Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

Absolutely wonderful trip and all the details worked out flawlessly. We had a little bit of everything in our family trip to Norway and it went off without a hitch. We loved the fjords, the saunas, the Viking Village, and the city of Bergen. We made some unforgettable family memories!

Here is a brief and honest opinion of our Norway sojourn with Kimkim. Oslo and Bergen, although nice, were not special. However, we did get to hear the Oslo Philharmonic. My husband and I were especially impressed with the Lofoten area of Norway. Seeing those gorgeous snow-capped mountains and the surrounding landscape was indeed amazing. The apartment (Nordis Suite) in Svolvaer was spectacular! The view from those floor to ceiling windows of the harbor and the mountains was simply magical. Unfortunately, my biggest yearning was not fulfilled: the weather was not cooperative and we missed seeing the Aurora. We were booked for a photographer's hunt for the Aurora in Svolvaer which never happened. But our snowmobiling north of Tromso was really exciting. We enjoyed most of the local guides who helped make the towns and cities come alive with history. We stayed at the Oslo Grand Hotel, which was a nice 5-star hotel, but the rooms were certainly not "grand." The concierge service was wonderful, however. They went out of their way to try to respond to our needs. The Bergen Bors hotel, a so-called 4-star hotel, was not as good. Word of caution: Do not make a reservation for the Loft Suite. The low beams are hazardous. The bathroom is downstairs but the loft-like bedroom is up a long flight of stairs. Using the bathroom at night would have been challenging so we changed our room. In general, the hotel rooms were rather small compared to those in the US. The AERA Lodge near Tromso was quite "rustic" and is only for those who enjoy roughing it a bit. Kimkim was excellent in helping us plan our trip and was there every step of the way. Our local specialist at Kimkim, Taylor, went above and beyond. We couldn't have done it without her careful and expert guidance. I highly recommend Kimkim as a travel agency that really cares about its clients.

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed with the trip planning and overall service for our Norway trip. The only reason I am giving stars is because Norway is an incredible country and, thankfully, it runs so well on its own. Also, the hotel in Alta , Onga was extraordinary, and we were lucky enough to see the Aurora, which was truly unforgettable.

That said, the planning felt overly commercial and generic. From hotel reservations to transfers to restaurant recommendations, everything seemed focused on standard tourist logistics rather than creating a meaningful or authentic cultural experience. We had no real opportunities to connect with Norwegian culture, traditions, or local experiences, which is what I expected from a company like Kimkim.

There were also several major issues that should never happen with a professional travel agent:
1. The castle visit in Denmark – we were not informed of the ticket time, and we missed the visit completely.
2. Bergen airport transfer – we were forced to arrive extremely early, which caused us to miss the only great part of the Bergen hotel: the breakfast.
3. Transfers advertised as private – we were clearly told in writing (and charged accordingly) that all transfers would be private, yet in Alta the transfer was shared. Because of this, we had to miss a museum visit.

Overall, there was very little attention to detail and almost no care in making sure the trip flowed smoothly. For the high price I paid, the service and planning did not match expectations at all.

I strongly recommend that future Kimkim travelers consider working with a different Norway specialist.

This was our fifth trip trip booked through Kimkim, and once again, it did not disappoint! Kimkim has done a fabulous job coordinating trips around the world with well-qualified local tour companies. For Norway, we worked with NORD DMC. Jacob, Ethel, Riccardo and the whole team were fantastic in planning out a tailored itinerary that met our travel needs and interests. They also made themselves readily available when we had questions along the way, ensuring that our trip to Norway was a memorable one and went as smoothly as possible.

Our trip entailed seven nights in the northern region of Norway. The first night was spent in Bodo where we went on a late night small-group tour in a van up into the mountains to see the Northern Lights which were magical (as it was our first time seeing them). The next three nights were spent in Svolvaer in the center of the Lofoten Islands. What a beautiful place! We did another small-group van tour through the snow covered islands, taking many pictures along the way. The highlight was stopping in Reine which was picturesque! We definitely recommend lunch at Anita'sd Seafood. Best fish soup ever! Svolvaer where we stayed was also a very walkable charming town. Our two go-to restaurants were Nordis and Bacalao. Great selections of quality food! Afterwards, a couple of Norwegian beers at the Telegrafen Pub were enjoyable while we chatted with locals and tourists. During the day, we did a couple of easy hikes outside of town, taking in the beautiful countryside, and ending the day doing the floating sauna and jumping into the harbor to cool off! The final day in Svolvaer was spent in a zodiak-style boat jetting around the fjords and enjoying the sights while the captain threw fish to the eagles that flew aroud us! A great experience!

We then flew to Alta where we spent the next three nights. We stayed in a cabin at the Flatmoen Natur Lodge where we had a glass ceiling to watch the Northern Lights from our bed! We visited the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel (great for taking photos at, but too cold to sleep there -- glad we were at Flatmoen!). In addition to a side excursion one day to go cross-country skiing (which was a lot of fun!), the highlights in Alta were doing an evening dog-sledding excursion from the Trasti & Trine lodge (where we had delicious elk stew for dinner) and then a reindeer sledding excursion and Sami experience at the Sami Siida Restaurant where we enjoyed the local delicious salmon!

All along the way, the NORD DMC team were readily available to address all our logistical questions (it took some coordination to make sure we made the flight connections with the small planes between cities). As with our prior trips through Kimkim, my wife and I were very comfortable that we were always in good hands!

Norway is a beautiful country for both its scenery and its people! We really enjoyed experiencing it and the many outdoor adventures in the wintertime. My wife and I both agreed that we will be back another time during the summer to experience it once again in warmer weather!

It took me a little long to write, but all i have to say are nice things. Helpful, good planers, problem solvers...all perfect on our trip. Tks!!

Mathia did a good job arranging a nice selection of different locations in Norway, and scenic modes of transportation between locations. The hotels she selected for us were very nice, and generally well located for walking and accessing public transportation. The tour guides she booked for us were excellent. She did a wonderful job rescheduling our Northern Lights Safari due to inclement weather on the originally scheduled date.

My only disappointment was when she said she could not book the planned dog sledding experience. When I looked into this myself I found many opportunities, and arranged a great experience on my own.

Visiting Norway was a great experience. The country is beautiful at every turn, the food is wonderful, and the people very friendly.

Taylor worked with me to plan our trip to Norway. She was always available and was more than knowledgeable about the not only our wish list but other equally intriguing side trips.
I never waited more than 24 hours to get a response to any questions I had. Her recommendations rounded out our incredible itinerary.. while we were able to give her a sizable budget, she never deliberately exceeded or sought out activities and housing at the very top of the budget.
Overall, I enjoyed working with Taylor and have no suggestions for her performance.
My only recommendation relative to KimKim and this trip is to provide a less congested program for gathering and delivering information. This is relative to easier/clearer information regarding venues and for obtaining traveler information. Everything became clear once we could access the app. By the way, wonderful app!
We will use your agency again and will look forward to interacting with Taylor again.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Hunt by Boat

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Reindeer Feeding & Sámi Culture Experience

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lyngen Alps Snowmobile Excursion

Tromsø

Staff was extremely helpful. Scenery exceptional.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

Dinner was ok, not special but ample. Once the aurora showed up, we were outside. They offered a couple of related lectures inside that were interesting. Overall, well worth the price.

Quality of Experience

Kvaløya Husky Sledding Excursion

Tromsø

Staff know what they’re doing and will make you comfortable doing it. They assisted me in getting from the bus to the dog sled. Made my experience much easier. Our trip was 10 kilometers and the scenery was gorgeous.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Norway in a Nutshell Day Trip

Bergen

The highlight of our Bergen visit! Seamless transfer between bus, train and boat. The only way to see all the wonders of Norway! We had a bit of trepidation about not having a guide to assist in transfers. Totally not needed! Bring a camera.

Quality of Experience

Fløibanen Funicular Ticket

Bergen

Cultural Walk with a Local

Bergen

Guide was an excellent historian.

Self-Guided Bergen Exploration

Bergen

Amazing Norway trip! Would definitely use KimKim again. They (Taylor, Nick, and Maria) helped us plan with excellent recommendations, executed the bookings to perfection, provided a detailed itinerary on an easy-to-use app, checked in with us frequently to ensure our satisfaction, and issued a refund promptly when a tour had to cancel because of the weather. Both the Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz in Bergen and the Scandic Ishavshotel in Tromso were clean, centrally located, and offered excellent breakfast buffets. Our Bergen highlight was the "Norway in a Nutshell Day Trip" operated by Fjord Tours. A wonderful way to see the varied Norway scenery; the cruise thru the Naeroyfjord was jaw-dropping. Our time in Tromso was jam-packed with dogsledding, Northern Lights cruising, reindeer feeding, and Lyngen Alps snowmobiling. The weather cooperated one day; we saw a beautiful Northern Lights display. While we would do all of these activities again, two of the vendors (Tromso Villmarkssenter-Kvaleya Husky Sledding Excursion and Best Arctic-Snowmobile Excursion) really went above and beyond to meet the mobility issues within our group.

Nick and Maria were super responsive during planning and while on trip making last minutes changes.

Christina was wonderful and planned an amazing experience. We were able to fulfill a bucket list wish and see the northern lights in full splendor. Amazing trip and recommend to anyone wanting to experience Norway and the lights.

I planned my trip to Norway wanting to see the Northern Lights. Working with kimkim, I found it the easiest way to not only go over my ideas, but have ideas that I wouldn't have any thought of. I started my trip in Oslo and was able to experience the last Christmas Market of my Christmas Market hopping I had done. The hotel I stayed out was perfectly situated and made it very easy to walk to the train station, and the park where the Market was held, when I left the next day to head towards Bergen. When I was planning my trip, I thought I was going to just take the train directly to Bergen; however, with the advice of kimkim I actually stayed a night Flam. To make sure the night wasn't boring, they arranged for me to go on a hike in the mountains. It turns out, I was the only one who signed up for the hike. My guide, Bjorn, still took me out for the hike. It was definitely worth the stop in Flam to go on the hike and see the fjord. Bjorn was so knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the mountain and you could tell he really respected the Norwegian way of life when it comes to outdoor adventures and respecting the land and personal property. After my night in Flam, I headed on the train towards Bergen. That is where there were problems. It turns out when we arrived in Bergen, someone had taken my luggage! I waited at the train station, with their luggage, for over 3.5 hours to see if they would notice and be able come back to the train station. If this isn't a perfect reason to have a luggage tracker when else would be the perfect reason. Because I was in the train station for so long, I didn't get to go out and see Bergen at night. I then woke up the next day to find out my flight to Tromso was cancelled and I was rebooked on a flight that leaves 2 hours earlier. It was a scramble, but I got there. My time in Tromso was great. Overall, my trip was very good and the planning time put in by everyone made it a memorable experience.

Hotel Reviews

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Perfect location to train station and park when the Christmas Market was.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff wasn't as friendly as you would expect from a hotel that sees a lot of international travelers.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

Cute little hotel closer to the water. It seems like a lot of travelers use this hotel. I did get an "upgrade" to have a balcony. I was still on the main floor, so it ended up being a patio. The room was spacious though and worked well.

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Quality Hotel Grand Tromso

Tromsø

Was in a great location to downtown. Easy to pick up public transport or go to the meeting places for any activities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

Perfect place to stay when you have a really early morning flight and just need a place to relax the night before.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Hunt by Minibus

Tromsø

The guide was really great about hunting for areas where you could see the Northern Lights, even though the night was very cloudy. He ended up having us see the northern lights twice that night. They weren't extremely active, but we were still able to see them. The guide was wonderful and making sure everyone was having a good experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reindeer Sledding, Northern Lights & Sámi Culture Experience

Tromsø

On our way out of Tromso and just a quick 10 minutes from the camp, a car accident happened. We were stuck in line waiting for EMS to get to the occupants to get them to the hospital for easily over an hour. When we finally arrived at the camp, they were able to have us do the sleigh ride and feed the reindeer, but we weren't able to eat the dinner due to time constraints. The people were definitely wonderful, took good care of the reindeer, and did the best they could within the time. We did end up getting a refund, which was appreciated. If you are able to have a full time with the experience, I would say that it would be quite amazing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arctic Fjord Cruise & Fishing Excursion

Tromsø

I had researched do an arctic fjord cruise with fishing as an option. I wish I would have known, even though it stated lunch was included, all they had was coffee, tea, cocoa, and cookies. I don't know if I would recommend this company for the fishing excursion again, but I would try another one. The captain did try to take us to multiple spots to try to catch fish, so that was appreciated. Overall, I wasn't a fan of the experience and would be a skip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Husky Experience with Dinner

Tromsø

The people there really cared about the dogs and were knowledgeable about each one. The food for dinner was good and they even catered to a couple who were vegetarians. We closed the night with mattress sledding and roasted marshmallows. It would have been 5 stars if I would have been able to go on the husky sled ride.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snowshoe Trek

Flåm

Bjorn was an amazing guide and definitely enjoyed it. As it ended up being just us--definitely appreciated that they didn't cancel because not enough people signed up--it was more special. When we went to the bridge to overlook the fjord, there was no one on the bridge, so Bjorn could take lots of pictures of me, which was nice. During the hike, Bjorn pointed out flora that was typical in the area and at the top, we stopped for some hot berry juice and Norway's version of a Kit Kat bar. We had a wonderful discussion during the hike and even though it wasn't a snowshoe one, I had a good time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had such a good experience with Meree with our 2023/24 Scandinavian trip that we were keen to work with her again.

Hotel Review

Hotel Bristol

Oslo

Our favourite hotel of our whole trip- and our last trip which is why we returned the hotel itself is beautiful, the breakfast and restaurant excellent and the concierge and staff couldn’t have been more helpful

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully appointed

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully appointed

Location

Very central

Location

Very central

Staff

Most helpful and entertaining

Staff

Most helpful and entertaining

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent attention to detail

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Northern Lights Experience in Super Jeep

Reykjavík

The guide went out of his way to ensure we saw the lights and got fantastic photos and provided a general tour of different areas too

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale Watching Safari From Akureyri

Akureyri

Enjoyable. Saw whales in distance

Quality of Experience

It’s was a good experience seeing whales but be aware that they are in the distance for safety of tourists and wellbeing of whales

Quality of Experience

It’s was a good experience seeing whales but be aware that they are in the distance for safety of tourists and wellbeing of whales

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport

Snowmobile Tour from Akureyri

Akureyri

Loved the experience and the guides were great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural Walk with a Local

Bergen

Delightful, engaging guide who loved Bergen and was keen to share stories of its past and present.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snæfellsnes Day Trip

Reykjavík

Excellent tour with a very engaging, entertaining guide / great to see different part of Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luggage Transfer Service

Norway

This was a godsend and allowed us to enjoy the various transport components of the Bergen to Flam to Oslo trip without worrying about dragging along excess luggage - highly recommended

Quality of Experience

It's been two years since I travelled to Norway with my family and I still remember how great it was. Kristiina put together a wonderful trip. I had wanted to pack it in so it was definitely a busy trip but the time in Oslo and Bergen were both great. I would highly recommend a museum day wandering around Oslo. The zipline in Bergen on Mt. Ulriken should not be missed either. There were some crossed wires on a day in Vik, but it ended up being a really happy accident. While we had a lot of downtime in a small town, we were able to explore and created one of the best times we had during the entire trip. The travel day from Oslo to Bergen was fantastic. Really there was nothing to be missed. Thank you, Kristiina.

Activity Reviews

Zipline at Mount Ulriken

Bergen

My kids still talk about this experience - really great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Norway in a Nutshell Tour

Norway

So much fun! It is a busy day, but completely wonderful and beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Norway was an unexpected and unplanned Christmas revelation - it was merely an extension of another planned trip to Rome. After extensive consulting with our expert who spared no detail in planning our itinerary, Ms. Katie, I realized, we were up for an adventure of a lifetime. She recommended beautiful quaint Tromsø and two sites in Senja (Hamn-Senja and Norwegian Wild) to explore. Not even an unseasonable snowstorm dampened our trip. The polar nights added to the beauty and much needed quietude and stillness to appreciate the raw grandeur of Senja Islands and arctic north. The transportation and accommodations she chose were top notch and comfortable (Hygge is not a buzzword. It is a lifestyle, my friends!). Our cabins in Hamn and Norwegian Wild allowed for expansive views of the natural beauty in the northern Norway and Ånderdalen National Park. The fresh and healthy food were prepared with love (“just like my grandmother served me in childhood”, said our host and proprietor of Norwegian Wild, Hege). We drank the best water from the tap and ate fresh powdery snow! Our winter adventures were capped by the warmth and welcoming Norwegians: our driver from Tromsø, Finn-Åge who we ran into while waiting for Stig to pick us up in Finnsnes, the chefs and bartender and activity coordinator in Hamn-Senja, Franco and Roberto at Norwegian Wild talked to us with excitement about our stay. The piece de resistance: we saw the aurora borealis when the winter clouds parted, while hot tubbing next to our cabin (named Silda)! Silda means herring - our trip was a rarity, much like a red herring!

Your team quickly adapted to cancellations and weather issues that we encountered. We also felt they your team personally assisted us throughout the trip. Thanks

Kimkim was incredibly helpful the whole way through. If we wanted to add something or take something off the itinerary, they did it with ease and were very accommodating. We could reach them at any time of the day and they’d respond within a couple of hours at least. The trip we went on to Norway was so much fun, and the excursions we did were amazing. In country travel was easy and we just had to show up with our documents and go. Would recommend Kimkim to anyone.

My husband and I had the best time on our trip to Norway and much of it had to do with Nick, Alex, and their team from kimkim. They not only helped us plans and reserve all the fun activities on our trip, but were also available while we were in Norway. They really listen to our interests, goals, and budget for the trip and planned the best activities. We had a few cancelled and rescheduled activities due to the weather while we were there and they kept us informed and helped us process rescheduling and refunds. It was so comforting to know that they were available should we have any questions while we were on our trip. They were responsive, helpful, and overall so friendly and wonderful through the whole process. Some of our favorite memories from the trip are seeing the northern lights ( my husband's bucket list item and the reason for the trip) , and the visit to see, feed, and ride reindeer sleds as well as learn about the Sami people who herd them and share a tradition meal with them. We highly recommend kimkim and will definitely use them again on future trips!

The purpose of my trip was aurora photography hunting in small group (5-6 people). I expect the local specialist can arrange as I have explained at the beginning. In fact she arranged 2 (two) session aurora chasing which very similar and it's not a photography session. It's just for tourist who want to see aurora. However, to be fair, the hotel was good, other excursions also good, apart of sudden cancelation of an excursion from the operator.

We had a wonderful 9 day trip to Norway planned by Kimkim. We flew to Oslo, spent 2 days there and then flew to Tromso. We were super lucky and had an amazing night to see the Northern Lights from a boat. Bucket List item for sure! Unfortunately Tromso didn't have much snow so we were unable to go snowmobiling or sledding with huskies. However Kimkim was able to pivot and schedule a snowshoeing trip with Huskies instead. That turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip (in addition to the Northern Lights.) Also in Tromso, we did a cold plunge/spa experience aboard a small boat which was also a lot of fun. Then we flew to Bergen where we did Norway in a Nutshell trip and then took the train ride from Bergen back to Oslo.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Oslo Airport

Gardermoen

Very convenient if taking an early flight. Nice hotel with large rooms, heated bathroom floors, and an excellent breakfast. Dinner at the hotel was more than adequate.

Authenticity & Character

No atmosphere. Just a hotel near the airport

Location

Right near the airport. 10 min taxi ride. $43 USD one way for a taxi or $8 for the local bus. As we are a family of 5, we took a taxi.

Staff

Courteous. Booked us a taxi.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a large room with a sitting area. The bathroom was huge.

Skostredet Hotel

Bergen

This is a new hotel and was beautiful. Again, the rooms were too hot but the windows could be opened. The bathroom was strange but functional. Ironically this was the nicest hotel that we stayed at but it was the only one without heated bathroom floors. The hotel is near many restaurants and attractions. The breakfast was amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Brand new. Clean.

Location

Can walk to many attractions and restaurants.

Staff

Super nice woman at the front desk

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were hot!!

Quality Hotel Saga

Tromsø

Nice hotel with wonderful breakfast. Good location with lots to do within walking distance. The rooms were very small. We had 2 rooms and the one that was for our 3 teenagers was definitely too small for 3 people. The rooms were toward but the windows were able to be opened. Heated bathroom floors!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were too small for 3 people

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

We had a beautiful suite here. The staff was very friendly and the breakfast was great. The location was perfect with lots of attractions and restaurants within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Wonderful gingersnaps and Groll in the lobby

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were too warm but the windows were able to be opened. Heated bathroom floors!

Activity Reviews

Depart Norway

Norway

I would not recommend doing the Norway in a Nutshell trip on 12/27 and taking the train from Bergen to Oslo on 12/28. This is the one thing about the trip I'd change. We'd much rather have had a day to explore Bergen (12/27) and then on our last day (12/28), had our luggage transported to Oslo while we did the Norway in a Nutshell trip. We met some other people who had their luggage transported to Oslo while they did the day trip. I would NOT have wanted to drag my luggage all day in the Norway in a Nutshell trip. That would have ruined the day. Also, our nicest hotel was in Bergen and it would have been nice to actually eat breakfast there (it didn't open until 8 and we had to leave 1 morning at 8 and the other day at 7:45), or just enjoy time at the hotel.

Quality of Experience

Norway in a Nutshell Day Trip

Bergen

Beautiful to see the fjords from the water. The train ride from Flom was also quite scenic. It's a long day without much activity.

Quality of Experience

Fløibanen Funicular Ticket

Bergen

Beautiful views

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Bergen Exploration

Bergen

We went up to the top of the mountain to watch the sunset which was really neat. It was quite crowded to take the funicular back down the mountain. Unfortunately it was 12/26 and most of the shops were closed.

Quality of Experience

Shops should be open later

Sauna Adventure Boat

Tromsø

This was a great experience. My daughter found it on TikTok and I asked Kimkim about it. They have a small outdoor hot tub, 2 indoor saunas and and indoor spa as well. There were only 7 of us booked at the time we attended and that's all I would recommend. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to move throughout the activities at your own will. We also did a cold plunge from the edge of the boat into the arctic water- invigorating!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kvaløya Husky Sledding Excursion

Tromsø

We didn't get to do this experience but w went snowshoeing with the huskies instead. It was so much fun! The guides were great and we had a lot of fun despite not having much snow. It was a little bit long- after the snowshoeing we went to a small hut for a piece of cake and a hot beverage. Being there for 15 min (instead of an hour) would have been plenty.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Hunt by Boat

Tromsø

Amazing! We happened to be there for a strong night of Aurora. Eventhough we weren't given the right place to embark the ship. we made it to the ship in time for sailing. The Aurora was everything I hoped for. Amazing!!!

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Tromsø Exploration

Norway

Our plane was late as was our taxi. We didn't have time to explore this day. We walked to dinner. Unfortunately all the stores were closed during our time in Tromso due to Christmas.

Quality of Experience

Oslofjord Dinner Cruise

Oslo

This one was ok. Nothing special about the food or the view. Seemed too long.

Quality of Experience

Food

We ordered a cheese tray on our own

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They weren't very attentive or friendly.

Private City Walk

Oslo

Christina was an excellent guide. We saw a lot of sights and learned some history. She inquired about our interests before we set off so she could speak to those on our tour. It was a fun morning.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-Guided Oslo Exploration

Oslo

Our plane was late and the taxi driver was also late which didn't give us much time. We walked to dinner which was nice- slippery!

We cannot say enough good things about kimkim and our experience. Taylor was amazing and the pre-planning and getting us ready. Then while we are in Norway, Maria handled everything effortlessly. When we arrived in Tromso, the hotel was not up to snuff and Maria upgraded us to a better hotel free of charge and the whole thing was dealt with in a matter of a couple of hours.

We unfortunately did not get to see the northern lights, but that was no fault of kimkim‘s. We were unable to attend one of our activities to see the lights because of Heather‘s conditions and we’re promptly refunding the money as well as given $150 dining credit to enjoy a night out instead of the planned excursion.

The only feedback I do have regarding that experience, is that apparently the lights were visible the first night we were in Trom zone. I think it would be smart for Kim Tim to communicate with the hotels and let them know to wake up the residence that are there to see the lights. We gladly would have gotten up to see them. Also, perhaps more options on seeing the lights. Like we heard about Van trips that will chase the lights all the way to Finland if necessary.

Overall, I would give kimkim a 9.9 out of 10 . They were excellent and we will definitely use them again.

Hotel Reviews

Home Hotel Bryggen

Bergen

Very comfortable beds and a various spacious room. The biggest one we had. Also, in a great location to walk to the Christmas market and the seaside and the shops and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located and not loud even though it’s close to the center of

Staff

There was one worker at the bar who gave my friend an alcoholic cider when she asked for a nonalcoholic. There may have been a little bit of a language barrier, so I don’t think it was really intentional or anything, but it could’ve been dangerous for my friend because she’s allergic to alcohol. She also didn’t really apologize after we told her what happened.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora

Tromsø

This hotel was beautiful, and the beds were far more comfortable. They offered breakfast dinner and Fika, which was amazing. Their room was very quiet and we were able to control the temperature which was great. The windows opened so this helped us cool it down when needed after running the heater. The staff was very accommodating and the shared dining areas were beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful decorations, and the food was authentic

Location

Right by all of the shops and

Staff

Very warm and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Unfortunately, this hotel was not good. The beds were super uncomfortable, the room was very hot with no way to regulate the temperature except a small fan that was left in the closet. It was very loud and the staff was not able to do anything except all for us a very hard board to put under the mattress which did not help. We did not stay at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

It wasn’t unattractive Building and not as nice as the other ones we stayed in

Location

The location was the only thing that was good about it. It was right by the city center.

Staff

They were not able to solve our mattress issue or the heat in the room

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karl Johan Hotel

Oslo

This hotel was charming and located right next to the Christmas markets which we loved. Great location to walk around the city as well. We were able to walk to the resistance museum and too many restaurants and other attractions. The beds were comfortable, and the staff was very accommodating and

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was spotless in our room, and the beds were comfortable

Activity Reviews

Depart Norway

Norway

Our driver was on time and we got to the airport with no

Quality of Experience

Fjord Cruise to Rosendal

Bergen

I tend to get C6 so I was afraid to sit inside so my friend and I sat on the upper deck for about 20 minutes until we started to freeze. Fortunately it is very very smooth and I did not get seasick at all. It is about a two hour ride each way, but it is beautiful and I highly recommend it.

Quality of Experience

There should be more of a summer activity and should not be recommended when the visitor center is closed. It is very cold there in the winter and it can be a little bit challenging when not a lot of things are open. We ended up wandering around the grocery store too kill Hime until we can get back on the boat.

Self-Guided Christmas Market Visit

Bergen

This Christmas market is huge! Over 90 stalls. It gets very crowded though so I would definitely try to either go right when it opens or when it’s closer to closing time.

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Bergen Exploration

Bergen

We absolutely love Bergen. It’s a very cute city. It’s further south so the sun stays out longer in the winter. Lots of good restaurants and shops and the people are super friend

Quality of Experience

Northern Lights Hunt by Boat

Tromsø

This was canceled due to hazardous conditions, and we did the cable car thing

Reindeer Feeding & Sámi Culture Experience

Tromsø

This was another great experience. It was very cold, but walking around with the reindeer helped to warm us up. They were fun to hang out with, they have interesting personalities. Definitely not as friendly as the sled dogs they only care about food.😆

Quality of Experience

The women who were explaining that Sami culture were very, very nice and knowledgeable, and it was interesting to learn everything

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had to wait a bit for the bus on the way home and it got cold

Fjellheisen Cable Car Ticket

Tromsø

We decided to add this on ourselves when our cruise was canceled. We did not get to see the lights, but we enjoy the ride up to the top and the café was nice to have a coffee

Quality of Experience

Northern Lights Husky Experience with Dinner

Tromsø

I loved this so much. I am a huge dog lover so getting to pet all the dogs was amazing. Unfortunately, we did not get to see the northern lights, but the experience was awesome. That guides are very knowledgeable and very friendly and made it a great experience. We also enjoyed the meal and the roasted marshmallows. You get to spend a lot of time with the dogs, which is really nice.

Quality of Experience

The whole experience was very welcoming and fun and we got a lot of times to spend petting the dogs

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides were very, very knowledgeable

Transport

The bus was comfortable and clean

Self-Guided Arctic Cathedral Visit

Tromsø

I don’t remember visiting this cathedral, Raul unless it’s the one I already reviewed.

Self-Guided Christmas Market Visit

Tromsø

This was a smaller Christmas market than in Oslo, but it was still worth seeing. Tromso is a charming city

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Tromsø Exploration

Norway

We loved walking around Tromso and we walked over the bridge to the cathedral, which was a great walk and a beautiful spot to visit

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Christmas Market Visit

Oslo

We loved this Christmas market right across from our hotel. It was a great activity to kick off our trip.

Quality of Experience

Edvard Munch Museum in Oslo

Oslo

We ended up skipping this spot

Mathallen Food Court Visit

Oslo

We loved this food court and enjoyed a very nice meal and shopping here. This saw that we went to only had one person working, but she was super sweet and efficient and made a nice experience for us. Highly recommend visiting here to get some authentic food and a nice shopping

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Oslo Exploration

Oslo

We went to the resistance museum, which was amazing and saw some really cool architecture and interesting parts of the city without having to walk that far from our hotel

Quality of Experience