Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

4.8
Based on 708 ratings
Read 708 verified reviews by travelers who booked their trip to Norway on kimkim. You can also read reviews about kimkim on 3rd party sites including Google, TrustPilot and Yelp.

Norway in late September
Norway | Sep 20 - Oct 1, 2024

K
Kay H.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Oct 07, 2024
Positives
Krista was very responsive.
Patrick, our guide for “Forest to Fjord” was very good. Please note, however, that our itinerary indicated this would be a two hour experience and it actually was about five hours (10 to 3). Also, we were not informed that we should pack a lunch for this day but managed to purchase food at a mountain cafe.
Particularly good: in Oslo on the island — outdoor Norway folklife, Kon Tiki and the Fram museums.
Negatives:
The Oslo Evening on the fjord dinner...
Read more

Positives
Krista was very responsive.
Patrick, our guide for “Forest to Fjord” was very good. Please note, however, that our itinerary indicated this would be a two hour experience and it actually was about five hours (10 to 3). Also, we were not informed that we should pack a lunch for this day but managed to purchase food at a mountain cafe.
Particularly good: in Oslo on the island — outdoor Norway folklife, Kon Tiki and the Fram museums.

Negatives:
The Oslo Evening on the fjord dinner trip was too long and had no interpretation. Though a beautiful cruise you might inform clients it’s really a “party” and drinking scene.
The cancellation of our excursion trip to Fjareland was very disappointing—we still await a refund from you. This also led to a lot of spare time with nothing to do in Balestrand, as the weather turned cold.
The payment mix up at Sogndal Quality Hotel was irritating but did get worked out.
It would be helpful to alert future travelers to leaner offerings and closures when traveling so late in September to Norway.

Local specialist: Krista Muuk

Overall, the service provided by kimkim was very professional & complete.
Norway | Sep 5 - Sep 21, 2024

W
Wayne G.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Oct 04, 2024
Overall, the service provided by kimkim was very professional & very complete. Krista was very responsive to our inquiries & comments. When we needed assistance, Krista, Fenne, or a member of her team were right there for us. The route that kimkim suggested for us was very nice and we enjoyed the variety of small towns & larger cities. We were able to follow the route with little or no problems. Our group had rented a van separately from kimkim, and drove ourselves around mostly Norway,... Read more

Overall, the service provided by kimkim was very professional & very complete. Krista was very responsive to our inquiries & comments. When we needed assistance, Krista, Fenne, or a member of her team were right there for us.

The route that kimkim suggested for us was very nice and we enjoyed the variety of small towns & larger cities. We were able to follow the route with little or no problems. Our group had rented a van separately from kimkim, and drove ourselves around mostly Norway, although we started & ended in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The hotels kimkim arranged for us were for the most part very satisfactory. They were clean, comfortable and provided a nice breakfast. The Scandic byparken in Bergen didn't quite measure up & I have communicated directly about that with kimkim.

Next, I'll address the RIB tours. The first one we did at Geiranger with Fjord Guiding, which is a fairly large, smooth operation & the boat ride & tour were fantastic. Our guide & driver, Mario was, informative, clever and quite enjoyable. I couldn't have wanted anything more than what Mario provided.
The 2nd RIB tour was with Balestrand Adventure in Balestrand. While this Company is much smaller, they did an adequate job & provided a nice experience. Ole, our guide was informative, and provided a nice history of the area while showing us the beauty of the fjord.
The 3rd RIB tour was in Flom, with FjordSafari, also a fairly large operation. Our guide and driver Lucas was very easy to listen to, and he delivered his story with humor as he easily shared his knowledge of the region. This one was my personal favorite of the RIB tours, and included a stop at a village known for goat cheese.

We took two Gondola rides, and while the views at Andalsnes were obscured by fog at the top half of the mountain, the views at Loen were great. In general the gondola rides were a great experience.

We also took a ride on a Funicular in Bergen, which was a very nice experience. The views of Bergen, a large city, from the top of the mountain was beautiful.

While at Bergen, we took a partial-day trip on a ferry to Rosendal, just under a 2 hour ride each way. While the area near the dock at Rosendal is a nice area, I do think it would be more enjoyable during the summer, in that many shops and restaurants were closed for the season when we were there SEP 14. Apparently there is a larger business area a bit of a hike from the dock which we did not visit. The boat/ferry is very comfortable, but the whole experience does not warrant most of a day, at least not in the off-season.

We also participated in a sauna which was situated on a boat tied up to the dock in Flom. While the activity was fun & certainly different, the experience was somewhat marred by the attitude & actions of the person serving as an attendant. We received little instruction or cautions and he seemed more interested in seeing that we were done by a certain time so he could clean. Not a very welcoming attitude.

In summary, it was a great trip & I would use kimkim again if we were to travel in an area they serve.

Hotel Review
Oset Fjellhotell
Gol

This is a very nice family-run hotel in the mountains above Gol. Great experience, although its a long way from anything else. That's ok, they have everything you need.

Authenticity & Character
family run, you deal with the family.
Location
middle of nowhere.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Krista Muuk
Krista
Krista Muuk
Local specialist in Kristiansand | Replied on Oct 06, 2024
Hi Wayne! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback! We are thrilled to hear that you had a great trip overall and that the itinerary offered a nice mix of experiences, from the variety of towns to the RIB tours and gondola rides. We appreciate your kind words about our team's responsiveness, and we're glad we could assist you throughout your journey. We also appreciate the constructive feedback, especially regarding your stay at Scandic Byparken and the sauna... Read more

Hi Wayne!

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback! We are thrilled to hear that you had a great trip overall and that the itinerary offered a nice mix of experiences, from the variety of towns to the RIB tours and gondola rides. We appreciate your kind words about our team's responsiveness, and we're glad we could assist you throughout your journey.

We also appreciate the constructive feedback, especially regarding your stay at Scandic Byparken and the sauna experience in Flåm. Your insights are incredibly valuable, and we will follow up to ensure these concerns are addressed for future travelers. Thank you again for trusting us with your travels!

Best wishes,
Krista

An unforgettable Norwegian experience
Norway | Sep 18 - Sep 25, 2024

Olivia
Olivia P.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Oct 02, 2024

Kadri was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with on my Norway itinerary. My experience was seamless and memorable in a way that would not have been possible without her assistance. There were many highlights of the trip, not least of which was catching the northern lights in Tromsø on the Aurora dinner cruise. No doubt I will utilize Kimkim again in the future!!

Local specialist: Kadri Talvik
Kadri
Kadri Talvik
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Oct 03, 2024

Hi Olivia!

Thank you so much for the wonderful review! :)
It's amazing that you had such a wonderful time in our lovely country. The Northern Lights are truly one of the coolest things you can experience on this planet and I'm so happy you got to experience them yourself!

All the best,
Kadri

Great trip to Norway and Copehagen!
Norway | Sep 21 - Sep 29, 2024

M
Meryl F.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Oct 01, 2024
We planned a 9 day trip to Norway and Copenhagen and worked with Kadri. It was such a pleasure working with Kadri, she had great ideas, worked to keep the trip within our budget and was always quick to reply. The interface on the KimKim app is one of the best we have worked with.
All of the arrangements made worked out well and our travel went smoothly. We enjoyed all of the experiences and excursions. The walking tour in Bergen was terrific, and Serena was one of the best guides we have...
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We planned a 9 day trip to Norway and Copenhagen and worked with Kadri. It was such a pleasure working with Kadri, she had great ideas, worked to keep the trip within our budget and was always quick to reply. The interface on the KimKim app is one of the best we have worked with.
All of the arrangements made worked out well and our travel went smoothly. We enjoyed all of the experiences and excursions. The walking tour in Bergen was terrific, and Serena was one of the best guides we have met. The food tour in Oslo let us experience local foods we might not have otherwise tried. The trip from Oslo to Flam provided incredible scenery and the Flam railway was highlight. We enjoyed the sauna experience- being able to jump into the fjord and then back into the sauna was a truly memorable experience. Kayaking in the fjord, even in some rain, was one of the best parts of our trip. In Bergen, we were able to find a window of sunny weather which was the best time to ride the funicular. Our hygge tour in Copenhagen was relaxing and informative- Jackie did a good job and we enjoyed getting to know the other folks on our tour.
The transfers were mostly easy, but in copenhagen we decided to take a taxi to the airport because if we used public transport there would have been a lot of walking and transfers while carrying our luggage. The luggage transport service from Oslo to Bergen made that part of the trip much easier.
The hotel in Oslo was OK, but the hotel messed up our reservation for a double room. We appreciated that KimKim tried to help. The location of the hotel in Bergen was perfect- and it was a nice, but small room. The hotel in Copenhagen was our favorite for the trip. It is a bit outside the main attractions but easy to reach with public transit.

Hotel Reviews
Copenhagen Island Hotel
Copenhagen

terrific hotel. Very clean and comfortable with good size rooms. the staff was quite helpful. The location is a bit off the beaten path, but it is right on the water and next to a large mall with great food options. It was easy to reach with public transport.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bergen Harbour Hotel
Bergen

Possibly the best location in Bergen- easy to reach all the sites. The room was very comfortable, but a bit small. Staff was very helpful. Bathroom was clean and modern.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Fretheim Hotel
Flåm

Old time hotel located right at the train station. We stayed in a historical room, which was nice but the bathroom was outdated. Wonderful restaurants for lunch and dinner. Staff was great.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Thon Hotel Cecil
Oslo

There was a mistake with our room reservation. The elevator was under construction and that caused some delays. The room overall was ok. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Terrific location.

Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Kadri Talvik
Kadri
Kadri Talvik
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Oct 01, 2024

Hi Meryl!
Thank you so much for such a detailed review!
It is wonderful to hear you enjoyed your trip and experience with Kimkim! :)
Don't hesitate to reach out if you ever decide to revisit Norway.
I wish you all the best,
Kadri

We had an amazing 12 day trip in southern Nor...
Norway | Sep 13 - Sep 24, 2024

Karen
Karen W.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Sep 28, 2024
We had an amazing 12 day trip in southern Norway, planned by Linda. She arranged all hotels, walking tours, a kayak outing, and transfers and excursions on trains and boats. Accommodations were clean and comfortable. Tour guides in Oslo and Bergen were excellent. Highlights were the Flåm rail ride and fjord cruises, although we enjoyed much of the rest of the countryside too.
Also, museum visits in Oslo and Alesund were informative and enjoyable as well.
Linda was very helpful and available...
Read more

We had an amazing 12 day trip in southern Norway, planned by Linda. She arranged all hotels, walking tours, a kayak outing, and transfers and excursions on trains and boats. Accommodations were clean and comfortable. Tour guides in Oslo and Bergen were excellent. Highlights were the Flåm rail ride and fjord cruises, although we enjoyed much of the rest of the countryside too.
Also, museum visits in Oslo and Alesund were informative and enjoyable as well.
Linda was very helpful and available as was her colleague, Tom. We had a couple of hiccups which were quickly remedied. All in all, a great experience that we highly recommend.

Hotel Review
Hotel Brosundet
Ålesund

Wonderful hotel with delicious breakfast buffet. Great location and restaurant for dinner. Really loved the vibe of this hotel!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Linda Veråsdal
Linda
Linda Veråsdal
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Sep 30, 2024

Hi Karen and Chris, thank you so much for your feedback. I am happy to read you had an amazing trip and you had an enjoyable experience. It was a pleasure to work with you, and plan the trip! Hope to see you back another time! All the best, Linda

Our trip to Norway was outstanding!
Norway | Sep 1 - Sep 6, 2024

Sarah
Sarah P.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Sep 26, 2024
Our trip to Norway was outstanding, thanks in part to Kimkim. The itinerary they put together for us was great. We had no issues with any of the transportation. We loved traveling on the trains and ferries. The hotels were perfect for our family - the kids loved the bunk beds! Not something you find in American hotels. My favorite part of the trip was our stay in Dragsvik/Balestrand. The views were breathtaking. The kids loved kayaking in a fjord in Bergen. Our guide Johan was wonderful.... Read more

Our trip to Norway was outstanding, thanks in part to Kimkim. The itinerary they put together for us was great. We had no issues with any of the transportation. We loved traveling on the trains and ferries. The hotels were perfect for our family - the kids loved the bunk beds! Not something you find in American hotels. My favorite part of the trip was our stay in Dragsvik/Balestrand. The views were breathtaking. The kids loved kayaking in a fjord in Bergen. Our guide Johan was wonderful. Kimkim made it so easy for us. We would definitely use them again.

Hotel Reviews
Grand Hotel Terminus
Bergen

Our ferry arrived a while before check-in but they were able to accommodate us when we got there. It's a bit of a walk from the ferry terminal but nothing too bad. We had backpacks which made it easy - you probably could take a taxi if you had a lot of luggage. Overall location was great though. We were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Scandic Byporten
Oslo

Great location. The lobby is so cute. It's attached to an indoor mall which was nice because it was raining when we were there. The included breakfast was wonderful. The kids loved the bunkbeds!

Authenticity & Character
Super cute lobby - with a barber shop.
Location
Right next to train and bus stations.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Dragsvik Fjordhotel
Balestrand

The hotel was our favorite of the trip. The views are spectacular. The food is delicious. The staff couldn't have been more gracious and helpful. We had two rooms for four of us. They are minimal, with no tvs, but the gathering areas in the lobbies and outside were perfect for enjoying each other's company. They even had a shuttle you could use to get into Balestrand since it is a drive around a fjord to get there.

Authenticity & Character
Location
The setting is beautiful. Everywhere inside is a gorgeous view. It's about 12 minutes from "town" but there is a local bus and the hotel has a van.
Staff
Family run, they were lovely and very helpful.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
A Norwegian evening on the fjord
A Norwegian evening on the fjord
Oslo

This was a fun activity for us after walking around the city all day in the rain. It was raining on the trip too, but they have a tarp that keeps you dry and you can still see everything. The staff was very friendly and informative. When they say all you can eat shrimp, they mean it! We unfortunately didn't get to see a sunset due to the rain, but the lights in Oslo harbor were lovely.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Ethel Laul

Alex's Norway Trip
Norway | Sep 1 - Sep 11, 2024

Alex
Alex M.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Sep 25, 2024
I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed in Norway. My experience was fantastic, all of the activities were insightful and fun, and I was able to see so much of the culture & nature within this beautiful country. I'm thrilled to return eventually, and am so grateful to everyone involved that helped coordinate this trip for me. Read more

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed in Norway. My experience was fantastic, all of the activities were insightful and fun, and I was able to see so much of the culture & nature within this beautiful country. I'm thrilled to return eventually, and am so grateful to everyone involved that helped coordinate this trip for me.

Hotel Reviews
Thon Hotel Tromsø
Tromsø

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the Thon Hotel Tromsø. The staff were friendly and helpful with providing plenty of suggestions for local pubs or restaurants to try during my free time. The room was comfortable but it felt cramped with minimal ports for chargers because a desk was in my room with "ports" for charging but none of those ports worked, and there wasn't enough room to move the desk to access the outlet that desk was plugged into. Shower was very tight but worked. With each night, you get a ticket for "Evening Fare" in the dining room on the lobby floor - the light fare is a great little appetizer selection of bread, cold cuts, soup, little snacks, etc that you can enjoy before going out to dinner for a real meal. The hotel has no views in any direction of any room, so you will see other buildings in the city nearby only.

Authenticity & Character
Thon is a very common hotel chain in Norway - comfortable but not boutique.
Location
Located in the heart of Tromsø, extremely convenient to get around to any popular activity or food destination.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bergen Børs Hotel
Bergen

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the Bergen Børs Hotel. This place had the greatest breakfast buffet I've ever seen in my life. This is one of the nicest hotels in all of Bergen, and for great reason. This hotel was my favorite by far - the room was very modern and the shower was actually big enough for someone my size, thankfully! It sits right by the ports in the heart of Bergen and was absolutely amazing. 12/10

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Zander K Hotel
Bergen

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the Zander K Hotel. This is a pretty hotel but all of Bergen is cobblestone! You either pay for a $30-40 taxi, or do what I did and walk over a mile completely uphill. The breakfast was delicious, the staff were personable and helped as needed. The rooms are extremely spacious but not well-ventilated.

Authenticity & Character
Location
From the port where most travelers come in from, the hotel is a little over a mile away. All of Bergen is cobblestone, and taxi's are expensive. You either have to pay quite a lot for a
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Kviknes Hotel
Balestrand

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the Kviknes Hotel. One of the greatest hotels I’ve ever been to in my life around the world - this would be 6 or 7 Stars if I could make it so. Even in the Modern-Section of the hotel, the rooms felt rustic but very high quality, and my fjord-view was breathtaking. Extremely kind staff that were insightful about the area and provided great recommendations for hikes, meals, and history of the area. A historical and modern side of the hotel (I would love to go back and stay in the historical side).

Authenticity & Character
Location
Incredible. It is nestled by the port, at the base of mountains, surrounded by several fjord entrances.
Staff
12/10
Cleanliness & Comfort
15/10
Heimly Pensjonat
Flåm

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the Heimly Pensjonat. This is a fairly older building, the rooms are very small which is tough for a bigger person like me, and it is far from the rest of town with a decent incline to drag your luggage up for about a quarter mile. I would suggest this place for backpackers and light travelers who would prefer some solitude from the small town. It’s surrounded by an orchard and the top-floor rooms have a great view of the fjord - there is no form of A/C though, so you can expect some bugs in your room from the orchard if you open your window to try to get some air during the day/night.

Authenticity & Character
Location
You have a great fjord view but it's the furthest lodging from the center of Flåm. About a 10-15 minute walk at a quick pace; this trek made it a little more difficult to time out when I could come & go from my hotel between activities because all activities start in the center of Flåm or the far side opposite of where this lodging is located.
Staff
Incredibly kind staff.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Furniture in the room and throughout the hotel is fairly outdated but it was all clean.
Flåmsbrygga Hotel
Flåm

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the Flåmsbrygga Hotel. This is 1 of 4 hotels right in Flåm - not the most luxurious as it is a smaller building with 41 total rooms but that was absolutely unnecessary because it was by far the best that I visited in all of Flåm, it sits closest to the water and is cabin-like with a cozy vibe, right next to the local brewery/pub that is extremely popular but not rowdy (can't hear any noise from the pub if your balcony door is closed. This hotel was top notch and my balcony view overlooking the fjord was unreal (until the next morning when a gigantic cruise ship came into town and took up my view).

Authenticity & Character
Location
If you face the East, you may wake up to a cruise ship blocking your view of the fjord, but otherwise, rooms on both sides of the hotel have balconies and fjord-views.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The "Double-Bed" that I was provided in my room was two Single mattresses pushed together. I'm a very large person, this wasn't the most comfortable but it really was not uncomfortable at all - I would have just preferred to have known what to expect prior to entering my room.
Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel
Oslo

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel. The hotel was flawless. My room & shower were exceptionally clean and new; the building itself is the tallest building in all of Oslo. The rooftop bar had a magnificent view, and the nearby pubs that a local I stopped to speak with recommended, Pier 42 and Papa Borracho; both were fantastic for beautifully crafted cocktails and wide varieties of snacks.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotell Bondeheimen
Oslo

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I stayed at the Hotell Bondeheimen. The hotel checked me in extremely early, the concierge GiGi was very kind - all staff was friendly and responsive. I slide my room key into a port by the front door to turn all the lights on in the room between the shower and bedroom - something that I was not accustomed to but encountered in every hotel throughout Norway. The full bed was very comfortable; great sheets, fluffy pillows, lovely little view of the street from my 5th floor room (out of 6 floors).

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Tromsø Cable Car
Tromsø Cable Car
Tromsø

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Tromsø Cable Car. The cable car is off the island, across the bridge, on the mainland. I caught a Tromsø Taxi which was very easy - the walk would’ve been over 45 minutes while the taxi ride was 10-minutes. The cable car made it to the top in about 5 minutes overlooking all of Tromsø and the surrounding areas of mountains, sea, fjord, and outskirt towns! A cafe called the Fjellstua Café sits at the top where the cable car deposits you. The open-faced roast beef sandwich was great, especially sitting out on the open viewpoint tables. There are dozens of trails all on top of the mountain that you can traverse to go get different perspectives miles away from the cable car. I explored little bits of a few different directions of trails and got some fantastic views. The cable car ride down was just as easy, along with the Tromsø Taxi ride back to Tromsø Island!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Husky Hike & Puppy Visit
Husky Hike & Puppy Visit
Tromsø

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Husky Hike & Puppy Visit. This is a 100/10, 10-star experience. I was exhausted from the Northern Lights trip and minimal sleep but a few minutes after arriving at the Puppy Farm, everything changed and I was beyond revitalized. This is something every single traveler to Tromsø should experience if they aren’t afraid of dogs, and those that are but might be open to overcoming their fear absolutely will at this Husky Home. We started off by putting on rainboots and heading down to a marsh where a dozen puppies were released and came sprinting down to us. 9 travelers total, we split into teams of 3 and spread far apart with a bunch of treats in each group. We spent 30-minutes calling the 2 month old puppies to each of us to teach them to respond as a group! After they were put back, 8 older puppies came sprinting towards us and we all walked over to creek where each group spread out again and we proceeded to call them back and forth across the water to get them to practice being comfortable traversing water like they would have to during dogsledding. When training was done, 3 people (I was one) were allowed to put on harnesses and our group took 3 sled dogs on a 2 miles hike through the area! It was so fun - the other 2 people were dragged and stumbled a few times but the biggest dog which was pulling me was having a blast trying to yank me around but I was big enough that he couldn’t pull me around. We were given a traditional Norwegian/Portugese lunch and told about the history of Norwegian fish being shared with Catholic countries, how the relationships developed, and why the Portugese made a meal that is now famous in Norway. For the last hour, we were walked into a gigantic enclosed area outside where there are over 100 huskies housed, all of them were extremely friendly and loving, I was able to go play with all of them at least 4 times before the bus had us leave!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Aurora Safari Minibus
Aurora Safari Minibus
Tromsø

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Aurora Safari Minibus. This was a very nice experience that everyone needs to do. It was led by a young Austrian woman named Sonya, she was very informative about Tromsø facts and science related to the Northern Lights. The sun sets incredibly late this far North above the Arctic Circle in early September, so we started our tour by going Northwest, off the island and through an underground bridge over to the Kaldfjord - a beautiful view of the only fjord near Tromsø (all other bodies of water actually belong to the Norwegian Sea, and are not fjords). We were able to pick some wild blueberries, they were delicious. After hanging out by the fjord, we hopped back in the van and were driven 2 hours practically directly South (back in the underground bridge, through Tromsø, over a different bridge to the mainland, and down to an area called Solligården. Our guides know a man who owns much of the land, has a beautiful house atop a hill, and a small cabin with benches outside by the water that the guides are aloud to bring tourists to try viewing the Northern Lights. Our guides set up a bonfire after about 30 minutes of hanging out and telling us about the area. From about 10:15pm to 12:30am, we sat by the fire chatting and eating stew/drinking hot cocoa. At that point, we hadn’t seen much but had a perfectly clear sky filled with stars which was beautiful. The guides decided that they would slowly start to pack up and we would leave to head back. Almost as soon as they were done packing, another traveler and I noticed some weird movement in the sky that looked like off-colored clouds swaying. The guides identified those as the Lights starting to form - on camera, it looked bright green. 5-minutes later for the next 30ish-minutes, the sky started filling with all sorts of green wispy cloud-like forms filling up every area we looked, and the shots on our cameras were like gigantic rainbows everywhere! We were driven back at about 1:45am. The company will drop off certain travelers at the Tromsø campground on the way back and everyone else in Tromsø at different hotels will be returned to the Radison Blu where we were picked up originally.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Fjord Cruise to Rosendal
Fjord Cruise to Rosendal
Bergen

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Fjord Cruise to Rosendal. I sat on top of the cruise ship to enjoy the views for the 2-hour ride, it was beauty in every direction. Plenty of comfortable seating in the ship as well if desired and a helpful cafe with an assortment of snacks and drinks. Roseldal is a cute town with an absurdly cool backdrop as you pull in with the ship. It is basically directly between two conjoining mountains and there is a large, steep waterfall cascading down between the mountains. The hike to the waterfall viewing area is extremely easy. It goes past the town, through a few miles of countryside, and you end up at a gigantic roaring waterfall! I knew I was going to hike to the waterfall, so I packed extra clothes, just in case… the locals I asked all said swimming in it was totally acceptable but chilly; If you’re as adventurous as me, that’s just motivation! I made my way through 30ish yards of extremely difficult brush and tore off my shoes to jump into the waterfall and pools beneath it - NO REGRETS, IT WAS AMAZING! The handfuls of people walking the trail up & over the falls cheered me on and applauded me while in the water. I dried off with the towel I brought and changed into fresh clothes to hike back to the town for lunch. Ate a chicken quesadilla which was super random but honestly one of the most packed and delicious quesadilla’s I’ve ever eaten. Sat inside the ship and relaxed on the Fjordcruise back to Bergen - it was very comfortable even with my dead phone.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Cider Tasting & Lunch
Cider Tasting & Lunch
Balestrand

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Cider Tasting & Lunch. This was a 12/10 experience - 6 Stars without a doubt. This was an incredible experience. You walk 15-minutes from the town center. There are over 1,000 genes of apples sitting on the orchard, and we were taught plenty. 7,500 different kinds of apples in the world. In Norway, the term difference between alcoholic and non-alcoholic cider is simply saying cider or juice, unlike the U.S. The ciders produced onsite had 4.7-16% alcohol. I was able to sample ciders on each end of that spectrum. Fun fact; heavy rain seasons may produce great amounts of product that year but they are actually not good, they cause water weight to hurt the trees and generally exhaust them, so the following 2 seasons after a heavy rain will only provide minimal amounts of product. The food pairings for lunch with each cider were perfectly crafted.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Visit Stegastein Viewpoint with a bus
Visit Stegastein Viewpoint with a bus
Norway

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced Visiting the Stegastein Viewpoint with a Bus. The 3 buses that were set to take us were severely overcrowded, as was the viewpoint as a whole. As a solo traveler, I had the perk of getting the last seat on one bus, sitting next to the sweetest driver - she admitted that every single day, the buses get overbooked by the company and they just give out refunds like it’s nothing because it’s so common. Essentially, you have to fight for entrance to the bus (a lot of folks were very aggressive, shoving their tickets at the drivers to get their group entry to the ride up the mountain). These buses obviously don’t have A/C, so the bus is very hot. The view was nice but a hike to a different peak would be just as good, and would not have hundreds of people within the space of a couple hundred feet just for an oversold view.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Summer RIB boat Safari & Local Taste of Undredal
Summer RIB boat Safari & Local Taste of Undredal
Flåm

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Summer RIB boat Safari & Local Taste of Undredal. This was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in my life. I’ve ridden plenty of RIB-boats while my dad was in the military and I’ve seen some cool places on the water in the past but this experience was like none-other. First & foremost, being a solo traveler has its perks - everyone else on 1 of the 2 boats was either from a giant group or a family. Although the captain asked the tallest people to sit in the back (eyeballed me jokingly), others filled the back first, and only the very front was left - he said it was ok for me to sit up front, so I sat alone up front! When we were going 30kmph most of the time, it felt like I was completely alone on the boat seeing the most incredibly mountain views and waterfalls in EVERY SINGLE DIRECTION THAT I LOOKED!!!!!!!! (Counted 58 but I think I missed a few, definitely at least 60+ in the 1.5 hours we went outward from Flåm). Our boat captain, Robby, was hilarious when he would stop and tell stories about the different areas of history we were viewing - he even drove us up under a waterfall to get the edge of the boat wet and splash a little water on me, after asking if I was okay with it, which was great. We finished the tour by stopping in Undredal which was incredible - it’s a tiny town founded in 1127 which hadn’t gotten a road until 1992 and WiFi until 2014 - it’s famous for the brown cheese you find all around Norway! They have 50 people and 400 goats in the tiny town surrounded by mountains - we were given a cheese tour of how the cheese is made and sampled plenty; the story is basically that a road was built in the early 1900’s between Oslo to Bergen, and branches were built to lead to Flåm and a couple other cities - Undredal was only accessible by boat and wanted to give the state of Norway a region to blow a few miles of holes into the mountain to make a road for Undredal, so they took great care of the goats and developed a technique for making a mildly sweet cheese that could be stored without refrigeration for up to 75 days, it is now a globally-known award winning cheese!

Quality of Experience
11/10 - 6-star experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Summer Kayaking Excursion
Summer Kayaking Excursion
Flåm

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Summer Kayaking Excursion. My guide, Patryk, was a fantastic German exchange traveler who actually lived about 10-minutes from where I spent some time living in Stuttgart! He was a great guide who helped everyone tremendously, gave informative knowledge about the fjord, the waterfalls we passed, Flåm, the city of Aurland we passed, and a sunken WWII battleship that could be dove to if you’re certified! Patryk and I talked for a bit after, he suggested a couple waterfalls that I could hike to from Flåm, and we plan to connect when he visits Colorado at the end of next summer for a kayaking trip.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ægir Viking Dinner Experience
Ægir Viking Dinner Experience
Flåm

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Ægir Pub: Viking Dinner Experience. This is the most popular spot in all of Flåm (extremely small town with only a few hundred people, during peak season), a reservation is paramount. The dinner experience was phenomenal - I was overjoyed from the moment it hit my table; the 5-beer samples were all beautifully colored with perfect pairings for the flavors of the incredible little meals assigned to each plate in front of each mug. It was colorful, delicious, unique, and full of some items I had never tried but can’t wait to eat again. My dessert was an apple compote with a strawberry & rhubarb creme that I’ll never forget, along with a great espresso martini.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Floating Sauna Experience
Private Floating Sauna Experience
Norway

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Private Floating Sauna Experience. This was incorrectly scheduled; I did not have a private experience, I was crammed into the sauna with 2 other couples and a family of 6. They were all friendly but none of us were terribly comfortable. Aside from the lack of space in a sweaty environment, the sauna felt great and jumping into the fjord a dozen times was insanely fun, especially being able to climb a ladder on top on the saune to jump/dive/canonball into the water.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The Saunamaster is just a normal staff member of the company who gives you a 2-minute explanation of how to use the sauna and that you can jump off the roof if you want. They sit outside on their phone the rest of the time unless called upon.
Transport
Private Tour of Oslo's Highlights
Private Tour of Oslo's Highlights
Oslo

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced the Private Tour of Oslo's Highlights. Lisa was my tour guide and she was absolutely phenomenal! We started out our tour by going up above the city to a lovely viewpoint where you could see a panoramic view of Oslo, she described the various sections of the city from the far edges of wealth to the bustling city center mostly full of businesses vs residents, and the areas of homes and apartments just below us from our view that was filled with the majority of everyday contributors in the city and the nieghborhoods filled with a younger crowd of citizens who recently graduated from university and move back to Oslo. Next, we went to the Oslo City Hall where she shared the history of the Norwegian murals all along the inside of the City Hall auditorium. Some depicted the religious transition from Catholic to Lutheran while others showcased the start from farming and fishing up to the noble expansion of the land surrounding Oslo. She also shared information about Alfred Nobel and how the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony take place December 10th every year in Oslo. After City Hall, we tried to visit the Kvikness Art Museum but it is closed on Mondays, there is a special seat within the museum you can reserve to sit in that was once sat upon by the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, Kaiser Wilhelm. We instead headed to the Fram museum which was incredible! We passed by the Royals’ away home by the beach, and pulled up to the museum which is located in the wealthiest district of Oslo. The Fram museum is dedicated to Norwegian polar expedition and has several subsections in the museum dedicated to Viking sailing and Maritime revolutions from Norway. It holds 2 gigantic ships that you can go on and explore inside, as well as a fantastic 5-minute film, with headphones to translate the commentary into 10-different languages, that tells the story of how dog-sledding was invented and the 3 different Fram-ship expeditions that led to the northernmost exploration of the Arctic. After the Fram museum, Lisa brought me to the Olympic Ski Jump Centre which was enormous, truly a wonder of engineering - followed by a fantastic little Norwegian-Germanic hotel-like restaurant atop one of the nearby mountains. Our final activity before finishing the tour was exploring the The Vigeland Park, a city-sponsored park filled with work exclusively from the famous Gustav Vigeland - it was a cloudy day with sprinkling rain, the park is composed of a dark color palette, and it was practically empty of other visitors; the aesthetic provided a perfect experience for what Gustav would have wanted his visitors to see. Afterwards, Lisa dropped me off at the Munch museum to finish my day before dinner and sleep. I bought my ticket and entered - it was a beautiful museum filled with art from a very distressed man who expressed tremendous emotion in the most subtle ways. I made it upstairs just in time to see the Scream be revealed (it is unveiled for 3-minutes every hour). A must-do aside from seeing the Scream painting is to go to the top floor of the Munch museum - there is a rooftop restaurant and bar that overlooks the harbor and downtown Oslo.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
A Norwegian evening on the fjord
A Norwegian evening on the fjord
Oslo

I'm a kimkim staff member and I was on a work trip when I experienced A Norwegian Evening on the Fjord. The cruise really started boarding just before 6:30pm, so when I got there at 6:30pm, there was already a large line that had already started taking most of the seats along the sides of the boat (highly recommend claiming one of those side-seats, especially along the stern or a seat up top along the bow because they are all side-of-the-ship-seats). The boat workers were very funny and informative throughout the cruise about local island names and some history of the fjord. The Prawn dinner wasn’t bad, definitely gotta recommend travelers take advantage of the dill and lemon that come with it as they make the prawns delicious but it is fairly bland without the seasonings, you also literally pick apart a full shrimp/prawn from head to tail, so some travelers may be a little grossed out like a few people around me. Sunset was insanely beautiful along the fjord, the cruise had blankets and heat lamps all across the boat, and they played a lot of fun American tunes from the 80’s that had many passengers dancing.

Quality of Experience
Incredible sunset and the views of the fjord were spectacular, along with the views of the neighborhoods nestled on all of the islands we saw.
Food
Picking apart full prawns was not an appetizing experience, a few travelers around me didn't eat at all because of that, they just had bread and butter instead for the 3-hour trip.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Julia Mattos

A wonderful, memorable trip!
Norway | Sep 8 - Sep 21, 2024

Mary
Mary M.
Buckhall, VA | Reviewed on Sep 24, 2024
We had a wonderful, memorable trip and it is all thanks to Mar and her team! From the moment that we engaged Mar, it was clear that she truly cared about guiding us to have a great experience. She listened to our interests and desires and created a trip itinerary that felt tailored for us. Beyond an excellent itinerary, I was impressed with her organization and the detail that she provided for each experience. We knew what we were doing and when in advance, which allowed us to plan other... Read more

We had a wonderful, memorable trip and it is all thanks to Mar and her team! From the moment that we engaged Mar, it was clear that she truly cared about guiding us to have a great experience. She listened to our interests and desires and created a trip itinerary that felt tailored for us. Beyond an excellent itinerary, I was impressed with her organization and the detail that she provided for each experience. We knew what we were doing and when in advance, which allowed us to plan other parts of the trip easily. Additionally, Mar and her team were quick communicators and ensured every question had a response within a day. We are so appreciative of Mar, Fenne, Rufo, and Jack - their work was fantastic and I will enthusiastically recommend their services to other travels!

Hotel Reviews
Axel Guldsmeden
Copenhagen

I would classify this hotel among the best that I have ever stayed in. We loved our stay here! The room was beautiful, thoughtfully decorated and extremely comfortable. The breakfast was lovely and could be enjoyed on the expansive patio. We took advantage of the bikes available for rent and would highly recommend this to other travelers! The location is steps away from the train station and Tivoli, but a bit far from the main areas of the city. The spa is nice, maybe a bit pricey for what it is, but was truly lovely after a day biking around the city. We loved this hotel and will definitely return on our next visit to Copenhagen.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Scandic No 53
Stockholm

Overall we enjoyed our stay at Scandic 53. The hotel was clean, the beds were comfortable, and the staff was kind. The breakfast options were expansive and beyond the typical - we really enjoyed these meals! The room was on the smaller side and overlooked a noisy alleyway - travelers should bring ear plugs or a white noise machine, just in case. We were also frustrated because we believed that this hotel offered self-service laundry (as found on one of their review pages). Upon arrival, we learned that the only laundry facilities were for the hotel's service - which was far more expensive than we wanted to pay.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotell Bondeheimen
Oslo

This hotel is lovely and modern, located just a short walk from the train station. The front desk staff upgraded our room, which was a lovely and much appreciated surprise. The room was spacious and comfortable, with a mini fridge, sitting area, and plenty of space for our bags. The breakfast was a step above a typical hotel breakfast. We were pleased with our stay and would recommend this hotel to other travelers.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Extremely kind to all guests; we arrived as the front desk staff member was interacting with a difficult guest and observed that they were patient, professional, and helpful, even in a stressful situation. We were impressed!
Cleanliness & Comfort
Heimly Pensjonat
Flåm

This hotel is in a beautiful location overlooking the fjord and a quick walk from the main area of Flam. It provided a lovely venue for relaxation among nature, with a pleasant porch and chairs/tables on the lawn. We enjoyed our meals (breakfast and dinner) and appreciated the option to pack a lunch for hikes. The staff was pleasant. Self-service laundry is available for guests at a neighboring hotel, which is nice to have. Rooms were on the smaller side and we would've preferred a full or queen instead of two separate twin beds. Overall, we enjoyed our time here.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Gorgeous view of the fjord
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Culinary Bike Adventure in Copenhagen
Culinary Bike Adventure in Copenhagen
Copenhagen

Absolutely loved this tour! It was such a wonderful introduction to Copenhagen and Danish cuisine. A wonderful mix of history, culture, and food. It was so much fun to bike around the city and see the sites. The bikes were very well maintained. What made this tour stand out was our guide, Kuba. He was friendly, knowledgable, and fun - a great personality and an exceptional tour guide. There are a lot of bike tour companies, especially in Copenhagen, so having a great guide is crucial for standing out. We appreciated our experience with him and recommend this tour highly!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Food tour Stockholm
Food tour Stockholm
Stockholm

In general, we enjoyed this experience. The tastings were diverse and well-portioned and offered a well rounded view of Swedish cuisine. We particularly loved Östermalms Food Hall and the opportunity to try some Swedish wild game. This would've been a five-star experience had we had a different guide. We felt like he did the bare minimum, making no effort to engage our group and fielding questions with a negative, condescending attitude. It did not go unnoticed that he was the only tour guide that we met through the entirety of our trip who directly requested a tip from guests, putting everyone in an awkward and uncomfortable situation.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Summer RIB boat Safari & Local Taste of Undredal
Summer RIB boat Safari & Local Taste of Undredal
Flåm

We really enjoyed this tour! Our guide, Gustav, was extremely professional and knowledgable. The cheese tasting was a lovely treat and really made this tour exceptional! I would've like to hang out at the restaurant a bit longer, but our tour ran over on time. All in all, this was a fantastic experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Summer Adventure day in Flåm with Zipline and Bicycle trip
Summer Adventure day in Flåm with Zipline and Bicycle trip
Flåm

One of our favorite experiences of our trip to Norway! A must-do experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Floating Sauna Experience
Private Floating Sauna Experience
Norway

The floating sauna was both relaxing and fun. We enjoyed gazing at the beautiful view from the warm comfort of the sauna, then taking the dip into the fjord! We were impressed by the quality of the sauna facilities. Daring jumpers can leap from the sauna's roof, while others can gently dip from the trap door in the hot room. This was a luxurious and unique experience.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Food and Culture walk in Bergen
Food and Culture walk in Bergen
Bergen

This was a wonderful way for us to begin our trip to Bergen! Our guide, Frida, was fantastic - friendly, thoughtful, and a wonderful storyteller. This tour was a great education into Bergen's history and a lovely introduction to Norway's cuisine. Travelers should add this tour to their itineraries!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Mar Quiñones

Great experience from planning to travel!
Norway | Sep 5 - Sep 12, 2024

Sarah
Sarah C.
Ireland | Reviewed on Sep 23, 2024
Planning our trip to Norway was an incredibly enjoyable experience. It felt easy to communicate with Christina and I felt she really understood my requests and created a really excellent itinerary for us. We also worked with Tricia, Linda and Tom who were very responsive with messages and questions and exceptionally helpful in making bookings and small changes when needed. They all went above and beyond and made our week in Norway so seamless. Will definitely be booking more trips with... Read more

Planning our trip to Norway was an incredibly enjoyable experience. It felt easy to communicate with Christina and I felt she really understood my requests and created a really excellent itinerary for us. We also worked with Tricia, Linda and Tom who were very responsive with messages and questions and exceptionally helpful in making bookings and small changes when needed. They all went above and beyond and made our week in Norway so seamless. Will definitely be booking more trips with Kimkim! Thank you so much for everything.

Hotel Review
Thon Hotel Stavanger
Stavanger

Breakfast was amazing! Comfortable rooms, clean, incredibly modern. The snacks and free tea/coffee at reception was very welcome after big days exploring Stavanger and around

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Review
Guided Overnight Hike to Trolltunga for Sunset/Sunrise
Guided Overnight Hike to Trolltunga for Sunset/Sunrise
Norway

Absolute highlight of our trip! Everything about it was incredible. A must-do!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Christina Wang

Norway with loop drive
Norway | Sep 8 - Sep 19, 2024

Leigh
Leigh M.
Phoenix, AZ | Reviewed on Sep 21, 2024
Kristiina the Oslo guide was wonderful and very helpful
There a lot more sites to visit in Oslo than Bergen and it would have been nice to have more days there rather
than Bergen but both were very good
Enjoyed the train from Oslo to Bergen--saw scenery at multipel altitudes both below and above tree line
The Fjord cruise in Bergen, Rib boat in Flam, Sea Kayak in Geranger/Glacier tour in Balestrand, and the cable care in Bergen were all wonderful. Hiking in Balestrand was a challenge...
Read more

Kristiina the Oslo guide was wonderful and very helpful
There a lot more sites to visit in Oslo than Bergen and it would have been nice to have more days there rather
than Bergen but both were very good
Enjoyed the train from Oslo to Bergen--saw scenery at multipel altitudes both below and above tree line
The Fjord cruise in Bergen, Rib boat in Flam, Sea Kayak in Geranger/Glacier tour in Balestrand, and the cable care in Bergen were all wonderful. Hiking in Balestrand was a challenge but the views were great. It is amazing that people could live and farm on the steep cliffs years ago. The Cornelius dinner was amazing. Getting back at 11 pm and having to get up at 3 AM was not great planning but the meal was worth it.
We were very fortunate to have clear weather for the Sea Kayak! The waterfalls after it rained were wonderful
The scenery was fantastic
Car rental and driving was interesting. The Bergen self service rental has no one to talk to. We found another Hertz
location on the road and got an introduction to the car. Our taxi driver from the hotel drove past the location and I
had to tell him where to go! Every time I put gas in the vehicle we were double charged large amounts on my credit card--These are still pending as of today. Driving on the roads was an experience--the tunnels were unbelievable-how in the world did they do them!!! More switchbacks than I have ever seen and done
The airport transfer did not show up for the flight home--we had to take a taxi.. Hoping that can be refunded
All in all a wonderful trip and may well use Kim Kim again

Hotel Reviews
Bergen Børs Hotel
Bergen

great bar and dining area Bath had a shower with only curtains--presume for person in wheelchair Large room

Location
near wharf
Staff
front desk helpful when airport ride didn't show up
Cleanliness & Comfort
again the bath
Hotel Utsikten
Geiranger

Great views closing for season the day we left Nice lounge area no elevator/ on 3rd floor very tiny rooms

Authenticity & Character
Location
view
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
very tiny room and bath
Hotel Aurlandsfjord
Aurland

great views No elevator and we wer on 4th floor/ a hike

Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Norge by Scandic
Bergen

modern hotel not as much character

Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Bristol
Oslo

wonderful staff delightful hotel with shower and bath and terry cloth robes Breakfast amazing my favorite hotel

Authenticity & Character
see above
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
see above
Activity Reviews
Boat Trip and Dinner at Cornelius Seafood Restaurant
Boat Trip and Dinner at Cornelius Seafood Restaurant
Bergen
Quality of Experience
Dinner was amazing culinary triumph
Guides, Drivers and Staff
waitress Anna was delightful, Owner was there and talked to every group
Transport
Fjord and Glacier Tour from Balestrand - Day Trip to Fjærland
Fjord and Glacier Tour from Balestrand - Day Trip to Fjærland
Balestrand
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Summer and Autumn Fjord Safari on a RIB boat
Summer and Autumn Fjord Safari on a RIB boat
Flåm
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kayaking Tour The Seven Sisters
Kayaking Tour The Seven Sisters
Geiranger
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
not applicable
Bergen to Mostraumen Fjord Cruise
Bergen to Mostraumen Fjord Cruise
Bergen
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Oslo Private Walking Tour
Oslo Private Walking Tour
Oslo
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
walking in the rain actually fun-- "No bad weather--just bad clothing possible" per our guide
Local specialist: Kristiina Taukul

Arctic Autumn
Norway | Sep 8 - Sep 18, 2024

Helen Hersh
Helen Hersh T.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Sep 20, 2024
Our late summer trip to northern Norway was incredible. We couldn't have planned such a memorable, custom trip without our trip specialist, Tricia. The pacing of our trip and the chosen destinations were well matched to our abilities and interests. The mild weather added to our enjoyment of the outdoor activities. Because we were off-season, destinations were uncrowded; in fact, on several tours, my husband and I were the only people. Repeating our overnight accommodations as we returned... Read more

Our late summer trip to northern Norway was incredible. We couldn't have planned such a memorable, custom trip without our trip specialist, Tricia. The pacing of our trip and the chosen destinations were well matched to our abilities and interests. The mild weather added to our enjoyment of the outdoor activities. Because we were off-season, destinations were uncrowded; in fact, on several tours, my husband and I were the only people. Repeating our overnight accommodations as we returned from the far north was genius.

Our flight had multiple legs, first into Dallas, then Dallas to Helsinki, then Helsinki to Oslo. It all went smoothly. I particularly enjoyed the pretty berry pastry at the Helsinki airport coffee shop. Upon our arrival in Oslo, we used the Flytoget train, buying a roundtrip ticket at the station. These trains are clean, frequent, and quick. As we had arrived before check-in time, we left our bags at the Amerikalinien hotel, walked over to the Oslo Opera House, and walked to the top to enjoy views of the harbor and city. We walked over to Barcode Street Food for a wide variety of options for dinner and drink. Altogether, we ate there three times during our time in Oslo; I particularly enjoyed the poke at Hawaii.

Adding a 'recovery day' after our overnight flights to Oslo was wise. The breakfast at the Amerikalinien had extensive, delicious options. We had a rainy day in Oslo, but it didn’t mar our tour on the Silent Oslo Fjord Cruise. With an Oslo pass, we used public transit to travel to Lazy Boyz Harley-Davidson Oslo in the suburbs for a couple t-shirts. The lounge at the top floor of the Munch was perfect for an overview of the harbor and city while enjoying a cold drink.

Using our return pass, we returned to the airport for our midday flight to Alta. The flight itself was scenic and one would wish every airport was the airport in Alta. Our car rental with Hertz went smoothly start to finish. We enjoyed lunch in the local mall at Aranya AS. In total, we ate three meals there. The parking app for the mall was easy to set up and to use. The mall is a good spot to buy a missing cord or some Norwegian chocolate.

Our afternoon was spent at the World Heritage Rock Art Centre and Alta Museum. The museum offers a range of exhibitions including local life in the time of the rock carvings up to 9000 years ago, the more recent history of mining and fishing, and World War II history. There are two long paths with extensive boardwalks that allow you to view the rock carvings along the way. Allow enough time to view the carvings and soak in their fjord setting. We returned for a second visit when we returned to Alta.

Then we made our way to Trasti and Trine’s Lodge. Our spacious room was very comfortable; the breakfasts were delicious with a generous range of dishes offered. We enjoyed morning walks down to the river. It was interesting to learn about the Northern Light huskies and to visit the puppies. We enjoyed a leisurely evening meal in their excellent restaurant. The next morning, we had the Altafjord Cruise on the Ice Cube of Aurora all to ourselves. The water was choppy, but didn’t mar our adventure. We learned about World War II in Alta, viewed a fjord waterfall, and looked for seals with high quality binoculars. The fjord was in full fall color.

After two nights in Alta, we spent our next two nights in Honningsvag at The View, a smartly converted Cold War Era military barracks. As suggested by its name, this location has a commanding view of the fjord. We enjoyed the northern lights on the outdoor balcony each night of our stay. Be sure to download an app such as Aurora that can provide you with alerts. We also left our window drapes open all night. We enjoyed a dinner at NorMat. The hotel does not offer food other than breakfast, but it has several beers on tap. The local museum, Nordkappmuseet, had an excellent variety of exhibits on local history and art – the section on World War II and post war recovery was particularly moving.

Because of the warm water currents, the fall colors around Honningsvag were not as far along as either Alta or Karasjok. Coming into Honningsvag, we passed through several long tunnels, including one that took us 800 feet below sea level – a record for us. Nevertheless, our drive on winding roads to NordKapp was still quite dramatic. NordKapp itself was impressive. We arrived early, allowing for plenty of photo opportunities, and time before the Nordkappmuseet opened. The museum has a nice café and gift shop. It’s a great spot to buy and send postcards from NordKapp. The northern lights, sea birds, local history, and World War II history displays were all well done.

Our next two nights were spent in Engholm Husky Design Lodge in a very stylish custom cabin. Each detail of our lodging was carefully considered and beautifully crafted, mostly from natural materials. It is a perfect spot to cocoon in nature in any season. We enjoyed the opportunity to ride along on a husky training run through woodland trails out to the river and back, and to visit with the latest litter of huskies. We drove over the border to Finland for lunch and a stop at the grocery store for snacks. We bought postcards and stamps and mailed them on the spot. The Sámi Museum in Karasjok - De Samiske Samlinger/Sámiid Vuorká-Dávvirat was an excellent introduction to the culture and traditions of the Sami people including artifacts, traditional clothing and tools, art and history.

After returning to Alta, we went on a northern light tour with Glød Explorer. Glød means ‘glow’. We were the only tour members that evening. Starting with a delicious fish soup and an introductory film, Gard took us out to the best spots for catching the lights. With light rain and clouds, it took patience and a few locations before the lights were visible. Alta claims to be the home of the light for good reason, the local skies seem to be a node for the lights. Not only were the flickering beams dancing, but less common forms directly overhead morphed in forms that resembled fish or flowers. Gard even took our photo with the lights in the background. It was the perfect highlight to our trip!

Our return travels went smoothly. It was a trip we will always remember – off-season and perfectly attuned to our specific interests and requests. Thanks Tricia!

Hotel Reviews
Engholm Husky Design Lodge
Karasjok

We loved the very stylish custom cabin. Each detail was carefully considered and beautifully crafted, mostly from natural materials. It is a perfect spot to cocoon in nature in any season. We enjoyed the opportunity to ride along on a husky training run through woodland trails out to the river and back, and to visit with the latest litter of huskies.

Authenticity & Character
This lodge exudes character. We marveled over the handcrafted details of the decor. Quiet, peaceful, thoughtfully designed.
Location
This location is convenient to activities in Karasjok and just over the border into Finland.
Staff
Dedicated to huskies! It was a real treat to go out on a training run.
Cleanliness & Comfort
You could happily cocoon in this lodge in any season.
The View
Honningsvåg

A smartly converted Cold War Era military barracks with the outstanding view. We enjoyed the northern lights from the outdoor balcony every night of our stay. The complimentary breakfast was very nice each morning. The hotel does not offer food other than breakfast, but it has several beers on tap.

Authenticity & Character
Very cool retrofitting of an old Cold War era military barracks.
Location
Not in the heart of the town, but with outstanding views of the harbor.
Staff
Staff was very knowledgable of the area with excellent tips.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Comfy, individualized bedding was the best.
Trasti & Trine´s Lodge
Alta

Very welcoming and comfortable accommodations for lodging and dining. Extensive grounds with trails to the river. And, best of all, huskies! This location is convenient to activities in the Alta area. It is a great location for watching the Northern lights. The breakfasts were delicious. The evening is devoted to fine dining. A unique offering.

Authenticity & Character
Huskies!
Location
Just out of town. Beautiful country setting; lovely in the fall. Very convenient to all activities in the Alta area.
Staff
Very friendly and helpful in answering our questions and offering suggestions, such a the river hike.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Loved the individualized bedding; I might just try that back home! Generously sized rooms and baths.
Amerikalinjen
Oslo

Outstanding hotel in a very convenient location across from the train station and within easy walking distance of the city harbor area. Staff was attentive and accommodating. The hotel was able to hold our luggage until checkin so we could begin exploring the city. When checkin was a bit delayed, we were given an upgraded room. The hotel was decorated with items reflecting the history of the American Line in Oslo. Comfortable beds! The sumptuous breakfast was a real treat. On the day we departed before the regular breakfast hours, we were offered a packed breakfast. The hotel bar was very stylish with unusual cocktails. We stayed here for a total of three nights; two as we arrived in Norway and the night before we departed.

Authenticity & Character
Loved the historical details from the American Line that were featured throughout the hotel.
Location
Easy walking distance to the downtown harbor area including the main station, opera house, dining, and museums.
Staff
Attentive - offered a packed breakfast when we had an early departure.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Comfortable, cozy bed and bedding. Loved the modern, full powered shower and generously sized bath area.
Activity Reviews
Hunting the Northern lights with Photographer
Hunting the Northern lights with Photographer
Alta

This was a perfect adventure to conclude our time in northern Norway. Glød means ‘glow’. We were the only tour members that evening. Starting with a delicious fish soup and an introductory film, Gard took us out to the best spots for catching the lights. With light rain and clouds, it took patience and a few locations before the lights were visible. Alta claims to be the home of the light for good reason, the local skies seem to be a node for the lights. Not only were the flickering beams dancing, but less common forms directly overhead morphed in forms that resembled fish or flowers. Gard even took our photo with the lights in the background. It was the perfect highlight to our trip!

Quality of Experience
Alta is the home of the northern light for good reason. The local nodes result in unique, memorable morphing forms.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Gard was an excellent guide full of enthusiasm and local knowledge of the lights.
Transport
Van was a comfortable way to tour looking for northern lights.
Altafjord Cruise
Altafjord Cruise
Alta

Easy to find. A choppy day did not deter our enjoyment of this trip. We were the only two on the cruise on this day. We learned about World War II in Alta, viewed a fjord waterfall, and looked for seals with high quality binoculars. The fjord was in full fall color.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The personal experiences of our captain and his knowledge of the fjord and local area was a key part of this tour.
Transport
Silent Oslo Fjord Cruise
Silent Oslo Fjord Cruise
Oslo

This cruise was an easy introduction to Oslo. It was very peaceful to view the city from the water. The tour guide's narrative was just right, informative while giving space to enjoy the cruise.

Local specialist: Tricia Cantlon
Tricia
Tricia Cantlon
Local specialist in Oslo | Replied on Oct 07, 2024

Wow! What a lovely review, it's been a pleasure to read through your experiences. It's marvelous what can happen when we travel to the unknown :) I'm so grateful for your visit and your feedback. Thank you so much for letting me guide your adventures in the arctic. I am thankful you have formed everlasting memories from your trip to Norway!

Epic trip to Norwasy thanks, in large part, to KimKim
Norway | Sep 4 - Sep 17, 2024

K
Kim M.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Sep 20, 2024
Prior to KimKim, we had not worked with a travel company, but I cannot say enough about what a positive experience it was! Anu took our beginning plans and filled them in with not only wonderful places to stay in Oslo, Geiranger and Flam, but gave us so many options for additional activities through out our two weeks. It was so nice to have transportation provided from and to the airport and to have ferry and bus tickets purchased in advance. Every detail was addressed and it was helpful... Read more

Prior to KimKim, we had not worked with a travel company, but I cannot say enough about what a positive experience it was! Anu took our beginning plans and filled them in with not only wonderful places to stay in Oslo, Geiranger and Flam, but gave us so many options for additional activities through out our two weeks. It was so nice to have transportation provided from and to the airport and to have ferry and bus tickets purchased in advance. Every detail was addressed and it was helpful to have Rufo on call when we had questions during the trip. I'd highly recommend working with KimKim if you plan to travel in Norway!

Hotel Review
Scandic Bakklandet
Trondheim

The Scandic Bakklandet in Trondheim was just okay. The rooms were very basic. Initially, we had to move rooms because the one we were given was small and musty. I was hoping for a better experience with this particular stay.

Activity Reviews
Flåm Railway, Zipline & Cycling Adventure
Flåm Railway, Zipline & Cycling Adventure
Flåm

The Flåm Railway, Zipline & Cycling Adventure was such a great fun! I thoroughly enjoyed the whole activity and would definitely recommend it.

Seven Sisters Kayaking Excursion
Seven Sisters Kayaking Excursion
Geiranger

Kayaking on the Seven Sisters Kayaking Excursion was an absolute delight. The entire experience was well worth it and I would highly recommend it to other travelers.

Summer Kayak Lofoten
Summer Kayak Lofoten
Norway

The summer kayak trip in Lofoten was fantastic. I was very happy with the entire experience. The surroundings are incredibly beautiful, making it truly memorable.

Local specialist: Anu Juhken

KikKim did a great job planning our trip.
Norway | Sep 1 - Sep 19, 2024

George P.
George P. M.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Sep 20, 2024
The Kim Kim person we interacted with the most was Tricia and she did a great job creating and booking an interesting itinerary and activities along the way. Tom handled communication with us as well , when Tricia was unavailable promptly and with courtesy.
One thing to note, which may help other travelers, is to advise them about the changing weather conditions up in the northern part of Norway in September and beyond because flights can be canceled by the airlines unpredictably due...
Read more

The Kim Kim person we interacted with the most was Tricia and she did a great job creating and booking an interesting itinerary and activities along the way. Tom handled communication with us as well , when Tricia was unavailable promptly and with courtesy.
One thing to note, which may help other travelers, is to advise them about the changing weather conditions up in the northern part of Norway in September and beyond because flights can be canceled by the airlines unpredictably due to weather and therefore the other connections will suffer from it. Better include a buffer of time so travelers don’t incur added expenses with flights and lost time, during their return as we did.

Hotel Reviews
Scandic Syv Søstre
Sandnessjøen

Good hotel for a short stay. Good breakfast with paid parking on the street. Room was comfortable. Located in the city close to the port close to the departing ferries. Good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Modern, not noteworthy.
Location
Close to the port.
Staff
Helpful staff.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean room and common areas.
Hustadvika Havhotell
Fraena

Very good hotel by the water with views to the sea and the mountains. Comfortable with a room that had a great view. Free parking with good breakfast. Recommended for a short or longer stay.

Authenticity & Character
Pleasing architecture.
Location
In the countryside by the sea.
Staff
Helpful staff.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Comfortable and clean.
Setran Gård
Salsbruket

An authentic farm close to a lake with a view and animals (sheep, pigs, horses, chicken, rabbits). The individual cabin was great, roomy and comfortable. They do not offer breakfast or meals but there is an equipped kitchen if you with to buy ingredients and cook your own meals. A special location with lots of walking to do nearby and a beautiful nature.

Authenticity & Character
An authentic farm setting.
Location
Countryside location with nice views.
Staff
Very helpful caretaker couple when we went.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean cabin.
Valldal Fjordhotell
Valldal

Very nice hotel close to the fjord. Depending on the room the view is nice. Very quiet hotel with a comfortable room. Good breakfast, free parking. Small lounge. Near the hotel there is a nice trail to walk by the river and a rental place with kayaks and other local guided tours.

Authenticity & Character
It’s a functional hotel with a pleasing look.
Location
Very special location next to the fjord with nice outdoor surroundings
Staff
Not so helpful, but just OK.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room and common areas were clean. Good for a few days stay.
Thon Hotel Terminus
Oslo

The hotel is close to the main Oslo rail station which is a few minutes away walking. The hotel has small rooms but clean and tidy. Breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character
Just average.
Location
Very centrally located close to the railway station.
Staff
Helpful staff.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean hotel.
Thon Hotel Trondheim
Trondheim

A centrally located hotel good for a short stay. Paid parking available a couple of blocks away from the hotel. Decent breakfast. The room was rather small but clean.

Authenticity & Character
Just average. No character to speak of.
Location
In the city center.
Staff
Staff was OK.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean room and common spaces.
Vega Havhotell
Vega

A super nice hotel with a Norwegian character by the sea. Nice room, quiet with a view and great breakfast. The hotel has a small lounge and a nice architectural character. Family owned the staff was very helpful.

Authenticity & Character
Traditional Norwegian architecture
Location
By the sea in an undeveloped area great for walks along the seashore.
Staff
Very helpful staff, provided by the family that owns the hotel.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Very clean and tidy with a comfortable room.
Scandic Havet
Bodø

The hotel is on the port with nice room views. Ample space in the room and in the common areas. The hotel has a contemporary character. Helpful staff and easy to walk to. The hotel does not have a dedicated parking and paid parking is available in surrounding parking lots. Street parking is free between 4pm to 8am. Breakfast is very good and varied.

Authenticity & Character
It’s a modern hotel with no particular character.
Location
Central location easy to access cruises or walks in the city.
Staff
Very helpful staff.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The room and common areas are clean and well maintained.
Svinøya Rorbuer
Svolvær

Very nice hotel with individual cabins next to the water an excellent location close to the port. Breakfast is ample but not as varied as with other hotels. A good place to stay for a few days to visit Lofoten and learn about the fishing tradition of the stock fish trade. The hotel is not one building and it’s pleasant to walk to the main reception and restaurant from the cabin.

Authenticity & Character
The architecture with wood is attractive and cozy.
Location
Activity Reviews
Guided Kayaking in Valldal
Guided Kayaking in Valldal
Valldal

The kayaking tour in Valldal was quite enjoyable. Initially planned as a five-hour tour, it was cut down to three hours, which was actually sufficient for us. The guides were not local but were knowledgeable and made the experience interesting by explaining different aspects of the fjord and aquaculture. There were about eight or nine kayaks, making it a pleasant small group experience.

A Taste of Norway's Culture and Cuisine
A Taste of Norway's Culture and Cuisine
Oslo

The culinary and culture tour in Oslo was a bit disappointing. The guide was nice and knowledgeable about the city and its architecture, but the food stops were underwhelming. We only visited two places, and one was even closed. The food we did try, like a hot dog with shrimp salad and a pancake, didn't live up to the expectations of a "gastronomy tour."

Local specialist: Tricia Cantlon
Tricia
Tricia Cantlon
Local specialist in Oslo | Replied on Oct 07, 2024

Thank you George - so sorry to hear about the end of the trip - usually in our experience an overnight layover in Oslo is enough time to allow for the fickle arctic weather, but sometimes nature in Norway still finds a way to make its mark! I appreciate the long visit and am glad that the rest of the 19 day trip went smoothly. Hopefully you are inspired to use Kimkim again for another long adventure.

Fabulous trip! Recommend it!
Norway | Aug 28 - Sep 12, 2024

N
Nancy W.
Canada | Reviewed on Sep 19, 2024
Fabulous trip! John in Began was very good and took us to areas we would not have ventured. Trondheim guide was good and provided an interesting tour. Cycling tour Tromso was very good. We also did our own tour to the Russian border which was eye opening. Went to old and new border crossings. I would recommend this.
The tour itself in both Hurtigrutin and Havila were exceptional. The crew on Hurtigrutin were more relaxed and humorous while Havila was a bit more refined. Enjoyed...
Read more

Fabulous trip! John in Began was very good and took us to areas we would not have ventured. Trondheim guide was good and provided an interesting tour. Cycling tour Tromso was very good. We also did our own tour to the Russian border which was eye opening. Went to old and new border crossings. I would recommend this.
The tour itself in both Hurtigrutin and Havila were exceptional. The crew on Hurtigrutin were more relaxed and humorous while Havila was a bit more refined. Enjoyed both. The inn in Aurland was quaint with a very interesting couple running it and room was very good with exceptional views. All the hotels were exceptional and the breakfasts were fabulous.

We didn’t do the planning but our friend Renee and our organizer Mathia did a great job!!

Thanks again for some a wonderful trip and great memories!!

Nancy

Local specialist: Mathia Pacenti
Mathia
Mathia Pacenti
Local specialist in Vesterålen, Norway | Replied on Sep 20, 2024

Dear Nancy,
Thank you very much for your great review.
I am happy to hear the activities we planned together, especially the one organized by Hurtigruten and Havila, were so satisfying and interesting. It is true that a big part of the planning is thanks to Renee, and I hope she and Paul will have the opportunity of visiting Norway soon, maybe with the same itinerary and your additional recommendations. You and Kevin have been kind and friendly. I will miss our "Norwegian" phone calls. :) You can contact me at any time for a second trip to beautiful Norway.
Best Regards
Mathia

This was a wonderful trip!!! The KimKim peopl...
Norway | Sep 4 - Sep 17, 2024

Russell
Russell G.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 18, 2024
This was a wonderful trip!!! The KimKim people were readily available and led us to some fun sites and activities. The guides were comfortable and knowledgeable and were quick to sell the good of Norway. It really pays to do the city guide deal, getting oriented and finding opportunities for more exploration. The stave churches are pretty amazing, but finding them and exploring their localities makes them even more valuable. We heartily endorse KimKim and our main contact, Katie😎👍 Blue... Read more

This was a wonderful trip!!! The KimKim people were readily available and led us to some fun sites and activities. The guides were comfortable and knowledgeable and were quick to sell the good of Norway. It really pays to do the city guide deal, getting oriented and finding opportunities for more exploration. The stave churches are pretty amazing, but finding them and exploring their localities makes them even more valuable. We heartily endorse KimKim and our main contact, Katie😎👍

Blue skies!
R&L Gee
Cambridge, Ma

Hotel Reviews
Gomobu Mountain Lodge
Valdres

Great location for getting lost on small, fun roads with the requisite Norwegian vistas. We think it’s a popular hiking location. Warm staff and decent food.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bestebakken
Hafslo

Not to be missed! Run by a delightful woman and her husband - all guests eating at one big table and this lady can cook! This is a must see!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Katie Acheson-Gray
Katie
Katie Acheson-Gray
Local specialist in Sørreisa | Replied on Sep 19, 2024

Hi Russell,
So glad to hear you and Linde had a great time here in Norway. It was a pleasure organising this trip for you both, and I will be sure to pass on your positive feedback to our local guides.
Thank you for choosing to book with us - hopefully we can welcome you back another time 😊
Best regards,
Katie

Thank you for all the excursions and hotel st...
Norway | Sep 6 - Sep 16, 2024

Jeri
Jeri W.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Sep 18, 2024
Thank you for all the excursions and hotel stays you planned for us while we were there! Norway is a beautiful country. Clean air, clean water, exceptional people and scenery. Nothing quite like it.
We enjoyed the culinary/historical tour with Frida. She was knowledgeable and fun and the food was wonderful.
I was sorry to have missed the kayaking trip but Mark enjoyed it a lot. The trip to Flam was gorgeous. The Lofoten Islands were a real treat. We loved the speed boat trip to the fjords...
Read more

Thank you for all the excursions and hotel stays you planned for us while we were there! Norway is a beautiful country. Clean air, clean water, exceptional people and scenery. Nothing quite like it.
We enjoyed the culinary/historical tour with Frida. She was knowledgeable and fun and the food was wonderful.
I was sorry to have missed the kayaking trip but Mark enjoyed it a lot. The trip to Flam was gorgeous. The Lofoten Islands were a real treat. We loved the speed boat trip to the fjords with the great guide and sea eagles galore.
We regretted the cancelation of a couple of trips due to the weather but because we had a rental car we made good use of exploring a lot of the towns and islands!

Activity Reviews
Kayaking Adventure in Reine
Kayaking Adventure in Reine
Reine

I'm unable to rate this since it was cancelled.

Sea Eagle Safari RIB to Trollfjord
Sea Eagle Safari RIB to Trollfjord
Norway

Even though I was doubtful that the speedboat would be fun it turned out to be great! We were in for a great ride and the scenery and explanations from our guide were super. We loved the views and the sea eagle experience!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Northern Lights Hunt with a Photographer
Northern Lights Hunt with a Photographer
Svolvær

Getting to the correct meeting place seemed hard and awkward only to find out that it was cancelled because of the weather. Because we weren 't able to contact anyone we had to rely on the kindness of a stranger (who also led expeditions) to call for us. It was just disappointing because we hadn't been notified earlier. Even though we understood that the weather would be a factor we were sorry to have missed the opportunity to see the lights.

Floating Sauna in Svolvær
Floating Sauna in Svolvær
Svolvær

It was a good experience but not one that worked out too well because of scheduling. Hurried to get there and weren't sure whether we could change clothes there or should change before we came. A little more info would have been nice. We aren't used to saunas and only lasted a few minutes.

Quality of Experience
It was too hot for us. I could have cooled off in the water but couldn't rely on the steps out of the water to be able to get back on shore.
Food and Culture walk in Bergen
Food and Culture walk in Bergen
Bergen

This was a great way to see the city, hear the history & sample the food! Frida did a great job of showing us everything.

Quality of Experience
Food
Tasting the food of Norway!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Mar Quiñones
Mar
Mar Quiñones
Local specialist in Kristiansand | Replied on Sep 27, 2024

Dear Jeri,
Thank you for your review and for sharing your experience with us.
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed Norway and got to experience the beauty of this country!
I’m sorry about the cancellations due to weather, but it’s great that you made the most of your time exploring even more!
We’d love to welcome you back and help plan your next trip whenever you’re ready —it was truly a pleasure working with you :)
Thanks once again for choosing us!
All the best,
Mar

Helpful suggestions and bookings of activities in central Norway
Norway | Sep 9 - Sep 15, 2024

D
David R.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 18, 2024
Kim Kim/Mar provided a helpful service in booking accomodations and providing suggestions for activities. However, the 35 page itinerary was unnecessarily complicated. The 7 page daily schedule should have been a one page one table summary of locations, hotels and events. The 24 page detailed itinerary was a bit repetitive - could have been refined to 12 pages of key information: e.g. travel routes; hotel booking; booked activity; other options. Many of the "other" options for... Read more

Kim Kim/Mar provided a helpful service in booking accomodations and providing suggestions for activities.

However, the 35 page itinerary was unnecessarily complicated. The 7 page daily schedule should have been a one page one table summary of locations, hotels and events. The 24 page detailed itinerary was a bit repetitive - could have been refined to 12 pages of key information: e.g. travel routes; hotel booking; booked activity; other options.

Many of the "other" options for activities were impractical given our timing; seems these were sometimes boilerplate lists from other itineraries. (For example, if we finished the Styggevatnet kayak/glacier walk at 17:30 and then had a 2.5 hour drive to Flam, how were we expected to fit in additional activities?) One small note - Skjolden Resort was ok but no food was available. Local pub only opens Friday-Sunday this time of year. Local hotel was not serving outsiders. No other restaurants in the area. Better to generally select bed and breakfast hotels.

If we were to do this again, we would have spent more time in the Jotunheimen Park area.

Hotel Reviews
Thon Hotel Bristol
Bergen

Great central location - though a bit noisy at night from crowds of kids on the streets.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Skjolden Resort
Skjolden

Great location but no restaurant available in the area, and thus no food available, except from local grocery store. Do not want to be buying coffee. milk etc for a one day stay.

Local specialist: Mar Quiñones
Mar
Mar Quiñones
Local specialist in Kristiansand | Replied on Sep 27, 2024

Dear David,
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback.
We appreciate your insights and suggestions, we'll certainly use them to improve our services.
I'm glad that you overall you enjoyed your stay in Norway and got to experience the beauty of this country!
We’d love to welcome you back and have the opportunity to help you with future travels —it was a pleasure working together with you!
Safe travels!
All the best,
Mar

Amazing Norway
Norway | Sep 3 - Sep 14, 2024

S
sarah f.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Sep 17, 2024
Such an incredible and amazing trip! The process of planning was easy from start to finish. I really feel like Kadri and team listened to what I wanted and created the perfect itinerary. I loved how easy it was for them to work with me to change and move things around to ensure I had the trip of my dreams. Once there, it was nice to have them check in to ensure everything was going smoothly and to have someone to reach out to at any point for anything. I could not have asked for a better... Read more

Such an incredible and amazing trip! The process of planning was easy from start to finish. I really feel like Kadri and team listened to what I wanted and created the perfect itinerary. I loved how easy it was for them to work with me to change and move things around to ensure I had the trip of my dreams. Once there, it was nice to have them check in to ensure everything was going smoothly and to have someone to reach out to at any point for anything. I could not have asked for a better experience or more perfect trip! Thanks!!

Hotel Reviews
Thon Hotel Maritim
Stavanger

Great location and great rooms. Delicious breakfast

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rosendal Fjordhotel
Rosendal

Spacious room in quaint hotel. A little walk from city center. Breakfast was good. Staff were amazing. Views were gorgous

Authenticity & Character
Location
~15 min walk from city center.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Trolltunga Hotel
Odda

It was a nice hotel; however it was at the very top of the hill and away from everything so if you wanted to go to the grocery store or a restaurant, you had to walk down hill (~20-30 min) and then back up. The rooms were comfy but small and there was no wifi in the rooms. The breakfast was basic and minimal.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Fretheim Hotel
Flåm

Beautiful property. Great location. Delicious breakfast. Amazing views.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Scandic Torget
Bergen

Awesome location. Nice hotel. Delicious breakfast!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Overnight Hike in Trolltunga
Odda

Such a cool and unique experience glamping. The "beds" (aka sleeping bags) are all lined up 5-6 on a raised wooden platform so it was a little 'weird' sleeping that close to strangers. It was very comfortable and warm though and you cannot beat the views!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Guided Hike to Pulpit Rock: Preikestolen
Guided Hike to Pulpit Rock: Preikestolen
Stavanger

Such a nice hike. Our guide took us on a different trail up which was nice as we a) got to see more things and b) avoided the crowds. He was great about taking photos and knowing the good angles and poses.

Quality of Experience
Food
n/a
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Guided Hike to Kjerag
Guided Hike to Kjerag
Stavanger

This hike is NO JOKE! One of the hardest hikes I think I've done to date (and I'm an avid hiker and pretty active). The landscape was amazing and gorgeous. We had pretty much all elements of weather. It was a little slick which definitely added to the challenge.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Trolltunga Via Ferrata + Sunset/Sunrise Combo
Trolltunga Via Ferrata + Sunset/Sunrise Combo
Norway

My all time favorite activity that I did here! Could not have asked for a better experience. Sleeping in the yurts on the top was amazing. Delicious dinner and breakfast provided. It was so nice being up there after all the day hikers left and essentially having the mountain to yourself. And seeing the stars and milky way were unforgettable. I loved doing the via ferrata up and hiking down. 10/10 experience

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Glacier Kayaking Excursion
Glacier Kayaking Excursion
Norway

It was nice. I thought we were going to be able to get closer to the glacier than we did (though, I understand why). It was nice that wet suits and gloves/booties were provided. The scenery was nice; however if I had known that glacier hike was an option, I probably would have chosen that instead.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Fjord Sauna experience
Private Fjord Sauna experience
Norway

Such an awesome experience! Beautiful view from the sauna and you get a natural cold plunge jumping into the fjord. Love the experience!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Summer and Autumn Fjord Safari on a RIB boat
Summer and Autumn Fjord Safari on a RIB boat
Flåm

The experience was good, don't know if it was for me. I preferred the kayaking as a way to see the fjords. The guides were amazing and they provide you with gear to keep you warm and dry.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
3-hour Fjord Paddling
3-hour Fjord Paddling
Flåm

Great experience. Guide was amazing and scenery was beautiful. Great way to see and experience the fjords.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
n/a
Boat Trip and Dinner at Cornelius Seafood Restaurant
Boat Trip and Dinner at Cornelius Seafood Restaurant
Bergen

The food and experience was amazing. The only "negative" is that you're at the pace of other diners while eating and there is only one boat back so you are essentially "stuck" there until the boat comes back. The food was delicious and the staff were amazing

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Kadri Talvik
Kadri
Kadri Talvik
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Sep 18, 2024

Hi, Sarah!

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! Your kind words mean a lot to me.
I’m thrilled to hear that you had a fantastic trip and loved the trip being tailored just for you - this is a big part of our mission here! :)
Thank you again for choosing us. We’d love to welcome you back and help plan your next adventure. It was truly a pleasure working with you! :)

Sincerely,
Kadri

We have used and recommended Kim Kim to other...
Norway | Sep 5 - Sep 12, 2024

Michael
Michael C.
Dover, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 17, 2024
We have used and recommended Kim Kim to others many times. The attention to detail; the ability of the agents, such as Mar, to plan a trip, met our highest expectations. We gave Mar specifics such as, booking boutique hotels and setting us up with guides in the cities and booking specific activities such as a Zodiac boat ride on the Fjord waterways . Her choice of hotels was perfect. I think the most important advantage of Kim Kim is that you are given a local Norway agent who responded... Read more

We have used and recommended Kim Kim to others many times. The attention to detail; the ability of the agents, such as Mar, to plan a trip, met our highest expectations. We gave Mar specifics such as, booking boutique hotels and setting us up with guides in the cities and booking specific activities such as a Zodiac boat ride on the Fjord waterways . Her choice of hotels was perfect. I think the most important advantage of Kim Kim is that you are given a local Norway agent who responded quickly to any questions we had while on this trip.

Hotel Reviews
The Hanseatic Hotel
Bergen

A bit dated, but gave real sense Bergen’s fishing and boating history. Location was perfect.

Authenticity & Character
Location
In the center of what’s happening in town.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Christiania Teater
Oslo
Authenticity & Character
Location
Right in the center of Oslo, close to everything
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Kviknes Hotel
Balestrand
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Fretheim Hotel
Flåm

Comfortable rooms and delicious breakfast

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Mar Quiñones
Mar
Mar Quiñones
Local specialist in Kristiansand | Replied on Sep 27, 2024

Dear Michael,
Thank you so much for this wonderful review and for recommending KimKim to others!
We're delighted to hear that our team exceeded your expectations and provided such a memorable trip!
We’d love to welcome you back and help plan your next trip whenever you’re ready —it was truly a pleasure working together with you!
Safe travels and thanks again for choosing us!
My very best,
Mar

We absolutely enjoyed our trip to northern No...
Norway | Sep 2 - Sep 11, 2024

Eric
Eric J.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Sep 17, 2024
We absolutely enjoyed our trip to northern Norway! Mathia was great to work with and we even got to meet for coffee during our trip! He was very professional and proactive in arranging everything and also quick to respond to weather conditions affecting certain activities, making changes, etc. Best of all- we got to see the northern lights! Thanks Mathia! Read more

We absolutely enjoyed our trip to northern Norway! Mathia was great to work with and we even got to meet for coffee during our trip! He was very professional and proactive in arranging everything and also quick to respond to weather conditions affecting certain activities, making changes, etc. Best of all- we got to see the northern lights! Thanks Mathia!

Hotel Review
Glass Igloo Lyngen North
Lyngen
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Mathia Pacenti
Mathia
Mathia Pacenti
Local specialist in Vesterålen, Norway | Replied on Sep 18, 2024
Dear Eric and Karen,
Thank you very much for your kind review.
It was a great satisfaction to arrange everything for you, and I was pleased to meet you in my small and charming island. I had the opportunity to see what a beautiful couple you are. I won't forget you walking to the cafeteria hand in hand. True Love. :)
You made it and encountered the Northern Lights. I still remember how skeptical we were during the planning phase, but you deserved a spectacle like that. I hope you will visit...
Read more

Dear Eric and Karen,
Thank you very much for your kind review.
It was a great satisfaction to arrange everything for you, and I was pleased to meet you in my small and charming island. I had the opportunity to see what a beautiful couple you are. I won't forget you walking to the cafeteria hand in hand. True Love. :)
You made it and encountered the Northern Lights. I still remember how skeptical we were during the planning phase, but you deserved a spectacle like that. I hope you will visit Norway again, maybe with your family. You have been so kind and patient with me. I appreciated it a lot.
Take care and do not hesitate to contact me if needed.
Best Regards
Mathia