Kimkim Trip Reviews

I was so impressed with our trip, and I thank Liz Karen. When I decided to visit Peru, I looked into a group tour from a big company. But my husband discovered KimKim, and we contacted them. Liz Karen did a phenomenal job putting together a trip customized to the things we wanted to do. We also were happy with the pricing, which was less than the big company group tour I had originally planned.

Hotels were moderate-quality as requested, and we were happy with them overall. Each offered us an included breakfast daily. The Lima Arawi was an easy 15 minute walk from from the coast and the big Larcomar shopping area.

Casa Biru in Cusco was a favorite. We loved the courtyard inside it and sat there often. We made friends with the gentleman who ran the little shop between the courtyard and the street. We ate at the attached Bistro 390 restaurant and loved the reasonably-priced delicious meals, as well as the included daily breakfasts.

Susanna Inn in Aguas Calientes struggled a bit with a toilet that was stopped up when we arrived and quite a bit of noise at night (shouting, trains right outside the window). However, it was right by downtown and the breakfast there was amazing -- the best on our trip. The view from the breakfast room was right out on the river; beautiful.

Liz Karen put together a great group of guides for us. Rafael/Ramon? in Lima was nice, told us a LOT about the city's history, and helped us find a good ATM to use during our tour. We learned so much from him. David took us the Sacseyhuaman and told us much about its history. He was intelligent and cared about tailoring the tour to our interests. Daniel did a good job at the Moras Salt Mines and Moray, although this tour was less good than our others due to half or more of the narration being in Spanish (our group had Spanish and English speakers). Adriel, who took us to Pisac and Ollantaytambo, was the true star of the trip. WOW he knew a lot, and also was super alert to everyone's needs throughout our day, dropping people various places where they needed to be. I never saw him on his phone, etc. during the day. Ibrahin at Machu Picchu told us so much about the landmark (the reason for the trip to begin with) and again tailored the tour to our expectations. He also took several excellent photos for us and recommended spots that were goot for photography.

As far as memorable places -- Machu Picchu of course; I also loved Ollantaytambo which was impressive too but which I had never heard of. I loved shopping the markets and I loved Cusco a lot. The Peruvian people were so friendly and helpful. I also loved the women around town dressed in traditional clothing and with alpacas and lambs for photography. Another thing we did that I enjoyed was attend the evening program of dancing and music. This was included on a ticket we had and was an easy walk from our hotel.

Each driver was there on time (a couple of times they were 5 minutes later, but the came quickly after). It was so nice not to have to worry about getting where we needed to go or needing to navigate an unfamiliar city.

We totally loved the trip and would recommend KimKim and Liz Karen to others. Gracias!

Nadia designed this amazing trip for us. She understood our interests very well to come up with the trip plan. She provided prompt responses for all our questions. She also provided very detailed schedule we can follow during our trip. All the accommodations and tours worked out great!
We interacted with Chris during the trip. Chris was always there to provide support including restaurant reservations and cancellations. He always answered the phone and text messages whenever we had questions. We did not have any issues. Trip went very smooth and local support was great.
We visited Athens, Santorini and Crete. We did several private tours. We were very glad to have knowledgeable and personable local guides, we learned so much and liked them a lot.
We would use kimkim again in the future!

Hotel Reviews

Urban Stripes Athens

Koukaki, Athens

Convenient location, very private and quiet.

Authenticity & Character

Apartment is clean and has the view of Acropolis, but it's hard to tell it has any character or authenticity.

Location

Close to Acropolis, museums, and very good coffee place just across the street (I think it is called 'Migniardise, Veikou 30' and many restaurants to choose from!

Staff

Staff was responsive although there was no one physically there. All communications were done by text messages.

Cleanliness & Comfort

There was not daily cleaning, we found out by asking. There was one cleaning included free of charge during 5 night stay.

Goulielmos Hotel Santorini

Santorini

Very beautiful and peaceful hotel. Caldera views were unbelievable. All staff we interacted with were super nice. Very glad we stayed here (versus more crowded locations).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lato Boutique Hotel

Heraklion

Very good location. Staff were helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elia Zampeliou Hotel

Chania

Very nice views and clean hotel. We had to walk thru the old town with our luggage when we checked in because cars were not allowed. Although it was not a problem for us, if you have problem walking you might not want this hotel. Old town was very cute with boutique hotels and restaurants and shops!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quaint old town with cars not allowed. Great views!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Athens!

Athens

Driver was waiting for us and gave us helpful information about Athens in a brand new Mercedes!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Restaurants in Athens

Athens

We did use a couple of restaurants on the list. But we found our favorite ones. ManiMani is very close Urban Stripes, food and staff are excellent and we ended up eating here 3 times. After a full day of sightseeing, having a good place close to us were a bonus. For a very special dinner, we chose CTC Urban Gastronomy (Michelin star). They served amazing tasting menu and interesting local wine match!

Quality of Experience

Acropolis & Flavors Combo Tour

Athens

This was an excellent tour. Our tour guide, Anastasia, was so knowledgeable and personable! Tour included Acropolis, the best Greek Coffee, markets, tasting..

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Sunset Excursion to Sounio and the Temple of Poseidon & Sea-side Dinner

Athens

Our guide was excellent. Timing was perfect to see the sunset. He was very helpful at the restaurant where we had the local whole fish!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mycenae Tour, Wine Tasting and Nafplio Day-Trip

Greece

Excellent tour. Our driver / guide had excellent local knowledge took us to an eccentric antique/art store because there was a little extra time. Archeologist at Mycenae had excellent knowledge. We had a wonderful time learning and included private winery tour where we even bought some wine!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Day at Leisure

Santorini

It was a long day from Athens to Santorini. Transfers to and from ferry were comfortable and convenient. We were too tired to do any sightseeing after arriving in Santorini, especially the hotel was so nice and peaceful.. we just stayed and enjoyed the afternoon and evening at the hotel.

Transport

Fairytale Villages & Majestic Views in Santorini Tour

Santorini

Our guide (Elena) and driver (sorry, can't remember the name) were very personable. It was a very detailed and fun day. Nice lunch on the black beach, best fava beans, we liked the food very much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All Time Classic Santorini

Santorini

This was a last minute booking because we wanted a guided tour of Akrotiri. It was supposed to be a small group (14 pp max), but it ended up about 18. They combined the people from another tour that got cancelled and we had to change the bus due to having more people. They were not happy, we had do stop and pick up more people, etc. For us, there were several duplications with "Fairytale Villages and Majestic Views" tour. We finally got off the bus after Akrotiri, giving up lunch and wine tasting. Also Museum of prehistoric Thera was closed on this day, so they took us to Lost Atlantis museum which was not to our liking! We could've just done Akrotiri with the museum guide a lot cheaper and a lot less time than this tour!

Quality of Experience

Keep it 14 max as advertised.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All issues are due to having more people than promised

Welcome to Heraklion

Heraklion

Ferry was late. We waited at the Santorini ferry terminal forever (we got picked up too early in our opinion) and ferry was late. Because it was almost two hours late, our driver must have given up and and left us stranded. We had to call the transfer company and Chris to sort it out and eventually got the taxi ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The private tour of Knossos Minoan palace

Greece

The actual tour was only about 2 hours. Traffic was bad and took a while to go there and come back. Tour guide was entertaining with the stories of myths!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Chania

Chania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Walking Tour Of Chania Old Town

Greece

Our guide took us for a nice walk around Chania into different neighborhoods with lots of background and history. It was very interesting. Dropped us off at a very nice restaurant for wine tasting where we ended up having a very nice lunch!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A family friend recommended kimkim to us for our trip to Iceland. We had an itinerary of locations to explore.
We shared this info with Lisbet, who added a stop in the highlands, and suggested additional stops along our route with pertinent information for each site.
She was able to secure lodging for us that was convenient to all our “must see “ attractions.
Each hotel had a restaurant on site with breakfast buffet.
After a busy day of sightseeing, we often chose to settle in with wine and dinner there and enjoyed our meals immensely.
We were very pleased with the accommodations she chose for us!
Thank you, Lisbet!
Evelyn and Tom

We had an absolutely flawless trip thanks to KimKim and especially Amalia.

Amalia took so much time to work with us an plan activities and hotels that exactly aligned with we asked for. In addition she communicated with us through the entire process and answered questions right away, especially while on the trip. Cannot say enough great things.

All of our plan activities were seem less. All of the drivers and employees of external activities were great.

Activity Reviews

Day cruise around Santorini

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Acropolis & Ancient Greek Mythology & Museum Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cosmopolitan Mykonos

Mykonos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santorini Cooking Class

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chris went above and beyond!

(1) he always responded quickly, before and during the trip, and always with good humor
(2) you could tell he genuinely cared about what we wanted
(3) he was a great problem solver! From a flat tire we got in the mountains 🤦🏻‍♀️ to a last-minute request for a guided tour in Athens (which turned out better than we expected!), everything was so smooth

As far as what we did:

THESSALONIKI: We had a full-day guided walking tour with Konstantine - he was a great guide and great storyteller! We also really loved the boardwalk, the live music at the Palati restaurant, the rotunda, and all the bakeries 😋 Our hotel here - Urban Colors - was awesome too; super cool modern design and wonderful staff

PELLA AND VERGINA: Both had amazing museums that we wish we would’ve had more time in! The history and artifacts in both were I incredible. Also with the guidance of Konstantine

MT OLYMPUS: We did a 7 hour trail hiking, including a secret waterfall, and the Old Monastery at St Dionysius, and INCREDIBLE Mountain views . While our guide Mariza was competent, we wish she had been engaged with us and told us more about the history of the area and the park we were walking through. Would highly recommend the Mezze Mezze restaurant in nearby Litochoro

METEORA: Two days here - first day we drove ourselves around to four of the monasteries. (Tip - make sure to ask your hotel which days the monasteries are open and their hours, even if you think you know! Their schedules change depending on season and holiday, and we weren’t able to visit Great Meteoron as a result). Varlaam was our favorite monastery of the ones we saw. (Note for ladies: all of the monasteries have skirts you can borrow or buy cheaply, so don’t worry if you forget to wear one) Staff at our hotel, Dallas Boutique, was so helpful! They even helped us find a nearby abandoned monastery. Second day we had a four-hour hike to see the north side of Meteora and the Ypapanti monastery with our guide Evan (he was great!). Awesome trail!

We also saw the 11th century Byzantine church in Kalambaka - it was small but cool to see. Not much to it, and hard to tell what’s original, restored, etc (not much signage)

METSOVA: A marvelous stopping point on the way to Zagori! Make sure to eat lunch and get the special Metsovella cheese. Karma cafe is also a cute spot for an outdoor coffee

ZAGORI: (Tip: Make sure that whoever you stay has an ATV to help with your luggage 😅) we weren’t allowed to drive on the old roads by our guesthouse, and ended up carrying (not rolling) out luggage from the lot to the guesthouse (we stayed at Gaia Guesthouse in Dilofo) we loved the bridges and villages, and the Lithos restaurant in Dilofo. (Tip: make sure you buy whatever you may need (snacks, pharmacy, gas, etc) before entering the area - there are no stores inside the villages. ) Beloi viewpoint was also an easy trail and a great view! Stone forest is interesting if you’re in the area, but probably not worth a special trip just for that

IONNINA: stopped here for coffee and dessert on the lake on the way down south, and walked the boardwalk a little bit. We really wish we could’ve stayed longer! The castle looked cool

DRIVE TO TZOUMERKA: the drive from Ionnina to Syrakko in Tzoumerka got CRAZY. Really extreme hairpin turns and sometimes gravel roads. I’d recommend trying to arrive before dark (unlike us)

TZOUMERKA: This had our favorite hotel, the Old School Hotel in Syrakko! Beautiful place and wonderful staff. We also saw Holy Kipinis monastery, waterfall at Kouissas bridge, Palaka bridge, Anemoptrya Cave near Pramanta, and had coffe in Pramanta’s square (look for the fountain 🤣) The three tavernas in Syrakko were great for dinner!

NAFPAKTOS: We had lunch here on the drive to Delphi. Very cute town! We were unlucky, and happened to be there the one day that the castle is closed to tourists, but had an excellent lunch near a beautiful harbor. Very cute little restaurant area there (we had a food lunch at Nikos, I think it was called)

DELPHI: We had a WONDERFUL hike with great views of the “sea of olives” and a birds’ eye view of the site below with our guide Hilda - she was pure joy, and full of wonderful stories and history. Then we had our guide George at the Delphi museum and site - he was full of knowledge, but we were short on time. One hour in the museum definitely wasn’t enough :) and the site was bigger than I thought! Definitely worth taking a guide to get the full impact.

ACHILLEAS HOTEL: great central location for a hotel in Athens! TINY elevators but comfortable rooms and everything important in walking distance

ATHENS: HIGHLY recommend the restaurants Tazza (super fun baroque decor!) and Black Duck Garden (BEAUTIFUL patio). Acropolis museum is nice and centrally located - worth the visit! And our tour guide Eirini (for Acropolis and Ancient Greek Agora) was PHENOMENAL. If you love history or archeology at all, clear your schedule for her!! She’s an archeologist and a phenomenal storyteller, and our 4 hour tour turned into a 7 hour tour because we were having such a good time 🤣

The trip was wonderful and the timing each day went off without a hitch. We had good communications with Marina in planning the trip and when we added another couple to the original 6 travelers very late in the process she was able to change things around to accommodate the drivers and the hotels seamlessly.
The tour guides were knowledgeable and flexible when we wanted to deviate from the planned program. Their language skills made us envious, and we were never at a loss to understand what they were conveying or asking questions to better understand what we were seeing.
The hotels we stayed in were very nice and always located in great areas for restaurants, sightseeing and shopping. All in all, it was a wonderful experience for the four couples, and a memorable experience for four brothers and their wives.

Our two week trip to Paris, Bayeux, St Remy de Provence and Nice France was wonderful thanks to our local specialists Valentine and Sophie. Our trip was delayed 2 years due to covid but was worth the wait. All of our tours and guides were very good and easy to understand. Our D-Day, US beaches tour guide, Lucy was especially good at making us feel what it was like for our soldiers on the beaches.

Overall, everything went very smoothly and according to our very detailed daily agenda. There were a few very minor glitches mainly caused by miscommunication. When I contacted Valentine she quickly responded and resolved the issues. The four of us travelling together agreed that Valentine made sure our trip was memorable. We highly recommend Kimkim for their attention to detail and communication with us during our trip when needed.

Marianne, our agent with Kim Kim begin planning our trip to Sicily almost 3 years ago but then 2020 brought Covid and we were continually delayed. Through it all Marianne was very helpful, patient, kind and very understanding explaining how to work thru the delays and with our concerns even after travel was reopened.

I have to say ALL of our guides Captain Marco from Lionel Ritchie in Casslemare Del Golfo provided an amazing boat ride in the clear blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Lorenzo in Agrigento shared his incredible love and knowledge of his home town and of the Valley of the Temples, in Modica Professor Onofrio Prestifilippo’s exuberance sharing his knowledge of the excavation at the Villa Roamana Del Casale Villa’s and what’s more to be found was contagious, our guide in Syracuse was Fausto at the Archaeological Park where he shared his knowledge of the history of the caves and surrounding area, we had an amazing tour and lunch at the Tenuta San Michele winery then Marco Saprenza our guide at Mount Etna shared we were blessed because we could see Mount Vesuvius it was so clear, we couldn’t have had a more beautiful day and tour, we did a nice relaxing boat ride in Taromina in the Ionian Sea, we ended our travels in Palermo where our guide Lara Guida Turistica with her big smile and love of the city provided us a knowledgeable walking tour even though it was an unusually wet rainy day. Sicily is a MUST see destination!

“Trip of a lifetime” said one of my daughters during our amazing vacation. A good friend of ours recommended kimkim and we were blessed with having Andrea to help us plan our first trip to Italy. For the most complicated trip we have embarked on, including the first time to Italy, Andrea was exceptional. The entire process was very smooth. His recommendations on the itinerary to start us off provided a great foundation and his desire to put together a special trip for us was apparent from start to finish. The attention to details was comforting. The hotels he selected were perfect for us, centrally located, enabling us to explore by foot in every city. The vouchers he supplied for transfers to and from the airport, tickets for the high-speed trains and “skip the line” tickets for key venues were very helpful to have in advance. The tours he selected were perfect. His willingness to instantly respond to random questions throughout the entire trip was a huge help as we navigated Italy. The advice and recommendations he provided from beginning to end were so helpful. We are forever grateful for having Andrea as our planning partner for our “trip of a lifetime”. Thank you from all of us.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco

Florence

Beautiful hotel in the heart of Florence. Very neat place with exceptional front staff.

Authenticity & Character

Really cool place.

Location

Staff

Super helpful at all times.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belvedere di San Leonino

Castellina in Chianti

Beautiful hotel in the countryside. Felt like we were in a different world.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Views were amazing. Location was very peaceful.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albergo Del Senato

Rome

Beautiful hotel right next to the Pantheon. Location was exceptional. Staff was excellent. Rooms were very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Had a nice feel inside rooms and in lobby.

Location

Central location right across from Pantheon.

Staff

Everyone was always genuinely helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Veneziano Venice

Venice

Beautiful hotel in an excellent location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wine tasting in Tuscany countryside with lunch (1 winery)

Italy

What a way to start our time in the Tuscan countryside. Location and views were amazing. Food and wine were top notch and the staff/family were all very nice and welcoming.

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

Great way to learn about the nooks and crannies of Venice.

Florence private guided walk including Accademia Gallery

Florence

Great way to explore Florence by foot. Really loved the city. Our guide was great.

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

Great way to explore Rome. Our guide was very knowledgeable.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

The Jewels of Venice (St. Mark & Doge Palace)

Venice

Truly enjoyed everything we saw. Three hours was a bit intense.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum and Roman Forum - Private guide

Rome

Fabio did an amazing job planning this trip for us. It was truly a vacation, since we did not have to deal with the stress of figuring out tickets, transfers, tours, and a myriad of other details that make a trip to cities as busy as Rome and Florence stressful.

The private tours were priceless, especially as we wove our way through unbelievable crowds at every turn. Having private transfers to and from the train stations and airport were life savers, something that we would not have even considered planning otherwise.

The day trip to Siena with lunch and wine tasting at La Marronaia, again planned by Fabio, was the best day in Italy.

It was also helpful to have someone to contact when we had a few issues - particularly lost luggage - because sometimes a translator is needed to explain and understand a complicated situation.

Both Kimkim and Fabio were the best!!!! We will definitely use them again.

Thank you.

What a fantastic trip.
We were overwhelmed by the variety within the country and the general great atmosphere. All thanks to Sharon for being so helpful and patient, including allowing us to postpone at the last second in April due to Covid.
And special thanks to Sallam, our fantastic celebrity guide! He was so entertaining and informative about Moroccan and global culture and society. And so generous as to invite us to his own family home.
We will always treasure the memories of our visit and encourage others to go.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Zyo

Rabat

Riad Al Makan

Fès

Chez Ichou

Dades Gorge

Riad Nesma Suites & SPA

Medina, Marrakech

Merzouga Dunes Camps

Merzouga

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Morning Guided Tour of Rabat

Rabat

Rabat to Fes via Volubilis and Meknes

Morocco

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Fes to Merzouga via Ifraine and Azrou - Camel Trek to Desert Camp

Morocco

Merzouga to Dades Valley Via Todgha Gorge

Morocco

Day with the Locals in the Valley of Roses

Morocco

The experience of a lifetime!! Thanks so much to Sallam and his family for the amazing hospitality. We will forever treasure the moments spent together!

Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

Free Day in Marrakech

Marrakesh

Great trip to Morocco with excellent service and many special memories in Marrakech, Fes, and Chefchaouen. The trip was professionally planned based on our specific interests and customized to meet our expectations. The driver (Soufien) was always on time and happy to help with everything along the way, providing safe and comfortable transportation, help checking in/out, and doing everything imaginable to make us comfortable. He was also a lot of fun and made the trip extra enjoyable. Hamsa was a great guide in Marrakech and gave us plenty of time and help with shopping and exploring the local foods. We enjoyed the local insights and shopping tips from Mohammed in Fee who took extra care to know our priorities during our short time there. We also thoroughly enjoyed having dinner with the family of Said, and ambitious young man with a lovely family and mother that cooked our best meal during the entire trip. Everything was very well planned and orchestrated, giving us time to explore Rabat and the amazing ruins at Volubilis. Chefchaouen was a beautiful and cheerful place to end our trip before heading back to Casablanca. I can't say enough good things about the planning, excellent guides, one-on-one specialized treatment, friendliness and extra steps to keep us safe and happy.

Hotel Reviews

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Activity Reviews

Hammam & Spa Experience Marrakech

Morocco

Great experience, clean facilities with everything provided for a unique and relaxing experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Great experience with opportunity to see all the best places at our own pace with a knowledgeable local expert.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Majorelle Garden

Marrakesh

Beautiful gardens, requiring very little time to see and enjoy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Great to have a local person take us to a hidden place where we were able try many different foods and enjoy hearing stories about the food and people of Morocco.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Great local guide with knowledge of all the best shops and places to visit along the way. He spent extra time with us and made sure we didn't miss anything. He was also friendly and attentive to our needs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dine with a local family

Morocco

Very special experience with Said and his lovely family. We felt at home and enjoyed our best meal of the entire trip. The family was very open and welcoming, funny and playful to make us feel at home.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes to Chefchaouen via Meknes & Volubilis

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip far surpassed our expectations. Marina listened and executed our 2-week adventure. She did an amazing job. She was there all the way from start to finish . I have never used KimKim before, but they are my go to for all my international travels.

My husband and I have always wanted to travel to Greece. We've been waiting for 33 years and this trip was worth the wait. Antonis worked with us for 7 months on the planning. He was so patient because I kept changing my mind on the itinerary. He offered great suggestions and alternatives. We wanted to stay away from touristy spots and experience the real Greece. Given that we could only travel for 12 days, Antonis recommended Athens, Milos, Folegandros, Naxos and Heraklion (Crete). He was spot on. In Athens, we toured the Acropolis and Delphi with Zakia who was beyond informative. She was passionate, knowledgeable and caring. She wanted to be sure that "we were enjoying ourselves", not just spitting out facts. It was excellent. Marios was our driver for two days and we were in great hands. Onto Milos, which was a gem. We enjoyed one day on a catamaran from Trinity Yachting with caption Julio and his first mate. Again, we were in safe and knowledgable hands. Swimming and floating in the Aegean Sea will be moments of bliss long remembered . Our next stop was Folegandros, which is only 13 kilometers long. Remote, quiet and spectacular are three adjectives that barely scratch the surface in describing this island. Naxos and Crete did not disappoint either. These islands deserve a week each, to travel and enjoy. While in Heraklion, we visited the Palace of Knossos with Maria, She was also very informative and knowledgeable. All of our transfers were on time, friendly, and the vehicles were clean and comfy. And, the drivers didn't mind answering our questions. To give Antonis 5 stars does reflect my true feelings. He deserves a 6. He was stellar. I hope to book a trip back to Crete in the near future to dig little deeper into the culture, hospitality and did I mention the Greek food!!!!

Hotel Reviews

GDM Megaron

Heraklion

The Megaron is a fabulous hotel. Excellent location. Helpful and informative staff. The most delicious breakfast buffet we have experienced in years of travel. My mouth is watering just remembering the freshness of everything presented at the buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Did I mention the amazing breakfast buffet.....mouth is still watering.....6 stars

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

This is the best airport hotel I have ever stayed. Recently new carpet and updated rooms. Great location. Walkable from airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Argo Boutique Hotel

Naxos

Will stay here again. Great location. Huge room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

Excellent location. Helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Santa Maria Village Resort and Spa

Milos

Beautiful hotel. Walkable location. Love this place!!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vrahos Boutique Hotel

Folegandros

Amazing hotel. Beautiful room. Staff were stellar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Palace of Knossos & the City of Heraklion

Heraklion

Semi Private Full Day Cruise to Adamas, Kleftiko, Poliegos, Pollonia

Milos

Trinity Yachting was beyond great. Captain Julio and his first mate get four thumbs up:)

Quality of Experience

Food

Greek food is the best

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Magnificent Athens

Athens

Delphi, the Navel of the Earth

Athens

Angela was the consummate vacation planner! She was very attentive to our family preferences while making multiple recommendations that could enhance our trip. Once in Greece, we were extremely happy with our boutique hotel accommodations in Athens (Sweethome Hotel), Santorini (Atrina) and Crete (Creta Blue Boutique Hotel & Suites). Our day trips with private guides and drivers gave us incredible experiences. Demetrius, our guide for Delphi and Corinth, was fantastic. In Crete, we throughly enjoyed our time with our guide, Alexander and driver George. In summary, I can say that communication with Angela was timely and thorough before our trip began and while we were there. I highly recommend KimKim and Angela!

Hotel Reviews

Sweet Home Hotel

Athens

Lovely boutique property in historic Plaka. Convenient location. Aphrodite and Alexia were fabulous hosts. Delicious breakfasts and clean rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Clean hotel and comfortable beds.

Location

Easy walk to surrounding area

Staff

Staff were friendly and helpful!!

Atrina Canava 1894

Santorini

Loved Atrina property in Oia! Concierge service and mornings breakfasts served on our private balconies. Brilliant views of village and the sea.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely and uniquely designed rooms. Very clean plus Private balconies. Pools too cold to swim.

Location

Ideal location. Gorgeous views and sunsets.

Staff

Staff very professional and ready to assist.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. Comfortable beds.

Creta Blue Boutique Hotel

Hersonissos

A lovely surprise for the end of our trip. The attention to detail and design is surpassed only by the lovely disposition of George and his staff. The restaurant offered a variety of items and traditional dishes with unique twists. We loved it!!

Authenticity & Character

All of it. Lovely daily quotes on sheets announcing daily specials from the restaurant.

Location

Location, views of Aegean Sea!

Staff

Guests are treated like family.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very comfortable. Property very clean.

Activity Reviews

Athens Highlights Mythology Tour

Greece

Good tour. Marina did a nice job.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Delphi & Arachova full-day tour from Athens

Greece

Very interesting tour. Glad we made the time!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved our private tour. Guide (Demetrius) and driver (Nikos) were excellent!

Transport

We would have preferred a different van. We are a tall family and we sat knee to knee facing each other for the rides to and from Delphi. Not comfortable for longer van rides. In contrast, our vans in Crete were very comfortable.

Mycenae & Ancient Corinth Full-Day Tour from Athens

Athens

Fascinating sites! Enjoyed this shorter day trip after our full day in Delphi.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Larger or different van would have improved our experience.

Local tastings 2024

Greece

The Anhydrous wine tasting and cooking class were a highlight in Santorini.

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the cooking class and eating our dishes afterward.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport company (Luxery travel) in Santorini were wonderful. Met us at the ferry with champagne and gift box of island goodies.

Transport

Catamaran Sunset Cruise

Santorini

Appreciated the company changing days due to the weather so we could optimize our experience. Sunset was hazy with humidity but te view was beautiful regardless! Food on cruise was delicious!

Quality of Experience

Food

Good prepared on boat was delicious!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everyone was fantastic.

Luxuries of Mirabello with Spinalonga and Agios Nikolaos from East

Greece

Appreciated the trip on the highway and seeing the villages. Wish we had allowed a 1/2 day to hang on the beach. Didn’t realize Santorini beaches wouldn’t be more accessible. More time in Crete would have been good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved Alexander and his driver, George. Snami travel was very reliable.

Transport

Cave of Zeus & Knossos Palace with Lassithi Plateau from East

Greece

Tour was good!! The restaurant below the cave of Zeus was fabulous! We had a lovely experience at the pottery place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All time classic Santorini 2023

Greece

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Food

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

I began working with Emanuela on my Greenland trip nearly *3 years* ago. In late 2019, we started building an itinerary for 2 weeks of backpacking in the Kujalleq region, with a plan to travel over the summer of 2020. With COVID, we canceled the 2020 trip and tried again in 2021. That trip was also canceled due to COVID, so we tried a third time this year, and the third time was a charm!

Emanuela was awesome to work with. She got all the details on what I was looking for in the trip and where I hoped to travel in South Greenland. She was very knowledgeable about the area and found a guide who could take me to all the locations on my list. Throughout the process, Emanuela's communication was great - she responded to all my [many] questions quickly and with great detail.

The trip was everything I'd hoped for and more. I spent two weeks with my guide, Erneeraq, backpacking through some of the most unspoiled and beautiful land I've ever seen. The hiking and photography opportunities were some of the best I've ever experienced on a backpacking trip, the local food was amazing (including foraging for berries and vegetables), and I met some wonderful people and experienced the beauty of Greenlandic culture.

I'm grateful for Emanuela's help in planning this trip of a lifetime.

Would like to thank Julia and her team for making our trip a memorable one. They helped us curate the best itinerary possible based on our travel dates. The hotels booked for us were at the perfect locations keeping our comfort in mind and all the activities booked and things to do suggested by them ensured we have a good time. We interacted with a number of guides for this trip on KimKim but want to have special mention to Julia & Meree as they helped us out with some last minute changes with our bookings and reverted to our queries promptly.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Astoria

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byparken

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ms Nordlys

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo - Sights & Museums

Oslo

Free Day in Bergen - Board Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten

Ulriken Cable Car

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tromsø: Aurora Borealis Tour

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens, Santorini, Paros, Delphi, Meteora, more Athens, Napflio and even more Athens. An A+ trip. After a few days of trading emails, Eleni developed the trip of a lifetime, really- this is not hyperbole. Eleni understood our desires and the resulting bookings were perfect for us. So knowledgeable, thorough, excellent communicator and on top of all this friendly! Our 16 day trip went off without a single mishap. After a few days of trading emails, Eleni developed the trip of a lifetime, really- this is not hyperbole. All we had to do was follow the clear instructions provided in the thorough printed itinerary given to us upon arrival at the Athens airport. All drivers were prompt and drove safely. Anastasia, our tour guide for walking Athens, the Acropolis and Acropolis museum was fantastic. I think our time with her might have been the best private tour I've ever had. We loved how quiet the Elektra Palace hotel was. The rooftop pool with view of the Acropolis was fantastic.
Costas, our guide for Pyrgos Kallistis, ancient Akrotiri, and a wine tour on Santorini was top notch! The Dome Hotel we stayed at in Santorini had a fantastic, unobstructed view of the water and a wonderful poolside bar and friendly staff.
Paros may have been my favorite. Kanales Resort has wonderful food, helpful and friendly staff. Convenient to the my favorite town Naousa. Walking the narrow streets, shopping, and of course eating at fantastic restaurants. We loved our half day tour of Paros, walking narrow streets of the traditional town of Aranto was so peaceful and photogenic.
We are so glad we also choose to go north to Delphi and Meteora. So beautiful and again wonderful guides.

Hotel Reviews

Divani Hotel Meteora

Kalampaka

Friendly, helpful staff. Short walk into town. Large hotel caters to large tour groups but was quiet and to our liking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

Great location, friendly and helpful staff. The best rooftop restaurant view of the Acropolis. Right in the middle of all the action of Ermou.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Electra Palace Athens

Athens

Great location in Plaka. Wonderful view of the Acropolis from the rooftop pool. Elegant rooms. A quiet refuge just a quick walk to Plaka. When we return to Athens we will stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dome Santorini Resort & Spa

Santorini

Spacious rooms, quiet, outstanding water views, excellent breakfasts and friendly staff. Just a short drive into town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kanale's Rooms & Suites

Naoussa, Paros

Spacious, clean rooms, outstanding food (the best of our 16 day trip). A short walk into Naousa. Quiet and we had great views of the water and town from our room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exploring Acropolis & Beyond

Athens

Anatasia is the best tour guide I've ever had. I am so glad we had an early tour. We walked our way to the Acropolis and then the Acropolis Museum.

Quality of Experience

Discover Santorini, Private Tour

Santorini

Costas made this trip! So knowledgeable. We loved touring ancient Akrotiri and the narrow streets of the traditional town of Pyrgos Kallistis and ending at a wonderful meal and wine tasting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

⛵ Sunset Sailing Tour & BBQ on a luxury catamaran

Santorini

The sunset sailing trip is simply a must if you go to Santorini. Wonderful views, swimming was fun and food was great. We felt very safe and cared for.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Divine Delphi

Greece

Great museum. A tour guide is a must.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Meteora Private Tour

Greece

So glad we got to see the wonders of Meteora. So beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I did a 5 day/4 night W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park. From start to finish, kimkim.com and Ditmar Adventures were easy to work with, put my mind at ease, and took care of the details. I told them my preferences and what kind of hike I was looking to have, and they built an itinerary that matched my budget. Everything was timely and everyone was friendly. I have planned my own trips before but this time wanted to take the guess work out of transportation schedules, places to stay, and things to see/do. The airline lost my bag on the way in and the Ditmar team provided real time support and advice that made a potentially disastrous situation much more manageable. They helped me rebook a later bus and communicated with the hostel about my (now) late check in. The value they provided exceeded my expectations and I recommend them wholeheartedly. I had a great hike and great experience in Chile.

Hotel Review

Amerindia Patagonia B&B

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was very well organized. All of our concerns regarding acclimating to high altitude were addressed. When we decided we preferred to stay at a lower altitude than Cusco, Liz took care of rearranging our accommodations & tour to fit our desires. All of our transfers between airports, cities and tours were well planned and we felt very well taken care of. Jorge, our guide in the low jungle at our resort, Muyuna, kept us on our toes exploring the plants and animals of the rainforest. The sounds of the rainforest, the night hikes, swimming in the Amazon River, watching for pink dolphins, and fishing for piranhas are some of the highlights of the low jungle/rainforest experience. We enjoyed the continuity of spending time with our Cusco to Sacred Valley driver Michael, as we toured Sacred Valley the following day. Our 1 day Inca trail hike to Machu Picchu was an amazing experience with our guides Jamie and Nester. They took care of our meals and our health as we completed the challenging trek arriving at the Sun gate to enjoy the awesome experience entering into Machu Picchu from above. We completed our tour of Peru with an amazing journey to Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain with Edwin. A delicious breakfast & lunch were prepared special to accommodate our vegetarian requests at the private restaurant, Tullpu. Paul, was always available to answer questions through WhatsApp regarding flight delays & reminders for tour briefings. I highly recommend KimKim for Peru travel. We will look to them for our next international vacation.