Kimkim Trip Reviews

Diogo did a great job planning our trip. We had a wonderful itinerary that took in city and country visits. Joao was an amazing tour guide in Lisbon. He was so knowledgeable about the places and history. He was patient and let us explore at our own pace. The sunset sailboat ride was a perfect evening. The restaurant with Dado music was such an unexpected experience that we all enjoyed. All of the hotels we stayed at were nice, clean and had fabulous breakfasts included. The wine tasting at Seixt winery was a great choice. All of our reservations went off without any issues. Also, Diogo and Joao were always quick to respond to any questions or concerns. Kimkim was just great to work with and did an excellent job. I will definitely make future travel arrangements with Kimkim and have already recommended them to all my friends.

Every detail was thought through. Our guides, driver, tours, and hotels were exactly what we hoped for. Every tour guide had a Ph.D. level understanding level of the art, history, and the people that made it. Our whole experience was astonishing and far beyond our expectations.
Valeria organized and knew exactly what we wanted and every aspect of our trip was seamless. This left us able to enjoy every minute of the beauty, food, and people of Italy. This was the family vacation I hoped to achieve. My husband and adult children had unforgettable times together and time to explore on our own. Every hotel exceeded the next and the history and beauty of Rome, Perugia, Assisi, Spello, Florence, Lake Como, and Milan gave us memories to last a lifetime.
I interviewed several tour planners in the US, Valeria, from Kim Kim, who resides in Rome delivered with "local" knowledge and expertise I could not get in the U.S. Don't hesitate in hiring the Kim Kim experts. I am so grateful that I did.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Della Conciliazione

Rome

The rooms are fine, but there was an unfortunate smell that the hotel tried to cover with air fresherners.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The

Hotel Sina Brufani

Perugia

A really great breakfast and an excellent location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

You could walk to anywhere from here.

Staff

so helpful and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Cavour

Florence

Great location.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albergo Terminus

Como

Great location!

Authenticity & Character

Cannot image staying anywhere else. Their terraced par/restaurant was an excellent to wind down with friends and family

Location

Your could walk to anywhere from here. The rooms were great!

Staff

Answered every request.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean. The staff answered every request.

Star Hotel Rosa Grand

Milan

What a hotel! You will love the location. The best.

Authenticity & Character

Corporate hotel but in an excellent location.

Location

So close to the Doumo, castle and the best shopping.

Staff

Every request was met with a no problem.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The turn down service was really great.

Activity Reviews

Private Colosseum, Forum Tour & Palatine hill

Rome

Julia was amazing. We learned so much. Her pace was perfect and she arranged for me to take the elevator in the Colosseum, that was a game changer for me because I have a damaged right knee. The weather was perfect! Julia was able to answer our endless questions without taking a beat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driving in Rome is CRAZY our drivers were able to navigate it all. I can tell you this is quite feat.

Private golf cart tour

Rome

Dario was unbelievable. We had a blast on our golf tour. These golf tours are a great way to see Rome!

Quality of Experience

The park that provide a spectacular view of the city

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dario was great. I would recommend his services for this tour to anyone

Transport

Rome drivers are crazy, but the golf cart is a great way to go. You need to be an expert driver, that is for sure.

Small group tour of Vatican City , Sistine Chapel & saint Peter's Basilica

Rome

Wow, learned so much. It was a great family experience. Ev/Ava was wonderful. We learned so much from her and she was warm and knowledgeable. She clearly loved her work and made us feel so welcome

Quality of Experience

learned so much.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were so good. Could expect more.

Transport

Private Pizza-making class

Rome

Tony was unbelievable! We love the experience. Tony was so generous and knowledgeable. All five of us loved it. We were fed so well and by the fruits of our labor with Tony. We ate a lot of pizza during our trip. I can honestly say we ate our best pizza here, in this class.

Quality of Experience

We were to walk through the oldest open-air market in Rome. It was outstanding.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was on time time and even though we ran over for our next tour, he was ready to take us to our next destination.

Transport

Who cannot love a Mercedes?

Full day Private tour of Assisi and Spello with car and guide at disposal

Italy

We had an unexpectedly great tour here. We didn't know what to expect but Isabella made the entire time spectacular! She knew where to go and HOW to go. Avoiding crowds and difficult climbs. The views were wonderful and the blooming flowers were smelling wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The warmth and generous treatment of us through sun and rain. You can't go wrong with the wonderful services of this group.

Transport

We always had late-model Mercedes that sat us comfortably

Private guided tour of the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries (4 hours)

Florence

The crowds were crazy but Simona guided us through the crowds and the museum staff. We saw so many beautiful things and she was able to answer all our questions. I was particularly slow and stopping often to look at things that only interested me. My family despaired of my frequent stops but Simona was patient and able to answer all my questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Small group Tour of Tuscany Oil & Wine Tasting with a personal sommelier

Florence

We had been traveling and touring in our small family group, this was our only group tour, a small group tour. Probably the only misstep we took. I thought we would all love wine tasting. We did not. The views were wonderful, but the wine, not so much.

Quality of Experience

Food

Everyone loved the food and the pairing with the wine.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Boat Tour of Lake Como - Explore Bellagio

Italy

We started out the morning, it was cloudy and cold, but without rain. Our guide Laura helped us get comfortable on our boat and off we went. We saw George Clooney's house and every beautiful palace/home on the lake. We laughed and laughed and had a great time.

Quality of Experience

Food

There was no food included.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bernina Express and St Moritz full day tour from Milan

Italy

It was raining and expected to be in the 30's F. so we canceled the trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tamer did an excellent job planning and arranging our trip. Our guide, Pablo was knowledgeable and personable. The crew onboard our boat were hardworking and attentive. We enjoyed all of the activities provided and we were amazed at all the wildlife we got to see.
However. If you have a chance to read our comment card that we left on our boat, you will see that we were very dissatisfied and disappointed with our boat because of all the roaches and the sewer smell in our cabin.

Hotel Reviews

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M/Y Monserrat

Quito

Roach infested and smells of sewage

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Roaches and sewer smell.

JW Marriott Hotel Quito

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kapari Natural Lodge & Spa

San Miguel de los Bancos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arrival to Baltra Airport - Transfer to Cruise Ship & Santa Cruz Highlands (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Galapagos Islands

Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz Island) - Chinese Hat (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Cruise Ship

El Barranco - Darwin Bay ( Genovesa Island) (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Cruise Ship

Black Turtle Cove - Flamingos and Relax in Bachas Beach (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Cruise Ship

Tagus Cove - Urbina Bay (Isabela Island) (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Cruise Ship

Espinoza Point (Fernandina Island) - Vicente Roca Point (Isabela Island) (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Galapagos Islands

Puerto Egas - Espumilla Beach - Buccaneer Cove (Santiago Island) (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Cruise Ship

North Seymour Island - Highlands (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Cruise Ship

Rabida Island - Bartolomé Island (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Cruise Ship

South Plazas Island - Santa Fe Island (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Cruise Ship

Punta Pitt - Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island) (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Galapagos Islands

Lobos Island - Tijeretas Hill & Interpretation Center (San Cristobal Island) (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Galapagos Islands

Gardner Bay - Suarez Point (Española Island) (M/Y Monserrat 15D )

Cruise Ship

Cormorant Point - Post Office Bay (Floreana Island) (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Galapagos Islands

Charles Darwin Research Station (Santa Cruz) (M/Y Monserrat 15D)

Cruise Ship

Explore Mindo Cloud Forest at Kapari Natural Lodge & Spa

Galapagos Islands

Kapari Natural Lodge & Spa Experience

Mindo

Another day at Kapari Lodge & Return to Quito

Mindo

Can not say enough positive things about our trip to Dubrovnik. We are new to KimKim, and decided that since we have pretty busy lives to use them to make the trip planning easier. Bruno was very communicative prior to our trip and while in country. He made sure everything was to the best possible standards. He set up some amazing private tours which made our trip one of a kind. All of the guides that we worked with were phenomenal humans, and they seemed to genuinely love what they were doing. IWe LOVED this trip. We will absolutely be coming back to Croatia and will be using their services again.

We loved traveling with KimKim. It was the perfect combination of recommended itineraries and personal flexibility in creating our ideal vacation. The guides were excellent and communication with Bea (aka KimKim) was easy and accessible. We would totally travel with them again.

My parents and I greatly enjoyed our 8-day vacation in Portugal with the help of our amazing local specialist, Catarina. From the very start of planning, Catarina was super attentive and collaborative. I let her know our preferences for places to go and the types of things we wanted to do on our trip and she helped us craft a fitting itinerary filled with tours and activities that allowed us to immerse ourselves in the local foods/wines and thoroughly experience the deep culture/history that Portugal has to offer.

In the days leading up to our trip and during our entire trip, Catarina always remained communicative and responsive to all my questions. She was always very professional in her communications and even when we encountered one mishap with a driver one day and unfortunately missed one of our city tours (to no fault of Catarina or KimKim), Catarina didn't fail to keep in contact with us and work through the issues / process a refund for the tour we missed. Aside from this, the rest of our trip felt seamless as Catarina had given us all the information we needed to easily go about our activities each day. She also made sure we had a good amount of rest time built in, especially toward the end of the trip when we were in Albufeira, so we had a good chunk of time after all our tours in the bigger cities to just relax near the beachside before returning home.

If you're thinking of heading to Portugal and looking for a company and local specialist to help plan/book your next vacation, I highly recommend working with KimKim and specifically Catarina from The Host Portugal for all your travel needs!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Star inn Porto

Porto

The hotel in Porto was pretty good. It had breakfast included, but the options were limited.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Real Bellavista Hotel & Spa

Albufeira

The Real Bellavista Hotel and Spa in Albufeira was great. It had a 4-star rating, and the breakfast options were excellent. They also provided a shuttle to the downtown area, which was a nice addition.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vintage Food & Wine Tour

Porto

Our food and wine tour in Porto was enjoyable, but we had a slight issue with the meeting point, which was farther than expected from our hotel. We took an Uber and got reimbursed for it. The tour itself was good, but since my parents don't drink much wine, it would have been nice to have more variety in the activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Regular Tour Douro Valley

Portugal

The Douro Valley tour was one of my favorites. The scenery was beautiful, and we had a great lunch at a villa with a pool and an amazing view of the vineyards. The food was really good, and the tour was well-organized.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lisbon on a TukTuk

Lisbon

The TukTuk tour in Lisbon was fantastic. The company was very accommodating to our interests, and the driver took us to all the places we wanted to see while explaining everything nicely.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Regular Tour to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

The tour to Sintra, Cascais, and Estoril was really enjoyable. The tour guides were friendly and knowledgeable, and the transportation was comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour to Benagil Caves & Dolphins Sigthing

Portugal

The boat tour to the Benagil Caves and dolphin sighting was a lot of fun. The tour took us around the coastline, and we enjoyed the views, dolphins, music, and cruising on the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the first time we communicated until the end of the trip, Tamer was wonderful! He was very helpful and responded fast, even with different time zones, and very solutions oriented when we encountered delays with the visa.

The itinerary he came up with was amazing, my main goal was the Galapagos and Amazon, but he also added other places I didn't think of like Baños, Guamonte, Otavalo and Mindo (my only regret is Mindo would have been more worthwhile as an overnight trip so we could do 5am bird watching rather than just the day trip from Quito that we did), which we really enjoyed as well!

Our guide Sebastian was fantastic, he has so much knowledge to share about his country, it is impressive! We also felt a lot safer with him looking after us.

We got to see so much of Ecuador and came away with such an appreciation for the country, its people, food, and culture. Absolutely a once in a life time experience! I definitely recommend working with Tamer and Sebastian!

Hotel Reviews

Anakonda Cruise

QUITO

Great guides! Stay in a room near the front, because the rooms in the back are noisy being above the engine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Aliso Hotel Boutique

Quito

Friendly and helpful staff. Good location in La Floresta near lots of restaurants. Room is a bit dated and does not have heating, but you can ask for a portable heater.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Floresta

Baños

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inti Sisa

Guamote

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hostal Posada Del Angel

Cuenca

Good location and friendly staff, but the only window in the room faced the hallway. Had to choose to close the window for safety reasons, even if it meant the room was stuffy. Walls were thin, could hear people walking and talking in the hallway.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ventilation in room and sound proofing.

Hacienda Pinsaqui

Otavalo

Enjoyed our stay, lots of character, make sure to attend the welcome cocktails where the manager tells the history of the place and Otavalo locals play lovely music.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Guayaquil, Ascend Hotel Collection

Guayaquil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

M/Y Infinity Galapagos Yacht

Galapagos

We did the 15 day cruise, highly recommended to maximize time in the Galapagos and see a variety of animals and landscapes! The crew and guides are great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ingapirca Ruins-Cuenca City

Ecuador

Interesting visit to the Ingapirca Ruins!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

Great walk to Pailon del Diablo!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Adventure to Teleferico Cablecar

Quito

Wonderful way to spend our last full day in Ecuador, it was a clear day and we got to see many of the volcanoes around Quito. Lovely views of the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival in San Cristobal Airport - Puerto Chino or Tortoise Breeding Center

Cruise Ship

15 days in the Galapagos were a dream come true! We got to see so many animals (sea lions, penguins, iguanas hammer head sharks, boobies, alabatross, dolphins, etc.) up close! The guides we had (Erik, Marvi, Fabian, and Juan) are extremely knowledgeable and well organized, and the crew especially Ronnie the cruise manager and Carlos the bartender are so helpful and friendly! Comfortable room and great having a personal balcony to sit and enjoy the view. Some days we could see fish and sharks near the boat!

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was delicious, but the menu for the 2nd week was the same as the first!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival to the Amazon and Night forest walk (Anakonda 8D) - Day 1

Ecuador

Comfortable (electricity and airconditioned rooms) way to see the Amazon, interesting visits to local communities.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides are Kichwa who grew up in the Amazon, and amazing how they spot animals that are so far away, and generous sharing their experiences growing up in the jungle. Staff are helpful, we asked them to move us to a different room because the first one was very noisy whenever the boat was moving, which they did.

Transport

Room was comfortable but a bit underwhelming for the price, not what we would call luxury.

Colonial City Tour, Cooking Class & the Middle of the World Monument

Quito

Great day around Quito, old city, center of the world, and delicious food!

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

Lovely small town, lucky we got to see toucans during lunch!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My best friend, my dog, and I took an unforgettable road trip through California, all thanks to our incredible travel specialist Leo! From the planning stages to the actual trip, Leo's attention to detail, expertise, and personalized touch truly made this trip one of the most fun and special trips I've ever been on :)

We traveled from Santa Barbara to San Francisco up the Pacific Coast Highway, stopping at the most beautiful beaches along the way! One of the highlights of the trip was our whale-watching tour in Monterey Bay. Leo made sure to book us on the best cruise company, where we were fortunate enough to see WHALES!! along with dolphins and seals :) It was INCREDIBLE! The crew was fantastic, providing insightful information and answering all our many many many questions :)

Leo's excellent recommendations for hikes and lookout points allowed us to fully appreciate the beauty of California (this was my very time there), and even helped us find some less crowded and dog-friendly spots to enjoy! He was also incredibly responsive and supportive during the entire trip, checking in regularly to make sure everything was running smoothly and providing timely solutions to any unexpected changes or issues. Our kayaking tour was canceled due to wind, but Leo jumped in immediately and provided us with tonnssss of options!

I can't thank Leo enough for putting together this unforgettable trip. The memories we made on this trip will last a lifetime (the tattoos we got in Santa Barbara also will LOL)! Thanks a million, Leo! You're the best <3

Activity Review

Monterey Bay whale watching

the United States

IT WAS INCREDIBLE! We saw whales and dolphins! The crew was so very friendly, kind and patient. We had tons of questions and bothered them for a tour of the captain's room and they gave us a little tour of the inside! They were so funny and we really enjoyed our time on the boat! They told us tons of facts about the whales we got to see! On our cruise, we saw an adult female whale, with two juvenile whales and a bigger, male whale! It was so cool!! I would highly recommend going whale watching :) It was the highlight of my entire trip!

Quality of Experience

Had a place to sit inside and outside and plenty of viewing area for whales

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone (staff) was hilarious and so kind. We quickly made friends with them and enjoyed chatting them and hearing all the knowledge they have about the whales, boats, ocean, etc.

Transport

10/10 great boat ride. Great driver-Captain gave us a tour and showed us how he steers the boat and then showed us the route we took!

Nikola and his team was great to work with and offered great suggestions for activities & itenerary. Transportation was effortless, and all guides were fantastic! We covered a lot of ground, and every accommodation was amazing!!
Favorite place to stay was Makarun Heritage Rooms in Split, and favorite tour was Hvar Local Day in the Life tour with Josip. All drivers and guides were super helpful.
10/10 recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lero

Dubrovnik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Makarun Heritage Rooms

Split

Great location, beautiful and comfortable rooms, amazing breakfast and delicious partner restaurant. Hosts were fantastic and super helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful rooms, excellent adjoining restaurant and Mario & Luca went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed for a perfect stay, and awesome trip.

Location

Convenient and easy to get to.

Staff

We loved everything about this place but Mario & Luca went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and had the best recommendations for food and activities.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Nora Hvar

Hvar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Walking Tour of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Split

Croatia

Ivana was full of information

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ivana was great and very knowledgeable

Transport

Day Trip to Plitvice National Park from Split

Split

This park was beautiful even though it was raining the whole time we were there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ivana was awesome!

Transport

Alex was our driver and he was friendly, helpful and very prompt.

Hvar Half-Day Private Island Tour (Afternoon)

Hvar

Quality of Experience

Great guide, beautiful tour and stunning sunset with wine tasting, history, and amazing food. What's not to love?

Food

They provided a large lunch "snack" at the wine tasting that was yummy! The dinner we had at the small family owned restaurant off the beaten path was phenomenal and a great taste of the local cuisine.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joseph was awesome! He had so much knowledge and history to share and as a local, had lots of hidden gems/fun facts we would have missed out on otherwise.

Transport

Dubrovnik Sea Kayaking

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Beautiful!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fabio was an excellent resource throughout the entire trip and planning process. We told him some highlights and he helped us achieve the experience we wanted for our family. He took everyone in our 5 person party into account and made sure there were activities for kids (ages 14 and 11) and my mother. From the planning process throughout the entire vacation not only was he available and responsive all hours of the day and night, he would proactively remind us about important tour times during the actual trip, any updates to the itinerary and then would touch base with us on Whats App to make sure we had connected which each of our private tour guides. For example, we got lost and were 10 mins late to our tour in Napoli and he connected with the tour guide to let him know we were on the way and helped us get to the correct spot so we did not get left behind. He checked in with us every evening of our 9 day trip (3 different cities) to make sure we were happy with how the day went and to see if any adjustments needed to be made to the next day. He also helped us find excellent places to eat and had back up ideas in case we ran late or had weather that caused a change of plans.

This was our first time using a travel agent (also our first trip to South America). Emi provided us a great itinerary (including key activities and hotels) which was easy to work with, and within our budget range. Planning was easy and payment was easy also. We had a great experience with the teams in-region on WhatsApp (especially as neither of us have strong Spanish- this came in handy for a lost property question and also to confirm if the information from the local guide on arrangements was not totally clear). For other travelers I'd only recommend to ask in detail what is involved in the half-day and full-day activities- some of ours were a surprise!

All of our guides were awesome. While Athens was interesting and Naxos had a mellow but friendly vibe, San Torini was a standout because it is visually stunning,

Hotel Reviews

Belvedere Suites Santorini

Santorini

Great site, room was generously sized and had awesome views.

Authenticity & Character

Classic San Torini construction. Newer property but it blends.

Location

Built into the upper portion of the Caldera with unobstructed ocean view.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amalia Hotel Athens

Athens

Grest location but tiny room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ippokampos Beachfront Hotel

Naxos

Room was tiny and basic. Wrestling lugage up and down steep stairs not easy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff works very long days and they are very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

All Time Classic Santorini

Santorini

Guide was great and the muesem, archealogical site and lunch were all great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Platinum Morning Caldera Cruise

Santorini

Our favorite activity. The weather was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens e-bike tour

Athens

So much fun and our guides were great!

Cycling in enchanting landscapes of Naxos

Naxos

This was our only "fail" as the ride was rescheduled and we were not aware. The rescheduled ride did not work so another time was agreed upon but road construiction shortened if from 3 hours to a little over an hour and a half. We killed the rest of the time hanging in a beach bar which was pleasant but not what we signed up for.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acropolis & Flavors Combo Tour

Athens

Our guide was very interesting and we learned a lot about Greek Culture.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naxian Cooking Experience

Naxos

Everyone was so nice and engaging. We ha a great time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 14 day vacation to Portugal was absolutely fantastic and exceeded our expectations!! All of the tour guides were excellent in their knowledge of the most notable sites as well as the history and culture of the area. Their vast amount of knowledge together with their friendliness made each and every tour a very informative, enjoyable and memorable experience. In addition, each tour guide was very accommodating to our requests to see specific monuments and attractions.

The drivers were punctual and polite. Whenever there was a slight language barrier it was never a problem as they used Google Translate. They were very forgiving of us with our lack of understanding of the Portuguese language.

Our travel specialist Beatriz (Bea) was incredibly dedicated and ensured that we visited the cities in Portugal that were most appealing to us. Her responsiveness was exceptional throughout the planning and booking of our customized itinerary. In addition, her colleagues were also very responsive and replied quickly to our questions during our time in Portugal.

Being able to customize the itinerary is very important to us. Our experience with kimkim has been wonderful 😊. We will use kimkim in planning and booking our future vacations.

Activity Reviews

Sunset Sailing Cruise

Lisbon

Thoroughly enjoyed this 2 hour cruise. Saw many amazing sites up and down the river. Cruise guides were very pleasant and informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fado Dinner Experience

Lisbon

We enjoyed the very emotional and melancholy Fado music. The musicians and singers expressed so much emotion. Noted that the singers usually had their eyes closed while performing. Their emotion was unlike anything we have seen before. The food was very delicious at this Fado restaurant.

Quality of Experience

See above.

Food

We had a wonderful trip to Morocco despite the late planning /organizing- The local specialists, Ali and Said were extremely helpful and assited us in tailoring our trip to fit all our needs. Upon arrival at Casablanca, we were received by the local driver, Ayoob who was outstanding. He was attentive, super helpful and knowledgeable. He made the long distance driving trip very enjoyable and relaxing. The highlight of our experience was the Merzouga luxury camp being managed by Hamid and team. Hamid is excellent and his team (Mohammed, Ibrahim and others) make sure guests have a memorable experience in the desert. Overall we had a memorable trip and would highly recommend this team to our friends and family.

Hotel Reviews

Palais Amani

Fès

The hotel is a beautiful, renovated riad right in the Medina. It has only a few rooms and well maintained. During our stay, it seemed to be less crowded. The spa experience was great- the staff were helpful and friendly. If you are looking for a relaxed stay, this is a nice place. If you need a vibrant, happening place, you should choose to stay elsewhere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The bar staff was super friendly and chatted with us about his signature drink. The hammam staff were super nice and kind and did an amazing job.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We stayed in the large suite as the other rooms had sold out during that time. Even though the suite was luxurious and large, there were mosquitoes noted in the room. It's not clear if that's the case because that suite is not being used at all times. Maybe the well occupied rooms would have been better.

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

We only stayed briefly at this hotel. The stay was pleasant. We arrived late at night and the staff were kind to accomodate our needs with a fabulous dinner sent to our room. The food was delicious and we could see that there was a lot of care put into it. The front desk staff were nice and friendly as well.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful hotel.

Location

Given that Chefchaueuen is a hilly town, this hotel is quite a bit of walk from the main road. But the porters help in carrying the luggage and so it's not an issue.

Staff

front desk staff super friendly. Delicious dinner provided despite arriving late at night.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room is comfortable and clean.

Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp

Merzouga

Our stay at Merzouga camp was the highlight of our Morocca experience. Special thanks to Hamid, manager and Mohamed, Ibrahim and other staff for creating such an awesome experience for the visitors and making us feel at home. There was a sandstorm (apparently an extremely unlikely event) the night that we arrived and we were thrilled and excited to hear the wind howling outside the tent which was an unforgettable experience. The staff went special lengths to provide everyone a sumptuous delicious dinner despite the unpredictable weather. The next day, the winds calmed down and it was very beautiful. We enjoyed visiting the sand dunes and had a memorable camel ride to watch the sunset. It was a surreal experience of a lifetime! We had a delicous dinner, listened to the local music and danced with the staff and guests. The night sky is truly an astronomer's delight !

Authenticity & Character

Location

The location is close to the sand dunes and we enjoyed beautiful sunrise and sunsets.

Staff

Super kind, helpful, knowledgable and competent staff. Kudos to Hamid, Mohammed and Ibrahim.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Authenticity & Character

Location

lovely location with beautiful trees. There are short hikes near the hotel.

Staff

Staff were super helpful. The meals prepared by the chef are truly a 5 star experience. They catered to our needs and were vegeterian friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms are quite small

La Maison Arabe Hotel

Marrakech

Lovely hotel in the heart of the medina. The hotel is updated, and the rooms are quite spacious. The courtyard restaurant is beautiful and we enjoyed the delicous dinner and breakfast. The hotel is a happening place and vibrant. We enjoyed our brief stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Architectural Elegance: A Journey through the Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

The guide was excellent and she did a great job with the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival in Casablanca and continue Chefchaouen via Rabat

Morocco

We were picked up at Casablanca airport soon after arrival and the sightseeing tours were all excellent. Ayoob was super helpful, knowledgeable and a competent driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

We enjoyed the roman ruins of volubilis very much. Worth the experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport was great. Ayoob, the driver is great and made us feel like we were traveling with a family member and that made for a great experience.

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

We had a good time touring the Fes Medina. Being a Friday, some shops were closed. The guide, Azdeen gave us a good overview of the tanneries, old school and attarine madarasa. He also took us to the ceramic shop, tanneries and other shops in the medina. At times we felt that the guide was taking us to places such as leather shops where we were forced to buy things and getting a bit upset as we showed no interest in buying things as we were mainly touring for the experience. At the ceramic shop, the prices are super expensive and we felt like we got cheated for the few pieces that we bought here We probably paid 3 xtimes, but we thought the money could be used as a donation for the artisans who work there. This is a tip to the future travelers, tour this place, but avoid buying anything here. The folks also force you to look at fountains and big pieces that are super expensive and marked up for sure.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Maybe our experience would have better with another guide who is knowledgable and neutral and not pushing clients to stores that probably offer kickbacks.

Transport

Dine with a local family

Morocco

Overall amazing experience, Amina and her family were lovely. We had a delicious home made dinner and enjoyed spending time with her and famly. They were all very kind and made us feel welcome.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Erg Chebbi via the Middle Atlas Mountains

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Desert Adventures around Merzouga

Merzouga

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Dades Valley via Todra Gorges

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Marrakech via Roses Valley, Ouarzazate & Aït Benhaddou

Morocco

Memorable visit. However, long arduous drive on the windy road makes this hectic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

We had a memorable and amazing guided tour of Marrakesh with our guide, Hannan. Hannan is super nice, extremely knowledgeable and helpful. She was a welcome contrast to our guide in Fes. Hannan gave us an excellent overview of the spice markets, the sights such as the koutouba mosque and the Bahia palace tour. She also went out of the way to find us a great lunch place after we finished out tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kudos to Hannan, she is the best guide!

Transport

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Our guide, Mohammed was courteous, knowledgeable and provided us with a great food tour experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Booking my amazing trip in Morocco with multiple cities was made simple and seamless with Said and his team. We started off in Marrakech --> Dades Valley --> Sahara desert --> Fez —> Chefchaouen/blue city --> Tangier, with stops for all the sights in-between.

Said responded very quickly to my itinerary request and mapped out my desired route, added 4/5 star fantastic hotels, and made recommendations at the cities that I didn't even know of (eg dinner with a local family in Fez). While in Marrakech I unfortunately lost a day due to travelers tummy and Said quickly rejiggered my itinerary by pushing everything out a day, which would have been a nightmare if I had to do this myself.

Our driver, Samir, who was with us from beginning to end was fantastic. He is very polite, professional, and was a great resource for everything Morocco! He truly went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and got the most out of our Morocco experience. He seems to know everyone and made sure any handoffs with guides and hotels were seamless and we were taken care of. His tips and tricks were very helpful navigating the Médinas in Chefchaouen and Fez! Samir is truly a gem!

This team truly deserves this glowing review - they will be my first call on my next trip to Morocco.

Hotel Reviews

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

A real gem in the Dades Valley! Run by a family who goes out of their way to make sure you have a top experience. Don’t skip out on dinner here - it’s akin to a Michelin star dinner!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Beautiful location in the desert. Tents are comfortable and outfitted with everything you could need. The staff are a great bunch who love their jobs and it shows!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Great location in the Médina. Unbelievably beautiful inside despite the unremarkable exterior. Breakfast spread is excellent

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Dine with a local family

Morocco

This was so fun to have a home cooked meal and break bread with the family. There may have been some dancing afterwards!

Quality of Experience

L

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an excellent experince from beginning to end with Kim Kim and all those we met along the way. The hotels, experiences, guides, transportation, all were thought through well. My sister and I took my mom to Costa Rica for her 70th birthday and everything they planned for us was exactly in alignment with what we hoped this trip would be. We had the adventure, luxury, comfort aspects and most importantly excellent guides to elevate our experince even more so. The communcation with the Kim Kim team from the start was above par and they truly cared in providing us a great experience. I will be using them again!

Maria

We were an adult mother/daughter travel team. We were looking for a trip together where we could learn about a new culture while spending time together, we settled on Morocco as our destination, but we were both too busy to develop our own itinerary. Also, we don’t speak Arabic or Berber, and a large group tour didn't seem like a good fit. Kim Kim/Original travel proposed a program that moved us around the country in 8 days— we saw a lot! Our driver, Samir, was efficient, and unfailingly unflappable, courteous and on time. He schooled us on some language basics and was happy to chat about Morocco. He became a member of our travel team. Sometimes I just wanted to sit in the back seat, eat tasty cookies, and soak up the scenery. That was ok too! We spent time in Casablanca, Fez, the desert (on many camels), Marrakech, and every point in between. Memories to last our lifetimes. We saw a lot that we can study at our leisure now that we are back :)

I can't speak highly enough of Thanos. He had organised for us an excellent journey which he ensured worked smoothly throughout the whole time, from beginning of our planning to the very end. Thanos was most personable and caring and it was a delight meeting him in person.

The other person I can't speak highly enough of either, was our driver, Andreas. Throughout the four days with him, his driving was fantastic, he was great company, thoughtful, helpful and was there for us every step of the way. We gained from Andreas a lot of knowledge about Greece.

All the guides were superb, especially Alex, who guided us through the Acropolis.

We appreciated the great hotels chosen for us.

Thank you Thanos and Kimkim

Alessia was awesome. So very helpful, personable, and available. She reviewed our itinerary every evening. She and the guides for our tours (in Venice and Florence) were greatly appreciated. The LivTours were also well done

Activity Review

"Bacari" local street food tour

Italy

This was great. I would recommend that this Should be done at the beginning at the beginning of our stay as we were unable to go back to the places as this was our last day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

After a lot of research, my family and I booked this trip to Donsol for an ethical experience with whale sharks and we are so grateful that we did. I highly recommend this trip as it does not have a negative impact on the natural behaviour and environment of the whale sharks.

Our overall experience from the booking process to the trip itself was positive and enjoyable. Cami, our local specialist was very professional and organised meaning that we could relax and have a great time.

Our guide Arisa was absolutely fantastic. She was very kind, thoughtful, helpful and friendly. She made us all feel very welcome.

Our accommodation at Elysia Beach Resort was serene and peaceful and the staff were so lovely and accommodating. My family and I are vegan and they went above and beyond to make sure we had food that we could eat which was much appreciated.

I loved how flexible this trip was. As scuba divers, we wanted to incorporate some dives into the trip and Cami easily organised this for us. Our dive master Bobby was fantastic and made sure we had a great day of diving. We did three incredible dives. One at Bobby’s Wall at San Miguel Islands followed by two drift dives at Manta Bowl Ticao Pass where we were lucky enough to see three giant oceanic manta rays!

We were very excited to see whale sharks in a natural calm environment and we were not disappointed. Our guide Joseph and the rest of his team were very experienced and we were lucky enough to swim alongside a beautiful whale shark, an experience we will never forget!

Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible!

Hotel Review

Elysia Beach Resort

Donsol

Elysia Beach Resort is absolutely stunning! I felt very relaxed and peaceful during my stay. The staff were so lovely, friendly and accommodating. My family and I are vegan and they went above and beyond to ensure we had suitable food to eat during our stay. I actually didn’t want to leave! I highly recommend them if you travel to Donsol!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Diving & Snorkeling in Ticao Island

Philippines

Diving Bobby’s Wall at San Miguel Islands and Manta Bowl at Ticao Pass was incredible! Our dive master Bobby was professional and he ensured we had a fantastic day of diving. We saw a lot of beautiful corals and marine life including three giant oceanic manta rays! The non divers also had a great time and were able to snorkel, relax and enjoy the beautiful weather. Overall it was an awesome experience!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful weather, wonderful dive master and crew, amazing dive sites and an incredible encounter with giant oceanic manta rays!

Food

We really appreciated the effort to accommodate us as vegans. We had rice and some eggplant but we were still a little hungry as it was a big day out diving and the portions were a little small. We also needed more drinking water.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our dive master Bobby was fantastic. I felt safe diving with him and he ensured our dives were fun and positive. The rest of the crew were also great.

Transport

The boat ride was fun and we felt safe getting from one dive site to another.

Swim with Whale Sharks in Donsol

Donsol

Swimming alongside a whale shark has long been a dream of mine. But for me, the most important thing is to engage in positive experiences with wildlife to ensure we do not negatively impact their environment and natural behaviours. This experience fulfilled my lifelong dream and it was incredible. Our guide Joseph and his team were professional and very experienced. There were only me and my family on the boat and when we finally found a whale shark, it was just us in the water so the experience was calm and stress free. Seeing the whale shark swim on the surface alongside us for about a minute before descending into the deep is a memory that will always stay with me!

Quality of Experience

Although there were other boats also looking for whale sharks, there were not huge groups of people in the water and the number of boats were limited. What made this experience special was the fact that it was a natural encounter.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Joseph was very calm and relaxed. It was clear that he and his team were experienced.

Transport

Take a paddleboat down Firefly River

Donsol

This was a nice addition to our trip to Donsol. Seeing the fireflies was a magical experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport