Kimkim Trip Reviews

We (family of 4, including 2 teenage boys) recently completed an 8-day trip to Turkey with Trail Travels and it was AMAZING! We visited 3 cities during this trip - Istanbul, Cappadocia, and Antalya.
The country is beautiful, rich with culture, history, and great food. I have been to Turkey before for work, but it was first time with family so was bit apprehensive how the experience would be.. but Trail Travel did a fantastic job taking care of us and customizing our daily itineraries to accommodate our interest and energy level. Berat (from Trail Travel) who I have been working with for a couple moths, found the time to come meet us in person in Antalya… that was a nice personal touch. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and easy to engage, especially our tour guide – Erdem in Istanbul, super nice guy.

In terms of the trip – given we had 2 active teenage boys, the hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia was certainly the highlight, followed by the impressive mosques and grand bazar in Istanbul. The weather wasn’t the best, but nothing we couldn’t manage with a light jacket. Kelebek Special Cave hotel and Goreme Open Air Museum in Cappadocia was great experience as well. On the other end – the food tour in Istanbul was bit disappointing and we would probably skip that in future. Another reason for this – since Turkey has so much great food you end up eating for lunch and dinner. the food tour doesn’t really make sense. Similarly, the Ramada Plaza hotel by Wyndham in Antalya, though great location was disappointing given they closed their pool and game room which the boys were looking forward to.

Overall, great trip and likely we will do it again... maybe only focus on 1-2 cities next time.
Irfan Siddiqui

We had a very positive experience with our planning through Kim Kim. Our trip planner, Yuliana, was extremely responsive, and recommended interesting excursions, and good lodging. We visited San Jose, and really enjoyed the Museo Del Oro. We went to the waterfall Gardens at La Paz, and really enjoyed that. We visited the Arenal volcano and La Fortuna. We’d recommend a hotel in the town of La Fortuna to have access to more shopping and dinner options. We really enjoyed the sky adventures experience in Arenal. We went to the Monteverde cloud forest. Cute town nearby and we had great lodging. We enjoyed a sunset, horseback riding tour that we arranged on our own, and that was a really memorable experience. Then we went to Manuel Antonio and enjoyed the beach and the national park. That was where we saw the most animals. Overall, we had a tremendous trip, appreciated the ongoing support from the Kim Kim, and Amazilia ongoing Travel Support while we were in Costa Rica, and would definitely recommend their services and a visit to Costa Rica. The private transfers that they arranged were great and the drivers were always on time and very nice! Pura Vida!

Hotel Reviews

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

More of a hotel for business travelers. Didn’t have a swimming pool. But close to a nice park. If you’re going to spend time in San Jose, you may want to be closer to the town center where the museums are located. But the hotel was well maintained, comfortable beds, nice staff, and good breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to park but 30 minute walk to museums.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Montaña de Fuego Mountain Resort & Spa

La Fortuna

Far ($15 can ride) from La Fortuna. Very dated. Some amenities were closed. Hot springs pool needed to be skimmed cleaner. Nice breakfast buffet with omelette station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Gorgeous grounds. Wonderful spacious room. Terrific restaurant. Made to order breakfast. Beautiful, well-maintained, short trail on the property. Lots of outdoor seating and picnic tables to enjoy the views. Extremely friendly and helpful staff. Very nice pool area. Our best hotel by far!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walkable to town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely comfortable beds. Very clean. Immaculate property. Spacious room.

Shana By the Beach Resort

Manuel Antonio

Good hotel. Very steep climbs on premises. Access to the beach on a private trail. The beach is where all of the snorkel excursions take you, so you can just rent a kayak and snorkel on the beach and save yourself a lot of money. Nice breakfast. Rather expensive Dinner menu. Good pool including adult only pool. Lots of monkeys on the property (balconies). Lots of birds. We saw toucans on the property! The rooms were a little dated and in need of some maintenance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Difficult to get to restaurant options on foot, but the golf cart driver was able to shuttle us to the Korean BBQ restaurant, Carambola, up the hill. It was delicious.

Staff

When the air-conditioning didn’t work in our first room, it took quite a bit of negotiating to get a new room.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had two king beds for a family of four, which was nice.

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

Good location, close to airport, easy shuttle to airport. Pool on site. Clean and comfortable rooms. Very serviceable. Recommend a top floor room because the hotel guests wake up early and make a lot of noise above you.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

San José - Arenal - Visit to La Paz Waterfall & Gardens

Costa Rica

Nice hike. We were self guided. Nice lunch buffet included. Enjoyed the waterfalls and animals.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zip Lining - Hanging Bridges & Aerial Tram

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great nature guide, beautiful scenery, amazing zip lining. Nice lunch included.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

The cloud forest was beautiful. However, we were underwhelmed by our guide. Expect to see more flora than fauna in the cloud forest. Spent too much time milling around the gift shop and café areas and then in the cloud forest.

Quality of Experience

More time in the park. Wish the guy had used his scope to point out more interesting flora and fauna.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Spent too much time milling around the gift shop and café areas and then in the cloud forest.

Transport

We had such an incredible trip and I would not hesitate to recommend kimkim and Cami in particular. From the initial booking, Cami was really responsive and receptive to our requests and gave us really great advice. The trip itself was just perfect and exactly what we had hoped for. The Philippines is such a beautiful country and the trip was really good value compared to other holidays I’d seen. A special shout out to Jhonas in Coron, and also to Christian from The Funny Lion in El Nido who led our complimentary beach tour to Papaya Beach (highly recommend staying in The Funny Lion in El Nido and leaving a day free so you can take the complimentary tour - the beach is so beautiful!). Thank you for everything!

Dear KimKim,
I am writing this review in Miami on my way home to San Francisco following our two week trip to Chili. Lorena and Jesse provided a fantastic itinerary. Our lodgings and points of interest suggestions were excellent (especially Futangue and Peyuhue). On their advice, we had no issues renting a car and locating our destinations. It would have been helpful to know details of the bookings (ie meal plans) and tours just to make tipping appropriate. Thank you for the prompt refunds of tours we chose not to take. We enjoyed the beauty of this country and the warm reception we received by everyone.
This is my second trip with KimKim and I would definitely use them again.
Thank you for everything!!!
Sherry (Marian and Danny)

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Ladera

Providencia

To be fair, we arrived in Pucon at the end of the high season. There were very few people in the hotel (which was good) but breakfast was super sparse as was the hot water. Great location close to town and parking was secure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to town and near the lake.

Staff

No coffee and no effort to get more.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Pucon Indomito

Pucón

Oops I put my review for Pucon in the Santiago section.

Futangue Hotel & Spa

Futangue

Amazing place in every way!!! Cozy, wonderful meals, clean and comfortable rooms. We loved this one!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Puyehue Wellness & SPA Resort

Puyehue

Over the top buffet meals. Good location to the National Park but plenty to do right at the hotel. We loved experiencing the giant hot pools! Beautiful area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cabaña Del Lago Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

We loved the big rooms and view of the beautiful lake. Having the pool across the street was also a plus. Great location to town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Santiago City Tour

Chile

It was nice to get out and walk the city of Santiago after a long flight from San Francisco. Our guide Philipe was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. We appreciated walking the less touristy areas of the city in addition as well as the traditional centers. Chile's history is fascinating. He recommended a great restaurant for dinner as well!

Quality of Experience

We had a private tour!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide and driver were right on time!!!

Transport

Full-Day Huerquehue Hiking

Pucón

This park was a 50 minute minute drive from Pucon. It is a dirt road so best maneuvered by an SUV vs a Sedan. We had no trouble finding the park and the trail was well marked. We visited during the fall so we had no trouble making a reservation but apparently it is quite popular so best to register online beforehand. At the entrance, the fee is only collected in pesos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N/A

Transport

N/A

Ascent to Villarrica Volcano

Pucón

We visited when the volcano was under a yellow alert so we were unable to hike to the crater. Still it was an amazing experience with beautiful views of the area.

Quality of Experience

One of a kind but not recommended for people not use to hiking at elevation.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ricardo and Hermin were terrific. Once again we had a private tour. They were informative about the area, helpful with equipment and adjusted their trekking speeds to fit our abilities.

Transport

Geometric Hot Springs

Pucón

What a unique spot!!! It was a beautiful one hour and a half drive from Pucon but well worth the drive on a dirt road. Once again, best to travel in an SUV vs a Sedan. We spent three and hours investigating these natural hot springs set in an amazing tropical landscape. These pools were quite different then the man made thermal pools in other areas because of the setting and waterfall. We met travelers from all over world and appreciated the soak after our volcano hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

N/A

Free day in Futangue

Futangue

This was our favorite spot!!! The location was magical!!! The hotel rooms, staff, food and facilities were top notched!! The weather was not clear when we visited so we missed the views from the top of the mountain but still enjoyed the beautiful setting and tropical landscape. We enjoyed the common spaces with comfortable seating and roaring fire places.

Quality of Experience

Absolutely amazing!!!

Free day in Puyehue

Puyehue

Historical hotel amazing food and thermal pools. A wide array of activity options (guided tours of the park, horseback riding, tennis, guided nature walks) available through the hotel activity desk.

Quality of Experience

Excursion to Petrohué Falls

Chile

We were able to visit these falls on the day we drove from Puyehyue. It was a beautiful day and despite the lower water levels due to the time of the year, the Petrohue Falls and river were beautiful and well worth the drive. We were also able to visit Todos Los Santos lake and drove to the top of the Orsono volcano for some beautiful views of the valley that same day.

Trekking in Alerce Andino National Park

Puerto Varas

This beautiful park was an hour and a half drive from Puerto Varas the last section on a dirt road. Again, not all of the trails were open because of the weather but we were able to experience an easy walk to the falls and see the giant Alerce trees. The trail was well marked and the ranger was informative. It was well worth the drive to experience fishing villages on the coast and the beautiful lush landscape and river on this hike.

Our guides and drivers through out the trip were prompt, knowledgeable, pleasant and seemed to enjoy their work. Most spoke good English and were keen to practice.
Valentina who was the local chief support was great..she responded quickly and gave me the assurances we needed.

Hotel Reviews

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

Very comfortable room...pleasant staff..buffet breakfast was ok..dinner menu was basic..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hosteria Kau Kaleshen

Gdor. Gregores 1256, Z9405 El Calafate, Santa Cruz, Argentina

Plain older place, clean,good location,helpful English speaking staff, breakfast just barely ok...no protein...tired looking fruit...

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

After tripping around it was great to stay in a modern upscale hotel Good location in town, on the water, breakfast very satisfying, staff helpful, gorgeous art work..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cabo De Hornos

Punta Arenas

Lovely modern hotel in central location..gorgeous art work,great food, staff were pleasant and helpful...we overlooked the central square which was very attractive..

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Australis Cruise Ship

Santiago

First luxury cruise...very well run, efficient,pleasant knowledgeable staff, clean, well stocked..delicious meals, very scenic routes and fun interesting shore trips..we had great weather..and about 2/3 passenger capacity as it was the fall..a great time to go..fewer people..more attentive service...

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tour of Viña del Mar & Valparaiso

Viña del Mar

Driver and guide Soledad were the right people to get us started in Chile..they were very helpful, pleasant and introduced us to the country and city

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valparaiso Tour

Chile

Soledad was great..she was informed, gave us needed practical information and a pleasant person to work with

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour along Beach towns

Chile

Our guide was very pleasant knowledgeable, courteous, spoke good English,..we had a very pleasant day driving south to Isla Negra and stopped along the way...he went out of his way to help us see around Neruda's summer house there even though it was closed..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Valparaiso to Santiago - Wine Tour

Valparaíso

Visit was pleasant..lovely location and tasty lunch..wine tastings were fruitful...our driver was pleasant and courteous..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Our guide was pleasant knowledgeable and loved his job...we walked a great deal...took the metro..and learned more about the city its history and local sites...helpful for our first day as we could then get around on our own...

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Dinner

Santiago

This was a really great idea and our hosts were pleasant generous and the meal itself very good..4 courses plus wine..our guide and host played guitar and because they are friends there was much warmth during the evening..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings

Chile

Wow..first exposure to the scenery mountains. Sky...guide and driver were knowledgeable pleasant helpful and seemed to enjoy their work..a great day..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Chile

Tour boat packed with people...weather was good..some sun and cloud.. visited first glacier which was amazing...meal was ok at a local hall..

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing! Working with Lacey to plan exactly what we wanted to do was one of the easiest processes. She was very responsive no matter what day it was. (does she ever get a day off?) She was patient with me as I had to check with other travellers to answer her questions sometimes. She was very knowledgeable and gave us great advice on hotels as well. It was great that she gave us choices.

Pom in Bangkok was very knowledgeable and a lot of fun. He had a great sense of humour and could answer all of our questions. The W22 hotel was in a great location for walking around Chinatown. We moved through the sights quickly and efficiently and he knew where to get the best souvenirs, how to barter and where it was appropriate and he found us all the great foods to eat. I felt like we ate our way through Thailand.

Mona was fantastic, she was also very knowledgeable, answered all of our questions. She offered so much information about Chiang Mai and the surrounding area. We wished we had more time there. The Thai Akara is a beautiful hotel and we spent some time relaxing in the courtyard by the pool. The cooler weather was a welcome change from Bangkok. The Elephant Sanctuary was definitely a highlight for all of us in my group. We met some wonderful young people on our ride out there and back. One thing we were not expecting was the red taxi ride out to the sanctuary. We had been in air conditioned coaches all along and then to ride in the back of the red taxi was unpleasant. The street food tour was amazing with so much great food. Mona and our driver Aude were so friendly. Mona's tips about the night market and the accessibility from our hotel on foot was great. The temple and the blessings by monks were both very spiritual for me and a great way to start the day. The extra stop at a cute little coffee shop was a nice touch and it was nice to get to know Mona a little bit on a personal level. We will definitely come back to this area of Thailand and spend more time.

Phuket was hot and humid. The Cape Penwa hotel was divine. The breakfast buffet was huge, the beach was lovely and the service excellent. We only had limited contact with Kai because of the type of experiences we had there but she was able to ensure we had a driver when we needed one. She was very responsive to all my questions via what's app throughout our stay and got us tickets to the cabaret on the last night. She was also very knowledgeable and so helpful.
The island and snorkeling tour we went on was enjoyable but we were surprised at the size of the boat and group with us. We were all given a coloured wristband when we arrived but no further instruction. We almost missed our briefing and the group leaving because no one called out colours or anything. There was a large, loud group at the back of the boat that never moved and so some of us had to fight for space inside out of the sun. (one of them laid down in the back and went to sleep so we had to climb over her to get off the boat) There was not enough room out of the sun for all of the people on the boat. The snorkeling was great for us that are experienced snorkelers but if you were a first time snorkeler, there was no instruction, rules, what to do and what not to do. The masks were handed out and we jumped in. The buffet was horrible. The food was edible but it was small, no service and we were left alone. The tour could have been much shorter, we had way too much time at each stop and the beaches had no lounge chairs or anything. We would not do this tour again.

We absolutely loved our trip to Thailand and will definitely return for a longer visit.

Hotel Review

Thai Akara - Lanna Boutique Hotel

Chiang Mai

Beautiful, well situated hotel. The courtyard area around the pool was quiet, and the pool bar staff were attentive. Breakfast buffet wasn't large but had lots of choices as well as a small menu for eggs made fresh. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Charming, courtyard around the pool like an Oasis

Location

Options for restaurants and bars, and the night market within walking distance.

Staff

Always helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed was comfortable and the bathroom had both a tub and a shower

Activity Reviews

Manohra Dinner cruise

Bangkok

Food was incredible 5 star for sure, views spectacular and staff were able to answer questions about what we were seeing as we floated past.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Charming Night And Night Street Food Tasting

Chiang Mai

Temple was beautiful. Food was great, Mona was helpful and knowledgeable. We were stuffed by the time we were done eating.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mona and Aude were beyond helpful and friendly.

Transport

Morning Alms Giving & Jungle Temple

Chiang Mai

This was an experience like none other we have had. The temple in Chiang Mai was so different from the flashy gold ones in Bangkok. We really loved this experience and the blessings from the monks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elephant Jungle Sanctuary (Afternoon session)

Chiang Mai

Words cannot express how we feel about the elephant sanctuary. This sanctuary is a no riding sanctuary which is an important distinction for us. These elephants are rescued from working and begin ridden. We fed them, interacted with them, got up close. We made and fed them their medicine, Ken was great at teaching us lots about the elephants, and we all learned new things. We watered them and had a big water fight. It was simply a great afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff at the sanctuary were amazing

Transport

Did not know about the red taxi and it was hot and uncomfortable

Night Street Food Tour After Dark by Tuk Tuk

Bangkok

This was a wild ride for sure. The tuk tuks are an adventure in themselves but we had a great guide and great food all evening long. We started in a restaurant for some Thai food and then went out on the street which was much different than it had been during the day.

Quality of Experience

Food

All the food was so good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pom was amazing and got us all the food we wanted to try

Transport

Tuk Tuks are fun

Railway Market & Floating Market

Bangkok

The markets were like nothing we had experienced before. We had so much fun, and bought original artwork, souvenirs and elephant pants. You have to get some elephant pants, great for going in temples and so comfy for the flight home.

Quality of Experience

Food

ate all kinds of new foods

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Pom was amazing, knew so much and helped us buy and barter.

Transport

Lot's of walking, so make sure you have good shoes on

Nuria was great - I wish we could work with her for all our trips!
Normally I book everything myself; but this trip came together on short notice, and I don't have any knowledge of Costa Rica, so I found KimKim and got connected to Nuria. She sent a first itinerary almost immediately, and it was very close - one iteration, then all booked, which was a good experience to start with. And I thought it would be done there. But as it turned out, there were some unforeseen issues on my side that required adaptation on-the-fly, and Nuria came through again in amazing fashion, saving what could have been a ruined trip. I truly don't know what we would have done without her. Thanks so much and pura vida!

Hotel Reviews

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo

Very large property. Three pools, lots of rooms, big breakfast area, several different restaurants. Beachfront. Service was good, breakfast was good, and even though it was the most crowded time of year the only thing in short supply was pool chairs in the shade - everything else was quick and easy and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kokoro Mineral Hot Springs

La Fortuna

Very pleasant small hotel (a dozen rooms or so). Onsite hot spring. Beautiful lush setting and very friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands

Costa Rica

José and the whole crew were great - extremely helpful and gregarious. But, there just wasn't that much to see; the water wasn't that clear, and apart from some reef fish nothing much showed itself. They definitely know what they're doing, so I'm confident they picked the best spot, and the equipment and everything else was great - so my guess is that the conditions around Tamarindo just aren't that great in general. If you're dying to go snorkeling, by all means go with this group; but if you've snorkeled elsewhere then maybe consider other activities around Tamarindo (of which there are many).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Ride to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

A great experience all around. Our guide was fantastic (I think his name was Joshua but I am not sure); the horses were delightful; the waterfall is very impressive. We did get rained on quite a bit, since it's the rainforest, even though it's the "dry" season. You will love it - and, do bring a poncho!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had wonderful, caring, knowledgable guides. Josee did a wonderful job in planning our perfect trip. It was amazing.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Madame

Paris

My sister & I love to walk and this was located so that we could walk almost everywhere. We could enjoy the flavor of Paris, the city of light!

Authenticity & Character

Quiet room, uniquely Parisan - modern but homey

Location

Very central to lots of attractions

Staff

Great breakfast service & food

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Churchill 3*

Bayeux

The place is fun and a good location to places to see. One drawback - no elevator & some trouble accessing internet connection while we were there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice buffet breakfast

Pullman Paris Roissy Cdg Airport

Roissy-en-France

Good location to airport and had a business center with computers that worked

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Eiffel Tower Summit Ticket

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

When we lost a package we had purchased they tried to help us.

Murders and Mysteries of the Louvre

Paris

We could take our time to see things we wanted to see. The Lourve couls use some easier, more user friendly signage. The lockers were great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lunch cruise on the Seine (Premier Service included)

Paris

It was pricy, but worth it. The food was gormet, which was not really what we are used to, but interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Half day guided tour of Versailles with private transfers

Paris

Our guide was super! It was an unbelievable place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mont-Saint-Michel day Tour

France

Our guide was great and we had nice people in our small group. The van was comfortable for travel. Pack a lunch and get there early.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tour of Omaha and Utah Beaches & Normandy Landings Sites

Bayeux

The guide was very good. He had heart wrenching and miraculous stories of events most of us had never heard before. The museums were very well done & interactive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TBH I was wary of Kimkim until I actually spoke to Sharon and wish I had made that move earlier. I am used to more convo than tech in planning a trip but all was fine.
More driver than guide I would say, Yassine was charming, great driver, calm and efficient. He was always on time and smiley and we enjoyed his company - a really good person. Tough gig as we did a lot of miles every day in order to get out to the Big Dunes and he was fasting so must have been hard and he was understandably keen to get to our destinations for sundown.
The highlights were many and varied but Big Dunes was a big hit, the southern side journey back to Ouzarzete was stunning, lunch by the road sides, Berber pizza and the small souk in Rissani, our lovely last Rhiad was an oasis after the long drives and the must see of Jardin Majorelle is magical. Lower lights - we were sad not to hike or walk in the monkeys fingers (not sure why we didn’t) and whilst the Kzr in Boumain Dades was excellent, I was a bit frustrated by the carpet showroom. I wouldn’t stay in Ouzarzete if you don’t have to - the Khasbar is empty and a bit too spotless relative to those still occupied and we did see a lot of them!
All in all we were happy, loved Morocco, certainly would go again and would use Morocco Immersion but more likely would fly in and out of different cities.
The boys said they felt they’d been away for 2 weeks, not 5.5 days, and seen loads.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Nesma Suites & SPA

Medina, Marrakech

Great location as first stop to see Marrakech. Staff were friendly and v helpful. Pretty Rhiad and nice cool pool and comfy sun beds. Breakfast was great. Would stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Wasn’t too spotless - felt more traditional

Location

Easy to find.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Merzouga Dunes Camps

Merzouga

Dinner was v good. Breakfast felt v much like “ the morning after the night before”.

Authenticity & Character

A bit modern and not traditional although not sure how to improve if want comfort.

Location

Staff

A bit laid back and casual

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Draa Valley

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was the first time for my sister and I to Morocco. We learnt ALOT about berber culture and history from our driver-guide Karim who is truly the best out there.

Blessed to have Karim who was also attentive and caring like a friend. He was understanding, and patient with us every step of the way. We were intensely curious about Karim's background as he was raised with a nomadic family in the Atlas mountains. He openly shared his life, his family, and his goals with us, and took us to see people and places we would have never discovered on our own. After two weeks in Morocco, we felt sad to leave Karim, our new friend. We could not have hoped for a better experience in this country so rich in history and tradition. I cannot emphasize enough that you will be in great hands if you turn over your trip planning to Abdellah and Karim. They are absolutely the best. We will be forever grateful to them for sharing their country with us.”

Thank you Karim! Hope to hear more from your knowledge on Morocco and berber history and culture again in the future.

This trip was supposed to happen in 2020 so it was big deal to us to finally make it happen in 2023! Partly because with our kids finishing school and schedules not likely to align easily again it could be our last chance to have a full family vacation. I can't say enough about the organizing and how completely all the details were handled which started with Yuliana. And once in Costa Rica we were also fully supported by our local contact, Graciela. We had the best time and I am so grateful to everyone who made this happen. We loved the hotels in Tamarindo and the Arenal region. We have nothing but praise for our drivers, Gustavo Lopez, Greivin, Fernando and Lee. Having someone else do the driving made the trip that much nicer and these guys know how to navigate Costa Rican traffic! A special thanks to Greiven for stopping to show us a Macaw, Sloths, Coati and Lake Arenal (where we also had a great lunch) along the drive.

The Hotel Tamarindo Diria was beautiful, with great staff and location. Each day we enjoyed the amazing breakfast while taking in the view over looking the ocean as well as from our room and while chilling on the cabana bed (!!!).

The Hotel Los Lagos in the Arenal region was also beautiful with its multiple pools and the walking path up to the observation point. In this area we went on a guided hike with Mauricio, who is a wealth of knowledge on local animal and plants and a lot of fun to hang out with too! That day was full of Howler Monkeys, Sloths, birds of all kinds and an unbelievable amount of edible plants! Mauricio is full of knowledge including historical and current information.

While in this area we also had a great day of Ziplining and White Water Rafting where we also saw wildlife including a Tucan, both of which were amazing, totally safe and done with incredibly friendly and knowledgeable guides.

We will go back, even if we won't all go together. We fell in love with the country and the people.

Hotel Reviews

Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort

Tamarindo

Beautiful location, wonderful breakfast overlooking the ocean, great staff, awesome pools, cabanas and right on the beach!

Authenticity & Character

It's a lovely property with cool decorations as well.

Location

Right on the beach and in the heart of town.

Staff

So polite and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, nice rooms with everything you need.

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Very beautiful property as well as location with the volcano in view and the natural hot springs.

Authenticity & Character

Great food and gardens.

Location

Wildlife around the property, walking paths including to Los Lagos and a view point for the volcano although you can see the volcano from practically anywhere on the property.

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were very clean and the beds were great. They even made up some great towel animals for us each day!

Activity Reviews

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

The guide, Mauricio, is a wealth of knowledge, personable and fun to hang out with. The area was great to walk through, but with the guide, it became a real experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Eco Thermales buffet was awesome!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fernando was waiting for us at the end of each of the activities - no waiting and such a great singer too!

Zip Lining Adventure & White Water Rafting Class II & III

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Francesca curated a memorable trip for my siblings and me. Iceland is breathtaking and Francesca found a way to organize our itinerary to allow us to see the amazing sights, hidden gems, and eat at wonderful food places in just 8 days. She added optional sights and experiences that turned out to be just as fascinating. Communication during the planning process as well as during the trip itself was efficient and accessible. We will definitely be using KimKim for our next vacation. Thank you Francesca for helping to introduce us to the beauty that is Iceland!

Hotel Reviews

Sel Guesthouse

This is a quaint guesthouse tucked away in a quiet area. We were able to see the northern. lights while staying here. The family-owned property was welcoming, quiet, and completely charming. Breakfast each morning was homemade and delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Such a charming aesthetic

Location

Close to many experiences and sights

Staff

Very friendly and welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Miðhraun Lava Resort

Stykkishólmur

This resort was beautiful inside and out. The staff was friendly and easily accessible. The living spaces were clean and spacious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Staff

Staff is friendly and accessible. Breakfast was hand delivered ach morning by the sweetest woman.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Magma Hotel

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

The living spaces were charming and the view was stunning. The staff at the hotel breakfast and dinner were pleasant and friendly. The food was also wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Reykjavík

Reykjavík

This hotel is in a great location. The food was delicious and plentiful. The staff was helpful, often going above and beyond to make sure our stay was enjoyable. Staff helped us get a taxi and made recommendations for local experiences.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful hotel

Location

Wonderful location for exploiting Reykjavik.

Staff

Knowledgeable, accommodating, friendly, and helpful staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Reykjavik Northern Lights Cruise

Iceland

Great cruise, just didn’t see the lights at no fault of the crew. They do offer a voucher to return. Probably not worth it if you go during a time where the lights are easily visible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatnshellir lava cave tour

Iceland

This is one of our favorite experiences during the entire trip. The guide was knowledgeable and funny.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was fantastic!

Transport

Langjokull Glacier Snowmobiling

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Secret Lagoon

Iceland

This is very relaxing and less crowded than the Blue Lagoon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My mother and I booked through Kim Kim to travel to Morocco together and we are beyond grateful for all of Kim Kim’s service! We had such an adventure and it was truly a trip of a lifetime! My mother and I adore driving and seeing new landscapes so our tour was perfect because it included 3 days of traveling by car through the Atlas Mountains and Moroccan dry lands and desert! *if you get carsick easily however, this trip itinerary is not for you haha, but if you enjoy winding roads you NEED to visit Morocco! KimKim booked us excellent accommodations, they were comfortable, clean and welcoming, and perfect places to rest after a day of exploring and recharge for the next day. KimKim always responded promptly to any of our questions and the customer service overall was good. Thank you KimKim for everything! We will be sure to return to Morocco!

The trip was a 10/10 experience. Deb really took the lead on planning everything for us because we came in with limited knowledge. We got to do everything and had the greatest of times. All the staff was extremely accommodating. Having all of the drivers planned out made the trip carefree and seamless.

Hotel Reviews

Chobe Game Lodge

Serondela

Extremely nice facility with amazing food, views, and people. Being able to get into Chobe earlier allowed us to see a family of lions without any other trucks blocking our view!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ilala Lodge

Victoria Falls

The lodge was a great location to walk to the falls. The service was extremely accommodating. Food was delicious. Our driver for the majority of the trip, Frank, was amazing! Extremely informative and kind.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort & Spa - Kasane

Chobe, Kasane

This is a very secluded and peaceful experience. The food was great and authentic. However there was a large fly problem while eating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Flight of the Angels over Vic Falls

Victoria Falls

The 15 minute duration trip was plenty. The guide explained everything we were seeing and sights were amazing. Really good safety briefing as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Cruise & Riverside Dinner

Victoria Falls

We had a private cruise with a full staff. The guide got us really close and allowed us to take as many pictures of the hippopotamus. The dinner course was unexpected and really amazing. Drinks and pretty views made this excursion very relaxing and wonderful. They provided rain ponchos which were very helpful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dusty Road Township Dinner Experience **highly recommended by our team

Victoria Falls

This was definitely a highlight of our trip. The food was delicious and the entire experience of learning about all the ingredients was very interesting. The entire ambiance of the place was amazing and could not be replicated elsewhere. We even purchased the owners cookbook. Staff was great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mukuni Village Tour

Victoria Falls

This was a very unique experience. The guide was great and the villages were extremely kind. We wish we knew prior to bring some clothes to donate. Got to purchase some great souvenirs here straight from the people who make it. Also needing another visa to get back into Zimbabwe and to pay for everything in cash is important info.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrival at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe National Park

You need to take a very small boat with all of your luggage to this location which was a surprise. The guide that took us Felix was very nice and informative!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Exclusive Black Rhino Conservation Experience

Victoria Falls

This luxury lodge was a great treat for the evening. Our safari guide, Michael, was extremely passionate about his job and made the tour very fun for us. He really put the effort in to make sure we saw as many animals as possible especially the black rhinos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrive at your lodge in Chobe National Park and First Game Drive

Chobe National Park

Although it started pouring rain, it was still amazing since they provided really nice and heavy ponchos. These rides are extremely enjoyable just to see all the views. We also got to see a family of elephants which was really exceptional.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Game Drives in Chobe National Park

Botswana

Getting to be the first ones out into the park allowed us first access to seeing all the morning animals. We got to see a whole family of lions without having to compete with any other cars for the best photos ops. The lunch provided had a lot of food in it and was very filling. We really got to see almost every animal in the park and the guide, Ellie, did a great job spotting out exotic birds and plants.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe River - Namibia Side

This is a very peaceful resort with limited visitors. The staff is extremely accommodating and the food was great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Last morning at Chobe Savanna Lodge

Chobe River - Namibia Side

We did a bird viewing cruise in the morning and got to see hippos out of the water as well as some elephants drinking water. Also a lot of baboons on the water.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was in charge of planning a trip to Greece with/for my family, including grandparents. I was overwhelmed about where to visit with just 10 days while being careful to not overwhelm the grandparents. I signed up for KimKim just to see what it was and suddenly we (Christos and I) were off planning a 10 day trip to Greece.

I found the budgeting and pricing to be uncomfortably unclear. I set a budget and the initial cost came in 3K over what I wanted. We continuously replanned the itinerary and cut out activities in order to come back down to my (high end) of the budget. This took a lot of time and communication. When you google the prices for the hotels and tours, you realize you are paying way more than what you could have planned yourself. Of course, we need to pay the cost of the travel advisor, the private drivers and (what I later learned) is a 24/7 travel assistance service on the ground in Greece that you may or may not need assistance from. I think an itemized invoice would help deliver customers more peace of mind in how they are spending their money.

Overall I am extremely pleased by the destinations, hotels and tours recommended by Christos. I feel like we saw most of the important places in Greece with our 10 days. The pace was relaxing but full of interesting things to do.

I was disappointed with the driving services but only because it was described as "your private driver will happily provide details of the area while you're on your scenic route" over and over again. We ended up laughing at this extravagant and false description of services every time we got into a new driver's car because they hardly spoke any English at all. The scenic routes were also along the highway, unless you count the time the car got a flat tire at a toll booth or we got lost in an orange grove and had to turn around. I also had no idea if we would have to pay extra for quick stops at the grocery store, or staying longer somewhere because it was virtually impossible to communicate with the drivers because of this language barrier. Don't get me wrong, I don't travel to foreign countries and expect everyone to speak English. However, when it was clearly stated over and over again in our itinerary that we're getting a mini tour guide in transit, and we can't even communicate with the driver about what we're doing next, I find that a bit ridiculous. Also, because the financing was not clear, I had no idea what this driver had been paid to do. Was he available for us for the day? For four hours? Only from here to there? Did gas for extra stops come out of his pocket? We wanted to be mindful of his time and expectations as well as not racking up extra costs for ourselves.

Overall, and most importantly, we found the drivers to be always on time and very professional.

The tour guides Christos booked for us were fantastic! They were extremely passionate about what they were showing/telling us and really made the trip. We could also tell they weren't just tour guides with a memorized spiel - they were anthropologists with lots of experience working in the field. We learned so much and have so much respect for the Greek culture, history, and people. They were also extremely flexible and accommodating.

The bike tour said it was starting at 6 years old - this is absolutely not possible. The bikes were mountain bikes with huge tires. Despite sending our measurements 2 days prior, neither of my kids, nor my mother (grandma) could touch the ground with even their toes. They felt extremely uncomfortable and my 10 year old got on the bike and immediately crashed and scraped up her knee. My mother and youngest daughter ended up skipping all the biking because they could not provide suitable bikes for their size/comfort. This said, the tour guide went above and beyond making sure he could include them in as much of the itinerary as possible, as well as organized a taxi (which his company paid for) to take them back at the half way point. He was sooooo thoughtful, friendly, and full of interesting information. My mom and youngest daughter were happy to go back early and shop, and the rest of us finished off the tour. Everyone was happy and the day was a success! But also, please don't send any small kids on this tour unless they have mountain biking experience.

The acropolis tour was AMAZING. Our tour guide just captured our attention and hearts. She even gave us a little gift at the end. She was extremely considerate of my mom the entire tour. 4 hours was long for the kids but they were well behaved and made it through just fine.

The tour at Epidauraus was also amazing! Wonderful tour and guide and the perfect length.

Aegina Island was a bit of a disappointment. Our driver, who was supposed to give us a "2 hour guided tour" again, hardly spoke English. He did manage to brokenly explain the myth of the Temple of Aphaia, but he got the facts wrong, or maybe it was the language barrier. We ended up googling everything we needed to know. We also felt is was WAY to long to be on the island, but because we didn't book the tickets ourselves, we were stuck waiting two hours for the boat to come and take us home. Also, it would have been great to know you needed a mask to go on the boat. We didn't have masks and we ended up paying a guy selling masks near the waiting line money for masks.

Overall it was a fantastic trip. We loved Athens and all the shopping a food options. We found the hotels to be very nice. The country, food and people are amazing! We're so glad we went.

Hotel Reviews

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

This was very nice. We liked it a lot. Breakfast was amazing! - Jacuzzi was closed for the season - It was very hot at night and the air conditioning didn't cool the room. The street was too loud to leave the windows open.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Impero Nafplio Hotel & Suites

Nafplio

Very nice hotel and nice staff in a great location. - the breakfast was a bit disappointing. There was no fresh fruit or vegetables. On our last day they kindly put out some pineapple, which we thought was considerate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Epidaurus Guided Tour

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Bike Tour, Beach & Picnic

Nafplio

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The holiday was excellent, Minh planned a great trip for me and Sarah.

What a wonderful trip to Greece. EVERYTHING was so well planned for my husband and I. We were greeted at the airport with an amazing driver who took us all around Athens. We even saw the changing of the guards!!! Such an experience!!!
Our guide, Yota, for the Acropolis was an expert!!!
Our driver in Santorini, Takas, was very kind, patient and knowledgeable of the island. Our guide for the wine tasting, Castatino, was patient and willing to share his experiences with us.
And last but not least, our host on Santorini island, Maria and Sonny were exceptional. They made us feel at home and very welcoming.

I would 1000%, yep that’s a 1,000%, recommend Kim Kim Tours!!!! Cheers

Hotel Reviews

Home and Poetry

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

3Sixty Hotel & Suites

Nafplio

Beautiful hotel. Great location!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lithies Traditional Homes

Thíra

Amazing host Maria and Sonny

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Acropolis & Flavors of Athens

Athens

Very interesting

Quality of Experience

Food

Drank Greek coffee for the first time

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Love our guide. She was a doll

Transport

Private Cooking Class in Nafplio

Nafplio

Beautiful facility. Our chef and his wife were personable, warm. And our good we created was AMAZING

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Santorini Wine Tour

Santorini

The three wineries were amazing!! The wine museum was very interesting and SUPER cool!!! Bravo

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Camellia was very responsive to all our questions and very easy to work with. Our trip in the loop was fantastic! Our guide Pho was knowledgable, flexible, personable and made my wife and I feel very comfortable during the 4 - 5 day tour. The scenery was breathtaking, and the local communities and it's people were welcoming. We'll definitely be using KimKim again.

PLANNING: Before meeting and working with the Kimkim team, I had originally planned on spending all of my time in Paris and doing day trips out to Normandy to see Mont St Michelle and the WW II sites. Instead, I began working with and iterating on a using those days for a stay in Normandy. Being experts in the region, they proposed the day tours, where to stay based on the items I wanted to see. It was fun working working Isabelle, Clement and Stephen. Each contributed to the itinerary I settled on more than six months in advance, because I was coming to Paris to do the marathon which I had booked 11 months in advance!

THE ACTUAL TRIP: Exceeded all expectations. The lodging, the trains, day excursions, were all exceptional. They picked the place in Bayeux which was fantastic. The town wasn't even on my radar and appreciate them having me stay there as it was so enjoyable.

THE RATING SHOULD ACTULLY BE 6 STARS: Because when I booked so far in advance, I had no way of knowing the social unrest, protests and strikes would be taking place within France during my actual trip. I was entering Paris during the newsworthy pension reform protests. Our train was delayed. Clement and team were available at all hours to help rebook trains, car transfers and everything which I was being impacted by. All of my issues I was experiencing because of items outside of my control at the time, they were able to correct in near real time. All I had to do text them and make them aware of my current status. That was a real feeling of luxury and safety in a country where I didn't speak the language. My wife and I felt special and knowing they were there and genuinely cared about us and wanted to ensure our trip was the best it could be. That is simply awesome! Thanks to the entire team.

Terry did a great job guiding our not quite winter and not quite spring trip. We loved being in the northern part of the country for a time- soaking and going dog sledding.

In the south we had terrific winds so our glacier experience was cancelled but the natural beauty along the coast did not disappoint.

Our itinerary was ambitious and Terry really helped map it all out and helped us get to all the places we wanted to see.

One small critique- Europ-Car did not have the Wi-Fi rental at the rental desk both times we rented from them and we had to take additional time to go to another office to get it. Both locations saw that it was on the reservation but did not bother to bring the device to the airport to give to us.

It was also not clear that we have limited Wi-Fi with the pucks they use. This was not a problem but it would have been nice to know that there was a limit on the number of GB we could use.