Kimkim Trip Reviews

Chris did a great job helping plan our unforgettable trip.

I have a few suggestions; please advice traveler to Lake Myran (sp) of the absolutely aweful sworn of black flys in the area. We couldn’t walk around the lake because we were not prepared for the flys. We were pretty disappointed as the area and walked looked beautiful. Face nets are essential.
Also, toward the fiords in the northeast coast, were advices to take road 92 to 96. These roads are now just highway one.
Lastly, our last accommodation took cash only! We were ill prepared for this as well. Luckily, the women was kind and took what we had. Which was only less than half what we owed.
Otherwise, these were our only problems, and they were minimal!

Thank you for a wonderful trip.

OH MY GOD, Deborah is Awesome, so nice ,patient and always answer when i call on her , sometimes 12 am . She is GREAT and the best i have ever known my whole Life . Indeed she is a Specialist. I recommend anyone going to South Africa and booking with KimKim should Chose Deborah . God this lady is Amazing , her timing , planning and service is amazing , she will make you feel like a Royal away from Home . I have decided to come go to cape town every year because of her. She is the best i have ever seen in the whole wide world . Deborah thumps up. Be proud of yourself , Thank you for the wonderful service , God bless you ..

We could not fault the whole trip. All the guides were exceptional. The places we visited were fabulous. The farm house lunches absolutely great. We would recommend this trip to anyone who asked for advice.

I truly cannot say enough good things about this trip and the people involved in the experience. Before the trip, we coordinated with Steve and Katy and our questions were answered and last minute additions handled promptly and easily. I definitely recommend reading all of the information sent carefully and sticking to the packing recommendations. If you are a high information person, definitely call to get the scoop on when meals are, when you are stopping, etc, if you like that kind of detail.

The trek itself was incredible. We had the amazing Aldo as our guide and he is such an incredible guide and person. He answered our endless questions, had solutions for any issues that came up (altitude sickness, cold temps, fatigue, etc) and kept an endlessly positive attitude throughout. Our chefs, Johan and Eduardo could not have been nicer or more helpful, and the food was beyond expectations. I kept saying that they need to write a cookbook to sell! And they worked with my food allergies too, so I knew I was in good hands. We even had two horsemen who managed the pack horses, the luggage, and the emergency horse for the times when altitude, fatigue, and body injuries were a little too much. Having them there was great peace of mind. Everyone worked so hard and with smiles on their faces and jokes for all.

The trek is certainly challenging physically, especially with the altitude, so I recommend altitude sickness pills ahead of time, a few days in Cusco to acclimate, LOTS of water, and training! It also got to negative temps on the first night beneath the Salkantay mountain (holy gorgeous stars - we saw the Southern Cross!!!) and recommend warm clothing and even hand and toe warmers since they are easy to pack. Our wonderful team had hot water bottles for us for that night which made such a difference! Having a small day pack for rain gear, gloves, snacks (which were often provided) is very helpful as you are not with your bags generally during the day. I had a fanny pack and ended up putting most of my stuff in my mom's day pack. Renting the sleeping bags and mats was also nice since we didn't have to lug those around the airport. It is hard to imagine carrying all of my belongings on my back, so renting a mule was well worth it!

We kept joking that we would almost forget that the end of the trek was Machu Picchu, because honestly if we hadn't done that piece, it still would have been a memorable trip. It was certainly the icing on the cake!

The journey of the trek itself - from the Humantay Lake hike in the beginning to get our "sea legs", to summiting at 15,500 ft, to descending through plantations and jungles and small villages, to eating wild fruit (strawberries, passion fruit, limes) along the way, to the Cocalmayo hot springs, to the coffee plantation, to Machu Picchu (and Wayna Picchu if you are up for an extra 45 min steep ascent that is beautiful!), everything exceeded expectations, especially for the price. Aldo and his team at Aspiring Adventures truly made it easy to enjoy every moment and treated us to a luxurious camping experience. My mother and I carry with us memories of a lifetime and we will never forget it. Thank you to all, especially Aldo, from the bottom of our grateful hearts!

This my second trip as a solo female traveler using kimkim (last year was Nepal) and I have been astounded both times. I will definitely keep using their services for my big trips. I spent 99% of my time in the Sacred Valley - and the trip offered an amazing look into the culture, history and nature of the area.

First, James and I ironed out the basics... what is my general itinerary and where do I want to stay. He was great at making modifications and giving me a series of possible options throughout the country. Although I originally chose Peru to do a spiritual retreat, James was able to make sure everything around that experience made me comfortable - as well as confirmed with locals that the retreat I had chosen was reputable.

The number one resource they had for me was Rolfi, my guide that did everything from meeting me at the airport with Mario (another amazing human who drove us all around the valley). He made my travels unforgettable. It wasn't just his understanding of the Valley, but his passion for the history. My questions were his fuel and he made me feel always welcome. He even taught me a bit of Spanish which I worked on throughout the trip. I am forever grateful to Rolfi.

We built in the 3 day Lores Trek which blew me away - the views, Rolfi's love of local plants and flowers, the beautiful happy staff of cooks and muleteers... while not easy I was emotional many times overcome by the beauty. At summit, nearly 16,000 feet... I was exhausted, elated and overwhelmed by the experience. Although a shorter trek, I still recommend training for this - especially with lung capacity, balance and leg strength. I absolutely recommend doing it - not touristy at all, so it becomes a very intimate time with you, your thoughts and nature (I believe we crossed the path of another group only twice the entire trek).

Another thing to mention, as a solo female traveler, I was blown away at Quechua Treks desire to check in on me and make sure I was happy. At one point, I found myself feeling alone in a location they put me in. I was embarrassed to admit my discomfort (wanting to be strong and independent), but James, Rolfi and Mayra jumped on helping me change my itinerary and actually put me back in a place I LOVED called Nunus. If you can fit Nunus into your budget... you MUST go there - it's family-owned boutique casitas tucked in the base of the valley in Lamay. It's easy to go to the other local towns like Pisac (only one sole). I spent many hours relaxing there in the sun, reading in a hammock and taking in the fresh Andes air.

What else? There were so many things like going to Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, rock climbing, day hikes, town visits, celebrations... its a beautiful colorful culture with a love for music, dancing and color. I'm glad I stayed the entire time in that region. And it gives me incentive to come back to explore Lima, the Jungle and more of Cusco. Tell James or your guide what types of things interest you because the options are limitless in Peru.

Also, packing... I know you'll read it elsewhere. I packed light and purchased clothes (and two souvenir duffle bags) at the local markets, mainly in Pisac. Just know that you'll need everything from shorts to thermals. So, you should definitely bring camping items and clothing - because they aren't available in the Valley (outside the city of Cusco), and use the local markets to buy their colorful pants, tops and ponchos. If you like shopping, ask Rolfi about Chinchero - he showed me quite the find there where the ladies taught me about how they make their textiles and then I went crazy snatching up things for my friends and family back home.

You can find photos of my experience on IG @kknape

Sean & his wife Ulyana Eastern Europe Explorer were absolutely brilliant! I gave Sean what I thought was an impossible dream at last moment & he turned it into a great adventure! We had all information upfront & detailed - all we had to do was physically execute & then RELAX & enjoy! All contacts were knowledgeable & professional-HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Thank you, Zeynep for a fantastic trip! We really appreciated all the extra information about where to find vegan food—which was actually not as difficult as we had anticipated!—and that you customized the itinerary based on our preferences. We had an amazing experience in Iceland—gorgeous scenery, lovely hotels, delicious food, great car, wonderful hikes, and a great itinerary—everything was perfect. We especially enjoyed the Glacier Lagoon Zodiac tour—wow!!!!—the Ingolfshofdi Puffin Tour you recommended, hiking to the top of the volcano on the Westman Islands, the Snaefellsnes Peninsula coast, and seeing the geothermal areas on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Thank you again for organizing such a fantastic trip for us!

Had an absolutely fantastic 8 days in Myanmar with Kim Kim. From the very first email conversation with my consultant Wai Lin it was an absolute pleasure. He was incredibly patient and knowledgeable and built us an unbelievable trip! Everything ran to an absolute t! We chose the route Mandalay-Bagan-Inle Lake-Yangon route. The tour guides provided were absolutely top class and gave us such a great insight into the history of Myanmar. The transport was comfortable and very punctual.

Personal highlights include U Bein Bridge, the private cocktail cruise in Bagan, the hot air balloon ride in Bagan, all the temples (usually I get tired of temples after a day but Myanmar's are so amazing I never tired of them), the food, Inle Lake in general. Everything was just so well thought out and convenient. Would definitely recommend and will def use again! Thank you, Wai Lin and all of our amazing tour guides!

Mathias did a great job in setting up our 4-day adventure to the Amazon. He was very easy to communicate with and helpful in planning our trip - great advice, great service. All of the arrangements went smoothly and we loved the accommodations. We had a wonderful time!

Guides were great, in particular Jerusalem guide. Drivers were great, Jordan driver was very funny/full of knowledge and you can tell he really enjoys his job. When we experienced a bad hotel and had to change in Tel Aviv, Walid was great. He assured us the company would reimburse us and that their first priority is to take care of customers. I will discuss the hotel in an email/further on this, was our only bad experience, but was quite bad, unfortunately. Hotels in Jordan and Jerusalem were great, and wadi rum was really great as well.

Fabulous accommodation selections and great planning of all transport requirements. We did self guided option which we loved as we had all the info we needed to navigate Japan but still felt like we were adventuring ourselves. The opposite of a “group tour” which is what we were trying to avoid.

Highly recommend inside Japan!!

Aldo was an amazing guide who went above and beyond all expectations!

Both Emily and Thomas were amazing to work with for our adventures. Thank you both for making our vacation fabulous and fantastic!!!

We hiked the 5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu in mid-May, 2018. Our guide, Ruben, was really wonderful - very friendly, enthusiastic, and kind, good English, a font of information about local cultures and the natural world, and just great company. Nicole was patient, helpful, and responsive in the trip selection and preparation. The trek itself was really beautiful and rewarding - it turned out to be a great choice and we're really glad we did it. We LOVED the small-group format (max. 5 people) - and ended up being the only ones on the trip so Ruben was our private guide! We were very appreciate of having warm beds to sleep in (in modest lodging) because it got REALLY cold at night, below freezing at the highest elevation (bring many layers!!!). The food was quite yummy, sufficient, and we appreciated the local flavors. And in case you're wondering, the trip is a great value - you definitely get your money's worth!

A few caveats: we are in our 50's/60's and in good shape (we hike/work out regularly but are not "hard core fitness buffs". This hike was the hardest physical endeavor we've done - thank goodness we had beautiful, sunny, dry weather! We heard tales of misery about doing the hike in the rain (very muddy and slippery trails) and overcast skies - so I'd advise avoiding this trip during the rainy season November - April. There are a lot of loose rocks in many sections of the trail (though few steps, which we were thankful for) and several steep inclines/descents so hiking poles are a must! We had originally thought of also doing a bike trip, but are REALLY glad we decided not to, because we were worn out after the trek (diarrhea/sore bodies happen!) - we opted for cultural/historical tours through another great outfit, Unique Peru Tours. Oh, and make SURE you acclimate to the high altitude for at least 3 days before you attempt the hike, no matter how young and fit you are!

Thank you, Nicole and Ruben, for making this a wonderful, memorable trip!

Overall, the trip was fantastic and I am truly grateful that you suggested India before Bhutan. However, the hotel in Delhi was superb. They upgraded us to a fabulous room the the 2nd and 3rd times that we were there which was lovely. Our guides in India were fine. I do have a couple of suggestions....I think we could have done with 1 night in Rathombore. We saw 1 tiger on all our safaris, although others saw many more...just lucky. We really liked Jaipur and maybe should have had 2 nights there instead. Darjeeling. Bhutan was really spectacular...we loved it. But there are some suggestions...It was a long drive to the Probjika Valley and we were not excited about it. The hotel was pretty bad and after we hiked a bit and saw Karma the crane, we were ready to leave. We thus stayed only 1 night and went back to Thimphu and stopped for a long hike en route. This was fine. We enjoyed trekking around Paro. However, our trip to Tigernest on May 29 was the same day as a major Buddhist holiday. Could not stand the idea of hiking in the crowds so we convinced out guide to substitute another trek We went to Tigernest about 3PM and started walking up as hordes of Indians were descending. Our guide tried to convince us to stop...turned out he and driver did not have a hotel to stay in and I think they were mostly worried about where they would be. The previous night they had to stay in Thimphu and I think they were anxious about getting back....Not clear to me why they had not booked their own rooms when they new the schedule. They did try to be accommodating to us and were very concerned that we were "happy," although there is no question that they would have preferred we just look at the Tigernest from the highway rather than climbing up. I had a difficult time separating what was convenient for them from what was in our interest. As an example, they left us at Paro airport at 7AM for the 9:30 flight. I realize that it is important to be early but that was really very early...we were the first to check in.

Hey guys.

Victor was a great operator. From beginning to end, he was responsive and explained things very well. I had bit of a negative review on our onsite local tour guide at Hanoi and I've given that input to Victor. He was very professional and made sure my feedback was heard. In my business, the question I always ask my customers is: Would you recommend our services to your friends, family and associates? I would definitely recommend KimKim to my friends and look forward to using you guys again.

On the note of the Hanoi tour guide, I've given my feedback to Victor and would follow up with him. (the tour was actually great, but the person giving the tour was mediocre at best)

Thank you.

Paul Oh

Our trip to Colombia was excellent. We had a wonderful time in the coffee region and the trip organized by Gael and Tucaya was a lot of fun and seamless. We had a few minor snags while booking the trip, as we were originally booked on a return flight that did not leave enough time to catch our connecting international flight, but we were able to switch our flights after bringing this up with Gael. Gael was very helpful with suggesting activities and excursions for us, all of which proved very enjoyable.

Once in Colombia, we corresponded with Nicholas at Tucaya via WhatsApp and he was very helpful. He promptly responded to any inquiry and made sure to check in with us in the mornings and evenings to recap the day and preview the next day's activities. On the ground in the coffee region, everything worked very smoothly. We had driver's and tour guides waiting for us at the appointed times without issues, the hotel (Finca Bosque del Saman) was beautifully picturesque, and our activities were great.

One day, we to Filandia, Salento, and the Cocora Valley with our tour guide Sebastian. Not only were these areas beautiful, but Sebastian is an amazing and thoughtful guide who took us both to the main tourist attractions but also took us off the beaten path to local coffee shops and restaurants. Cafe Jesus Martin in Salento and restaurant Helena Adentro in Filandia were highlights. We can't recommend Sebastian enough.

Another day, we visited Finca Casa Vieja, a coffee plantation run by a local family. Santiago, one of the owners, gave us a wonderful tour of the farm (which grows many types of fruits and flowers in addition to coffee), as well as a look inside the coffee making process. After a delicious lunch prepared by Santiago's aunt (using produce from the farm), we visited the family's coffee shop in Quimbaya, Cafe de Altura, where we sampled many different preparations of coffee as well as some baked goods prepared by Alejandra, Santiago's sister. Sebastian, our tour guide from the day before, also joined us for coffee, which was a pleasure. To cap the afternoon, we took a bamboo raft down Rio de la Vieja, which offered great views and some fun swimming opportunities.

The main downside to this trip was that we were only in the coffee region for a few days. We certainly plan to visit Colombia again and would be happy to book through Gael and Kim Kim again, as we had a great trip that went seamlessly after we got everything booked properly.

We have just returned from an amazing 9 day trip to Norway which has been truly one of the most memorable family holiday's we've had.

KimKim connected me with Ingrid, a Norwegian specialist in Bergen. She listened to what we were looking for and created a unique trip that met the different requests of my husband, myself and my two children. Not only did she save me hours of research, but she managed the hotel bookings, train and ferry tickets and provided recommendations of things to do and places to eat. Her organization enabled us to experience Norway independently but without the feeling that we were all on our own. I contacted her a couple of times while we were on our trip and she answered my questions and provided guidance quickly and efficiently. It was super to meet up with her personally in Bergen where she gave us a fascinating tour of her hometown.

Cannot complain about anything! Really was an incredible experience.

We had the most pleasurable experience! From the beginning of the planning stages to each and every transfer was easy, with friendly people, and fun. Veselka was easy to work with and managed our time well. She offered great suggestions and knew exactly what to suggest with our ideas. All activities were great. We especially enjoyed the cooking class and tour and bike ride. Hotels were clean, easy to access. Verdan on the bike tour was full of knowledge and friendly and funny. The farm we ended up at for lunch was sustainable and so peaceful. Our chef Mya and tour guide for the cooking class were so pleasant and also we gain so much information about the city of Split. It was a fully engaging experience. I highly recommend the cooking class. We had a perfect balance of independent time, guided time, relaxing time, and learning time.

Veselka--thank you so much! We will never forget this trip!

My mother and I had a brilliant time in Ethiopia, and the quality of the trip exceeded our expectations. Marco and Yirga were very helpful, flexible, with a constant smile, and looked after us the whole time. Every day was different and captivating, with knowledgeable local guides who also helped us understand the local life and the people of Ethiopia.
We highly recommend a visit to Ethiopia, and Simien Eco Tours. You will not be disappointed.