Kimkim Trip Reviews for Sri Lanka

4.6
Based on 89 ratings
Read 89 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Highlights:- Our driver- Sigiriya guided to...
Sri Lanka | May 22 - May 25, 2023

Eric
Eric Z.
Shaw, DC | Reviewed on May 27, 2023

Highlights:
- Our driver
- Sigiriya guided tour
- Traditional meal in Dumballa
- Tea factory tour and tasting in route to Sri Padya
- Guided sunrise hike up Sri Padya
- Free time in Galle
- Hotel Welligama

Recommendations:
- Better communication regarding travel duration (too much time in car)
- More transparency regarding how trip fee is being used (hotels, guides, activities, food, etc.)
- Ensure drivers know best route between destinations (fewer kilometers does not always mean fastest route)

Local specialist: Dhanushka Wijeyekoon
Dhanushka
Dhanushka Wijeyekoon
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on May 27, 2023

Hello Eric
Thank you so very much for the wonderful review & comments!
Noted your points about areas to improve, appreciate it very much.
I am glad that you enjoyed the vacation in Sri Lanka & truly honored to be your local travel expert who planned your holiday.
Sri Lanka has so much to offer & I invite you to visit Sri Lanka again to discover & explore the beautiful island.

Stay tuned & connected with Kimkim travel !
See you soon in Sri Lanka again !
I remain at your disposal.
Thanks again,
Dhanushka

Don’t hesitate to book with Koon Travels.
Sri Lanka | May 2 - May 10, 2023

Cenker
Cenker C.
Turkey | Reviewed on May 11, 2023

Srilanka is a perfect destination; combining nature, beach, cultural sightseeing with people welcoming you with smiling faces. Dhanushka put together a tailored tour helping us out until and after the booking for a great honeymoon vacation. A special mention also goes to our driver, Kapila -a true gentleman and the best chaffeur/guide. He looked after us and watched out for our well-being throughout the 10 day period. He was always on time and ready when needed. Would definitely recommend. read more

Srilanka is a perfect destination; combining nature, beach, cultural sightseeing with people welcoming you with smiling faces. Dhanushka put together a tailored tour helping us out until and after the booking for a great honeymoon vacation. A special mention also goes to our driver, Kapila -a true gentleman and the best chaffeur/guide. He looked after us and watched out for our well-being throughout the 10 day period. He was always on time and ready when needed. Would definitely recommend.

Activity Reviews
Hike to Diyaluma Waterfall
Sri Lanka
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit to Peradeniya Botanical Garden
Sri Lanka
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Safari in Udawalawe National Park
Udawalawe

Was not lucky to see a leopard in the safari; but an overall satisfactory experience. Close encounters with a lot of elephants, crocodiles and many types of birds.

Local specialist: Dhanushka Wijeyekoon
Dhanushka
Dhanushka Wijeyekoon
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on May 11, 2023

Hello Cenker & Gozde,
Thank you so very much for the wonderful review & comments!
I am glad that you enjoyed the vacation in Sri Lanka & truly honored to be your local travel expert who planned your holiday.
Sri Lanka has so much to offer & I invite you to visit Sri Lanka again to discover & explore the beautiful island.

Stay tuned & connected with Kimkim travel !
See you soon in Sri Lanka again !
I remain at your disposal.
Thanks again,
Dhanushka

An amazing country, with amazing people, and unique culture!
Sri Lanka | Apr 23 - May 1, 2023

Sulaiman
Sulaiman A.
Saudi Arabia | Reviewed on May 08, 2023

We had an amazing time in Sri Lanka. Dhanushka has been an amazing help in planning the trip, and he was always reachable and responsive, he made sure to make regularly check-up on us, and accommodating to every request we had.
Our guide and chauffeur Priyantha was also great, he was very flexible in accommodating our asks, and he always suggested ways and activities we can enhance our trip, he was also very knowledgeable of Sri Lanka’s history and culture, and of the best rest-stops and... read more

We had an amazing time in Sri Lanka. Dhanushka has been an amazing help in planning the trip, and he was always reachable and responsive, he made sure to make regularly check-up on us, and accommodating to every request we had.
Our guide and chauffeur Priyantha was also great, he was very flexible in accommodating our asks, and he always suggested ways and activities we can enhance our trip, he was also very knowledgeable of Sri Lanka’s history and culture, and of the best rest-stops and restaurants while on road trips.

Sri Lanka is truly the wonder of Asia, it has amazing nature, culture, and food. We specifically enjoyed the Village Trip nearby Kandalama, which was like a trip in time, Horton Plains and Tea Production nearby Nuwara Eliya, and the Spices experience.

Sri Lanka people are very friendly, weather it is the hotel staff, or tour guides, or a random you are meeting at the street. The food is very delicious and has many varieties, and the fruit is as fresh as you can get.

Activity Review
Rural Village Trail in Habarana (Cycling, Boat Trip & Lunch)
Sri Lanka
Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Dhanushka Wijeyekoon
Dhanushka
Dhanushka Wijeyekoon
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on May 09, 2023

Hello Sulaiman,
Thank you so very much for the wonderful review & comments!
I am glad that you enjoyed the vacation in Sri Lanka & truly honored to be your local travel expert who planned your holiday.
Sri Lanka has so much to offer & I invite you to visit Sri Lanka again to discover & explore the beautiful island.

Stay tuned & connected with Kimkim travel !
See you soon in Sri Lanka again !
I remain at your disposal.
Thanks again,
Dhanushka

Stunning, reliable, unforgettable, wonderful
Sri Lanka | Feb 5 - Feb 19, 2023

Kyla
Kyla M.
Israel | Reviewed on Mar 30, 2023

Our trip was breathtaking....We were met at the airport in the middle of the night by Ruwan who was to be our fantastic, knowledgable and generous driver and guide throughout our 16 day trip. I highly recommend to ask for him specifically. He made sure entries into all the sites went smoothly and he was a safe and careful driver on very tricky roads. We were greeted at the hotel at 3am with fresh juice and a lovely hotel team. Next morning we met Ishan who was our amazing guide as well,... read more

Our trip was breathtaking....We were met at the airport in the middle of the night by Ruwan who was to be our fantastic, knowledgable and generous driver and guide throughout our 16 day trip. I highly recommend to ask for him specifically. He made sure entries into all the sites went smoothly and he was a safe and careful driver on very tricky roads. We were greeted at the hotel at 3am with fresh juice and a lovely hotel team. Next morning we met Ishan who was our amazing guide as well, predominantly but not only , when we were on our bicycles which was up to 6 hours a day. He cycled us, a party of 4 - 50 something old parents and 2 strapping 20 something old sons, through the gentle quiet roads, through forests pointing out all kinds of stunning scenery, the magnificent birds that he knew by name, up and down hills and through jungles. All are requests for what we were interested in...mainly the Sri Lankan life and as little as possible touristy places, were met gracefully. Every evening we sorted out the route for the next day....exactly according to our ability, interests and his advice regarding the best path, scenery. Both Ruwan and Ishan I can recommend very highly for their unfaltering reliability, knowledge, humor, kindness and understanding....The hotels were all superb...quiet places that all provided breakfast on the go and a wonderful dinner. We particularly enjoyed the camp sites in the countryside with fabulous views and our own lake to canoe in. Yasantha was in touch with our guides throughout and had been in touch all the time as we planning...with patience and understanding helping us plan our trip and with irreplaceable advice. I recommend everything about the trip.....Even after the trip was over our wonderful guides offered unlimited support to our son who stayed in Sri Lanka another 2 weeks. We would like to thank all of the kimkim team that provided the platform for Yasantha Ishan and Ruwan and for a life long memorable holiday.

Hotel Reviews
Blue Magpie Lodge
Sinharaja

Loved it. Great large room. Beautiful surrounds. Very kind staff and great food.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Big Game Camp - Udawalawe
Udawalawe, Angunakolapelessa

Ecocamps are a must for any trip in Sri Lanka....they are outstanding....on everything....

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Lady Hill Hotel
Galle

Very interesting renovated hotel....super staff lovely swimming pool great views

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Morning Star Resort
Negombo

Loved it, great garden lovely dinner perfect swimming pool

Authenticity & Character
Location
Just a short ride from the airport. Quiet steet
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Big Game Camp -Wilpattu
Wilpattu

Middle of the jungle, camping in incredible style. Fantastic dinner and night nature walk....unforgettable

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Amaara Forest
Sigiriya

Loved it. Lovely rooms Beautiful surroundings, cool refreshing pool. Great service. Nearby lots of historical sites at Sirygia.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Thilanka Hotel
Kandy

Stunning room. Great views....lovely dinner including live music and European food.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Lake View Comfort Bungalow
Nuwara Eliya

Unexpectedly unique place. Lovely staff cooked us a delicious meal. Great scenery all around us.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Kinchigune Adventure Camp
Belihuloya

Camping for real in the heart of the country surrounded by birds, monkeys. The guy who runs the place was fantastic, welcoming and knowledgable. And the lake was incredibly warm and we could swim and canoe. Breathtaking scenery and wild life....birds, buffalo, dear....

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Camping with all its charm!
Fairview Hotel
Colombo

Very convenient and quiet in the midst of busy Colombo...Very comfortable and clean. Relaxing...perfect place.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
City Tour in Colombo
Colombo

Ruwan took us on a fascinating tour of the city. Memorable, interesting and diverse. Help us with some lasting minute shopping as well making sure we got a good deal.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cycling Trail in the backyards of Sigiriya
Sigiriya

Ishan was a wonderful cycling guide and was the best we could have imagined. He fulfilled our dream of a cycling holiday....we cycled through villages, past lakes with countless birds, though forests and jungles and even through bustling towns...always with our warfare and satisfaction foremost in his thoughts....thank you

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Yasantha
Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Local specialist in Colombo | Replied on Apr 18, 2023

Hello Kyla,
How are you doing?
It is great that you have had a fantastic time in Sri Lanka with us. It was a great honor to us, it was lovely to had a chat with you at the hotel on your last day in Sri Lanka.
Please feel free to kim kim for any other future travel requirement as our team of specialist around the world are geared to serve our best.
Cheers!!!
Yasantha

Amazing trip in Sri Lanka!
Sri Lanka | Nov 29 - Dec 4, 2022

Meghan
Meghan F.
Cypress, CA | Reviewed on Dec 05, 2022

We had an amazing trip and were able to see so much in five days with a full itinerary. Our driver guide Kapila was an amazing driver and we always felt very safe. He also went out of his way to give us all the great and special experiences we wanted to make this a most memorable trip. Our tour operator Dhanushka was very professional and accommodating and helpful in order to make sure we received the best trip possible with the most positive and enjoyable experiences. Very well planned five... read more

We had an amazing trip and were able to see so much in five days with a full itinerary. Our driver guide Kapila was an amazing driver and we always felt very safe. He also went out of his way to give us all the great and special experiences we wanted to make this a most memorable trip. Our tour operator Dhanushka was very professional and accommodating and helpful in order to make sure we received the best trip possible with the most positive and enjoyable experiences. Very well planned five full days of sightseeing. The people we interacted with were all extremely friendly and the staff at the hotels were very kind and helpful and provided excellent service. Our boat trip on Athena lake was peaceful and gorgeous. Our rafting trip on Kelani River was loads of fun with gorgeous views, We purchased an optional additional lunch which was a traditional wood fire cooked meal in a mud/coconut leaf constructed bungalow and was a very unique experience. To walk among the ancient historical sites that we visited was just awesome. Our elephant safari was magical. We saw so many elephant families with babies up close to our jeep and even saw elephants along the highway! Loved the beautiful scenery while driving through the forests, country side and mountains and the bustling towns as well. We also saw lots of monkeys during our trip which we enjoyed watching up close. The cultural show with traditional Kandyan dance was fabulous! So many highlights from our trip that we couldn’t have asked for a better itinerary and are so happy we booked with KimKim and the local tour company who gave us this amazing trip that we will never forget! We only wish we had more time to see more of this beautiful country. Been wanting to visit Sri Lanka for so many years and am happy to finally have experienced this wonderful destination. Was a long flight to get here (20 hours) but was more than worth it! Thank you for the memories!

Activity Reviews
Explore Lively Colombo
Sri Lanka
Transport
Picked us up in early morning from airport so we could check in and rest before our tour later in the afternoon
Colombo Lotus tower visit
Colombo
Quality of Experience
Transport
Enjoy a Refreshing Snack at a Roadside Food Stall
Sri Lanka
Quality of Experience
King coconut water stop and watching the monkeys
Transport
Explore the Dambulla Cave Temple Complex
Sri Lanka

Very impressive!

Quality of Experience
Transport
Evening boat ride in a catamaran & BBQ dinner
Sri Lanka

Very beautiful and peaceful boat ride along the calm waters of the lake followed by a lovely outdoor dinner poolside

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Vehicle & Driver
Sri Lanka

Kapila is an excellent driver! Very safe and showed us everything we wanted to see and take pictures of

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discover Ancient Polonnaruwa
Sri Lanka
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Elephant Safari in Minneriya National Park
Sri Lanka

Magical!!! So many wild elephants up close and lots of babies. Other animals like deer and monkeys and lots of birds and eagles too!

Quality of Experience
Lo
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Sri Lanka

Unbelievable! It’s a climb to the top but they help and it’s worth the climb!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Discover Kandy: Temple of the Sacred Tooth visit
Kandy
Quality of Experience
Transport
Rain forest trail in Kitulgala
Sri Lanka

We did not do this activity due to the rain and did the river rafting instead which was beautiful and so much fun

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Dhanushka Wijeyekoon
Dhanushka
Dhanushka Wijeyekoon
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on Dec 05, 2022

Hello Meghan,
Thank you so very much for the wonderful review & comments!
I am glad that you enjoyed the vacation in Sri Lanka & truly honored to be your local travel expert who planned your holiday.
Sri Lanka has so much to offer & I invite you to visit Sri Lanka again to discover & explore the beautiful island.

Stay tuned & connected with Kimkim travel !
See you soon in Sri Lanka again !
I remain at your disposal.
Thanks again,
Dhanushka

Our guide was the absolute best. We were so l...
Sri Lanka | Jan 20 - Feb 3, 2022

E
Elizabeth Y.
Sugar Hill, GA | Reviewed on Feb 11, 2022

Our guide was the absolute best. We were so lucky to have him and all arrangements were as promised Everything went very smoothly and could not have asked for more. The people at all the hotels were so kind and couldn’t do enough for us. The whole experience was amazing. read more

Our guide was the absolute best. We were so lucky to have him and all arrangements were as promised Everything went very smoothly and could not have asked for more. The people at all the hotels were so kind and couldn’t do enough for us. The whole experience was amazing.

Hotel Reviews
Goldi Sands Hotel
Negombo
Tips for future travelers

No other than pack a swimsuit

Authenticity & Character
Setting on the ocean
Location
Just a bit noisy
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Amaara Forest
Sigiriya

The road to the hotel is not good but once there the staff are very kind and the rooms are very nice. The meal service was quite good

Tips for future travelers

Just be careful of the road

Authenticity & Character
Location
Just a little bit isolated
Staff
Rooms
Cleanliness & Comfort
The road
Amaya Hills
Kandy

Excellent hotel in a good location. Excellent buffet breakfasts and dinners we used the nSsagd services and highly recomnend

Tips for future travelers

No really All was good

Authenticity & Character
The view
Location
Centrally located
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Blackpool
Nuwara Eliya

The staff went out of their way and even made a special Sri Lankan dish for me. Chef served all our meals with imagination and flair. The rooms were huge and well appointed .

Authenticity & Character
Large airy rooms
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
98 Acres Resort & Spa
Ella

Most amazing view ever, we could not believe how beautiful this place was. Food was excellent Nd we also had massage treatments that were fabulous. Make sure you book them early Very professional team

Tips for future travelers

Make sure you get a room with a far ranging view

Authenticity & Character
Everything
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Yasantha
Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Local specialist in Colombo | Replied on Feb 11, 2022

Hello Elizabeth,
Thank you so much for your lovely review. It was an honor for us to be your service provider in Sri Lanka. We have well noted your feedback on the hotels, we will share the same with them in order to look into the areas that need improvements.
Cheers!!!
Yasantha

Round trip during corona
Sri Lanka | Aug 13 - Aug 28, 2021

Sabine
Sabine V.
Spain | Reviewed on Sep 07, 2021

We did a 2 weeks round trip of Sri Lanka with KimKim. Everything was perfectly organized by our agent Yasantha. Our driver Denver was the best. Very good and safe driver. He showed us all the special places and hidden waterfalls, knows the good local restaurants and the best Nature Guides. There was daily follow up between Yasantha and Denver to make sure everything went ok. Even when we wanted to make changes to the trip, Yasantha arranged it immediately. When another lockdown was announced... read more

We did a 2 weeks round trip of Sri Lanka with KimKim. Everything was perfectly organized by our agent Yasantha. Our driver Denver was the best. Very good and safe driver. He showed us all the special places and hidden waterfalls, knows the good local restaurants and the best Nature Guides. There was daily follow up between Yasantha and Denver to make sure everything went ok. Even when we wanted to make changes to the trip, Yasantha arranged it immediately. When another lockdown was announced there were some places that we couldn’t visit. Even the same day they made other arrangement to replace these activities.
The nature guides of EcoTeam are excellent. They can spot you any animal or bird.
We had an exceptional trip : all the main tourist areas and parks we visited as the only foreign tourist. It is safe to travel during corona.
I can fully recommend KimKim as an agent. We actually are arranging our next trip with them.

Local specialist: Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Yasantha
Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Local specialist in Colombo | Replied on Sep 08, 2021

Hi Sabine & Freddy,

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback on your experiences with us in Sri Lanka. We are delighted to hear that you had a fantastic tour in Sri Lanka during the pandemic lockdowns. It was always our duty to take care of every single need to make sure that you have a great travel experience in Sri Lanka.

Thank you for bearing the sudden changes of the routes with us due to the imposed lockdowns which was beyond our control, your kind adaption of the changes was... read more

Hi Sabine & Freddy,

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback on your experiences with us in Sri Lanka. We are delighted to hear that you had a fantastic tour in Sri Lanka during the pandemic lockdowns. It was always our duty to take care of every single need to make sure that you have a great travel experience in Sri Lanka.

Thank you for bearing the sudden changes of the routes with us due to the imposed lockdowns which was beyond our control, your kind adaption of the changes was commendable. Without your corporation, we couldn't arrange this trip up to such a level.

Thanks again for your lovely comments, it was a great honor to be your host in Sri Lanka.

We had an amazing trip to Sri Lanka. Mohit, ...
Sri Lanka | Feb 27 - Mar 4, 2020

S
Sabir S.
Plano, TX | Reviewed on Mar 08, 2020

We had an amazing trip to Sri Lanka. Mohit, our agent, was very attentive to our requests and planned a great schedule for us. All arrangements including hotels, transportation and sightseeing trips were wonderful. Our guide and driver, Mr Assange, was really good, a careful driver but engaging and reliable. We will definitely be using KimKim again.

Local specialist: Mohit Saigal

Kudos to the Lanka Kim Kim Team
Sri Lanka | Feb 9 - Feb 27, 2020

Barry
Barry M.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 07, 2020

We were delighted with our Sri Lanka trip. The organization was great and when we were dissatisfied with one of our hotels, Yasantha quickly made alternate arrangements that were perfect. Our guide/driver, Kumar added to the overall enjoyment of our visit to Sri Lanka. He is an excellent reflection on the Kim Kim operation, along with Yasantha.

There are too many highlights to cover. We REALLY enjoyed the Horton Plains hike; and, of course, Sigiriya, and the cave temples of Dambulla.

Local specialist: Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Yasantha
Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Local specialist in Colombo | Replied on Mar 09, 2020

Hello Barry,

Thank you very much for your valuable feedback. It was an honour for us to be your service provider in Sri Lanka. We believe that it is our duty to look after our valued guests when they are in Sri Lanka and to make it a home away from home and become a family away from family.

All our drivers and guides are well qualified and trained to look you after when you are on tour and deliver the best services to exceed your expectations, Kumar is one of our well trained best drivers... read more

Hello Barry,

Thank you very much for your valuable feedback. It was an honour for us to be your service provider in Sri Lanka. We believe that it is our duty to look after our valued guests when they are in Sri Lanka and to make it a home away from home and become a family away from family.

All our drivers and guides are well qualified and trained to look you after when you are on tour and deliver the best services to exceed your expectations, Kumar is one of our well trained best drivers that always gets good comments from our guests.

Thanks again for your valued feedback, please do not hesitate to contact Kim Kim for any future travel requirement all over the world.

Cheers!!!
Yasantha

Very enjoyable, well planned and executed trip.
Sri Lanka | Feb 3 - Feb 12, 2020

Neville
Neville K.
Spain | Reviewed on Feb 14, 2020

Our guide/driver LaLa was very professional, always on time and drove with great care. The hotels recommended were excellent throughout. We restricted ourselves to the southern part of Sri Lanka which worked well for us as distances between our stops were short but take a long time. We spent a long time sitting in the car where every town looked the same. Sri Lanka is very green and surprisingly to us very clean unlike other similar countries. The people throughout were fabulous, happy... read more

Our guide/driver LaLa was very professional, always on time and drove with great care. The hotels recommended were excellent throughout. We restricted ourselves to the southern part of Sri Lanka which worked well for us as distances between our stops were short but take a long time. We spent a long time sitting in the car where every town looked the same. Sri Lanka is very green and surprisingly to us very clean unlike other similar countries. The people throughout were fabulous, happy smiling faces greeted us everywhere. We enjoyed a lovely holiday, well and efficiently organised and executed.
Would happily recommend Shalindra in Kim Kim who was patient and very efficient in helping us plan this memorable trip.
Best wishes to all.

Local specialist: Ikshula Weerasinghe
Ikshula
Ikshula Weerasinghe
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on Feb 17, 2020

Hi Neville,

Thank you for very much for your lovely feedback and I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour in Sri Lanka.

Please do spread your words to family and friends to visit our beautiful country.

Best Regards,
Shalindra

Great trip and guide and local people who pro...
Sri Lanka | Jan 29 - Feb 6, 2020

R
Robert A.
Canada | Reviewed on Feb 08, 2020

Great trip and guide and local people who provided services as per the plan

Hotels all good with one exception on the last night when a local disco partied all night preventing sleep. This should have been known easily by Kim Kim with a little bit of research into reviews of the hotel by other people. This hotel should NOT be used again. Very disappointed that our trip conclude on this sour note

Local specialist: Ikshula Weerasinghe
Ikshula
Ikshula Weerasinghe
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on Feb 11, 2020

Hi Robert,

Thank you for your feedback about the guide and local people with the services. I'm sorry about the situation you had to face during your last night where a party was happening outside the hotel. We will make sure not to promote this hotel for our future clients due to this experience we had to face.

Please do spread your good memories with your friends and family .

Thanks,
Shalindra

Beautiful Trip to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka | Jan 3 - Jan 10, 2020

H
Harsha P.
Long Beach, CA | Reviewed on Jan 25, 2020

Trip was great, the country is beautiful. we saw many beautiful spots. we had a very good time based on the itinerary that we had customized. Sigiriya rock, Dambulla cave, Cutlural dance show. Yala National Park was amazing. The tracker and naturist were very good and made us see mostly all animals. We saw Leopards, Sloth bear, Tusk Elephant, Crocodile, lots of Birds, Peacock, Land monitor, Deer, Eagle, etc. Then we went to Mirissa and saw the Blue Whale, it was so beautiful. We took a ride... read more

Trip was great, the country is beautiful. we saw many beautiful spots. we had a very good time based on the itinerary that we had customized. Sigiriya rock, Dambulla cave, Cutlural dance show. Yala National Park was amazing. The tracker and naturist were very good and made us see mostly all animals. We saw Leopards, Sloth bear, Tusk Elephant, Crocodile, lots of Birds, Peacock, Land monitor, Deer, Eagle, etc. Then we went to Mirissa and saw the Blue Whale, it was so beautiful. We took a ride on Madu Ganga river seeing the mangroves and we watched the best sunset when the birds were flying over water. Gangarama temple was very beautiful. On the way to these places we stopped at couple of hindu temples that we customized in the trip. Sri Baktha Hanuman Temple, Ashoka Vatika, Sita Amman Temple, etc. The Peradeniya botanical garden is not worth the visit.
our Driver/ Guide Pradeep was great, very honest, tried everything to keep us happy. The hospitality at all hotels were great. Food was good everywhere. the only thing we didn't like is that every hotel, the dinner is open buffet but not so great menu. and the hotels are not interested to take a la carte orders. however on our last day we ordered a la carte, it was more expensive than buffet but it was very nice food and we were happy with that. The car also was too low and not fit for countryside driving, too many slopes, each time the bottom would hit the road when driving. next time, they should provide an saloon car or an SUV.
All the hotels, the guide, the driver, the national park people helped us to have a wonderful trip. Every single place we went to was worth the drive, we wouldn't remove any place we went to based on our customized trip.

Local specialist: Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Yasantha
Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Local specialist in Colombo | Replied on Jan 21, 2021

Hello Harsha,

Thank you very much for your lovely comment and it was always our duty to make your stay a remarkable one. You have captured nice shots covering the entire trip, probably we can use them in our future itineraries if you do not mind.

Your comment on every single point is very well noted, we will do our best to cater to all our future clients in a way that they will cherish their experiences throughout the lifetime. Your concern on the vehicle is well noted, the situation may be... read more

Hello Harsha,

Thank you very much for your lovely comment and it was always our duty to make your stay a remarkable one. You have captured nice shots covering the entire trip, probably we can use them in our future itineraries if you do not mind.

Your comment on every single point is very well noted, we will do our best to cater to all our future clients in a way that they will cherish their experiences throughout the lifetime. Your concern on the vehicle is well noted, the situation may be due to a technical fault when you were travelling, However, I accept that it is our duty to make your stay comfortable if you could have informed on the condition of the vehicle during the trip, we would have changed the vehicle to make you comfortable.

Please feel free to contact us for any future requirement.

Stay Safe with your beloved ones.

With Warm Regards,
Yasantha

This was my first experience with KimKim and ...
Sri Lanka | Jan 4 - Jan 16, 2020

K
Ken W.
Seaside, CA | Reviewed on Jan 21, 2020

This was my first experience with KimKim and it resulted in one of the best trips I have ever taken. Our guide on the ground Nathantha was fantastic. He was very responsive and made sure that we were comfortable and safe at all times. All of the places he took us to were great. He understood what we wanted and did his best to make sure we got it. For example, we told him we were really interested in elephants and he hired an extraordinary man with a jeep that took us into the jungle and made... read more

This was my first experience with KimKim and it resulted in one of the best trips I have ever taken. Our guide on the ground Nathantha was fantastic. He was very responsive and made sure that we were comfortable and safe at all times. All of the places he took us to were great. He understood what we wanted and did his best to make sure we got it. For example, we told him we were really interested in elephants and he hired an extraordinary man with a jeep that took us into the jungle and made sure we saw lots of elephants up close in their natural habitats. He took us to wonderful temples that weren't even on the program and explained the history and local custom. I would rate him 10 out of 10.

The planning and booking process was good, but could have been better. Natasha provided a good basic itinerary and always responded to my questions. I would have liked more details and perhaps better information. For example, when we said we wanted to go snorkeling we were told we had to go to Hikkadua, but what we had read about Hikkadua indicated that it was not our kind of place, Natasha told us that snorkeling was not possible any place else. In fact, we booked our own snorkeling trip in Mirissa that was wonderful. It seemed that changes to the itinerary were not welcomed by the local specialist and it was only grudgingly that the price reduced when we took items out. I am sure that Natasha knows a lot about travel in Sri Lanka, but too many of our interactions were canned responses rather than detailed knowledge.

Local specialist: Nathasha Abeyrathne

I arranged my trip with Bilal not Yasantha. ...
Sri Lanka | Dec 22 - Jan 5, 2020

Segal
Segal A.
Canada | Reviewed on Jan 15, 2020

I arranged my trip with Bilal not Yasantha. Arrangements for my trip was good. Not perfect only because initially Yasantha never returned my calls. Bilal was good but also not great at returning calls. Bilal did a good job planning my trip. Once I got to Srilanka my driver was excellent. Excursions and hotels were great also.

Local specialist: Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Yasantha
Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Local specialist in Colombo | Replied on Jan 30, 2020

Hello Segal,

Thank you very much for your feedback on our services, it was an honour to be your service provider in Sri Lanka. It is great to hear that you have enjoyed the trip to Sri Lanka and have a wonderful time here. The pictures of your experiences & encounters look great, hope you do not mind if I use them in our itineraries.

With regard to returning calls, I apologise for delays in getting back you, the reason for the delays of the phone calls due to the time difference and the... read more

Hello Segal,

Thank you very much for your feedback on our services, it was an honour to be your service provider in Sri Lanka. It is great to hear that you have enjoyed the trip to Sri Lanka and have a wonderful time here. The pictures of your experiences & encounters look great, hope you do not mind if I use them in our itineraries.

With regard to returning calls, I apologise for delays in getting back you, the reason for the delays of the phone calls due to the time difference and the phone number you have entered into Kim Kim. You wanted to contact you through another phone number where we could not contact you via the system. However, we managed to contact you and get your trip arranged, please accept my sincere apologies for not returning to you without any delays.

Have a great time!!!

With Warm Regards,
Yasantha

Trip to wonderful Sri Lanka with disappointing travel company
Sri Lanka | Dec 21 - Jan 6, 2020

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Steve H.
New Zealand | Reviewed on Jan 13, 2020

We had a 23 day stay in Sri Lanka including 17 day tour with Experiential Travel under Kim Kim as a group of 4 with my son and partner.
This was an expensive comprehensive tour including 3 national parks, Sigiriya, Kandy Ella with a train trip between the last 2 destinations booked as a highlight.
We were all very much looking forward to seeing Sri Lanka and it is a wonderful country.
Unfortunately I really cannot recommend the travel company. Organisation and communication was very poor. ... read more

We had a 23 day stay in Sri Lanka including 17 day tour with Experiential Travel under Kim Kim as a group of 4 with my son and partner.
This was an expensive comprehensive tour including 3 national parks, Sigiriya, Kandy Ella with a train trip between the last 2 destinations booked as a highlight.
We were all very much looking forward to seeing Sri Lanka and it is a wonderful country.
Unfortunately I really cannot recommend the travel company. Organisation and communication was very poor. Right from the beginning the usual guide called off sick and another chauffeur/guide was appointed. Several days later we found out that he had never worked for the company and really took the view that he was only doing a favour for his friend. He spoke very halting English and gave very little commentary for the whole trip. He did not know the itinerary and really did seem to want to provide the bare minimum that the program allowed for. His van was rather old and unreliable and at one stage we wasted time in Kandy waiting for it to be fixed.
Worst of all the travel company had not bothered to buy tickets for the Kandy to Ella train which is a major highlight of any trip to Sri Lanka. This was known by the travel company and the driver and they tried to gloss over the problem and just take is in the van. Only after a lot of stressful negotiation, the driver managed to get 3rd class tickets for a portion of the journey only. The wrong hotel was listed in the itinerary for Kandy and we wasted hours trying to sort this out.
Accommodation and food in the jungle camp In Willpatu was poor, and out of step with the rest of the tour. Better accommodation and food is available but we were never given any options.
We did get a small compensation in the form of a free lunch and accommodation was improved in subsequent camps but only after a lot of pleading and negotiation and very reluctantly.
Right throughout there was a lack of honesty and transparency.
Sri Lanka is a wonderful country and we really enjoyed 6 days on our own at the end in Colombo I would highly recommend visiting but not with Experiential Travel, and I will not be using Kim Kim again.

Local specialist: Sandun Jayasundara

Sri Lanka - safari and cultural places
Sri Lanka | Dec 26 - Jan 5, 2020

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Jason P.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Jan 08, 2020

The whole trip was very well organised.
The initial specialist Yasantha put together a very comprehensive itinerary that covered all the places I wanted to see and more. In fact it was so busy that I had to ask my driver/guide for some time off from all the sight seeing!
Boni the driver was very courteous and helpful and struck the right balance between being informative and not engaging in conversation.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday.
Thank you
Jason

Local specialist: Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Yasantha
Yasantha Kuruvita Arachchi
Local specialist in Colombo | Replied on Jan 08, 2020

Hi Jason,

Thank you very much for putting your feedback together and sharing your thoughts with us. It was always our pleasure to arrange your holiday in Sri Lanka. You have decided to travel to Sri Lanka during the busiest period of the year, however, we are glad that we were able to make your dream holiday a reality. Our drivers are always willing to travel a step out from the way and allow you to experience the authenticity.

Once again thanks for choosing Sri Lanka as your dream holiday... read more

Hi Jason,

Thank you very much for putting your feedback together and sharing your thoughts with us. It was always our pleasure to arrange your holiday in Sri Lanka. You have decided to travel to Sri Lanka during the busiest period of the year, however, we are glad that we were able to make your dream holiday a reality. Our drivers are always willing to travel a step out from the way and allow you to experience the authenticity.

Once again thanks for choosing Sri Lanka as your dream holiday destination and it was a great honour to assist you in putting all the services together and make your dream holiday a reality. Please feel free to come back to us when you plan to travel to Sri Lanka in future.

With Warm Regards,
Yasantha

Sri Lanka - a wonderful place to experience
Sri Lanka | Dec 7 - Dec 13, 2019

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Glenda B.
Australia | Reviewed on Jan 01, 2020

Overall a very enjoyable and enlightening trip. A real mix of nature, beautiful scenery, fascinating people, remarkable history, delicious food - and scary driving (not by our driver).
The diversity of the country was surprising - beautiful and relatively clean sandy beaches - better than most you will find in Asia.
The accommodation in general was very good - topped by the historic and immaculately presented Grand Hotel at Nuwara Eliya, although the Deer Park Hotel out close to the ancient... read more

Overall a very enjoyable and enlightening trip. A real mix of nature, beautiful scenery, fascinating people, remarkable history, delicious food - and scary driving (not by our driver).
The diversity of the country was surprising - beautiful and relatively clean sandy beaches - better than most you will find in Asia.
The accommodation in general was very good - topped by the historic and immaculately presented Grand Hotel at Nuwara Eliya, although the Deer Park Hotel out close to the ancient remains at Polonnaruwa had a beautiful setting overlooking a broad lake and with interesting features. The only disappointment was the Yala Adventure experience where the glamping tents could have done with some maintenance and the mosquitoes were too friendly.
The history at Polonnaruwa and Lions Rock was amazing - equal to any we have seen elsewhere in the world..
We did enjoy our brief stay in Kandy but found the hotel selected - although providing a beautiful outlook across the broader Kandy area, was just too far out and on a steep incline to allow an easy exploration of this ancient capital. Our program had us somewhat stranded for the afternoon in the hotel when we would rather have been exploring.
The traditional meal preparation provided by some local families was surprisingly good.
Our driver and guide, Shan, we always very well presented, spoke excellent English and thankfully a safe driver - we always felt safe in his clean and modern Prius car. We would have appreciated it more if he had joined us climbing Lion Rock and when we were walking around Kandy and the botanical gardens so we could have learnt more of the history and culture of this intriguing island and its varied people.

Local specialist: Ikshula Weerasinghe
Ikshula
Ikshula Weerasinghe
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on Jan 15, 2020

Hi Glenda,

Thank you very much for the feedback given about your trip in Sri Lanka. All points are taken well noted and specially the Yala Adventure glamping tents with mosquitoes. We have informed the hotel about this and they will make sure not repeat for our future travellers.

Please do spread your lovely experience about Sri Lanka to your family and friends to visit our beautiful country.

Kind Regards,
Shalindra

Sri Lanka Stay
Sri Lanka | Dec 15 - Dec 24, 2019

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Andrew C.
Australia | Reviewed on Dec 28, 2019

We had a great experience with kimkim.

Shalindra was very helpful during the organising phase. He was quick to respond, adapt and had our best intentions at heart.

Our guide, Ossie was just as good. Not only did we get a personal chauffeur but a local who cared greatly about his country. He wanted us to experience Sri Lanka fully (which we did!). The experience wouldn't have been half as good without him!

Local specialist: Ikshula Weerasinghe
Ikshula
Ikshula Weerasinghe
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on Dec 30, 2019

Hi Andrew,

Thank you so much for your lovely review about your tour in our beautiful Island 'Sri Lanka'. I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed and experienced the best in Sri Lanka. It was a pleasure in organizing your tour and hope you will visit again.

Please do pass your lovely comments to family and friends so they will also visit Sri Lanka in the future.

Thanks again,
Shalindra

10-day trip of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka | Dec 13 - Dec 22, 2019

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Clare L.
Australia | Reviewed on Dec 24, 2019

The hotels selected by the local specialist Shalindra were all good quality and value options. The driver organised through the local specialist was a very experienced driver and a great tour guide with good local knowledge of the history and customs of the area. The trek to the Knuckles Mountain Range was a highlight, we had the expertise of a local guide, tracker and medic all accompany us on the tour. The visit to the local village was a little unorganised, the bike tour was short and not... read more

The hotels selected by the local specialist Shalindra were all good quality and value options. The driver organised through the local specialist was a very experienced driver and a great tour guide with good local knowledge of the history and customs of the area. The trek to the Knuckles Mountain Range was a highlight, we had the expertise of a local guide, tracker and medic all accompany us on the tour. The visit to the local village was a little unorganised, the bike tour was short and not very well explained by our guide, but we had a great lunch in the village and the food was exceptional. We were a little disappointed by the tour of Kandy, which took in a gemstone factory and wood making workshop, which were not part of our original itinerary and were not of interest to us, so felt like a bit of a waste of our time, as we had not requested these stops and would have liked more time in the city. We also were unsure around tipping throughout the trip, as we had spent a significant amount of money already on hotels and food, to then be told by the driver that tipping at least $1000 RP per tour guide was expected this was annoying as we had assumed all tours and guides had already been pre-paid. I would suggest that the tour company should be more upfront about these additional costs, other it seems like there are many hidden costs, that although the tipping is voluntary, we were not made to feel like this was the case. Overall we were happy with the itinerary and tour organizer, but more detail from them around what was covered in the costs and the tours would have been invaluable before we arrived.

Local specialist: Ikshula Weerasinghe
Ikshula
Ikshula Weerasinghe
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on Jan 15, 2020

Hi Clare,

Thank you very much for the feedback given about your trip in Sri Lanka. All points are taken well noted and I'm sorry for not informing about the tipping as it is more of a customary factory in Sri Lanka. But will keep this is in mind to inform our future travelers.

Please do spread your lovely experience about Sri Lanka to your family and friends to visit our beautiful country.

Kind Regards,
Shalindra

As someone who usually plans all my own travel.........I am happy we went with KimKim!
Sri Lanka | Nov 3 - Nov 9, 2019

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Mindy K.
Napa, CA | Reviewed on Nov 30, 2019

As someone who usually plans all my own travel.........I am happy we went with KimKim!
As someone who usually plans all our own (extensive) travels and doesn’t particularly like traditional tours, KimKim’s model intrigued me. I liked that they surveyed the type of trip I was looking for. I loved the fact that they use destination contacts local to the region. I loved the fact that they did all the vetting of guides and accommodations for me. Then, with so many options in my chosen destination... read more

As someone who usually plans all my own travel.........I am happy we went with KimKim!
As someone who usually plans all our own (extensive) travels and doesn’t particularly like traditional tours, KimKim’s model intrigued me. I liked that they surveyed the type of trip I was looking for. I loved the fact that they use destination contacts local to the region. I loved the fact that they did all the vetting of guides and accommodations for me. Then, with so many options in my chosen destination and unfortunately a tight time schedule, I appreciated the customization based on all of the above.
We had a wonderful (albeit too short) tour of Sri Lanka. Shalindra listened to us well and put together the exact itinerary we were looking for. He was knowledgeable, communicative and responded quickly to any questions or concerns. He was available for support before and during the trip. Kapila, our guide, was friendly and knowledgeable. He was good company and a very safe driver at what appeared to us to be very challenging road conditions???
We loved the chosen boutique hotels and found the country fascinating. We will return to Sri Lanka to cover more ground when we can allot the amount of time that It deserves. Thanks to all involved.

Local specialist: Ikshula Weerasinghe
Ikshula
Ikshula Weerasinghe
Local specialist in Sri Lanka | Replied on Dec 02, 2019

Hi Mindy,

Thank you very much for your lovely review given to us about your experience had in Sri Lanka. It was a pleasure of mine to communicate with you and meet all the expectations at the trip planning stage.

Please do spread your word among your friends and family to visit our beautiful country Sri Lanka.

If you plan another trip please do contact me again!

Best Regards,
Shalindra