Kimkim Trip Reviews

Great experience working with and booking through KimKim! Excellent platform for connections to and interactions with local tour providers. Just returned from a week in Colombia organized by Aracanto Colombia through KimKim. Review of the experience below:
I am not prone to superlatives or hyperbole. However, I would be horribly remiss if I were to not use them to describe the service my we have received thus far from Felipe Rico, Margoth Rico, and team at Aracanto. Woefully insufficient number of stars available to grade their service!
We are in the second half of our tour of Colombia and it has been nothing short of exceptional! We travel a lot the world over, and Aracanto are hands-down among the best travel curators we have worked with! Right from the get-go, our connection with Felipe Rico was very comfortable - he was calm, understanding, very responsive and friendly, and curated a superb private tour itinerary for us, spanning sights in and around Medellin and Cartagena. As advertised, Felipe, Margoth, and team are passionate, care deeply about showing off their country and are equally, if not more, solicitous of their customers’ needs and desires. They hooked us up with superb lodging (the Patio del Mundo boutique hotel in Medellin was a magical tropical bungalow/paradise - great service, exceptional lodgings, the lovely welcome gift awaiting us at the hotel was a thoughtful surprise; Nacar Hotel Curio Collection by Hilton, is equally unique, in the walled old city in Cartagena - superb location) and equally superb guides in each city - Andres Jimenez in Medellin, a knowledgeable and passionate young man (a well-traveled, multilingual (Spanish/English/Portuguese) Chemical Engineer by education and experience, turned expert travel guide) who became a friend; and Isaac Francis in Cartagena, equally competent and friendly!
Felipe, Margoth, and team have been exceptionally organized, superbly responsive to our myriad queries, and keenly attuned to our tastes and preferences. In an instance where a certain planned event did not occur due to a miscommunication by the event owner, they promptly refunded that portion of the cost - no questions asked!
The restaurants they chose for us, the visits to picturesque/colorful Guatape and El Peñol near Medellin, to rum and chocolate tasting at the Arsenal of Rum, and cooking with Caro (owner-chef at Oh La La Bistro - see separate review), both in the Getesmani, neighborhood of Cartagena, to a resort/beach excursion at Isla Bomba tomorrow …each better than the other! Thank you, Felipe, Margoth and the rest of the Aracanto team for making our first visit to Colombia a memorable one!
Did I say I was not given to superlatives/hyperbole?? Oh, what the heck!!

Hotel Reviews

Nacar Hotel Cartagena, Curio Collection by Hilton

Cartagena

Lovely Hilton hotel in their Curio Collection, located near the sea wall and within the old walled city of Cartegena. Large, well-appointed rooms with typical Hilton amenities - clean rooms, comfortable beds, good toiletries, great shower pressure and drainage! On-site Uma Restaurant provides excellent local and western breakfast and local delicacies for lunch and dinner. Great staff -eager to please. Only downsides: a) Hardly any of the staff speaks English, despite the town and hotel hosting significant numbers of tourists from English-speaking countries. Made communication very difficult - combo of our elementary Spanish and the staff’s equally elementary English. b) We were located on the 3rd floor - directly below the 4th floor bar/club, Gets extremely noisy with staff dragging furniture etc during off times and loud thumping reggaeton and other club music well into the night on weekends! Made sleeping rather difficult!

Authenticity & Character

Located in an in-character building, within the walled city.

Location

Inside walled city, proximate to shopping, sites, restaurants.

Staff

Excellent staff - eager to please; however, lack of English-speaking ability was a severe constraint for us. If you are planning to stay here, beef up on your Spanish!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Superb cleanliness and in-room amenities. Typical Hilton standards

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

Lovely boutique hotel in the leafy/hilly/safe El Poblado neighborhood of Medellin. Spans two bungalows that are beautifully repurposed to serve as a boutique hotel. Incredible tropical foliage and local handicraft decor woven into the common areas - very welcoming, inviting, refreshing. The owner, Agnes(?) has fantastic taste - ably supported by dedicated staff who are eager to please. Service and breakfast were superb…rooms are elegantly appointed, shower areas have colorful local tiling with a great touch - plants/foliage inside the shower enclosure. Only regret - spent too little time at this location. Plan to return, however. Kudos to Andres/Isabel/Erica/Laura/Housekeeping, for taking good care of us!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Located in El Poblado - a leafy/hilly/safe area, of Medellin. Proximate to wonderful restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Pass at Tierra Bomba Island at Makani Beach Club - Pool Lounge Chairs Reserved

Colombia

We found the beach club pool lounge experience to be decent but not something we would necessarily repeat, we were glad we did it but we prefer more active and cultural activities. We also felt like the poolside lounge chairs were a bit expensive. We would recommend waiting until you arrive to book the chairs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Colombian Coffee Tasting

Cartagena

The coffee-tasting experience was disappointing as the host was not prepared for our arrival, causing us to cancel the activity. We appreciated our specialist, Felipe, who took care of the cancellation.

Private Cooking Class and Lunch (with Bazurto Market)

Cartagena

We enjoyed the cooking class with Carlina, at her restaurant, which provided a unique and enjoyable experience. We got to walk around the market beforehand with her and then she even walked us to our next tour afterwards.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rum Tasting with Chocolate Pairing

Cartagena

We had a phenomenal experience at the rum tasting, which included a chocolate pairing, and the local staff was very knowledgeable and attentive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking Tour of Cartagena Highlights (Old City)

Colombia

The guide Andres was phenomenal, the first half of the tour was wonderful, but the second half of the walking tour was more shopping. We wish they separated the shopping from the tour or let us know to come back to the shopping later, as we felt a bit rushed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guatape and El Peñol Tour & Airport Transfer: {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}

Colombia

Once again we had a flawless experience with transfers and transportation, the vehicles were nice, and the staff provided excellent service.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour of Medellín Highlights (with Local Market and Comuna 13)

Medellín

Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. You can tell the people here are very passionate about their country and have a lot of pride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at El Correo (Y Amada) Provenza

Medellín

We enjoyed the dinner reservations made by the travel specialist, particularly our meal at El Correo in Medellin. It was a very nice and fancy restaurant, and the food was good. However, after trying a few Colombian dishes, we decided to explore different cuisines and found our own dining spots. We appreciated the flexibility provided by the travel specialist and the curated restaurant recommendations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Colombia!

Colombia

All of transfers were flawless including the one from to and from the airport!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This trip was fantastic thanks to our guides and porters. They were some of the kindest people we met while in Nepal and were incrediblely knowledgeable about anything we had questions about. Himalayan Trails oversaw all of our trek and there was very little we needed to do besides hike. The mountains, people, and culture of Nepal will be an unforgettable part of the world for me moving forward! I can't wait to go back again!

Our Greece experience was amazing due to the expert planning and professionalism of our guide Angela. We began our trip in Athens and right from the airport and to every new destination or experience we had a private pick up and transfer to our next stop and they were always was punctual and friendly. We stayed in Sweet Home Boutique in Athens which was adorable. The staff was friendly, the hostess was helpful and the breakfast was fantastic! We which we didn’t have to leave so early the second day do we could have enjoyed the breakfast the second morning as well. Our private tour of the Parthenon was great. Our guide met my family and I at our hotel. The tour was informative, light and just perfect for my teen girls and I. It was just the perfect touch of history, humor and culture. Unfortunately I forget her name but she was really great. From Athen we took the SuperFerry Golden Star which was not what we were expecting for a ferry. We stayed in the lounge the entire trip to Mykonos and it was so comfortable the time flew by.
Our stay at Mykonos was so memorable. Our host Armen from Milangel reached out to me before our arrival to set up a private tour before we checked into our room. This was so helpful so we knew a bit of the ins and outs of the island. Plus he took so many pictures of my family and I along the tour-I only wish we were a bit more dressed up rather then just having hopped off the ferry. Besides that his tour was informative and I highly recommend it. The weather in Mykonos was not what we were expecting but going off season has bits benefits and drawbacks as well. The view from Milangel was stunning and we had not one but 2 patios to enjoy it. Armen was bound accommodating and the breakfast and accommodations were 5 star! We went to dinner t!3 first night at Kazarma right near the water and it was one of our favorite meals. I think it was our favorite Greek salad as well, we tried to order in each time we ate to compare them all. Kazarma put a social spin in theirs. The next night we had a cooking class. Which will forever be one of my favorite memories. Teta was fun, a patient teacher and the food and laughs were continuous. Such a personal touch as she holds her classes in her home and you feel like you are visiting a sweet aunt for dinner.
From Mykonos we went to Naxos. This little town was so sweet. From the port and all its restaurants, little shops and small winding streets we explored all afternoon. The only thing to keep in mind was that most of the shops and restaurants don’t open till around 6 or 7. And after so much travel and still working on the jet lag we weren’t able to enjoy that until the next afternoon when some of the shops opened again in the morning. Our hotel-Polis of Naxos wasn’t my favorite. Again, going on their off season didn’t help us much on Naxos. There wasn’t really anyone to help us much in the reception area to find ice or coffee or to ask if we could get the hot tub running. However, we did go during Easter week and we respect that was a time of celebration for family and they weren’t exactly set to accommodate guests yet. We did horse back riding in the beach which was fine for me, however my daughter rides regularly and was a little disappointed that we were guided by a man and a rope the entire trail. We walked down a road first and then back up the beach which was beautiful, she was expecting a little more. However when we saw the 5 day old foul-that took the cake!
Our last stop was in Santorini and we stayed at the Blue Dolphin. This was a very nice hotel but the view of the town and sea was breathtaking, best view the whole trip. We were able to see the festival of Paros where the entire village is light up the night before Easter. Hearing the church bells, the priests singing and beautiful Paros light up in the hill was something I will never forget. Our last day we did a sunset cruise with Katrine and the crew in Lagoon 420 and they were amazing! We highly recommend this tour and our group we sailed with were so much fun. Perfect way to end our trip. My only regret is not getting to see Oia. All of the travel and early mornings took a toll on us and we slept in so we were. It able to fit it in. However, we’re we’re able to see some of it from the catamaran. I would suggest one more day in Santorini as there is so much to see and do here. I’m sure I left out a few amazing other tidbits but I tried to be as detailed as possible in my review so others can understand the care and work that goes into plan I g a trip, I would never have been able to do that! By far this was the most amazing trip and we could NEVER have done it without Angela. Her professionalism, patience and expertise is unsurpassable! Angela was always quick to respond d from the moment we began planning until our last few nights in Greece. She checked in with us during the trip and everything was planned just perfectly. Thank you so much Angela, you did an amazing job and we will never forget our trip to Greece because of you!

Activity Reviews

Cooking Classes in Mykonos

Mykonos

The best experience! Personal, private and soooo delicious! More details in my review.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Young Heroes: a Family Mythology Tour

Athens

Our tour guide was amazing! I included details in my review. Highly recommend this tour!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Justino was fantastic. He was funny and knowledgeable, made us feel welcome and called us family which by the time we said goodbye is exactly what we felt like.
Each of our hotel's were perfectly chosen, small thing's like hot water in Pisac or face clothes in Cusco could have made them better though to North America travelers. We did find all of our host's lovely and gracious though and enjoyed their accommodations.
Perhaps adding a down day in the middle of a 10 day tour for relaxation is something you might suggest to other groups, ours found that we were quite tired by the time we finishing but they may be our fault for not thinking we'd need one.
Ruben was a great driver, at all times I felt safe in his van.
In the end this was an amazing trip and I thank you for your time and planning.

Our ten day trip to Iceland was very memorable where the tour arranged by Emanuela allowed us to see and do a lot in a very short time. The first thing that caught our eye was the beauty of Iceland. Emanuela arranged a car rental for us and we drove over a thousand miles where we saw lava fields, dozens of water falls, glaciers, gorgeous remote coastlines, and snow capped mountains.

Emanuela also arranged plenty of activities which engaged us and our teenage kids. This included snow mobiling, hikes, an ATV tour of the coastline, ice cave hikes, glacier hikes, and hikes at waterfall sites. It was a packed schedule but appreciated the nice hotels with warm cozy rooms, plenty of hot water, and good food.

We do recommend that if you travel to Iceland in the Spring to buy offshore sailing gear (foul weather gear). It rained 8 of the 10 days we were in Iceland and when the rain comes down sideways, it does sting. Good foul weather gear will protect you and keep you toasty.

Excellent overall, guides were knowledgeable, professional, helpful. Suggestions for sights, tours and restaurants were excellent. We felt very safe with our guide.

Activity Reviews

Guatapé Day-Trip

Colombia

My favorite part of the trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour Medellín

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Birdwatching in the Natural Reserve "La Romera"

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My 17 year old son and I went to Australia for a belated Birthday trip. We only planned the trip 8 weeks prior to going and Gary was very thorough and helped guide our short trip. We did a half day Sydney tour, a full day tour out to the Blue Mountains (with a hike and botanical gardens stop) flew to Carins and did a full day Great Barrier Reef snorkeling trip and a few days there and ended with a day at Cogee and a day at Bondi Beach. All of the tours and our transportation to and from the hotels and airports went perfectly, our rental car on Carins also was also easy to rent and return. The hotels Gary booked were fine, especially Mantra Amphora in Palm Cove. (highly recommend) Our final hotel in Cogee, Adina Apartments, was very small and had canceled our reservation at check in. We had to call Gary and he answered immediately and took care of the problem which was not his fault, and he made sure Adina checked us in and gave us our room as originally planned. We were very pleased with Gary and his prompt response to all of our questions. If I could give any future travelers advice I would say be very specific about what you want to do, the type of accommodations you expect and the bed sizes and if you prefer large or small group tours. The more specific you are the more tailored your adventure will be. The cost was reasonable for all that we did. We will us Kikiman again!

Hotel Reviews

Furama Darling Harbour

Haymarket

The hotel is clean and the room is a normal size for a city. We had a terrible view of an alley and brick wall and couldn't take advantage of the free breakfast because we were scheduled for tours before the restaurant opened.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina Apartment Hotel Coogee

Coogee

Authenticity & Character

No character

Location

Staff

Weren't very friendly at check in

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but cramped

Mantra Amphora

Palm Cove

Great hotel complete with separate bedroom, spacious bathroom, balcony and living/kitchen area. Very clean and lovely grounds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near the beach

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Mountains Hike the World Heritage

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pick up your rental car at Cairns for your trip to Undara

Canberra

Quality of Experience

L

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Half Day Panoramic Sydney Sights

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunlover Reef Cruises Pontoon - Moore Reef

Australia

The staff were great but it was very crowded and the lunch not very good.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I booked our trip to Guatemala for Holy Week. We specifically chose this week to view the processions and street carpets that are present during Holy Week. Our itinerary began with a trip to Tikal National Park. We visited the Mayan Temples and learned a great deal about the ancient Mayan civilization. We climbed a few of the temples , walked the complex , and connected with many facets of nature. Our guide, Oliverio was knowledgeable and very personable. He explained ancient customs, sacred rites, and ceremonies. From there we traveled to Lake Atitlan to get a better view of the volcanoes. We participated in the village tours, shopped at the local markets, and witnessed the religious preparations being made for Easter Sunday. The remainder of our trip was spent in Antigua. We watched many of the processions on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Holy Week. We walked through many of the streets and watched as many of the local Guatemalans prepared the colorful street carpets. One of the highlights of our stay in Antigua was the Antigua Walking Tour. Our guide, Maribel was delightful. She was informative, humorous, and very pleasant. We explored the historic landmarks and churches. Maribel explained many of the Mayan customs and traditions. We also visited a jade factory where we learned about the mining and colors of jade. Later that evening, we participated in a Guatemalan Cooking Class. There were 12 adults in the group and each of us were assigned a different task in preparing the meal. This group effort allowed us to engage in conversation and fellowship throughout the cooking process. At the end of the class, we sat down on the roof top to enjoy the meal. The sunset and the volcanoes provided the perfect backdrop for this meal. On our last full day in Antigua, we made the most of the day by participating in a bike tour around Almolonga Valley. We rode through suburban villages and stopped to visit churches, colonial ruins, a chocolate factory and a wine factory. Willy was our guide and he was most patient when we needed to take a break. There are a few hills on this scenic ride and at the midway point of this ride, we needed to walk our bike and take a few minutes to recoup. Willy provided clear safety protocols for the operation of the bike and remaining safe on the road. Willy answered all of our questions and shared many interesting details. It was fun to spend three hours with Willy on this tour. The Casa Antigua Hotel was centrally located and the courtyard was quaint. The staff was friendly and helpful. However, the rooms were very outdated. The décor was old and the rooms needed painting. There were no screens on the windows, and the towels were dingy and frayed. If I had seen the inside of the rooms prior to the trip, I would have opted for another hotel. We enjoyed our stay at Jungle Lodge Tikal and San Buenaventura Hotel. My husband and I enjoyed this trip and am glad that we decided to visit Guatemala. Eduardo did a great job with the logistics and we were moved from point to point without any difficulty. The final itinerary met our expectations and the activities did not disappoint. Eduardo provided great suggestions for activities and we were able to travel around different parts of Guatemala in our week long stay.

We had a wonderful itinerary planned, and it was wonderful not to have to worry about anything in a a foreign place-- drivers and guides showed up as scheduled and took care of everything. Plus, it was great to have a personal touch as we learned about the culture and history. We especially liked our driver Harold in/near Cartagena and our guide Diva in Tyrona National Park and Minca. Diva had so much information to share-- about the plants and animals we saw on hikes, about the history of the region, and stories about the people who lived there and we saw on the way.

Hotel Reviews

GHL Hotel Armería Real

Cartagena

Felt luxurious and modern On the edge of Getsamani

Authenticity & Character

Location

on the edge of Getsamani, needed to walk a bit to get to the main areas of interest However, had a great view of the Fort

Staff

We had some fresh fruit we wanted to eat, and the staff sliced it for us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ecohabs Los Naranjos

Unbelieveable, private views in the middle of a stunning national park. The accommodations were pretty nice despite the rustic setting.

Authenticity & Character

individual ecohabs were designed to look like the homes of the people native to the area

Location

Amazing views, location inside the National Park (since it takes a lot of time to enter the park and get to the views)

Staff

Gustavo went out of the way to help us out when I needed to go back to the park gate to pay some admission fees

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cocoliso Island Resort

Rosario Islands

The grounds were beautiful. It felt like it was designed to impress the day visitors, as the hotel rooms were very basic. It may be that the older rooms and the lack of water pressure and heated water is normal in this island setting.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful grounds

Location

Beautiful views, nice grounds

Staff

The main staff were not very helpful, or took a long time to help. The support staff were very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The common grounds were beautiful, but the private rooms were very basic. The bathrooms looked very old, and there was minimal water pressure (trickle is the best we got) and there was no hot water

Hotel Casa Tere

Cartagena

Authenticity & Character

Location

on a picturesque street in Getsamani, easy to walk to Old City

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coffee Farm & Village Tour

Minca

Coffee tour was very informative. Minca falls were beautiful and refreshing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diva was an amazing, friendly, informative guide. She even bought us some mangoes after learning we liked them

Hike Tayrona National Park

Colombia

So beautiful!!

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

quick way to see much of the Old City and Getsamani, but since those areas are small you can explore it by foot as well. Plus, some of the small and/or crowded roads are hard to navigate on bicycles

Boquilla Mangrove Tour

Cartagena

Nice to learn about an area separate from the big city. The best part was that not only did we get to see the fishermen cast their nets, we got to do it as well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim and the local tour guides and services took care of everything! Our family was able to just enjoy each city and our time together. Valeria was very knowledgeable and flexible in developing our trip plan, finding unique experiences to keep our kids engaged and our local concierge Barbara was absolutely amazing! Would definitely recommend KimKim to others and would use again for our future travels.

Hotel Reviews

47 Boutique Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mediterraneo Hotel

Sant Agnello

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Brunelleschi Hotel

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ai Reali di Venezia

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Path of Gods hiking

Italy

We ended up opted for a different trail at the recommendation of our guide due to the weather. It was a beautiful costal hike and included a stop at a small farm for brunch which our kids loved. Our guide Luca was incredible, highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Florence Walking Tour and Accademia Visit

Florence

It was great to have someone local and knowledgeable pointing out the highlights. Lucia pivoted after learning that we had done the bike tour to show us sights that we hadn’t already been to and additional made sure to end the tour where we were hoping to go next.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Early afternoon biking in Florence

Florence

Great way to see the highlights of the city!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mask Making workshop

Venice

Getting to interact with a mask maker and learn more about her craft was incredible. Being in the shop with her and it being just our family made this experience very unique and it exceeded our expectations!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Venice Gondola Ride

Venice

Quality of Experience

Orienteering tour in Venice (for families and teenagers)

Italy

Silvia was incredible! She was very energetic and highly knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mathias was a joy to work with. Was flexible and helpful when we needed to make trip adjustments and was always there for us. Tour guides were great along the way. Always on time and knowledge. Made every minute of the trip memorable. Aldo Sanchez was an amazing guide from Cusco, Peru. Stayed with us for four days through the entire Sacred Valley leg of our trip. He made sure we had plenty of activities planned and had clean, safe water and food. Our Mtn Bike tour guide was also great. Knowledgeable and kept us from flying off the Andes on our endless descent down from 14k feet. All in all, they put together an amazing team to make sure every need was met without complaint.

Our trip to Morocco was enlightening and so much fun! The guides Rashid, Hussein,and Mohammed were great and so attentive to engaging my grandson. Rafiq was not only a terrific driver but a lovely companion on our drives. Visiting during Ramadan was a wonderful experience and insight to the country. We had a great trip!

Hotel Review

Riad au 20 Jasmins

Fes

Beautiful and perfectly located with a great staff

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity

Location

Right in the Medina

Staff

So helpful with suggestions for dining and exploring

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Excursion to Ourika Valley

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Driving Tour of Casablanca

Casablanca

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Afternoon Guided Tour of Rabat

Rabat

Quality of Experience

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Transport

Fes to Rabat via Volubilis and Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic time on our trip to Portugal! Our local specialist did a wonderful job communicating with us the entire time and making our trip seamless and easy. The car agency they set us up with was professional and friendly, always timely and provided great recommendations for places to see in our stops as well as scheduling lunches for us as we were transported from one place to the next! Our tour guides in both Porto and Lisbon were knowledgeable and friendly, they really customized the tours based on us!

Hotel Reviews

Pestana Cidadela Cascais

Cascais

VERY cool hotel given that it's inside the old fort. The room was a GREAT size and loved that it had a king size bed and bathroom with PLENTY of room for the both of us. We did have an issue where we were unable to use the air conditioning, we talked with the hotel staff and they basically told us there was nothing they could do (if one room on the floor has the heat on, no one else can turn the air conditioning on....). The breakfast was the worst of the three hotels we stayed in, but the views from the breakfast room were incredible. We did like that we had access to the spa/steam room! Location was excellent, easy walk around Cascais!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

weren't helpful with our air conditioning issue

Cleanliness & Comfort

air conditioning did not work which made our stay much less comfortable

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

Location of this hotel was excellent! However, the rooms were SO small. I can't compare it to other hotels in Porto but we barely had any space for us and our luggage. The bed was very small and the air conditioning didn't work very well. Luckily, we weren't in the room often but it was definitely the smallest room of the hotels we stayed in. Staff was friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to key areas in Lisbon!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

the room was SO small and air conditioning didn't work well.

H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

Best hotel we stayed at by far! the staff was SO friendly and helpful, they went above and beyond every day to ensure we knew where we were going, gave us recommendations, etc. Breakfast was also excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

wish it was a little closer to the historic area but the walking was not bad!

Staff

the staff was beyond helpful and provided us an incredible level of service!

Cleanliness & Comfort

the room was a great size, air conditioning worked well - which we cannot say for the other hotels

Activity Reviews

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

we likely wouldn't do this as a private tour again but enjoyed the scenery!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our driver was super kind and helpful! it was a dreary day but he made sure we got where we needed to safely!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Porto's Rich History on an Exclusive Gastronomic Tour Through Time

Porto

The combination of culture and food was great on this tour! We really loved the final stop at the wine shop!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Lisbon's Riverside on a E-Bike Adventure to Belém

Lisbon

The bike tour was a nice change to all the walking you do around Lisbon! However, I'm not sure it was the best option to see Belem. After all our other tours in Lisbon, this one seemed more about the activity than spending time in Belem.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

Fado is definitely a unique experience! the restaurant was so unique and the food was tasty!

Quality of Experience

Food

love the starters.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

Loved this winery! Our lunch was fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Rui was the BEST driver we could have had. We ended up having him for nearly all of our transportation, which was excellent because we were able to get comfortable with one another and he was able to understand and accommodate our preferences. Rui is so friendly and did an excellent and thorough job ensuring that we knew where to go, how to find him, etc. He made a reservation for us for lunch at a wonderful restaurant on our drive back and was clearly very knowledgeable about the area.

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Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Ricardo was an EXCELLENT guide. We appreciated his local take and approach to the tour, he made it very customized for us based on the food tour we had done the day before. We really got a sense of how the history of the city has shaped how it is today.

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Lisbon Flavours Gastronomic Tour

Lisbon

Francisco was an excellent guide! we loved that the tour revolved around family owned local restaurants and really gave us a sense of the culture/traditional foods! Everything we had was excellent.

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we walked the whole time but enjoyed the walk!

Our party of 7 had a wonderful trip to Bhutan organized by Vishal. Our fantastic guide, Tek , and excellent driver, Ngawang, ensured that everything ran smoothly. Tek was very knowledgable about many aspects of Bhutan . They were flexible and adjusted our itinerary each day to accommodate what we wanted to do.
We particularly liked Bumthuang in central Bhutan which was rural and peaceful with lovely houses and farms built in the traditional Bhutanese style.

One member of our party had a medical emergency which required surgery in Thimpu. Vishal arranged flights to Thimpu for this person and his spouse, and arranged for a guide, Gyem, and driver, Kyem, to take them to the hospital and remain with them to help them during the surgery amd subsequent hospital stay. Gyem even slept on the floor beside the hospital bed at night so that our friend's spouse could get some sleep in the hotel. This level of support was enormously appreciated , not just by the couple involved, but also by the other members of the group who were able to continue enjoying their holiday knowing that our friends were in good hands.

Pedro planned a spectacular itinerary! He ensured that my husband's first trip to Portugal was a perfect introduction but there was plenty for me to enjoy too, as a returning visitor. Each guide and driver was professional and extremely well informed and went out of the way to ensure every day was packed with new experiences. On our planned day to visit Sintra the castle was closed due to a strike (!) so Pedro and our driver Paulo quickly pivoted to a different and spectacular alternative -Palacio do Queluz. Our drivers were brilliant at suggesting stops en route, and at finding restaurants too - they are way more than “just” drivers. And seeing this awesome country from the comfort of a luxury car was the icing on the cake!!

Hotel Reviews

Porto Royal Bridges Hotel

Porto

The hotel in Porto had a more edgy feel, which matched the city's vibe. The accommodations were great, and like the Lisbon hotel, breakfast was included and fabulous. I would also recommend this hotel to others.

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H10 Duque de Loule

Lisboa

The hotel in Lisbon had a traditional feel and was a little way away from the main touristy areas, which I appreciated. The rooms were lovely, and the staff was wonderful. Breakfast was included and was extensive, varied, and delicious. I would recommend this hotel to other people. It was a little further away from the downtown but we appreciated that since it was a bit quieter.

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Activity Reviews

Unraveling the Timeless Charms of Braga and Guimarães with a Private Driver

Porto

We loved this driver in particular. He was so fun and personable. He showed us a wonderful restaurant and he joined us and we got to hear all of his stories!

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Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

We loved the boat tour, again the guides were very knowledgeable and provided me and my husband with new insights.

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Sip & Savour on a Guided Winery Adventure with a Flavourful Tasting Experience

Douro Valley

We loved the wine visit in Porto. It was interesting to see the changes in the city since my last visit four years ago. The tour itself was informative and enjoyable, and we appreciated having such knowledgeable guides throughout our trip.

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Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Our driver was wonderful, very personable, and even stopped at a couple of places to show us some other spots when we had time.

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Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

I haven't been to Portugal in 4 years and it was so fun having a guide in Porto to show us around and remind me of all the wonderful things Porto has to offer.

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Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

The private drivers were fabulous on this trip and more like guides than just drivers. They were all very proud of their country and took the time to show us extra places that weren't on our original itinerary. One of the drivers, Paulo, even found an alternative palace to visit when the one we planned to see was closed. The drivers also found great local places to eat, making the experience even more personal and enjoyable.

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Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Our guide Ricardo was very knowledgeable and made the tour fun. Even though I had been to Lisbon before, I learned many new things during the tour, which made it fun for me and my husband enjoyed it as well.

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Our experience working with the KimKim team was spectacular. Our travel agent, Sharon, helped us organize an itinerary that included adventure (camel-riding in the Sahara), cultural immersion (preparing an Iftar meal during Ramadan with a local Berber family), luxury (many opportunities for Hammam) and shopping (lots of souks!). She was incredibly responsive during our trip as well and worked to ensure that we had the best time!

Yassine, our tour manager, was fantastic. He was friendly, warm and funny! We were impressed by Yassine's patience on our long car rides, especially the one from Rabat to Merzouga (an 8-hour journey!) Even on those long days of travel, Yassine was also so welcoming and willing to teach us about the varied Moroccan landscapes, and he knew all the best spots for photos!

Our Fes tour guide, Rashid, was so knowledgeable: we learned so much about the history of the souks and gained a deeper appreciation for the cultural diversity in Morocco. Our Rabat tour guide, Abdel, was so friendly and we learned so much about the important political history of Fes and also got insight on modern day Moroccan culture.

11 day trip to Medellin, Pereira and Cartagena. The experience was wonderful. Wendy was extremely helpful and accommodating during the planning and in our communications while we were traveling. All of our guides were amazing! Lina in Medellin was so engaging and excited about us learning all about her city; she was so great with our 2 children, making the experience fun for them too! Natalia, in Pereira, was prompt and easy going for our relaxing time in the coffee region. Our private horseback riding tour at La Maria was an experience we will never forget! What a view! And Carolina in Cartagena was diligent in making sure we saw and tried everything the city had to offer. This was our first experience with Kimkim so we did not know what to expect; the experience was seamless! All of the transfers were waiting for us and there was never a single issue; everyone was so accommodating and cheerful. Thank you for our awesome family vacation!

We highly recommend KimKim Travels for a trip to Greece! My family and I visited three cities in Greece in April 2023: Athens, Nafplio, and Santorini. From the beginning of our interaction until the end of our trip, team members Eleni and Mariliza provided solid support. They created an excellent itinerary for us, taking into consideration our requests and the weather conditions in Greece during that time. Team members were timely in their communications and always ready to assist with any changes that occurred, even during the trip. This made us feel secure and at ease.

The drivers and tour guides who accompanied us from city to city—Eva, Giannis, George, and Hercules—were well informed, friendly, dedicated, and committed to making our trip a huge success! They also had snacks, water, and soda for us in their tour vans!

We enjoyed the choice of hotels in each city. We stayed at a total of four hotels, given our travel requirements. Our favorites were the Elia Ermou in Athens, the Grande Bretagne in Nafplio, and the Kalisti in Santorini. Pickups and drop-offs from the airport were smooth and timely. We also really appreciated the thoughtful and unique gifts from KimKim!

KimKim Travels thought of almost everything, and we deeply value their time and energy spent in creating a fabulous holiday experience for us in Greece!

Hotel Reviews

NLH Monastiraki

Athens

Overall this hotel was good in terms of the room size and also the size of the bathroom. The area of its location did not appear to be the best. The hotel door was locked at all times and only one person sat at the reception. Did not get time to taste their breakfast as we had an early morning flight. Staff was friendly. Someone was playing loud music all night. Perhaps passing cars that came and stood in front of the hotel. Not sure.

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Kalisti Hotel & Suites

Santorini

Fantastic central location! Walkable to the main city center and other places. Beautifully built in the iconic Greek housing style. Bathrooms were however very small. The owner of the hotel came to the breakfast room to greet folks...how wonderful is that! She is an amazing lady who has been in the restaurant for 40 years we were told. She was so kind and welcoming. The staff was also very friendly. The outdoors near the swimming pool was beautifully decorated and one could see the rising sun in the mornings. great place for the hotel to consider offering yoga classes!

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Gave a 4 rating only because of the very small bathroom which would have been okay if there was a sliding glass door. The water spilled out into the rest of the bathroom area.

Grande Bretagne - Nafplio

Nafplio

Loved its location--right near the water and main square! This was an older hotel so the rooms were larger and also the bathrooms were larger. The decor had an old world charm.

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The hotel had no in service dinning for the evening time. Their restaurant was non operational, perhaps because it wasn't high season.

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

Located in central Athens this hotel was a charming, small hotel on one of the main streets of Athens and was in the midst of lovely outdoor restaurants, high end shopping, as well as local shops with trinkets. It was also very close to the Acropolis. The breakfast was hearty. The staff was polite. The bathrooms were a bit tight but then the stay was only for a few days. The only recommendation I would provide is to have the twin beds in each room separated.

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1) The layout of the beds. Twin beds need to be kept separate. Two persons in our group received a room with a bathroom made for people with disabilities. That room should be kept reserved only for people with disabilities. What if someone had checked in who needed that room then the hotel staff would have made us move. That would have been an inconvenience to us and others.

Activity Reviews

Santorini Wonders

Santorini

George, who was our guide in Nafplio, was an amazing guide who prepared a list of items and places for us to visit in Santorini. We shared that list with our guide in Santorini, Hercules who then created a wonderful day of sightseeing for us. He took us first to a monastery on top of a hill that many people don't know about. The views of Santorini from there are spectacular! We also went to Emporio, a small village with amazing architecture just like one sees in pictures! After that he took us to a winery from where the views of the other side of the island were fabulous! We also visited the excavation site in Akrotiri rounding off the tour at the Art Space and Wine Museum where we got to taste local Santorini wines, and admire the work of Greek artists in their gallery. Overall, we had a great experience with Hercules and the van driver, Thomas, and highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Santorini.

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Discover Mycenae & 🍷Nemean Wines with Lunch, Overnight in Nafplio

Greece

We had an excellent experience with Giannis our guide in Nafplio. He picked us from Athens and drove us to Nafplio. His van had snacks and water and he was a great conversationalist! Our specialist Eleni suggested Nafplio and we are so glad we went. Giannis was an amazing guide, showing us many monuments and interesting places, such as the place where the Mythical Hydra visited and the Corinth canal on the way to Nafplio. We would have never known about these places if it wasn't for him. We also had a wine tasting with lunch at Nemean wines. The lunch was supposed to be light, but it was a big beautiful delicious spread! This was our favorite meal of the trip. Highly recommend this town, even though it is less known.

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All the guides we had were polite and friendly. We loved our guide Janice.

Transport

⛵ Sunset Sailing Tour & BBQ on a luxury catamaran

Santorini

The sunset sailing tour in Oia on the luxury catamaran was a highlight of our trip. The cruise was very nice, and the members on board were kind and welcoming. The food was delicious, and we enjoyed the views of the beautiful architecture of Santorini with the white-washed buildings and swimming pools on balconies as well as the blue domes of churches from the water. We also watched the breathtaking sunset from the Catamaran. We even came back to the same place-- Oia, the next day because we loved it so much. We highly recommend this spot if you are looking for photos.

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Discover impressive Epidaurus

Greece

We appreciated the list of recommendations for all the places we visited from our driver cum guide-Giannis-- on the way to Nafplio including a visit to the famous ancient theater site, Epidaurus, where we learned about the history and connection of healing between art and performance. It was an amazing experience, and we were grateful that the car took us right up to the top so we didn't have to walk. The local guide there was George and he was amazing in his explanations about the site!

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Free afternoon in Athens

Athens

We very much appreciated the free afternoons we had. It was more than a sufficient amount of time to explore the city on our own. Our hotel was in a wonderful location, so it was easy to walk to different restaurants and go shopping.

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Acropolis, Private Guided Tour

Greece

Our tour guide Eva was very knowledgeable about the Acropolis and its history. She made the tour very interesting and engaging. We appreciated the elevator that allowed us to go up so we did not have to walk all the way up. Overall, a great experience.

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My guide Edy, and the drivers, José Luis and Carlos, were the best!

A very well organised trip, with excellent and well planned tours. Had an amazing time and exceeded expectations. Will definitely use KIM KIM again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Deja Vu Galapagos

Pto. Ayora

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Hotel Cally Galapagos

Puerto Villamil

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Hotel Blue Marlin

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Galapagos

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Itamandi EcoLodge

Quito

Loved being out in the middle of the rain forest. Very comfortable and authentic

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Deep in the rainforest, which is a deal good experience.

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Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Had a lovely time here, made very welcome and comfortable. Front desk are amazing.

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Activity Reviews

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

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Into the Amazon Rainforest, Arrive at Itamandi Eco Lodge

Ecuador

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Food

Amazing food and service.

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Kicker Rock: A Snorkeling Adventure

Isla San Cristóbal

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