Kimkim Trip Reviews for Galapagos Islands

We were completely satisfied with our experience! Alvaro made everything perfect, was always accessible, helped with last minute questions and changes and even set up our last day with a very unique Ecuadorian agave tasting! As the cherry on top, Alvaro wrote us a hand written note, drew us an amazing picture of Galapagos blue footed boobies and gave us a champagne and chocolate strawberry send off completed with rose petals and towel swans on the bed. We couldn’t have asked for more from our birthday and engagement celebration. Thank you kimkim and especially to Alvaro!!

Our family of four went to Ecuador and visited the Amazon basin and the Galapagos Islands from Feb 5-20, 2023. Our local trip specialist was Tamer Obeid. Tamer was there for us the whole time. He was a text away and always responsive if we had a problem or a question. Special thanks to Tamer for providing us with dinner and a cake on my son’s 26th birthday. Tamer is an asset to KimKim, and we greatly appreciate his help and support.

In the Amazon basin, we visited the Napo Wildlife Center.... read more

Our family of four went to Ecuador and visited the Amazon basin and the Galapagos Islands from Feb 5-20, 2023. Our local trip specialist was Tamer Obeid. Tamer was there for us the whole time. He was a text away and always responsive if we had a problem or a question. Special thanks to Tamer for providing us with dinner and a cake on my son’s 26th birthday. Tamer is an asset to KimKim, and we greatly appreciate his help and support.

In the Amazon basin, we visited the Napo Wildlife Center. Our guide was Remy, and he was incredible. He grew up in the local community and was aware of all the animals and made many of their sounds. Perhaps the highlight of our visit was seeing the Giant River Otters up close and spending time with the Kichwa Añangu Community. We also climbed to the treetop canopy, visited the parrot clay licks, hiked trails, and did lots of wildlife watching from the canoe.

In the Galapagos Islands, we stayed on Santa Cruz, Isabela, and San Cristobal and had different guides each day for our excursions. Perhaps our favorites were Joel and Lambo. They went out of their way to help us get good photographs and provided their GoPro photographs from our excursion.

Joel pulled two non-swimmers wearing life preservers while he was leading our group. He would occasionally dive down to take photographs of sharks and rays at Pinzon, our best snorkeling trip. Lambo would also dive deep and show us where an object was, like a seahorse, to photograph. He led us around the Tunnels to see enormous sea turtles.
The best place we stayed in the Galapagos was at the Iguana Crossing Hotel on Isabela. The view from the hotel was gorgeous and the service was excellent.

Note that everything on our trip did not run smoothly. We had some transportation problems, and three of us had stomach issues during our travels that lasted many days. Having said that, it was still the trip of a lifetime and one that we would gladly do again.

Great trip: your reps in Guayaquil & San Cristobal were on-time, knowledgeable & flexible, which turned out to be a big plus when our return flights on Cabo Air became a major snafu. Of course the boat was top-notch, and we'd recommend others take the 8-day cruise but not necessarily the 4-day one (100 points vs 75, let's say). All guides were knowledgeable about the history, the science & other facts like populations of both humans & other animal species. Their daily plans worked.

One... read more

Great trip: your reps in Guayaquil & San Cristobal were on-time, knowledgeable & flexible, which turned out to be a big plus when our return flights on Cabo Air became a major snafu. Of course the boat was top-notch, and we'd recommend others take the 8-day cruise but not necessarily the 4-day one (100 points vs 75, let's say). All guides were knowledgeable about the history, the science & other facts like populations of both humans & other animal species. Their daily plans worked.

One suggestion: when booking clients on any boat do warn them to prepare ahead of time for being seasick unless they KNOW FOR SURE they will not suffer from that. On both of our trips we had fellow "sailors" unable to eat, or participate in the things they came to do: out of only 14-16 pax there was always someone out of commission! They had not been warned by anyone it seemed!

The day trip around San Cristobal was excellent to include. The harbor-front hotel there was perfect, although for most 80-yr-olds its not having an elevator would have been a bad surprise; we are, thankfully, not most 80-yr-olds. The Guayaquil hotel was adequate & for $100/night incl breakfast & some drinks a "good buy". We even had dinner there every evening. Overall, in spite of knowing a lot about what makes those islands so special before we arrived, we came home knowing so, so much more

We had such a fantastic trip in the Galapagos (and a few days in Quito too!) planned by Alvaro. Seeing the islands was a life dream for both of us, and we really feel like we got a fully immersed experience. We let Alvaro know a few different things that we knew we wanted to do, and solicited his help and feedback to fill in around those. We went back and forth many times on the itinerary until it felt perfect, and then we were off! There are lots of transfers and moving parts when visiting... read more

We had such a fantastic trip in the Galapagos (and a few days in Quito too!) planned by Alvaro. Seeing the islands was a life dream for both of us, and we really feel like we got a fully immersed experience. We let Alvaro know a few different things that we knew we wanted to do, and solicited his help and feedback to fill in around those. We went back and forth many times on the itinerary until it felt perfect, and then we were off! There are lots of transfers and moving parts when visiting the islands, and everything was handled seamlessly. Our local guides were fantastic, and the experiences were unparalleled. We saw so much wildlife, got to experience the islands from land and sea, and feel like we left having gotten the absolute most out of our trip. We also really enjoyed the accommodations Alvaro helped us pick.

10/10 we would recommend Alvaro and kimkim when planning a trip to the Galapagos, and we really look forward to working with kimkim again for our next vacation!

Astrid was a terrific local guide and so knowledgeable.
The various islands were great choices. read more

Astrid was a terrific local guide and so knowledgeable.
The various islands were great choices.

Fabulous trip and experience in the Galapagos.
mathias planned a great trip and we loved every excursion. Our hotels were really nice, guides knowledgeable, and boats to islands were terrific. Truly a beautiful experience! read more

Fabulous trip and experience in the Galapagos.
mathias planned a great trip and we loved every excursion. Our hotels were really nice, guides knowledgeable, and boats to islands were terrific. Truly a beautiful experience!

Alvaro was a super specialist! We've never worked with a planner before and always did our own travel planning. Ecuador and the Galapagos seemed a little daunting to us, so we enlisted some help. Alvaro's help expanded from just Galapagos to our entire trip. He was always available to answer questions, make suggestions, follow up, check in with us, and send messages along the way as we geared up for our trip. We loved having a virtual call so we could go over what activities we enjoy doing... read more

Alvaro was a super specialist! We've never worked with a planner before and always did our own travel planning. Ecuador and the Galapagos seemed a little daunting to us, so we enlisted some help. Alvaro's help expanded from just Galapagos to our entire trip. He was always available to answer questions, make suggestions, follow up, check in with us, and send messages along the way as we geared up for our trip. We loved having a virtual call so we could go over what activities we enjoy doing the most and then Alvaro making suggestions and worked on a few revisions to make sure it was perfect.
I was not prepared for the level of support! We had tour guides at every junction guiding us to our next hotel, our flight, greeting us, and helping us check in. Our guides and drivers were all knowledgeable, friendly, and must be the best in the business! I would highly recommend any traveler, even a very experienced traveler, to use Alvaro and the Kimkim team to plan a memorable trip to any locale.
Our favorite places and memorable guides:
Napo Cultural Center, Yasuni National Park--Canopy tour, guide Sergio
Quito City tour--guide Christian, Cooking class at Alta Mira hostel with Chef Karen
El Provenir Hacienda--Cotopaxi hiking with guide Christian
Galapagos--Los Tuneles tour and snorkeling

Hotel Reviews

Hacienda El Porvenir

Machachi

Authenticity & Character

love the cozy fireplaces and the natural setting near the mountain

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

hot water bottles at night, exceptionally clean

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

Wonderful activities to do and explore with your guide just outside your door...viewing wildlife, canopy tour, night hike. The food was wonderful and the staff working here show tremendous pride in what they do and care immensely in a guest's experience, while also fostering a caring atmosphere and family for staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

incredibly attentive to all details and showing so much pride in their work and staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Had all the comforts of home, just in the Amazon river basin!!

Activity Review

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

Our guide was fantastic--Peter. He was very invested in making sure we saw wildlife and we were safe in the water. Super engaging and made the trip enjoyable and time go so fast!

Quality of Experience

Food

Transport

We could not have been happier with the service we received from the kimkim team! Lucia and Angel responded immediately to our questions before and during our travel. Every possible effort was made on their part to ensure we had a safe and exciting vacation with exceptional guides at every turn.

Our time in Peru was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! We had an amazing tour of Lima (thank you Juana!), an educational Sacred Valley tour (thank you Henry!). Lucia and Angel reserved Andre as... read more

We could not have been happier with the service we received from the kimkim team! Lucia and Angel responded immediately to our questions before and during our travel. Every possible effort was made on their part to ensure we had a safe and exciting vacation with exceptional guides at every turn.

Our time in Peru was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! We had an amazing tour of Lima (thank you Juana!), an educational Sacred Valley tour (thank you Henry!). Lucia and Angel reserved Andre as our Machu Picchu guide and he was perfect for us. Andre taught us about Incan culture and history as well as the integration of Incan beliefs into everyday Peruvian life. This was a highlight of our stay in Peru.

Juan Carlos led an exceptional excursion in Cusco and we can personally recommend his services. There were extenuating circumstances during our Cusco stay but Juan Carlos and the kimkim team made sure that we remained comfortable and cared for without interruption.

Off to Ecuador where we were treated like royalty by Angel and Sebastian in Quito. The next morning, we flew to the Galapagos and the attention from the kimkim staff did not disappoint. Rita was attentive to our every need (drivers, boat transfers, flights, ferries) --- she could not have done more for us! Julio (our guide for nature hikes) was knowledgeable, humorous and energetic.

Definitely take the snorkeling trip to the uninhabited island and try to secure Ricardo as your guide. He and the boat captain went above and beyond to create a memorable experience for everyone. The food and staff on board the Nautilus were friendly and accommodating in every detail.

Our final stop was at the Middle of the World where Marco provided an interesting and amusing tour. We truly enjoyed our time with him. Before we boarded our flight home, Angel took the time to meet us personally at the airport and share much-deserved hugs and farewells.

Because of an unexpected event in Peru, we were unable to meet our daughter on the Galapagos Islands as stated on our original itinerary. Lucia and Angel not only ensured that she was able to participate in the activities as planned, they also rescheduled events for us back in Peru until we could join her. We were never concerned for her safety and she even got one-on-one tours from the guides on the Galapagos Islands.

A final observation: You will not be disappointed with the service provided by this kimkim team. Lucia and Angel managed everything: meals, tickets, transfers, taxis, luggage transport, tours, entrance fees... the list is lengthy! You will be well taken care of and can be secure knowing that your agents are on top of every activity, hotel, and transportation need.

No one could have asked more from Lucia and Angel. We recommend them --- and the tour they created for us --- without reservation!

Happy travels to Peru and Ecuador, everyone!
Barb and Dan

Hotel Reviews

Union Hotel Cusco

Cusco

Great food, excellent and attentive staff. Fun location near the mercado and a short walk from the plaza.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arawi Miraflores Prime

Lima

Location in a funky part of Lima: short walk to Larcomar and Miraflores park.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent breakfast buffet!

Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado

Urubamba

Gorgeous setting, fabulous food, great staff. The room itself was basic, but we were outside most of the time. Beautiful setting near mountains and the river. The town of Ullantaytambo is not remarkable, but it's lively and interesting!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Maritza was a lot of fun. We enjoyed everyone, but she was very kind and friendly!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kitu Hotel

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Definitely a boutique hotel. We were on the 4th floor (walk up) and our drive and guide carried our heavy bags all the way up for us!!

Location

Beautiful night time view from the balcony

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Villa Laguna

Puerto Ayora

Great pool!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the piers and the nightlife and the music and the plaza and the restaurants!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isamar Hotel

Puerto Villamil, Isla Isabela

Sea breezes lulled us to sleep!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the beach. Nice.

Staff

Stored our luggage, put out a great breakfast buffet, provided extra towels: they couldn't have been nicer or more attentive!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Highlights of Lima- City Tour

Lima

We had a unique experience due to political upheaval --- our guide kept us safe and informed!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Juana was excellent

Cusco - The Sacred Valley

Peru

We enjoyed an amusing and educational tour of the area and the peoples of Cusco!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Maras & Moray Tour

Peru

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Machu Picchu - Huayna Picchu - Cusco

Peru

We were blown away by Andre and our experience at the citadel. Mystical, practical, humorous, intelligent... an indescribable experience.

Quality of Experience

Everything was ready for us: train tickets, bus tickets, knowledgeable tour guide. It was perfect.

Food

We ate at Toto's. Good lunch buffet. Avoid the drink "Machu Picchu" unless you like toothpaste or mouthwash!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Andre was amazing!

Transport

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

Marco was hilarious and was a good sport while we practiced our Spanish and asked him to take photos.

Quality of Experience

Great tour on site; the woman was humorous and intelligent

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thank you Marco!

Transport

Explore an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

We were unprepared for the amazing the boat ride! Schooner to the island, hike to a spectacular view, snorkeling with penguins and sharks and sea lions. And they never stopped feeding us on the boat!! Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, snack. Lovely voyage!

Quality of Experience

I love boat rides. That was enough for me. The hike and snorkeling were extras. :)

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ricardo crushed it! Concerned about the environment, intelligent, worked well with the entire group.

Transport

Woohoo! Sailboat!

Dinner by the Sea

Galapagos Islands

Delightful night time boat shuttle to an adorable restaurant.

Quality of Experience

The food was exceptional, great cocktails, loved being near the water

Food

We upgraded to lobster. Worth it!

Transport

Short ferry ride and you're there

Breeding Center & Wetlands of Isabela Island

Galapagos Islands

One of the highlights of the islands! If you want to see tortoises, take this tour!

Quality of Experience

This was a must-see for us. LOTS of tortoises to see.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Julio showed us flamingos, Darwin finches, different flora and fauna of the Galapagos. We arrived when the tortoises were being fed and that was a bonus for sure!

Transport

Well, we walked.

Alavaro did a great job with organizing our much awaited trip to the Galapagos. He took the time to understand our wish list before recommending options and patiently worked through multiple iterations that better fit our family’s interests.
We stayed on Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristobal and visited Espanola; we were amazed by the biodiversity on all these islands and the difference between each of them.

Viviana on Santa Cruz Island was very knowledgeable. She picked us up from Baltra... read more

Alavaro did a great job with organizing our much awaited trip to the Galapagos. He took the time to understand our wish list before recommending options and patiently worked through multiple iterations that better fit our family’s interests.
We stayed on Santa Cruz, Isabela, San Cristobal and visited Espanola; we were amazed by the biodiversity on all these islands and the difference between each of them.

Viviana on Santa Cruz Island was very knowledgeable. She picked us up from Baltra airport and took us to a lava tunnel, private reserve, and Charles Darwin Foundation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Staff were helpful. Breakfast was great. Hotel room was not maintained (bugs, ants, mosquitoes, lizard in the room, bathroom ceiling is open to the room, bathroom door was stuck and housekeeping/maintenance didn’t address the issue, air conditioner stinks when turned on, extremely expensive laundry (charged $4/kg while the laundromat actually charged $1.5/kg).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Breeding Center & Wetlands of Isabela Island

Galapagos Islands

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

There was confusion with the guide about the itinerary and we ended up visiting the Interpretation Center on the final day of our stay on San Cristobal.

Wildlife Encounter in San Cristobal: Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

Tour of San Cristóbal Island: Highlights, Beaches & Marine Life

Isla San Cristóbal

Free morning on San Cristobal until Departure

Isla San Cristóbal

We ended up visiting the Interpretation Center on the final morning since there was confusion with our itinerary on the arrival day.

All of our local guides and experts were extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and quick to respond with help and recommendations. In our relatively short trip, we felt like all of our major interests were planned out and we didn't feel like we missed out on anything at all.

Plenty of snorkeling, hiking, and sight-seeing, with just enough downtime to check out the towns and local digs. We don't normally travel with so much hand holding, but for the Galapagos where so much is protected and must... read more

All of our local guides and experts were extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and quick to respond with help and recommendations. In our relatively short trip, we felt like all of our major interests were planned out and we didn't feel like we missed out on anything at all.

Plenty of snorkeling, hiking, and sight-seeing, with just enough downtime to check out the towns and local digs. We don't normally travel with so much hand holding, but for the Galapagos where so much is protected and must be visited with a National Guide anyway, this process and itinerary were perfect!

The lodgings selected for us were also right up our alley--quaint and boutique with a local touch, while still providing respite and privacy.

We had one morning with miscommunicated tour times, but it was not a big deal and it just meant we had more time for breakfast!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Galapagos Suites

Puerto Ayora

Photos don't do this place justice, honestly! The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with lovely balconies equipped with hammocks. Run by a mother/daughter dream team, we felt so welcomed and comfortable every night we stayed!

Authenticity & Character

Location

A close walk to local restaurants and shops while still off the main road enough to be quiet.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Incredible location and very helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

We were nervous in the morning that the overcast and misty weather would keep us from seeing the caldera, but it was actually a blessing in disguise to keep us covered and cool from the sun on the first half of the trip. By the time we were out and back from Chico, we had a wonderfully clear view and made it home without too much sunburn. Easy hike, but long with the amount of stopping and sight seeing along the way.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer Baltra Airport - Puerto Ayora with visit to the highlands of Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Our guide, Astrid, was incredible. So knowledgeable and insightful--she made all the difference to our experience of what was already fantastic sight seeing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

Best snorkeling of the trip in my opinion. Wide, open cove with very clear waters that don't get too sandy or crowded. You're able to see a lot of sea life without too much hard work or feeling rushed by the group.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our tour didn't actually include kayaking, which is fine in retrospect as it was the last day of our trip and I probably would have been more tired!

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

I would have liked a bit more time here, but our guide, Astrid, was extremely knowledgeable and it was so great to see the babies.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

A full day on the boat! A fairly large group, but accommodations were adequate (and lunch was so good!) and we got a bit of everything--light hiking on North Seymour with plenty of wildlife sightings, snorkeling in clear coastal waters, and beach time to relax and swim.

Quality of Experience

Would have been nice to see the boat's sails in its full glory, but not a big deal! A pretty big group, which means more chances that people are late/slow/affecting the overall experience. Really not a deal breaker at all, but we ended up preferring some of the smaller group activities. I just wish we saw more flamingos!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Great guide who shared photos and videos after (love that!), but really a crowded location that made it hard to see all of the wildlife. Felt a little rushed. Everyone in the group seemed to have very different levels of swim skill, so it was really hard to stay focused on a given area for sea life spotting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First and foremost a big thank you to our travel agent Linda. She was very responsive, knowledgeable and great to work with. All the tour guides were excellent. read more

First and foremost a big thank you to our travel agent Linda. She was very responsive, knowledgeable and great to work with. All the tour guides were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fiesta

Puerto Ayora

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Katarma

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Only drawback at this hotel was there were no elevators - we had to drag our bags 4 stories up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Interpretation Center & Tijeretas Hill

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido)

Galapagos Islands

The water was very cold even with wet suits.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlands of Santa Cruz Island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Guide was excellent. Research center was worth the visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Junco Lagoon & Puerto Chino Beach

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Most Memorable places: Las Quilotoa in Ecuador, Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock, Charles Darwin Research Center, El Rancho in Santa Cruz, Bartolome Island (this boat crew and company offered fantastic service and the lunch on the boat was amazing!), Hike at Sierra Negra Volcano in Isabela Island, Snorkeling in Isabela Island, Kayaking in Tortuga Bay with Turtles and Sharks
Tour guides that were awesome and I would recommend for future trips: Daniel, Wilson, Enrique
Thank you to Alvaro and... read more

Most Memorable places: Las Quilotoa in Ecuador, Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock, Charles Darwin Research Center, El Rancho in Santa Cruz, Bartolome Island (this boat crew and company offered fantastic service and the lunch on the boat was amazing!), Hike at Sierra Negra Volcano in Isabela Island, Snorkeling in Isabela Island, Kayaking in Tortuga Bay with Turtles and Sharks
Tour guides that were awesome and I would recommend for future trips: Daniel, Wilson, Enrique
Thank you to Alvaro and Daniela for all of your help during the trip and being quick and responsive to our inquiries.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great Breakfast, friendly service

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa de Nelly

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Very nice outdoor area where we could spend time together, there was a picnic table and hammocks. This hotel was in walking distance to the restaurants and shops which was very convenient!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Isla

Puerto Ayora

View from this hotel is awesome. Only negative was that we frequently did not have hot water to shower in

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casa de Marita

Puerto Villamil

Spacious rooms, good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Great shuttle service, delicious buffet for dinner

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

Daniel was an awesome tour guide. Great to see all of this in one day

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring and Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

View was awesome! Great trip. It is better for this hike to be at least two days after landing in Quito because of the elevation difference

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

Seeing the seals so up close was beautiful, the snorkeling was amazing and enjoyable, I loved learning about the history at the Interpretation center. Wilson was a fantastic tour guide!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Treasure of Galapagos: Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock

Isla San Cristóbal

Beautiful, great location and trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scuba Diving guide was very knowledgeable, patient, and informative. He explained everything thoroughly and I recommend him for future trips

Transport

Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Loved learning about the turtles and history

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

This snorkeling was amazing and is a must see! Seeing the sharks so close was incredible

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day in Isabela Island

Puerto Villamil

Much needed day off!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

This was an amazing but challenging hike.

Quality of Experience

Food

Lunch could have more protein for such a strenuous hike.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

Kayaking in Tortuga bay was an awesome experience. The hike is a nice walk through the forest and on the water, we were able to see turtles and sharks swimming so closely. Enrique was a very knowledgeable and fantastic tour guide! I recommend him for future trips! I do not know if I would recommend the bay tour of Santa Cruz, the tour showed us animals we have seen on other excursions and information we have learned from other guides or trips. Snorkeling was the best part and very enjoyable. The salt mine was also interesting to see. Maybe this tour would be better through a different company, the staff was a little unprofessional on the boat.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

We went to Bartolome Island and this trip was incredible. The views were beautiful, snorkeling was amazing and the lunch on the boat was absolutely delicious. Definitely a must see on this trip and one of my favorites. I recommend that everyone goes here!

Quality of Experience

Food

Chef on board was amazing, delicious lunch that I could eat every day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Professional, kind, great speedboat company and staff, I recommend them for future tours

Transport

Boat was comfortable, had option to sit outside or inside

Farewell Dinner by the Sea

Puerto Ayora

Many items from the menu were not available for us to choose, the weather was very cold to be sitting outside. It might be better to give groups the option to eat on their own this evening or choose a less expensive restaurant that has all options available on the menu such as (1836 or The Rock and Roll restaurant).

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Service was extremely slow here and our waitress forgot many of the items we ordered, we had to ask for our drinks multiple times

Transport

Thank you for having someone walk us to the restaurant so that we know where to go!

Day at leisure until departure (Quito)

Quito

It was very nice to be able to relax and rest but if there are connecting flights available, it might be more convenient to fly home the same day. The hotel was not located near any attractions so there is not much else to visit this evening. Buffet dinner at this hotel was delicious and filling

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
We are so glad we found kimkim to help book our trip to the Galapagos Islands. I have only great things to say about Daniel, Alvaro, and Daniela who made our trip such a success. Initially, we provided them information regarding our budget, timeline (two weeks), and level of activity and preferences, and they worked diligently in creating a detailed and personalized itinerary that worked best for our group of four. Our trip began in Quito and then had... read more

Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
We are so glad we found kimkim to help book our trip to the Galapagos Islands. I have only great things to say about Daniel, Alvaro, and Daniela who made our trip such a success. Initially, we provided them information regarding our budget, timeline (two weeks), and level of activity and preferences, and they worked diligently in creating a detailed and personalized itinerary that worked best for our group of four. Our trip began in Quito and then had stops in the islands of San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, and Isabela. Alvaro and Daniela ensured that everything about our travel arrangements was absolutely seamless! It was so nice not to worry about transportation. All of our taxis, boat transfers, entrance tickets, travel guides, and hotel stays were taken care of. Every single excursion and activity the kimkim team planned for us was an amazing experience, we loved all of our snorkeling trips! All of our tour guides were very knowledgeable and friendly, and provided us with detailed information about the islands and the animals. Daniela and Alvaro also kept in touch with us during our entire trip and were available in case we had questions or concerns, we were very grateful for their quick responses and consistent communication! Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands is an amazing place to visit. I loved being so close to all of the animals, seeing such different plants and landscapes, eating all of the food (trying the seafood is a must!) and meeting all of the welcoming and friendly people. We had the trip of a lifetime and I would definitely book my next trip with kimkim because of our positive experience. Thank you!! :)

Hotel Review

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great location and awesome breakfast. The front desk staff was very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exploring and Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

Such a beautiful place, the view is incredible. The walk down to the lagoon is fairly easy, however the walk uphill is a bit strenuous, you may want to consider renting a mule for $10 a person :)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Daniel was a great guide!

Transport

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

The views are worth the long walk, it was so neat seeing the crater of a volcano and the various lava formations. It looked like you were walking on the surface of the moon!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

The best snorkeling experience of my life! We got to swim with a Galapagos penguin!! The trip was on a beautiful and comfortable boat with a chef who prepared a delicious lunch for our group. The location for snorkeling was absolutely ideal. It was the best day on our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for breakfast, and fish, rice, pasta, and beet salad for lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alvaro, Daniela, and Daniel did an outstanding job with the planning and execution of our trip to Ecuador (Quito and the Galápagos Islands). They were available (even checking up on us during the trip!) and willing to go above and beyond to make our experience the best it could be.
They connected us with very knowledgeable and passionate guides like Daniel in Quito, Wilson in San Cristobal, and Enrique in Santa Cruz.
I especially enjoyed the hike down to the Quilotoa Lake, the unforgettable... read more

Alvaro, Daniela, and Daniel did an outstanding job with the planning and execution of our trip to Ecuador (Quito and the Galápagos Islands). They were available (even checking up on us during the trip!) and willing to go above and beyond to make our experience the best it could be.
They connected us with very knowledgeable and passionate guides like Daniel in Quito, Wilson in San Cristobal, and Enrique in Santa Cruz.
I especially enjoyed the hike down to the Quilotoa Lake, the unforgettable and breathtaking views from Bartolomé Island, and the hike to the expansive crater of Volcano Sierra Negra.
We also loved all the animals we found along the way on land and in the water. The trips to los tuneles and las tintoreras allowed us to get extremely close to blue-footed boobies and whitetip reef sharks. We snorkeled as much as we could and were even joined for a swim by a couple of playful sea lions! It was an amazing experience. The free snorkel experience at Concha de Perla on Isabela Island was also well worth it - we saw sea turtles and sting rays!
Our hotel hosts were also very kind and the food provided at breakfast was delicious. Shout outs go to Casa de Nelly in San Cristobal, Hotel La Isla in Santa Cruz, and Casa de Marita on Isabela.
Overall it was a 5/5 star experience in every way. With quick communication, connections and transfers from airports to hotels to boats made easy the trip went as smoothly as possible. Thank you for your hard work and for making this such an amazing experience!

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Quito Hotel

Quito

Great location and delicious food!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa de Nelly

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Very kind host who made us delicious meals and provided towels for snorkeling!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Isla

Puerto Ayora

Amazing hotel and kind staff and beautiful rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casa de Marita

Puerto Villamil

Loved the access to the beach and views from the second floor breakfast area!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Very nice hotel with a great option of buffet style dinner that is available until late - great for travelers coming in late. Don’t be fooled, the food is amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Exploring and Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Treasure of Galapagos: Scuba Diving at Kicker Rock

Isla San Cristóbal

Loved the trip to Kicker Rock. Our dive guide Michael was awesome and he showed us how to navigate around the rock and currently safely.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sierra Negra volcano - Speedboat to Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Awesome views of Sierra Negra volcano are well worth the strenuous hike. The weather cleared up quite a bit on our hike which made it all that much better.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

Awesome way to get up and close and swim with sea turtles and whitetip reef sharks! Let’s not forget the seahorse and penguins!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

Really awesome and breathtaking views from Bartolome Island. Highly recommend the snorkeling with hundreds of fish surrounding the area.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day in Isabela Island

Puerto Villamil

Snorkeling at Concha de Perla was a great way to spend some free time on Isabela Island.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Tour on Isabela Island

Galapagos Islands

Loved getting up and close with the animals in las Tintoreras.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Galapagos islands were my number one travel destination, but the idea of planning and organizing a trip was a bit complicated so I reached out to KimKim and got paired with Tamer. I’m not sure how I got so lucky to have him as my agent.
Right from day one of us talking, he really put me at ease and gave me lots of ideas for the trip and options, and we worked together on things that I had heard of and wanted to do, and paired them with some things that I would never have known about... read more

The Galapagos islands were my number one travel destination, but the idea of planning and organizing a trip was a bit complicated so I reached out to KimKim and got paired with Tamer. I’m not sure how I got so lucky to have him as my agent.
Right from day one of us talking, he really put me at ease and gave me lots of ideas for the trip and options, and we worked together on things that I had heard of and wanted to do, and paired them with some things that I would never have known about without him. He took my budget and got us the most out of what we wanted to spend, and really personalize the experience for us.
When we got closer to the trip, he also sent lots of information for us on what we should be packing and what to expect when we got to Ecuador and the islands so that we were fully prepared.
Arriving in Ecuador, we were amazed at how organized the trip was, and Tamer had even gone ahead of us to the hotel to make sure it was up to our standards and leave us a little gift. Everything was so easy we knew exactly when we were getting picked up and where we were going and what to expect on each day trip we were taking. He definitely took all the guess work out for us and while we were in Ecuador, we even got to meet Tamer for lunch. I was beyond excited to meet him because I had been speaking with him daily for months, organizing the perfect trip, and I really felt like we had become friends over this time.
Every day on the trip, he would check on us and how we were doing and how we enjoyed each excursion or day that he had planned for us. I couldn’t have planned a more amazing trip without him.
I highly recommend if people are thinking about going to the islands to reach out and get someone to help plan that knows all of the amazing day trips, and different places you can go.
This was definitely the trip of a lifetime and one I will never forget.

Hotel Reviews

Swissotel Quito

Quito

This was a beautiful hotel, and the staff were so helpful and kind. Very clean, and a great location. Also, the restaurants in this hotel were amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Isla

Puerto Ayora

Beautiful, small hotel. The location was wonderful. The only downside is I prefer a separate room for a washroom for a little more privacy and these ones just had a half length door off of the main room but other than that the staff was great and the hotel was clean and well cared for

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Nice staff and clean hotel. Good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Opuntia Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Love the location of this hotel. You walk down the stairs and you are right at sea lion beach, which I love just to watch every morning when I would wake up.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

We were only here for a very short time, but the room was beautiful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full-Day to The Middle of the World Monument - Catequilla Hill & Pucará de Rumicucho

Quito

The guide that we had for this trip was amazing. So knowledgable and made it such a fun day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

So much wildlife to see on land and in the water. The guides were very personable and enjoyable to be around.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

This was one of my favourite days on our trip. We saw so much from sharks and rays to blue footed boobies and sea lions. We were even lucky enough to see some penguins on this trip

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour of San Cristóbal Island: Highlights, Beaches & Marine Life

Isla San Cristóbal

I loved the 360 tour because we got to see a lot of different parts of the island. However, if I could’ve done just a Kicker Rock I would have. If I went back, I would want to spend more time there. I can’t even explain the beauty of the coral underneath the water. I was shocked when we went snorkelling there. We saw hammerhead sharks here as well as turtles and sea lions. It was the most amazing snorkelling I did in the Galapagos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wildlife Encounter in San Cristobal: Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

This island was another one of my favourites as far as day trips went while we were on our vacation. So many baby sea lions were here and we saw lots of birds, and even baby albatrosses. The guide we had this day was one of my favorites, and made the trip so enjoyable. Food on the boat was great and this island was one of my favourites for sure.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alvaro booked a series of wonderful tours for me. With one exception, the Galapagos partners and guides were reliable, knowledgable and personable, with a true interest in sharing their knowledge of the island and its wildlife and ecology, willing to share of themselves and make a personal connection, as well as get me to and from destinations safely and on time. Particular standout guides were Danny (for the introduction to the Island), Solange (everyday assistance and San Cristobal... read more

Alvaro booked a series of wonderful tours for me. With one exception, the Galapagos partners and guides were reliable, knowledgable and personable, with a true interest in sharing their knowledge of the island and its wildlife and ecology, willing to share of themselves and make a personal connection, as well as get me to and from destinations safely and on time. Particular standout guides were Danny (for the introduction to the Island), Solange (everyday assistance and San Cristobal Highlands visit), Christian (for Espanola), Patricio (for Santa Cruz), Freddy and the crew of the Nautilus (for Bartholome), Rita (Santa Cruz), for getting me to and from places on time and helping me search for my phone, and the crew of Wreck Bay Adventures.
Best trips, in my opinion, were Espanola and Bartholome, with the service and comfort on the Nautilus exceeding all expectations. Occasional miscommunications did occur, but the overall experience was wonderful.

Hotel Review

Isla Azul Eco Hostal

Puerto Ayora

This hotel was a good fit for me. I like a comfortable bed, a hot shower, and a nice common areas, but don't need much in terms high luxury. The rooms were clean and nice and the owners and staff were very interesting to chat with and very accommodating to my dietary needs. overall I had a wonderful stay at Isla Azul.

Authenticity & Character

I liked the use of wood in the rooms and the building, it made it very cozy and pleasant to sit in. There is a semi-outdoor common area/lobby that was very comfortable and stocked with books. The owners had interesting stories to tell

Location

It's an average location, felt safe, some stores and bars nearby, about 10 min walk to the "strip"

Staff

Very helpful and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

rooms were cleaned daily, water refilled every other day.

Activity Review

Wildlife Encounter in San Cristobal: Española Island

Isla San Cristóbal

This was a fantastic trip -- the amount of wildlife we saw was mind-blowing and Christian was a wonderful guide. The crew on the boat was very personable and even found my lost waterbottle! Should have brought a better wetsuit for the snorkeling. The water was really chilly!

Quality of Experience

All of it

Food

The food was good. I liked the fresh fruit. Overall the boat lunches are so -so, but they always have rice, so great for gluten-free dietary needs.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So helpful, communicative, and personable. The guide knew a lot!

Transport

We were lucky with the ocean not being too choppy that day. The boat can be a little crowded for longer trips

From the first interaction with Tamer through KimKim, we were blown away by his excellent customer service, kindness, and professionalism. We really hadn't done much research on the Galapagos and so he had his work cut out for him. He came up with an outstanding itinerary for our 10 day adventure across Quito and the Islands of Santa Cruz (with a day tour to Bartolome), two day stay on Isabela, and another two days in San Cristobal. Prior to our departure, we had several phone calls with... read more

From the first interaction with Tamer through KimKim, we were blown away by his excellent customer service, kindness, and professionalism. We really hadn't done much research on the Galapagos and so he had his work cut out for him. He came up with an outstanding itinerary for our 10 day adventure across Quito and the Islands of Santa Cruz (with a day tour to Bartolome), two day stay on Isabela, and another two days in San Cristobal. Prior to our departure, we had several phone calls with him verifying the hotels, tours, etc, and he truly managed to make us even more excited than we already were about our trip. He also touched based with us each day of our journey to check in and re-verify pick up times, itinerary, and what we needed for the next day ahead. The entire experience was seamless, and we were throughly impressed with the way we were handed off and taken care of during the periods of transition to ports and activities. The tour guides he set us up with ( Viviana, Philipe, Eduardo, Wilson, and Sebastian just to name a few) on the different islands and mainland were incredibly knowledgable, hospitable, and so very friendly! We elected for the luxury accommodations and it was definitely worth the extra expense as it made us feel safe and well taken care of. On our adventures, we were able to see many blue footed boobies, frigate birds, sea lions with brand new pups, giant land tortoises, and snorkeled with sea turtles, and white tip sharks! The Galápagos penguins had migrated to a part of Isabela island that we weren't able to visit, but this was truly the only animal we wanted to see that we weren't able to for the time of year we traveled. This honestly was a trip of a lifetime, but in no way would we have been able to plan it on our own. Tamer even took the time out of his day to meet us for coffee in Quito which was just another testament to what it was like to work with him in planning this incredible journey. Thank you for everything, Tamer! We highly recommend working with him and his company to plan your adventures!

Hotel Reviews

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

This hotel was an amazing experience with great views of the sunset, friendly and hospitable staff and very clean accommodations. Be sure to grab a local beer from the lobby and enjoy the rooftop terrace at sunset! You might even catch a local soccer game if you are lucky!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Golden Bay

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal

By far the most beautiful room of our stay. Watching the sea lion pups on our balcony and off the hotel property was incredible. Eating at the hotel restaurant MUYU is a must!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wyndham Quito Airport

Quito

Great choices at the hotel buffet, comfortable beds and great view of the Andes. Prime location for early or late flights is a perk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sol y Mar

Galápagos

Great location on the Harbor. Right on the main strip with access to great restaurants and shops. Great food and drinks at the hotel restaurant too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Snorkeling at Kicker Rock

Isla San Cristóbal

Great snorkeling adventure! The tour guide and boat crew were wonderful and we even had a champagne toast at the end of the day to celebrate new friends and a wonderful day on the water.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was organized extremely well and each day transitioned seamlessly. Every guide was so pleasant an knowledgeable. Each activity was memorable from snorkelling, kayaking to hiking the volcanos. The animals, so unique to the Galapagos, are such a fabulous experience to see. The giant tortoises, sea turtles, ubiquitous sea lions, marine iguanas, and of course the blue footed boobies!

Daniel is such a great guy and was always readily available which was so reassuring. The guides,... read more

The trip was organized extremely well and each day transitioned seamlessly. Every guide was so pleasant an knowledgeable. Each activity was memorable from snorkelling, kayaking to hiking the volcanos. The animals, so unique to the Galapagos, are such a fabulous experience to see. The giant tortoises, sea turtles, ubiquitous sea lions, marine iguanas, and of course the blue footed boobies!

Daniel is such a great guy and was always readily available which was so reassuring. The guides, drivers, and contact escorts were all lovely, prompt and knowledgeable. We highly recommend using Kimkim. We did all the activities we had wanted to do.

Hotel Reviews

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Such a quaint hotel with friendly, helpful staff. Great location in walking distance to parks and restaurants. We walked to the Old Town which took about an hour.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Galapagos Sunset Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

Authenticity & Character

The roof top breakfast nook was great.

Location

Right on the water front, with a beautiful view of the harbour.

Staff

Friendly and courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable, it would have been nice to have a couple of comfortable chairs instead of 2 beds. The cupboard and drawers were a bit musty. Otherwise the room was very clean.

Hotel Deja Vu Galapagos

Pto. Ayora

Authenticity & Character

We stayed in two different rooms, each one very unique. The breakfast room was nicely laid out.

Location

Staff

Very helpful and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Authenticity & Character

A lovely court yard with swimming pool and eating area.

Location

Our room faced the beach which with a view of the palm trees, sand and turquoise water. Beautiful!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room and bed were very comfortable. The only suggestion would be to have more comfortable chairs or cushions for the poolside area.

Activity Reviews

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

Our tour guide, Solange was lovely and very knowledgeable. It was obvious she loves her work. The Interpretation Center provides a detailed history of the islands. It was the perfect place to start our arrival to the Galápagos. Tijeretas Hill gives you a great view and no shortages of sea lions!

Snorkeling at Kicker Rock

Isla San Cristóbal

Great views of fish and tortoises. Spectacular view of Kicker Rock o the boat ride out. Impressive stop for lunch in a quiet bay and opportunity to walk a near by beach.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Highlands Tortoise Reserve & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

The opportunity to learn so much about the tortoises and be able to get a couple of meters close to them. Who knew tortoises and cattle live side by side! The volcano lava tunnel was impressive and so educational. The conservation efforts for the tortoises is impressive and the guide was very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

History and Nature: Full Day to Floreana Island

Puerto Ayora

We did not visits Floreana, but rather Bartolome.

Speedboat to Isabela Island - Las Tintoreras (Kayak)

Galapagos Islands

We really enjoyed the kayaking and seeing the sea turtles, sting rays, pelicans and blue footed boobies. The hotel accommodations we beautifully situated across from the beach with the view of the turquoise water. The walk up to the volcanos was one of my favourite activities.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an amazing trip. Everything was so organized and Isabel, the travel specialist we worked with, was so helpful in promptly answering all questions. Once we got to the Galapagos everything went so smoothly. The hotels and tours were great. Overall, I cannot recommend this trip, and using kimkim and Isabel to arrange/organize everything enough. read more

This was an amazing trip. Everything was so organized and Isabel, the travel specialist we worked with, was so helpful in promptly answering all questions. Once we got to the Galapagos everything went so smoothly. The hotels and tours were great. Overall, I cannot recommend this trip, and using kimkim and Isabel to arrange/organize everything enough.

Hotel Reviews

Ikala Galapagos Hotel

Puerto Ayora

The hotel is in a great location. The rooms and grounds are great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We were just a couple blocks from the water, and within walking distance of everything you would want in Puerto Ayora.

Staff

So helpful and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albemarle

Puerto Villamil

Very quaint hotel right on the water. Our room had a balcony overlooking the beach.

Authenticity & Character

The balcony overlooking the ocean was so nice and the sun deck on the roof was great for an evening glass of wine!

Location

Staff

They were so helpful and nice!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer Baltra Airport - Puerto Ayora with visit to the highlands of Santa Cruz

Galapagos Islands

Our guide was great! He was so knowledgeable and passionate about the Galapagos.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

Seeing the conservation efforts up close and the tortoise breeding center was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to an uninhabited island

Galapagos Islands

The guide was so knowledgeable and this is such a cool excursion!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking & Snorkeling at Las Tintoreras

Galapagos Islands

There was no option to kayak, but the snorkeling was cool with a focus on white tipped reef sharks. The guide seemed a little less into the trip than other guides, but still had a ton of information to give.

Quality of Experience

Snorkeling over the reef sharks was so cool.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snorkel at Los Túneles

Galapagos Islands

This was amazing! Such a beautiful and unique area. There was amazing diversity while snorkeling and we saw so many sea turtles. Bonus we also saw penguins, orcas and albatross! This is a must-do experience if you are on Isabela.

Quality of Experience

Overall just a great day and we saw so much!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was so nice and the guide was so knowledgeable.

Transport

Fun and fast boat ride!

Hiking Sierra Negra Volcano

Galapagos Islands

Our guide Nadia was clearly passionate about the area and the ecology. She was so knowledgeable. The hike is beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Sandwiches which were filling, but basic.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nadia was amazing.

Transport

Lucia did a great job of meticulous planning and it was a great trip though for senior citizens like us it was tiring
Lucia was very patient and kind and despite our cranky requests she went out of the way to help
Suggestions for Indian tourists
Ecuador Visa is not easy to get for Indians
Process is long with police clearance and personal interview in Delhi
Vegetarian food most places are ok but in one Hotel Deja Vu they gave ham sandwich as vegetarian to us in the Box breakfast and it... read more

Lucia did a great job of meticulous planning and it was a great trip though for senior citizens like us it was tiring
Lucia was very patient and kind and despite our cranky requests she went out of the way to help
Suggestions for Indian tourists
Ecuador Visa is not easy to get for Indians
Process is long with police clearance and personal interview in Delhi
Vegetarian food most places are ok but in one Hotel Deja Vu they gave ham sandwich as vegetarian to us in the Box breakfast and it will not be acceptable by many Indians
Indians need English guides and mixing with Spanish group despite so called dual language guide not very encouraging
Indians need to go with English group predominantly as guides are more comfortable in Spanish and talk more in Spanish
Senior citizens should get a more relaxed tour especially if they ask for it
These are only suggestions to help not complaints
Outstanding tours Machu Pichu
Guide Javier excellent
Very sad We couldn't do rainbow mountain and lost the money
Napo Cultural centre awesome
Chef Eric excellent for vegetarian food
Guide Valencia very good
In Quito Alejandro and his son Sebastian were outstanding and good and kind
Galapagos Volcano Hotel Paola is a sweetheart and very very nice she even gifted us few souvenirs from her own money
Volcano tour by walking was very very exhausting so this needs to be highlighted for senior citizens
The north Seymour tour Last day was climax of good ending
Thanks Lucia and Kim Kim travels for making us fulfill our bucket list 🙏🙏

The Galapagos Islands were an unforgettable experience. We did an 8-day trip during the month of July to the islands where we visited two of the islands--Santa Cruz and Isabela. The wildlife and the natural habitats were spectacular. We saw sea turtles, giant tortoises, lizards, sea lions, reef sharks, penguins, rays, and various birds and fish. On the island of Santa Cruz, there are multiple biomes so you are able to see pristine beaches, a foggy and moist highland, and an arid lowland. The... read more

The Galapagos Islands were an unforgettable experience. We did an 8-day trip during the month of July to the islands where we visited two of the islands--Santa Cruz and Isabela. The wildlife and the natural habitats were spectacular. We saw sea turtles, giant tortoises, lizards, sea lions, reef sharks, penguins, rays, and various birds and fish. On the island of Santa Cruz, there are multiple biomes so you are able to see pristine beaches, a foggy and moist highland, and an arid lowland. The volcanic element to the islands also created an impressive backdrop that made you feel as if you were on a different planet. It is a place we highly recommend visiting.

The people we met were very friendly and all of the guides were very knowledgeable as only resident Galapagueños can be guides on the islands. The one thing that we feel would have made this experience better would have been to have one point of contact person for the whole trip. We had different tour guides every day as they all specialize in different areas, which was fine, but we had a different point-of-contact person each day which resulted in there being inconsistencies between the information in our itinerary and what they communicated. Additionally, they did not always tell us what we would need to be prepared for the following day's activities (e.g. recommending that we hire a wet suit or have appropriate footwear for some of the walking activities). Other than that, it was a really great trip.

Alvaro named this trip "Unforgettable Birthday Adventure in Ecuador" and he was totally accurate. Our trip was 12 days in total and it was full of memorable and magical experiences, breathtaking nature and fun and excitement. The hotels were all fantastic and each and every guide along the way was terrific. There was not one glitch in any of our transfers, travel arrangements or tours. We were treated like special guests in this magnificent country. Alvaro was a pleasure to work with and he... read more

Alvaro named this trip "Unforgettable Birthday Adventure in Ecuador" and he was totally accurate. Our trip was 12 days in total and it was full of memorable and magical experiences, breathtaking nature and fun and excitement. The hotels were all fantastic and each and every guide along the way was terrific. There was not one glitch in any of our transfers, travel arrangements or tours. We were treated like special guests in this magnificent country. Alvaro was a pleasure to work with and he worked closely with us to make sure he put together the exact kind of trip that we were hoping for. He used his expertise to guide us to the right choices for us and, after getting to know us through our conversations, even made sure to include several wonderful surprises along the way. We feel very lucky that we were matched up with Alvaro and we don't have a single bad or negative thing to say about our trip. Don't hesitate to book with Alvaro...you will be so happy you did.

Hotel Reviews

Patio Andaluz

Quito

The hotel is beautiful and has old-warm charm. The staff is extremely friendly and professional. Our two-story room was wonderful. The breakfast was quite nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Napo Cultural Center

Quito

This was an amazing experience. It's situated in the jungle but every care has been taken to ensure a comfortable and memorable time. An on-duty chef prepared fantastic meals...even including a beautiful birthday cake for my birthday. Our guide, Tyson, was the greatest guy. He was tireless in making sure we saw as much wildlife as possible. Every time we came back to the lodge we were greeted with a different ice-cold juice and a cold, damp hand towel. The rooms themselves were very nice and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

A truly educational experience.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Rincon de Puembo, BW Signature Collection

Puembo

We were only here for a night, because of its proximity to the airport. It's a very nice hotel and the staff was very professional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Galapagos Sunset Hotel

Puerto Baquerizo Moreno

This hotel is exceptional. Our beautiful room had a breathtaking view of the harbor and sunset. Susanah found out it was my birthday and she brought me a complimentary bottle of wine. I can't recommend this hotel highly enough.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isamar Hotel

Puerto Villamil, Isla Isabela

Right on the water, our ocean front room was lovely and had a spectacular view of the beach. The restaurant (across the street) prepared a wonderful dinner for us and had a beautiful breakfast. Ava did everything to make sure that we had a wonderful stay in this beautiful hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Sol y Mar

Galápagos

This hotel is in the perfect spot in Puerto Ayora. The room was lovely and the view of the pool and harbor was beautiful. The restaurant served a fantastic breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Colonial Quito City Tour & Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) Monument

Quito

Marco was our guide for all of our time in Quito and he was simply wonderful. Such a kind gentleman and very informative. We feel like we actually made a friend in him. The walking tour of Colonial Quito was terrific and we loved the Mitad del Mundo.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marco was exceptionally great.

Transport

Welcoming Cocktail Class at Night

Quito

We LOVED this experience. So much fun and we made delicious drinks and were served fantastic food. Edwin was truly a wonderful host and his assistants, Josue and Karen, were so sweet.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edwin is fantastic. We highly recommend this.

Transport

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

Another wonderful day with Marco. The hike in Mindo was beautiful. We loved stopping at the Alambi Reserve and seeing the scores of hummingbirds feeding.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marco is the best!

Transport

Quito - Yaku Kausay Indigenous Experience in the Amazon

Ecuador

This was a very interesting and unique and educational experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indigenous Encounter and Hike to Mama Cuna Path (Yaku Kausay Experience)

Yasuni National Park

Everything we did with Tyson in the rain forest was amazing. The hike to the lookout tower, a paddled canoe down the Black Creek, watching the macaws drink at the sulphur pond. Everything was incredible.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tyson was an amazing, caring guide throughout our time in the jungle.

Transport

Sacred Wayusa Ritual, Goodbye and return to the City (Yaku Kausay Experience)

Yasuni National Park

We opted not to do this ritual.

Cooking Class Experience in Quito

Quito

Back with the fabulous Edwin, this time with Josue, Karen and Mishelle assisting him, we LOVED this experience. So much fun and very informative. We were given drinks and watched so much wonderful food being prepared and then we got to eat it all. Delicious! A very memorable afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food was truly exceptional.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Edwin is the best!

Transport

Afternoon Adventure to Teleferico Cablecar

Quito

Another terrific afternoon with Marco. We loved the spectacular Telefrico ride and the view from above. We got fantastic pictures on the swings that overlook the valley.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marco is so great!

Transport

Welcome to San Cristóbal Island! Visit the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill, or La Lobería

Galapagos Islands

This was a great overview of San Cristobal. Lenin was a very informative guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner by the Sea

Galapagos Islands

This is a very nice restaurant and they prepared a lovely meal for us.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Tintoreras Islet

Puerto Villamil

Our guide was terrific. The area where we kayaked wasn't the most exciting but it was a lot of fun. The snorkel area was nice but a little cold and murky.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Terrific guide

Transport

Welcome to Santa Cruz Island: Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Station

Puerto Ayora

We loved this experience. We learned so much and had a wonderful afternoon with our terrific guide, Daniel, and the tortoises.

Quality of Experience

Food

The restaurant at Rancho Primicias is really fantastic. We had a delicious lunch there.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Daniel was great

Transport

Kayaking Adventure in Tortuga Bay & Afternoon Bay Tour of Santa Cruz Island

Puerto Ayora

The kayaking trip in Tortuga Bay was really wonderful. We saw SO many sea turtles around us, reef sharks, a nest with baby great blue herons. This is a spectacular place to spend the afternoon.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jose was a terrific guide

Transport

Explore an Uninhabited Island

Puerto Ayora

This trip was truly spectacular. The Altarmar is a gorgeous boat, the crew was friendly and Felipe was an excellent guide. We saw many blue-footed boobies, frigates and such when we pulled alongside Daphne Major Island. We loved exploring the uninhabited Bartolome' and learned so much from Felipe there. Then the snorkeling off the beach at Santiago was fantastic...we saw sea turtles, a reef shark and many beautiful fish. Lunch back on the boat was excellent. As was the trip back. An awesome day.

Quality of Experience

Well worth the money

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Felipe and the boat staff were excellent

Transport

Transfer to Airport on Baltra Island

Puerto Ayora

This was very smooth. Just like everything else that Alvaro set up.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Every single driver we had on this trip was great

Transport