Kimkim Trip Reviews

When we landed on the soils of “The Mother City” we were greeted by the KimKim team to welcome us to “The Motherland” and to make sure we had access to transportation that got us to our first destination in Cape Town. The small touches of wine and treats really made this a special time to celebrate our milestone birthdays. What a beautiful couple of days we would have exploring CT, Robben Island, and Table Mountain. Before heading off to Hoedspruit, where we would then stay at Unembeza and tour the panorama views of with Titus who was great. The lodge where we stayed was other worldly — we never expected waking up to a giraffe right outside of our bedroom window, we didn’t anticipate the views of the African Sky, and the delicious meals we had cooked and prepared for us daily. It was the true essence of being cared for. And our tour guide for the panorama views was exceptional we think he was an actual historian or professor shadowing moonlighting as a tour guide. Titus was so knowledgeable and impressive with his info sharing. It was intoxicating the amount of knowledge he shared about the views, the history of the land, and the people and villages we passed. It was like being on a private tour of some of the most hidden gems of South Africa. Again, the lodge and Nokuthula had delightful small touches to make us feel special.

Then we were off to the Bush for Safari which was STUNNING to say the least. We did have a small issue with our housing (please prepare for camp style living if you are going on safari) after we were upgraded to the suites housing got better thanks to Nokuthula. But other than that the public amenities of our safari lodge was warm, comfortable, and tasty food. Our safari guide Michaela and watcher were I think the best. We got to see ALL of the BIG 5 during our (4 nights 5 day safari). Low key we didn’t want to leave the once in a lifetime views and animal crossing but had to be on our way to Johannesburg which was part of the tour that we planned ourselves in terms of excursions. Yet the parts that KimKim planned was exactly what we needed.

If you’ve never been to the Mother Land I urge you to Go!! But most importantly if you’re looking for talented individuals who actually live on the continent to help your planning you must start with the talents of KimKim and Nokuthula. We will certainly return to now one of our favorite places on EARTH South Africa and it’s largely due to the time we had during this our first journey home.

Magalie,
I would echo John’s comments to a very large degree.

Our driver Eric was great. Punctual, personable, and able to navigate the chaos they call traffic with ease.

Victor was personable, knowledgable, informative, and willing to tailor our outings to our wishes.

Carlos knew the area well and obviously had a real connection to it as he provided information about El Valle de Anton.

I enjoyed the trip through the locks a great deal. It was fascinating to watch the operation.

The accommodations were all nice. Though John and Sharon were stuck on the second floor of the Playa Bonita with a very obstructed view. It would have been much better had they been up on the 16th floor near us with a clear view of the canal entrance.

The trip excursions were all enjoyable and provided a wide range of experiences and different areas of Panama.

The only thing that might have assisted us and provided a better journey was more clear descriptions of what we would be doing. There were times where we were uncertain if we would need to bring our swim wear or not.

Overall, a very nice trip that was efficient in connections, informative as to the area, and very enjoyable.

Regards
Ken

Our trip to Panama was wonderful and exceeded my expectations! We had a phenomenal driver, Eric, who skillfully navigated the busy Panama City traffic. Our main guide, Victor was very personable, knowledgeable and informative. He went out of his was to ensure that our trip was memorable and meaningful. I especially enjoyed his candor and sense of humor. The Zen Panama hotel was very modern and the location was in a lively neighborhood with great restaurants and easy access to the Metro. Carlos, our guide in El Valle de Anton was very friendly, knew the area well and gave us excellent recommendations for restaurants. He lead us on a very enjoyable e-bike tour. The Golden Frog Inn and the grounds were stunning! It truly felt like a slice of paradise. Our final hotel, the Playa Bonita was a beautiful gated resort. The accommodations, restaurants and pools were all very nice and we enjoyed our stay. The highlight of our trip was the Red Cat catamaran tour. Jumping into and swimming in the calm, clear Pacific Ocean was unbelievable! Of course the Panama Canal boat trip was a once in a lifetime experience and mingling with and observing the Panamanian people was very rewarding. This trip opened my eyes to the beautiful country and peoples of Panama. I highly recommend it to others.

Hotel Reviews

The Golden Frog Inn

El Valle de Antón

The Golden Frog Inn and grounds felt like a slice of paradise. The views from our balcony and the dining patios were stunning! I really enjoyed listening to the birdsong as we dined each day. I highly recommend the Golden Frog to anyone looking to get away from the city and enjoy nature.

Authenticity & Character

The beautiful foliage and views made the Golden Frog feel like a slice of paradise!

Location

Staff

The staff were very efficient and friendly. They were very patient with my very limited Spanish language skills.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The grounds, common areas and individual rooms were well cared for, clean and comfortable.

The Westin Playa Bonita Panama Hotel

Playa Bonita, Panama Pacifico, Ciudad de Panama

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel

Panama City

This was a very modern hotel in a lively neighborhood. The accommodations were very nice and the restaurant, bar and swimming pool very enjoyable. Easily walked to neighborhood restaurants, shopping and the Metro.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cultural Experience Dinner

Panama City

The Ceviche was amazing!

Quality of Experience

The Ceviche was amazing!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was very helpful, friendly and welcoming.

Transport

We had an amazing driver , Eric , who made us feel safe!

Portobelo Day Tour: Ruins, Beaches and Snorkel in Carribean waters

Panama

Enjoyable walk through the old town.

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent lunch!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour - Casco Viejo & Panama Canal

Panama City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panama Canal Ferry Adventure: Partial Panama Canal Tour

Panama City

Once in a lifetime experience! Pictures don’t do it justice…you have to see it for yourself.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was very helpful and patient, especially with my very limited Spanish language skills. Everyone was very professional.

Transport

Wildlife Sanctuaries and Panama Canal Boat Tour

Panama City

We really enjoyed the informative walk through the nature preserve and the boat ride. It was especially nice to eat a leisurely lunch on the boat, taking in the gorgeous surroundings. The monkey, birds and sloth sightings were fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Cruise to Taboga Island

Taboga Island

Great experience! It was such a happy, relaxing time. Great music, drinks and dancing. The highlight was jumping into and swimming in the clear, calm Pacific Ocean! Unbelievable!

Quality of Experience

Such a happy, relaxing time! Great music, drinks and dancing.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our personal guide on board the catamaran was very helpful and friendly. The entire staff/crew were very upbeat and helpful.

Transport

The catamaran itself was amazing. Surprisingly comfortable!

Guided E-Bike Tour in El Valle de Antón

Valle de Antón

The e-bike tour was a much welcomed chance to commune with the natural surroundings and get some exercise!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos, our guide was terrific. He shared his love of the area and made the experience very positive.

Transport

First time on an e-bike and it made biking on steep roads a breeze! Highly recommend it!

Trip to the Pozo Azul Waterfall

Valle de Antón

Enjoyed being surrounded by the serenity of the forest. The birdsong and fragrant plants and waterfall were very pleasurable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos was a wealth of information and he truly loves this area. He made the experience impactful.

Transport

 The trip was wonderful.  
Our driver, Eric, was punctual and superb in the chaotic Panama City traffic.
Victor, our guide for the Panama City area was personable, helpful, knowledgeable, informative and went out of his way to make all our outings enjoyable. The Panama Canal tour, being able to travel through the locks was especially interesting. Carlos, our guide in El Valle de Anton, was friendly, knew the area well, gave us excellent suggestions on where to eat and made our stay there very enjoyable. We really enjoyed the E-Bike tour.
We would say the highlight of the trip was the Red Cat catamaran tour to Isla Taboga. Jumping off the catamaran into the Pacific was a thrilling experience. The water was so fresh and clear.
The trip's excursions exceeded our expectations.  Everything was very well organized and went as planned.

Hotel Reviews

The Westin Playa Bonita Panama Hotel

Playa Bonita, Panama Pacifico, Ciudad de Panama

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel

Panama City

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Golden Frog Inn

El Valle de Antón

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Panama Canal Ferry Adventure: Partial Panama Canal Tour

Panama City

Being to travel through the locks was especially interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Cruise to Taboga Island

Taboga Island

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour - Casco Viejo & Panama Canal

Panama City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural Experience Dinner

Panama City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip to the Pozo Azul Waterfall

Valle de Antón

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panamanian Night Tour

Panama City

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided E-Bike Tour in El Valle de Antón

Valle de Antón

It was fun to tour Anton by bike.

Quality of Experience

First time I rode an E-bike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos was an excellent guide

Transport

Wildlife Sanctuaries and Panama Canal Boat Tour

Panama City

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Portobelo Day Tour: Ruins, Beaches and Snorkel in Carribean waters

Panama

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When I first approached Tetiana with the rough concept of what we wanted to accomplish on the trip, she immediately got to work constructing a plan. We essentially wanted a 2 week trip of England that mostly avoided London and took us to as many of the places that we specifically wanted to see as possible. We would not do any driving and wanted all of the connections to be easy. Within a short time, she created a reasonable initial framework and worked with me to adjust a few things. We ended up with a masterful plan that combined train trips, private tours and transfers, and small group tours.

In execution, the plan worked perfectly. Our strongest indicator of the quality of the plan was the stunned reaction of British folks we met along the way to the breadth of what we had seen and done in just 2 weeks.

Hotel Reviews

Amano Covent Garden

London

The hotel was well located near Covent Garden and the theater district and the breakfast buffet was good. Beyond that, I cannot recommend it. The room furnishings were excessively spare. There was no surface designed to house a suitcase. I had to push together the only two chairs in the room to house one bag, and put our other bag on a small cocktail table. Simply inexcusable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near Covent Garden

Cleanliness & Comfort

A place to put your luggage!!

Clayton Hotel Cambridge

Cambridge

The Clayton Hotel was comfortable and just a couple of hundred feet from the train station. Dinner and the breakfast buffet were fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the Cambridge Railway Station

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Indigo Bath

Bath

The Indigo is a quirky reuse of a series of historical buildings located in a place that’s within convenient walking distance of Bath’s major attractions. The hotel and room itself have more of a B&B feel than that of a hotel. That’s both good and bad. It gives the place a more unusual feel, but also a less comfortable one. The hotel was generous with complementary wine and soft drinks in the room. Supposedly, the buildings are connected at the garden level, but we were told that this route was not available. As a result, we had to put on jackets and walk around the block outside to get to the breakfast buffet. This annoyance alone prevents me from giving an overall score higher than 3.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, not so comfortable

The Grand, York

North Yorkshire

The Grand is a wonderful, traditional hotel with old world charm and great service by an attentive staff. An added bonus is its proximity to the York railway station, tour bus pickup points, and the York Minster. Each are within 5 minutes walk. Together with the fine included breakfast, this all makes the Grand the nicest hotel we have visited in quite a while.

Authenticity & Character

Wonderful traditional atmosphere

Location

York railway station, tour bus pickup points, and the York Minster. Each are within 5 minutes walk.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Courtyard by Marriott Oxford City Centre

Oxford

I really wanted to like this hotel. A front desk manager spent more than 30 minutes helping me to get the tv working properly. But I can’t recommend this hotel because the room and bathroom are so very TINY. As I write this review, I am at sea on a cruise and staying in a basic stateroom whose size exceeds the Courtyard’s by a considerable degree. There was no convenient place to put luggage or to unpack. Marriott price for a Motel 6 room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but uncomfortably small room

Activity Reviews

Yorkshire: All the Creatures Great and Small Mini-Coach Tour

York

We were very fortunate to arrive in Grassington (Darrowby) on a day when the town was dressed for filming!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moors, Whitby & The Yorkshire Steam Railway Day Trip from York

York

We were the only 2 passengers on a 16 person tour bus! Our driver/guide was great. Whitby as a very interesting town.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

One Day Trip Canterbury & Dover Cliffs

England

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour to Cambridge from London

London

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shakespeare's Stratford and Cotswolds

England

Steve was a friendly and fun guy and we enjoyed our time with him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Wells and Cheddar Gorge Trip from Bath

Bath

We enjoyed the tour very much

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bridgerton Walking Tour

England

Our guide from the city really knew his stuff about Bridgerton and covered a tremendous number of sites in just two hours. He was not excessively friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Private Tour in Winchester

England

Andy was a great guy with whom to spend a couple of days.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jurassic Coast

England

Once again, Andy was a great companion and guide, but our feeling was that the sites within the range and itinerary of this tour were not as generally interesting as the rest of our tours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

kimkim took care of us from (before) the beginning until (after) the end. Angel was very responsive to our requests and knowledgeable about almost every facet of our itinerary. She provided regular updates during the planning stage and then made sure we were ready to travel. Once we were in Japan, everyone we interacted with (private guides, group activities, drivers, etc) was timely, polite, and exceedingly patient as we asked questions, made adjustments, and explored. In particular, we made multiple adjustments to our itinerary while in Japan and Angel was available to help us make sure everything went smoothly. It was my birthday and kimkim even treated me and my son with some surprises!

Hotel Review

Ryokan Aura Tachibana

Hakone

My favorite accommodation of the trip was definitely the Ryokan Aura Tachibana in Hakone. The experience and the vibe of staying there were just wonderful. It was traditional yet had enough modern amenities to keep our stay comfortable, especially for my child. There wasn't any friction, and the authenticity made our stay feel special without compromising on comfort.

Activity Reviews

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Japan

Friendly and knowledgeable guide. Found out we had dietary restrictions after booking and made sure that these (incredibly tasty) local spots could accommodate in some way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fushimi Inari Taisha and Kinkakuji Temple

Kyoto

Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and absolutely delightful. She knew the exact right balance of sight seeing/historical insights and keeping it interesting for my 10 year old son. We were able to nimbly manage some very crowded spots.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family Fun Time in Tokyo: TeamLab Planets and Miraikan Museum

Tokyo

TeamLab Planets in Tokyo was one of the highlights of our trip. It was an activity I specifically requested to be added to our itinerary, and I'm so glad we did it. The immersive art experience was not only fascinating but also incredibly engaging for my child. We truly enjoyed the visit, and it stood out among the many activities we did in Tokyo.

We can never put into words how happy we are with our holiday in India. We began planning the trip 2 years in advance, and Ravi and his team worked tirelessly and patiently with us until the itinerary was perfect. The hotels we selected together exceeded our expectations, and thanks to Active India's requests, we received several upgrades.
From the moment we exited the airport, until being dropped back off, we were treated like esteemed VIP guests. We had the "BEST" local experienced guides in every town. And our drivers managed to keep us calm and cool while dodging cows, goats, motorcycles, potholes, and crazy traffic. Driving in India is an experience all unto itself!
Our holiday included a lot of rural time. We were in forests and jungles tracking tigers and leopards. We visited small off the grid villages to meet locals and learn about their customs. And we visited many temples and sites miles away from the hustling cities. This made our trip feel less chaotic, as spending only time in cities will not allow you to chill and recharge.
KIMKIM made sure we balanced history, food, culture, nature, spirituality, and fun fun fun. Our photos clearly show this.
We cannot thank our agent and his wonderful team of professionals enough, they made this a trip of a lifetime. Thank you India for welcoming us with open arms, kindness, and sharing all of your treasures with us. We leave India knowing so much more about you, the West has gotten the messaging all wrong. We look forward to visiting your beautiful country again!
Steven and Stephane.

We would highly recommend our driver Oussmma. We have had the pleasure of working with him for the last 10 days of our Morocco trip and he has consistently demonstrated exceptional driving skills and professionalism.
He is an incredibly reliable and punctual driver. He arrived on time, and ensures that the car was in immaculate condition. We have witnessed his driving skills with ease, whether it’s heavy traffic or challenging weather conditions & consistently prioritizes the safety.
He is an excellent driver with knowledge of all the attractions and shopping places with authentic items at reasonable price. If you plan to visit Morocco, we highly recommend to engage with him as your driver/guide for an amazing experience to remember for lifetime….
Overall it was a great trip!

Hotel Reviews

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

I’m

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ksar El Kabbaba

Skoura

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided tour of Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

O

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunrise hot air balloon ride in Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Skoura to Marrakech

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-guide

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Desert Adventures around Merzouga

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ATV Ride in the Dunes of Merzouga

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Casablanca to Chefchaouen via Rabat

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Sightseeing in Fes

Fes

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hammam & Spa Experience Marrakech

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We thoroughly enjoyed our Iceland adventure and I'd like to give a big thanks to KimKim and Hanna (our Iceland expert) for their help in making it happen. In the runup to the trip, I was busy with work and living in Austin, TX and my daughter was living in London. My daughter had some ideas and worked with Hanna to put together the itinerary. Occasionally I'd want to change something. Hanna was always very pleasant and very helpful, she responded quickly to any questions or requests, had endless patience waiting for my daughter and me to resolve any differences. We very much liked all the arrangements for accomodation, car hire, trips and flights and everything went very smoothly. This was my second vacation organized with KimKim and would definitely recommend them and use them again.

Overall the trip was extremely well organized. All the guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. Once or twice, in Cordoba and Madrid we felt a little rushed, as the guides seemed focused on making their next assignment. We had a wonderful time, in spite of the weather. All the hotels were great. Our favorite was the h10 in Sevilla.

Hotel Review

H10 Casa de la Plata

Sevilla

The H10 Casa de la Plata in Seville was my favorite among all the hotels we stayed at during the trip. The staff was exceptional, the location was perfect, and the room met all our expectations. While the breakfast wasn't the absolute best, it was still quite good, adding to the overall enjoyment of our stay.

Activity Reviews

Guided Visit of Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Spain

The guided visit of Alhambra and the Generalife Gardens was astonishing. The guide was excellent, bringing the rich history of the place to life and making the entire experience enjoyable and enlightening.

Madrid of the Bourbons & Prado Museum Private Tour

Madrid

The Madrid of the Bourbons and Prado Museum private tour was a bit of a rushed experience for us. Our guide didn't give us time to fully appreciate or absorb each part, and due to a late train, our overall schedule was compressed. Unfortunately, this made the tour feel hurried.

The trip that you guys organized for us was awesome! The sights, the wildlife and the logistics were impeccable. Our guides in Quito (Christian) and Isabela island (Julio) were fantastic.

Our coordinator Karla went above and beyond when we ran into some unforeseen issues related to canceled flights and health issues.

Thank you so much for a once in a lifetime experience.

Akieee in Hiroshima gave us an incredible tour of Hiroshima and Miyajima island!
We also loved our Kimono tea ceremony in Kyoto and our guide Taka Sakai !
And our experience in Kanazawa had so much lovely history, a beautiful place Hiroko was so knowledgeable!
And Nara outside of Osaka had amazing views and out kids loved interacting with the deer there! We couldn’t have done it without Taka Sakai!
Thank you to angel at KimKim for organizing a trip of a lifetime

Thank you,

Taka Sakai ‎

Activity Reviews

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

So much to learn, amazing place, less tourists than some of the other bigger cities! Worth the visit!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Samurai Ninja Museum and Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Such a unique experience! Even our 10 year old boys enjoyed dressing up for this experience!

Quality of Experience

Our tea ceremony instructor!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Japan

Miyajima island is a can’t miss beautiful place!

Quality of Experience

Transport

We loved taking the ferry over!

Osaka-Nara Day Trip

Osaka

We had an amazing guide, beautiful temple and shrines! And so many deer! A great unique experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

Mount Fujibis a must see!

Quality of Experience

Lo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Despite our family-of-6 booking late for peak spring break week, Holden and Kimkim organized a very memorable first visit to Costa Rica. Our itinerary showed Holden's impressive local knowledge and experience, balancing destinations suiting our wishes for a beach with a walkable town, together with forest, nature and family hiking, with minimal transport connections.
The whole family loved the amazing ancient rainforest with waterfalls, hot springs, volcanoes etc, and wildlife such as monkeys, sloths and parrots. The hotels, tours and guides exceeded all our expectations, and our transportation was all on-time.
Our first time with Kimkim, it proved a great way to enjoy a new, more exotic destination without limiting ourselves to a large resort.

Noga was fantastic, unfortunately the poor support once on the trip means I can’t suggest her or kimkim to others. If there’s something else support had been there I would definitely refer Noga to others.

Activity Review

Ice Cave Experience Breiðamerkurjökull

Iceland

It was crowded, small, and not very exciting. It was pretty, and the history was interesting, but ultimately not worth the time.

Quality of Experience

Probably nothing within the control of the organizers.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide Was great

Transport

Old truck, broken seatbelts, but ultimately it worked fine

My husband and I just completed a wonderful 16 day trip to Zimbabwe and South Africa starting in Victoria Falls and traveling by train to South Africa. Our agent Lucy did an exceptional job by putting together an activity filled itinerary experiencing some of the best of both regions. Always very responsive before and during our trip. Very nice quality accommodations during the self drive portion on the Garden Route, exceptional local guides, professional hotel staff. All in all an unforgettable experience!

Some of our highlights :
- The Victoria Waterfalls. Stunning!
- The Rovos Rail. What an indulgence!
- Through the Eye of an Elephant. Being so close to these gentle giants was an amazing experience.
- Cape Town, Robben Island and Table Mountain
- Cape Peninsula
- The Garden Route. Stunning vistas.
- Featherbed Eco Experience
- Tsitsikamma National Park
- Full day wine tour experience in Franschhoek.

This was our first trip to South Africa and we could never have imagined it to be so wonderful. We would definitely use KimKim again on our next trip.

An amazing travel experience was had! Sebastian’s meticulous planning ensured a seamless itinerary. The hotel and location were ideal, situated centrally near attractions and in a vibrant neighborhood. The tours were exceptional, with knowledgeable guides who enhanced the overall experience. We felt like we got the full Parisian experience.

Despite traveling with two young children, the trip was remarkably smooth and enjoyable for all. The children remained engaged throughout the journey with the recommendations. This was our second booking through KimKim, and we anticipate future endeavors with the company. Their user-friendly platform significantly enhances our travel experience, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the destinations.

Hotel Review

Hotel Bastille Spéria

Paris

Although the rooms were smaller compared to US hotels, they were reasonable considering we're in Paris! The location was exceptional, and I thoroughly enjoyed the neighborhood it was located in. The Italian restaurant across the street was particularly impressive and I highly recommend it. The surrounding area offered a diverse culinary scene with numerous excellent restaurants. The hotel’s breakfast buffet was exceptional, and the overall cleanliness and efficiency of the establishment were commendable. I would be delighted to stay there again in the future.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Paris: Illuminations Seine River Cruise

Paris

An excellent commencement to our journey. We were fortunate to witness the city’s prominent landmarks and get a great overview of our home for the next week. Regrettably, we wish we had scheduled our visit slightly later in the evening to experience the city’s illuminated beauty.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Louvre Treasure Hunt (kids or teens tour)

Paris

Our guide, Tiffen, was exceptional in maintaining the engagement of both children and adults throughout the tour. Through insightful commentary, we gained a comprehensive understanding of the Louvre’s historical significance and the historical context of the artwork it houses. The incorporation of a treasure hunt element significantly enhanced the enjoyment of the experience for the children, who were particularly delighted by the prize they received at the conclusion of the tour. The duration of the two-hour session was highly appropriate.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Palace of Versailles Half day trip (Skip the line, audioguided & gardens) by minivan from Paris

Paris

A must-see attraction in Paris, Versailles offers a captivating experience despite the lengthy commute from the city center. The driver’s entertaining commentary provided an engaging narrative while commuting to Versailles. The audioguide offered a comprehensive historical account, however, its detailed nature may occasionally hinder sustained attention. The gardens are resplendent, though vibrant array of blooms were missing for us during the early spring season. Nevertheless, navigating through the extensive palace can become congested, particularly during peak tourist hours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Opera Garnier visit

Paris

A comprehensive tour of an exceptionally grand opera house left a lasting impression. Its imposing architecture and regal aura were truly awe-inspiring. However, the two-hour duration proved somewhat protracted for what was to be seen. Despite this, the guide’s exceptional engagement skills ensured that we remained captivated throughout the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided tour of Paris and secret Montmartre in a Citroën 2CV

Paris

The highlight of our trip was undoubtedly the exhilarating experience of racing around the city in a Citroen 2CV, the iconic French car. The exceptional driving skills and captivating entertainment value of the drivers made it an unforgettable experience for all ages, including the children. We captured some of the most memorable photographs with the car positioned in front of iconic landmarks such as the Montmartre, Eiffel Tower, and Arc de Triomphe. Passersby were captivated by our presence, often capturing images of us as if we were movie stars during our thrilling drives. This unique mode of transportation provided an exceptional opportunity to explore the city while immersing ourselves in its vibrant atmosphere.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Macaron Cooking Class

Paris

I selected this experience for my children, and they thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a remarkable opportunity to witness a genuine Parisian apartment and create our own macarons, immersing ourselves in the authentic Parisian experience. The tour was exceptionally efficient and entertaining. Was great talking to the chef to learn more about French food and culture. If you have a passion for macarons, this is an indispensable activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Transfer from Paris hotel to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)

France

Professional and reliable drivers who prioritize safety and punctuality. The pickup service was provided in a luxurious minivan, ensuring a comfortable and convenient experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hi Everyone,

Our trip was fantastic. Each hotel was very good. All of the scheduled tours were excellent. The tour guides: Marika (Acropolis tour), Elissavet (Food tour), and especially Petros and Panagiota (Orange Farm tour). These individuals made already interesting and fascinating tours even more enjoyable and personable.

Thank you for the planning,

Christopher Hutchinson

The trip was amazing, would use again in heartbeat. Luca was awesome during the planning stage and very responsive while on the trip.

We had such a great trip with Serendipity Adventures. We were well taken care of by Elena and Wilman.

The drive from the airport to our first hotel in Monteverde was wonderfully relaxing as Fernando from RideCR took us to the Cloud Forest Lodge.

Cloud Forest Lodge was everything we could have hoped for in Monteverde accommodations. Nestled in the Cloud Forest the grounds were beautiful. The room was large and clean. I loved the bed and especially the pillows!

We had a fantastic Bird Watching hike in the Curi-Cancha Reserve with Andy from Forest Alive. Andy was so knowledgeable and we got so much out of it. Andy stopped at a local bird watching site early in the morning to point out all of the early riser birds. Then we had a great stop at the Monteverde Coffee Center, where we treated to the Costa Rican method of brewing coffee called Vandola. It is an elaborate method and the coffee was superb. After a rest we proceeded to the Curi-Cancha. I like the Curi-Cancha reserve because it is quieter than the Monteverde Cloud Forest and while different many of the sam birds are at both places.

In the afternoon, we had a Coffee & Chocolate Tour at the Don Juan Monteverde center. The tour was great and very informative. Chocolate and Coffee as well as Sugar Cane were demonstrated with the process for each. These are such important commodities for Costa Rica, that I think you can't really go to Costa Rica without such a tour.

The next day had us up bright and early for another bird watching tour in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. We got to see the Resplendent Quetzal as well as a lot of other birds on our hike.

After an afternoon nap, we were ready for a night walk in the Children's Cloud Forest. We did not see as much as I would have liked, but you can't predict what may be out after dark.

Sadly, it was time to leave Monteverde and travel to La Fortuna. We had a private transfer over the mountain and down to Arenal Lake for a ride across the lake to La Fortuna. Glad we were not driving! The drivers do such a good job of navigating narrow and difficult roads. Loved the boat ride. Our boat captain found a Howler monkey on the way, very exciting.

We arrived at our lodging the Arenal Hotsprings Resport and Spa. It is an amazing place with beautiful grounds. Our suite was perfect. The beds comfortable and the pillows good (not as good as the Cloud Forest Lodge, but I would not complain about them.) We had a great view of the Arenal Volcano from our room.

The next day again started early with Mariano from Serendipity Adventures. We did an early morning hike at the Arenal Volcano and then a hike at Hanging Bridges before visiting the La Fortuna Waterfall. It was an amazing day. We saw so much and Mariano was just a wonderful guide.

The next day we did a canal tour of the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge with Canoa Aventura. Our guide, Joda (I think that's right, we called him Jo), did a great job showing us what the Rio Frio had to offer as far as wildlife. Would not have missed this tour for anything.

The next day we transferred to Tortuguero with a private driver. It turned out that Mariano was our driver for the day. He was so much fun and we had a very pleasant trip to the "boat dock" for the boat that would take us to Tortuguero.

The river crossing is a little difficult in March as Costa Rica has not had much rain by then and the river is down making the boat captain really earn his pay to successfully navigate the shallow waters. But Ronny handled the trip superbly. Our hotel, Manatus Hotel, provided the boat, the driver, and our guide for the trip Lilly. It was a great introduction to Tortuguero.

I can't say enough wonderful things about Tortuguero. I just love floating down the canals looking for birds, monkeys, lizards, caman, crocodiles and anything else we run across. It is so beautiful and so peaceful. I don't think I would ever get tired of it. We did early morning canal trips and afternoon canal trips looking for beautiful birds and amazing wildlife. Our guides, Ronny, Bony and Lilly were all so great.

Well all good things come to an end and it was time for the trip back to San Jose for the journey home. The Hotel Manatus provided transportation back to San Jose in a comfortable bus. It was a good trip with our guide providing fascinating information about banana production and information about Costa Rica.

We spent the night in the Hilton Garden Inn, at La Sabana. After our amazing trip, this was a good hotel to relax in before our flight the next morning.

We had a private transfer with Fernando again of RideCR. Can't say enough about have private transfers in Costa Rica. You can drive, but I have seen the roads and the other drivers and just do not think it is a good idea.

We totally loved our trip and can't wait to do it again.

Hotel Review

Arenal Springs Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

Arenal Springs Resort & Spa was definitely the highlight of my accommodations on this trip. The place was simply luxurious and stood out compared to the other hotels. Everything about it was top-notch, from the atmosphere to the services provided. I felt entirely pampered during my stay. It's one of those places you can't help but look forward to coming back to after a day of exploring.

Activity Reviews

Private: Half-day Birdwatching Hike in Curi-Cancha Reserve

Monteverde

Our guide Andy, made this a very special trip. He was so fun and easy to be with. He really knows his birds and helped us find and identify many that we would not have seen without him. I do like the Curi-Cancha Reserve. It is so beautiful with lots of opportunities for seeing special birds.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Monteverde Cloud Forest is just awesome. You can do the walk without a guide, but you get so much more out of it, if you have one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tortuguero Village Visit

Tortuguero

Great little walk around the village. You do not realize how close you are to the Carabean Sea until you walk through the village. A nice fruit milkshake just hit the spot on a hot day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

This was fun and informative tour. Chocolate and coffee are so important to the history and economics of Costa Rica. It was great to learn about the growing and the processes for making coffee and chocolate. Definitely glad I did this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Walk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Monteverde

The history of how the Children's Cloud Forest was created is amazing. European children were moved to conduct bake sales and other fund raisers to help preserve what is now known as the Children's Cloud Forest in honor of their efforts.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals

Tortuguero

Love, love, love touring through the Toruguero Canals. You see something different all of the time. Our guides were great: Ronny, Bony and Lilly did an excellent job!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano

Arenal/La Fortuna

Awesome tour with Mariano! He was just great. So informative. He had a great sense of humor and was just so fun!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals -Private

Tortuguero

I told you I can't say enough good things about Tortuguero and cruising around the canals looking for wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boating in Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a fantastic tour. You just see so much more from the vantage point of being on the water. Great tour!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The total Icelandic experience was beyond belief. The people , scenery, food, and attractions were breathtaking. The hotels were perfect and breakfast delicious. The Sky Lagoon was one of my favourites along with the glacier walk and Blue cave. What an extraordinary country.

Hotel Reviews

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

This is a wonderful hotel , walking distance to many interesting sites.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close, within walking distance to many interesting features

Staff

Very curtious

Cleanliness & Comfort

Love the Occitaine body and bath products.

Signature by Vík Apartments

Vik

Beautifully appointed apartment. Very modern and spacious for the three of us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to some wonderful restaurants

Staff

Sorry, there was no staff at the apartments. But it had everything you required including a washing machine and dryer if needed.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

Slightly older building but clean and efficient, great breakfasts

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location , we walked everywhere from the hotel.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sky Lagoon - Experience the seven-step Sky Ritual

Iceland

My favourite, smaller and more intimate than Blue Lagoon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly, helpful, very knowledgeable about the area though many we met were not Icelanders

Transport

My niece was our driver and she drove everywhere as though she lived there.

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

This was breathtaking. So incredible to know you are inside one of the glaciers

Quality of Experience

Transport

Reykjavík Classic Whale Watching

Iceland

For three hours out on the rough seas we saw nothing but birds, no whales. I know there is no guarantee that you will and we were offered free tickets to try again in the future. Many people were sick even though tablets were offered at the start (poor crew who have the unenviable job to clean up)