Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had a wonderful and fun New Zealand Holiday. Tried to see and experience as much as we could in 12 days. Our guides for cruising Aukland Harbor, visiting Hobbiton, ziplining Rotorua , kayaking Franz Josef , biking Lake Wanaka, bus touring Milford Sound were all competent helpful and friendly. The Māori culture and the Queenstown cruise / dinner events were excellent . Thank you to KimKim everything went smoothly.

Our Trek to Langtang Valley and Kyang Ri was amazing. Our guide Dafuri Sherpa was very attentive and knowledgeable ensuring we had a great trek. Ngima arrange all our transportation and sightseeing guide. He responded quickly to any questions we had. I would definitely book with them again

Susan

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica. Manuel Antonio was definitely our favorite. We saw tons of wildlife. Our guides in the parks were incredible, Jeremy and Karla. We saw sloths, monkeys, and tons of birds, even scarlet macaws. On our snorkeling trip to isla del cano, we saw so much. Turtles, sharks, sting rays, plenty of colorful fish, even dolphins jumping on the way back. Our guide Nacho was great.

We probably could've spent one less night in Monteverde. It is green and beautiful and the town of Santa Elena is very walkable. Many restaurants and coffee shops. We enjoyed learning about the different environment in the cloud forest. Our guides on the night and day walk were excellent, very passionate about the ecosystem they were showing us. The zip lining was a very unique experience.

Tamarindo was probably our least favorite part of the trip. We stayed about a half hour north in Playa Flamingo, which is a beautiful beach. However, I wonder how our experience would have been different in the surf town. The area is very Americanized, it did not necessarily feel like we were in Costa Rica. We did an estuary tour and turtle watching, which was with the same guide. Moses was very knowledgable and prepared. We saw nine (!!) turtles on the beach.

Snorkeling in the Catalina Islands was very disappointing compared to what we saw before. The conditions were very windy, which made the water rough and currents strong. I was surprised that we were not required to wear lifejackets - especially as it was easy to drift away quickly. The water was cold - which is not their fault, they offered us wetsuits. But if I had known how many jellyfish were in the water, I would've taken them up on it. Thousands, though most were small but still did not feel good if you happened to be stung. I was twice and I know others on the boat were. This was with Pacific Coast dive company. We could've skipped this outing and stayed at the hotel beach.

On our final day we went to Sensoria, which was gorgeous. Our guides Rod and Jesus were excellent. The pools were incredible and like nothing I have ever seen before. This place is truly a gem. However, if I had known how far this was from our location, I would not have chosen to do this excursion that day. We spent 5-6 hours in the car on our last day in Costa Rica.

That is the only thing I wish I knew before booking the excursions - how far they were from the hotel/location. If I knew some of them were 2+ hours, I might have chosen a closer activity. Costa Rica is a gorgeous place with much diversity, so much to see and do. I highly recommend exploring this country. Also - whoever says rent a car and drive, don't listen to them. Would have been so much more stressful. Thank you Jessica for all the planning and the transfers were stress free. I only wish on the downloadable itinerary it said the lengths of the activities. That was only online, but as I had minimal access to wifi/no cell service, I downloaded the itinerary and referenced that.

Activity Reviews

Scuba Diving at Isla del Caño Biological Reserve

Manuel Antonio

This was probably the best activity of our trip. Can not recommend enough.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sensoria: Land of Senses Full Day Tour

Costa Rica

This place was incredible. Truly special. Our guides were great, really enjoyed the area and knowledgable. Taught us about costa rica and let us customize the experience to what we wanted. Food was good also.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San José City Tour

San José

Oscar was great. It was a great start to our trip - we learned so much about Costa Rica. And had a great dinner!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

We saw so much. Really made the most of our time in the park. Jeremy was well prepared and knowledgable. Beach was gorgeous, as described.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carara National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Karla was very passionate and excited about what she was showing us. Her enthusiasm was contagious. We saw a lot of cool birds.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands

Costa Rica

As I mentioned in our full review, we probably could have skipped this experience. The winds were very high, making the water conditions difficult. Life jackets were not required, and a family got into the water, realized they were not strong enough swimmers, and the boat had already drifted away. We had to help call for attention to them and get lifejackets and assistance. The water temperature was cold, they offered us wetsuits. I did not mind the temperature as much as the jellyfish. Thousands, unavoidable. I would have taken a wetsuit for extra protection had I known. The sting was not unbearable, but not pleasant. I was not the only one to get stung. Also there was not much to be seen, a few pufferfish.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Did not offer much about them - if they were from costa rica, how much experience they had. More interested in interacting amongst themselves.

Transport

Nighttime Pacific Green Turtle Nesting Experience (Seasonal)

Costa Rica

I had never done an experience like this. Moses was in contact with our groups, giving us the best chance of seeing turtles. We saw nine. It was great. He was very respectful of them, teaching us to be as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My mom and I wanted to take a trip to New Zealand but we were really overwhelmed with where to start and how to plan to see as much as we could in a 10 day period.

Kimkim was a really cool website that was visually appealing and helped us easily select options of preferences from what kind of stay to activities and things to see. It gives a “like to do” and “must do” option so your specialist can get a really good idea of how to plan the perfect trip.

After Liz reviewed our preferences she came back with an awesome proposal! It had beautiful hotels and so many really cool activities. We had a couple suggestions on taking some out and adding in others and Liz was so quick to respond and accommodating everything perfectly.

Our trip was really SOOO amazing and unforgettable! Having everything planned out made the whole trip flow so smoothly and I have to say it was SO nice having transportation pick up to and from the airports. Transportation was always so friendly and on time :). We did have one activity that cancelled unfortunately due to weather concerns. When I called the local office for customer service they got back to me within 30 minutes and had another activity moved and substituted which worked out so well!

We loved our specialist Liz! The printed itinerary booklet was beautiful and such a good memory keepsake and we appreciate all the help and follow up before during and after the trip. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Kimkim and our specialist liz to anyone planning a memorable vacation :)

Our 16 day trip through Portugal was fantastic. This could take some time as everything was as close to perfect as you could expect. We started in Lisbon and finished in Porto. Every detail was considered and taken care of by the KimKim team. James laid out a great itinerary, Chaima and Sam handled things when we arrived. From early check-in to prearrange transportation, all was perfect. Tour guides were always on time, prepared and well informed and all provided amazing recommendations throughout or tours. Every arranged pick up was perfect. Ana Filippa was amazing through the walking tour of Lisbon and was very helpful with recommendations for our other stops through Portugal. She answered every question and was able to anticipate most. Filipe was full of information throughout our food & wine tour in Lisbon. He also had many recommendations for the rest of our trip. He was as pleasant and interesting a person as you would want to meet. Next, Joao took us on our day trip to Sintra and then on to Cascais where we spent 2 nights. What a beautiful place. Again, all the information you would expect and more. We did make him run a little as we left our hotel a little early and just hopped into our ride without checking if the driver was our actual guide. He quickly caught his breath and was perfect for our day trip. We then spent 2 glorious nights in Evora and had a winery tour in Alentejo region which was fantastic. Highly recommend the winery tour with the private, home cooked lunch at the winery. Just amazing food and wine. Then it was off to Coimbra for 3 wonderful nights. Sara took us out for our walking tour of Coimbra - a great university town with a tremendous history. As a previous student at the university, she had all the insider information on the area along with some wonderful stories about attending a school that was founded in 1290. She also recommended a wonderful place to listen to Fado music. It was amazing. We then headed to the Douro Valley for 2 glorious nights at Quinta da Corte Estate winery. Breathless views, amazing wine and port, great food and one hang on to the holy sh*t handle drive on some steep and narrow roads to get there. First time can be intimidating but it gets better the more you drive around. From the moment we arrived to the when we left, we were made to feel at home. Our guide through the Douro Valley was Francisco. Again, full of knowledge and interesting facts about the region. Francisco was also helpful with suggestions for us as we would be heading to Porto next. We had Miguel as our walking tour guide and our bike tour. He was amazing. Especially through the rain filled bike tour. We were all drenched and still, Miguel made it wonderful. From the market to the fish lunch. All things considered, this was one of the best vacations we have taken. Thanks to All who helped make this happen.

Hotel Reviews

Altis Prime Hotel de Apartamentos

Lisbon

Perfect location. Clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Everything in Lisbon is a short taxi ride or walk from this location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pestana Cidadela Cascais

Cascais

It is inside some very high walls. Quiet and comfortable. Breakfast is awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Convento do Espinheiro, Historic Hotel & Spa

Evora

It is an old Convent. Filled with history and a beautiful church.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sapientia Boutique Hotel

Coimbra

It is located downtown. Walking distance to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Lisbon with a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Food & Wine Tour of Lisbon

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Sintra & Finishing in Cascais

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alentejo Vineyard Visit with Traditional Lunch

Évora

Quality of Experience

Food

Home cooked meal. It was great.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of Evora

Évora

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Missed many things as sites were closed or closing as we arrived.

Wander the Historical Streets of Coimbra with a Private Walking Tour

Coimbra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip in the Douro Valley - Wine Tour & River Cruise

Douro Valley

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy a Private Walking Tour of Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Take a Tuk-Tuk Tour to Spectacular Lookout Points

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Take a Bike Tour of Porto & Visit the Fishing Village of Afurada

Porto

Quality of Experience

Even in the pouring rain this was Amazing!

Food

The food was great. The staff even let us borrow some umbrellas so we could walk to the market. Above and Beyond.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

In regard to our tour to Romania and Bulgaria : February 27 to March 20 2023. It was a most wonderful experience. I enjoyed a lot been able to know in depth two spectacular countries with so many varied activities including views to palaces and castles, roman architecture, spectacular art paintings in orthodox churches, citadels, walking in the snow in the Carpathian Mountains ( for my first time ), rural houses in an amazing life museum, a supper in the home of a Romanian rural family, Romanian wine tastings and even two days in an amazing Black Sea resort ( massages included ) in Constanta. All the credit for the success of this trip was due to Florin Preda, our travel guide ( with the useful attendance of travel guide Bogdan Pistritu ), not only for his excellent selection and modification of activities (due to weather problems), but also for the remarkable sensitivity he always showed to attend our special needs during the tour. You shall always keep his services as a remarkable guide to guarantee the success of KimKim in Romania.
I know this feeling is shared with all group members : Ivonne, Edward, Gabriel and my wife Maria.
My apologies for this late call.

Francisco J. García
[email protected]

Overall, a very positive experience working with Kimkim organizing and executing my 6-weeks "bucket list" trip across Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, and Uruguay
Ana - the planning specialist - has done a great job designing the initial trip and then adjusting it based on my feedback - I think we went through ~15 iterations of the plan
If you plan on travelling across multiple countries - I would highly recommend Kimkim, as most (all?) local travel agencies only operate in their own countries. Kimkim did organize the entire trip, including 'handovers' between local tour agencies, local and international airfare, hotels, and, of course, tours
You pretty much deal with 3 layers: Kimkim that hires a local travel agency, which, in turn, hires your actual tour provider. Kimkim will develop your detailed itinerary and most of the daily communication is done via WhatsApp. You will have an emergency contact # (across all countries) and a day before you will receive a WhatsApp reminding you of the next day activities - works pretty well!
We opted for a combo of group and individual tours and, in retrospect, I would highly recommend individual tours - you'll learn so much more, although, they are, of course, more expensive
Choice of hotels by Kimkim was pretty good - most in great, "walk to everything" locations, some even with swimming pools? (we opted for budget hotels)
In terms of highlights: Iguazu Falls, Atacama desert, Vina del Mar, El Calafate glaciers, Ushuaia, Mendoza horseback riding + wine tasting, Montevideo and Punta del Este. Personally, I wasn't that impressed with Bolivia/Uyuni salt flats or Bariloche
Obviously, Kimkim service comes at a price - but you pay for the convenience of Kimkim organizing everything for you

Hotel Reviews

Patio de Piedra

La Paz

A unique / antique looking hotel in the heart of La Paz - walk to everything!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Takha Takha

San Pedro de Atacama

Outdoor swimming pool! A bit of a walking distance to main attractions

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Nobody spoke English

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Fundador

Santiago, Región Metropolitana

Great location - walk to everything. Hotel is a bit dated. Very helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ultramar

Valparaíso

Very far from everything and very dated

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Big Sur

Puerto Natales

Brand new hotel in a good location. Helpful staff. Rooms quite small

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Esplendor Cervantes

Montevideo

Great location - walk to everything! Helpful staff. Hotel somewhat dated. Indoor pool + sauna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Awa Boutique + Design Hotel

Punta del Este

Great new boutique hotel with indoor/outdoor pools and spa. Very helpful staff. A bit far from everything

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day Puritama Hotsprings

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Neighborhoods Tour

Buenos Aires

Big bus group tour - you learn a bit and take some pictures

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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San Antonio de Areco & Estancia el Ombu

Buenos Aires

Somewhat interesting, but not much to see. Group horse riding not exciting. Lunch just OK

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Brazilian Falls - Half day

Puerto Iguazú

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Argentinean Falls - Full day

Puerto Iguazú

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great Adventure - Boat trip

Puerto Iguazú

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

LA PAZ CULTURAL CRUISE - LA PAZ FD

La Paz

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience city tour - half day

La Paz

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

UYUNI SALT FLATS + RESERVE & LAGOONS ESSENTIAL 1/3

Uyuni

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

UYUNI SALT FLATS + RESERVE & LAGOONS ESSENTIAL 2/3

Uyuni

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

UYUNI SALT FLATS + RESERVE & LAGOONS ESSENTIAL 3/3

Uyuni

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Moon Valley and Mirador Ckari

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainbow Valley

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tatio Geysers

San Pedro de Atacama

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Panoramic City Tour

Santiago

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Valparaíso Half Day Walking City Tour

Valparaíso

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Panoramic excursion to the Torres del Paine National Park (with Box Lunch)

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Navigation to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Perito Moreno Glacier Excursion 🗻

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nautical Safari

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tierra del Fuego National Park (Half day visit) 🌲🌿

Ushuaia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Victoria Island and Arrayanes Forest Sailing

Bariloche

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half day Horse Riding

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

High Mountain Experience (Aconcagua Mountain) 🏔️

Mendoza

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Montevideo City Tour

Montevideo

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Tigre & Delta of the Paraná

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

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Leisure Day in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

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My trip was amazing! Chhiring greeted me at the airport and we had tea on a rooftop with Chhewang. From there I started my short hiking trip and Chhiring was an amazing guide! I stayed in beautiful hotel selections thanks to their planning and they were both very helpful. I’m forever grateful to them for the amazing trip they planned and the beautiful spots and culture in Nepal they showed me! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Our family and friend did the Gokyo Lakes region trek with Kim Kim. It was a fantastic but challenging trek for this guy coming off some knee and ankle sporting injuries. The trip was extremely well coordinated by Ngima and his team. Our guide, Angelu Sherpa, was very attentive and helped us stay safe, keep us on track logistically including through some steep, cold, snowy and icy trails while helping us get the best views and photos. The porters Kunga and Shiring Sherpa were part of team as well and very helpful our group. I give the Kim Kim Nepal team the highest recommendation and would recommend them without hesitation. One thing that I would encourage people to think about is that it can get very cold so layers and good sleeping bags and cold weather outerwear is essential and some sections of icy / snowy trail can benefit from micro-spikes. Sincerely, Chris Daniel

The guides in general were friendly, funny, accommodating and helpful in giving us information on restaurants. We got to see sloth bears, few snakes, monkeys, hummingbirds, toucans etc.

However, towards the end of the trip we found out that many of these guides are not well informed about the subjects they are talking about. For example the guide from Don Juan tours (coffee, cacoa and sugarcane plantation tour) explained how caffeine is removed from coffee and that chemicals are used to do this. I researched this information only to find out that chemicals are no longer used but newer technologies that are much safer are being used.

I also asked another guide who was with us on the cloud forest tour if he was trained in identifying species of animals and birds. He told me that he was not trained. We got to speak to another tourist who told us that he requested a guide who was trained as a bird watcher and knew about the different species and their habitats and got to see the elusive "Quetzal" bird. We then realized that it is important to request for guides who are trained in their job.

We were happy with the transport service as they were prompt and accommodating.

Hotels were clean and tidy.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Heliconia

Monteverde

Great views, spacious and clean rooms and comfy beds. The hotel looks like a chalet built in dark wood. Good restaurants close by. Not an ideal hotel for people with reduced mobility as it quite steep to get anywhere around the complex.

Authenticity & Character

Location

5-7 mins away from town center by car.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lavas Tacotal

Fortuna, San Carlos

Beautiful views of Mount Arenal. Clean, spacious rooms with comfortable beds. There is a great restaurant next door to this hotel that serves delicious Korean and Japanese food. This was a break from eating beans, rice and plantains for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Further away from town and costs $15-$20 per trip to town and back.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

Spacious, clean with comfortable beds. Free shuttle service to and from the airport with Denny's next door that is open 24/7.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Express San Jose Airport

San Jose

Clean and spacious rooms with comfortable beds. Breakfast was good too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Denny's is right next to the hotel which is open 24/7.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arenal Volcano Horseback Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our horses were a bit out of control and poorly trained. For somebody who has had multiple horse riding experiences, my horse was either galloping or stopping for a chomp. It was the same for most horses in our group. Scenery was beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Adventures Hanging Bridges

Arenal/La Fortuna

Saw howler monkeys, snakes, spiders and other critters. Our guide Maria seemed to be in a hurry to return home and did not continue with us to the waterfall (half of the tour). Nature was beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

We got to see iguanas, an elusive animal called Tira and birds. We had a very informative guide. This float was on a raft. It had rained heavily the night before and the river was quite full of water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Venado Cave Spelunking & Exploring

Arenal/La Fortuna

Cave is on private property with a river running through it. Expect to get drenched. You are told to expect snakes in the cave in the rainy season. We saw lots of spiders and bats. Water was about 1 feet deep with narrow passageways good enough for a slim person to crawl through. Our guide spotted a toucan. Pineapple snacks were bursting with flavor.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Road to and from the caves is graveled and uneven. It was a long tedious ride.

Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Saw sloth bear with baby, frogs and lots of other creatures. It was good experience. Important to note that night walks are similar in Arenal and Monteverde so doing both was a bit of an overkill.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Children's Eternal Rainforest Night Walk

Monteverde

Children got to see a huge Tarantula and bioluminescent beetle. Overall a great tour. Only recommend doing one night walking tour if you are visiting Arenal and Monteverde.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

Great hike. Was extremely busy with bus loads of tourists everywhere on the trail. If possible book a tour at 6 or 6:30 am with a knowledgeable and trained bird guide. We could hear the legendary but elusive bird "Quetzal" but couldn't see it. The group that went earlier in the morning saw it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience (English Tour)

Monteverde

This is a good tour if you are traveling with children. It is packed with activities and information about cacao, sugarcane and coffee. Many of the guides have outdated information so doing a little research and reading on these before you get there helps. They have a wonderful store at the plantation but we had very little time to taste the different varieties of coffee, teas and chocolates.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim and specifically Ashley really came through for me on my trip to Vietnam. I had planned to do a biking tour with another organization and they cancelled 2 days before I was leaving. I was in a panic but then remembered that a friend of mine told me she always uses Kimkim for all her trips. I reached out, filled out a simple form to indicate what I wanted to do and when I woke up in the morning my whole trip was planned! We made some minor adjustments in the morning and then I was off. I did this trip solo for the first time and loved having someone on the other end to help recommend local places to eat or things to do during my down time. I also loved having a driver to meet me at every event I did - got me to the airport, picked me up at the airport, took me on tours - it was amazing! And it's so great to have someone who knows the country. I will be using them for all my trips going forward (I told everyone on my trip about them!)

Hotel Reviews

Hanoi Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

What a great place to stay. The staff was so helpful and were always there for me when I had questions, needed to store a bag or even wrap my bag before going to the airport. And I loved the food at the restaurant! Great location, great bed and great staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cat Cat Galerie d'Art

Sapa

Such a beautiful hotel. I took the stairs every day so I could see all the art they have on every floor. The staff was super helpful and kind. Bed was very comfortable and the food amazing - would definitely stay here again

Authenticity & Character

Love the art - so beautiful

Location

Staff

Always willing to help

Cleanliness & Comfort

Halong Aquamarine Cruise

Ha Long

Such a fun experience. The rooms were really lovely - bed was so comfortable, I had my own balcony and the bathroom was huge! Really enjoyed the whole experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Silkotel Hoi An

Hoi An

Loved my stay here. My room was huge and the bed very comfortable. The staff was also so helpful and kind. And the location could not be beat. Close enough you could get to the shops but far enough away that you couldn't hear anyone. Loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to town but also quiet

Staff

Great staff - very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sapa Trekking & Sightseeing

Sapa

This is a must do when you go to Vietnam. It was just my guide and I - we did a 5 mile trek through the Mnong countryside - right through farms, rice fields, people's homes and villages. My guide was very knowledgable. I loved the local woman who joined us for the last 2 miles - she helped me stay upright so many times. Such a memorable experience that I would definitely do again.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walk To The Love Waterfall And Heaven Gate

Sapa

This was definitely beautiful but unfortunately a foggy day. Still worth the time.

Quality of Experience

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My Son Sanctuary Luxury Tour - Joint in tour

Hoi An

Very interesting and beautiful tour. Our tour guide, Michael, was the best part. He made the tour not just interesting but fun with his quirky style.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Biking trip Cam Thanh Village - Joint in tour

Vietnam

This is a must do when visiting Hoi An. An easy bike ride through the rice fields and villages. Then a fun boat ride on the river where you can catch a crab, throw a fishing net and spin in a boat. Great for pictures. Food was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Street food walking tour

Hanoi

I wish I would have done this early on in the trip so I could better undetstand the food I like. I learned so much and can't wait to go to a local Vietnamese place to try some new things!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Halong Bay (Aquamarine Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

This was a lot of fun and an easy kayak day. We also got to get up close to some wild monkeys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Halong Bay - Hanoi (Aquamarine Cruise)

Ha Long Bay

A must do when visiting Vietnam. I was so surprised at the rooms on the ship - so roomy and comfortable. I had my own deck outside my room which I loved. The staff was so nice and I met some really great people. Highly recommend doing this

Quality of Experience

Food

Great food!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi City tour - Joint in tour

Hanoi

I learned so much about Hanoi and some about the Vietnam war. Great way to get introduced to Vietnam and Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an absolute blast during our 5 days in Morocco, thanks to Hakim's excellent planning and our driver Rachid's knowledge, humor, and wonderful personality! All of our requests were met in the planning process (locations, extra pit stops, tours & dietary restrictions) and the Riads & Hotels that were picked were absolutely stunning, centrally located and exactly what we our travel weary bodies needed. We did both a food tour & guided city walk through Marrakesh, both of which were expertly conducted by our local tour guides and we walked away incredibly full (food tour) and absolutely amazed at the history & culture of Marrakesh/Morocco (guided tour). It is definingly extremely helpful having someone walk you through your first day at the Souk in Marrakesh!
We truly enjoyed our experience and can't wait to come back!

Hotel Reviews

Dar Jasmine

Chefchaouen

Absolutely stunning locations, once you get up all of the front steps you have an incredible view of Chefchaouen. Room was beautiful and had everything we needed for our 1 night stop.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

Once you find the hotel (a little difficult, but everything is a touch hard to find when you've never been before) it's a beautiful little oasis in Rabat. Staff was very helpful, breakfast was delicious and dinner at their sister Riad was delightful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Chergui

Marrakech

Stunning Riad with good sized rooms, great staff & a beautiful pool right in the courtyard! We stayed 2 nights and had a wonderful time - it was a nice, tranquil atmosphere, which was especially lovely after the busyness of Marrakech!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer from Rabat to Marrakech

Morocco

Our driver Rachid took us on a quick tour of Casablanca since we were driving from Rabat to Marrakech and didn't want to drive right passed without a little stop. He made sure we had time to visit Hassan II Mosque & take a tour, as well as drive us around the city. It was a perfect stop on our 3.5hr journey!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour & Local Gastronomy

Morocco

Our food tour was delicious! We tried plenty of food we would have never thought to try on our own - our guide was extremely knowledgeable and was very accommodating of my dietary restrictions, making sure we added an extra stop so I could experience more options.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour in Marrakech

Morocco

Definitely in the top 5 of our experience in Morocco - our tour guide was so knowledgeable, and did an amazing job of giving us the history, background and cultural significance of so many spots throughout Marrakech. The 3 hours flew by and we both walked away with a lot more knowledge of Morocco/Marrakech because of this tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot express how wonderful our trip to Italy was. We stayed in a small region since we only had 8 days - Sorrento/Almafi Coast, Rome, Abruzzo region. Francesca was a pleasure to work with - she took all of our desires and turned them into one in a lifetime experiences! Everything was planned with the most thoughtful details - from private transfers, private tours, private cooking class, and even a last minute private mountain picnic. We are so grateful and so happy we trusted Francesca with our trip!

Activity Reviews

CAMPANIA: AMALFI COAST SCENIC TOUR WITH PRIVATE DRIVER

Sorrento

Our driver, Giuseppe, was wonderful. He knew the right places to stop and have us plenty of time to explore. Such an incredibly beautiful area!

Quality of Experience

Food

Trattoria dei Carni

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cooking class experience

Sorrento

Incredible! The home/b&b was exquisite… lovely outdoor kitchen and views! Chef was very knowledgeable and so much fun. This was the best experience I’ve ever had on a trip and would highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

SORRENTO-POMPEII-ROMA: PRIVATE TRANSFER TO ROMA; POMPEII 2-HOUR TOUR WITH A PRIVATE GUIDE

Italy

Our private guide was very knowledgeable and informative. This was definitely a highlight - I didn’t know much about Pompeii.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Good morning. I wanted to provide some feedback.
Firstly, all the drivers and tour guides were lovely, knowledgeable and accommodating. The country is beautiful and hotels have been good.
In terms of the activities, we have mixed reviews.
Rafting and zip lining were great. I will add though that the transfer from our private van to the group van which took us from rafting to lunch was a bit chaotic. Too many people crammed into the van and we easily could have left something behind in the first van. We didn't even have a chance to say goodbye and thank our driver or raft guide.

The horseback was ok. The waterfall experience was pretty although packed with people. I would explain in the description that the 500 meters distance to the waterfall is very steep and quite tiring to climb back up.
In the afternoon we followed Chris' (local emergency contact) advice and did the Volcano hike. It was a very nice hike. We opted out of the hot springs as when we arrived, there were hoards of people lined up. I later ran into someone who said it was awful- super crowded, dark, and dinner was bad. Needless to say, I’m glad we skipped it.
On to the sunset cruise, which was advertised as a small group. First of all, once we got to the marina, we all had to line up, check in, present passports(which we did not have- fortunately we had driver’s licenses), and proceed to wait for 45 minutes before boarding. There were about 100 people on the boat and by the end, half the people were drunk and acting inappropriately in front of our kids. The music was blaring the entire time (and not lovely Latin music but party music). It was basically a party boat or booze cruise. This was a major disappointment.
The surf lesson was great! The instructors were super friendly and prioritized safety for the little ones.
Overall, we’ve enjoyed our visit, but next time we’d appreciate more authentic experiences (read:less touristy) with fewer people. Also, the descriptions of activities are too vague. For example, they need to include the timing of things. Thank you. I hope this information is helpful.

The best time in Morocco!
We were two families - 4 adults and 5 kids (age 8-16). Said and Ali helped organize the trip starting in Tangier to Blue city to Fes to Marrakech including the Agafay desert. We had the best time with Tarik, our driver! Definitely a trip of a lifetime for everyone! Everyone was very helpful and accommodating.

We are very active travelers- meaning we get off the overnight flight and go straight into tours…seeing as much as we can see in the time we are in wherever we are visiting.

All I had to do is tell Mieke that’s what we wanted, and that we didn’t want to think about anything but seeing as much possible, and boom— she delivered just this.

Every tour guide and every driver was always where they were supposed to be on time. Not one misstep or someone not showing up. They had all communicated with one another and literally the logistics of the entire thing were perfect.

The Netherlands were amazing!!!! Every single guide and driver were subperb.

Plan your trip with Mieke- she’s seriously the best!!! I

Our Chile tour specialist coordinator Lorena, she made our trip so amazing, in short 11 days she arranged most I want go place work with local tour company, everything is on time, and perfect guide, we really appreciate her and really recommend kimkim company to all my other friends!

Hotel Review

Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás

San Pedro de Atacama

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marble Caves Kayak Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Rovaniemi, Finland was amazing! Moonika was so helpful and customized our trip with all of the adventures we wanted while in Lapland. I would highly recommend Kim Kim for folks who are interested in traveling, know what they want to do, but would like someone else to plan the logistics for them.

Hotel Reviews

Nova Skyland Hotel

Rovaniemi

Authenticity & Character

Location

So convenient, right in the Santa's Village complex - Such a wonderful location!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos

Rovaniemi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Guests and Staff communicate via What's App and they are at your service with anything that you may want!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Group Reindeer Safari and Farm Visit

Rovaniemi

Reindeer sledding was so much fun! We bundled up in a sleigh and off we rode. We had a snack and hot chocolate after we got to feed the reindeer and the family who ran the location were absolutely fabulous!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing two week, 10 person, guided van tour of New Zealand! Our driver and tour guide, Robert Miernik , was excellent! He was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and kind, with a great sense of humor. Robert also anticipated our needs and had great ideas for sightseeing and dinners. Franck helped finalize our tour, which had been delayed three years due to COVID. Our tour included both north and south islands, from Auckland to Christchurch. We saw green, rolling countryside with grazing sheep, geysers, beautiful fjords and lakes, glaciers in Mt Cook National Park in the NZ Alps.
Highlights from our group: Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, Rotorua with the incredible geysers, Maori Cultural Experience, Tongariro National Park, a helicopter ride to, and stepping out on, the Tasman Glacier, bike tour through beautiful wine country, bungee jumping, tram dinner in Christchurch.
It was a unforgettable trip!

Excellent and appropriately adventurous tour of Chilean alpine world, Patagonia (Torres del Paine, El Calafate, El Chaltan) and End of the World. Ana worked with two of us to identify great lodging and enriching experiences--all within our budget. Transport through two countries was seamless and all taxis were on time and well briefed. Also friendly and helpful in making adjustments to our schedule, booking internal flights, and suggesting places to eat and places to go at each locale. She's a pro!

Trip was reasonably priced overall and well worth it. Weather was uniformly good in destinations--despite forecasts and fears. Contact Kimkim or Ana for our itinerary, lodging, and activities. Wouldn't change a thing. Local contacts connected to us on What's App and local tour guides were fun, informative, and professional (except one who needed an attitude adjustment!).

We spend some eventful pre-trip days in Santiago/Valparaiso guided by a friend and some good times in Buenos Aires afterward. I've been to nearly 100 countries and will now put Chile and Argentina towards the top of my list. Naturally, there's plenty more to see and do there but our itinerary is a good start!

Thanks to Kimkim and Ana for making it happen!

Hotel Reviews

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

Rustic and comfortable. Good for relaxing after a trek and excellent meals. Friendly and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bellavista

Puerto Varas

Great location, helpful staff, comfy rooms.

Calafate Parque Hotel

El Calafate

Great location, helpful staff, nice amenities.

Meraki Lofts

El Chalten

Good price.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cilene del Faro Suites

Ushuaia

Great location and staff. Gave us an upgrade on room. Good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Navigation to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Puerto Natales

Pleasant boat ride and interesting info on glaciers. See Glacier museum beforehand. Well worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Osorno Volcano & the Petrohue Falls

Puerto Varas

Nice environs and plenty of time to see volcano and walk around at your ability/discretion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Chiloe Island: Ancud, Castro & Dalcahue

Puerto Varas

Long ride to interesting locale. Local museum was great but towns not particularly interesting or charming.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Torres del Paine National Park

Puerto Natales

World class venue and experience. 22k to towers magnificent but challenging hike. Other hike to caves and between entries also excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport