Kimkim Trip Reviews

The trip was planned out really well, and for an international trip, there were almost zero issues, and any we did encounter were minor and dealt with effectively. It was fantastic to have activities and transportation planned which really decreased a lot of travel stress. This was a trip designed for our family and every activity accommodated our ages and abilities.

We had a wonderful week in Morocco planned by the Kimkim team. Our driver, Ziad, was a delight and made all our transitions seamless. Excellent guides were chosen for all our city tours; very helpful in learning how to navigate the cities. The hotel choices were also excellent: La Maison Arabe in Marrakech has climbed to the top of our list of favorite hotels. We thought the pricing was very reasonable given all that was included. We would definitely use Kimkim again!

Morocco was a beautiful country, made extra special by our driver Maysar! He was professional, punctual, polite and just a joy to spend a week with! Everything went according to itinerary. Riding camels in the desert was a definite highlight, but we loved Chefchaouen, Fez, and Marrakesh! Said was helpful when one activity was cancelled due to weather, and was able to help substitute another activity in the trip. Overall would recommend!

Hotel Reviews

Riad al Rimal

Marrakech

Great location! Clean and comfortable!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Beautiful rooms, beautiful views, and the best food we had all trip! Staff was so lovely and accommodating. Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

Fancy glamping! Beautiful setup and great views!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Braya

FesfE

Great location, beautiful accommodation, helpful staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Beautiful rooms, quiet, lovely welcome tea and breakfast. Favorite hotel of the trip! Wish we could have stayed longer!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful architecture, room decor, and pool

Location

Central in Chefchaouen! Easily walkable

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride in Marrakech

Morocco

Thought we were in for a disappointing view since it was cloudy, but then we were given permission to climb above the clouds for sunrise and WOW! What an experience!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless pickup and drop off

Morocco Last Nomads Experience: Tea, Tales & Desert Adventures

Merzouga

A fun day driving around the desert in the 4x4. Didn’t stop with the nomads for tea due to weather, and a few of the viewpoints affected by weather.

Quality of Experience

Good, unfortunately it rained which I think affected parts of our day

Food

Berber Pizza was delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was great, multilingual

Transport

4x4 around the desert was a blast!

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Fatima was excellent!! Best tour guide of the trip. She is intelligent, knowledgeable, and very easy to understand. She has a truly lovely personality - it was a delight spending the day with her. Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maysar was our driver for the week and our transport for this tour and he was excellent as always!!

Absolutely wonderful trip and all the details worked out flawlessly. We had a little bit of everything in our family trip to Norway and it went off without a hitch. We loved the fjords, the saunas, the Viking Village, and the city of Bergen. We made some unforgettable family memories!

The trip planning was pretty easy with KimKim. We had a great time exploring the highlights of Morocco.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Semlalia

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

not enough staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Andalla Spa

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa

Rabat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Casablanca Airport to Rabat via Casablanca City: From Economic Capital to Royal Seat

Morocco

Or driver Tayeb was great. He made everything seamless and had great tips throughout the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. The places and experiences that made up our itinerary were excellent. We particularly enjoyed El Calafate/El Chalten. The kayaking/hiking day was amazing. And also the area around Salta - just stunning scenery. In Ushuaia, we loved the day of hiking and rafting. We did not have good luck with weather but enjoyed ourselves nonetheless. The hotels & breakfasts met our expectations - nothing disappointing. The internal flights and all the transfers went very smoothly. And the guides we had for the various things we did were really excellent. Well-informed, easy to understand, fun to be with.
The only thing we might have liked more of was a chance to walk or hike during the four days we spent in the north around Salta. We realize there were long distances to cover by vehicle and so maybe not enough time for that.

Charlotte and team provided us with a wonderful itinerary and excellent support throughout our 11-day trip through the Yucatan peninsula. The highlights for our family of four (including two teenagers) were the group bike tour in Chemuyil (with a wonderful guide, stopping at three amazing cenotes), the tour of the Sian Ka'an nature reserve (also with an excellent guide; we especially enjoyed floating down the river through the mangroves), and the visit to the village of Yaxuna where locals showed us how they are making a living and cooked the most delicious meal for us (and let us swim in their beautiful cenote). Seeing the Mayan ruins in Tulum, Chichen Itza and Ek Balam was great, too. Two relaxing days on the beach in Holbox added the perfect ending to an unforgettable trip. KimKim and their local specialist, Mexplorer, impressed us with excellent hotel choices and community-based tours supporting the local people and sustainable development. We would definitely book another trip with KimKim!

Hotel Reviews

Villas Flamingos

Quintana Roo

Beautiful hotel on the beach. The rooms were very comfortable, and the views amazing. Only complaint would be that, due to the rain, large puddles of still, murky water formed between the hotel area and the beach, making beach access a bit difficult and unsightly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Mesón del Marqués

Valladolid

Excellent hotel in the city center. Comfortable rooms, nice pool, and beautiful restaurant, including a rooftop. Parking was free and easy. Highly recommend going to the Zaci cenote, which is just a 5-10 minutes walk from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Pescadores Tulum

Tulum

Beautiful hotel in a nature reserve, very quiet, with a nice little beach. Great breakfast by the seaside, and an amazing outdoor yoga space. The pool is much smaller than it looks in the pictures though. And access to the nature reserve, for this and many other hotels, is a bit complicated, with guards stopping you every time you enter coming from the city, searching your car for any plastic and asking you to pay the daily fee. The small hassle is well worth it though. Once you are in, it's lovely.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat tour in the natural reserve of Rio Lagartos

Mexico

Beautiful nature reserve, but not as memorable an experience as Sian Ka'an for instance. The tour was in Spanish only, by the boat driver. Saw amazing birds, including pink flamingos (from afar) - and three crocodiles very close up! Las Coloradas were more brown than pink, but still interesting to see. The Mayan bath (fango mud) at the end was fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yaxunah Mayan village

Mexico

Loved spending the day with the local community in Yaxunah! Everything was in Spanish - from the cooking, to visiting the herb garden, to learning how to make hammocks, watching the men craft jewelry from bull horns, and visiting the local Mayan ruins. The food they cooked for us was incredible, and the cenote we swam in beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Punta Laguna

Mexico

Very local experience in a town of about 250 people. Saw spider monkeys, walked through a forest, zip-lined over a lagoon, canoed across the water, and descended into a very deep, dark cenote. Our guide, Julio, was knowledgeable and spoke English. Had a delicious lunch at the local restaurant after. Not as exciting as other tours we did but well worth a visit if you are interested in small-scale, sustainable tourism run by local people.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat tour in the Natural Reserve of Sian Ka'an

Mexico

Wonderful nature experience! Our guide, Manuel, was outstanding at managing our group of about 12 people from various countries. Beautiful boat ride through the mangroves, with lots of bird sightings, and some manatees. Highlight was floating/swimming down a river, being pulled by the current, through the mangrove forest. The tour started with breakfast and ended with lunch at the community center, which was a nice way to get to know the other people in the group.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tulum Cenote Bike Tour

Tulum

Absolutely loved this group bike tour to three cenotes! Oswaldo, our guide, was outstanding, and the three cenotes each were different (one fully covered, one half covered, one open). We learned a lot, and had fun swimming, diving and following our guide through tight passages in the caves and taking photos underwater. Also very much enjoyed the delicious lunch the local ladies cooked for us at the end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. Said was extremely responsive to all of our questions before we left. (I did not work with Abdellah; our friends planned the trip before we signed up.) Our driver, Samad was very courteous and timely (except the last morning). At the beginning, he did not give us a lot of information about where we were or where/when we'd be stopping, but supplied more as the trip went on, which we appreciated.
Our guide in Fez, Shariff, was excellent. We enjoyed our full day with him. We also enjoyed our stay at Riad Braya. The staff could not have been more friendly, helpful and accommodating.
We enjoyed our visit to the Sahara at the Orient Desert Camp. The camel ride to the camp was fun. The accommodations were not as luxurious as we had expected, but they were perfectly fine, and the staff was wonderful - friendly and accommodating. We did not really interact with any of the nomad families; we visited a camp and our guide explained what we saw in different tents. We also had a lot of fun riding in the sand on the atvs.
Dades was our favorite part of the trip! Dar Rihana Dades was fantastic! Mohammed could not have been any friendlier and helpful. The food was absolutely amazing (Michelin Star quality)! Breakfast and dinner were both special and delicious. We also loved our hike with Said through Monkey Finger Canyon. We learned to recognize the trees and enjoyed scrambling over the rocks and then walking through the village at the end of the hike. Our lunch with the Berber family was delicious, but not very exciting because we did not interact with the family.
Marakesh, while interesting, and a must-see, was somewhat disappointing. The hotel staff at Palais Sebban, was not very welcoming, and it was not an easy place to sleep because of noise. Our guide seemed more interested in all of the people he knew, and took us to shops where it seemed as if he would get a commission from their high prices.
We covered a lot of miles (a lot of car time), saw many beautiful sights, and had some really fun adventures!

Hotel Reviews

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

We were not welcomed with tea and snack when we arrived, as we were at all of our previous destinations. Everything seemed very rushed. We had a hard time sleeping the first night because of the noise in the courtyard below our room.

Location

Staff

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

Very welcoming environment in the desert. Staff was very friendly and helpful.

Staff

Riad Braya

FesfE

The staff was very welcoming and friendly, and the riad was beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

easy to walk around the medina from the riad

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

I would give this hotel more than 5 stars if I could! The staff was amazing. They were extremely friendly, welcoming and helpful. The tea and cookies on the roof deck when we arrived were excellent. Breakfast with 3 fresh juices and the best egg dish was a fantastic start to the day. The dinner we had at the hotel was incredible. The chef deserves Michelin Stars! I can't recommend this hotel enough!

Authenticity & Character

The brothers worked so hard to welcome us and make us comfortable.

Location

walkable to other places in the small town, and view of the river

Staff

Mohammed took care of us from explaining things, to contact with our driver and guide, serving in the restaurant, and fixing our hot water.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hike through Berber Villages

Morocco

This was our favorite activity of the trip. (We all enjoy hiking.) The views were spectacular and we had a lot of fun scrambling over, around and under rocks and learning to recognize the different trees.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Transfer from Merzouga to Boumalne Dades via Tinghir & Todra Gorge

Morocco

We did appreciate the changes in the landscape on our drive. We did not stop in Rissani, and our tour of Tinghir felt rushed, but interesting. It was interesting to walk through the Todra Gorge, but we would have appreciated a longer walk, perhaps in a less crowded area.

ATV Ride in the Dunes of Merzouga

Merzouga

We had a lot of fun riding the ATVs, and enjoyed the sights along the way. Our guides were great, especially the patience they showed when we got stuck in the sand.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent guides, very helpful and patient when we got stuck.

Live Like a Real Nomad: A Caravan Trek in the Sahara

Merzouga

Our day didn't necessarily match the description. We still had a great day, and our guide explained a lot about Berber life. We did not interact with any people other than our guide/driver. We did love the Berber pizza we had for lunch!

Food

Loved the Berber pizza lunch!

Fes to Merzouga Sunset Camel Ride via Midelt & Erfoud

Morocco

It was a bit "hokey" but we did enjoy our camel ride, view of the desert sunset and entry to the desert camp.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our camel guide answered lots of questions as he led the camels. He also took some great pictures of us.

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

It was very helpful to go to the overlook to see the whole medina from across the valley. Shariff, our guide asked what we were interested in seeing, and took us to the Jewish Cemetary and Jewish Quarter, which we appreciated. He was very helpful guiding us through the medina, pointing out the different sections and architecture. Our tour lasted more like 6-7 hours which was wonderful for us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Shariff was excellent and coordinated well with our driver, Samad.

Arrive in Casablanca, Visit Hassan II Mosque, Transfer to Fes via Rabat

Morocco

The Mosque was closed because of Eid, but we were able to visit at the end of our trip, which was good. We made a couple of stops in Rabat which were really beautiful and interesting, but it would have been helpful to have a guide to explain what we were seeing at the Kasbah and palace. We thoroughly enjoyed wandering around Chellah Castle and gardens, including a nice lunch. It was probably the best way to help us get through the long day after overnight travel.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We did not get much information from our driver at first. He dropped us at the Kasbah and told us where to meet him, but not what we were looking at. It was a bit confusing.

Transport

It was great to be met at the airport without worrying about how to get to our destination.

We had a great trip, well organized and comfortable.
Our local specialist was George; he was cooperative and attentive.
Our local guide Putra was amazing and very informative and helpful.

Angel was the most amazing organizer; informed, personable and fun to work with. We were 4 women who enjoy adventure and talking to local people. We each have done a fair amount of traveling on our own and arranging our own trips with family and friends but this time relied on KimKim to make our arrangements.

Their local day trip guides were extremely knowledgable, thoughtful, kind and with a sense of humor. We appreciated times when the various local guides adjusted the schedule or site given to avoid the crowds. Sometimes we explored new places and had to adjust the schedule given unknown circumstances. The experiences felt unique while at the same time we were visiting major sites. So many places we went were so special. We made a number of requests in the beginning and made a few major adjustments just before embarking. When we had an unexpected emergency she responded immediately --anticipating the next steps with calm.

I wish Angel could arrange all my trips.

This was an outstanding trip planned by Holden and Adrian at Serendipity Adventures with only two months’ notice. We made sure to be where we needed to be and everything happened like clockwork. This is our third trip through kimkim, and as always the kimkim platform made all of the planning and payment easy. This time we especially liked the new kimkim app that made it handy to pull up our daily itinerary and see what was happening when. Costa Rica was exceptionally beautiful, and the easy logistics really allowed us to enjoy the views, great food and world-class wildlife.

Guides were all excellent throughout our trip, making every stop along the way a really educational experience. One of the big advantages of having a guide is meeting and getting to know a local person in the place you are traveling. We always learn so much more than we would just on our own. The guides have a lot of infectious enthusiasm for Costa Rica and the area they live in. Things are so varied throughout the country, and each new ecosystem is a new opportunity to learn about unique plants, animals, geology and ecology. From hollow trees filled with water that sound like a drum when hit, to hand-grinding freshly-roasted coffee beans, to stopping on the side of the road on the way to the airport to see how a cashew grows, we were constantly coming in contact with new and interesting subjects.

Our list of new-to-us animals, birds and plants is huge from this trip - some standouts were howler monkeys, spider monkeys, two & three-toed sloths, agoutis, coatis, quetzal, eyelash pit viper, scarlet macaw, caimans, motmots, sea eels, morpho butterflies, and special mention to all the various hummingbirds at Monteverde and the nighttime spider eyes watching us in La Fortuna. The plant and insect life is an important part of the experience as well, especially at Amor Arenal where you are surrounded on all sides by amazing jungle vegetation, and the cicadas, birds and wind are the constant backing track.

We met so many friendly and helpful people at all of the hotels and attractions, it made for a welcoming trip. Adrian from Serendipity kept track of us through WhatsApp - and provided some critical help over the phone when we became too absorbed in the Monteverde cloud forest and had to change plans quickly. The hotels were all noteworthy because of the helpful staff and the excellent facilities. Every guide was a stand-out, and really every guided activity was rewarding and worthwhile. The naturalist guides were invaluable - Bryan at Arenal, Joe on the Peñas Blancas River, Andy in Monteverde, and Kenneth in Nosara all really knew their areas well and gave us real insight into the natural world of Central America.

Transfers were timely and seemed like a necessity, not an option. There were quite a few rough roads and tricky turns, it was great to have locals driving. They were all excellent.

We would recommend Costa Rica without reservation, and this tour made it great.

Our Japan trip was truly memorable! It was my daughter's first international trip and she did so well. Eleanor has planned it in a way where my daughter can keep up and not get overwhelmed and still check off all the places and experiences we wanted to have. Our local guides and drivers were also superb. Shoutout to Yuka, our guide in Shirakawa. She was a lovely person and my daughter played with her a lot. Overall, the beauty of the places we've seen, the culture, the hospitality made it magical and enchanting for us. It reset our minds and spirit. I can actually say my soul was deeply moved. We were absolutely captivated by Japan!

This was our first trip to Morocco and our first time booking through Kimkim, and the experience exceeded our expectations from start to finish.

Planning with Mohamed was straightforward and pleasant, very much in line with the strong reviews we had read. We chose an itinerary covering Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, the Agafay desert, and Marrakech, and he was happy to accommodate a few thoughtful modifications to better suit our group.

As the trip approached, Said took over the local coordination and handled bookings on the ground. Once we arrived, there were a couple of last-minute changes involving guides and an activity venue—things that could have been stressful—but Said and Karim handled everything seamlessly. The replacements they arranged were excellent, and we couldn’t have been happier with how smoothly it all worked out.

We traveled as a private group of two families, with a dedicated car and driver, which made a huge difference in comfort and flexibility.

Each stop on the itinerary had its own unique charm:
• Casablanca offered a sense of nostalgia (especially for fans of the movie) and the stunning Hassan II Mosque by the sea.
• Rabat was a highlight—we adjusted our schedule to spend more time there, and it was absolutely worth it. It’s rich in history yet also relaxed and coastal, making it ideal for a mixed group. Chellah, with its storks nesting nearby, was especially memorable.
• Fes stood out for its atmosphere—the orange blossom–scented courtyard at Palais Amani, and the maze of narrow streets in the medina. We also visited Mosaique et Poterie de Fes, where live demonstrations showcased truly impressive craftsmanship in traditional pottery and mosaic work. It was fascinating to see the level of skill involved. That said, the sales pitch can be quite aggressive and persistent, so it’s worth being prepared for that. As elsewhere, once we made it clear we weren’t looking to purchase, things remained respectful.
• Agafay Desert (Inara Camp) was a true highlight. The setting—with views of the Atlas Mountains—combined with sunset, dinner, performances, and a camel ride made for a magical experience. We genuinely wished we had stayed an extra night.
• Marrakech was vibrant, beautiful, and full of life. We had heard mixed advice beforehand—some suggesting skipping Casablanca and going straight to Marrakech—and now we understand why. The city is rich in history yet full of energy, with welcoming neighborhoods and lively night markets. Our cooking class at MonRiad was intimate and authentic, led by two young chefs with less showmanship but 100% sincerity. Even after multiple visits to spice markets, we found ourselves enjoying them more each time. Another highlight was a traditional hammam and spa experience at Les Bains de l’Alhambra—it somehow took away all the muscle soreness, dead skin, and lingering travel fatigue in one go 🙂

Overall, the trip felt thoughtfully designed, well-paced, and very well supported on the ground. We appreciated the flexibility, responsiveness, and the sense that we were in good hands throughout.

We were incredibly fortunate to have Karim as our driver throughout the trip.

He drove a brand new 7-passenger Renault SUV, which made long travel days comfortable and relaxed. More importantly, Karim is an excellent driver—steady, safe, and professional, which really matters on some of Morocco’s longer routes.

Beyond that, he was knowledgeable, reliable, and genuinely pleasant to be around. His personality struck just the right balance—friendly and helpful, yet calm and unobtrusive. Traveling with him made the entire experience feel easy and enjoyable.

We couldn’t have asked for a better driver and would highly recommend him to anyone planning a similar trip.

Benjamin created an affordable and amazing itinerary for Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. We really enjoyed the diverse food, shopping cultural sites, and nightlife in Bangkok. Kodalay Seafood Buffet was our culinary highlight, great seafood by the river.

Transportation from airports to various destinations were seamless. Elephant Sanctuary tour in Phuket was an amazing experience feeding and walking amongst the elephants in their natural habitat. Also spent time on the beautiful beaches in Phuket and island hopping to Maya Bay.

Benjamin was always available to help in booking extra room or when I lost my wallet and key card. I would highly recommend him for any trip to Thailand.

My family and I had an amazing trip to England! It was our first time visiting and were not familiar with pretty much anything. Kateryna set us up with several private tours including a drive to Stonehenge and the Jurassic Coast. We took a day trip to Paris on the Eurostar, saw plenty of the tourist sites in London, and got to rides horses in Hyde Park. Everything was planned perfectly and Kateryna was there to answer any questions, even on the day of arrival.

Our trip to Rome was wonderful and the itinerary Fabio put together for our family was so much fun. It was great to have the same private guide for our Coliseum and Vatican tours (Mirta was fantastic and so good with the kids!!) and for our car transfers. The Fiat tour with Daria was fantastic and our cooking class was the star of the trip. Thank you for a seamless travel experience!

I wish I could give Columbus Guatemala Travel more than 5 stars – they were that good! Caterina and her team were available 24/7 for any of our questions, they were always quick to respond, and it was obvious they genuinely cared that we had a memorable and enjoyable trip. 10 out of 10 for Columbus Guatemala Travel in Antigua, Guatemala!

Overall our guides were excellent. Coimbra was by far my favorite city. Our guide at the university did a great job of explaining the history without going into information we are not interested in.
Our hotel in Coimbra was fantastic!

Hotel Reviews

CBR Boutique Hotel

Coimbra

One of the nicest hotels ever! Super comfortable and loved the decor of books!

Authenticity & Character

The books in the walls was amazing! Heated floors, amazingly views from the 5th floor

Location

Right out the door is the town square

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could not be nicer!

Pousada Porto - Rua das Flores

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central and walking distance to sites

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

AlmaLusa Baixa & Chiado

Lisbon

Great location walking distance to everything. Good breakfast and nice staff.

Authenticity & Character

Clean, nice staff

Location

Central and easy to walk to sites

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bussaco Forest Walk

Coimbra

We loved it! It was a big hike so important to be in good shape. Our guide took us on a longer hike and we so enjoyed the sites

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Walk

Coimbra

Wonderful guide and good selection of local foods

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Joanina Library & University of Coimbra Visit

Coimbra

The best guide. Fascinating tour of the university and library Bats in the library…. Amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Food Walk

Porto

Wonderful guide! Took us to places we would not have found on our own

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private River Cruise with Wine & Food Platter

Porto

It was a highlight. Lovey cruise with the sails up for a bit

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tuk-Tuk Experience Along the 28 Tram Route

Lisbon

Since we had been on Lisbon for two days and had walked the streets the ride was repeatedly what we had seen

Private Sintra & Cascais Day Trip with Pena Palace & Quinta da Regaleira Visit

Lisbon

Turned out it was not private so Kim Kim refunded the cost. The tour guide could not stop talking. Not very professional

Private Alfama Walk & Fado Dinner Performance

Lisbon

Sure did not need to dress up for the event. Dinner was just ok but wonderful to be with the locals

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I appreciated that they contacted me the day before to confirm pickup

Transport

We really appreciated all the transfers during our trip, given road conditions and signage. All the drivers were friendly and on time, if not early. All the lodging arrangements were great. We had excellent nature guides in Monteverde. When there was a glitch in reserving a guide at Treetopia, having our confirmation # came in handy, and someone from KimKim called us in the moment. The only change I would make is to spend 2 nights vs 3 at Hacienda Guachipelin. It was a great place, but there wasn't enough hiking in the local area.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín

Liberia

Great location. There was a feel of a resort without all the fanciness. If you're not into ziplining, rapelling and tubing, there are fewer hiking options, though.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Hotel Guiones

Nosara

Great location- walking easy to beach and town, very helpful and friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cala Lodge

Monteverde

great location, beautiful setting, nice breakfasts

Authenticity & Character

helpful staff

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

perfectly clean, room was a bit tight

Activity Reviews

Rincón de la Vieja Volcano Hike & La Oropendola Waterfall

Rincón de la Vieja

This park is VERY busy and there are limited trails but very interesting to see fumaroles, mud pots and water pots. Our group was fairly large and the guide was fair, but not superb. The Oropendola waterfall hike was great!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birdwatch Hike in Nosara Biological Reserve

Nosara

Our guide, Rio, was born and bred in Nosara and his family goes back generations there. It was worth getting up for a 6 am birdwalk. Rio's spotting scope was broken, but he was able to spot birds easily since he's so experienced.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

Our guide, again- it was Marcella- was wonderful. Santa Elena was a busy place but going with a guide allowed us to see way more birds and have a good understanding of the ecosystem.

Quality of Experience

the guide makes it worth the trip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It's a pretty bumpy ride getting there, but worth it

Transport

Hanging Bridges Adventure

Monteverde

Nice and quiet and we had a great guide, Roberto, all to ourselves. He was into birds, trees, spiders- couldn't have asked for more.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walk at Curi-Cancha Reserve

Monteverde

Our guide Marcella was great. The waiver process was cumbersome and didn't seem necessary

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We recently returned from a truly wonderful tour of Japan. Eleanor at KimKim was the primary reason it felt so effortless. From the very beginning, she was incredibly thorough, managing every small detail and keeping us perfectly posted with updates and reminders exactly when we needed them. She managed to hit that elusive sweet spot between guided and self-guided time, selecting fantastic guides while still leaving us enough room to breathe and explore on our own. Eleanor was easy to work with and made changes when we thought of them.

One of the best decisions we made was following her advice to spend three days staying on Miyajima instead of staying over on the Hiroshima side. It was a highlight of the trip, though we do have one funny "pro-tip" for anyone else heading there: once the day-tourists catch the ferry back, almost every restaurant on the island shuts down by 6:00 PM. It left only a few spots open outside of the hotels, which we turned into a bit of an adventure, though others might find it a bit of a shock if they aren't prepared!

If we were to tweak anything in the itinerary, there were really only two minor exceptions in Kyoto—the boat ride and the tourist train. Only one person in our group enjoyed them. But in the grand scheme of such a well-planned trip, those were very small notes. Eleanor’s planning was top-tier, and while KimKim provided a great backend for the whole process, it was her personal touch that made the experience what it was. We would highly recommend her to anyone planning to travel to Japan.

The highlight of the trip was the 1,000 photos I captured along the way. I resonate with the Japanese style and their conscious use of space, line, and form in almost everything they create.
The gardens were especially relevant to me. Each one had a similarity but also its own unique elements, which made looking through my lens truly exciting. In fact, they have inspired me to revisit my own gardens, not trying to mimic a Japanese garden, but to take the time to think about, look a little longer and deeper, and try to incorporate these elements into mine.
My favorite was Miyajima - I loved the Island, the cable cars, and the Tori Bridge. It is a beautiful island. I especially love the Miyajima Hotel Villa. They had free snacks (and ice cream!) and the room was very comfortable with a lovely water view. The deer roam freely and are so friendly to the tourists.
I will contact Eleanor when we decide to return to Japan. I will use KimKim to plan travel to other countries.