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active 5 hours ago

Preeti Bhide

Travel is an experience that enriches our lives and is essential for all of us to grow as individuals.

Personally I love my holidays to be slower paced with time to stop and smell the flowers; a balance between the famous sights and the offbeat lesser known places; and opportunities to experience local culture, people and cuisine.

At the same time, I strongly believe that a holiday is all about the person travelling and the essence of travel planning is to help people plan an itinerary that is exactly how they want it to be!

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialise in customised holidays all across Iceland. For me, your holiday is all about you. You let me know what you want and I will try my best to make it happen!"

How did you get involved in travel?

"I have always loved travelling. After many years of working in consulting, I had an opportunity to take a sabbatical which is when we started our travel company, Wild Westfjords.
I have never looked back and it seems that this is what I was always meant to do.

Today, under our umbrella, we also have the Icelandic Aurora, specialising in winter & northern light holidays; and Iceland Offbeat, catering to the traveller who is looking for something different."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"Iceland is beautiful, in a surreal way, and it is difficult to pick one unique experience. I know it sounds cliched but it's true.

However a few of my travels in Iceland that I especially remember are:
- a trip to the gorgeous Westman islands: Hiking to the newest volcano Eldfell, looking for puffins, attending a festival and enjoying the fantastic food. Apart from the breathtaking scenery, most interesting, were the locals who are so passionate about their little island.
- a trip through the Northern Westfjords and North West Iceland to Akureyri to see the Holuhraun eruption: Stopping for the best waffles in Iceland, driving the remote coastline of Skagafjordur and Trollaskagi and of course flying over the eruption. The most fascinating part of this trip was discovering the hidden beauty of the North West which many people consider to be a less interesting part of Iceland."

Preeti is part of the following groups: Iceland Travel Agents, Iceland Family Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Road trip itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Preeti

Highly recommend! Fantastic Experience!
Iceland | Oct 7 - Oct 17, 2022

Erica
Erica B.
Waukesha, WI | Reviewed on Oct 29, 2022

I can't say enough about using kimkim for our Iceland trip! After reading reviews, we decided to explore the service. Preeti asked us a series of questions to gauge the experience and price point we were looking for, then she sent us a starting-point trip. From there, we were able to tweak and customize every aspect of this "bucket list" trip. She helped us navigate the covid cancellation of 2020. She helped us navigate the cancer cancellation of 2021. Through all this time, we always... read more

I can't say enough about using kimkim for our Iceland trip! After reading reviews, we decided to explore the service. Preeti asked us a series of questions to gauge the experience and price point we were looking for, then she sent us a starting-point trip. From there, we were able to tweak and customize every aspect of this "bucket list" trip. She helped us navigate the covid cancellation of 2020. She helped us navigate the cancer cancellation of 2021. Through all this time, we always felt supported and actually cared for. This year we finally got to see the planning through! During our trip we had some weather issues that affected our bookings - Preeti and her team were there for us. They rearranged our hotel accommodations and our trip bookings for us and made the whole process so easy and effortless on our part. And for the bookings that couldn't be rescheduled, we had a refund within days. I've never had this level of service or support from any other travel agency. I already have, and will continue to talk about our experience with Preeti, and kimkim. We will absolutely recommend, and will plan our next trip with kimkim!

Hotel Review
Hotel Rangá
Hella

I had hand-picked this hotel to be part of our Iceland experience, and it did not disappoint! The check-in experience was friendly and efficient. The hotel was comfortable and offered features that really enhanced our stay - like the game room, the multiple HOT hot tubs, and the Aurora wake-up call! Not only did we sign up for it, but we got the call and saw the lights for the first time in Iceland! We were also able to enjoy the observatory. Our dinner was splendid, and the first time we had been able to order reindeer. And the breakfast buffet included MIMOSAS as well as a hot entree in addition to the standard buffet. Our stay had everything we were hoping for. My only regret is that we couldn't stay longer. I highly recommend Hotel Ranga'!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon Zodiac boat tour
Iceland

This was my favorite tour on our Iceland trip! We got up close with an iceberg breaking up, and with seals! You know when your guide gets their phone out to start capturing a moment, you're witnessing something special! Also loved that it was only about an hour long, so it didn't take up a big chunk of precious time. There were food trucks onsite for lunch too! Highly recommend!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Julian was funny and really knowledgeable of the area and the history
Transport
Blue Lagoon
Iceland

So glad we made this our first stop from the airport! I was worried that we might be too tired to enjoy it, but the excitement and adrenaline keep that from happening. This was the perfect start before hitting the road. Relaxing, warm and comfortable, fun! Love that there are fresh cold drinking spouts (we call them bubblers here) to stay hydrated. I would absolutely do it this way again!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Iceland 2022
Iceland | Aug 26 - Aug 31, 2022

G
gavin c.
Pearl River, NY | Reviewed on Oct 21, 2022

So we managed to squeeze an extra vacation in last minute this summer, and the KimKim delivered. They set us up in great hotels, we nailed all the sites we wanted, and had some action/adventure every day. Preeti and Sigudur( I know its not a d, but i cant find the keystroke on my Mac) were there for us from beginning to end. I recommend both of them if you are looking into an Iceland adventure.

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Magical Iceland
Iceland | Aug 4 - Aug 14, 2022

J
Jon A.
Akron, OH | Reviewed on Aug 16, 2022

My son and I just returned from Iceland. It was beautiful. The waterfalls, the animals, the landscapes, and the people were all wonderful. I have never seen so many different landscapes especially in a single country. I would love to go back and visit places we didn’t have to see and others we didn’t have enough time to fully explore.

I want to mention that Preeti helped me so very much and was understanding of all my problems and questions. She walked me through two postponements with so much patience. I thank her and the other team members for making our trip one of a lifetime.

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Amazing trip Preethi was so responsive and w...
Iceland | Jun 23 - Jul 1, 2022

L
Lakshmi M.
Fords, NJ | Reviewed on Jul 02, 2022

Amazing trip
Preethi was so responsive and wonderful. Michele was great.
We cannot wait to go back.
They were able to help us with switching the booking for one activity and making it later immediately. Preethi was ready with suggestions for a rainy day. Overall I highly recommend this entire South coast trip

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Iceland 2022 by Seniors
Iceland | Jun 13 - Jun 29, 2022

Frank
Frank H.
Winchester, VA | Reviewed on Jul 01, 2022

The entire trip was well planned in an excellent, courteous, collaborative working relationship with Preeti. She sought to meet our desires and wishes for the trip and incorporated them into the itinerary. We accomplished ALL the elements of the itinerary and in addition, a few of the suggested options. We also added a few of our own after reading books about options in touring Iceland. One was the Fridheimar Tomato Farm and Restaurant -geothermal greenhouses for growing tomatoes and... read more

The entire trip was well planned in an excellent, courteous, collaborative working relationship with Preeti. She sought to meet our desires and wishes for the trip and incorporated them into the itinerary. We accomplished ALL the elements of the itinerary and in addition, a few of the suggested options. We also added a few of our own after reading books about options in touring Iceland. One was the Fridheimar Tomato Farm and Restaurant -geothermal greenhouses for growing tomatoes and other vegetables. Of course all the major waterfalls were amazing and the trip up to Husavik where we had outstanding steamed mussels at Naustid. We arrived for lunch at 2:30pm, they were open, but said the mussels were only on the menu for dinner. When we said we came from the U.S. to have mussels...the chef said. "They're on the way" for lunch, and they were better than the mussels we had in Bruges Belgieum. All interactions with staff in hotels and restaurants were very good. No language problem. Bakkagerdi old harbor was an excellent experience viewing puffins up close and personal along with the puffins tour at Ingolfshofdi arranged by Preeti. Overall the trip exceeded our expectations and KimKim and Preeti did an excellent job planning a trip that takes the hassle out of travel. Blessings to you all!
We offer a suggestion when planning for seniors - consider hotels with elevators or first floor accommodations. We did have help with moving luggage when requested. Overall we are very pleased with the results and will represent KimKim well to others to wish to plan for non-group travel. It was refreshing to stop the car whenever we wanted to check on birds in the lakes, take advantage of a good photo op and watch the buses and vans whiz by. Thank you very much! The only regret is that we now have over 1000 pics to sort out. Smiles and happy memories!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Örk
Hveragerði
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Klaustur
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The provide an excellent breakfast
Milk Factory
Höfn
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Minimal breakfast offering
Berjaya Hotel Myvatn
Myvatn
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Again, Icelandair hotels have excellent breakfasts
Hotel Laugarbakki
Hvammstangi
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Berjaya Hotel Herad
Egilsstadir
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
All services done well including excellent breakfast offering
Vogur Country Lodge
Deildarey
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Owner was personal and engaging on arrival, at dinner, breakfast and on departure.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel West
Patreksfjörður
Authenticity & Character
very small rooms for accommodating luggage for 2 persons
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Búdir
Búðir

The BEST we experienced - hotel, breakfast, dinner, room...

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Skuggi Hotel Reykjavík by Keahotels
Reykjavík
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Puffin watching tour at the Ingolfshofdi cape
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Personal knowledge of staff and allowing time to take in the awesome experience
Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Preeti Masterpiece
Iceland | Jun 23 - Jun 28, 2022

Christoph
Christoph H.
Needham, MA | Reviewed on Jun 29, 2022

Preeti arranged a fabulous itinerary for our trip to Iceland. We loved the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, the Jokulsarlon amphibian boat ride in the spectacular glacial lagoon fed by the Breidamerkurjokull glacier, our walk on black sands of the Breidamerkursandur (Diamond Beach), our ferry excursion to the Westman Islands, where we enjoyed an exhilarating rib ride around the island to caves and puffin colonies, the amazing Elhraun moss covered lava fields dating from the might Laki eruption in... read more

Preeti arranged a fabulous itinerary for our trip to Iceland. We loved the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, the Jokulsarlon amphibian boat ride in the spectacular glacial lagoon fed by the Breidamerkurjokull glacier, our walk on black sands of the Breidamerkursandur (Diamond Beach), our ferry excursion to the Westman Islands, where we enjoyed an exhilarating rib ride around the island to caves and puffin colonies, the amazing Elhraun moss covered lava fields dating from the might Laki eruption in 1783-1784, and walking the streets of enchanting Reykjavik including our stay at the upscale Hotel Borg.

Activity Reviews
Activity options for the South West Coast
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Rental car pick up
Activity options for the South East Coast
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Preeti was excellent.... everything was memor...
Iceland | Jun 11 - Jun 22, 2022

Thomas
Thomas M.
Vista, CA | Reviewed on Jun 23, 2022

Preeti was excellent.... everything was memorable couldn't ask for better person to handle everything read more

Preeti was excellent.... everything was memorable couldn't ask for better person to handle everything

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Laki
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Milk Factory
Höfn
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Gullfoss
Tungufell
Authenticity & Character
Location
I
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Vestmannaeyjar
Vestmannaeyjar
Authenticity & Character
Location
I
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hótel Laxá
Myvatn
Authenticity & Character
Location
O
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Laugarbakki
Hvammstangi
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Not one thing went wrong. Nothing.
Iceland | Jun 4 - Jun 15, 2022

T
t jay f.
San Leandro, CA | Reviewed on Jun 22, 2022

Not one thing went wrong. Nothing.

We spent 10+ days in Iceland, staying in 8 hotels, rented a car, visited dozens and dozens of destinations, participated in some for-pay activities (whale watching, glacier lagoon boat, hot springs, etc.) and it was flawless. That rarely happens when I book my own trip.

On top of this we had detailed maps for every day (that were based Google maps, with each destination laid out), optional activities, local insights, restaurant suggestions. The... read more

Not one thing went wrong. Nothing.

We spent 10+ days in Iceland, staying in 8 hotels, rented a car, visited dozens and dozens of destinations, participated in some for-pay activities (whale watching, glacier lagoon boat, hot springs, etc.) and it was flawless. That rarely happens when I book my own trip.

On top of this we had detailed maps for every day (that were based Google maps, with each destination laid out), optional activities, local insights, restaurant suggestions. The hotels were all very good, the driving rimes reasonable, and the trip was AMAZING.

During the planning process Preeti communicated at each step, really worked to understand what we wanted (small groups, boutique hotels, off the beaten path destinations) and she tailored the trip for us, asking for feedback, adjusting and delivered a great adventure for the four of us.

I feel like I need to mention one more thing: we had originally planned on taking this trip in 2021 and Preeti had helped us put a trip together (to the point of us only having to put down a deposit) and then we had a medical emergency and, by necessity, stopped responding. Preeti was so very understanding when we finally did connect a few weeks later and was hugely enthusiastic when we reached out to plan our 2022 trip.

Hotel Reviews
Fosshotel Hellnar
Hellnar

This is a very basic hotel. Nice location, isolated, good restaurant.

Tips for future travelers

There is an on-site restaurant (that was very good) with limited offerings. There is another town a few KM away that has broader and less expensive offerings.

Authenticity & Character
Very simple hotel, nothing fancy.
Location
Great views, access to nature.
Staff
Excellent, prompt help.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean.
Hotel Laugarbakki
Hvammstangi

This hotel was really remote. The restaurant was fine. The rooms are modern and updated.

Authenticity & Character
Location
The hotel is really not located near anything, but stopped a long day of driving from being longer.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Fosshótel Mývatn
Myvatn

Stunning hotel, amazing views, amazing location. Great rooms.

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful design, beautiful location.
Location
Location & views.
Staff
Very friendly and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Hallormsstadur
Egilsstadir

This was our least favorite hotel. The hotel is dated, the rooms are VERY hot, it seems to be very popular with bus rides and the restaurants were not great (and the hotel was so remote that the nearest options were about a 20 minute drive). The hotel was fine, just not at the same caliber of the other 9 hotels we visited.

Authenticity & Character
The hotel is dated.
Location
It's remote, but in a beautiful woodland.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The rooms were extremely hot and one small window.
Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon
Hnappavellir

Another beautifully designed hotel, modern, clean and stunning location.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hótel Kría
Vík

Beautiful, modern hotel with nice rooms, solid restaurant and located in a town with breweries, pizzerias and great views and access to nature.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
ION Adventure Hotel
Nesjavellir

This place is incredible. The location is remote, but the hotel is so unique and the pool is an incredible treat. Food is solid, bars are fun.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Exeter Hotel by Keahotels
Reykjavík

This is a fine hotel in a very touristy area. Parking is hard (garage is near impossible for a SUV). Close to other sites (we walked everywhere aside from our visit to Sky Lagoon). In house restaurants for street food, lots of options around.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Fairly busy tourist area.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
The Geothermal Vok Baths
Iceland

This is an amazing facility. Truly one of the best we've visited. Do not miss.

Quality of Experience
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon Zodiac boat tour
Iceland

A truly remarkable, small group tour. Boat pilot was knowledgable, funny and engaging.

Quality of Experience
Katla Ice Cave
Iceland

Don't set your expectations on seeing a cave -- we did and it was fine. The best part is being in an incredibly remote part of the tackier, no crowds and incredible beauty. Our driver was sarcastic and funny and gave us a great overview.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
It was a bumpy ride, but was great!
Sky Lagoon
Iceland

This is such a great alternative to the blue lagoon. The seven step ritual is worth the extra money. Modern, clean, great experience.

Quality of Experience
Myvatn Nature Baths
Lake Mývatn

Stunning pools, modern facility (and they are remodeling).

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Husavik Whale Watching
Iceland

An old oak boat, dolphins, whales and incredible views. We learned a ton as well.

Quality of Experience
Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

9 Days in Beautiful Iceland May 18-26
Iceland | May 18 - May 26, 2022

Rachel
Rachel K.
Eldersburg, MD | Reviewed on Jun 03, 2022

Trip Planning Experience: Typically I plan our trips and I enjoy the planning (I’m a Project Manager by day), but given this was a unique country with so many wonderful places to visit, having little time to plan, and not knowing the country very well we decided to use KimKim. I filled out a questionnaire about our trip preferences (budget range, types of sleeping accommodations, how we like to travel, etc). After submitting our info, we received a message from Preeti shortly afterwards... read more

Trip Planning Experience: Typically I plan our trips and I enjoy the planning (I’m a Project Manager by day), but given this was a unique country with so many wonderful places to visit, having little time to plan, and not knowing the country very well we decided to use KimKim. I filled out a questionnaire about our trip preferences (budget range, types of sleeping accommodations, how we like to travel, etc). After submitting our info, we received a message from Preeti shortly afterwards with a recommendation based upon our preferences and what wanted to do in Iceland. This was an “out of the box” trip plan, but Preeti made us aware that we can customize as much as we wanted to. We spent about 2 months doing our own research and working with Preeti to fully customize our itinerary at which point we booked/paid for our trip. Then Preeti spend about 6-8 weeks planning our trip: reserving vehicle, hotels, excursions, refining our itinerary. There were times I had to reach out to Preeti because it had been awhile, but she replied soon after. In the end, after reviewing our detailed itinerary and comparing to our list of must have and nice to have places to visit, Preeti worked our itinerary to best suit our wants and we were pleased with the results.

Trip Experience: Snaefellsness Peninsula, South Coast, Westman Islands May 18-26
When we arrived in Keflavik, we picked up our rental car without an issue, we ended up upgrading our vehicle to an SUV and all the insurance possible based upon reviews we had read elsewhere. We’re glad we did because some of the roads in Iceland are very offroad and we ended up getting a fast leak in a tire to where we had to use the Roadside Assistance. Highly recommend getting all the insurance offered.
The whale watching excursion with Laki Tours was so much fun. While the first few hours we didn’t see anything, in the last hour we saw orcas (including a baby). Since we saw them so late, the tour operator stayed out another 30 minutes so we could watch the whales. We were under the impression that it was a small group tour, but there were about 40 or more people on this excursion. This may be what is typical for small group tour size, and we were not aware.

The Katla Ice Cave Tour excursion with Southcoast Adventures was not what I had envisioned. We were under the impression that it was a small group tour, but there were about 20 or more people on this excursion. The Katla Ice Cave collapsed last year (and we were not aware), so the first part of the tour was seeing what was left of the Katla ice cave (not a whole lot) and then hiking to a baby ice cave to walk through it. The baby ice cave made up for the first part of the tour. Even though it didn’t live up to what I had envisioned, the total experience of trekking to the glacier, hiking the glacier a bit to see what was left of the ice cave, and hiking through the baby cave was a unique experience. It was amazing to think how old the glacier was and the volcano ash we were walking on, we took it in. I wish we had known about the Katla Ice Cave collapsing, and we would’ve selected a different excursion (like a true glacier hike).

The Kayaking in Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon was AMAZING. This tour was a true small group tour of 5-7 people (2 people arrived late and had to go on a different tour), and what we would’ve expected with a small group tour (around 10 people). Once kayaking in the lagoon, we had the freedom of taking pictures and kayaking at our own pace. We were fortunate with the weather, and seals were swimming all around us. The seals were friendly and swam up near us, a few seals were on an iceberg sunbathing. This was by far my favorite excursion to be up close to the beautiful icebergs and seals.

Preeti recommended several different hikes and we thoroughly enjoyed them, the ones that stand out to us are Glymur Waterfall hike, Mulaglijufur Canyon, Nauthusagil Waterfall. There were a few times where I thought we should do something else but should’ve listened to Preeti in her recommendations.

Preeti recommended several restaurants throughout our trip and she was spot on. All the food in Iceland is delicious. I highly recommend the following restaurants: Bryggjan in Grindavik, Sjavarpakkhusid in Stykkisholmur, Hotel Rjukandi Restaurant in Borgarnes, Mjolkurbuid Eatery in Selfoss, Wok on Vik in Vik, Ice Cream from Vikurskali in Vik, Messinn in Reykjavik, Gott in Westman Islands (ate there twice), Ice Cream from Isbud Huppu.

There were a few times that either an excursion got cancelled, we decided to make a change to our itinerary due to weather, or we had questions, that we had to rearrange our itinearey. I’m thankful for Preeti and her team for being able to quickly adjust our schedule and rebook for different excursions or ferry tickets. It was a seamless process, no questions asked, and reworked our itinerary. Thank you for the quick response! We were able to enjoy our time in Iceland instead of having to rearrange our time and schedules. Totally worth it!

Overall we had a wonderful vacation, it is our best one yet! I am thankful that we used Kimkim and we had Preeti to assist us throughout the process. We would not have had such a great time had we planned ourselves and not had Preeti and her team. We hope to return to Iceland in the coming years and we will use Kimkim (and Preeti) again!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Vestmannaeyjar
Vestmannaeyjar

This was our favorite hotel on our trip! The rooms were very spacious, clean, and the shower was amazing! The room temperatures were comfortable compared to other hotels on our trip. I only wish we had stayed one more night!

Authenticity & Character
Location
It was in the center of the town and could walk anywhere.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms were clean and very spacious. The bathrooms were clean.
Hotel Klaustur
Kirkjubæjarklaustur

We stayed at this hotel for 2 nights. This is a small town where a lot of establishments close at 9pm, including the hotel restaurant. The rooms were not as clean as I would've preferred. After our first night, the cleaning staff did not tidy up the room only refreshed the toiletries, which seemed odd to us and we had not experienced before. The room was small and our room was right near sitting water outside with a ton of bugs. The room was warm, so we had to crack the window, which meant a lot of bugs got into our room. If we were to stay in this town again, we would look for a different hotel. The hotel provided breakfast here was amazing.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Rjúkandi
Borgarnes

We stayed at this hotel for 2 nights. The hotel provided breakfast was amazing. There is a cafe attached to the dining area where they offer espresso, pastries, sandwiches. We had the best coffee on our trip in their cafe (Cortado). Highly recommend getting one of their cafe drinks. There is not much around this area to choose from a hotel, but our rooms were clean and open. The room temperature was a little warm, but we cracked the window to keep the air circulating. The room was on the smaller side, but I expected that. The bathroom was a bit dated and could use an update. The beds and pillows were very comfortable. We ate at the onsite restaurant and had one of the specials and it was AMAZING. Some of the best fish we've ever had. Overall pleasant experience and we would stay here again.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Jokulsarlon Glacier Kayaking Adventure
Iceland

The Kayaking in Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon was AMAZING. This tour was a true small group tour of 5-7 people (2 people arrived late and had to go on a different tour), and what we would’ve expected with a small group tour (around 10 people). Once kayaking in the lagoon, we had the freedom of taking pictures and kayaking at our own pace. We were fortunate with the weather, and seals were swimming all around us. The seals were friendly and swam up near us, a few seals were on an iceberg sunbathing. This was by far my favorite excursion to be up close to the beautiful icebergs and seals.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Katla Ice Cave
Vík

The Katla Ice Cave Tour excursion with Southcoast Adventures was not what I had envisioned. We were under the impression that it was a small group tour, but there were about 20 or more people on this excursion. The Katla Ice Cave collapsed last year (and we were not aware), so the first part of the tour was seeing what was left of the Katla ice cave (not a whole lot) and then hiking to a baby ice cave to walk through it. The baby ice cave made up for the first part of the tour. Even though it didn’t live up to what I had envisioned, the total experience of trekking to the glacier, hiking the glacier a bit to see what was left of the ice cave, and hiking through the baby cave was a unique experience. It was amazing to think how old the glacier was and the volcano ash we were walking on, we took it in. I wish we had known about the Katla Ice Cave collapsing, and we would’ve selected a different excursion (like a true glacier hike).

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Whale Watching Ólafsvík
Iceland

The whale watching excursion with Laki Tours was so much fun. While the first few hours we didn’t see anything, in the last hour we saw orcas (including a baby). Since we saw them so late, the tour operator stayed out another 30 minutes so we could watch the whales. We were under the impression that it was a small group tour, but there were about 40 or more people on this excursion. This may be what is typical for small group tour size, and we were not aware.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Great trip to Iceland's South Coast
Iceland | May 9 - May 15, 2022

C
Cathleen H.
Ossining, NY | Reviewed on May 18, 2022

I was very happy I used kimkim to plan my trip to Iceland's South Coast. My specialist, Preeti, did a great job. She worked with us to come up with an itinerary that met our interests, had lots of great suggestions for things to see and do, restaurants, etc, and was very responsive to my many questions. During the trip,
a couple of minor problems were handled promptly. We'll definitely use kimkim and Preeti in the future.

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Icelandic discovery adventure!
Iceland | Jun 27 - Jul 4, 2021

J
Judith W.
Ogden, UT | Reviewed on Mar 10, 2022

Everything Preeti did was amazing! We had enough time to explore on our own plus her suggestions of what to see and do made Everything manageable. I cannot recommend her enough!
I would book through her again. She knows this country! Iceland cannot disappoint, but having inside knowledge made it spectacular!

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Lovely fall trip to Iceland
Iceland | Sep 21 - Oct 2, 2021

Summer
Summer A.
Fishers, IN | Reviewed on Nov 02, 2021

My parents and I had an amazing 2-week vacation in Iceland!! This was my third time visiting, but it was my first time driving the Ring Road; it was also my parents' first time visiting. Preeti was an exceptional agent to work with. We initially planned to travel in May 2020, but COVID-19 altered that. Once we decided to go in September 2021, Preeti was able to get everything arranged without difficulty. We loved all the hotels and excursions she arranged for us. It was so nice to have... read more

My parents and I had an amazing 2-week vacation in Iceland!! This was my third time visiting, but it was my first time driving the Ring Road; it was also my parents' first time visiting. Preeti was an exceptional agent to work with. We initially planned to travel in May 2020, but COVID-19 altered that. Once we decided to go in September 2021, Preeti was able to get everything arranged without difficulty. We loved all the hotels and excursions she arranged for us. It was so nice to have someone else responsible for the details so we could just enjoy the trip stress-free. Her colleagues Michele and Halldor were also helpful. Iceland is such a beautiful country, and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the different regions. It is truly magical and honestly one of my favorite destinations in the world. We're already looking forward to our next trip!!

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

..Iceland tour Oct 2021
Iceland | Sep 30 - Oct 6, 2021

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Joan H.
Lake Forest, CA | Reviewed on Oct 27, 2021

We were on our own having a rental car for 7 days. Our walking is limited so we asked Preeti to consider that while putting our itinerary together. We missed a few sights due to walking and a few due to torrential rain and wind. The weather is unpredictable so we were disappointed that it was too cloudy at night to see the Northern Lights. That’s the negative. The positive was the spectacular scenery right out the car window, the amazing geothermal baths, a fabulous helicopter ride into the... read more

We were on our own having a rental car for 7 days. Our walking is limited so we asked Preeti to consider that while putting our itinerary together. We missed a few sights due to walking and a few due to torrential rain and wind. The weather is unpredictable so we were disappointed that it was too cloudy at night to see the Northern Lights. That’s the negative. The positive was the spectacular scenery right out the car window, the amazing geothermal baths, a fabulous helicopter ride into the volcano that had been active for months prior to our visit. We were happier that it was inactive so we could get a really close look. The overnight stay at the Retreat at the Blue Lagoon was worth every cent, although the sulphur smell (from geothermal water source) at night in our room was pretty nauseating. The endless lava fields were awesome in the surrounding area we were in. I’m sorry we didn’t arrange more time in Reykjavik but we will next time. The food was good , we tried reindeer burgers that were great and the morning breakfasts at the hotels were mostly good.
I think our itinerary of the Golden Circle and South was pretty standard fare but Preeti really spent a lot of time with me to try to individualize the tour for us as non-walkers, considering most tourists are hiking trails and glaciers. I would be very comfortable contacting KimKim and Preeti for another trip.

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Great Trip!
Iceland | Sep 30 - Oct 8, 2021

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Barbara M.
Fort Collins, CO | Reviewed on Oct 17, 2021

This was our second trip planned by KimKim and our second great success with them. The first one was two years ago in Norway and this time in Iceland. Preeti did a wonderful job of connecting with us to find out what our specifics were in terms of arrivals and departures and what we wanted to see and how we wanted to experience Iceland. She put together a great itinerary that met all of our needs, reserved very comfortable hotels with a large breakfast each morning. She and her associate were... read more

This was our second trip planned by KimKim and our second great success with them. The first one was two years ago in Norway and this time in Iceland. Preeti did a wonderful job of connecting with us to find out what our specifics were in terms of arrivals and departures and what we wanted to see and how we wanted to experience Iceland. She put together a great itinerary that met all of our needs, reserved very comfortable hotels with a large breakfast each morning. She and her associate were available to us during our stay, to answer any questions we had. Iceland is a fantastic country with so much to experience. We love traveling independently and yet appreciate the expertise of local people helping us plan all the details! We highly recommend Preeti and her staff and will definitely use Kimkim again when traveling around the world. Thanks for a great trip.

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Exceptional PlanningPreeti was my Iceland specialist who planned ...
Iceland | Sep 18 - Oct 6, 2021

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allan d.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 07, 2021

Preeti was my Iceland specialist who planned and organized our trip for two over many months. Preeti was exceptional. Unfortunately, she can’t control the weather. If anyone could though, it would be Preeti. We were away for 19 days returning Oct 6/21 and toured the country counter-clockwise with an emphasis on great hiking opportunities. It was a very busy itinerary. All of our many bookings- car, hotels, ferry, glacier hike, etc., went through without any glitches and all met with the... read more

Preeti was my Iceland specialist who planned and organized our trip for two over many months. Preeti was exceptional. Unfortunately, she can’t control the weather. If anyone could though, it would be Preeti. We were away for 19 days returning Oct 6/21 and toured the country counter-clockwise with an emphasis on great hiking opportunities. It was a very busy itinerary. All of our many bookings- car, hotels, ferry, glacier hike, etc., went through without any glitches and all met with the expectations that Preeti described for us. Whatever didn’t turn out as planned was due solely to the weather but we were able to make the best of the bad days regardless. There were too many highlights to single out only a few from the many activities and sights Preeti selected for us. I won’t be talking about this trip without praising Preeti and the ease of dealing with kimkim. Many thanks to both.
Allan

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Wow 🤩 wow and again wow Iceland 🇮🇸 trip 2021
Iceland | Sep 5 - Sep 22, 2021

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hanoch f.
Israel | Reviewed on Sep 27, 2021

Wow 🤩 wow and again wow
It’s not easy to summarize 17 days of trip from the dreams to few sentences.
First kimkim company and platform is amazing.
We have been looking for some time solution like this and we are happy that we have found kimkim.
We love travel on our own so Kimkim give us the option to do what we love without all the headaches of planning and checking and not knowing the country enough
So no mistakes with great planned trip.

Now about 🇮🇸 Iceland - we send huge thanks to... read more

Wow 🤩 wow and again wow
It’s not easy to summarize 17 days of trip from the dreams to few sentences.
First kimkim company and platform is amazing.
We have been looking for some time solution like this and we are happy that we have found kimkim.
We love travel on our own so Kimkim give us the option to do what we love without all the headaches of planning and checking and not knowing the country enough
So no mistakes with great planned trip.

Now about 🇮🇸 Iceland - we send huge thanks to preeti the travel agent that kimkim set us with.
She is amazing - she asked us what is the purpose of the trip and the. We had ping pong of few weeks u trip the trip plan was tailor made to our needs
She realy understand what we were looking for and gave us great trip plan
Now with the trip plan and the great platform of kimkim every thing was smooth like planned
We didn’t have problems the time of places we visit according to the plan was accurate like she did it and know when we need to wake up in the morning and that we will finish every day plan by time
I can write alot about preeti service
She was there all the way even when we were at Iceland and ice cave and the tour was not private as planned so she took care of money refund
So you know u have someone u can count.
One last thing
It was COVID 19 days and regulation make everything more complicated
But kimkim was flexible with us with payments and refund policy
So because of that we made all reservations with kimkim and it was the best choice that we did.

I realy recommend traveling with kimkim
I think it’s the best way to explore new lands
With clear mind .

Thanks again kimkim and preeti for trip from legends
Fransis family 2021 Iceland 🇮🇸 trip

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

This is the second trip we've done through Ki...
Iceland | Sep 18 - Sep 24, 2021

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stephanie g.
Richmond, VA | Reviewed on Sep 26, 2021

This is the second trip we've done through Kimkim and the experience has been phenomenal. Specifically with this trip, Preeti was fabulous, checking in on us, updating us on weather conditions. We had a wonderful time!

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

All 4 of us had a great time during our trip ...
Iceland | Sep 10 - Sep 20, 2021

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K J.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Sep 24, 2021

All 4 of us had a great time during our trip to Iceland. Preeti did a great job allocating our time as we traveled around Iceland. She tried very hard to help us see some interesting events, like fall sheep and horse round ups which would be very difficult for a visitor to find. All of the hotels were attractive, clean and comfortable with great breakfasts.
The downside of the hotels is that they were almost uniformly located significantly out of town, making it more difficult to eat... read more

All 4 of us had a great time during our trip to Iceland. Preeti did a great job allocating our time as we traveled around Iceland. She tried very hard to help us see some interesting events, like fall sheep and horse round ups which would be very difficult for a visitor to find. All of the hotels were attractive, clean and comfortable with great breakfasts.
The downside of the hotels is that they were almost uniformly located significantly out of town, making it more difficult to eat dinner outside of the hotel. Sometimes the more remote location was necessary to allow us to see a sight, but perhaps more of a mix of in town and remote locations. The in car wifi worked great most of the time with the travel routes that Preeti built for us. There was one hotel in an area where the google maps didn't work well, causing us to do a lot of repetitive driving and searching. We suggest that some of the more challenging roads be identified in the trip notes. As a few examples, Beserker road is pretty challenging, and longer than one might think to drive it all, and the Oxi road is on the route as the shortest path, but it was not clear, without additional research, that this road is not recommended in adverse weather. It was a great trip. We are satisfied with Kim Kim and Preeti's services.

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Loved our itinerary and Preeti was wonderful ...
Iceland | Sep 1 - Sep 7, 2021

K
Kelly W.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Sep 14, 2021

Loved our itinerary and Preeti was wonderful before and during our trip.

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide

Iceland in All It's Beauty!!
Iceland | Sep 1 - Sep 7, 2021

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Margo B.
Edina, MN | Reviewed on Sep 10, 2021

Just returned from the most spectacular trip to Iceland, using KimKim and its self-guided itinerary. We worked on the trip via email with KimKim's local travel specialist Preeti, based in Islafjordur. She knew the country well and helped our group of six women plan a 7-day off-the-beaten-path self-drive adventure to Iceland's gorgeous Arctic Coast. KimKim planned for us whale watching, horseback riding, geothermal spa visits, guided hikes to volcanoes, stays at great hotels and delicious... read more

Just returned from the most spectacular trip to Iceland, using KimKim and its self-guided itinerary. We worked on the trip via email with KimKim's local travel specialist Preeti, based in Islafjordur. She knew the country well and helped our group of six women plan a 7-day off-the-beaten-path self-drive adventure to Iceland's gorgeous Arctic Coast. KimKim planned for us whale watching, horseback riding, geothermal spa visits, guided hikes to volcanoes, stays at great hotels and delicious meals (Naustio in Husavik is amazing!). It was an itinerary of gorgeous sites and activities that made us all fall in love with Iceland. Preeti worked within our budget and was incredibly responsive. Everything worked perfectly when we arrived. I highly recommend KimKim for Iceland, and will use them for future trips.

Local specialist: Preeti Bhide