Kimkim Trip Reviews

Welcoming by people living in the mountains was always good. Teahouse food always freshly cooked on demand and very good, which was surprising with the remoteness of the villages or base camp.
Dawa our guide know well the track so no issue about being guided. Many new roads are being built so sometimes it was hard to find the right track. From the description of our trip, we went through a cheese factory village. Dawa didn't tell us and it is a bit disappointed that he never talked about life of people living in villages, how they sustain, what is their culture and values.
Amanda was welcoming before and after the treck and helpful for any question.

Overall the planning process was smooth - Kripa was responsive and addressed my questions. My guide, Rishi was great! He was knowledgeable, friendly, and a pleasure to trek with.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the route (Balthali Village Trek) designed by kimkim. Based on the descriptions on the site (and research I did online), I was under the impression I would be trekking between quiet hillside villages, off the beaten path, near mountains. This was not the case. While Rishi made every effort to take alternative routes that took us off main roads, most of the trek was in earshot of bus and truck horns, loud music, and general city life. I wish kimkim had been upfront about the type of trek this was and had more accurate descriptions of where I would be trekking (ie, between cities, on roads). I would not recommend this trek to anyone interested in a peaceful trek through the mountains or countryside.

In addition, while I walk fast, I thought the trekking time estimates were really off. One day, the trekking time was listed as 5 hours, but I completed the distance in 2.5. Adding distance to the descriptions would be helpful.

While we enjoyed our trip to this amazing country , I would have a some suggestions .
We were two people on a private tour .

Clarify every arrangement clearly
Eg no shopping stops on guided tours / guides could be higher quality
All drivers or taxi services provide by company to have basic English ( or language requested by client ) . We struggled with this on our last three days , was tiresome .
We requested a luxury tent in the Desert , but only a standard one was booked . When we queried it and requested itemised costs , nothing received . My final quote was based on this,
Also I had requested meals to be omitted , to offer more flexibilty , this was not done .
So we ended up pay AUD 500 eac more , not totally sure what for .
Our initial driver could have had more engagement / charisma . Felt he wa just ‘doing a job ‘ most of the time .
One hotels and one meal below standard .
We were not informed of our drivers name or called by Larbi initially to check if all was going smoothly .
On the positive when we did contact Larbi if was very good . Our driver was flexible and adjusted our itinery so we got a full day on Fez .
Overall had some great experiences, Morocco scenery , food and interesting weather !

Nepal is a great place but can be chaotic even by South African standards. Every trip to Nepal and Himalaya should be done with a guide from a reputable company.

From the start to the end of our trip we were in the fast lane. When people were queuing, either Ngima or our guide Mingmar got us to the front with no hassle.

There are premium accommodation options along the EBC and Three passes trek, however, most are very basic but adequate. Western toilets become a rarity the closer one gets to Base Camp.

The trip was amazing. It was also very hard. I would not recommend three passes or Base Camp/Kala Patthar to anyone that is unfit, is injured, is overweight.

I'm a traveler success manager at kimkim, and I booked part of my recent trip to Peru with James at Unu Raymi.

I had been itching to check out the Amazon rainforest, but knew that I wouldn't have a lot of time to explore during my recent trip to South America. James helped me plan a great 3-day trip to Huitoto Lodge; a beautiful, family-owned, remote lodge in the Tambopata region of the Peruvian Amazon.

Huitoto Lodge is situated on the bank of its very own oxbow lake, slightly removed from the powerful Madre de Dios river. This location affords the lodge a great amount of privacy, peace, and access to pristine jungle areas.

Each day, I had the opportunity to participate in different excursions with my guide, Efrain, including jungle walks, birding, fishing, and caiman-watching. In the downtime between activities, I enjoyed reading and relaxing in the peace and quiet of the lodge.

During my stay, I also had the pleasure of meeting the owners of the lodge, Flor and Gilberto. The two built the lodge together to share the beauty of the region with travelers, and to protect the land and its inhabitants in perpetuity. They take pride in providing great experiences for all of their guests. I should mention, Flor also helps out in the kitchen and is an excellent cook.

My favorite memory from my stay is of the boat trip I took around the island located in the middle of the oxbow lake. Efrain, Elmer (the boat driver), and I had the lake all to ourselves, so we had the opportunity to see an incredible amount of flora and fauna without interruption. On our way around the island, Efrain pointed out one spider monkey and two howler monkeys. He said that Flor and Gilberto had rescued these monkeys from illegal trafficking, and had given them a home on this island where they could remain free, but also protected from territorial monkeys in the mainland jungle areas. I loved seeing these monkeys playing in the wild!

I feel very fortunate that I had the opportunity to experience this unique lodge, and meet some of the passionate people behind its success.

Great support by Andy. Local guide, Waleed, had very in-depth knowledge and was able to show us exactly what we were looking for.

I had wanted to go to Ethiopia for sometime, when it was decided I searched the internet for a company that could deliver the tour that I wanted.
I found kimkim and through them found Marco from Simien Eco Tours.
I also looked at least 3 other tour operators. I had a specific list of things I wanted to see and was open to suggestions of what else Ethiopia had to offer. I specifically wanted to go to Aksum, Lalibela and the archaeology site where 'Lucy' was found. I emailed Marco stating as much and his first reaction to the Lucy site was 'why would you want to go there, there is nothing there'.
I must admit I was a bit annoyed that I received this reply and responded with 'Because I want to!'. His reply to me was a detailed itinerary of our trip which included the northern historic tour of Bahir Dar, Gondar, the Simien Mountains, Aksum, Lalibela and then a drive to Samera and the Lucy site. The fact that he immediately responded to the request of the client sealed the deal with me.
The itinerary was more than I had anticipated and was delivered very professionally.
We were met at the airport by Marco taken to our hotel to freshen up from the long trip. We met a short time later and he advised us of our trip in the days ahead. We were taken to see the National Museum and the displays therein. My focus was on Lucy and I was not disappointed. However, if you are looking for a museum similar to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo then you will be disappointed. This is Ethiopia and I think that western tourism is in its infancy, the infrastructure is still a work in progress.
We were then taken to lunch, to be introduced to the local food, injera. We went to the Taitu Hotel, as Marco advised it is in a seriously rundown condition, there are bedrooms, but you certainly wouldn't stay there, however the restaurant hadn’t changed in a hundred years and the food was great. And he wasn't wrong, it is a great restaurant for the tourist to begin. Marco had to beg off after lunch and left us with Mohamed and a driver, we were asked where we wanted to go and decided to have a look at the Mercato Markets.
We also spoke about other things to do in Addis, the only other choice was a church. We don't go travelling without doing some research on the place and I already knew that there is not a lot to do in one day for a tourist in Addis. We were happy with the Mercato for a couple of hours.
Marco picked us up in the morning and took us to the airport for our flight to Bahir Dar where we would meet our guide Yirga who would look after us for the next 12 days.
The flight was uneventful and were met an hour later by Yirga and our driver Awasha. Over the next 12 days Yirga was the best. His English was excellent, his knowledge of all things Ethiopian fantastic. He told us that he had been a guide for at least 15 years, this certainly showed, what really impressed me was his enthusiasm.
Bahir Dar was excellent, a trip to the Blue Nile Falls, a boat trip to the 14th century monastery was a great day the next day we drove to Gondar. At Gondar we had a guide (I apologize for not remembering his name) who showed us around the castle (palace) and a couple of churches. One thing which always pleases me is the knowledge that the guides have of what they are showing you. The castle you might be able to see in half an hour, with the guide we spent 2 -3 hours and learned so much, I wish I could remember it all.
On to the Simien Mountains the next day. A simply wonderful drive, we arrived early afternoon and after checking in Yirga suggested a short walk. He loves trekking and short walk to him was 2 hours, fortunately for us it was all downhill!! Along the way we saw a small group of gelada baboons, several different birds and many species of plants all which Yirga knew the English names.
We were met 2 hours later by our driver with the car and were driven back up the lodge. We were stopped by a large group of gelada's. Having these animals within an arm’s reach was quite remarkable.
Next day off to Aksum. Aksum is a very holy city and if you don't know anything about it get on the internet and do your research, 2 days was not enough. Again, Yirga made sure that we were Ok and again provided us with a guide for the city and surrounds and again everything was exceptional.
We flew to Lalibela and were met with a new driver, Bekele, a great driver and a very nice man.
Again, we had a great guide and again we had a great time in Lalibela. Lalibela is the hone to the rock hewn churches and they do not disappoint. After spending a day and a half looking at the churches, we went to the open-air market. It was Saturday and market day, and what a great market this is, through the household goods, pots, pans etc through the vegetable area, through the meat market, meat was still live on the hoof, sheep, goats and cattle. Then onto the grain, wheat, split peas, tef, all for sale (tef is the grain they use to make injera) Then onto the spices, what a great day.
A quick note on the hotels we stayed at, as earlier stated tourism infrastructure is still a work in progress, the hotels look nice and the staff are unbelievably friendly and accommodating, but not everything works as you might like, accept the small inconveniences as a work in progress and have a good chuckle. You don't live there, are only in Ethiopia for a short time so enjoy.
For me the best was yet to come. We had a long drive to the city of Samera, not that it is far in distance but the roads, goats, sheep, cows, people on the road slow you down a bit. However, the scenery was fantastic. We drove for about 7 hours with a couple of stops for coffee and lunch.
The next day we drove south to the Hadar region, stopped in a small town to negotiate with the town mayor for the right to drive to the Lucy site, all the official paperwork in order and off we go across the landscape, we had to take the town mayor and another. Along the way we went through an administration centre, a few buildings in the middle of nowhere, we picked up the local policeman (not sure why) and set off for another 45 minutes through the landscape.
We arrived, walked for about 10 minutes over hill and dale and came to a stone cairn with a plaque stating that Lucy was discovered here in 1974. There was much backslapping, hi-fiveing and hand shaking, why because it turns out that we are the very first tourist to ever visit this site. Over the years there have been a few archaeological groups come out and survey or dig, a couple of documentary groups but never any tourists except us. It was Yirga's first time as well and he was as excited as us.
I know that I have waffled on a bit, but I wanted to try and give you an account of the great trip we had in Ethiopia. I cannot praise Marco enough for the organisation of the trip that he put in, there was no hiccups. Yirga, what can I say about this young man, except that his attention to us, our needs and wants went far beyond what I was expecting. I have no doubt that he provides this level of service to all his clients and he will truly make your holiday memorable.
To Marco and Yirga and all who made our holiday what it was, I can only say Ameseginalehu.

I'm the Head of Content at kimkim, and booked the first half of my recent trip to Jordan with Andy from Experience Jordan. A major goal of my trip was research for original article ideas, and my criteria was challenging. Andy did an amazing job of curating unique activities in Amman and throughout Northern Jordan that lived up to my "off the beaten path" standards.

Two favorite memories come to mind from my trip. I loved the hike that Andy arranged in the Ayoun area of Northern Jordan, complete with a local guide and home-cooked Jordanian lunch. The day before my hike, the length of the hike had to be shortened significantly to accommodate a meeting I had later that afternoon. Andy was able to quickly make the change and worked with the hiking guide to find a shorter route that was still beautiful and enjoyable.

Andy also booked a tour of the winery facility at Eagle Distilleries, the oldest distillery in Jordan. It was so special to chat with the winery director, who was so passionate about his work, and to sample some of the best wines made in Jordan. These tours are now available to the public, and getting a sneak peek was a treat!

Thank you so much Andy for your incredible flexibility and responsiveness during my trip (and for making my border crossings from Israel so seamless)!!

I'm the Head of Content at kimkim, and booked part of my recent trip to Jordan with Carmen from In2Jordan. A major goal of my trip was research for original article ideas, and my criteria was pretty challenging. Carmen did an amazing job of curating interesting, unique, and immersive experiences that lived up to my "off the beaten path" standards.

One of my absolute favorite memories is from my time in Wadi Rum, the desert wilderness in southern Jordan. I was originally scheduled for an overnight "digital detox" experience, complete with private yoga sessions and sleeping under the stars (no tent!) in the middle of the beautiful desert. Due to crazy weather and some other unavoidable circumstances, this had to be canceled day-of. Carmen immediately got to work finding alternate options for me, and managed to book one of the very highly coveted bubble tents at Wadi Rum Night Luxury Camp (see photo). This was unforgettable - I felt like I was waking up on Mars!

Thank you to Carmen for being reliable and available during my trip, and quickly coming to my rescue with a fantastic alternative to my original plan!

Incredible holiday in Nicaragua exploring the lakes and volcanoes and absorbing some of the history of this beautiful country. Our tour allowed us to climb and explore 4 volcanoes, kayak around the Isletas de Granada and the Rio Istiam, tour the cities of Leon and Granada, visit the beautiful Ometepe Island and zip line through the treetop canopy on the slopes of the Mombacho volcano and on Ometepe. The highlight has to be climbing Cerro Negro volcano and ash boarding down the steep south face of this amazing volcano. Throughout the tour we we had amazing Vapues guides and drivers (Franklin in Leon, Renee in Granada and Roberto in Managua and the local guide, Enoch on Ometepe Island) who ensured all our trips went to plan and offered us an insight into the local wildlife, culture, foods and history. Franklin climbed half way down the ash slope to ensure we got incredible photographs of our descent - what incredible commitment to customer service! Throughout the whole tour we were made to feel like guests rather than customers - nothing was too much trouble. Franklin said ‘this is your holiday so we will do whatever you want to do and at your pace’ as he introduced us to the beautiful city of Leon. Renee took us to the top of the active Masaya volcano to see the lava pool and kayaked with us around the Isletas de Granada pointing out the fabulous birds, monkeys, reptiles and mammals. The little bat colony living on a branch overhanging one of the inlets and the hooting of the Howler monkeys was a particular highlight. Granada was a stunning city with fabulous coloured buildings and a lively street scene which we really enjoyed. Enoch led us up Maderas Volcano (a very challenging hike/climb in the heat) and guided our kayaking adventure in Lake Nicaragua and into the Rio Istiam, pointing out exotic birds and cayman. Roberto guides us around Chocoverde were we saw snakes, lizards and many morpho blue butterflies
The whole tour was incredible - Kimkim and Vapues more than met our expectations- we had an incredible holiday and the way they handled the end of our tour during the unrest in Managua was very impressive- we felt totally secure

I personally didn’t get this trip started Kristin did. The email chain was informed and answered Most questions what questions I did have was promptly answered by James. Cam our guide was amazing I can’t thank him enough for the experience he gave us all.

Thank you

Everything on this trip was great except for the mishap with the Visa situation upon our arrival and the pick up from the airport. Also, our last hotel was changed and the hotel didn't have a double bed option in the non-smoking room. My roomate and i had to share a bed.

We had a great time touring Vietnam and Cambodia for three weeks. We wanted a trip that covered the main tourist areas, as well as getting out to some of the national parks to see the birds and wildlife. Kimkim put together a package that encompassed everything we wanted to do, and suggested more items too. Everything worked according to plan. We had six different guides in various parts of the countries, and all did an excellent job. All spoke English to a reasonable or better standard, and were a great help in navigating our way through the trip. It was great having such personal attention. The guides were flexible in the itinerary as well. We changed our minds a couple of times about what we wanted to see, and were easily and happily accommodated. Highlights for the trip would have been seeing the ruins at My Son in Vietnam, and Angkor in Cambodia, as well as some amazing birdwatching tours through Cat Tien N.P. in the south of Vietnam. Other memorable moments included kayaking in Ba Be National Park and Halong Bay Bay, and even an impromptu game of volleyball with some locals in a small village north of Hanoi, and all the amazing food that was served to us, especially in small local places.

If I were to do this again,

I would want more information up front from the guide about what has been paid for already and what hasn't.

Cem was a wonderful guide!!! Though I think I was the guide for most of the time haha——loved every moment of my trip to Patagonian Chile. Learned a lot and greatly appreciated Cem sharing his knowledge about the area. Everyone was amazing and will greatly miss this trip. Definitely a memory that will last forever in my mind and my heart.

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!

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.

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

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!!

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 🙏