Kimkim Trip Reviews

4.8
Based on 14,242 ratings
Read 14,242 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Patagonia: Torres del Paine
Chile | Apr 15 - Apr 21, 2018

Cory
Cory Z.
Augusta, GA | Reviewed on Apr 22, 2018

Cem was fantastic and truly entertaining. He was focused on providing our group with the best possible experience in Patagonia and was very considerate of hiking paces and experience levels. Also, he was prepared to assist with any small injuries or areas of discomfort caused by the trails themselves. I truly enjoyed every moment of hiking the “W” and can’t wait to hike even more in the future! Thank you!

Local specialist: James M
James
James M
Local specialist in Cusco, Peru | Replied on Apr 23, 2018

Hi Cory, thanks for leaving your comments, we're really pleased you enjoyed being guided by Cem on the 'w' route.
Torres del Paine is a superb park for trekking. Please keep in touch, even just for advice ... it's our speciality! best James

Trip to Nepal
Nepal | Mar 7 - Mar 16, 2018

M
mojdeh p.
Brooklyn, NY | Reviewed on Apr 22, 2018
Everything about my trip was wonderful! I booked this trip on pretty short notice so I really relied on Kim at the KimKim to plan everything and I’m glad I did. Kim and I talked about what I was looking for and she was really helpful in letting me know the different options. She recommended a trek in the Everest region and it was exactly what I wanted. My guide, Phutashi, was great - he was really knowledgeable and friendly and made sure I had a great trek. He changed our route a little after... Read more

Everything about my trip was wonderful! I booked this trip on pretty short notice so I really relied on Kim at the KimKim to plan everything and I’m glad I did. Kim and I talked about what I was looking for and she was really helpful in letting me know the different options. She recommended a trek in the Everest region and it was exactly what I wanted. My guide, Phutashi, was great - he was really knowledgeable and friendly and made sure I had a great trek. He changed our route a little after one of the Everest-viewing days turned out to be cloudy, and took me to Mong La, which had some of the best views of the trek and was one of my favorite spots. I’d highly recommend booking through the KimKim - everything was really easy and I had an amazing trip. And for anyone wondering, I’m a female and was traveling alone and felt perfectly safe the entire time.

Local specialist: Kim Bannister
Kim
Kim Bannister
Local specialist in Kathmandu, Nepal | Replied on Apr 23, 2018

Thanks so much for the review, Mojdeh! So glad your trek to the Everest region was a great journey, and we hope to have you travel with us again soon!
(-:
Kim

safari with Sophi
South Africa | Apr 20 - Apr 20, 2018

S
sanjeev k.
Alpharetta, GA | Reviewed on Apr 22, 2018

great day trips to both cape point and the safari!!

Local specialist: Carla Ferreira
Carla
Carla Ferreira
Local specialist in Cape Town | Replied on Apr 23, 2018

Hi Sanjeev
Thank you for rating your tours
I hope to see you again in future
You can contact me for anything at anytime
Take care

Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu - 5 Days
Peru | Apr 9 - Apr 13, 2018

C
catherine S.
Canada | Reviewed on Apr 22, 2018
My husband and I have travelled much of the world and we would put this as one of our top trips. The country was beautiful, the people were amazing.
Nicole helped arrange everything for us and it was a perfect combination of trekking and learning about the local people and their cultures.
Our guide Ruben was fantastic!! He catered to us and went above and beyond to help us and to make our experience as memorable as possible. As an experienced guide, we slowed him down but he waited...
Read more

My husband and I have travelled much of the world and we would put this as one of our top trips. The country was beautiful, the people were amazing.
Nicole helped arrange everything for us and it was a perfect combination of trekking and learning about the local people and their cultures.
Our guide Ruben was fantastic!! He catered to us and went above and beyond to help us and to make our experience as memorable as possible. As an experienced guide, we slowed him down but he waited patiently for us with a smile! All of the people we met along the way seemed very comfortable with Ruben and were very welcoming to us.
When we left Toronto to head to Peru both of us were a bit scared as to what was ahead of us for a trek, but we made it and Ruben helped us every step of the way.

I have suggested to my friends and family to do the same trek, it is a trip we will always remember and cherish.
thanks to Nicole and Ruben!!

Local specialist: Nicole and Bill Koch

Trekking With Your Family In Nepal
Nepal | Apr 9 - Apr 14, 2018

Jon
Jon C.
Thailand | Reviewed on Apr 22, 2018

My family and I had a great time on the Panchese trek. Kripa was able to adjust our trip to ad 1 more day. This made it easier for the 2 kids ( 3 and 6). The first two days were a little long for the 6 year old but she made it and did an excellent job. Chhepaul was and outstanding guide who showed patience and bonded with the kids. He was able to customize a basket to carry the 3 year old. The porter ( Mime? ) was awesome with the kids especially the 3 year old. There was a language barrier but I thing they both enjoyed each other’s company
Thanks 🙏

Local specialist: Kripa Sunuwar
Kripa
Kripa Sunuwar
Local specialist in Kathmandu, Nepal | Replied on Apr 29, 2018

Hi Jon,
Thank you so much for your review. Happy to know that both of your kids are really strong that they completed the trek without having any problem. It was a pleasure to host a trip for you and your family.
Hope to see you again in coming days!
Thanks, Kripa

Norway
Norway | Apr 16 - Apr 20, 2018

L
Luckshman R.
Australia | Reviewed on Apr 21, 2018

We had an amazing time in Norway. Ingrid was great with organising the whole trip and was very knowledgeable. She was always very prompt with responses.

Would highly recommend.

Local specialist: Ingrid Thornes
Ingrid
Ingrid Thornes
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Jun 07, 2018

Hi there Luckshman,

Thank you so much for the nice review! I really appreciate it and are so happy that you had such a great time!

Welcome back any time!!

All the best,
Ingrid

The Ultimate Guide to Wadi Rum - Jordan's Adventure Paradise
Jordan | Apr 5 - Apr 12, 2018

M
myriam d.
Switzerland | Reviewed on Apr 20, 2018

Wonderful country and nice people.
We enjoy a lot and our trip was a great experience.
Good organisation, maybe just one driver had been better as a new one every day !
Thank’s a lot !

Local specialist: Carmen Scholten
Carmen
Carmen Scholten
Local specialist in Jordan | Replied on Apr 21, 2018

Dear Myriam!

Thank you for your kind review. You've surely met a lot of different people on your trip, however we'll do our best to stick to one driver for future customers. Thank you for sharing this with me. I hope we've inspired you to come to discover more of what beautiful Jordan has to offer.

Again thank you for traveling with In2Jordan!

Carmen

Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
Peru | Apr 9 - Apr 13, 2018

J
John M.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Apr 20, 2018
I and my wife joined my sister and her fiance on a visit to Peru 4/2018. From the start, James at KimKim was always available to answers questions and helped us get set up with the travel plan and trek we wanted. He was in touch with us from beginning via phone even to make sure we were able to coordinate with Quechua Treks for what was needed: from contacts, to prices, to dietary restrictions! Thanks so much, James! On the night before our trek, our guide Rolfi met with us to provide our... Read more

I and my wife joined my sister and her fiance on a visit to Peru 4/2018.

From the start, James at KimKim was always available to answers questions and helped us get set up with the travel plan and trek we wanted. He was in touch with us from beginning via phone even to make sure we were able to coordinate with Quechua Treks for what was needed: from contacts, to prices, to dietary restrictions! Thanks so much, James!

On the night before our trek, our guide Rolfi met with us to provide our briefing for the trip. We immediately felt at ease with him and with the entire crew, whom we were introduced to the next morning (muleteers/porters/tent men Americo and Huaman, chef Edgar, assistant cook Donato, and Ronaldino our driver). The men were all very professional but down to earth. We all came to enjoy each other's company quickly and since my wife speaks fluent Spanish, there were no problems there. However, our guide, Rolfi, was fluent in English as well, and there were no communication barriers whatsoever. We were such a small group that everyone had a blast.

The food prepared by our chefs, Edgar and assistant Donato, was out of this world, fresh, filling, healthy, and so good; there were hot drinks, fresh fruits, jams, vegetables, quinoa, bean bread, an abundance of tasty gluten free foods and snacks due to dietary restrictions, salads, potatoes of course, chicken, hearty soups, stir-fry’s, desserts, even a cupcake for my birthday made last minute; we agreed that we enjoyed our meals on the trek much more than the delicious food we tried later in Lima, said to be THE food capital. We got hot water and tea in the morning! Being used to “roughing it” on camping and backpacking trips, when I saw pictures of how our meals would be served at tables with nice table cloth, napkins, utensils, and camping chairs in a tent I thought we were going to be over-pampered but wow was I grateful for the comfort of a space like that after a long day’s trek. Edgar and Donato were with us during days 1-3 of our trek.

Ronaldino was a skilled driver, negotiating rough and narrow roads expertly, getting us to our starting point and meeting us later at different points of our adventure on day 3 and at the end on our last day to get us back to Cusco from the train. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with him and loved getting to know him a little! A very sweet guy!

Americo and Huaman were our muleteers and the entire crew helped quickly and efficiently set up and break down our camps. We typically started ahead of them on our treks while they finished packing up the horses and mules but before we knew it, they were passing us up, running ahead to meet us at lunch and the end of the days. Americo and Huaman were with us during days 1-2 of our trek. They were wonderful.

Rolfi our guide was the heart of the entire group, bringing everyone together. He never stopped cracking jokes, was a wealth of history and information to our million questions, constantly pointing out things to us as we trekked, and always had the best stories to share. Our group was interested in just about everything on the trek (fauna, history, culture, etc.), and Rolfi had something to each about everything we asked about. He was unendingly patient with us as we were perpetually, “National Geographic,” stopping to take photos of the beauty around us and as we huffed and puffed during our ascents. Rolfi was nothing but encouraging and great fun. I don’t think we ever ran out of good conversation. He was there with us from start to finish, ensuring that each of us were feeling well and enjoying ourselves, extremely astute to each of our interests, and we all learned a lot from one another. We loved him and could not have asked for a better guide! It was hard for us all to say farewell to everyone in our crew and especially to Rolfi.

The sights were unforgettable. Incredible microclimates with endless kinds of flora and fauna, butterflies, waterfalls, wild strawberries, racing clouds, tree canopies. Thousands of years old aqueducts and ancient Incan ruins, meeting local people along the way. We were awed by the numerous valleys, towering mountain ranges, glaciers, and our summit views. On our 1st night of camp, our bright view of the milky-way galaxy was incredible. We loved touring the coffee plantation, zip-lining and very much enjoyed the hot springs on our 3rd day. Our camping tents were perfectly comfortable. Our train ride on Peru Rail and accommodations in Cola de Mono and Aguas Calientes were also very nice. Machu Picchu and its history was unreal and climbing Huayna Picchu was totally worth it!

Local specialist: James M
James
James M
Local specialist in Cusco, Peru | Replied on Apr 20, 2018

Hi John, your review backs up the great review from Laura. We're thrilled you had a great time & the photos prove it also! It was a pleasure to have you guys with us, and to know that our crew looked after you the way we love them to operate. It's quite rare to have a group as relaxed & easy going as yourselves so many thanks for making the crew part of your trek. I'll make sure they all know the review you've left for them. Please keep in touch, best regards, James

Group departure - Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu - 5 Days
Peru | Apr 9 - Apr 13, 2018

L
Laura M.
Detroit, MI | Reviewed on Apr 20, 2018
Salkantay Trek with Quechua Treks Peru to Machu Picchu, 5 Days, 4 Nights After a couple years saving up for our dream adventure to Peru and Machu Picchu, my fiancé and I were finally able to take the time to plan our trip for the end of the rainy season in early April. My brother and his wife joined us as well and the four of us had an absolutely amazing visit to Peru! After a lot of research, we decided on booking a guided trek through KimKim with Quechua Treks Peru; this turned out to be... Read more

Salkantay Trek with Quechua Treks Peru to Machu Picchu, 5 Days, 4 Nights

After a couple years saving up for our dream adventure to Peru and Machu Picchu, my fiancé and I were finally able to take the time to plan our trip for the end of the rainy season in early April. My brother and his wife joined us as well and the four of us had an absolutely amazing visit to Peru! After a lot of research, we decided on booking a guided trek through KimKim with Quechua Treks Peru; this turned out to be an experience of a lifetime, one to be so fondly remembered and that cannot be fully shared with others in words and photos. You simply had to be there.

From the start, James at KimKim was always available to answers questions and helped us get set up with the travel plan and trek we wanted. He was in touch with us from beginning to end and made sure we were able to coordinate with Quechua Treks for what was needed, from contacts, to prices, to dietary restrictions! Thanks so much, James! Mayra was also in touch with us from Quechua Treks and helped us along the way.

We arrived in Cusco in order to acclimate to the altitude for about 2 days before our trek. Cusco is located at over 11,000 ft and our Salkantay Trek would take us to almost 15,000 ft. On the night before our trek, our guide Rolfi met with us to provide our briefing for the trip. We immediately felt at ease with him and with the entire crew, whom we were introduced to the next morning (muleteers/porters/tent men Americo and Huaman, chef Edgar, assistant cook Donato, and Ronaldino our driver). As two women, my sister-in-law and I felt respected and never uncomfortable in a group of otherwise all men. My sister-in-law was the only one among us four who really spoke Spanish and while Rolfi our guide was very fluent in English, no part of the language barriers between us prevented us all from enjoying each other, constantly laughing, gesturing, translating for each other, cracking jokes, and learning from each other. I felt that everyone became family and I will never forget each of the wonderful crew members and the warmth they showed us. They took such good care of us.

The food prepared by our chefs, Edgar and assistant Donato, was out of this world, fresh, filling, healthy, and so good; there were hot drinks, fresh fruits, jams, vegetables, quinoa, bean bread, an abundance of tasty gluten free foods and snacks due to dietary restrictions, salads, potatoes of course, chicken, hearty soups, stir-fry’s, desserts, even a cupcake for my birthday made last minute; we agreed that we enjoyed our meals on the trek much more than the delicious food we tried later in Lima, said to be THE food capital. Hot water and tea in the morning! Being used to “roughing it” on camping and backpacking trips, when I saw pictures of how our meals would be served at tables with nice table cloth, napkins, utensils, and camping chairs in a tent I thought we were going to be over-pampered but wow was I grateful for the comfort of a space like that after a long day’s trek. Edgar and Donato were with us during days 1-3 of our trek.

Ronaldino was an excellent driver, negotiating rough and narrow roads expertly, getting us to our starting point and meeting us later at different points of our adventure on day 3 and at the end on our last day to get us back to Cusco from the train. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with him and loved getting to know him a little!

Americo and Huaman were our muleteers and the entire crew helped quickly and efficiently set up and break down our camps. We typically started ahead of them on our treks while they finished packing up the horses and mules but before we knew it, they were passing us up, running ahead to meet us at lunch and the end of the days. Americo and Huaman were with us during days 1-2 of our trek. They were wonderful.

Rolfi :) our guide was the heart of the entire group, bringing everyone together. He never stopped cracking jokes, was a wealth of history and information to our million questions, constantly pointing out things to us as we trekked, and always had the best stories to share. He was unendingly patient with us as we were perpetually, “National Geographic,” stopping to take photos of the beauty around us and as we huffed and puffed during our ascents. Rolfi was nothing but encouraging and great fun. I don’t think we ever ran out of good conversation. He was there with us from start to finish, ensuring that each of us were feeling well and enjoying ourselves, extremely astute to each of our interests, and we all learned a lot from one another. We loved him and could not have asked for a better guide! It was hard for us all to say farewell to everyone in our crew and especially to Rolfi.

The sights were unforgettable. Incredible microclimates with endless kinds of flora and fauna, butterflies, waterfalls, wild strawberries, racing clouds, tree canopies. Thousands of years old aqueducts and ancient Incan ruins, meeting local people along the way. We were awed by the numerous valleys, towering mountain ranges, glaciers, and our summit views. On our 1st night of camp, our bright view of the milky-way galaxy was incredible. We loved touring the coffee plantation, zip-lining and very much enjoyed the hot springs on our 3rd day. Our camping tents were perfectly comfortable. Our train ride on Peru Rail and accommodations in Cola de Mono and Aguas Calientes were also very nice. Machu Picchu and its history was unreal and climbing Huayna Picchu was totally worth it!

After this extraordinary trek, I felt changed, refreshed, and encouraged in many ways related to my personal life. I returned home feeling better about myself, the extreme physical challenges I faced, and my motivation to take the time to eat healthier and take kinder care of myself re-emerged. I left Peru gaining new perspective and new friends I felt sorry to part with. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Quechua Treks Peru and KimKim family.

Tips about this trek, during the end of the rainy season in early April:
The weather for us ranged from 30’sF at highest altitudes to 60’sF. Obviously, the weather will vary from year to year but during the trek, there are MANY difference microclimates you will travel through, with weather changes occurring even from minute to minute, from rainy, windy, sunny, freezing, very comfortable temperate, to humid and hot. You will always feel different based on whether you are moving or sitting still.

Our guide provided us each with a duffel bag the day before our trek that would mostly be carried on the mules to hold our belongings that we could mostly access at the end of each day only, until the next morning when we were back on our way; at times later during the trip, we were also responsible for hanging on to our duffels ourselves (carrying them to our hotels, the train, etc). The bags are meant to hold 7kg of your belongings maximum, which is completely manageable.

- General packing: while you are away on a trek, many people find that they are able to leave some things with their hotel/air bnb in cusco. I ended up leaving my main 42 L hiking backpack and souveniers I had picked up in Cusco to this purpose and taking just my 22L REI flashpack as my day pack, the rest stored in the duffel bag that was provided. They do keep your bags covered on the mules but it was advised to store the belongings inside the duffel in a trash bag or dry sacks just in case of heavy rains, so we did so.
- Clothes: clothes with merino wool mixed or tanks of polyester fabric are the way to go to prolong your laundry and to temperature regulate. For our trek, I did fine with 2 pairs of trekking pants, 1 pair of shorts, a merino base layer top and bottom for the cold evening/days, 3 tshirts/tanks, 1 merino bra, swim suit, 2 merino toe socks, 1 regular merino pair of socks. Toe socks are amazing, I did not get one blister. Merino wool socks are double-amazing, you really can wear them for many days without developing odor. I brought extra changes of things in case of dirt and/or getting wet from rain.
- Outerwear/Raingear: Umbrella. Genius Rolfi. He gave credit to a group of Japanese trekkers he led about 15 years ago. I did not have one and being a bit of a Seattle snob about umbrellas, wish I had. The weather changes are fast and often on the trek and there already is a lot of stopping to un-layer and re-layer jackets, hats, hoods, rain covers, etc. Having an umbrella would have reduced some of that :) My trekking pants dried very quickly from body heat even after getting soaked several times, and while moving I was not cold. Others in my group brought outer rain pants and that was helpful to them as well. I had one ultralight down and one fleece in addition to a base layer if needed for warmth and that was plenty. A headband to go over the ears, beanie, and a water-proof hat for sun and rain in addition to my light rain jacket/wind breaker. Sunglasses, of course. Rain cover for my day pack. Gloves. Small dry sacks and sandwich/freezer bags for some things just in case to extra protect some items in my pack.
- Shoes: To lighten weight, I was happy I went with Saucony Peregrine trail runners; these are not water proof but dry quickly while wearing from body heat and whenever I expected rainy weather, particularly the first 2 days, I went ahead and wore water-proof Sealskinz socks. For the most part, the peregrines stayed dry anyway. I also brought a pair of LL Bean Maine Hunting Shoes and a pair of flip flops to wear around camp and also at the hot springs for the flip flops.
- Other Equipment: I brought one trekking pole and this was helpful to me during steep ascents and especially descents. At Machu Picchu itself, they may or may not let you in with a trekking pole but if so you will definitely require rubber caps. Power adapter for when there was access. My 5000mAh external battery was perfect for keeping my phone charged for photos. Headlamp.
- Snacks: snacks were actually provided to us for the trail every day but we did bring some of our own such as jerky, chocolate/candy, peanut butter.
- Backpacks: My day pack was under 10 lbs not including water, while my porter pack was about 12 lbs. In my day pack/on me, I kept personal valuables like my passport, an extra pair of socks, my baselayer top, hats, gloves, sometimes my camp towel, snacks for the day, water, external battery for my phone, jackets and fleece, rain cover, some toilet paper, pain relievers like advil, first aid basics, insect repellant, sunscreen, sunglasses, trekking pole.
- Water: Camelback pouch, 2 to 3 liters size is plenty. You will get clean water refills every evening and morning. No need to bring water purifiers.
- Altitude prophylaxis/meds: acetazolamide is essential to help protect you from altitude sickness. Start 24 hours before you arrive to Cusco and continue for 1-2 days after your highest elevation. I also acquired the typhoid vaccine.
- First aid/bug repellant/sunscreen: lip balm, sunscreen, insect repellant (we really liked the Picaridin instead of DEET; it doesn’t leave a residue and a little bit goes a long way). Quechua Treks carries a first aid kit and oxygen tank if needed but I brought my own kit as well, including ace wrap, Zofran, some basic antibiotics in case of bacterial diarrhea, bandaids, advil/Tylenol/Benadryl/antibiotic ointment, leukotape in case of blisters, among other first aid basics of choice.
- Sleeping: My thin sleeping liner plus down quilt for 20 degrees F was plenty warm for the purpose of this hike. Quechua Treks provides the inflatable sleeping pads and for the first night or two comfy sleeping liners and pillow were also provided; however, I believe these got wet during a heavy rain and so I was glad to have brought my own liner. Earplugs were very nice to have.
- Toiletries/laundry: you may laugh, but having the Pstyle for the ladies was perfect, especially when we had to use that “Incan toilet” on the trail. At camp and at rest-stops on the trail, there were toilets. Bring your own toilet paper just in case. Aside from your personal toiletries, wet wipes were nice to have for extra clean up if needed and Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap (2 oz) was perfect for hand-washing a couple things along the way. I found that bringing a couple clamps/clothespins was helpful for drying out some clothes on the trail (hooked onto outside of my pack) or overnight. Camping towel.
- Money: If you have a debt card with no foreign transaction fee, withdraw money in soles at an ATM such as at the airport when you arrive in Cusco. In Cusco, while restaurants generally accepted mastercard or visa, pretty much everywhere else except for fancy stores only take soles. In Aguas Calientes, most of the shops in the market will take a credit card as well and will often accept small denominations of USD. Best to have denominations of 50 or less in soles while you are on the road and keep some 1 sole coins to use toilets at rest-stops along the trail. Set aside some soles ahead of time for tipping your crew.

Local specialist: James M
James
James M
Local specialist in Cusco, Peru | Replied on Apr 26, 2018
Hi Laura, we're all blown away by your review. For you to take the time to let us know how it was, is incredible. The guys all appreciate it, Laura, it's not very often that they get the mention their work merits. I'll make sure everyone sees it :) When we get groups like yours, you understand what we're about and you made the most of your time here. Your group is the reason we do what we do, it was a pleasure to have you with us & please keep in touch. Your pictures are some of the best I've... Read more

Hi Laura, we're all blown away by your review. For you to take the time to let us know how it was, is incredible. The guys all appreciate it, Laura, it's not very often that they get the mention their work merits. I'll make sure everyone sees it :) When we get groups like yours, you understand what we're about and you made the most of your time here. Your group is the reason we do what we do, it was a pleasure to have you with us & please keep in touch. Your pictures are some of the best I've seen, the variety of flora I still find astounding! We hope you'll be back to Peru some time.
best regards, James

India
India | Mar 31 - Apr 18, 2018

Ivan
Ivan T.
Miami, FL | Reviewed on Apr 19, 2018
Everything was excellent, from the drivers to the guides to the welcoming reps at every place. Especially wanted to thank Mr. Sahil Singh in Amnitsar for his excellent services as a guide. He was patient and knowledgeable of the places and culture of his city. Made every effort to make us feel welcomed and comfortable. Every guide and driver was good, but Mr. Sahil went the extra mile. As a whole this was an excellent trip to an amazing destination. Every place was very special, and it is... Read more

Everything was excellent, from the drivers to the guides to the welcoming reps at every place. Especially wanted to thank Mr. Sahil Singh in Amnitsar for his excellent services as a guide. He was patient and knowledgeable of the places and culture of his city. Made every effort to make us feel welcomed and comfortable. Every guide and driver was good, but Mr. Sahil went the extra mile. As a whole this was an excellent trip to an amazing destination. Every place was very special, and it is very difficult to select the most memorable. If I had to mention a few, I would select The Golden Temple, Udaipur, Agra Fort, Jaipur, and obviously the Taj.

Local specialist: Priya Dikshit
Priya
Priya Dikshit
Local specialist in New Delhi | Replied on Jul 20, 2018

Dear Ivan,
Thank you so much for your feedback and your kind words.
It was a pleasure to design this programme for you and your friends. I am glad to know that you had a very good time in India and thank you for sharing this with us.

I wish you for your other amazing journeys around the world, I would be happy to see you in India again:)

Priya

Experience Jordan Tour - 8 Days
Jordan | Apr 7 - Apr 15, 2018

Hazel
Hazel O.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Reviewed on Apr 19, 2018
I have been wanting to go to Jordan and have done a lot of research and comparison between different tour operators. I have also considered just renting a car and doing it on my own since I want the experience to be as intimate as possible and not be stuck with a big tour group. Thankfully, I came across Kimkim's 8 days Experience Jordan Tour which offered the type of itinerary I was looking for and also offered a fair price as a private tour. The communication platform of Kimkim worked... Read more

I have been wanting to go to Jordan and have done a lot of research and comparison between different tour operators. I have also considered just renting a car and doing it on my own since I want the experience to be as intimate as possible and not be stuck with a big tour group. Thankfully, I came across Kimkim's 8 days Experience Jordan Tour which offered the type of itinerary I was looking for and also offered a fair price as a private tour. The communication platform of Kimkim worked great for our group and Andy Nurse, our tour specialist was able to answer all our questions and concerns on a timely manner. He was the one responsible to set up our tour and was very patient with all the changes and adjustments we made until the last minute. Joost Schreve and Alex Buri also came to our rescue to make sure our needs were attended to. They all worked well as a team.

There were 8 of us in our group and everyone came back home safely and full of amazing memories and adventures created during our tour of Jordan. We were also happy with our tour guide, Abdallah As'ad, who gave us an insight about Jordan's culture & history through out our tour. He was easy going, patient, knowledgable, accommodating and a great company to be with.

As far as the negative side, the only hiccup I have experienced was during our arrival at the airport. The 4 of us out of the 8 in the group arrived a day earlier at the airport. The representative who was supposed to meet us and process our visas failed to show up. It was late at night so we got a bit frantic not knowing if we were going to get picked up or not. We waited for about 20 minutes just incase they were running late before we decided that we needed to get a hold of somebody from the company. Fortunately, we were able to call the main office based out of California and with the time difference, the office was open at that time and that was when Alex Buri stepped in to help us out. He got a hold of Andy for us and got things straightened out from there. The airport representative never made it so we got instructed to buy our own visas which later got reimbursed by the company. It set us back almost an hour until we got picked up by our driver to take us to our hotel. The rest of our group who arrived the following day had no issues with their airport transport.

Overall, I recommend Kimkim and I would chose to book again with them for future travels.

BTW, since we arrived a day early, we were able to do an extra activity by having Kimkim arrange our R/T transfer to Wadi Mujib Resereve. We did the Siq trail Hike and I highly recommend this thrilling activity if you are looking for something different to do while in Amman. The book Lonely Planet quoted one of the reserve ranger describe this hike as "Petra with water".

Local specialist: Andy Nurse
Andy
Andy Nurse
Local specialist in Jordan | Replied on Apr 20, 2018
Thank you Hazel for the great review! I am really happy that you had a great time. Abdalalah As'ad is one of the best guides, so I was really excited that I was able to reserve him for your trip. That is one of the benefits of booking early, like you did! Apologies for the first day airport mixup, we had a problem with one of the three dates written on one of your group's manifest for the government that caused the issue. My sincere apologies, and we tried to do our best to resolve the... Read more

Thank you Hazel for the great review! I am really happy that you had a great time. Abdalalah As'ad is one of the best guides, so I was really excited that I was able to reserve him for your trip. That is one of the benefits of booking early, like you did!

Apologies for the first day airport mixup, we had a problem with one of the three dates written on one of your group's manifest for the government that caused the issue. My sincere apologies, and we tried to do our best to resolve the matter. Alex and Joost are great associates who were able to help all the way from the other side of the world.

I think it was really smart of the four of you who arrived early to do the Wadi Mujib Sig trail as a day trip from Amman. It really is a great adventurous water hike that is easy to do as a day trip from the capital. That is one place where your planning came in handy! It was a pleasure hosting you in Jordan and I wish you the best on your next adventure!

Jordan: Amman, Petra and Wadi Rum - 4 Days
Jordan | Apr 11 - Apr 14, 2018

Stelios
Stelios S.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Apr 19, 2018
Our trip to Jordan was great. Lena created a perfect itinerary for us and she included in it everything we wanted. Even if we changed our requirements a lot of times and we booked our trip at the very last minute, Lena was very patient, responsive and understanding. We didn't have any problems. and our driver was very funny, professional and friendly. The price was very good as well. Highly recommended! The only thing that I would change is the 4-hour 4x4 Jeep Tour that we had in the... Read more

Our trip to Jordan was great. Lena created a perfect itinerary for us and she included in it everything we wanted. Even if we changed our requirements a lot of times and we booked our trip at the very last minute, Lena was very patient, responsive and understanding.

We didn't have any problems. and our driver was very funny, professional and friendly. The price was very good as well. Highly recommended!

The only thing that I would change is the 4-hour 4x4 Jeep Tour that we had in the desert. We really enjoyed that tour, but the car was not even close to a Jeep. It was an old vintage car, which caused us some headache.

Local specialist: Lena Sluga
Lena
Lena Sluga
Local specialist in Amman | Replied on Apr 22, 2018

Thank you very much for your review, it was my pleasure to plan this trip with you!

Machapichi, hiking, adventures, good food.
Peru | Apr 7 - Apr 15, 2018

D
Donna W.
Laguna Niguel, CA | Reviewed on Apr 19, 2018
Tom and I had a wonderful experience in Peru. Every detail was taken care on so we could just relax and enjoy. Luis was very knowledgeable and so easy to be around. He spoiled us! Paul was our driver and he too was very helpful. Aspiring Adventures had every detail planned so that our trip was seamless. Love the bike ride down the Andes and this special group did a great job of making us feel comfortable. The value was terrific! Two recommendations. Try another accommodation in... Read more

Tom and I had a wonderful experience in Peru. Every detail was taken care on so we could just relax and enjoy. Luis was very knowledgeable and so easy to be around. He spoiled us! Paul was our driver and he too was very helpful. Aspiring Adventures had every detail planned so that our trip was seamless. Love the bike ride down the Andes and this special group did a great job of making us feel comfortable. The value was terrific! Two recommendations. Try another accommodation in Olyamtamba and make sure local drivers in Santa Teresa have seat belts. That's picky so as you can see the entire trip was wonderful and we will definitely use this group again. Their planning let us VACATiON!
Tom andDonna

Local specialist: Steve Wilson
Steve
Steve Wilson
Local specialist in Cusco, Peru; Dunedin, New Zealand; Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany | Replied on May 15, 2018

Hi Donna
Great to hear you and Tom had a wonderful experience - and indeed, how could you not, with Luis and Paul taking care of you!
I'm delighted you appreciated the planning that went into making sure the trip ran smoothly and apparently effortlessly, while avoiding allergens as far as humanly possible.. the Kuychipunku kittycat let us down there!
Thanks for travelling with us and we would love to host you and Tom again!
Cheers
Steve

Go back to my roots
Bolivia | Apr 1 - Apr 16, 2018

Cassie
Cassie B.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Apr 19, 2018
We had a wonderful time. Terra Andina were really good checking on us at arrival and notifying us of any changes. For me personally I loved La Paz and found Teresita the guide really informative. She helped me understand the many situations in the country and also the culture. We found the trip was divided into 3 sections. The first being La Paz and lake Titicaca and staying with locals. We had a wonderful time in all aspects. Found Jamie and Marisol so kind and I think we ate the best food... Read more

We had a wonderful time. Terra Andina were really good checking on us at arrival and notifying us of any changes. For me personally I loved La Paz and found Teresita the guide really informative. She helped me understand the many situations in the country and also the culture.

We found the trip was divided into 3 sections. The first being La Paz and lake Titicaca and staying with locals. We had a wonderful time in all aspects. Found Jamie and Marisol so kind and I think we ate the best food with them. Really enjoyed that they encouraged us to join in with activities such as picking potatoes and making cheese. Plus as it was my birthday I found they helped me celebrate well.

Then the 4 day trip round the sur lipez and salt flats. Eloy our driver and guide was brilliant. He was always finding us lovely places to eat not with the other tourists and the lunches were delicious . Set in breathtaking scenery. The whole 4 days was just amazing to see the diversity of the country. We were treated so well with Eloy and thoroughly enjoyed.

The final part was Potosi and Sucre. For us we didn’t enjoy Potosi but I think by then we were very tired. Was glad of a free day in Sucre to chill and enjoy the city at our leisure. The final day in La Paz was nice as to see the city sights plus the wrestling. Teresita was a great guide for us.

Overall it exceeded our expectations. I’m glad we went for a personal tour as would never have got all the information or places to eat and go. Thanks again to all the guides and Kim Kim and Terra Andina . Awesome

Local specialist: Marie Lainé
Marie
Marie Lainé
Local specialist in Bolivia | Replied on Apr 19, 2018

Thank you very much Cassie !

The whole team was delighted to organize your trip back to your roots.

I personaly thank you for the great comments about our guides and driver. It's important for us to always gives a profesional service.

Thank you Cassie and Tim for being amazing travelers !

Jordan
Jordan | Apr 11 - Apr 16, 2018

A
Auey D.
Thailand | Reviewed on Apr 19, 2018
There were a few bumps along the road with the reservations and requests for activities that didn't go through e.g. we were placed into a different hotel than the one we had requested and weren't notified; we only found out when we got to the hotel and had to call Andy ourselves. Granted, the hotel was a much nicer one than he one we had requested but "I changed the booking I just didn't tell you" isn't what passes for an apology or a suitable notification.
For the dive in the Red Sea, we...
Read more

There were a few bumps along the road with the reservations and requests for activities that didn't go through e.g. we were placed into a different hotel than the one we had requested and weren't notified; we only found out when we got to the hotel and had to call Andy ourselves. Granted, the hotel was a much nicer one than he one we had requested but "I changed the booking I just didn't tell you" isn't what passes for an apology or a suitable notification.
For the dive in the Red Sea, we asked for 2 dives and we paid for the 2 dived each but when we got onto the boat we were told that we were only to do 1 dive because thats what they were notified.

Our freelance tour guide, Walid, along with the bus driver who was provided by the Agency helped a lot in getting us around and giving us information and knowledge on the places we were to, and gave us insider trips to get us the best deals.

However, I think we could've done without the bus driver smoking on the bus every time we got off. It was nauseating every time we came back onto the bus.

Ultimately, it was an amazing experience visiting that part of the world for the very first time, it wouldn't be an adventure if we didn't have any obstacles.

Local specialist: Andy Nurse
Andy
Andy Nurse
Local specialist in Jordan | Replied on Jun 04, 2018
Hi Auey, I am happy to hear that it was an amazing experience. The diving experience was never finalized or added to the trip costs. But I added it "on the house" as the guide told me your group wanted to dive and we had talked about diving before. Even if I did not charge for it, and we did not agree on how many dive, I wanted your group to have a great experience so I was happy to cover it for you. I have noted the complaint about the bus driver smoking, and will alert my boss about it.... Read more

Hi Auey, I am happy to hear that it was an amazing experience.

The diving experience was never finalized or added to the trip costs. But I added it "on the house" as the guide told me your group wanted to dive and we had talked about diving before. Even if I did not charge for it, and we did not agree on how many dive, I wanted your group to have a great experience so I was happy to cover it for you.

I have noted the complaint about the bus driver smoking, and will alert my boss about it. Overall, I'm glad to hear that Waleed helped a lot and that it was an amazing experience. Safe travels!

Jordan
Jordan | Apr 11 - Apr 16, 2018

P
Ploy U.
Thailand | Reviewed on Apr 18, 2018
Our group had an amazing time in Jordan! Despite some minor miscommunication at the beginning of our trip with Andy, our local specialist, about some accommodation details, it was overall a pretty smooth experience and he was able to help us with the problems we had. We very much enjoyed our time with our local guide, Waleed, who was very accommodating and had ample knowledge about Jordan's history and traditions, all of which we very much enjoyed hearing about. We spent a total of 5 days... Read more

Our group had an amazing time in Jordan! Despite some minor miscommunication at the beginning of our trip with Andy, our local specialist, about some accommodation details, it was overall a pretty smooth experience and he was able to help us with the problems we had. We very much enjoyed our time with our local guide, Waleed, who was very accommodating and had ample knowledge about Jordan's history and traditions, all of which we very much enjoyed hearing about.

We spent a total of 5 days there and we felt that was enough to see everything without having to rush, although more time to relax at the Dead Sea at the end of our trip could have been the cherry on top. Petra is truly a world wonder and we spent about 7 hours exploring, which for the average traveler, I think is plenty of time. But, if you are very interested in ancient history and want to do more of the hiking trails, perhaps an extra day in Petra would be good. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the Petra by Night experience because it is quite a long walk and you don't get to see much in the dark -- but it might be worth it to some people. We also went to Aqaba, which is worth a boat trip if you are into snorkeling/scuba diving but otherwise, there isn't much to do in the city. Wadi Rum is also a very cool spot, but if you stay at one of the campsites, I would recommend trying to get there a bit on the earlier side to explore the grounds -- but that and the desert jeep tour warrants about a full day at most.

The meet-and-assist step at the airport both upon our arrival and departure was highly convenient, although it would have perhaps been useful to know what to expect about the visa process prior to our arrival.

The only downside was our bus. The driver was very nice but he had the habit of smoking in the car (albeit, when we were not there) which made long bus rides very uncomfortable because of the smell. The driving was sometimes erratic but I think that can be partially attributed to the slightly bumpy roads!

Local specialist: Andy Nurse
Andy
Andy Nurse
Local specialist in Jordan | Replied on Jun 04, 2018

Hi ploy thanks for your review. Waleed and I were in communication throughout the trip, trying to make sure things run as smoothly as possible. It is great to hear that you really enjoyed his guiding and that Alaa our airport representative was very helpful.

For buses in Jordan unfortunately Jett is really our only option at the moment. So we do not have much control over the driver. But I have noted your feedback and we will think about ways to improve it.

Best wishes!

Nepal and Trekking
Nepal | Mar 26 - Apr 9, 2018

K
Kim S.
New Zealand | Reviewed on Apr 18, 2018
Where to start! What an amazing trek! Amanda was great throughout the organising, answering any questions I had (and I had a lot!). We had a good group of us who did the trek together. Our guides Gelu and Nurbu were awesome and so were our porters always smiling and helping! I was blown away by their efforts put into the trek because they never rested! They were even in the kitchen preparing our meals when the cook had a day off! They were also very helpful while walking especially on the... Read more

Where to start! What an amazing trek! Amanda was great throughout the organising, answering any questions I had (and I had a lot!). We had a good group of us who did the trek together. Our guides Gelu and Nurbu were awesome and so were our porters always smiling and helping! I was blown away by their efforts put into the trek because they never rested! They were even in the kitchen preparing our meals when the cook had a day off! They were also very helpful while walking especially on the pass day coming down Nurbu was always right there if we fell over or making sure it was safe! Most of the guest houses and food was great just the night before the pass when we were in tents was a hard night but I don't think that will change. The scenery varied a lot which was great. Overall we had an amazing time and will never forget it!! If we decide to do another trek we would definitely want the same guides and porters again!! Thank you!

After our trek we went down to Chitwan national park and did a home stay in the Tharu village. This was so awesome!! Really grassroots but the best decision! Right from the beginning we were totally immersed in the culture. The village activities were so much fun! We felt like part of the family! Everyone was so friendly! The meals were delicious and very fresh! This is something I would highly recommend for people to do, even families because all of the kids would play together. I really cannot put into words this experience. Sukram did a great job of organising everything and making sure we were looked after.

Local specialist: Amanda Delecca
Amanda
Amanda Delecca
Local specialist in Kathmandu and USA | Replied on May 22, 2018

Hey Kim, thanks for your kind words and awesome photos!! It's great to see part of your experience here, both trekking and in Chitwan. These are both experiences that we really love and agree that the what you get is so much more than the words or photos that any of us could share. It was such a pleasure helping you with your trip, I hope the fond memories of Nepal stay with you for a long time!

All the best, Amanda :)

Experience Jordan Tour - 8 Days
Jordan | Apr 7 - Apr 15, 2018

John
John P.
Huntington Beach, CA | Reviewed on Apr 17, 2018

The trip was simply amazing.. The online scheduling department, the driver and the guide were all top notch. I could not have hoped for a better experience. Honestly, what a great country, experience and team that are at Kimkim... Thank you to all of you for all of your effort.

Local specialist: Andy Nurse
Andy
Andy Nurse
Local specialist in Jordan | Replied on Apr 20, 2018

Hi John, thank you for the review! I am really glad that you enjoyed your time in Jordan. I am also really happy that you came away from the experience thinking Jordan was a great country. The toughest thing we face is the reputation of being in the middle east, so the more travelers especially American travelers, that visit the country and come away with a positive experience the better! I really believe that travel helps makes the world a better place, so thanks for contributing to that.

Group departure - Manaslu Circuit Trek - The Ultimate off-the-beaten-path Trek in Nepal - 13 to 19 days
Nepal | Mar 26 - Apr 9, 2018

C
chris m.
Australia | Reviewed on Apr 17, 2018
I believe our trek guide Gelu did an amazing job throughout the 2 weeks. His experience, and temperament was valued, whilst his willingness to help all trekkers to have an amazing trip was first class. Actually this is true for his whole team, including porters and assistant guide Nu bo. They all performed roles from guides, to cooks, to waiters, to boot fixers etc with a smile and pleasant nature.
In regards to the trek itself, it included beautiful country and challenging terrain towards...
Read more

I believe our trek guide Gelu did an amazing job throughout the 2 weeks. His experience, and temperament was valued, whilst his willingness to help all trekkers to have an amazing trip was first class. Actually this is true for his whole team, including porters and assistant guide Nu bo. They all performed roles from guides, to cooks, to waiters, to boot fixers etc with a smile and pleasant nature.
In regards to the trek itself, it included beautiful country and challenging terrain towards the top. I would personally probably prefer bigger days in the lower country and reducing the number of days over over the trek or including a few more days in the Annapurna region towards the end. Overall great trip with some great people.

Local specialist: Amanda Delecca
Amanda
Amanda Delecca
Local specialist in Kathmandu and USA | Replied on May 22, 2018

Hi Chris, great to hear that the crew did such a great job on your group trek, we totally agree that they're amazing and do an awesome job!

Cheers,
Amanda

Costa Rica surfing adventure
Costa Rica | Mar 30 - Apr 10, 2018

J
Jamie O.
San Rafael, CA | Reviewed on Apr 16, 2018

Great trip! Thanks for the change in transportation to Tamarindo as the ride was awesome with the forst half hour on the beach and the most of the rest on backroads thru the countryside. On reflection i would have stayed an extra day at Flor Blanca versus goign to Tamarindo which was too touristy for me but great for my 16 year old. Thanks for your help!

Local specialist: Sylvia Jurado
Sylvia
Sylvia Jurado
Local specialist in San Jose, Costa Rica | Replied on Apr 16, 2018

Hola Jamie!
Happy to learn that you had a great surfing adventure in Costa Rica with your son and that he liked Tamarindo for more surfing!! Flor Blanca is a great resort and I knew that you will love it when I proposed it to you!

You have to come back to explore Costa Rica and explore other destinations such as the Arenal Volcano area and why not surfing down on the Caribbean coast!

Wishing you a great day!

Kind regards,

Sylvia