Kimkim Trip Reviews

We planned this for a couple of generations of family, us (in our 40s) and our parents (ranging from 70 to 80). This overall was a great trip which allowed us to combine everyone's interest and also cater to some of the activities we wanted to do on certain days. At every hotel, the breakfasts were fantastic!

Most memorable - the first night restaurant. Although a tiny bit of a walk to get there (for our parents), it was beautiful, food delicious, and gorgeous view of the Acropolis. Pi Athens our hotel, although initially we were skeptical, the service and the rooms were great.

In Santorini - everything worked out wonderfully. Everyone really enjoyed the hotel we stayed (Fileria Suites). I really didn't miss the fact that we didn't have the views because we could go right across the street and enjoy them. Service was perfect.

In Archanes, the city was quaint, very quiet and didn't feel it was built for tourists yet. We had an extremely difficult time in finding the Kalimera Hotel and I had to call the hotel for them to meet us at a church (which was steps away from the entrance). We loved this hotel in its history, beauty, and service (again impeccable)... however, since we had seniors with us, we would have preferred to stay at a typical hotel without so many steps in the actual room. Although I know in Greece we did end up walking up and down quite a few staircases and uphills.... if we could have had the option in our hotel to do without we would have paid extra. Our parents did fine, but this would have been a good option for us to know about. Archanes, as much as we liked it, I know my parents would have loved to had a little touristy area to shop. So maybe a few more options of where to stay since we only had the one tour here and it sounds like we could have stayed in Heraklion, more built for tourists.

Chania - hands down this was the favorite of everyone in terms of the rooms, location, and also the elevator! Loved Chania in general - happy to walk around and explore on our own. The local tour was fantastic - loved the lunch, Raki making, cheese making, and bread making stops. Definite highlights.

Some pointers for our transfer from Chania to the ferry and to Athens. Our driver picked us up around 8:30 and we arrived at the ferry port around 9:30 or so - no problem. We thought we would be boarding the ferry immediately, but the ferry that was docked was for 10:00 PM or so. We found out that they ferry didn't arrive until 11:30 with a departure of 12:00 AM. So we ended up going to a cafe across the way and waited for a couple of hours. This was probably the low point of the trip as we were not expecting this wait. We would have rather waited in the hotel lobby a bit longer or at least know of the wait.

The overnight ferry ride was awesome - wish it could have been longer! But our transfer to Athens and our final day tour with Inside Athens was fantastic with Giannis as our tour guide.

Pick up to the airport worked everyone was able to depart on time!

I was impressed with the transport arrangements between and at destinations. People were there on time and were excellent drivers and this was arranged beautifully. The road to the Caribbean coast was not good and it was disappointing to see the lack of ongoing construction for what is an essential highway servicing the plantations and the North South link. This does no credit to the country and the government.

The Tortoguero experience was also excellent. Great hotel and a very good guide. The poor little village has a lot to learn if it wants to attract tourists and to get them to spend money rather than just walk through. There is so much competition in the world now for destinations that governments, local authorities and towns need to at the very least get on board or not bother and retain their own lifestyle.

The Caribbean coast would have been good for two days- five was too long especially at that time of year when the rainy season is starting. I am fit and active but not into dope, reggae, cheap food and surfing which seemed to be what was on offer. The hotel staff were a little surly ( one waitress was nice) . Despite being one of the few guests staying I was put into a dark downstairs room with no view of the sea ( there were balcony rooms which would have made the stay so much better) and the TV did not work. Very two star and was a low point in Costa Rica which coloured my overall impression of the country.

Avenal was a great area and I enjoyed the short time there. San Jose is clearly a city making a go of it in a period of transition. The Holiday In staff also need to go on a hospitality course. Just a few smiles would be good. The person selling tours in the lobby doesn't know how to smile. Facilities good and great location.

All in all Costa Rica was interesting. I stayed there about 5 days too long and while others have raved about the wild life, some huge conservation efforts are required to make it as good as Nepal, India, Borneo, Africa and the South Pacific, all places I have travelled. I got the feeling the country ( not Randall and the Kim Kim team) over promises and under delivers and I am not making making enthusiastic recommendations to others to travel there.

Good luck.

Our trip and experience in Greece was fantastic. We have Tasos and his team to thank, the itinerary was planned to suit our interests. The communication during the planning phase and while we were on our trip was exceptional. We were able to contact Travel 12 anytime, we had been provided with a sim, and there was always someone on the end of the phone to help. In one instance we were not able to locate a restaurant we were to go to and were helped to find it. The guides during our visit were informative and as our trips were in small groups or private you were able to learn more and had opportunity to have conversations. Our accommodation was lovely in all places and suited our budget and needs. We visited Athens and three islands which were very different and went to Tinos which was suggested by Tasos, this was a good choice as it was so different from
Santorini and Mykonos. The scenery was stunning and history, gave us adifferent view of the islands. I thank Tasos and his team for a wonderful trip and would recommend to anyone planning a trip to Greece you will love it.

Aspiring Adventures (Katy, Steve) did a great job ahead of the trip making sure they knew us and providing 2 itineraries with equipment lists. We were all well prepared. Guide Alex met us the first day introduced himself. You could tell how proud his was of his country (same with Angela), Cusco and the Inca legacy. Right from the start Alex (and Angela) couldn't do enough for us. Whether it was ensuring dietary restrictions were met or getting waiters attend for beer. Note: Angela wasn't on the Inca Trail with us, so most of my comments are on Alex. From my wife, Angela was excellent.

Inca Trail
- Aspiring Adventure equipment was excellent. One member of team rented sleeping bag and thermal rest. That equipment was first rate. Especially liked the built in pump on the mattress.
- Porters were very professional and looked good in matching "uniforms". First night out Alex had all the porters, chef & server, and clients introduce themselves.
- Meals especially the soups (and cake on last day) were great. Lots of variety of food. Went away from table full every time. Servers, chef, water porter & Alex did an excellent job. Alex always making sure everyone was happy.
- Everyone liked the after lunch siesta.
- Alex keep us informed on what we were seeing, why we were leaving a location at a specific time, and what to expect. He answered every question we asked. Let us set the pace of the hike. Almost always bring up the rear but appearing in time to explain something, make sure we were Ok or didn't miss something.
- Inca trail is wonderfully maintained. No litter.
- Sun Gate on Day-4 on Inca Trail was everything I wanted it to be.

Non-Inca Trail
- Angela was excellent accommodating Devina & Susan every wish. Giving them more or less time as they wanted. . Great explanations & tried really hard with dietary. Very proud of her country.
- small issue - itinerary activity was changed. "Farm to Table" was cancelled. The replacement activity turned out to be great. Devina and Susan just would have liked to know about it ahead of time.
- "rustic hotel" in the Amazon was wonderful.
- food was excellent, and Angela was very attentive.
- Driver was excellent & always help Susan with mobility issues in and out of the vehicle. Helping with luggage.

This trip and the organizing lived up to expectations. Amanda was in touch on a daily basis to ensure that all was in order and or to make last minute changes/additions to the itinerary to ensure that we derived the maximum enjoyment from our holiday experience. The other very special touch was Akrem (our personal driver) who drove us for the entire journey. His stories and attention to the littlest detail was extra special and he really made the experience all the more enjoyable.....wonderful company and now a friend. The only suggestions I would offer is to be crystal clear of your preference for accommodations. Amanda is not a mind reader so be very clear if you want or need upgrades. It’s better to pay a little extra for these comforts rather than need to make the change mid trip. Also the dinner with a “Jordanian family” was quite an experience. This should have been explained a bit better as we thought we were going to a sit down dinner as we would come to know it....actually this was the home of a Bedouin family, sitting on rugs, eating with hands etc. Niah our host was wonderful, but my wife almost wore a dress to dinner which would have been quite uncomfortable. Given that the custom is for the men (and Western guests) to eat in one room while the women and children in another. Nonetheless this was genuinely a great experience and shouldn’t be missed.
We had limited time (8days) and wanted to see as much of Jordan as we could. The Itinerary was quite comprehensive ensuring we hit all the high spots but also allowed plenty of beach downtime as well. NOTE: you’ll appreciate a pool because it can get very hot!. The highlight though was our “Lawrence of Arabia” experience in the Wadi Rum.....absolutely breathtaking and stunning.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this Kim KimTours and look forward to our return.
Shukraan jazilaan!!

Our driver Mladen was great! Very professional and extremely accommodating! It often felt like a family member was showing us the country. Highly recommend!

We had such a wonderful experience for our Greece trip. I would highly recommend using kimkim services to plan any vacation. Harris, our specialist, was absolutely amazing every step of the way. He skillfully planned an itinerary that was exactly what we were looking for. In our two week trip, we experienced city life, cliffs, beaches, mountains, beautiful waters and of course delicious food. We were able to visit Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Crete and every single detail was taken care of every step of the way. From transportation, to hotels, to excursions, Harris meticulously arranged everything. All we had to do was show up. I cannot say enough about this service. Going to Greece was one of our top 3 bucket-list trips and we wanted it to be perfect. Harris did that for us in such a wonderful way. We did not have any stress on planning the trip, making bookings, ensuring times line-up for ferries, excursions, etc. All of the excursions that were booked also were so wonderful. Our walking tour and hidden gems tour in Santorini was spectacular. We could not have covered so many things in one day. Kostas, our guide took us to the best places all in one day. The sunset catamaran cruise was also so amazing. Getting to swim in the hot springs was also wonderful. In Crete, we visited two places, Heraklion and Chania, both wonderful places. We did a food tour to highlight the Cretan diet that was tasty and informative. We had a chance to sample home-made food with local ingredients. The botantical gardens tour in Chania was so beautiful and a wonderful way to spend the day, enjoying nature and of course great food. I also wanted to callout our driver in Athens, Lampros. He was so professional, timely and so helpful to us. Even on the way to the airport, he took us for one last sight-seeing adventure to a hilltop where we could see the city of Athens. It was a marvelous view!

This trip was simply an amazing experience. I cannot say enough about Harris and the wonderful service he provided. He was responsive throughout the planning process, advising and guiding us every step of the way. He took out all the stress of planning and coordinating this trip, allowing us to just come to the beautiful country of Greece and enjoy all the wonderful things it has to offer. We were delighted! Thank you Harris for such a wonderful trip!

Sincerely,
Namrata and Andy.

We just finished a two week trip, starting with the western fjords of Norway and ending in the stunning Lofoten Islands. Linda at KimKim helped organize the entire trip, including hotels, transportation and activities.
Norway is a stunningly beautiful country and the fjords did not disappoint. We drove the coastal roads as opposed to taking a cruise, the only downside of which is that you go very slowly so be sure to include that in your planning. We found the hotels lovely--very Scandinavian chic in some cases- the people were friendly and the food excellent! A large breakfast buffet is always included in the hotel stay.
We did have to do some rescheduling of flights and hotels due to cancelled flights by the airlines and then one of us getting a terrible head cold. Linda was terrific--staying in touch with suggestions on flight and hotel alternatives right through the weekend until we got the new itinerary in place. She even found the name and address for a local Norwegian medical clinical! I can't tell you how much we appreciated knowing she was thinking of us and wanted our trip to go well. It was a real comfort.
We found KimKim online so there is always a bit of hesitancy with just blindly pressing "send"! We could not have been happier. Linda and KimKim were outstanding and Norway was fabulous.

All the guides (sorry, we don't remember names) from Alternatives Athens were very good. We enjoyed the fact that all our hotels were in mid town and we were able to explore and walk everywhere in our free time.
On Delos, the sights were good but there was not enough time to explore the ruins and go to the museum. To us the organized tours were not necessary.
In Santorini the Villa was beautiful and would have been a perfect place for a relaxing vacation but for our first time in Santorini, we felt it was too remote for the schedule we had and it would have been better for us to be in a hotel in the town center. Sophia was great and did her best to make us comfortable ( the electricity kept cutting off when we got there and the safe never worked) and welcome. The guide, Costas was excellent. The CATAMARAN Sunset cruise was the best and all the crew on the boat were fantastic.
The Palace of Knossos guide was very good too.
We enjoyed the 7 villages tour in Chania and the driver/guide who took us was also very good.

The itinerary that Ingrid and KimKim put together for us was amazing! We spent 5 nights moving from Oslo, to Balestrand then finishing in Bergen. As we did not really know too much about Norway and really did not have the time to plan our own trip, Ingrid put together a trip we will never forget! The hotels she recommended were all exceptional and we really enjoyed the contrast of seeing a large city like Oslo but then experiencing the natural wonders of Norway as we made our way to the small village of Balestrand via the Flam train (which is not to be missed) then an unforgettable ferry ride through the fjords. All of the connections went smoothly and Ingrid's attention to detail as we made our way through each town and city was greatly appreciated. Each of the hotels had friendly staff, amazing breakfasts and Stig, our tour guide in Oslo was a wealth of knowledge, history and just plain fun to hang around with for a few hours. In short, Norway was a trip we will never forget and we would not hesitate recommending Ingrid, Stig and KimKIm to plan your Norwegian vacation!

Jim and Barbara Gordon--Calgary, Alberta, Canada

We had a great Driver in Jordan who was quite knowledgable and personable. Our tour guide for Bethlehem was amazing and provided with the knowledge and experience we were hoping for on our trip.

Back from our 9 day trip to Peru. It was an amazing trip with fantastic sights, food, and experiences.

Clara/Liz from Andean Experience did a great job planning the trip and setting up the hotels, tours and transfers. Some of the highlights of the trip
- Transfers: we had many of them and every single one of those went amazingly smoothly. All the drivers were helpful, courteous, punctual and drove clean vehicles
- Great tour guides: Alexandra, our tour guide in Sacred Valley was very knowledgeable and made the day very interesting. Jackson, our guide in Posada Amazonas was also very friendly, helpful and informative. Jamie, our guide for the Inca trail hike and Machu Picchu was very encouraging when the going got tough.
- Paul, our co-ordinator in Cusco met with us and explained our itinerary. His restaurant recommendations were spot on and he made restaurant reservations when needed. Nice!
- Clara and Liz were available for questions during our planning and very helpful in suggesting itineraries and activities. Glad they Clara got us on the Short Inca Trail hike!!

Things that could have been better
- Chinchero was a canned experience showing just one weaver. Felt it was setup mostly for selling their products. It could be removed from the itinerary.
- Hotel in Ollantaytambo didn't have working showers. Location and garden was great but the room and shower were sub par.
- We could have gotten a warning about the access to Posada Amazonas. We were taken by surprise when we were faced with over 100 stairs to access the resort; it was strenuous for the grandparents (over 80yrs) in our group (rest of group was perfectly alright with them).

Overall, loved the sights and experience in Peru. Inca trail, salt ponds of Maras, Ollantaytambo ruins, WinayWayna ruins are spectacular. The eco experience at Posada Amazonas was unique and well worth the time spent.

We had an amazing family vacation thanks to Christos. Greece is a beautiful country and thanks to Christos and his team (Kostas, Sophie, Spiro just to mention a few) we were able to enjoy all that it had to offer. In addition to excellent tours and experiences, Christos's team went out of their way to help us to surprise and celebrate by dad for his 70th birthday in Santorini. It was a memorable experience for everyone and a fantastic vacation!

My boyfriend and I are just back from the most amazing 11 days in Costa Rica. Randall was a great specialist - giving fantastic recommendations on where to go and what activities to do, based on the information we gave him. He also provided a number of different itineraries for us to choose from, and was v. flexible with our requests.

Everything was a highlight really, but the top highlights were:

Our guide Pierre from Canoa Adventures in La Fortuna, who took us on the Mistico Hanging Bridges and waterfall tour. He was a fountain of knowledge and spotted so many things that would have gone unnoticed if we had done the walk by ourselves. He also shared some great photos via whatsapp after the tour as he had a good camera.

Our 3D2N stay at Laguna Lodge, Tortuguero. Our guide Alex was really knowledgeable too, and on two boat safaris we saw a huge number of animals and birds. The food at the lodge was delicious too.

All transfers between places were comfortable and on time, and the restaurants where we were being picked up from for each leg of the journey were fantastic. Selvica even had a butterfly sanctuary out the back!

We also loved Le Cameleon, the hotel we stayed at just south of Puerto Viejo. While we were there we took ourselves to the Jaguar Rescue centre and saw some amazing creatures, and on another day rented bicycles and cycled down the coast to Manzanillo, where we had miles of beaches to ourselves. We also loved Punta Uva beach - totally breathtaking! Whilst staying there we saw sloths and toucans daily, as well as a yellow eyelash viper on a hike in Cahuita.

We cannot wait to come back to Costa Rica and will definitely book through kimkim again.

Thank you!

What an incredible experience! Two weeks in the Himalayas was an extremely welcome reconnection with the natural world. Walking through villages, seeing how local people live and experiencing the incredible wildlife there was a very unique way to travel the country. My guide Priscilla was excellent - very passionate about her country and her job. She was an experienced guide, a hilarious companion and a truly kind friend. I can't recommend her enough, and it's always great to support female guides in a field where they are pretty rare.

From start to finish, Kripa provided me with all the information I needed, as well as answering all my (sometimes silly) questions. She was incredibly kind and helpful, and displayed a lot of passion and care for her job.

Thank you so much everyone!

We had a fantastic trip to Peru and really appreciate all of the help from our coordinator, Liz Karen. We had unexpected delays with our incoming flights and Liz was able to help change our itinerary! She was a pleasure to work with.

In country, our guide's name with Extreme Adventures was Ronny Pillco Farfan - he was absolutely awesome! He was fun, knowledgeable, accommodating, and was a great guide for our trek.

The Sankaltay Trek was an unbelievable experience! Our guide Ronny was very good and accommodating to our group and did an amazing job! Our chef Grimaldo and Manuel also did an incredible job for us and together, the three of them made the trip wonderful! The trek itself was beautiful, the scenery was pretty incredible. We had a beautiful day for our Machu Picchu tour and were able to see everything! Overall wonderful trip.

This was a tremendous trip! I can’t say enough about the entire team. From the very first step, Sibila was knowledgeable, friendly and more then helpful throughout the pre-planning pre-booking phase. She helped coordinate a trip that exceeded every expectation. She responded immediately to every question, and concern that I had. The trip was planned expertly and we were able to see and do things that we will remember for a lifetime. We had local guides that spoke impeccable English, and had the historical knowledge of a college professor; Anna, Paola, Fidel, Gilberto, Manuel...all amazing . We were more than impressed. Our local representative, Melina called and texted me immediately upon arrival, and she too was available and responsive at all times. We had a wonderful driver: Javier, who went above and beyond each time he drove us, and was truly a joy. We can’t wait to go back to Mexico, and will definitely be using Kim Kim for our next journey. Muchas Gracias todos!!!

Nathalie planned my vacation experience in Colombia perfectly. Not only was she flexible with my changes but she was also very understanding. From the tour guides to the transportation, everything worked out perfectly and I had no issues getting around since she was able to plan what I needed. I would highly reccommend anyone going to Colombia to use Nathalie if they're unsure as to what to do. Thank you for everything!

We enjoyed our time with Hassan he was very knowledgeable and attended to our needs, Hassan's english was very good as well.
The lost city of Petra was amazing definitely worth seeing...Jerash was really neat and lunch was incredible.

James Miller