Sara Martinel

In Brazil, we had a total of 3 tour guides with us and 2 of them exceeded expectations and one seemed to leave us hanging for a part of the trip. Luis and Alberto excelled at their job they both kept a pace we could keep up with (we are both 60+), were very informative, commenting on the significant historical stories of each locale, and were receptive to questions and adjustments to the tour so that we felt comfortable at every stage of the trip. While C was informative and tried their best at English she probably kept the Portuguese portion of the group well informed but when we went to confirm our return ride back by rail, we felt a little abandoned not knowing what the next step was. Thankfully fellow passengers and the station master were quick to figure out the next step and ensured we had tickets for, the return train trip back to Curitiba. It must also be said that C was very considerate in backtracking the group to recover a personal item left behind - thank you C. Kimkim and Luis were very helpful when the airline cancelled a trip from Foz do Iguacu to Curitiba shortly before boarding. Luis was on the phone to clarify alternate plans, and in a few minutes, an alternate route going through Sao Paulo was arranged. While we got in later than expected it all worked out. All the transfers were handled professionally with no hiccups. At all times when travelling with the parties, Kimkim arranged we felt safe and looked after. In overview, the hotels were all comfortable and met our expectations with interesting features and locations. Kimkim was right on with sticking to the plan as agreed upon. I would travel with Kimkim again especially if the same stellar tour guides were included.

Had an amazing although short trip to Rio. Alberto was a fantastic knowledgable guide and I truly appreciated his fluent English. Also thanks to Sara for preparing a detailed plan to see all the major sights and some of the more unique ones. I truly enjoyed this trip.

Sara was exceptional at helping us plan our first trip to Brazil. She was very knowledgeable about where to go and how much time to spend in each place, and she was extremely patient with me as we locked in the fine details. Once in Brazil, she and Thiago were very communicative and helpful. Everything that Sara planned for us went extremely smoothly. Our drivers and tour guides were punctual and added new dimensions to our trip. We had a very kind tour guide in Paraty, who taught us about the town's history. We so appreciated Thiago and Eder helping us make our transfers as early as late in the day as they needed to be. Our tour guide in Foz do Iguacu was very flexible as there were some weather impacts on our trip there. However, he made sure we got to see as much as we could and even helped us fill some time before we had a late flight out of town. Our tour guide in Sao Paulo likewise rolled with the weather and brought us to a bunch of highlights in the city. Thank you Sara (and Thiago) for making our first trip to Brazil one that we will never forget!

Our Brazilian adventure was amazing! There was a drought in the Amazon that impacted our visit in that it maybe reduced our chances of encountering wildlife but it did not diminish the overall excitement of our experience. Sara was an expert and accommodating specialist (as was her entertaining husband who drove us to our hotel in Rio and greeted us before our final departure). The lodging in the Amazon was great, with decent meals and comfortable (and cool-temperatured!) accommodations. Highlights included piranha fishing, caiman spotting, pink dolphin sighting, a jungle hike and lots of fun boat rides on the river. At the end of our trip, a sumptuous lunch in Manaus and time with a fun local guide left us very contented.
I had high expectations for our time in Rio, and they were exceeded! The hotel near Copacabana was in a perfect location and provided a terrific breakfast. The best part of the trip was spending the day with local guide Albert Cardoso! He expertly led us through the main attractions with the perfect amount of narration and personal descriptions of life in Rio, got us to our exhilarating hang gliding experience, and, after an enjoyable lunch showcasing the best of Brazilian cuisine, showed us other wonderful highlights, sometimes wandering off the beaten path. We finished with an evening ascent to Sugarloaf that was quite a finale. Another very kind guide led us on a hike up Morro Dois Irmaos. A somewhat scary motorbike ride to the starting point and a delicious lunch in a local favela restaurant after our climb made for an adventure that we still reminisce about fondly! I fell in love with Rio and will never forget our trip there. Thank you, Sara, for all you did to assure we had the trip of a lifetime iin your spectacular country!

Mr Elisio Teba and Mrs Teba, and Auri owners of pousada Santa Barbara and pousada Bawary, respectively, are a great asset to Kim Kim. They provided professional assistance, great living quarters and they made you feel at home. The indigenous guide , Claudio, was very competent and I am happy he brought his son as an apprentice because it made the venture pleasingly personal.