Kimkim Trip Reviews

I had a great time and appreciate the professionalism and flexibility with my trip schedule.
Everybody from Social Tours did a great job.
I will highly recommend Social Tour for anybody looking to do trekking in Nepal.

Our trek in the Himalaya was an incredible experience and we were so happy that we decided to book with the KimKim/Himalayan Trails. Our local specialist, Kripa, was an invaluable resource as we tried to determine which trek was right for us. She was responsive, helpful, and always available to answer any and all questions we had while planning the trip and the KimKim interface made communication seamless and easy. Our guide, Nawang, was one a warm, kind, and fun-loving and companion on the trail. He had friends in every village we passed through and had a knack for picking the best tea houses and side trips for us along the way. Our porter, Paljong, was really more like a second guide on the trek and brought humor, levity and a helpful attitude along every step around Manaslu. We hope to get back to Nepal for another trek someday, and when we do, we'll absolutely use KimKim/Himalayan Trails again!

Highly professional and extremely organized company. Tamara arranged a seamless 5 day trip with very short notice (last minute trip) and accommodated all my requests. I spent one night in Amman, a day in Jarash/Madaba/Mt Nebo, a day in Petra, and my final day visiting a crusader castle in Karak. My driver Mohamed Ali Hilalat was exceptional. He went out of his way to make sure my stay was as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Always on time, a great conversationalist with a wealth of knowledge about the history, geography and culture of the region. Mohamed is a live embodiment of the famous Jordanian hospitality and kindness. Jordan is full of beautiful natural hiking trails, inter-twined with historically significant areas and natural reserves. If you’re interested in an authentic Jordanian experience and not just a cookie-cutter tourist attractions trip, Mohamed is your man. Went on a “backdoor” trail to see Petra and my Bedouin guide Mua’az did a phenomenal job showing me “off the beaten path” areas that made Petra more mesmerizing.
It’s obvious that this company’s owner takes great pride in his work and strives to show customers what’s special about Jordan.

Top notch outfit. Tummas was my guide and was able to modify the tour based upon my activity level. Extremely knowledgeable about Faroese culture and history. Would not hesitate for a second to use them again.

This was a truly amazing trip, I got to see everything I wanted to see and experience.
Alex the travel agent was simply amazing as well, catering this trip to my needs, available at any given time help, answer questions, give information and make any small changes I requested.

Thank you Alex and KimKim for an amazing trip

Took the Pikey Peak 8 day tour and was tailored to our requirements. Amanda was extremely helpful and professional throughout. The planning.The trek was superb and the guide and porter were absolutely fantastic . The whole team delivered a unique and 1st class unforgettable trip. I would not hesitate in using this team again in the future.

Eon was excellent! He was very knowledgeable and gave us time to spend together as a family.
Thanks to Debra for all the helpful tips for the road trip as well!

All of our guides were exceptional! Lina in Bogata, Mauricio in Villa de Leyva, Natalia in Pereira, Daniel in Medellin, Juan in Tayrona Park, Carolina for the cooking lesson and Ingrid in Cartagena. The guides were all very knowledgeable and obviously proud of their wonderful country.
We enjoyed all of the things we experienced. A couple of things that stood out were the visit to the coffee farm that was run by women, the visit to Bazurto market with a local that knows her way around. We also enjoyed the physical beauty of all the different areas of Columbia and being able to do a bit of hiking.

Preeti did a fabulous job!!!! Everything was terrific! Very well organized and detailed.....
The only activity that we didn’t enjoy as much as everything else was the ice cave tour. The “ice cave” itself was interesting but we didn’t know that it involved a good 45 minute + drive to and from the meeting point to get to the cave (it was not a very enjoyable ride at all).

All of the hotels/accommodations were great.
We would definitely recommend Preeti!
Mary Ellen

From start to finish, in country operator Myanmar Pure made our 26-day trip to Myanmar a seamless, rewarding experience. Passing off logistical arrangements allowed us to focus on all this geographically and ethnically diverse country has to offer. Our requested itinerary included the well known "don't miss" sites and a peek into the often unseen "real" life of Myanmar people. Myanmar Pure delivered. Owner Anne's relationship with her local guides brought us into homes for meals, tea, and conversation. We were even serendipitously invited to join wedding receptions in two small villages, an opportunity missed if our guides had not been there to translate. More often than not, we were the only foreign visitors in places off the standard tourist trail.

While the known sites were certainly worthwhile, the overall best part of the trip for us was the brush with day-to-day life. The depth of that experience we owe to Myanmar Pure. Anne chose well when she selected local guides Zayyar, Lu Wine, Thinzar She and Aung Naing Thu. They were our gateway to rewarding interactions with the people we met on the course of our travels. And, they were just plain fun to be around.

We recommend "the kimkim team" for anyone considering Myanmar. Your pre-trip questions will be answered promptly, courteously and completely, and in-country logistics will, if our experience is an indicator, run smoothly.

We had the most incredible Manaslu trek! It was brilliantly organised by Amanda who was incredibly informative and remained undaunted by our endless questions and changes to the itinerary. Our guide Sonem was just amazing and could not have been more caring and supportive. She really looked after us, trying so hard to secure the best accommodation and manage our expectations, checking the food and the kitchen at the tea houses, often cooking for us herself. She was so full of energy fun and warmth: we all loved her. Her team of porters and sub guide were also so cheery warm and positive. Watching over us cheering us on and never complaining.
The trek was more of a challenge than anticipated and the altitude punishing, but the scenery was spectacular as we climbed from rivers to jungle stunning open plains and the majestic awe inspiring mountains. The villages, people we met on the trail, mountain mules and Yaks were fascinating: new wonders every day. We all loved it: there were highs and lows, times spent huddled frozen in our sleeping bags hugging hot water bottles, cold showers and seriously basic accommodation but our spirits always lifted when we were walking and we all feel a huge sense of achievement. We are so looking forward to the comforts of home but will never forget Nepal and Manaslu.

Pedro was great and shared lots of interesting facts. He was very accommodating with some of the changes we made at the beginning of the journey. He picked us up at the airport and then the next morning arrived to take us to Otovalo and the leather town and a good place to eat On the way back we stopped to buy roses on the side of the road. What a treat. On Monday, Santiago was on time to pick us up. His car was also very clean and he was interesting to talk to. We drove to the Cotopaxi park to walk 5 km around a lagoon. It was a nice hike. We noticed that the volcano top was storming and it has turned to snow within the hour around the lake. It started to sleet just as we got to the car. We headed up the volcano road which was very slippery for his car. I suggested if he was not comfortable we could skip the hike. He drove us up to the parking lot of Cotopaxi to walk the 400m to the refuge. The weather was extremely bad with snow and sleet. I trusted his judgement since he is a local guide. However, he should never have let us hike up Cotopaxi in an electrical snow storm. I didn’t realize the danger and he did not seem concerned. We got up halfway to the refuge in the storm and my husband and I immediately started to pick up an electrical charge which I did not understand at the moment what was happening. I knew it was bad and as I was being shocked and in pain he ignored these dangerous signs of an imminent sign of being struck by lightning. I immediately turned to run down the mountain screaming help me. Then I got a shock or was actually struck by lightning. My husband then got to me and rushed me down the mountain as fast as we could. I don’t know how I survived. Everything I’ve read about this situation that I now understand this to be is that it is rare to survive this type of electrical phenomenon and most people do not survive to tell their story. I know I would not survived if I’d had a heart problem because there was no phone signal or medical training by our guide. After my horrifying experience we drove to the hacienda and enjoyed the rest of our journey as much as we could. El Porvenir was awesome. The last day was supposed to be hiking on Quilotoa. In addition to not feeling well and the fear of hiking in the rain again, we asked to change our journey and went to the cloud forest to see hummingbirds and at lunch at Papallacta. We stopped at an amazing Rose plantation I found a brochure for in Papallacta. We appreciate all the last minute changes but my experience prompts me to ask a lot of questions about the knowledge of safety that these free lance guides are expected to have. We never knew the risks of hiking at high altitudes while it is snowing and with poor weather but our guide should have. When I did some research on the internet and mentioned to my guide that we shouldn’t have gone and that I was lucky to be alive he blew it off and said I should’ve unzipped my jacket? What? I expected an apology and for him to do additional research into this subject of hiking in an electrical storm. For the 2 days we stayed after, I remained in a short of shocked state unsure of my emotions and physical well being although I felt mostly well. We were so far from anywhere and I didn’t want to go to an Ecuadorian medical facility. I pushed the incident to the back of mind so as to enjoy my life since it was spared and the rest of our trip. I visited my doctor a few hours after my arrival home and have been given a bill of health which I am grateful for. My doctor had only seen a few patients who have been electrocuted/shocked/struck by lightning and told me how lucky I was to not have had any damage or death. most don’t live to tell the tale.

We are a group of 3 from Australia that completed the Pikey Peak trek in November in 2019. Sangita was very helpful in organising our trip and answered all our queries. It was our first visit to Nepal and the trek was fantastic. We were lucky to have some good weather and had fantastic views of the Everist region and surrounding country. Our guide Bhim was extremely knowledgable and went out of his way to impart his knowledge and to ensure we had a good trip. Our porter Pemba (who is also a guide) did a great job and was a pleasure to walk with. All in all the trip was a great success and I would be happy to recommend Sangita and Bipin for those considering a treking trip in Nepal

Sarah was amazing through this whole process from beginning to end! She mentioned doing 2 extra things while visiting Petra. We had dinner with a local family which was quite nice. We also went to Petra at night. Petra during the day was amazing too. We took full advantage of both days. On the first afternoon we saw the treasury for the first time. We took pictures from a scenic overlook. Then explored a little further and would up at the high place of sacrifice. Day 2 we started super early and went to the monastery. On the way back we went to see some of those other tombs on the hill and saw a sign for a trail to go see the treasury from the highest point. This was so worth the extra couple miles of walking. On the first day, the tour of Amman and Jerash...I had no idea what to expect of the sites we would see. The biggest surprise was the Aljoun Castle. On our way to Wadi Musa our driver, Ahmad, took us to “little Petra” and joked about a surprise and it was a stop to see a boulder formation that looked like an elephant. Ahmad had snacks for us in the car along with water. That was fun. Both drivers stopped at rest areas so we could get out, use the restrooms, grab a snack, and maybe a souvenir. The short stay in Wadi Rum was great. We had a desert tour (also suggested by Sarah) that was so much fun. Our guide for this was fun with his driving and taking us on a route that gave us quiet time from other tourists at some of the stops. Mt Nebo and the Baptism site were well worth it also. For the Dead Sea day, Sarah has booked us a room at a hotel that had a private beach and that made everything so easy. This was the thing I had been looking forward to the most. I have been intrigued by the Dead Sea since I was a small child when I saw it in a book of natural wonders of the world. I know I missed a thing or two, but Jordan, our drivers, the locals, and the sites we saw all exceeded our expectations. This was an absolutely amazing experience!!

We had plan to visit Sri Lanka this year, however after the events at Easter time we almost gave up this trip. We are glad we have done it. Just spend 2 weeks in Sri Lanka with Kimkim and I totally recommend it.
We had a great time here and we have visited amazing places. Sri Lanka is an amazing destination that combines awesome nature, landscapes, history, beach and food.
Anoj was great, always helpfull during the trip, making this a wonderful experience.

Megan has been extremely helpful with the planning and booking processes of our Moroccan trip. She's very organized and responds to all my questions in a very timely manner. She's very patient with my 0 knowledge about the country. I highly recommend her expertise to all others who plan to visit Morocco. Thank you Megan!
To our driver/guide, Omar, my friends and I couldn't be more grateful for his professionalism and compassion for his craft. He welcomed us with a big smile on his face. He's always on time. Made sure we are all safe and comfortable. He treated us as his family (where he welcomed us to his humble abode in Rose Valley - much respect for this Berber family, such a beautiful one! ). He was very patient with our last minute requests. Even if he already dropped us off at our riad, he kept sending messages throughout the night just to make sure we are doing great. Our stay wouldn't be this awesome if not with him. With that, Omar, we are extremely grateful!
We would also want to commend, Emily from the private riad at the desert for being the nicest and caring and hospitable. She welcomed us with open arms, cooked good food for us, chitchatted with us during our stay. We love that she's so cool and sweet that we feel like we could have stayed longer and enjoyed her company and that of the serenity of the desert.
All riads and hotel we stayed at were all superb. There were a few mishaps but doesn't outweigh its beauty and the staff's professionalism. The riads will absolutely make you feel like you are in a different place and era.
Overall, the experience was one for the books. Something me and my friends will definitely treasure for the rest of our lives. Thanks to Kimkim and Wanderlust Voyages! Kudos to all! Keep it up!

Our trip to Brazil was truly incredible! We asked kimkim to provide us with fun adventures, as well as time for relaxation and they sure did deliver!
Luciana was so helpful and knowledgeable and was quick to respond to our questions. She took care of any issues that arose and made our vacation run smoothly. We highly recommend this service as they provide access to local adventures that you wouldn't normally come across on your own and every part of our vacation was better than the last!
This is the only way we will be booking our travel in the future!

Had a wonderful time on our 13 day Columbia tour . Yuliana who coordinated everything was wonderful .
All our guides - Viviana in Bogota, Claudio in Amazon, Jaime in Medellin & Roberto in Cartagena were excellent & very informative.

Nafisa

We had a wonderful trip to Sapa with Ms May who picked us up from Lao Cai Train Station.
Ms May was helpful and took good care of us throughout the trip. She was with us from the start of our Sapa tour till the end where she sent us off at the Lao Cai Train Station for us to take our overnight train back to Hanoi.

During our tour in Sapa, she showed us the ways of the local and we went to the less crowded spots to have a splendid view of rice terraces. As it is very crowded to queue for the cable car at Fansipan, she made sure we got in and prebought tickets for us.

Overall the tour is to our pace and we didn't feel rushed- which we appreciated. As she knows we like to visit markets, we made additional stops to see "pop-up" weekend/Sunday markets set up by local farmers and traders selling their produce.

She also brought us around Bac Ha market so that we didn't miss anything out. The Sunday buffalo sale is quite a sight not to miss!

Hanoi portion:

1) The pick up from the airport to the "cafe" (to take the train from Hanoi to Lao Cai) to wait for our tickets was frustrating at least. We were given a piece of paper (which apparently can be exchanged for train tickets) and with no instructions whatsoever. Do we wait for our tickets to be collected? Or do we collect them ourselves? In fact we walked out of the cafe and suddenly a kind gentleman told us to wait and have a seat whilst he collect our tickets. Then he disappears for quite a while- leaving us confused again.

But fortunately he returns in time for us to trolley our bags to the train station to board the overnight train to Sapa.

2) The pick up from Hanoi Station was at the same meeting point as we waited (see 1)) Unfortunately at wee hours in the morning 5am meant we had to exit the Hanoi Station at the other end of the block. In order to get to the same cafe (1), we had to make a huge detour around the block, in darkness. But luckily our driver was looking for us in the dark and we finally found each other and he drove us safely to the airport for our onward journey.

I don't know where to start , but wow! Harris knocked it out of the park. We have done trips with zero planning, and done trips where we tried to book all the things ourselves but this trip was nearly perfect. Harris and his group in Greece know what they are doing. They matched us with the right tour guides and hotels, planned transfers and connections perfectly. Our tour in Delphi with Penny was so informative, her ability to weave all the layers of information together was exceptional. Our Naxos food tour with Katarina was just as nice, local recipes supplied and additional places to visit for us was perfect. Thanos guided us around Santorini with a tour of the other side of the island, it was such a pleasant day, very interesting and the connections with our group to make sure we felt a connection to the island was nice. Popi was our guide on another tour of Santorini and we got to see the cave houses and a whole different perspective from her. This was not just a vacation tour but a personally selected vacation that fit our group. The interaction with Harris, questions asked and ideas that he had all made sense. The security of having local contacts and agents that have actually searched out the best local talent, from drivers to guides and hotels is worth the extra money spent. Book the trip! Thanks again, we will be back for more soon.
Doug and Dixie