Kimkim Trip Reviews for Australia

Paula was a huge help with the planning of our trip to Australia. We only had 2.5 weeks and were at a loss of where to go and what to see beyond Sydney. She helped us come up with a really nice itinerary to see as much of the culture and wildlife of Sydney, Outer brisbane and GBR. We loved sydney as a city...beautiful. We stayed out in the glass house mountains while in Brisbane region and loved our accommodations at the Crocodile Hunter lodge and all of the wildlife experiences if offered. Our time in Port Douglas was also lovely, with a few days out on the barrier reef. We combined stays at both hotels and Airbnb's. The only place we did not care for was our one night hotel in Brisbane...under construction and not clean. Aside from that, all were great, and we appreciated the help booking tours and adventures.

Hotel Reviews

Mercure Brisbane Spring Hill (was Pacific Hotel Brisbane)

Spring Hill

hotel room was tired (in need of a refresh) and dirty, especially bathroom with a soiled toilet. Lots of construction and the location was average...not much near by. Would not recommend staying

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

clean the bathrooms!

Parkroyal Darling Harbour

Sydney

we were just here for a quick overnight before our international flight early in the morning. We liked the location and ability to walk to many restaurants and sights.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

very nice room in a great location. updated bathrooms and comfortable beds

The Crocodile Hunter Lodge

Beerwah, Queensland

Authenticity & Character

attention to detail

Location

beautiful area

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Climb the Harbor Bridge

Sydney

we really liked this!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Private Blue Mountains Diamond Day

Sydney

enjoyed the farm visit as this is where we spotted our first koalas and kangaroos. Learned a bit about the state/national rehab and breeding program of the koalas. The mountains are beautiful. This trip was primarily a drive and see with little opportunity to get out and explore. We would have loved an hour or so to do a hike. lunch was delicious.

Quality of Experience

beautiful scenery

Food

delicious lunch!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

if the drivers offered more information...meaning if information was volunteered. our guide was quite knowledgeable, but only if we asked the questions.

Transport

spacious and comfortable

Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation 4WD Bloomfield Track Tour

Australia

it was a long day and not much opportunity to get out and explore, with the exception of the boat tour.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Liz was terrific in planning our month long trip to Australia. Very knowledgeable with great local connections on the east coast and the more remote west coast. From big cities to remote national parks, all arrangements were flawless. Definitely recommend working with Liz.

Vicky helped my husband and I (and our 23 and 19 year old daughters) plan an incredible, once in a lifetime vacation! Not a single detail was overlooked. Every booking was confirmed and we had no hassles. And when we were delayed getting to Australia by 24 hours due to flight issues, Vicky helped rebook all plans we had for our missed day to a day we were able to add onto the end of our trip. This trip was perfection, thanks to Vicky!
We traveled to Sydney, Uluru, and Palm Cove, before heading back to Sydney. Our favorite days were exploring the Blue Mountains with Ben, staying at Longitude 131 with McKayla as our guide, and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. We finished our vacation touring Sydney, again with Ben as our guide!
Thanks again for helping us plan our luxury vacation Vicky! It was exactly what we dreamed of!

Hotel Review

Longitude 131˚

Yulara

Luxury at its finest - we will never forget our nights spent in the Dune Pavilion at Longitude 131! We loved every minute of it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Such a unique way to experience The Outback!

Staff

McKayla was an incredible tour guide to Ayers Rock - she was so much fun! Edward was excellent with suggestions for the rest of our vacation!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Blue Mountains Full Day - Private Tour

Sydney

If you can have Ben as a tour guide, you will have the best time! Such beautiful scenery and a fun trip to a local zoo on the way there! Our first full day in Australia was so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are very happy with kimkim's help on our recent Australia vacation. Connie was super helpful in helping me to arrange a fairly last-minute trip to Sydney and Melbourne. She is incredibly responsive and knowledgeable, and the tours she arranged were top notch! We enjoyed every aspect, including the Blue Mountains, Opera House, Great Ocean Road and wildlife park visits. While we had reasonably good insights into what Sydney might offer from my earlier visit some years ago, our tour guide Judy in Melbourne truly familiarized that wonderful city to us in a way that we would have missed had we just wandered about on our own.

Hotel Reviews

Furama Darling Harbour

Haymarket

Clean spacious rooms; wonderful breakfast, friendly helpful staff.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Batman's Hill On Collins

Melbourne, VIC

Very nice and clean accommodation. Our room was quite small and looked into a nearby wall, but we were mostly gone. The breakfast was quite good and friendly helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

What a story! Our guide Michael was knowledgeable and an excellent presenter.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day

Sydney

Karyn is super knowledgeable and made us feel extremely comfortable. Great stories about the mountains and the towns within them.

Quality of Experience

Food

Excellent lunch stop!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Great Ocean Road Trip

Melbourne

Well worth the time and money. The Great Ocean Road is awesome and our guide Bluey was very personable and entertaining! A few points for improvement for a kimkim customer: 1. Our pickup at the Great Southern Hotel was one of the very last meaning we had no choice but to be at the very back of the bus. We were concerned that the winding roads might be uncomfortable from there but that aspect turned out okay. 2. The meal stops were too rushed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Lanes and Arcades Tour

Melbourne

We had our guide Judy all to ourselves, and spent three hours getting to know wonderful Melbourne and her. It was like visiting with a local friend - we loved it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Phillip Island Penguin Parade Ultimate Eco Tour

Melbourne

We loved it. An easier pace than the Great Ocean Road and more relaxing stops, especially at the Wildlife Park. Graeme was another wonderful guide! Like the Great Ocean Road, our Great southern Hotel pickup spot was one of the last, so we did not sit together. But we were more up front on the single side, which was better.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great Trip with no complaints. Really appreciated the hotel selection as well as the smaller more intimate tours. Especially enjoyed the Blue Mountains tour with the hike. The Go West tours out of Melbourne were also well led and fun. Would recommend the foodie tour of Melbourne too.

Everything was very well organized and took the hassles logistics out of your lap.

Would do again

Hotel Review

Crystalbrook Bailey

Cairns

Activity Reviews

Blue Mountains Wildlife Full-Day Sights and Hiking from Sydney

Sydney

Foodie Discovery Walking Tour

Melbourne

Great Ocean Road Scenic Tour

Melbourne

Kata Tjuta Sunrise and Valley of the Winds Half-Day Trip

Uluru

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My husband and I spent about 18 days in Australia, our first trip to this beautiful land. I feel I was so lucky to find Kimkim online and worked with Vicky who helped me planned everything, hotel, airfare, tours and suggestions of restaurants. From the time I was connected with Vicky to the end of our trip, Vicky was with us every step even though she's not with us physically. At the planning stage, she replied to my inquiries promptly; during the trip, she followed up to ensure our tours/check ins were smoothly. The day we left for Sydney to fly back to LA, she sent a farewell message. Other than being courteous and professional, what Vicky really impressed me is her ability of knowing customer's need by simply asking a few questions. I only told her our preference of activities and gave her the cities we would like to visit, Vicky designed a perfect itinerary within 24 hours. Everything she arranged for us, e.g. the hotels, the flight time btw places, the tour groups, seems to be exactly what we wanted. This is one of the best travel experience we had and I've got to give full credit to Vicky. Without her help, our trip would not be as memorable as it is. Thank you, Vicky!

Hotel Reviews

Hamilton Island Beach Club

Hamilton Island

This is one of the best hotels we've stayed. We have been pampered from the moment we landed at the Hamilton Island, the hotel staff greeted us at the airport and a porter (how amazing) picked up our luggage. We were served Champagne and a cold towel when we arrived in the lobby while the staff gave us a brief introduction of the hotel. Our room is upstairs with breathtaking ocean view. The infinity pool is right below our balcony but very quite. The room is well decorated, roomy, well equipped and clean. Bathroom has a nice modern tub and sizable shower room. Food in the hotel restaurant is surprisingly good, comparable to the fine dining restaurants we've been to. We had the breakfast delivered to our room two days in a row so we could enjoy the beautiful sunrise and serenity in the morning. Staff is very attentive. Shuttle service is very convenient to get around the island. We were in heaven.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the One Tree Hill for amazing sunset, marina for tours and water activities. The hotel has its own beach which is very nice.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane

Brisbane

Right in the heart of Brisbane downtown, walk to all the nice restaurants, shops, South Bank, and shops. The apartment hotel is well equipped with washer/dryer, laundry detergent and full kitchen. Room is a bit of small but it's adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful on giving us directions to wheresabout.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vibe Hotel

Melbourne

Nicely located in the heart of CBD.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff is professional and very friendly. We asked the staff to heat up some leftovers and they did for us happily. Breakfast is fresh in good quality.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet Chill and Grill

Australia

It is pure paradise. The lunch provided in White Haven is very good. Tour guide is knowledgeable. Boat transfers was efficient.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whitsunday Islands and Heart Reef Scenic Flight - 70 minutes

Australia

Smooth ride to see the crown jewel of Great Barrier Reef, the heart shaped reef. It's about 1 hr heliride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk + Hop on Hop off Shuttle

Australia

A bit underwhelmed. May be because of the winter, the mountain is not as green and waterfalls are ok. I would suggest to go to the Gold Coast instead.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and Brisbane River Cruise

Brisbane

This is the best animal sanctuary among all the sanctuaries we visited in Sydney and Melbourne. Most of the Koala are awake!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Phillip Island Penguin Parade Small Group Eco Tour

Melbourne

This is the highlight of our entire trip. Those precious penguins are soooo cute. The coastline of the island is spectacular!

Quality of Experience

The Moonlit Sanctury is in no comparison to Lone Pine, Brisbane. I feel this visit is just to kill time for the penguin parade at night.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bus was a bit tight but it's ok.

Luxe Bus Great Ocean Road with Wildlife Wonders

Melbourne

Truly luxury bus tour. The Benz Sprinter has phone charger!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highly recommend an Australia/New Zealand trip planned by Vicky. It was our first time using kimkim and we experienced a 49-hour travel delay. Vicky was able to adapt our trip to fit in as much as possible with the delay and she had such a good attitude about it. Highlights included the Great Barrier Reef, Milford Sound in Queenstown, and all of the accommodations + transfers. We did not have ANY issues with anything Vicky planned and it was flawless! Thanks to Vicky, we will absolutely use kimkim again.

We had a fantastic trip to Cairns and Sydney. Vicky helped us set up a diving trip to Upolu Reef on Ocean Freedom which was fantastic. She also recommended other things to do in Cairns and we had fun exploring it on our own. Hartley’s Crocodile Park was another highlight. I was surprised by how much we learned! After Cairns we went to Sydney and I fell in love with this city! I highly recommend climbing the Harbour Bridge, though it is pretty pricey. The bike tour was also a great way to see the city. Our trip was great and the pace of it felt right too. I highly recommend Vicki to help you plan a fantastic trip to Australia!

Hotel Reviews

Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour

Sydney

Wow wow wow-loved this hotel. The location was perfect and the service was spectacular. The staff were so friendly and helpful and the views from our balcony were unbeatable!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crystalbrook Riley

Cairns

Crystalbrook Riley was perfect for us. It was a high quality hotel that was close to the Esplanade, but not in the middle of all the action. It was nice to walk 5 minutes down the road away from the noise and chaos of the tourist area to have a more peaceful place to stay. The breakfast was fantastic and the pool was so fun with the white sand beach. I would definitely stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sydney Bridge Climb Summit

Sydney

This is a must-do in my book for Sydney. The views were spectacular and our guide taught us so much. My only complaint is that for the exorbitant price they charge, they should give you the photos they take. Instead, they charge an extra $65 at the end. You aren’t allowed to bring your own camera or phone (which makes sense) so you are forced to pay the extra price at the end if you want a photo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ocean Freedom - Cruise to Outer Edge of Upolu Reef and Upolu Cay Reef (Departs from Cairns)

Australia

Great trip to to Upolu Reef. The staff aboard the boat was top notch and the diving/snorkeling was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moore Reef and Fitzroy Island Full Day Tour

Cairns

We ended up having a full day at Fitzroy Island since they cancelled the Moore Reef part of our trip. It was a nice day but I think a half day would have been enough. We climbed to the summit of Fitzroy which was a nice way to get a good view. It took about 40 min to climb to the top, walking nonstop uphill. The snorkeling wasn’t great due to high winds and choppy waters, but that was just our luck for the day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Breakfast with the Koalas at Hartley's Crocodile Park

Australia

Our trip to Hartley’s Crocodile Park was very good. We learned a lot about crocs and the other animals and got to pet a koala and a wallaby and a snake. I’m not sure the breakfast with koalas was worth missing our awesome hotel breakfast for, but it was nice to pet a koala and ask questions from the naturalist who was there.

Bike Tour - Sydney Highlights

Sydney

Loved our bike trip through Sydney. Our guide Dylan was so knowledgeable and gave us great tips on what to see/do the following day when we had a free day to explore on our own. The biking is not strenuous at all and you stop often to learn about various sights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cairns Lagoon

Cairns

The Cairns Lagoon was closed for repairs for all of July so we didn’t get to experience it.

Amazing 5-star service for a complicated and ever-changing itinerary. My wife and I have traveled throughout our 50-year+ marriage on all continents, and this was the best service ever. All of the suggested tours were exactly what we wanted, and the ample free time allowed for shopping and local experiences. Highlights of the trip were Blue Mountain tour and going to the opera in Sydney, evening barbecue and astronomy talk at Ayers Rock, and at Cairns, Kuranda tour, Sunlovers reef experience, Bayleaf Balinese restaurant, walks by moonlight on the Esplanade, best pub food ever at Paronella Park. Thank you for making our family trip the experience of a lifetime!

A few notes for future reference:

(1) The Harbour Rocks hotel in Sydney was ideally located for our activities, but the three-story venue had no elevator, and our rooms were on the third floor which presented a challenge for the elderly in our group.
(2) The Crystalbrook Flynn in Cairns was similarly a good location, and we loved the breakfast included, but unfortunately, we had an incident with bugs (roaches) in our bathroom which was never addressed. The room service was a little off at times, but addressed promptly when we notified staff.
(3) The Daintree tour was good, but we spent a long time on the bus picking up and returning passengers to their various hotels in Cairns and Port Arthur. If we had to do it again, we would opt for a private tour just for our family.
(4) The several cancellations of the local tours which required rescheduling was a little unnerving (we realize not kimkim's fault). We really did want to do those tours after they were presented and did not want to cancel them entirely. This resulted in stacking the tours together on a single day. This pretty much worked out except for the Sunrise and Sundown tours to Ayers Rock on the same day, which were originally scheduled on different days. Even the kids complained about that one. The evening tour was one of the highlights of our trip. We probably could have skipped the early morning tour.

Hotel Reviews

Harbour Rocks Hotel

Sydney

Great location, but no elevator for a 3-story hotel. The stair challenged should secure a room on the first floor.

Location

In the middle of all the tourist activity.

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

Top class hotel with great food and shopping.

Location

In the middle of the tourist activity.

Crystalbrook Flynn

Cairns

In great location near Esplanade, great free breakfast included, however insect problem in bathroom was not addressed.

Location

Near Esplanade and all tourist attractions

Staff

Room service was spotty (getting 3 floor mats instead of hand towels), but corrected when asked

Cleanliness & Comfort

Exterminator should be called.

Pullman Sydney Airport

Great hotel close to airport and free breakfast included.

Location

Close to airport

Cleanliness & Comfort

Expected cleanliness for upscale hotel.

Activity Reviews

Halfday Sydney Private City Tour

Sydney

Great overall view of the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledge of the city's history and inciteful remarks

Transport

Plenty of room

Blue Mountains Full Day - Private Tour

Sydney

Great tour of this area.

Quality of Experience

Flexible options - we really liked shopping in the village

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was flexible for our schedule.

Transport

Plenty of room

Sydney Harbor All inclusive Dinner Cruise

Sydney

Viewing and food was great.

Quality of Experience

overall trip satisfaction

Food

excellent quality

Guides, Drivers and Staff

very friendly and helpful

Transport

harbour views

Uluru Sunrise (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta Half Day Trip

Uluru

Good experience, but early morning with cold and wind. The gorge walk is challenging mainly due to the loose rubble you have to walk over - a barrier to some folks (us). The slope and distance would be no problem with a smoother route.

Uluru (Ayers Rock) Sunset + Outback Barbecue Dinner & Star Talk

Uluru

One of the highlights of our entire Australia trip.

Quality of Experience

Close up views and extended narratives about Ayers Rock. Note to staff at barbecue: you need more than two heaters for this time of year.

Food

Many choices and plenty.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly and helpful staff

Transport

Rides in and out worked fine.

Cairns Aquarium by Twilight Tour

Australia

Loved this visit with knowledgeable guide.

Quality of Experience

Lots of information about reef life

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide

Classic Kuranda

Cairns

One of the highlights of our trip

Quality of Experience

Liked all the animals and different activities

Guides, Drivers and Staff

staff at site were knowledgeable and helpful

Transport

variety of transport modes added interest to the tour

Sunlover Reef Cruises Cairns Great Barrier Reef Experience (departs Cairns)

Australia

If you are in Cairns, you have to actually go to the reef. Liked all the various activities you could do from the pontoon.

Quality of Experience

Being up close and personal with the Reef

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Were helpful at all times

Transport

Not just a transport, but food and drink available

Free Day in Cairns

Cairns

Shopped around tourist area, visited Armour Museum, Cairns Museum, Rusty's Markets, had amazing dinner at Bay Leaf Balinese restaurant, moonlight walk on Esplanade

Quality of Experience

Loved all the shops and eating venues

Premium Daintree & Cape Tribulation Day Tour

Australia

Liked all the various activities on this tour but spent a lot of time on the bus picking up and letting off passengers.

Quality of Experience

We liked all the activities, especially the river tour looking for crocs

Food

Lunch had only three choices, chicken choice was not good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

all the staff professional and helpful

Transport

too much time on bus

Afternoon & Evening Tour of Paronella Park (departing Cairns)

Australia

Very interesting story of Paronella Park - glad we did it.

Quality of Experience

Loved the story of the founders of the park.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver, Man, was great and made the experience more enjoyable

Transport

Driver was knowledgeable and communicated well

Vicki , local specialist was great. We worked with her to plan a trip best for us. Vicki was easy to reach and very responsive We had some last minute changes and Vicki was right on to of it. The day trips that the local specialist found were perfect. We had 3 flights 3 cars and all went flawlessly. Could not have easily arranged without Local specialist. Especially the local specialist knew the distances so we were confident in logistics.

Fun accommodations. Manager was extremely helpful in our whitsunday accomodation. But highlight was last four days at Mai tai resort. Port douglas area. Andre owner was a delight. Lovely healthy breakfast. Great views. Impeccable as to cleanliness!!
Day trips with Nichols’s to Daintree forest and snorkel sail on Sailaway was exceptional

We recently had an amazing experience with Kimkim , specifically with the help of their local specialist, Asko, during our 5-day stay in Cairns, Australia. As a family with two kids, aged 10 and 6, we were looking for a tailored itinerary that would be enjoyable and manageable for all of us. Asko did a fantastic job of understanding our needs and preferences, ensuring that every aspect of our trip was well-suited for both adults and children.

From the moment we started planning, Asko was incredibly responsive and attentive. He provided us with a variety of options and took the time to explain each one. He made sure our itinerary included a mix of adventures according to my request like snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, visiting the Kuranda Village via the scenic railway, and exploring Daintree.

Asko's recommendations were spot-on, particularly for family-friendly attractions. He also arranged for convenient and comfortable transportation, which made our experience stress-free and enjoyable. His local knowledge was invaluable, and he even provided tips on what to pack and how to make the most of our time in each location.

Overall, our trip to Cairns was a memorable adventure, thanks to the expert planning and support from Asko and the Kimkim team. We would highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a well-organized and personalized travel experience, especially families with young children.

Hotel Review

Pacific Hotel Cairns

Cairns

Great location, close to the airport and close to where everything happens and the Marina wharf. Breakfast did not meet our expectations, same thing every day and not good quality.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

The Great Barrier Reef day trip

Cairns

Amazing experience would do it again

As an avid traveler, I spent some time trying to find a travel agent that would be able to plan the type of trip I wanted for my first trip
Down Under. Vicky worked with me consistently throughout the planning process. She was absolutely amazing with answering my questions, providing suggestions, and even helping with one of the tours that cancelled last minute. She was super considerate of our priorities and even was thinking of switching something to make sure my mother was happy during the trip. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Vicki and would highly recommend her plan your trip to Australia.

Vicky from Kimkim helped us setup the graduation trip of a lifetime. We had a fantastic time going from Sydney to the Hamilton Islands to Cairns and finally the Daintree Forest. The entire family really enjoyed the experience. Vicky worked with us to find the right places and she really helped with some amazing excursions and tours. Too many to name but Naomi who did the all day Sydney tour was great as well as Blue Mountain and Hunter Valley. Snorkeling and scuba diving on Great Barrier Reef in the Hamilton Islands and Cairns was something we all wanted to do and met every expectation and the some. The Silky Oaks Lodge in the Daintree Forest was also as an experience to remember and one of the nicest places we've ever stayed and the tour from Grant was a real trip. The entire family will remember this trip for a long time. One more shoutout to Vicky from kimkim who went above and beyond before and during the trip.

Hotel Review

Silky Oaks Lodge

Finlayvale

One of the best hotels we've stayed at. The place was just simply the best. The views, the resort, the furnishings, the staff and service, the food......Everything was great. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Cabins nested in the jungle next to a river

Location

The Daintree.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Sydney Full Day Tour Including Sydney Opera House, Bondi and Manly

Sydney

Naomi gave us a great tour. Really enjoyable and memorable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the first suggested itinerary all the way through to the final trip, Vicky and KimKim were wonderful to work with. In general, I love to plan and coordinate all of our family vacations; however, Australia was a daunting project given the size and logistics of what we hoped to see. I spoke with a number of agencies but felt that Vicky's vision best matched our travel style, and she happily incorporated any of the new ideas I threw into the mix. Communication was always prompt, friendly, and helpful.

Right before our travel, I asked if it would be possible to incorporate a surprise birthday cake after our full day excursion & Vicky and the hotel came through with the most beautiful cake, decorations, and a bottle of wine! It was the perfect icing to the day. Thanks Vicky for making our family trip a huge success!

Liz Neal was our specialist for this trip and she did an amazing job, especially given the relatively little time she had to make so many arrangements. I believe we started communication around the second week of March for a trip that would start middle of June. And though she was focused on the Australia part of our trip she also helped us in getting to Singapore from Perth, and then from Singapore home four days later. During the arrangements we spoke live a couple of times and had lots of chats back and forth through the KimKim communication portal, which was very handy. And Liz was incredibly responsive and adaptive to a couple of unexpected changes we had to make to our itinerary.

I am blessed to have a wonderful daughter who loves to travel. Our flights to Australia and from Singapore were long, but seemed to go by fast because I knew she was really appreciating all that we were doing together. And Liz has kids too, so I appreciated her consideration of an adult and youth traveling together. There are so many highlights from our trip it's hard to know where to begin. I had been to Sydney before for business, so I sort of knew my way around, but like the entire trip, having transportation to and from the airport to our hotels was incredibly convenient.

And when we arrived at the hotel, Liz had sent us a packet containing a convenient little booklet of our whole itinerary, along with information guides of the different places we were going. I used these a lot, so that was a nice bonus. Of course, Liz had already provided digital versions of our flight and trip itineraries but it was still nice to have a convenient little booklet I could carry with me and refer to a lot.

Liz booked us on the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb at sunset, which was stunning. Our guide, Meg, was enthusiastic and very considerate of all the members in our team. This was definitely a highlight of our trip. We got awesome pictures, and we had plenty of time that day and the next to walk around and even take a ferry to Manly. We were then picked up and taken to the airport for our flight to Cairns. By the way, all of the drivers were very personable, and gave us advice on other things to do during our stays.

For the snorkeling of the Great Barrier Reef out of Cairns, we had an incredible time, and really appreciated how close our hotel was to the marina and the nice restaurants. We snorkeled at three locations, the guides were awesome, and my daughter was beating me into the water each time.  We felt very comfortable with our surroundings and even swam off in different directions. We have both SCUBA dived as well and really didn't think there was much of an advantage to diving in such a relatively shallow are. The food on board was wonderful and we had incredible weather. In fact, we had great weather the whole trip. I really think visiting Australia, especially the northern part, in the winter, is the best way to go. The water at the Reef was warm.

After Cairns, we flew to Darwin. Oh, by the way, it was very thoughtful that a credit for food and drink was arranged for our domestic flights in Australia. It was nice to have a sandwich and drink during those flights. Darwin was another great place for us to visit and our day trip to Kakadu and Litchfield were incredible. At Kakadu, seeing the rock paintings, doing the Yellow River boat tour (so many crocodiles!) and then we took a flying tour of the whole park, which was an extra option, but incredibly worth it. The wetlands, rock formations and even the uranium mine, were all very interesting to see from the air, much of which you couldn't access by land.

The next day's Litchfield experience was a smaller tour, involving a lot of swimming at springs and waterfalls. Our group got to know one another very well and everyone was especially impressed with my daughter's songwriting and performing experience. We must of played her songs from YouTube several times! And this reminds me that during our whole trip my daughter was included in everything and made to feel very welcome. That's wonderful for the father of a teenager to see.

So eachj days of our trip involved vastly different activities, and going on to Broome was no exception. SO far in our trip we had one night in Sydney, two in Cairns, three in Darwin, and then two nights in Broome. Our first evening involved a sunset cruise that included wonderful appetizers and a swim behind the boat in a large net. This was wonderful, the water perfect. The next day we were up really early to fly out to the Horizontal Falls in a seaplane. This is a must-do! We had an incredible time. After our water landing, we taxied over to a pontoon hotel where we swam next to sharks, and a wonderful breakfast and then went in boats to see the Falls up close. After that we flew back but went a little bit different way so we could see some other interesting coastal features. Then that evening, we did a one-hour sunset camel ride. I recommend Red Sunset Camels. They are the best!

Finally, we flew to Perth for two nights and did the Hop On Hop Off bus tour around the city. We hadn't made any plans for our visit but knew that the bus was a great way to see the city and useful as a taxi service for getting around. We ended up touring the Bell Tower (you get to ring the bells!) and the Perth Mint, where you get to see an actual liquid gold pour. After that we walked all the way around King's Park, which was beautiful, much of it along the water. Our hotel was a convenient walk to the marina where we could start our tour.

After Perth, we left for Singapore, which was recommended by Liz as a better way to go, rather than trying to visit Singapore before Australia, especially with flying into Sydney. So, this was a fantastic trip for us, creating memories we will always treasure. If I return to Australia again, or perhaps New Zealand, I will want to use Liz Neal and KimKim for all my travel arrangements. They know what they're doing!

Thank you.

- M Zumwalt

We had the best trip and are so grateful to Vicky for helping us plan our itinerary! From the start, Vicky was very communicative and responsive to our questions and concerns. She provided great advice along the way, especially as we decided between excursions and activities to add to our trip.

We really enjoyed the excursions Vicky chose. There was a focus on choosing day trips with smaller groups of people, which meant we had a more personalized experience on our journeys. All of the trips chosen for us were led by amazing guides who ensured we had great experiences.

All of our travel information was shared ahead of time and we had no problems at all in any airport or with any of our tour companies. Our only regret is not having more time to explore!

We would definitely recommend using KimKim to plan your vacation!

Hotel Review

Laneways by Ovolo

Melbourne

This hotel was great- it was a perfect landing pad for us. We were out and about most of the time, but we had a lot of space to ourselves and found ourselves right in the middle of a lot of great restaurants, coffee shops, and points of interest. The staff was so lovely.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's central to so many great restaurants and destinations. Extremely easy to maneuver the city by foot.

Staff

Chris welcomed us in after our 14-hour flight and helped us check in early so we could settle in. When she found out it was our honeymoon trip, we came back to the room to a complimentary bottle of champagne and some candies! Everybody was so lovely and we really appreciated how much they cared for us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Great Ocean Road Scenic Tour

Melbourne

We really appreciated the small group size for this trip. We felt our guide was really knowledgeable about the area and we were given a good amount of time to visit each location. Along the way, we saw kangaroos from afar and also spotted some koalas in various areas! It was really exciting to see and a really nice day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our original tour company cancelled our May tour. I searched for a tour company who wouldn't cancel. It was important for us to take the tour in May because I had two special tours I set up that needed to be at the end of May. That's when I found the KimKim company. Just imagine, a company who hires tour advisors from the very country you want to see,

We couldn't have asked for a better Tour Advisor than Gary. He planned everything we asked; and then some. He went out of his way to make sure our experience was smooth and memorable. The hotels and tours were outstanding! He was with us until the day we left.

When we decided to take a few tours on our own, he called the places, set up the tours, and then made sure we knew how to get there, without us even asking for help. He even set up hotels and air fare on a trip I had set up at the end of our original tour.

Whale Sharks usually start visiting Western Australia in May. I wanted to see them. It wasn't part of the original tour. Gary set up our flights to and from Western Australia. He didn't have to do that, but he did. Everything was perfect.

Gary is an excellent tour advisor. I would recommend him to anyone, If you want the tour of a lifetime in Australia, call KimKim and tell them you want Gary, you will have the best vacation ever!!

AMAZING trip of a Lifetime!
Working with Vicky was a pleasure. I was going to Australia to see birds. That was my #1 priority. Because of that I did some reaserch first. Vicky took my suggestions and augmented them with great options. In the end my birding tour with Del Richards (Fine Feather Tours) was perfect! Since we were near the Great Barrier Reef we HAD to go snorkling we also wanted a mountain bike ride. Vicky found us the most amazing tours! We went snorkling with a small family owned business ABC Snorkel Charters. They had prescription goggles to use and wetsuites. The team was so knowledgable and friendly. She found us Biked tours for mountain biking, e had Glen as our guide. He was all in for biking and birding!!!!! all 3 tours were really good! we stayed at the Silkari Lagoons for part of the time. It was an apartment with laundry and a kitchen! And Finaly - Fancy at the Thala Nature Reserve - WOW! what an amazing beautiful place! We had breakfast and dinner included so did not have to worry about anything!

Hotel Reviews

Silkari Lagoons Port Douglas

Port Douglas

This was a lovely hotel. We stayed in an apartment so had access to laundry and a kitchen. Very conviently located in Port Douglas. Silkari does not have restraunt - But they partner with the Ramada next door with discounts at dinner and breakfast! Very comfortable, I would stay there again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the main road to all the food and activitys

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thala Beach Nature Reserve

Oak Beach

BEAUTIFUL place to stay! It is out of the way and in its own space. They have a great restaurant with yummy dinners and breakfast! The rooms are individual cabins in the rainforest which was really wonderful and private. So relaxing and comfortable. They have miles of trails/tracks on the reserve. You want to be sure to have a day to just stay on the property!

Authenticity & Character

Location

So Great - It is out of the way and private

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bump Track Port Douglas - Mountain Biking

Port Douglas

What a BLAST! We had Glen to guide us for the day. We had a great time. We choose a long ride (40km) so I loved having an electric bike. My husband used a standard bike and was soo happy with the ride. We went through many ecosystems, the differences were really neat. Glen even humored us and we did birding and biking. woo hoo. The equiptment was all in top shape. The logistics were well thought out. We all earned our beer on the beach at the end!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

ABC Snorkel Charters Port Douglas Snorkelling max 12 passengers

Australia

LOVED LOVED LOVED This day! Everything about ABC Snorkel Charters was amazing. The crew were very professional and knowledgeable. They had Prescription Goggles!!!!! That is a HUGE game changer! They also fed us snacks and lunch. Every step of the way we were asked if we had questions or concerns. They always want us to be comfortable and safe. Best of all their knowledge of the Great Barrier Reef. We were taken to the most incredible places and saw the most beautiful reef and fish! This IS the company to go with to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef!!!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Bird Safari

Port Douglas

What a great day! Spending the day with Del and birding was so much fun. We were near the end of our trip so had seen quite a lot of different species. Even so Del got me 22 lifers and 75 species for the day! Just WOW! He knows where specific species like to be. When we found a bird, he made sure we were standing in the right place to get some pretty amazing shots. Del is incredibly knowledgeably, super friendly and so interesting. I highly recommend Fine Feather Tours with Del.

Quality of Experience

Del knows the are and and environments different species live in

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Always felt safe with Del driving

Transport

Daintree Afternoon and Nocturnal Tour (ex Port Douglas)

Australia

Northern Australia is really cool. We started our afternoon adventure

What a wonderful trip! It was everything we could have asked for, and Asko was amazing at helping us plan every detail. He was so communicative before, during, and after our honeymoon; we were in great hands and didn't have to worry about a thing!

I would definitely recommend KimKim to travelers and am sure to use it again.

Our trip to Australia can be described in one word, exceptional! We have traveled with many companies like Tauck, Gate1, Viking, Oceania, Arctic Adventures, etc. This trip and its format is my favorite to date. It starts with the best travel agent or as Kim Kim calls it, Local Specialist we have ever had in 30 plus years of booking trips. Not only was she organized and communicative, she also very helpful and caring. She developed the perfect itinerary for us and our desires. Everything from Wine tours in the Barossa Valley and Ybarra to dinner under the stars in Uluru. We participated in feeding nocturnal animals at the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and then received an extra gift of seeing the Aurora Australis!!! We took fast rib boats around the tallest sea walls in the southern hemisphere and snorkeled out on the Great Barrier Reef. Simply amazing. Being the shoulder season, the majority of our small group tours ended up being private tours which was an added bonus. Our accommodations on the trip were fun eclectic places that were all perfectly situated to be within convenient walking distance to everything you would want to see including a perfect view of Sydney Opera House from our hotel window, amazing. Speaking of amazing, we planned our trip 7 months in advance and everything went off perfectly from the drivers picking us up and dropping us off at the airport to all our tours, there was never a hiccup and everyone was on time, truly mindboggling!! Without a doubt, Paula will be my first call when I head back to the Southern Hemesphere because even with 23 days in country it was only a taste and I want more!!

Hotel Reviews

Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge

American River

Our stay at the Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge was fantastic. The location was beautiful, especially being right down on the water. The natural beauty of the surroundings really added to the charm of the place. It was a memorable part of our trip, and the lodge itself was very comfortable and welcoming.

Adabco Boutique Hotel

Adelaide

I stayed at the Adabco Boutique Hotel in Adelaide for a total of four nights, split over two stays. The hotel was perfectly situated, making it really convenient for exploring the city. The accommodations were top-notch, exactly what we asked for in terms of comfort and amenities. Everything was clean and well-maintained, and we felt very comfortable during our stay. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and I would highly recommend it.

Laneways by Ovolo

Melbourne

We absolutely loved our stay at Laneways by Ovolo in Melbourne. The hotel was super hip and had a really cool vibe. Plus, it was right in the middle of Chinatown, so there was so much to explore right at our doorstep. The location was perfect for immersing ourselves in the local culture and enjoying all the vibrant activities around. This place really stood out as a highlight of our trip.

Port Douglas Peninsula Boutique Hotel

Port Douglas

Our stay at the Port Douglas Peninsula Boutique Hotel was amazing. The hotel was beautiful and it really felt like a luxurious retreat. The location was ideal, close to the beach and other attractions. The accommodations exceeded our expectations and contributed to making this part of the trip truly special.

Freycinet Lodge

Coles Bay

Our stay at Freycinet Lodge was spectacular. The lodge was beautiful and the surroundings were stunning. It was a perfect place to relax and take in the natural beauty of Tasmania. This was definitely one of the standout accommodations of our trip, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

Adina Apartment Hotel Brisbane Anzac Square

Brisbane

The Adina Apartment Hotel in Brisbane was more of a standard hotel, but it was very nice and comfortable. What made it exceptional was its location. It was perfectly situated for easy access to the main highways, which was very convenient as I was driving in Brisbane. The ease of getting around from the hotel made it a great choice for our stay.

Lenna of Hobart

Battery Point

We stayed at the Lenna of Hobart for a few nights, and it was perfectly located. It was literally around the corner from the huge Saturday market and lots of restaurants and things to do, all within very easy walking distance. The convenience and comfort of this hotel made our stay in Hobart very enjoyable.

Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney MGallery

The Rocks, Sydney NSW

Our stay at the Harbour Rocks Hotel in Sydney was incredible, especially because we could see the Opera House from our window. The location was excellent, making it really easy to walk around and see everything the city has to offer. The convenience and the view made our stay in Sydney truly memorable.

Location

Activity Reviews

Full Day Uncork the Barossa Valley

Adelaide

Tom our guide was super friendly and informative and took us to the smaller boutique wineries in the area which we prefer. We also had one of the best meals of our entire trip at Vino Lokal, wow!

Quality of Experience

Food

Vino Lokal was one of the best meals we had in Australia

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tom was funny and informative. He had a great sense of humor when I would talk too long with staff and he was worried we would miss our next appointment.

Transport

New Mercedes van

Full-Day Great Barrier Reef & Coral Cays Boat Tour

Port Douglas

Very professional company and guides. Modern ship and great food. Definitely a must if you are in Port Douglas

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Night at Field of Light

Uluru

Absolutely magical experience under the stars in Uluru. Great food and lecture about the southern night sky. Incredible art installation in the middle of nowhere.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Tour of the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary & Tasmanian Devils

Hobart

How often does one get to feed a Tasmanian Devil and see the oldest Cockatoo in the world at 109 years old? In addition we got to pet a Wombat and feed many other nocturnal animals. An added bonus we got to see the Aurora Australis!

3 Hour Wilderness Cruise

Australia

Absolutely spectacular scenery and plus it was exhilarating on fast rib boats.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Taste of Chinatown - Evening

Sydney

So much fun and delicious too! Went into places I may have passed by and was given absolutely amazing food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Conner Outback 4WD Adventure

Uluru

Incredible and humbling to see the vastness of the outback on a 1.25 million acre cattle station. Fascinating to hear how it all started and how the manage cattle out here.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport