Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our Guides Alessandro in Florence was excellent. Ricardo in Rome was excellent also. They were also very helpful . I was. Dis appointed in Matthew. On our second he asked us how our cooking class was? We said no one showed or called. Matthew said he would call us back. We never heard another word from him all week! We waited around all day prior to his call, alerted the front desk and no one came. My husband was really looking forward to this. Loves to cook. Communication was a definite issue with the trip, until we took the initiative and asked what time we could expect some one. Andrew was our main driver and was very nice ,. He was on the phone with Matthew 2-3 at least when we were we with him. I use say in higher voice , we are waiting for him to call back. When I asked Matthew if we could go to the isle of Capri, I thought he said it would be to far away. My husband walks around in the morning while we were in Sorrento and what were staring at was Capri from our Bacolony! Our off day we went to for a twenty minute boat ride to Capri and had a wonderful day.

Stephen's planning was exactly what we were looking for! Each of the guides/tours he booked for us were excellent - we learned a lot and had a blast the whole trip. Our hotel was also outstanding. Could not recommend his services more!

Our 13 day trip to Peru was fabulous! This is the first time I have used any kind of travel service and I will use one again. The activities planned were exactly what we wanted, the multiple, multiple transfers were seamless, the guides were wonderful, and the entire experience was great.

Liz made all the arrangements and the few times that I had questions she was available to answer. A welcome surprise that she arranged for us was a cooking class. That is not something I would have done on my own and it was fun and the food was fantastic.

I highly recommend Kimkim and Liz!!!

We visited Morocco in October for 1 week and had an amazing time! Megan was professional, responsive and always willing to help us with last minute adjustments to the trip. Our tour guide while on the trip, Omar, was wonderful and always went above and beyond to make sure the trip was special and memorable for us - he has a great playlist which made even the long-drives enjoyable,
and he was always a willing photographer to help capture every moment. The highlight of the trip was definitely the day we spent glamping in the desert driving ATVs and riding camels during the sunset.

In general we think that the guides here are less professionell than in other countries. We had two different guides (Dawa and Pemba) and both experience were simillar. The guides here only give you information when you ask.

However it was always easy to communicate with Kripa. So with her we made good experiences.

We did like both treks so from the nature it was worth to visit Nepal.

I didn't have any expectations about it, and the whole trip surprised me, specially my driver: what a good mood, i have to say. Since we had to drive for several hours almost every day he truly made the difference. Hotel and food were good as well, so the tours, the places; its entire history. I believe this opened my mind about Sri Lanka, and that's one of my favorite feelings about a trip.

We had a great time working with Sharon in planning our desert experience in Morocco. We were even more fortunate to have an amazing driver, Sallam, who took us through our trip. We could not have asked for a better driver/guide. Sallam was extremely warm and personable. He was flexible when we wanted to change plans. Sallam did a remarkable job of knowing when to share stories/sights while also knowing when to give us time to relax. He adjusted his driving based on our comfort level. Sallam was not only a wonderful guide but he is now a friend that we plan to keep in touch with. He made the experience much more enjoyable especially given how long of a drive it was.

Overall, the desert experience was very fun. The camel ride was very nice and the sand dunes were beautiful. The camp was very nice and we were looking forward to enjoying the experience under the stars at night. However, unfortunately the high winds caused us to have to stay inside. The amenities were above expectations with the nice toilet and shower. We were a bit disappointed to not have more time at the camp in the morning. After breakfast, we were quickly pushed to pack up and leave the site. We expected more time in the morning to enjoy the desert in peace.

Overall it was a very nice experience. The driving time was a bit much but the Camp was quite nice. Sallam made the experience so much more enjoyable for us. He was the best driver/guide we could have asked for.

Our trip to Peru was marvelous, in particular because our needs were catered for in every way beforehand by Jesus. Careful questions and answers resulted in an itinarary that proved to be well put together and balanced. The guides, in both Lima and Cusco, were very knowledgable re the local history and cultures informing us each step of the way what to look for and why. All the hotels were well managed, clean and comfortable. All transport went smoothly and on time; Air, Rail, Road and horseback!
Difficult to single out highlights from so many but; the three lunch locations on the cycle tour with Luis, the day at Machu Picchu with Julio and a days horse ride with Javier were voted the top three by us. Julio in particular gave us so much insight to Peruvian culture for which we will forever be grateful.

Working with Dan and the YGD Travel Agency was easy and seamless. Dan took into account all of my various questions and patiently worked with me on making this trip perfect. He was quick to respond and answer questions I had, whether related to specific points of interest or about traveling through the Philippines in general.

Once on the ground, YGD was in contact with me on a regular basis to provide updates on exact pickup times and/or address any questions I had. The few small hiccups we experienced (e.g., a tour operator picked us up much later than anticipated) were addressed immediately. From the hotels booked to the tour guides, the service was impeccable.

I'm grateful to the YGD team for an amazing vacation and would definitely recommend them to anyone!

I cannot begin to write a review that can give my friends and my experience traversing the Nakasendo Trail in Japan. I think a large part of this amazing time was the service provided by Kimkim and the team. We did not use a guide but honestly, this group is so organized, they gave us almost step by step instructions on how to hike the trail, going to far as to provide pictures of junctures so that we could not get lost even if we tried.
All our train tickets, itinerary and inn reservations (including food restrictions) were all handled ahead of time with no necessary added work on our part. In fact, due to the typhoon that occurred just prior to our trip, a Kimkim agent came to our inn with updated instructions and amended train tickets to accommodate the change in plans due to problems on the trail. I have never, never experienced such service in my life.
This is what I would say, if anyone is considering walking the Nakasendo Trail, please trust your trip to Kimkim. Yes, you can do it yourself, and yes it might cost to give it over to this company. However for peace of mind and even looking back on it now, it was the smartest move and the best money I have ever spent on a trip.

This was our first time using KimKim but it has been a very positive experience and I would not hesitate to recommend it to others. Himalayan Trails were our tour agent and from the outset they were nothing but efficient helping us to plan exactly what we wanted from our trip. Amanda was quick to respond to any queries and provided lots of additional useful information to ensure we were well prepared in advance. The accommodation we had was full of character and in traditional Nepali style rather than anonymous chain hotels, every pick up or meeting happened on time, she even managed to find us last minute accommodation when one of our guest houses had overbooked. Our trekking guide, Mindu, kept us safe, fed and watered and motivated when we needed it - his cheerful singing and whistling along with his infectious laugh kept us entertained for 4 days on the Muldai trek. Our city guide, Subash, was always on hand to answer our endless questions and was great company painting pictures of the sights we visited with lots of stories. He soon joined in our teasing and banter (and gave as good as he got!). We had a fabulous trip but it was the people we met who made it so special. We have fallen in love with Nepal and will definitely be back and will not hesitate to use Himalayan Trails again. Thank you everyone - you did an amazing job!

Easy to navigate and packed with highlights. Sarah and my driver Hasan were awesome :)

Overall experiente was fine; both Amanha and the driver (unfortunatelly I forgot his name) were always helpful. Hotels were also good most of the time, though I've experienced a major disappointment with Memories Aicha Luxury Camp: how do they put a panoramic tent in the middle of the camp facing others and killing privacy? The whole experience there was almost useless.

Another issue was the store I was brought to buy souvenirs next to Mount Nebo (the usual touristic shop who happens to be "friends" with guides) where I bought this mosaic for FIVE TIMES the price I happened to find a few minutes later in another place (not sure if it is the exact same thing but it seemed quite similar).

Jordan is a beautiful and expensive country. Not sure if I would ever visit again but I've enjoyed it.

Normally I handle all of the details for my trips. This time, however, I wanted to join friends who were already using Kimkim. WOW! I could not be happier!

Harris impressed me over and over from transportation and hotel choices to tours and guides. It quickly became obvious he knew what he was doing. In fact, you could tell Harris had hand-picked every part of the experience based on what we were interested in doing.

Our first hotel experience in Mystras was spectacular and fit perfectly for our time in Sparta. Not only was the hotel quality, but each morning at breakfast Joanna taught us more about Greek foods and especially Greek coffee.

Our guide in Delphi, Penny, was amazing! We benefited from her being born and raised there, and her knowledge of history was exactly what we wanted as we toured the "Center of the World."

The hotel in Athens was perfectly situated at the foot of the Acropolis with breathtaking views of the Parthenon. It was also within walking distance for everything we wanted to do in Athens. If I were to change anything about our time in Athens, it would be to add one more day so we could see even more.

Our time on Naxos was an opportunity to slow down the pace of the trip, and settle into Greek island life. They have a saying on the Islands - "Siga, Siga" - "slowly, slowly". The family run Adriani Hotel was a great way to begin that process. The roof top deck provided a beautiful view of the city, and the breakfasts prepared by Adriani, the hotel namesake and family matriarch, were delicious!

Our food tour on Naxos with Katerina was tasty. Born and raised on Naxos, she used her culinary education and knowledge to provide insight into it's history and the local delicacies. She even made recommendations for a drive around the island with places to see and food to taste.

When we arrived in Santorini, we were met by Papi who gave us a wonderful tour that included an an amazing winery overlooking the caldera and a walk through some of the older cities at night. It was breathtaking!

The next day we met Thanos for our walking tour of the Caldera. Thanos is a teacher, with a passionate love for the outdoors, history, and people. As we walked through the old cities around the Caldera, Thanos shared about their history, pointed out local flowers and trees (which my wife loved), and helped us understand the culture of Greece on the islands. Our time with Thanos included a private tour of a multi-generational winery which produced a wine that was internationally noted as possibly one of the best in the world. If you go to Santorini, you MUST tour with Thanos.

I have traveled and/or lived in 30 countries around the world. My experience in Greece would definitely fall in the top three places. Thanks Harris for making this experience amazing, we are not disappointed!

Our trip to Northern Norway and the Finnish town of Kilpisjarvi was a dream come true. Our tour guides, Gareth and Amanda from Adventure by Design were awesome. I loved that We were treated like family and they were so patient with my kids. Traveling with a young family is always s challenge and Gareth and Amanda definitely made it easier. We got to see some amazing Northern Lights, reindeers, beautiful frozen lakes. It was a wonderful trip which was very well planned in a short time.

I have to say that this trip was well planned and organized and Yassine was available to our group for any questions we had. The gem of our trip was our driver, guide, security, translator and now friend Mohammed he made our trip amazing, we had over 22 hours of driving and he made us feel safe and assisted us along the way.

Yassine curated an amazing trip for my group of 6. From the very start of the planning he was extremely responsive and helpful in organizing the entire trip. I can safely say that each one of us had a fantastic time on this trip! The trip was better than we all expected and Mohammed, our driver was just amazing. We are all more than happy with the service we received, especially the fast response to any issues that may have occurred. The entire trip went smoothly and the only thing we would change would be to spend and extra night in the sahara! The boys especially loved the sahara, and we were very grateful to Mohammed for being flexible with us and allowing us extra time there to ride the quads/dune buggies on both days. Every single accommodation was just breathtakingly beautiful and we enjoyed the coziness and personalization of all the riads. The guides in both Fes and Marrakesh were very helpful in navigating those two big cities. Hakim (our guide in Fes) was especially helpful in taking us to places to buy specific items we wanted to take home, we would never have found those places on our own. Needless to say we came away from this trip with a experience of a lifetime and we are all truly grateful to Yassine and his team for accommodating this.

We are very pleased with Kimkim and Megan. We were most pleased with our driver Mohammed. We were told our driver would be Yassine who got rave reviews on line. We were met by Mohammed which was a surprise to us. When we checked into the hotel in Casablanca, we were told we would have to pay taxes, and breakfast was not included. Our itinerary said taxes and breakfast were included. We also missed the Jewish Museum as promised by the itinerary. We had to wait to be able to enter the Mosque when we probably would have enjoyed the Jewish Museum more. So we didn't get off to a great start on day 1. When we spoke with the guide and our driver Mohammed, the issues were resolved, but we shouldn't have had the problems in the first place. Where meals were provided, and we mentioned we needed vegetarian for at least 2 of us, they were not aware of our requests in advance (ie. Auberge Chez Pierre). These places should have been aware our dietary needs in advance. All the riads were great. We loved the Chez Pierre the best. The food was amazing! Mohammed turned out to be a fabulous driver and very attentive to our needs. I got very sick and he was truly concerned and helpful.

Kimkim connected me with Sangita to help me plan a 12-day solo trip to Nepal during Tihar. She listened to all of my requests and planned the perfect trip for me. I started in Patan, then flew to Lumbini, and then traveled by bus to Pokhara, Chitwan National Park, and back to Kathmandu, ending the trip in Bhaktapur. Sangita took care of all of the domestic travel, accommodations, and tours. While I did meet her once, we were in constant communication during the trip. My guide throughout the Kathmandu Valley was actually her husband, Bipin. Both Sangita and Bipin were knowledgeable, warm, and welcoming. I felt like a family friend the whole time. I can’t say enough good things about them. As for the destinations, I liked them all. Patan is a beautiful city with a lot of culture. I went on a special street art tour there, and learned about the local scene there. In Lumbini, I was on my own. I hired a driver to take me around to the different monasteries. They were all beautiful and unique, designed in the architectural style of the host country. I couldn’t pick a favorite. In Pokhara, I had a guide named Bharat who was also amazing. He was so kind and taught me a lot about the Himalayas, Pokhara, and the Tibetan refugees. Chitwan National Park was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I stayed at Hotel Parkside, where the staff is fantastic. Gopal was my guide for the excursions. He can spot a bird from miles away and tell you exactly what kind it is. I told him about my love of rhinos, and we actually ended up finding five of them during my stay. They were so cute! It was amazing to see them in the wild. I would definitely stay at Parkside again. In Kathmandu, I had free time to celebrate Laxmi Puja with my friend at her home. Then, in Bhaktapur I met back up with Bipin to tour the city. It is a beautiful, historic city. I stayed at Vajra Guest House, which I also highly recommend. The two owners Sajan and Sujan are so sweet, and they really made me feel at home. Overall, I had a great time in Nepal. My favorite parts were the wonderful people I met there and the beautiful Chitwan National Park (with the rhinos.) I would love to return again, and if I do, I will definitely contact Sangita. Thank you all so much!

I think we were very fortunate to have Aldo as our guide. We were a very inquisitive group and Aldo was able to answer all our questions and provided us with educated information and in-depth explanations of what we were seeing. He was always calm and very patient. He had us prepared for all our destinations. Although we did miss seeing the Machu Picchu Temple of the Sun. We arrived 5 minutes after it closed. All our drivers were punctual and transported us safe and sound to our destinations. There were several "wow" moments that I will never forget, but our arrival at the Sun Gate, after a challenging hike, was my most memorable moment.