Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our entire trip of Spain was organized, planned, and executed perfectly. Beatrice was phenomenal from the very start. We enjoyed all of our stays in Malaga, Nerja, Grenada, and Madrid. The hotels were luxurious, centrally located, and staffed with wonderful people. Each and every excursion, we met amazing, knowledgeable guides, who were friendly and passionate about their towns, and country. From Alejandro and Alphonso in Malaga, to Marta, Nacho, Manuel and Jose in Grenada to Alphonso in Madrid, we enjoyed spending our time with them, and learning the culture of each and every place we visited. Throughout our entire journey every pick up was on time, every excursion was exceptional, and anytime we needed to contact someone it was very easy to do. This is our second time as a family we have used Kimkim, and I will absolutely use them in the future as well.

Hotel Reviews

Vincci Larios Diez

Málaga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parador De Nerja

Nerja Málaga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa 1800 Granada

Granada

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dear Hotel Madrid

Madrid

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Privately Guided Visit of Málaga

Málaga

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Frigiliana Hike & Wine Tasting

Málaga

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Málaga Cruise

Málaga

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit of Granada Through Its Scents

Granada

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sierra Nevada E-Bike Route

Granada

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Visit of Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Spanish Cooking Workshop

Granada

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Excursion: Madrid Countryside Winery Visit

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I am finally getting my life back to order after our whirlwind 10 day tour in Italy with our young adult grandchildren.
Overall, It was a good travel experience but there were some glitches.
Because we are seniors it was sometimes a challenge to do some activities together but we were able to find middle ground and had some wonderful experiences. The kids enjoyed having free time to explore the cities. We had wonderful dinners together and enjoyed taking in the unique architecture and vibe of each city.
On our arrival to Venice we had some confusion about how find the Water Taxi and had to walk very far with our baggage at the dock. But, it was finally resolved by a phone call to Maria. Thankfully our rooms were ready when we arrived! Time to rest before a private tour of the St Mark's area that was very good.
We had free time on the first evening and I had reserved tickets for the opera at Palazzo Musica. Fabulous . A highlight of our trip!! Also , traveling by Vaporetto and Seeing San Marco lit up at night is magical.
The Gondola ride was not what I would call romantic but, a lot of fun for all of us to experience once in one's life!
Our Private Tour guide, Frederica , in Venice was wonderful and had great rapport with all of us. Going to Murano, Burana and then a Bacari evening was especially good because of her knowledge of the area, her enthusiasm and flexibility.
The afternoon private tour at the Jewish Ghetto was very interesting and moving with a well informed docent. . Another guide accompanied us to go there on the water taxi and then she left. She never told us when or where to get the taxi back. A call to Maria resolved that.

On to Florence;
The train ride was comfortable and short. The hotel was well situated to walk to most things.
The tours in Florence to the Uffizi and Accademia would have been better if the groups were smaller. The museums were very crowded. My husband had trouble keeping up with the groups fast pace and had to drop out. We would have preferred private tours.
The dinner at which we had planned to celebrate our grandson's Birthday at the winery was not exactly what I had hoped for . The tour of the facility was interesting but it was a very big group and the dinner was very focused on the selling of wine with order blanks and pens at table settings. . Food was good but, the birthday cake I had ordered was served too late , after the sales pitch was over, and people had left the tables. The waiters had cut up the beautiful fruit tart for everyone and hardly anyone stayed to eat it. It was disappointingly served as an afterthought .
After our evening bus ride back to Florence we needed to get a Taxi which was a very far distance from where we were dropped off. It was quite late and very difficult , especially for my husband , to walk there. The tour guide showed us the way but she walked very fast. I think the bus should have dropped us off at the Bus station.

By comparison, the wine tasting lunch in Chianti ,where we met the kids on their Bike Tour bike tour stop, was delightful. We were a small group of 7 and there was no pressure to buy wine. Lunch was good and relaxing. It would have been a better venue to celebrate our grandson's birthday. They enjoyed the bike tour as well.
The next day , a planned private tour to Tuscany with a taxi driver was more focused on yet another wine tasting than seeing the area and towns of Sienna and San Gimignano in depth. The tour guide was with us for about an hour in Sienna. My granddaughter and I toured the interesting church while my grandson went to climb the tower and my husband sat alone in the Palio space. We were surprised that the guide did not continue with us on to Sean Gimignano. The driver left us to explore the souvenir shops on our own for about 40 minutes. I suspect there was more to see and know about than we did .
The food market tour and cooking class in Florence was fun. Nice people. Good teacher. We made great pasta . We were supposed to receive the recipes by e-mail but they have not yet come.
We visited the Ferragamo Museum on our own . It was just the right size , not crowded, and very interesting, especially for my designer granddaughter!
Unfortunately our last morning did not go well. We had written instructions to meet the driver to go the airport at 7:30 AM.
We gulped down fast cups of coffee and took our bags , one at a time , in a tiny elevator down 4 flights to the street.
The taxi didn't show up so I called Maria and she said it was scheduled for 8:30 pickup. She suggested we go back inside. That was not a good idea to make the difficult trip back up 4 flights. We were quite upset.
The Taxi finally did arrive at 8:30 .
Overall I think there needed to be better communication with the taxi services we used.

Kristy, thank you for all your help organizing our trip to Peru. We had a fantastic time and applaud your ability to adjust on the fly based on our (my son's) input during the planning process. As you know, this was a graduation trip for my son and my initial plan varied quite a bit from what my son wanted to see and do ;-) Everything was awesome, including our local guides and hotels, and we never had a question as to where or what to do next. Your local resources were first rate and we made friends with all. Great trip and great memories were made! Thank you.

This was such an incredible trip! Elen did a fantastic job communicating timely & selecting the perfect accommodation & excursions.
Boat trip to Kelfitiko & meal on the boat was amazing!
Our guide Evie for the Mythology & wine tasting walking tour in Naxos was wonderful!
Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

NLH Monastiraki

Athens

Location

Eiriana Luxury Suites

Milos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Friendly & helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kouros Art Hotel

Naxos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the beach & great views not too far from town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day Kleftiko tour

Milos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Naxos Town: Sunset Mythology Tour with Wine

Naxos

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful time at Mhondoro in South Africa. The place was outstanding and Esther was fantastic to work with. Will definitely be doing more safaris in the near future!

When we decided last minute to take a trip from Calgary to Kenya I had no idea where to start. With only days to to plan a deeply personal and emotional trip for our group and given our tight timeline and the complexity of our needs, (and specifically my lack of knowledge of where we were going!!!), I was initially apprehensive about the trip and how everything would come together. I sent a simple message to a website called KimKim and all my worries vanished. Joseph connected with me immediately and exceeded all expectations and delivered an extraordinary experience. Truly.

From the very beginning, Joseph demonstrated an incredible sense of urgency and responsiveness. Within hours of our initial contact, he provided a comprehensive outline of our potential itinerary, tailored perfectly to our specific desires and requirements. His quick responses to emails and phone calls ensured that every detail was addressed promptly, leaving no room for stress or uncertainty. I truly wonder when he sleeps!!! Right up until the very last day he organized us and ensured our safety from the first to the last day.

In addition to Joseph's perfection in planning, our trip driver/guide , Eric, went completely above and beyond. We went to Kenya to re-vist the places my husband and his family lived in 1967, 1968 and 1969. Eric, our guide and now our friend, was able to connect with the local people in a capacity that we never would have been able to communicate properly. He spoke so well with guards at the college where my father in law taught and lived at, enabling us the opportunity to enter the community and see the home they lived in. We visited the school where my brother in law attended, which was a truly moving experience seeing where he spent years as a young boy. The golf courses their father played and the hotels the favoured. He found and took us to places that we were unsure we would even be able to find.

Half our trip was old memories then the next half was new memories. Eric took us on a few safari's where we saw the most beautiful animals and we were able to get closer to some than we ever thought imaginable. He was relentless trying to find us a lion! He talked with the rangers with such respect and taught us so much.

The only suggestion I would have is that we wished the vehicle we had was better. Eric did an incredible job driving on very poor roads, through the safari and from location to location. The vehicle should have been raised higher. I would only suggest when using this company that you request a better vehicle for the roads.

Accuracy was another area where both Joseph and Eric were incredible. They meticulously arranged every aspect of our journey, from flights and accommodations to local tours and special activities. Despite the short timeline, there were no errors or misunderstandings; everything was exactly as promised. It was evident that they paid close attention to every detail, ensuring our trip was seamless and enjoyable.

Communication was clear, consistent, and compassionate throughout the entire planning process and during our trip. Eric took the time to understand the emotional significance of our trip and handled all arrangements with a level of care and sensitivity that made us feel valued and understood. They kept us updated at every stage, providing reassurance and support when we needed it most.

Our trip turned out to be a profoundly moving and unforgettable experience. Their ability to deliver such a well-organized and meaningful trip on a short timeline was truly impressive. I wholeheartedly recommend Joseph at Nariku Travel to anyone in need of a travel agent who is not only professional and efficient but also empathetic and dedicated to creating memorable journeys.

Thank you, Joseph & Eric, for turning our vision into reality and for making our trip so special. We will always be grateful.

The planning & support services provided by Aline & Bastien was above & beyond what I expected when I first signed up for the KmKim service. Aline & Bastien were instrumental in planning an engaging and fun trip for our family. They kindly answered our endless questions and made adjustments to fine-tune the trip to meet our needs. The tour guide they arranged for us in Normandy was fantastic and reliable. All hotel and rental car reservations were seamlessly integrated into our trip and we had no issues with any arrangements. They provided helpful & accurate recommendations for other activities like bike rentals, too. I highly recommend KimKim and Aline and Bastien!

Hotel Review

Hotel Le Clos d'Amboise

Amboise

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

American D-Day Experience - Full Day Private Tour

Bayeux

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Bayeux to Mont Saint Michel Village & Abbey tour (Small Group/8Hours)

Bayeux

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The lavender fields with private driver who was familiar with area was the highlight of my trip. Nathalie gave us lovely shopping time and was most gracious with our every whim. Nick was very knowledgeable about wines and shared a lively day with him in Sancerre and Pouilly. Hotels were big improvement from previous trips. Only negative was that taxis were a precious commodity at Famille Bourgeois. Managed with help.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Restaurant Famille Bourgeois

Chavignol Sancerre

Charming authentic French hotel with good food. The only negative was getting taxis to go anywhere. Only near it’s own winery so this was difficult

Authenticity & Character

Charming. Made huge efforts to speak English with us.

Location

Available taxis during high season

Staff

Friendly. See above comment

Cleanliness & Comfort

Authentic. No safe. Good bed and clean.

Le Clos de la Glycine

Roussillon

Wonderful view from atop the ocre hills. Charming village. Exceptional restaurant with view and food. Aperol was fabulous but the bar is only for the restaurant not hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Patio with a view

Location

See above

Staff

Awesome just short staffed.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Charming suite

Boutique Hotel Cezanne

Aix-en-Provence

Felt like back in America with more modern feel in the city.

Authenticity & Character

You lose some character but you get comfort. Only negative was toilet across the room for the sink.

Location

Walked to restaurant and shopping

Staff

Friendly and informative

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean

Activity Reviews

Sancerre Wine Tour (Private/8Hours)

Chavignol

Very knowledgeable guide, Nick. Enjoyed his expertise and his company. Showed us new wines.

Quality of Experience

Good variety of wines and interesting conversations

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See above

Transport

Guide had Mercedes van. Taxis. Stresssful but they did show up when they were supposed to be there

Lavender Full Day ! (Private/8Hours)

France

Enjoyed Nathalie and her tour of st Remy and searching of fields for us.

Quality of Experience

Loved shopping in st Remy and local markets.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kudos Nathalie.

Transport

Being dropped right at front doors and being picked up promptly is nice.

To the villages of the Luberon tour (Private/8Hours)

Aix-en-Provence

Enjoyed driving from village to village. Got to see a lot of countryside and she is very knowledgeable of the area.

Quality of Experience

See above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Repeating but Nathalie was with us for 2 days. Awesome

Transport

Clean Mercedes van

Nathalie and Emil were exceptional in showing us the full range of what Provence has to offer. Nicholas knew the wines and vineyards in Sancerre which met our goals for winetasting. The itinerary was very confusing to follow unlike the usual kimkim format. The train system was a complete mystery and many mistakes were made trying to find trains, stations, cars and seats.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Restaurant Famille Bourgeois

Chavignol Sancerre

This was the best hotel in the area but was minimalist in the rooms. Staff was friendly and accommodating. Hotel was 2 miles from town with taxis impossible to arrange and extremely expensive ($20 each way). Meals were delicious. The famous wine maker Henri Bourgeois also owns this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Original family based hotel

Location

Hotel in Sancerre center of town for more dining options and eliminate high taxi costs.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Clos de la Glycine

Roussillon

New owner in 2024. Hotel is now called Omma. Breathtaking views from all parts of the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Very stylish decorating

Location

On top of ochre mountains

Staff

Superb service and friendliness.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful rooms. Spacious. Terrace was large and comfortable to enjoy the view of the valley.

Boutique Hotel Cezanne

Aix-en-Provence

Modern hotel in great location. Very accommodating staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A few blocks from main tourist and shopping areas. Clean safe streets.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sancerre Wine Tour (Private/8Hours)

Chavignol

This private guided tour took us to exactly where we wanted to learn about and sample Sancerre wines.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lavender Full Day ! (Private/8Hours)

France

Nathalie Smith is an extraordinary guide who knows Provence very well and offers a buffet of ideas to fill your day. Absolutely ask for her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

To the villages of the Luberon tour (Private/8Hours)

Aix-en-Provence

Nathalie Smith took us to a variety of towns, markets, historic villages and amazing sights. Be sure to visit Rousillon as part of this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We visited in June, during rainy season. Although the weather gave us mudslides, rockslides and road detours and missed views, the locals gave us no regrets! The people of Vietnam gave us hand waves, friendly smiles, tasty food and so much pride in the country of our birth. Our consultant Doris offered patience as we sorted out our priorities and helped us finalize an itinerary that made everyone in our group excited. And when a flight delay kept us from activities the first day, Doris offered alternatives to make up those activities. Our tour guide Hoàng was just fabulous. He took direction from multiple people and sometimes had to resolve conflicting directions (unbeknownst to us) - he handled it all with aplomb and professionalism. Never once letting on that another person in our group told him something different. We really should have one point of contact but Hoàng sorted it out and we had a fantastic time doing what we wanted and tailoring our day to accommodate requests as they surfaced. My brother left his phone at a roadside restaurant. Fortunately the driver had snapped a photo of the restaurant’s sign which had its phone number before we left. Hoàng called the restaurant and the owner subsequently drove 2 hours on his motorbike to deliver it to us at our hotel at the next stop. What an amazing save! I still can’t believe we squeezed in as much as we did in 10 days because Hoàng and the driver’s flexibility and willingness to adapt. Our driver was amazing (saved my brother’s phone which was also his wallet!). He was kind and so adaptable to detours and spontaneous photo stops for mundane countryside (but fascinating-to -us ) scenery. He indulged my love for terraced rice paddies. If you are looking for a tour company that listens and can be flexible on the fly, go Kimkim all the way.

Activity Review

Dalat free day

Da Lat

If visiting the south, put Dalat on your must-stop list. When HCM is sweltering, escape to Dalat.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Look

Sara was an amazing link to make our Amazon trip possible. She answered all our questions before our trip in a timely fashion and everything went like clockwork. We loved the Ture Lodge and made life long friends at the lodge and with the guests. Arigato!

We just came back from an amazing trip to South Africa. From planning to execution, the trip was a great success. Esther took care of every detail and she understood our particularities quickly and incorporated our special requests without issue (food allergies, private guide). An amazing travel specialist.
Mhondoro lodge lived up to the 5 stars. It was a quiet, personal place. Our guide on Safari, Hein, made our trip. He was knowledgeable, interesting and energetic.
We really have only positive things to say about our trip. Well done and thank you!!

Habiba helped plan an amazing trip! Really enjoyed all aspects of the itinerary, and the day tour to Al Ain was a special standout!

Liz was an absolute pleasure to work with and had some great recommendations for places to stay and see, and took into account everything that we wanted as well. Everything was perfectly planned and executed. Our personal favorite thing was going to Sabi Sands, which was a personal recommendation by Liz. This trip was truly the trip of a lifetime. Have We 100% plan on coming back to South Africa in the next couple of years and hope that Liz is still there to guide us in our next adventure.

We had a great time in Costa Rica. The team at Serendipity Adventures was phenomenal. We loved Alex! He was kind, patient, and knowledgeable. Our guide at Manuel Antonio National Park, Andres, was so passionate and enthusiastic. We loved our time with him -- we saw so many animals and had a wonderful time! Our kids loved Selvatura and ziplining. We all loved the wildlife. Our lodging was great, with incredible views of the surrounding wildlife. The staff at Koora were the most kind and attentive team we experienced. Overall, we had a fantastic visit and highly recommend it!

Hotel Reviews

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Koora Hotel at Monteverde

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

If I could give 6 stars, I would!

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Mariposa Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

All Day Adventure at Selvatura, including Zipline, Hanging Bridges, and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Introduction to La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Sloth Observation Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Night Walk in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Adventure from Manuel Antonio

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Elise made planning the trip so easy. She gave us great suggestions and was happy to make any tweaks that we wanted. All the excursions that she arranged we wonderful and all the hotels booked were good and were always close to our arrival/departure point which minimised the dragging of luggage. The itinerary provided was very clear and easy to follow. The guides for the excursions were very informative. Overall I would have no hesitation in recommending Kimkim. Thank you Elise for everything

Hotel Reviews

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

Very comfortable centrally located hotel. Good sized rooms and excellent breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to station and centre

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Large rooms. Coffee machine in room

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Gorgeous hotel overlooking the fjord. Comfortable rooms and great food.

Authenticity & Character

Lots rooms to sit and overlook the water

Location

Right by the fjords and close to the boat

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Augustin Hotel

Bergen

Centrally located hotel near the harbour. Good breakfast although it does get crowded. Rooms are very very small. Not much in the way of public areas. Unfortunately there is building work right next to the hotel so woken at 7 am each day

Authenticity & Character

Not much in the way of character- lots of grey

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ventilation system was noisy

Activity Reviews

Cidertasting & Lunch/Snack

Balestrand

Fabulous experience. Very interesting introduction to apple growing and cider making by the owner followed by a cider tasting and wonderful lunch. Would highly recommend

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gondola Ride in Voss

Voss

Gondola to the mountains above Voss. Lots of hikes once up there and great views. There is a restaurant at the top

Quality of Experience

Transport

Great Summer Waterfall and Fjord Tour

Voss

Day long waterfall and fjords tour. Part was guided and was very interesting and informative. The end part of the tour - returning via Bergen to Voss was on the long side bus and train taking 2.5 hours

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knut - the guide was excellent

Transport

It was overlong at the end

Raquel our agent with KimKim from a local agency in Spain was amazing. Great communicator, prompt and helpful. Also was able to talk person to person on the phone. This was first class trip. They planned amazing outings with great guides. Top notch. Yes, i have planned many trips on my own, and wanted to plan this one, but we had limited time. KimKim saved us a bunch of time , and did a much better job than i could have. Specifically with finding top notch local guides that were knowledgeable and friendly.

Our local bike ride was great. Our tour of Monserrat was a highlight, out guide Ramone was fantastic and skilled climber that obviously was beyond our skill level.
Kayaking with Stepan near Costa Brava took care of us , and was very patient.
Also we super enjoyed our Tapa Tour with Jeanne. We enjoyed meeting a few other travelers and were happy it was not a fully private tour with our Family. Tapas are meant to be shared.

Again, Raquel was always available and responsive both before and during our trip.
Price was expensive, but worth it, and accommodations and everything 5 star. What we spent on KimKim we saved in planning time and getting work shifts done prior to departure , so kind of of evens out on a dollar basis.

But lastly, the trip was efficient as far as we covered a lot of ground with little hassle or delay, and was great to be a "passenger" as a parent, b/c often the planning / blame falls on us. It was Truly enjoyable.
Paul & Julie, Kids 16/13

Just returned from an exciting 9 day mother/daughter trip to Belize! This is the second tour that I've booked through kimkim in the past two years, and again, it proved to be a wise choice and an east platform to use. Our local expert, Alex Coronado, with Old Town Outfitters based in Guatemala, was very personable and fun to work with. He listened to my suggestions and concerns, and made appropriate changes to the itinerary as needed. He was then very approachable and helpful while we were en route, making restaurant suggestions along the way.

One of my biggest concerns in advance with this trip was that the ground transportation go smoothly. Alex booked our transfers through the Belize Airport Shuttle Service (BASS), which proved to be wonderful! Lilia, a local BASS representative, met us at the airport upon arrival with a friendly, reassuring face and a big hug. She introduced us to our first driver and went over the itinerary. She then kept in touch with me through Whatsapp to make sure all the pick-up times went smoothly. We loved all of our drivers!

Most of our tours while inland at San Ignacio were booked through MayaWalk tours. They were wonderful to work with, and we thoroughly enjoyed all of our drivers and guides. Our first guide, Richard, to Mountain Pine Ridge was particularly knowledgeable about local flora and animals. Our second tour was a day-trip to the Tikal ruins in Guatemala, which I highly recommend to anyone considering a Belize trip. It's an enticing glimpse into the beauty of Guatemala. On the second part of our trip, out on the island of Caye Caulker, we used Black Hawk Tours for a full-day snorkeling excursion. Those guys were an absolute blast, and managed to find not one, but an entire group of 4 manatees for us!

Finally, the hotels were lovely and exactly matched to our preferences. The Falling Leaves Lodge, our favorite, in San Ignacio, had lovely jungle grounds, and a very warm, welcoming staff. We ate most of our meals at their restaurant, the Obsidian, and enjoyed happy hour cocktails each day from their bar. They have a brand new, absolutely lovely, pool, which we had all to ourselves most evenings.

I will continue to recommend friends and family to the kimkim model, and will also consider another trip to Guatemala through Old Town Outfitters!

Hotel Reviews

Villa Boscardi Belize City

belice

Nice B&B for the final night in the country. Lovely, clean room, and a wonderful breakfast the following morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Short drive from the water taxi and the airport. Also within walking distance of a great little restaurant called Smokeez, which one of our BASS drivers recommended.

Staff

Very friendly host for breakfast.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Falling Leaves Lodge

San Ignacio

Loved the small hotel charm, and cute cabanas. Very warm and welcoming staff, particularly the guys running the bar. We loved the food at their restaurant, the Obsidian, and ate most of our meals there. The grounds were lovely and peaceful, especially early in the morning when the birds were waking up. The brand new pool was a delight, and we got to enjoy it by ourselves most evenings.

Authenticity & Character

Very charming. Loved the small size. Staff were very friendly.

Location

Good views, and nice proximity to the Cahal Pech ruins.

Staff

Because of their small size, it was easy for them to get to know people. One of the groundkeepers noticed me bird-watching, for example, and gave me a local map of excellent bird watching sites.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very nice, clean, and comfortably cool room. Loved the large stone shower.

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Mountain Pine Ridge - full day

Belize

Loved our guide, Richard. He stopped at a small road-side bakery on the way and we got freshly made plantain chips. He then told us stories about the Mayan gods en route, and provided excellent tidbits about local flora and animals all day. Lunch that day was one of our favorite meals.

Quality of Experience

Food

We had beans/rice with jerk chicken. The chicken was some of the best we had the whole trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved Richard. Very knowledgeable guide, and fun to spend the day with.

Transport

Explore Tikal National Park

San Ignacio

Wonderful glimpse into Guatemala. The border crossing was easy and fun. The ruins are spectacular. We saw lots of wildlife and beautiful trees as a bonus. Lunch en route was very good.

Quality of Experience

Very knowledgeable guide. There was another family with us on this tour, so it was fun to be part of a group.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Long drive, but a very comfortable and cool van.

Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Cave Tubing Tour en Route

Belize

Very nice way to break up the drive back to the coast from inland. The cave and the river that ran through it were a wonderful relief from the heat. The water was crystal clear and very inviting to swim in.

Quality of Experience

Easily manageable as an addition to the drive back to the coast.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Juan was fabulous. We had him all to ourselves, so really got the VIP treatment.

Transport

Good timing. He managed to get us to the water taxi with plenty of time to catch an earlier boat.

Snorkeling Tour in the Belize Barrier Reef

Caye Caulker

The guys at Black Hawk were very fun and very skilled at finding wildlife in the ocean for us to see. We were very fortunate to get to see a group of 4 manatees.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of the Black Hawk guys were very funny and personable. Our boat driver, John, was very good at finding wildlife.

Transport

I will review these five days trip by each day. Day 1: Edinburgh Castle and old town tour was enjoyable and amusing with our knowledgeable tour guide Kieran Begg . Dinner at The Witchery as you recommend, the structure of the hotel and restaurant definitely impressive to us, wish I can say the same with the server we had, whom was not very attending and polite. Day2: Rabbie's tour was entertaining with Kelly(?), Alnwick Castle was amazing, Bamburgh Castle was last minute changed on the schedule my husband was little disappointed on his wish list, however the tour guide did stop by far away in a parking lot, and took a picture for everyone. Day3: Redcliffe Hotel was a charming apartment with everything we need and most of all good location to the town and bus station by walking distance. Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle tour were most wonderful. Thank you, Aleksandra! Day 4: Isle of Skye and Eilean Donan Castle tour, the weather was not the best to view their beauty which we heard so much and looking forward to it, but the tour bus was the worst experience for us, and I am sure for the same fellow travelers that day. Nonetheless, thank you, Kateryna prompt respond for this matter! Day 5: The Kelpies tour was a plus for the end of the trip. Thank you, Aleksandra!

Hotel Reviews

Redcliffe Hotel

Inverness

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Residence Inn by Marriott

EDINBURGH

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alnwick Castle, the Northumberland Coast & the Borders

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loch Ness Cruise and Urquhart Castle

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isle of Skye Tour including the Eilean Donan Castle, Portree and other attractions

Inverness

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Kelpies Guided Tour

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everyone was super nice in St Andrews! Stevie was a cab driver that picked us up at the airport and took us back. He also ended up driving us on Sunday for our day trip because the guide was sick. Stevie is the best!!!!!! So nice and very accommodating and sweet to my 83 yr old mom who went with us. We had a couple of issues but the Kim Kim team was on it and fixed them fast! It was a great trip and I highly recommend using them.

Thank you for everything!

Margaret