Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 14,359 ratings
Read 14,359 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Jay was very knowledgeable and patient. He d...
India | Dec 4 - Dec 19, 2019

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Bert S.
Honolulu, HI | Reviewed on Dec 20, 2019

Jay was very knowledgeable and patient. He did everything very well. I recommend him.

Local specialist: Jay Kajaria

Trip to Peru (Nov 24 - Dec 1)
Peru | Nov 24 - Dec 1, 2019

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Balaji J.
San Francisco, CA | Reviewed on Dec 18, 2019
This was one of our best trips of all time. We had never planned a trip through adventure/tourism companies, but this trip has changed our perspective towards that.
First, we would love to thank our trip specialist - Katy who planned an amazing itinerary customized to our needs and interests. She was very prompt, accommodative, patient and we could not have had a better plan of our trip.
The accommodations, the inter city travel and even the food was all brilliantly arranged and as per our...
Read more

This was one of our best trips of all time. We had never planned a trip through adventure/tourism companies, but this trip has changed our perspective towards that.
First, we would love to thank our trip specialist - Katy who planned an amazing itinerary customized to our needs and interests. She was very prompt, accommodative, patient and we could not have had a better plan of our trip.
The accommodations, the inter city travel and even the food was all brilliantly arranged and as per our preference.
Our most memorable time was our trek to Huchuy Cusco which is a beautiful and secluded trek and we are glad that it was in our itinerary as we would not have come across it if not for Katy!
Both of our guides Yuri(Balareso) and Justino were fantastic. They were professional, knowledgeable and very passionate about their work. We would specially thank our guide Justino who was incredible and made our Cusco trip even more memorable. He was professional, accommodative, interesting and quite funny :). We could not have been more fascinated by the Peruvian history and culture, especially the way Justino delivered it. He was patient with us on the treks, very motivative, did not rush and even gave us private space. We still can't get over his interesting stories and all the laughs that we shared throughout our time with him.
Peru is a beautiful country and felt a lot like home! It was a wonderful trip and we would definitely visit again.
Once again, thank you Katy, Kimkim and Aspiring Adventures for this magical trip!

- Priya & Balaji

Local specialist: Katy Shorthouse
Katy
Katy Shorthouse
Local specialist in Cusco, Peru | Replied on Oct 22, 2021

Hi Priya and Balaji,
Thanks for the lovely review! There's nothing I enjoy more than setting up trips for engaged, motivated travellers like yourselves and working with you was a pleasure from start to finish for me, Justino and Yuri. I'm delighted to hear you would definitely visit again - we have plenty more to share with you! We hope to see you again sometime!
Cheers, Katy

Everything was awesome! Pradeep is the best ...
United Arab Emirates | Dec 3 - Dec 9, 2019

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Crystal E.
Charlotte, NC | Reviewed on Dec 16, 2019

Everything was awesome! Pradeep is the best host ever!!!

Local specialist: Pradeep Fernando
Pradeep
Pradeep Fernando
Local specialist in United Arab Emirates | Replied on Dec 17, 2019

Thanks, Crystal, for your kind words. It was so much fun having you guys over and looking forward to your next trip to this part of the world. Seasons greetings to you and your family and wishing you nothing but the best in 2020! Cheers!

Wonderful Relaxing North Vietnam Holiday
Vietnam | Dec 8 - Dec 14, 2019

Nickson
Nickson H.
Singapore | Reviewed on Dec 16, 2019
This was a wonderful trip arranged by Victor from KimKim travel and with local guide specialist Nga. It was off peak and my family had the luxury of the full 9 sitter van to ourselves served by 1 driver (Mike) and 1 local guide (Tom). They have local names but it was too difficult for me to remember. There was a lot of driving and the driver was key to a safe and pleasant journey throughout. The local tour guide gave a very nice tour of North Vietnam mountainous beauty and experience of... Read more

This was a wonderful trip arranged by Victor from KimKim travel and with local guide specialist Nga. It was off peak and my family had the luxury of the full 9 sitter van to ourselves served by 1 driver (Mike) and 1 local guide (Tom). They have local names but it was too difficult for me to remember.

There was a lot of driving and the driver was key to a safe and pleasant journey throughout. The local tour guide gave a very nice tour of North Vietnam mountainous beauty and experience of local Vietnamese food throughout. The mountain trekking was also amazing!

I also like the relaxing iternary and at the end of the trip, i could see the relax and happy faces of my family members including myself.

Local specialist: Camellia Nguyen
Camellia
Camellia Nguyen
Local specialist in Hanoi | Replied on Dec 17, 2019
Dear Nickson, Once again! Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback. I am sure that my team will be very pleased with it. All your kind words such as wonderful trip, safe and pleasant journey, very nice tour, amazing trip, happy faces will absolutely show us how your family enjoyed it.
You know what, I impressed very much about the different ways you are teaching your kid. You take them to off-sites and check carefully with all the risk assignments. I definitely learn a lot from you,...
Read more

Dear Nickson,

Once again! Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback. I am sure that my team will be very pleased with it. All your kind words such as wonderful trip, safe and pleasant journey, very nice tour, amazing trip, happy faces will absolutely show us how your family enjoyed it.
You know what, I impressed very much about the different ways you are teaching your kid. You take them to off-sites and check carefully with all the risk assignments. I definitely learn a lot from you, Nickson.

The festive season is coming. We wish to send your family all the best wishes and have a wonderful new year coming.

Cheers!
Victor, Nga and team.

9 day la fortuna/manuel antonio
Costa Rica | Dec 6 - Dec 12, 2019

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Rosalee S.
Centerburg, OH | Reviewed on Dec 16, 2019

Great job randall!!! Everything went without a problem. The shuttle service was superb and on time. Even had 2 excursions that were just my husband and I with the tour guide.

Local specialist: Randall Jiménez
Randall
Randall Jiménez
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Dec 16, 2019

Thank you Rosalee, I am so glad that you and Duane enjoyed your trip and based on the information that you shared with me on your other email, that you have had the chance to see a lot of wildlife during your visit to my country.

I wish you and Duane all the best during the holidays and in 2020.

Best and Pura Vida!
Randall

Wonderful one-week survey of Morocco
Morocco | Dec 6 - Dec 13, 2019

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Larissa L.
Upland, CA | Reviewed on Dec 15, 2019
Our specialist, Abdellah, put together a great trip for us. We only had a week and wanted to see as much of Morocco as possible. Abdellah worked with me to design the exact itinerary we needed, and he set up all good hotels/riads. He also chose a great driver, Karim, for us. Karim couldn't have been more helpful. He took great care of us from the time he picked us up at the airport until the time he dropped us back off a week later.
We spent time in Marrakech, the Sahara Desert, Fes,...
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Our specialist, Abdellah, put together a great trip for us. We only had a week and wanted to see as much of Morocco as possible. Abdellah worked with me to design the exact itinerary we needed, and he set up all good hotels/riads. He also chose a great driver, Karim, for us. Karim couldn't have been more helpful. He took great care of us from the time he picked us up at the airport until the time he dropped us back off a week later.
We spent time in Marrakech, the Sahara Desert, Fes, Casablanca, and many smaller places in between. We had a half-day city tour in Marrakech with a terrific young woman named Chama. She was a ray of bright sunshine - knowledgable, personable, and so excited to show us around. Another major highlight was our night in the Sahara in a luxury camp. From the camel ride out to the beautiful accommodations to the music under the stars, it was a night we'll never forget.
Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to book through Kimkim again, nor would I hesitate to recommend Abdellah and his team to anyone wanting to visit Morocco. I'm grateful to all of them for a safe, smooth, and memorable trip!

Local specialist: Abdellah El Asely
Abdellah
Abdellah El Asely
Local specialist in Marrakech | Replied on Dec 16, 2019

Hey Larissa,

We're happy you had a fantastic time with us! Thanks for your trust, we're thankful for amazing customers like you.

Yes, Chama is a great guide and we are really proud to have her as part of our team, she is a brilliant and passionate person, and she is really happy to hear that you have enjoyed exploring Marrakech with her :).

We hope to see you again one day!
All the best,
Abdellah
Original Travels

A magnificent experience!!
Thailand | Nov 29 - Dec 7, 2019

Jo-Ann
Jo-Ann R.
Fort Lauderdale, FL | Reviewed on Dec 15, 2019

Mr. Sauce was my tour guide while in Bangkok, he was extraordinary. He was very knowledgeable, kind and complacent. I loved the floating market, never seen anything like it. Miu was my tour guide while in Chiang Mai and she was awesome, my most memorable experience from Chiang Mai are the temples. Phi Phi islands is like being in fantasy island! I loved my entire trip, thank you so much for putting it together.

Local specialist: Linh Do
Linh
Linh Do
Local specialist in Hanoi | Replied on Dec 17, 2019

Dear Jo Ann,

Thank you so much for having us on your lovely birthday trip to Thailand. It is our great joy and pleasure to assist you in planning little details regarding this tour.

We are looking forward to welcoming you again in the future, with more destinations to explore and more experiences to own! Wish you all the best in life.

Best Regards,
Ha

Incredible Chile 2019
Chile | Nov 28 - Dec 11, 2019

Melody
Melody B.
Tucson, AZ | Reviewed on Dec 14, 2019
This was our first trip to South America. We decided to visit Chile because our son had been on a 4 month study abroad exchange program in Vina del Mar, Chile and his time there was coming to an end. We did not really know how to tackle our vacation planning, so we scanned the Internet and found KimKim. We decided to go with this approach of travel because we wanted to plan our own agenda and did not want to be locked into a group tour. It was also an affordable solution for the quality of... Read more

This was our first trip to South America. We decided to visit Chile because our son had been on a 4 month study abroad exchange program in Vina del Mar, Chile and his time there was coming to an end. We did not really know how to tackle our vacation planning, so we scanned the Internet and found KimKim. We decided to go with this approach of travel because we wanted to plan our own agenda and did not want to be locked into a group tour. It was also an affordable solution for the quality of service we received

Virginia Crivelli was our trip organizer. She did a fantastic job throughout the entire experience. She helped up plan and was in contact with us during our trip. She was very professional and gave us good advise. She even calmed my fears about traveling to Chile during this time of protest and unrest that started in October 2019.

Our time in Chile included the following locations: Santiago, Vina del Mar, Valparaiso, San Pedro Atacama, Casablanca Valley, Punta Arenas, and Puerto Natales. Virginia booked us wonderful hotels, fantastic tours and plane flights in country. We had local guides who spoke English and provided excellent insights into their country and location.

This was one of the best experiences we have had traveling...and we have traveled quite a bit. I would highly recommend KimKim and their local custom service model. We never felt like a tourist lost in the crowds. The local guides were friendly, knowledgeable and made us feel welcome. Thanks for the attention to details and making our trip to Chile a memory we will hold in our hearts forever!

Melody, Neil and Tanner Buckner

Local specialist: Virginia Crivelli
Virginia
Virginia Crivelli
Local specialist in Córdoba-Argentina | Replied on Dec 16, 2019

Dear Melody, I hope you're very well :)

Thank you very much for this beautiful review and for posting your pictures, you all look great. I'm more than glad to know you had such a good experience here in South America, specially in Chile.
Your happiness is the best reward I could get doing my job :)

Best Regards,

Virginia

Our trip to Tambopate Nat'l Reserves in the jungle
Peru | Dec 1 - Dec 5, 2019

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Lourdes S.
Ormond Beach, FL | Reviewed on Dec 14, 2019

We enjoyed this part of our trip very much. Though, I was surprised to know Kim Kim was not our tour guide but hired out Jungle Pro to be our guide. This outfit was very professional and catered to our every need. Our accommodations were very comfortable and we kept plenty busy watching for the many animals. One observation to note...sometimes, a guide could be in the same position too long. It took our guide some 3 days to finally warm up to us but we finally broke him in and the trip couldn't have been better. Unfortunately, it should have worked the opposite way.

Local specialist: Katy Shorthouse

Trek to Khopra Danda
Nepal | Nov 26 - Dec 2, 2019

Cathy
Cathy P.
Australia | Reviewed on Dec 14, 2019

We had a wonderful time on our 7 day trek to Khopra Danda which we organised through Kripa from Himalayan Trails. She was so easy to deal with and informative. Our guide Tandu and porter Chhing were marvellous. They made sure that we were always looked after and comfortable. We had great weather and clear skies so the views of the Annapurna mountains was breathtaking. There was plenty of walking up and down hills so our trekking poles got plenty of use.

Local specialist: Kripa Sunuwar

This was a fantastic trip!
Bhutan | Nov 29 - Dec 3, 2019

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karin f.
Lawrence, KS | Reviewed on Dec 14, 2019

This was a fantastic trip! Everything went smoothly, and they did everything to make it as good an experience as possible. The guide and driver, Tek and Migma, We’re friendly and helpful and always on the lookout for interesting things to add to our itinerary. Vishaul was also very responsive both before and during the trip, and answered all of our questions promptly. Bhutan was such an amazing and relaxing experience. We did tours of Thimphu and Paro,, and a hike to Tigers nest. Don’t miss these!

Local specialist: Vishal Pradhan
Vishal
Vishal Pradhan
Local specialist in Paro, Bhutan | Replied on Dec 17, 2019

Dear Karin,

Thank you for your kind words and this opportunity. We thoroughly enjoyed hosting your trip and great to hear that the destination lived up to your expectation. Hopefully bhutan beckons you again in not too distant future.

With best regards, Sonam

The perfect trip!
Guatemala | Oct 31 - Nov 6, 2019

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Sara A.
Norcross, GA | Reviewed on Dec 13, 2019

The perfect trip!

Setting everything up was amazingly easy and exactly what we wanted. We lucked out by getting David as our guide- he took care of everything which let us focus on enjoying the experiences. Guatemala was beautiful, but there is no way we would have had the same great experience without Chris and David's help. We are already planning to go back because there was more to see and we ran out of time!

Local specialist: Chris Gwinner
Chris
Chris Gwinner
Local specialist in Antigua, Guatemala | Replied on Dec 16, 2019

Thank you for the review Sara and I'm glad you two had a great trip to Guatemala! We look forward to seeing you again in Guatemala the next time, Cheers!

Chloe, I wish more organizations could clone ...
Zimbabwe | Nov 29 - Dec 3, 2019

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Suzanne M.
Canada | Reviewed on Dec 13, 2019

Chloe, I wish more organizations could clone you! Stellar support.

Local specialist: Chloe Cottrell
Chloe
Chloe Cottrell
Local specialist in Harare, Zimbabwe | Replied on Dec 16, 2019

Thank you so much Suzanne! It was an absolute pleasure and I am thrilled you had such a great trip.

Wonderful Vietnam trip to celebrate our 25th Anniversary
Vietnam | Dec 3 - Dec 4, 2019

Sally
Sally B.
Sarasota, FL | Reviewed on Dec 13, 2019
Miss Linh did a fabulous job! Our only trouble was not understanding that we had to take care of the Vietnam Visa ourselves. However, she ended up handling it for us and even did the fast track. I would recommend KimKim or the agency for Vietnam take care of it and include it in their fees because most Americans don't know how to do the Visa on their own. We were so worried about the Hong Kong portion of the trip that we overlooked doing the visa ourselves. Anyway that got resolved and she... Read more

Miss Linh did a fabulous job! Our only trouble was not understanding that we had to take care of the Vietnam Visa ourselves. However, she ended up handling it for us and even did the fast track. I would recommend KimKim or the agency for Vietnam take care of it and include it in their fees because most Americans don't know how to do the Visa on their own. We were so worried about the Hong Kong portion of the trip that we overlooked doing the visa ourselves. Anyway that got resolved and she helped put together a fabulous trip. We loved the hotels. We only had one hotel in which the rooms were really small so I wouldn't recommend the Rex hotel in Hanoi. I liked all the tours she recommended and tried to limit our tours to just half days with many free afternoons. My husband and I are the types that don't want a hectic holiday, just running around from one tour to the next. We enjoyed most of the local tour guides. It was difficult in that we had in one city, sometimes several guides and at one point there was confusion and we had 2 tour guides taking us back to one place. In my previous experiences in Thailand and Laos, we had only one local guide for each city and that was much better. That tour guide had the chance to get to know us and we had the chance to build a better relationship with him/her. The Kim Kim platform was easy to use and to make payments. Sometimes the communication threads got long and it took awhile to scroll down to previous conversations. That was perhaps the only drawback. This is the 2nd time we have used KimKim and we have been very happy. We really loved our Slovenia/Croatia trip from 2 years ago. Unfortunately we did not use KimKim for Portugal because your Portugal rep was difficult to communicate with and seem to have a bit of an attitude. We really liked Miss Lihn and she helped me when I got sick in Saigon. I would suggest somewhere in the KimKim description some emergency information. I got sick in Saigon and she told me to go the International hospital there, which was excellent and I got treatment from an English speaking Doctor. I would for sure mention Miss Lihn to my friends. At times, it was a bit difficult to understand her English; however she really made an effort to be understood. I do understand that Vietnam, since it's tourism is still developing, that many tour guides and tour operators do not have the command of English as many of the European countries. However I had 3 outstanding guides that spoke very good English, Miss Song from Topas Eco-lodge, Ben from Saigon (our first guide who picked us up at the airport and lead our city tour) and Mr Kha from Les Rives Mekong delta cruise. Those 3 were the most outstanding. Again thank you KimKim for the great travel experience. Vietnam will definitely be included as a trip of a lifetime.

Local specialist: Linh Do
Linh
Linh Do
Local specialist in Hanoi | Replied on Dec 14, 2019
Dear Sally, First of all, thank you again for helping Sens Asia to have a chance to host your birthday trip to Hong Kong and Vietnam.
I would like to show my deeply appreciate to your valued comments as well and from that we can know more details on how to make our services better and better.
I will definitely pass your praises to our guides and your recommend on the trip to Vietnam should be the best promoting way to bring more travelers to our country.
From your sharing, I know that...
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Dear Sally,

First of all, thank you again for helping Sens Asia to have a chance to host your birthday trip to Hong Kong and Vietnam.
I would like to show my deeply appreciate to your valued comments as well and from that we can know more details on how to make our services better and better.
I will definitely pass your praises to our guides and your recommend on the trip to Vietnam should be the best promoting way to bring more travelers to our country.
From your sharing, I know that your traveling spirits are remained always and let it keep leading to other new destinations and I would be very happy to be your truly friend to hear about your new trips and new experiences.

I wish you and Rico a Warm Christmas and a Happy new year with Prosperous and Happiness.
With my best regards,
Linh

Our 14 day trip to Norway
Norway | Nov 28 - Dec 10, 2019

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Anita C.
Westbury, NY | Reviewed on Dec 12, 2019
Our 14 day trip to Norway was phenomenal! Linda did an amazing job curating our trip with a special overnight at a farm to table dogsledding adventure with Kjell. It was the highlight of our trip! Linda also arranged Sami reindeer sledding, northern lights chasing, private walking tour, fjord cruise, flam railway, another private tour and more. We went from Tromso and worked our way down to Oslo. Linda and kimkim created an awesome experience and also booked fabulous hotels, all with views... Read more

Our 14 day trip to Norway was phenomenal! Linda did an amazing job curating our trip with a special overnight at a farm to table dogsledding adventure with Kjell. It was the highlight of our trip! Linda also arranged Sami reindeer sledding, northern lights chasing, private walking tour, fjord cruise, flam railway, another private tour and more. We went from Tromso and worked our way down to Oslo. Linda and kimkim created an awesome experience and also booked fabulous hotels, all with views and breakfast. We could never do this alone and our travel agent also agreed she could never have made these arrangements either! Thank you so much for working with us-you have made lifetime memories.

Local specialist: Linda Veråsdal
Linda
Linda Veråsdal
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Jan 06, 2020

Hi Anita, Thank you so much for your feedback! It was a pleasure to plan your trip together. So happy it turned out great!! :) Thank you for sharing your photos, really nice to get a glimpse into your experience. hope to see you back in Norway one day!

Best of Vietnam Review
Vietnam | Dec 3 - Dec 4, 2019

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Kate D.
Canada | Reviewed on Dec 12, 2019
Best of Vietnam Review Tour leader Ms Linh was very good.
Ms Pi was a very good tour guild in Hanoi. She was informative and helpful.
The boat cruise to Halong Bay was great....a must do if in Hanoi.
Taking the night train to Sa pa was very worth while. Sa pa is a stunning part of Vietnam and well worth visiting. Mi was a very good tour guild in Sa pa.
Phong was a very good tour guild in Hue and Hoi An. He was very flexible with our times and very informative.
Ben our tour guild in Ho...
Read more

Best of Vietnam Review

Tour leader Ms Linh was very good.
Ms Pi was a very good tour guild in Hanoi. She was informative and helpful.
The boat cruise to Halong Bay was great....a must do if in Hanoi.
Taking the night train to Sa pa was very worth while. Sa pa is a stunning part of Vietnam and well worth visiting. Mi was a very good tour guild in Sa pa.
Phong was a very good tour guild in Hue and Hoi An. He was very flexible with our times and very informative.
Ben our tour guild in Ho Chi Minh City was very good. Very informative and helpful.
The Vespa scooter tour in Saigon was very fun! The drivers were excellent and the places we visited were great. The Mekong Delta Tour was very informative and highly recommend this to anyone who is visiting Saigon.
All of the hotels we stayed at were great in there location and easy to reach.
All of the drivers who took us from place to place were excellent.
Would highly recommend this tour for someone who wants to see the most Vietnam has to offer!

Local specialist: Linh Do
Linh
Linh Do
Local specialist in Hanoi | Replied on Dec 14, 2019
Dear Kate, On behalf of Sens Asia, I would like you to thank you so much for giving Sens Asia Travel the opportunity to arrange your trip. From your great appreciation to our guides and recommendation of our trip, I believe that you have had a wonderful time in Vietnam with your friends Sally and Rico.
I will definitely pass your kind words to your guides and hope we will have another chance to welcome you again in other destinations that we can host besides Vietnam.
Let the travel... Read more

Dear Kate,

On behalf of Sens Asia, I would like you to thank you so much for giving Sens Asia Travel the opportunity to arrange your trip. From your great appreciation to our guides and recommendation of our trip, I believe that you have had a wonderful time in Vietnam with your friends Sally and Rico.
I will definitely pass your kind words to your guides and hope we will have another chance to welcome you again in other destinations that we can host besides Vietnam.

Let the travel flame spark stunningly in your heart and start a new year 2020 with more memorable travel experience.

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas and Happy New Year!

With my kindest regards,
Linh

Egypt and Jordan 15 days
Egypt | Nov 22 - Dec 4, 2019

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Min K.
Spring, TX | Reviewed on Dec 12, 2019
My partner and I had a great time in Egypt and Jordan. I was very particular on the itinerary and Ibrahim accomodated everything. It was a tad bit difficult on communication during planning but it all worked out at the end. The guides were very knowledgeable and professional. Drivers were kind and demonstrated safe practices. Ibrahim connected us to Hajaat tours for Jordan and they were amazing. We had one English speaking driver who took care of everything during our entire time in Jordan.... Read more

My partner and I had a great time in Egypt and Jordan. I was very particular on the itinerary and Ibrahim accomodated everything. It was a tad bit difficult on communication during planning but it all worked out at the end. The guides were very knowledgeable and professional. Drivers were kind and demonstrated safe practices. Ibrahim connected us to Hajaat tours for Jordan and they were amazing. We had one English speaking driver who took care of everything during our entire time in Jordan. Ibrahim and his team took all worries away and helped us focus on enjoying the trip. I accidentally left the phone in the car in Aswan and realized after our cruise took off. The guide, Muhammad, coordinated and made sure the phone came to Luxor when we arrived there. The price is reasonable and all lodgings were clean.

Local specialist: Ibrahim Elaref

Wonderful! Plain and simple, our trip to Arg...
Argentina | Nov 22 - Dec 2, 2019

M
Mark A.
Redan, GA | Reviewed on Dec 11, 2019

Wonderful! Plain and simple, our trip to Argentina met and exceeded my expectations. The planning and the execution was nearly perfect. The guides could not have been more informative and accommodating. Gabie, in Bariloche was simply amazing! Her background and knowledge was very impressive. In summary........Viva Argentina!

Local specialist: Maria Barciela

Where do I start but to say ....
New Zealand | Nov 18 - Dec 2, 2019

Michael
Michael F.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Dec 11, 2019
what was planned by Eloise our guide, was brilliantly put together. I had an idea of the places where to go and with a little tinkering between ourselves Eloise came up with, for us, a perfect tour. Everything was smooth from the moment we were picked up at the airport, to the moment we were dropped off for our return. Knowing that everything was booked and paid for when we arrived at each accommodation, and tour meant there was never a concern with any payments. The only thing we had to... Read more

what was planned by Eloise our guide, was brilliantly put together. I had an idea of the places where to go and with a little tinkering between ourselves Eloise came up with, for us, a perfect tour. Everything was smooth from the moment we were picked up at the airport, to the moment we were dropped off for our return. Knowing that everything was booked and paid for when we arrived at each accommodation, and tour meant there was never a concern with any payments. The only thing we had to concern ourselves with and put our hand in our pocket for was where to get something to eat and drink on each day. The only blip was that our trip to Milford Sound was cancelled due to bad weather, but the weather is beyond anyone's control.
Highlights for us was Lake Tarawera and the thermal beach, Akaroa for penguin watching, which turned out to be a quaint little town also, and whale watching in Kaikoura to which the company concerned upgraded us to a helicopter flight so we had an added bonus to boot.
All in all the tour Eloise put together for us was just what we wanted and if I am ever to go back to New Zealand, I know who I will contact; Eloise, watch out for my next call !

Local specialist: Eloise Le Bout
Eloise
Eloise Le Bout
Local specialist in Auckland | Replied on Dec 11, 2019

Thanks a lot Michael for this very kind review. I am so glad you and Balbinita enjoyed New Zealand, and your trip that much. And what a lucky surprise for you to have had a free upgrade from our partner in Kaikoura, for your flight over the whales.
I will watch our for your next call then :), and hopefully next time you visit, the weather at Milford Sound will be welcoming!
Eloise

Great family trip to Peru!
Peru | Nov 22 - Dec 2, 2019

Arrchana
Arrchana L.
Frisco, TX | Reviewed on Dec 11, 2019
We used kimkim travel for a recent trip to Peru over 9 days. Our initial apprehension about planning a trip with 6 adults and 6 kids ( ages 3 through 10) was unnecessary, since Kristy and Liz took all our constraints into consideration, and helped put together a great plan for the group. We had a variety of places we wanted to visit - the rainforest, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Lima, Cusco. Apart from international flights ( that we booked ourselves) and 2 days in Lima, they helped... Read more

We used kimkim travel for a recent trip to Peru over 9 days. Our initial apprehension about planning a trip with 6 adults and 6 kids ( ages 3 through 10) was unnecessary, since Kristy and Liz took all our constraints into consideration, and helped put together a great plan for the group. We had a variety of places we wanted to visit - the rainforest, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Lima, Cusco. Apart from international flights ( that we booked ourselves) and 2 days in Lima, they helped plan activities, domestic transport, flights, hotel bookings and tickets to attractions. Highly recommended for travelers ( especially families with young children) who do not want to struggle with local language challenges, ticket availability at attractions, and local transport needs. Special shout out for the accommodation plans - all the hotels / lodges we stayed in were comfortable, and suited our requirements well! (Hotel Dazzler in Lima, Hilton Garden Inn in Cusco, Del Pilar in Ollantaytambo, and family run lodges in Manu National Park)

Cusco Journeys ( Jaime and Lucho) picked us up from Cusco and gave us a great experience over 2 nights and 3 days. They ensured we had good local immersion - home cooked meals ( breakfast and dinner), taking us to "non-touristy" locations and helping us to shop local as well. The kids had a great experience at an animal rescue center, and looked forward to the interesting details Lucho shared about various birds. Jaime took us through the local culture and history and provided interesting anecdotes about events. We thoroughly enjoyed their company!
Suggestion for improvement for this part of the trip : Wish we had been warned beforehand about the bad roads + long drive to Manu national park. We were on the road for the better part of 2 days, and though we had a good experience at the end, would have prepared better if we had known earlier.

Andean Travel handled our trip through the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Alexandra, our guide through the Sacred Valley, answered all our questions very patiently, and she was a treasure trove of information! Also, she was a great hit with the kids since she brought them locally made dolls. Javier was our guide at Machu Picchu; in place of the usual 2 hour tour, he was with us for 4 hours and made sure we didnt miss any aspect of the historic location. Excellent experience!

All in all, would highly recommend Kimkim since they work with the best. Would definitely use their services again!

Local specialist: Liz Karen L. Jihuallanca