Kimkim Trip Reviews

Charlotte put together the itinerary for us perfectly. Not too much, not too little, but just the right amount of activities for our family of four. The activities and accommodations were aligned with the objectives and preferences we had in mind for the trip. We wanted to do things "off the beaten path," and that's what Charlotte delivered. Highlights included swimming in the cenote, Sian Ka'an boat tour (highly recommended), and snorkeling with sea turtles. The team also supported us during the trip and were quick to answer questions when they arose.

We were very happy with Eric throughout the planning process. He was very responsive and sensitive to our technical challenges.
The itinerary met our required wishes. The 'Golden Circle' stay was a great way to begin our introduction to Iceland and the proximity to the airport of our first lodging helped us deal with the jetlag. The geothermal activity was a real attraction. Unfortunately I missed the planned activity at that location.
Our stay in Kirkjubaejarklaustur gave us exposure to the desolation and rawness of the country. The Diamond Beach day trip was a pleasant surprise. We loved the icebergs.
After the relative sparseness of humanity of the first two stays, Reykjavik was anything but. Unfortunately, Penny caught a virus of some sort two days before we were to fly to Iceland, and she couldn't partake of the Sky Lagoon pass. I, however, very much enjoyed the venue. It was splendid and I wish Penny had felt better and been able to accompany me. It was quite breathtaking.

Marisa was great to work with during the planning process. The hotels she chose were perfect! Both the Cascais Miragem (in Cascais) and Cascade Wellness (in Lagos) were perfectly located and offered everything we could have asked for. The Cascade Wellness hotel is a ocean front resort and offers direct access to the walking trails along the cliffs and to the beaches. We found the Cascais Miragem to be a perfect mix of walking distance to the town (10 mins) and luxury amenities that we needed at the end of our trip. Day trip to Sintra and stops along the Cascias coast were worth the time for a day trip. Marisa was was always responsive to our questions and made really great suggestions to fill out the trip for us. We didn't end up eating at any of her restaurant suggestions as we prefer to find them ourselves but they all looked to be excellent choices if you don't want to research those yourself. Having a driver available for airport transport and the Sintra trip made things very convenient. Rental car process was seamless and easy. Don't be intimidated with tackling the drive from Lisbon to Lagos yourself. It was easier than expected. We only had to to spend 15 minutes driving in Lisbon then it was out into the countryside on the open road highway. Our 16 year old son said this was a Great trip form him as well. Other observations: don't worry about the language as everyone there speaks english and the Metros in Lisbon were safe, efficient, clean and easy to navigate. Thanks Marisa and the KimKim team!

Overall, planning was great with Brian and team. We were trying to stay within a certain budget and with some tweaking we got there. Both hotels were very nice overall with amazing views. More on that later. As for the tours, the Danaus rainforest tour was underwhelming especially after the hanging bridges guided tour that we added on after we got to La Fortuna. Traveling to and from our destinations was a different story. On our way from SJO to La Fortuna, our driver’s car broke down in the middle of nowhere on a dark winding road (dead battery) Fortunately there was a local restaurant that was open not too far up a hill where we could wait for another driver. We waited another 1 1/2 hours which made for a very long trip to our first destination. Then on our final trip from Manuel Antonio back to SJO our driver showed up at the planned departure time of 8am with a flat tire. Again we had to wait over an hour for a new driver/vehicle making for a very stressful drive to catch our flight given the heavy traffic. We understand things happen but would expect greater reliability and better maintenance of the vehicles used to transport guests. Finally, while we did love La Mariposa hotel in Manuel Antonio we would strongly suggest letting guests know that they should bring their own toiletries and towels. We actually had to go and buy our own soap, shampoo, kleenix, etc., since they only provided small sample sizes of shampoo, soap and some lotion which was barely enough for one person per night. In addition for 2 people they give you 2 bath towels and only one hand towel to share? Anything beyond that they charged $5 per towel! We have never seen anything like that anywhere. Not to mention what you have to go through just to get a towel for the pool! For what we paid and given how ecologically conscious the country is we were surprised by all the waste of plastic containers they go through as opposed to other local hotels that use stationary refillable containers.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Great hotel with lots of nice amenities. Rooms were a little dated.

Authenticity & Character

Views and grounds were beautiful and greatly amenities such as pool, hot springs and breakfast which was amazing!!

Location

Staff

Very friendly and accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Only issue was that rooms are a bit dated.

La Mariposa Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Amazing views and nice large rooms but amenities are sorely lacking.

Authenticity & Character

The views and setting

Location

Beautiful setting, grounds and view.

Staff

Staff was fine with the exception of one gentleman who was extremely rude!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was clean but bring your own toiletries and towels. They provide only sample size soap, shampoo and lotion barely enough for 1 person staying 1 night. They only provide one bath towel per person and 1 hand towel to share? Anything more is $5 per towel!!

Activity Reviews

Ecocentro Danaus Guided Rainforest Walk (without Transportation)

Arenal/La Fortuna

Underwhelming. While pretty it was a very short hike and would recommend other tours instead.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were great! Staff was mixed.

Transport

Our transportation broke down upon arrival and departure

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

Beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Had to hurry through the last part after guide spent a little too much time time in the beginning of the tour

Transport

I can’t say enough about the amazing trip my husband and I had hiking the Kumano Kodo trail. Ilse was absolutely wonderful in setting up our hike and worked with us patiently as our plans needed to be modified because I was running the Tokyo Marathon the weekend before. Our meals and hosts each night were perfect. My husband and I were not only celebrating my marathon but our 25th wedding anniversary. Ilse made it special from start to finish.

Hotel Reviews

Minpaku Akatsuki (5-minute drive from Takahara) 民泊あかつき

The accommodation at Minpaku Akatsuki was a wonderful start to our trip. The host was incredibly welcoming, and staying there felt like being in her own home. The meals were fantastic and the sleeping quarters were comfortable. Breakfast was also wonderful, offering us everything we needed to start the day on a high note. The personal touch made it an unforgettable experience.

Minshuku Chikatsuyu

Tanabe

Our stay at Minshuku Chikatsuyu was a lovely experience with a great family-style dining atmosphere. While it was larger than our first accommodation, it still felt intimate, with beautiful views from the dining hall. The meals were delicious, although the lunch provided was just a small sandwich, which fell short of expectations.

Yunominesou

Yunomine Onsen

Yunominesou offered a more traditional Japanese experience and we shared it with many other hikers. The hot spring on the property was genuine and soothing, although the meals were a bit too exotic for our taste, especially the dishes that needed preparation at the table. However, they did make efforts to label the items in English, which helped. We were a bit let down by the breakfast and lunch that were packed for us, which lacked variety and freshness.

Activity Review

Hike the Kumano Kodo from Chikatsuyu to Hongu

Chikatsuyu

Hiking the Kumano Kodo from Chikatsuyu to Hongu was a remarkable experience. The trail offered a wonderful landscape, and the camaraderie with fellow hikers was heartwarming. Meeting the same hikers across different points during our journey added a unique touch to the overall experience.

Apart from the guide in Jaipur, who seemed a bit stressed and rushed us, everyone was amazing!

Every place that was planned for us was what I imagined in trying to get to know the north region of Ha Noi. Even though the weather was not sunny, the Ha Long Bay was mysterious, when shrouded in clouds. We arrived in Ha Noi, after a busy weekend in Saigon at a wedding but we felt that we could relax the first two nights in our hotel and also on the one night on Capella Cruise. The meals cruise meals were fantastic. We only joined the rooftop 6:00 AM Tai Chi activity, which in the mist of Halong Bay was so memorable. Our driver, Guong? (Means strong in English) was sweet and helpful at every turn). He used English as best he could to point out important sites. Our guide Mr. Win was knowledgeable, but he seemed tired, especially on the first day. I don’t feel we learned a lot about the Old Capital. The Pagoda was OK. Our guide seemed young and in need of some better social skills. Our rower on the Tam Coc tour was amazing, and my husband asked a lot of questions through our guide about the life in that Ninh Binh area. I loved the cooking class in the traditional house. The young woman (never caught her name) was quite fluent in English, and helped her aunt in teaching us recipes.

Highlight of our trip this year was the Osa Peninsula. The Drake Bay Wilderness Lodge was a wonderful place where we stayed for 5 days/4 nights.
The food was excellent: a culinary and aesthetic delight. Cudos to the chef cook!
The heart of the whole place is "Henry" the waiter. He is a natural talent and his welcoming and friendly and kind attitude makes the stay at the Lodge special.
For the 3rd Tour we didn't want the Cano Island and were given the advice to go to see an⁶ Animal Farm including a Nightwalk."
What it turned out to be was the so-called "Tapir Trail", a great trail, but definetly in the category of strenuous with a lot of exposure. A small trail , steep, partly slippery ending up at a waterfall. We didn't put on the rubber boots which we were offered - without explanation- at the Entrance but the guide assured us that we could keep on our (Keen) hiking shoes.
Glad that we did that, since it gave us a better footage on the trail versus oversized rubber boots..Again, a great hike, but it would be very advisable if the Manager at the Lodge would give his customers ( also considering the age group and the temperature of the day)detailed information about this hike ( and not naming it an Animal Farm Tour).
After return , in the evening, we had to remove some tics from our body!
We signed up for 3 tours: the Corcovado NP and the Mangrove Tour were each excellent Vincent was a great naturalist guide and the captain was superb.

Overall: a wonderful place to stay.
Sure, if the manager or the person in charge there, would have an attitude like Henry the place would even be better.

Overall Transportation from one place to another was always on time, with friendly drivers and very good vans! Big plus!

Alex, the captain , who brought us to Sierpe for the transfer to Manual Antonio, was a real professional and seasoned captain.

Manual Antonio: Ariel was a very good guide in the National Rainforest there.

Karake Hotel: good location. We were there in 2024.

Drive to La Fortuna: Oskar was an excellent driver on these windy roads.

Hanging Bridges Tour a must and great experience. Guide David was very good.

Ecotermales: great place. Have been there in 2024.
The issue with the wrong time on the clock of the piscinas was discussed with Greg
and resolved.

Again: all together a wonderful trip for us.
A big Thanks!
A big Thanks also to Greg ( and Gustavo) who helped us getting the trip together on short notice. Greg was in touch with us along the trip and made sure that everything was happening smoothly what it did indead! Great customer service!

Hotel Reviews

Delta Hotels by Marriott San José Aurola

San José

A good place to stay. Downtown. But be aware of robbery on the streets, as we have heard from fellow guests. Restaurant: good. But we had to wait a very long time before being served because a group was there ( came even after us). I talked to the manager after ~ 2 hours waiting ( not even water was served) and he apologized and reimbursed our dinner. Lesson learned: go in restaurant when no group is there.

Authenticity & Character

Restaurant waiting time

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lavas Tacotal

Fortuna, San Carlos

A nice place outside of La Fortuna. More in the country side. We enjoyed that is was not in the center of Fortuna and more quiet. It is a rather big place, but the individual Bungalows are well placed and provide privacy. Nice landscaping with native plants and trees. Had the Deluxe Garden Bungalow which was huge and something smaller would have been good enough for us. Nice swimming pool. Restaurant: since it is basically a very big place, we had to decide about a time slot for breakfast ( every 15 minutes). So it is a very busy and a rather crowded breakfast situation. Not for a relaxed breakfast. We were in La Fortuna in 2024 and stayed at the Campos Hotel. We learned that kimkim is not working anymore with this place. We loved it! Spacious room had a very special character, unlike seen anywhere else. Great swimming pool a little separate from the building. Good location. Good breakfast. Breakfast room not crowded. 10 minute walk to town with panderias on the way. There was a bridge beeing repaired, so cars had to take a detour. Maybe that is why it was taken off the list. I highly recommend adding it again. We would have loved to stay there this year also.

Authenticity & Character

Location of Bungalows and landscaping

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Breakfast situation not ideal. Outside of La Fortuna for people like us who want to avoid the huzzle and buzzle of the city and be more in nature. Free laundry when you stay 3 nights.

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Ariel was a great guide. Park was happily less crowded then last year. Had afternoon tour. Overall it is certainly advisable to go as early as possible to have the chance to see more animals.

Quality of Experience

How intuitively Ariel discovered animals!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time, friendly driver

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Were there in 2024. This year we choose the morning spot and could enjoy the surrounding nature. At the evening spot it is dark outside! Different pools with different temperatures . Bring your own watch to observe the time since the official watch gave the wrong time .

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Hanging bridges Tour is a must. Would have liked to learn how they were built. Maybe showing a video of the construction process, since it it so unbelievable! David was a great guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All the guides were great, John our guide for marble mountain and the drive from Hoi An to Hue , along with Lucy on the afternoon tour in Hoi An we especially good. All the small group tours were good.

Very good on all the details of the trip set up by our agent Lucy and a good communicator.

Hotels were generally good as advertised. Especially hotel in Hue. Imperial hotel in Hanoi facilities were just ok, staff was great though and location was perfect

Hotel Reviews

The Saga Hotel Hoi An

Hoi An

very good

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silk Path Grand Hue

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

very nice hotel fantastic breakfast and restaurant, nice pool and spa, room a little small ( just a little )

Hanoi Imperial Hotel & Spa

hanoi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

we stayed here twice on our trip 2nd time the room bathroom needed a shower door - did not have overall bathroom needed some improvement on access to tub / shower, 1st room was great

M'Gloria Cruise

Ha Long

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

was substitued to alternative ship as ours had mechanical, We took the Doria cruise very nice new ship staff great, only the food came up short 3 star was advertised as a 4.5 stars . overall very good

Activity Reviews

Hanoi City tour - Joint in tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My Son Sanctuary & Hoi An City Full Day Tour

Hoi An

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Marble Mountain & Cham Museum

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Deluxe Hue Sightseeing Full Day Tour - Join tour

Hue

great tour we were able to see a lot of sites on the full day tour

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On Boarding - Lan Ha Bay - Tra Bau (M'Gloria Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Food

food came up a bit short for a 4.5 rated ship, It was fine but given the level of the tour and how it is rated it should have been better

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

bus was nice, long distance bus with business class style recliner seats great for the long trip 3 hours to Hanoi Bay

Lan Ha Bay – Dark & Bright Cave – Disembark Cruise (M'Gloria Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

this was a nice side trip on the cruise, very efficient coordinated effort with the boats and all the transfeers

Transport

Planning and booking our trip to Costa Rica was very easy, as planning always is on kimkim. Olman was fantastic but upon traveling, we were passed to someone else who wasn't as responsive. We had a few questions/issues and needed a quick response and waited a bit for those.

Our trip was really great except we were quite disappointed in one of our hotels. (In Monteverde.) The hotel overall was old and outdated, it overall felt outdated and we weren't even comfortable showering there. The staff was quite unwelcoming and parking was horrible at that hotel. It made our time in Monteverde frustrating.

We had a few kinks in our trip that we just didn't catch until we were already traveling (we had a 4 hour national park tour on the day we were also set to drive 4 hours to San Jose and late checkout wasn't set up) but overall it was an amazing trip and we will continue to use kimkim for future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Staff was friendly, beds were comfortable. Room felt very small and was quite noisy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Seemed to be in the middle of the city with a lot around it.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dreams Lodge Monteverde

Santa Elena

We really didn't enjoy this hotel. The room was very small, as was the bathroom. It also felt very old and like it needed a good deep clean and maintenance. The bathroom was very, very small and didn't feel clean. It was a "don't walk barefoot on the floor" kind of a hotel. The staff wasn't friendly or welcoming at all and parking was terrible. We disliked this hotel so much that within 2 hours of arriving, we were looking for other accommodations to pay for outside of our package. We ended up staying because the other hotels were sold out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

This hotel was INCREDIBLE! The staff was so friendly and welcoming and made us all feel like we were VIP guests. The location is just amazing and the view from our room was stunning. The grounds of the property are lush and beautiful and the pool was also lovely. Breakfast with a view every morning was a huge plus and it was quite delicious. Our room and bathroom were really spacious and we could spread out and were quite comfortable. The patio was spacious and we never, ever felt cramped or crowded. We had an absolutely wonderful time at this hotel and actually wished our whole trip was focused here because of this hotel. We would recommend this hotel to anyone staying near La Fortuna.

Authenticity & Character

We loved everything about this hotel. It's very well maintained while being true to the natural setting.

Location

If you love nature, animals, tropical vegetation and a volcano view...then this is the location for you! Going into town was 5-10 min and an easy, easy drive.

Staff

Every member of the staff we encountered was so friendly and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room/bathroom was very spacious. The room was clean and beds were comfortable. AC worked wonderfully and the whole cabin was very clean. There were many spots for bugs/spiders to be if the cabin wasn't maintained and we saw none.

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Nice hotel in a good location. The only issue we had is that we were given a beachfront room but it's not at all beachfront. It's a walk to beach and no view of the beach, which was a bit disappointing. Breakfast was also a bit disappointing with exactly the same thing served daily. The room was very spacious and comfortable enough and was cleaned daily. Staff was friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sloth Trail Watching Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Fantastic tour! We were able to see/observe several sloths. I believe we encounter 8 on this tour. Our guide was very, very patient with us and made sure that our 9 year old had a chance to observe everything as well. This meant he had to constantly lower the telescope for her and he was so patient and accommodating. He spent time explaining details about all of the animals we saw, answering questions we had and pointing out all sorts of other animals to us. This was a wonderful tour and one we will not soon forget.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainforest Chocolate Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Nice tour, very informative. Was able to taste chocolate and guides were very friendly and helpful. We saw several animals on the tour and had a great time!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

We loved this tour! We saw plenty of animals and enjoyed our time immensely. There are some things we wish we would have known prior to going.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Lisandro was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!1

Transport

El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was good experience but it was different than we expected. It was listed as a 0.6 mile hike but it absolutely felt longer and was solid uphill. When we looked the trail up online, it said it was an easy hike but it felt a little harder than easy. If we did this trip again, we would skip the hike and do just the hot springs. We didn't like the food on the buffet, at all.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food just wasn't good. It was poor quality, not hot and wasn't a good selection.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our pickup transport was great and so friendly. We weren't aware we would have a different driver after the springs and that driver wasn't friendly at all. His car was tiny and we actually weren't sure he was really our driver at first.

Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - Volunteer Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

We loved this experience and had a great time! Our guide was very informative and patient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit El Choyin Thermal River Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

We chose to skip this experience and simply rest.

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

Wonderful experience and saw a lot of really fun animals and plants. The walk was easy enough and we had no issues. The guide was really wonderful and very patient with our group. (We were paired with a couple that had a 3 and 5 year old.)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ravi was great - he made the planning very easy. He adjusted the itinerary to exactly how we wanted it to be. We loved our trip - it was an amazing mix of adventure and culture. They also helped us fitting in the wedding we had planned. Once in a life time experience.

Hotel Review

Kumarakom Lake Resort

Kumarakom

We loved this hotel. It was like a hidden oasis. We arrived and were handed coconuts to drink and went on a sunset cruise. Also had fun activities to do like pottery making. And we enjoyed the restaurant and spa.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Taj Mahal Sunrise Visit

Agra

Highlight of the trip! Life changing. Loved our tour guide and definitely worth it to go at sunrise.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was a dream trip that we have wanted to take for decades, and working with your company made it so easy to plan and very rewarding to experience. Augustine was very helpful to work with and we appreciated that she replied quickly to each question or concern we had. It was so enriching to have local guides that were so knowledgeable and helpful. Having all our domestic flights arranged for and checked in for us was so luxurious! Having drivers arranged in advance that also texted us the night before was so reassuring and simple. We appreciated how knowledgeable, pleasant and friendly all the guides were.
One thing that we appreciated was that your group new the details of each area we visited and even avoided problems other travelers may have had. That was a real plus.

Hotel Reviews

Posada 21 Oranges

Puerto Iguazú

We liked being out in the countryside instead of right in town. The pool was really nice and we ended up meeting and associating with other travelers there. We liked the rooms with the rock walls. The grounds were very nice and had pretty flowers. The staff was helpful to us when we needed to figure out taxis and providing us breakfast extra early because we had to leave early.

Koi Aiken

El Calafate

We liked that this hotel had a nice view of Lago Argentino. The staff was also very helpful when we needed to make arrangements to buy tickets to the national park.

Awwa Suites & Spa

Buenos Aires

The rooms were very nicely appointed. We used the pool each night to relax and unwind. The staff were so helpful. It was located near one of Eva Peron's homes and so that was nice to tour. It was located by nice parks and restaurants. Having breakfast delivered to our room each morning was luxurious.

Authenticity & Character

Nice rooms, comfortable beds, easy to pronounce and remember the name of the hotel. Nice street with trees.

Location

close to parks, restaurants and one of Eva Peron's homes

Staff

Exchanged money for us, helped with the computer, friendly, answered questions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, great location, comfortable beds.

Hostería Patagonia Jarke

Ushuaia

The bed was not king size and not comfortable. We were first shown a room with a terrible view, and when we asked, were moved to room with a wonderful view. The staff was nice. The location was great. We could walk to everything we wanted to do.

Location

We could walk to everything we wanted to do.

Activity Reviews

Perito Moreno Glacier & Safari Azul

Argentina

The Perito Moreno Glacier and Safari Azul was an incredible experience. We were on a boat and saw the glacier calving, which was absolutely stunning. The naturalist on board enriched our understanding, letting us get up close and personal. Even though we didn't walk on the glacier, the whole experience felt magical and unique. A must-do activity!

Half day tour to the Iguazú Falls (Brazilian side)

Argentina

Visiting the Iguazú Falls, especially the part where we explored the Brazilian side, was breathtaking. The guide made a huge difference in enhancing our appreciation for the place. It was an outstanding experience, and the waterfalls were surreal.

Day trip to Tierra del Fuego National Park

Ushuaia

Our Day trip to Tierra del Fuego National Park was magnificent, thanks to the guide who accompanied us. He made the site come alive with stories and facts, and we even got to walk a bit on one of the islands. This guided exploration was invaluable and added so much depth to our visit.

Family dinner in Calafate

El Calafate

The family dinner in Calafate wasn't quite to my taste. It was different from our expectations and felt more centered around wine, which we don't drink. It wasn't really what we were hoping for, and we would probably not do it again.

Tango & cena show at El Viejo Almacen

Buenos Aires

The Tango and dinner show at El Viejo Almacen was a great introduction to Argentina and its culture. The performance was beautiful, especially with the Gaucho dancers. We had experienced something similar on a grander scale in Mexico City, but this was still a wonderful evening.

The pick ups from the outside providers were great other than riding in the back of a truck one time. They were always on time and provided a nice vehicle for transport.
The first hotel chosen in Bangkok was horrible. They tried to put me in the worst room when I was in crabby, but fought for an upgrade. Also had to upgrade my room on my last day in Bangkok because I would’ve been kicked out at 10 AM if I used Hoa’s choice and my flight was until that night so by upgrading to club level, which was not that much more money I really got the benefit. The company chosen for the bike ride in Bangkok was absolutely amazing. Hoa was always available to take my text or emails and I really appreciate that.

Hotel Reviews

Paradise Koh Yao Resort

Absolutely amazing! The room, the staff, the food and the location was incredible!

Authenticity & Character

Wild animals everywhere

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel De Bangkok

Bangkok

Horrible location, staff didn’t speak English and the room was horrible especially the bathroom.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and bath tub was horrible

Our Jungle Camp - Eco Resort

Tambon Klongsok, Ampur Panom, Suratthani

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Namaka Resort Kamala

Phuket

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beach access

Staff

I got sick there and the staff were very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ao Nang Villa Resort

Krabi

They initially tried to put me in a horrible room in an awful building but they helped me upgrade. You couldn’t swim in the ocean in front of the hotel because it was next to all the boat taxis so there was so much gas in the water. Pools were nice and they had a yoga/meditation class, which was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Twin Lotus Resort

koh lanta

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

My bathroom had a smell and bathtub dirty

Hyatt Regency Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel (Ex: Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Our Jungle Resort - 4D3N Package (Tree House/Bungalow) - Day 2

Khao Sok

I got very sick, but the staff were very nice and the room was fine.

Historic Bangkok Bike Tour (Joining Excursion)

Bangkok

It was an incredible experience to get to see Bangkok. Once in a lifetime bike ride!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Jungle Resort - 4D3N Package (Tree House/Bungalow) - Day 1

Khao Sok

Changed and went to see the elephant, which was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Jungle Resort - 4D3N Package (Raft House) - Day 3

Khao Sok

I didn’t get to go because I was sick and had to stay in the treehouse with air conditioning.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our Jungle Resort - 4D3N Package - Day 4

Khao Sok

I had to change from taking the boat to my next destination to getting a driver which Kim Kim took care of for me and the drive and vehicle were very nice.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Koh Rok & Koh Haa Discovery with Snorkeling by Speedboat

Koh Lanta

Beautiful location that the company took us to, but the boat was way over packed and their staff were so rude. There wasn’t enough places to sit and eat, and they had limited communication skills.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

How to drive for 45 minutes in a back of a truck.

From start to finish, planning our trip with Kimkim was so effortless. I have physical considerations that come into play when traveling, and Rene was great at helping us find activities that would work within my abilities, which makes me feel so much more at ease when traveling. Luz, who was our point of contact during our trip, was wonderful to work with and very attentive. She was checking on us to make sure everything was going smoothly and we were having a great time even on the days when we didn't have any activities planned. She got us everything we needed for our activities ahead of time and was able to help us cancel an activity fairly last minute when we had a physical issue that prevented us from doing the activity. I loved that we were able to curate a day trip that included both Chichen Itza and Ek Balam, as we couldn't find any private tours elsewhere that combined these two experiences. Ek Balam was an absolutely magical experience for us - so beautiful, secluded and QUIET with so few other travelers. It really let us experience the site and its energy so much more thoroughly and I am beyond glad that this experience was included with our tour. All of our drivers were prompt and professional and we never once worried about any of the details of our trip because we knew our Kimkim team had our backs. Thank you for helping us plan this wonderful trip!

Hotel Review

Mi Amor Hotel

Tulum

Mi Amor Hotel was the perfect place for us to stay in Tulum. Being inside the national park, it allowed us to escape the hustle and bustle of the more touristy area of Tulum and be more secluded in the natural beauty of the coastline. It was also nice to have their sister hotel, Mezzanine, just a super short walk down the road so we could experience the beach and restaurant there as well. The small size of the resort made it feel so quiet and intimate. The views from the rooms and property were beyond compare. Our room was always clean and comfortable. The staff went above and beyond to make our stay wonderful. Everyone from the front desk to housekeeping, maintenance and restaurant staff remembered us each day, greeted us warmly, helped us with anything we needed (recommendations, directions, hotel info and even loaning us a pair of sunglasses when we realized my husband forgot his!) and were genuinely kind and wonderful to interact with each day. When I think back on our time here, I instantly feel happy and relaxed, because that is how we felt during our entire stay thanks to everything Mi Amor Hotel had to offer.

Authenticity & Character

The small size of the resort made it feel so quiet and intimate. The views from the rooms and property were beyond compare. Our room was always clean and comfortable. The staff went above and beyond to make our stay wonderful.

Location

Being inside the national park, it allowed us to escape the hustle and bustle of the more touristy area of Tulum and be more secluded in the natural beauty of the coastline. It was also nice to have their sister hotel, Mezzanine, just a super short walk down the road so we could experience the beach and restaurant there as well.

Staff

veryone from the front desk to housekeeping, maintenance and restaurant staff remembered us each day, greeted us warmly, helped us with anything we needed (recommendations, directions, hotel info and even loaning us a pair of sunglasses when we realized my husband forgot his!) and were genuinely kind and wonderful to interact with each day.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super attentive housekeeping staff with daily room cleaning and turndown service - our room always felt clean and comfortable, smelled lovely and was a wonderful place to relax at the end of a long day of exploring!

Activity Review

Explore the mysterious area of Ek Balam

Ek Balam

If you love to explore Mayan ruins, this site is a MUST SEE. It feels so quiet and secluded and it gives you the opportunity to really experience the ruins up close, feel the energy of the site itself and to hear/experience the sounds and sights of the surrounding jungle as you explore. There were probably only 15 other people touring the site while we were there. This was a magical experience for us and we would recommend it to any traveler looking to get off the beaten path a little and explore some lesser known ruins.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ravi helped my partner and I plan a very unique trip to India including activities we would have never thought to book ourselves. He really took care of us and made sure we had everything we needed. Our guide in Agra was particularly knowledgeable and we also really liked our driver, Sandeep. Would definitely recommend this tour company to others.

Not Sure of our guides names. We had a food tour guide in Rome was great very good. He gave us lots of information about the area and the food. Our guide in Florence was excellent. We spent 2 days in Tuscany with him. Our food tour in Venice guide made the tour all about us. We asked a few questions and she gave us the food that answers in food. `

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Alba Palace Florence

Florence

Would not recommend this hotel to anyone. The room was extremely small with an even smaller bathroom. Our room faced the street and we were woken up every night to shouting in the street. The only friendly staff member was the girl in the breakfast room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was close to the train that was great. The noise on the street was very loud

Staff

Could be friendlier

Cleanliness & Comfort

Larger rooms

Palazzo Marziale Boutique Hotel Sorrento

Sorrento

Great room, great staff, great breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We loved the location could see out to the water

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was very comfortable

Hotel Cellini

Rome

The location to the subway was great. Felt the building was a little run down.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very informative

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ca' Nigra Lagoon Resort

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rome Food Tour

Rome

We really liked our guide. He gave us lots of information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Best of Florence and David by Michelangelo | Small Group

Florence

We enjoyed our guide and tour. A couple of people on the tour kept walking off. Made it hard on our guide and everyone else on the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Secrets of Neapolitan Pizza with Olive Oil & Mozzarella Tasting

Sorrento

We had so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Self Guided Visit to the Colosseum & Roman Forum | Skip-the-Line Tickets

Rome

We had a little trouble finding where to meet for tour

Quality of Experience

Venice Food Tour

Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was fantastic!

Venice Gondola Ride

Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Full-Day Private Tour of Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius, with Lunch at a Winery at the Foot of the Volcano

Italy

We truly enjoyed our day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuscany Day Trip to Siena & San Gimignano | Lunch & Wine Tasting Included

Florence

We loved our driver. He had so much knowledge of the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Val D’Orcia & Brunello Wine Tour with Lunch and Two Wine Tastings

Italy

We had our same driver from 2 days before. His knowledge of the area and history was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We recently undertook the trip of a lifetime to the Golden Triangle of India and the team from Active India were amazing from pre-planing through to our send off in Delhi - we could not have asked for a better partner. Our driver got us from city to city safely (a miracle in itself!) and all of the local guides were full of local insights and very knowledgeable. We have no hesitation in recommending Active India to you.

We had an excellent experience with Active India. The overall tour was well priced and we had plenty of input into how things were organised when we were in the planning stages.

We enjoyed our itinerary every day and the hotels selected were all pretty good. The restaurants selected for our lunches while travelling were all very enjoyable too.

We had a lovely comfortable minibus for the four of us. It was spacious and comfortable and the air conditioning was very effective. The driver (Vinod) kept the minibus spotless inside and out and he was an absolute gentleman. We honestly felt sad saying goodbye to him at the end of our two weeks.

In fact, the drivers and guides were all friendly and helpful throughout and the whole tour went seamlessly from beginning to end.

We were especially grateful to Aman who met us at the beginning and end of our tour. He was so kind to our friends when they got separated from us at Delhi Airport and he struck us as someone who goes over and above what is expected of him.

We will definitely be recommending this company to others.

Our guide for the Sintra hike was spectacular! He went above and beyond to educate us on the history, to customize the day to what we wanted, and took pictures for us.
Anytime we needed to contact our support team, we revived timely responses that solved the issue. Having the app with the itinerary was also very handy. We had the best week :)

Activity Review

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide went above and beyond to ensure we enjoyed the day!

Transport

My family and I had an incredible 9-day trip introducing us to Peru -- what an amazing time. We spent several nights in Lima with a focus on food -- we did a street food tour, a cooking class and an evening dinner at the Larco museum. Then we moved onto the Sacred Valley and Cuzco, where we toured the magnificent sites [including Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu and Moray] and went to a small village where we were hosted by the villagers. We had several guides in Lima [David, Andy and Aura] and one guide [Miguel] during the second part of the trip -- all were very personable and very good -- incredibly knowledgable about Peruvian history and culture and it was a pleasure being with them. We spent 4 days with Miguel and he led us seamlessly. He was a complete wealth of knowledge about the area and was fantastic to deal with. After the trip ended, we all realized that we had a special experience.

Hotel Reviews

Aloft Lima Miraflores, a Marriott Hotel

Lima

Modern good-sized rooms and very well located.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casona de Yucay

Cusco

Beautiful charming facility -- wish we had spent more time there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Terra Andina Mansion Colonial

Cusco

In a good location -- the facility is nice enough although we had to switch both rooms when the first ones were unacceptable. The staff however was very accommodating with our requests and the replacement rooms were nice. Check out time is 10 am which I find to be fairly early [they did extend us to 11 am but no longer]

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Archaeological Complexes and Larco Museum by night with dinner

Lima

We loved this experience -- our guide was very good and the museum and dinner were lovely. My only suggestion was we needed more time to fully enjoy the dinner and wound up extending the time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hands on Cooking Class at a Chef's house

Lima

We made three traditional Peruvian dishes -- ceviche, causa and a Pisco sour and really enjoyed the experience. The staff in the restaurant and the guide were really great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pisac Archaeological Site

Peru

A very special place -- beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Urban food tour at Lima Historical Center

Lima

A very comprehensive walk around the central district. The desserts sampled were the highlight of the tour. Our guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning visit of Ollantaytambo

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Misminay Community, lunch and hike to Moray

Sacred Valley

We were shown local customs and crafts and were served lunch. A very informative look into local life.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Machu Picchu Exploration

Peru

A full day experience that was managed by our guide seamlessly -- the Vistadome train was so beautiful and there was a special bus I think for guided tours that simplified the process getting to the site. The site itself of course is spectacular.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sacsayhuaman & Cusco Guided

Cusco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport