Kimkim Trip Reviews

Thank you and your team for putting together a wonderful experience for Fiona and I through Jordan and Lebanon. There were so many memories made that will recall for years to come. Jeita Grotto Limestone Caves in Lebanon, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead See in Jordan are great examples of what these countries uniquely offer.

Our drivers were very good and conversed well with us about life in Jordan and Lebanon.

Jordanian food was excellent and we tried everything. The “mansaf” that our driver Jamal arranged for us to try was outstanding; plus the lots of hummus, falafel, salads and local delicacies that we tried as well. We will be making at home “lemon juice with mint” this Australian summer, now that we the traditional recipe.

The time that we spent with Farris, our Bedouin guide at Wadi Rum, was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip. He was just amazing! Our 'back door' hike in to the Petra monastery with our Bedouin guide was also a memorable experience and not too difficult / stressful a climb; perhaps it was actually easier that the walk up the stairs to the monastery!!!

The 'float' in the Dead Sea was also a unique experience.

We cannot recommend highly enough the countries of Lebanon and Jordan to visit and based upon our personal experiences with Lena, we would encourage people to book their tailor-made trip through KimKim Travel.

Stuart & Fiona
Australia
October 2019

We had a fantastic 10 day trip throughout Japan! Alan, Gibwa, and Katherine were wonderful to work with. They were quick to respond and very thorough. They created a custom journey with many of the must-see highlights as well as some hidden treasures. Some highlights were our bike tour through Takayama with our guide Taka. The festival float exhibition hall exceeded expectations and we'd love to go back and experience the exhibition. Our cooking class in Kyoto was a blast! We had a wonderful conversation and long walk through Nishiki Market, a surprise stop at a sake brewery followed by an informative and delightful class where we made sushi and miso soup. The Edo Wonderland was a bit underwhelming for us, but might be a great activity for a family. We would've been happy using that time to explore more of Tokyo. Overall it was a fantastic trip and we would highly recommend Kim Kim and Kichi Japan in the future. Gibwa and Katherine it was wonderful to meet you in person! Thank you for everything!

All the hotels were great. All but 2 transportation arrangements went off without a flaw. Overall, we are very pleased with our visit to Norway. I am thankful that Ingrid helped me to arrange everything!

In Oslo, we liked the Thon Europa more than the Thon Spectrum. The Europa had a better breakfast buffet, was an easier walk from the train station & the neighborhood seems a bit better. Next door to the Europa is the Brunello Ristorante. You should recommend this to others! This was some of the best Italian food we have ever had.

The Hurtigruten lobby is on a small side street and was not obvious. If possible, maybe provide a bit more detailed map. Since it's so late, there are not people around to ask for help. We did find it, but we had our concerns for a few minutes!

The bus & ferry to Geiranger was very enjoyable. The ferry back showed us some gorgeous scenery. We very much enjoyed that day.

The time with John Grahl-Madsen was not time well spent. He just didn't seem engaged. On other trips, in other countries, we have had guides who have made a significantly better impression. During planning, I had expressed an interest in going up the funicular. He pointed it out & said we could do that on our own. Our itinerary didn't allow time for that.

The ferry from Bergen to Aurland was a great way to move locations and see more of the scenery.

Aurland: you are already aware of the issue with the taxi company. I'm not sure what options there are, but I would suggest finding other options for sightseeing & transport to Flam. I'm very glad that the taxi did eventually show up that morning so we were able to see the Borgund Stave Church. That was very special. The Fisherman's Cabin at Vangsgaarden was charming with a view that was magnificent. It was a little surprising that we had to make our own beds, strip them at check-out, sweep the floor, take out the garbage, & do a light cleaning of the bathroom.

Flam to Oslo by train: Our itinerary was that we made this trip on September 24. No one looked at our tickets Flam to Myrdal. Myrdal to Oslo we learned that our tickets were for September 23. The conductor found 3 unsold seats for us and allowed us to stay on the train.

Oslo: We had a tour with Stig Frislid Torset. He was better than John, but again we have had better. Our travel companion had been told by a friend of Norwegian descent to try a specific type of pastry. Stig found a shop that sold it for her. We requested that we see the Vigeland Sculpture Park. He commented that was not normally what he did, but if that's what we wanted ... we said we did. He did have interesting commentary about some of the sculptures. Afterwards, he showed us some of the "hidden gems" that he normally focuses on, which included Grass Roots Square. Grass Roots Square is very special & we were very glad that we saw it.

I would recommend Kimkim to others. Thanks for your help in creating a memorable trip for us.

We had an amazing trip, thanks largely to Moroccan Immersion Tours and Adventures and to the help of Sharon (who helped us plan our 6 day itinerary) and to Abdou, who was our gracious, informed, and unfailingly cheerful guide. We contacted KimKim only about 4 weeks before our trip and were quickly connected with Moroccan Immersion/Sharon. Sharon was extremely helpful -- and patient! -- in recommending options for our 6 day trip, jumping on the phone with me at least a few times for me to ask (many) questions, and to flexing on timing/price when we needed to reduce our total costs. The tour itself was wonderful -- a mix of 'typical' experiences (e.g., walks around the souks in Marrakech) coupled with unique and differentiated experiences that Moroccan Immersion helped arrange (e.g., a visit to a women's rug making cooperative followed by lunch with the 3 rug weavers; spending a night in a luxury desert camp coupled with a pre-dawn hike up the mountain to see the sunrise). Abdou was a real pleasure to have as a guide -- his love for and knowledge of his country and his heritage is impressive, and really came across in the tour. Abdou also did a great job of connecting us to local guides (e.g., in Marrakech, in Taroudant), who were equally knowledgeable and friendly. In all, I would highly, highly recommend Moroccan Immersion if you are interested in planning a trip to this remarkable country.

Hello Chio,

We had a great time, just as we had wanted it. Highlights, were the guided tour in Medellin. Gorgona diving, Bazurko market, the seamless transfers and the nice hotels, particularly Bioxury and Ananda. However there were often unnecessary early starts that put us at the airports around 3 hours before the due time of flight departure.

We really appreciated your help and availability during our trip, the welcome by Jules at the airport and the most useful SIM card. We have lots of wonderful and unforgettable memories from this trip so a big thank you to you and your team.

Let me know if you’d like further information.

Erick

Our group of eight had a wonderful trip to Croatia. Veselka and her team were terrific to work with. We had a great itinerary and every detail met our expectations. Veselka worked with us right up to our day of departure for Croatia to assure all of our needs were taken care of. Our guides were pleasant to be with and helped to educate us on Croatia today and yesterday; ‘V’ in Zagreb, Anna Marie and Vedran in Hvar, and Anada in Dubrovnik were all terrific. They opened our eyes to a beautiful country and as a result Croatia is high on our ‘return visit’ list. Beautiful country, wonderful people. Thank you.

I have recently returned from the 4 day Chengdu tour and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
The service provided by KimKim was first class from the minute I enquired about the tour on-line, Lemon my first point of contact was very helpful with any questions or concerns I had,
Andie the tour guide and my driver were both excellent and their local knowledge made the trip extra enjoyable.
The highlights were definitely seeing the Giant Pandas which I personally feel was one of the best experiences I've had, the Giant Leshan Buddha was also immensely impressive and well worth seeing. Finally a massive bonus for me was the Sichuan food which is very flavoursome if somewhat spicy and the tour guides knowledge of local eateries was unquestionable. 5*

Great Trip. KimKim and Fez Travel (local Turkey Travel Operator) were both very helpful and responsive to all questions. Guides were well informed and very helpful.

Mr. Said was a highlight of the trip, he was approachable, kind, and helpful.

This was my first solo travel experience and Marina ensured it was a memorable one. From the beginning she helped plan a wonderful itinerary tailored specifically to my interests. She provided all the information and details I needed before hand to ensure I was prepared for my trip. When my cousin decided to join me in Dubrovnik, Marina was kind to ensure it’s feasibility. Marina also went the extra mile in providing me with her personal number, checking in with me to ensure I was Ok during the trip. I am grateful for her local knowledge and recommendations. Marina was so kind to show me around her beautiful city of Trogir. I spent the morning there and it felt like I was catching up with an old friend! Apartment Sara in Split was ideal! Sara, the owner, kindly met my Uber at the bus stop. Located 5-7 minutes walk from the port and the Palace, this was ideal for me! Milk, fresh fruits and coffee were already in the apartment and Sara pointed out the grocery and two 24-hr bakeries just outside the apartment. Sara gave me the first wonderful restaurant recommendation of the trip Bokamorra and how to easily get to Marjan Hill. My first tour, Diocletian Palace, was guided by Tanya. Though the weather was not the best, I had a wonderful time with Tanya learning about the city of Split. We genuinely lost track of the time! I felt like a local after the tour, finding restaurants and walking around the Palace like a pro, enjoying an early morning coffee watching people start their day on the Riva and in the Palace. Zipline In Omiš was fabulous! Our guides Domina and Josef were amazing! They were friendly, skilled and helped with all the pictures and videos! Toni and Frana (sp?) from Portal Tours did a wonderful job of the visit to Plitvice National Park. I spent another wonderful day in Salona with Nina learning about the Roman ruins and more about Croatia’s history. She was also very kind to offer me a return ride to Split! It was then on to Dubrovnik via bus. The journey was pleasant though had many stops. Crossing the Croatian and Bosnian borders were seamless. Apartment Franka was the perfect location inside the Old Town but in a quiet section (and a bonus of the Storia pizzeria and Gianni ice cream just steps away!). The Dubrovnik walking tour with Ivana was truly enjoyable. Ivana was friendly and very thorough! She provided a wonderful description of each part of the town with interesting stories from a local perspective. My cousin and I walked the Walls the next day as well as took the cable car to Mount Srd and were in awe of the beauty of Dubrovnik. Next, Marina guided us on an excellent Dubrovnik food and wine tour. She provided us with information on both Croatian food and history. We visited 4 establishments, with generous portion sizes of typical local dishes and wines. My visit to Croatia was everything I expected and more! I highly recommend kimkim and Marina if you are planning a visit to Croatia. You are guaranteed a vacation that is tailored specially to you!

Everything was so great! Upon arrival Catherina called us to check in which was extremely thoughtful. Esteban, our overall guide was absolutely fabulous! He was so knowledgeable and kind. He was a great driver and tour guide. We loved our time in Antigua, Lake Atitlan and Tikal. I would highly recommend Esteban for any other tour. Pablo, our driver in Tikal was really kind too. We found out he was a Audubon member for birding! We loved the Cacao boutique hotel, the service was fabulous and the breakfast was amazing. We also really liked the facilities at the Tikal Inn. Honestly everything was wonderful and we would definitely come back to Guatemala or recommend all of this to any friends or family!

Well, what a trip !!!! We got picked up in Casablanca by our wonderful driver, Muhammed Ismail. He was a very cautious but good driver and we felt in safe hands with him at the wheel. The tour vehicle was excellent with plenty of room for both us and the bags and nice AC. I booked the first night myself for the Casablanca night ( "Suite Hotel Casa Diamond") and I will recommend that you use that hotel in your itineraries since it was an outstanding hotel with beautiful rooms and the best breakfast buffet I have ever seen. All of that for a very fair price. The mosque in Casablanca was breathtaking but did not otherwise care much at all for the city itself but you have to see the mosque.
Rabat was a nice stop and the Riad in Fez ( Riad Sara) was wonderful even though I just now realized we were supposed to stay at Dar Victoria ?????
The local tour guide in Fez, Kamal, was plain out outstanding. Fabulous Tour guide. The drive from Fez to the desert was VERY long but the camel ride at the sunset and Camp Madu made up for it. Incredible experience!!Another awesome experience was to include the 2 hour Quad ride in the dunes the next day!!! SOOO much fun!!!
The ride to Boumaine Dades was semi long but not too bad. The Ksar Sultan Dades had the smallest rooms and was the only place where the food was just, ok. The other hotels/riads/camp was always either outstanding or very good. Ksar Sultan Dades is the only place I would not go back to.
Going to Marrakech was also a long but beautiful drive and we really liked Palais Sabban and its location.
The hammas/massage was over the top awesome. Megan picked a wonderful hammas/spa!!
Bottom line is that we absolutely loved Morocco, the wonderful people and the food. Megan did an outstanding job in fine tuning my "raw" itinerary when we initially started the idea about the round tour of Morocco. Everything was working and on time. Not once was there any problems with pickup, payments of lunch, the driving, hotels etc. Very impressive.
The only thing that I would add, is that LOTS of the places in Morocco had no alcohol at all. We like a cocktail, beer and maybe a bottle of wine with dinner and I would suggest that the clients should be informed and buy alcohol BEFORE starting the trip.
All in all, an amazing trip and my compliments to KimKim and in particular to Megan for a very smooth running vacation.
I will write a similar review on Tripadvisor for you as well.

Marina was very patient and accommodating with my constant change of plans. The people and tours she arranged were of very high quality! Croatia is amazing and I can’t recommend it enough...thanks Marina for making this a great experience

Our trip to and from Egypt was a great success! Since we were able to visit and return home without any hitch. I landed on kimkim by luck, as I wanted assistance with local itinerary organization in a foreign land, which I found most useful since Kimkim works with local specialists. Our local specialist Ibrahim definitely knows the best places and thills of Egypt as we feel we didn't miss any! Thank you! Out local tour guide in Cairo, Islam was so knowledgeable and invested in ensuring we had a great time, while making sense of everything from the monuments, traffic and local food. Our driver Mohammed was a great expert too as we moved quite abit in Cairo, to the east and west. We went south by train and later with tour vans. They navigated through busy streets while making it on time always.

Our visit to Bahariya was awesome, as we were amazed at all the water coming out of the ground in the desert! We visited some date fields and tasted some! The white and black deserts are a must-experience if one has never been to a desert like us! The camping overnight was so peaceful, majestic and quiet! It was probably our best part of the visit. Our area guide Ashraf was so knowledgable of the area, a great 4x4 driver and an excellent cook as well!!

The only snags we noted seem to be part of the culture - talking on the phone while driving, occasional non use of safety belts and smoking. However no one smoked in our midst. By and large everyone from the beginning like Zain and others was courteous and helpful and made our time in Egypt memorable! Thank you!

The guides we're mostly fine and the Raids were very good except getting to them was a challenge and they all had a poor bathroom plumbing finishes.

Bas organised a fantastic trip for us through Bhutan, India and Nepal.
The accommodation was world class and the tour ran really smoothly!

Bali is beautiful and I really enjoyed the different places visited. The choice of the location was great because the sceneries was very different at each places.
I greatly enjoyed the accommodations at each of the location. They were very comfortable and well located. Having a guide and a driver was very convenient and time effective for our vacations.
The Gili's beaches and the sunrise hike at Mt Batur was probably some of the highlights of the trip.
I also highly enjoyed swimming in Gili's water, seeing the Monkey's in Ubud and the fresh food in Bali.

Here are some constructive suggestion for improvement:
- We had on several locations difficulties to find the driver. It might be effective if he/she wears a recognisable T-shirt and/or banner.
- The sunrise hike schedule was too buffered: we hiked up in less than 2 hours and then had to wait for 2 hours for the sunrise
- While the description of the trip itinerary is great to book the trip, it would be convenient to have a calendar-based summary of the trip once booked with the critical information needed every day: departure/arrival time and location, accommodation address, contact number, activities proposed ...

Sam, Rocio and the Tailormade Andalucia team provided an excellent service. They guided us very sensibly in terms of our 3 week itinerary - at the right pace and with a great mix of experiences, including local guides now and then. Our accommodation was of a very high standard... and when things weren't quite perfect they intervened to make sure things were. They were absolutely committed to making sure we had a great trip and nothing was too much trouble. So thanks again Sam and Rocio! We loved Spain and we will be back!

Excellent choice of itinerary for the trek, very professional guide and helicopter pilots during the holiday so that we felt really in good hands. We had a very good time, we will be back.

An epic trip! We did the Ring Road, & Preeti and her team did an excellent job of helping us build out our itinerary, reserve our hotels & rental vehicle, & set up activities for us.