastic way to pl...
Iceland
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Jun 30 - Jul 8, 2022
Working with KimKim was a fantastic way to plan a trip to Iceland when I didn't have much time to do the research myself. Terry incorporated all of the activities my daughter and I wanted to engage in, and everything went smoothly (well, except for the weather). I especially liked that KimKim provided us with an in-country, emergency number because that simplified the process of getting help when our mobile wifi suddenly stopped working. I loved the way that Terry and that Preeti kept checking in on us, and I liked knowing that the KimKim staff would let us know if weather cancelled any of our events. If I have any complaint, it would be that it might have been nice for us to have been offered a few choices (along with information on how those choices might affect cost).
Activity Reviews
We had the great fortune to have the tour all to ourselves. The lava cave was interesting & our guide was terrific. The cave wasn't as impressive as I thought it would be, though. I suspect there are more fascinating lava caves in Iceland.
This was a fun experience, although I suspect that there are even nicer nature baths in Iceland -- possibly ones that don't have as strong a smell of sulphur. Personally, I would have preferred the water to be a little hotter, but my companion thought it was plenty hot. I wish they'd had more cocktail options at the swim-up bar and better food there.
This horseback ride was great -- better than I expected. I learned a lot about Icelandic horses and was thrilled with the opportunity to tolt -- to experience a horse gait that only Icelandic horses do. I'm not an experienced rider and I find trotting uncomfortable, so it was great fun to go faster than a walk (and learn something new). We also got to curry and feed our own horses, which was a nice experience. While the scenery on the ride wasn't spectacular, it was pretty and we particularly enjoyed getting to watch the farm's dog bound around the landscape and chase ducks into the river.
This is unquestionably a must-do experience. Kayaking is fun in lots of different locales, but kayaking around icebergs was particularly special. I much preferred seeing them -- and the seals -- up close from a kayak than I would have jammed into a large boat with lots of people. The Diamond Beach across the road from the glacial lagoon is also spectacular.
This was a fun experience, although, it was definitely more of a walk than a hike. A couple of not very fit participants really held us back & made the walk much slower than it needed to be. If you're an experienced hiker, like my companion and I are, I would recommend that you look at other activities the same tour agency provides, like the longer 4-hour hike. The guides are impressively knowledgeable, though, about the geology of the area and the impact of global warming on the glaciers.
Thanks for the wonderful review, Anne. I enjoyed putting together your Icelandic adventure for the two of you. I'm glad you had a great trip despite the awful weather (so un-summer-like!).