Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

We planned the May trip to Norway in March. The communication was so easy and smooth, with the result being a customized 10-day itinerary that was perfect.

The trip included personalized experiences, the best of which was a guided visit to the farm where my great great grandmother was born and raised before emigrating to the US. It was a truly amazing experience.

Christina, our local contact, was wonderful. She messaged us through the app with additional information, like the schedule of activities on Constitution Day in Oslo, and was available to answer questions.

I loved the ease of the app where we found every trip detail and each attached ticket for transportation etc.

Highly recommend Kimkim. Look forward to planning and booking with them again!

Kelly and James, Dallas, TX USA

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Great location steps from the train station, full service, Great view of the library and opera house from our balcony.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Steps from train station, proximity to water, opera house

Staff

Scandic Victoria Lillehammer

Lillehammer

Authenticity & Character

Truly, excellent breakfast

Location

Easy to walk everywhere

Activity Reviews

Waterfall Hike & Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

We loved this experience, a driver and guide took us to lookout, then guided us on a walk to a waterfall. She was delightful, and we lucked put with a private tour as no others booked that day

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Truly wonderful and memorable

Transport

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

Stunning, breathtaking natural beauty

Quality of Experience

Thanks Taylor and the Kimkim Team. Taylor planned a great trip for us, having spoken with us and heard our needs, likes and dislikes. Also to Nick and Maria who kept in touch when we were there. Communicated all the time, and made us feel really welcome and looked after. Luckily we didn't have any emergencies or need too much looking after, but it was great to know there were people there to call if needed. Anytime. Thank you.

Things we especially liked/that went well:
the app is great. Love having the details to hand, links to different transport we're using (flights, trains, ferries) and name and details of pickups and drivers. So obvious but not always provided by travel companies. Loved it.
The quality and location of the hotels was great. We're a bit spoilt and like the luxe end of the hotel market, but felt that KimKim got it right - the hotels were nice/better than nice AND extremely well places to schlepp ourselves and our bags across to a station, ferry port, etc. It made a huge difference, especially since it was raining a lot of the time.
Suggested activities and guides were great. Sven in Oslo and Sandra in Bergen were fab. Informative and easy to be with.
We loved the apple cider tasting in Balestrand, and the buffet at the Kviknes Hotel was the best buffet we've encountered for a very long time. We ate there both nights of our stay in Balestrand. Loved the oldy-worldy feel and it didn't feel overwhelmed by the large number of tour parties who were there too.
Oslo - two highlights - the Public Library is very special. It's a workspace for everyone, filled with books for everyone. Also the National Museum is fabulous. The feel, the curation of the exhbits - great. And you get a good taste for Munch from their smaller collection. (vs. a major feast (if it's to your taste) in the Munch Museum across the river.
The train to Flam on the Flam Railway was lovely. A bit of a tussle to get a window seat (which we didn't manage) - but still a fun, beautiful ride. The most surprising bit was a fabulous plate of fish and chips at the Flaam Bistro (Canteed). Don't miss it. Another couple we met said the Viking lunch at the PUB in Flaam was great too.

What was less great:
TBH, nothing.
We'd have liked it if it rained less, but it's Norway (and Bergen is renowned for rain :-)). And it didn't stop us doing anything.

The ferries were a bit of a bun fight - understandably as it's peak tourist season. If you are on a ferry - get there early. You won't be the first in the line but you'll get a decent seat and sit together. Ditto the Flaam Train. But if you go in peak season, you have to be chill and roll with it. There are a lot of people wanting to experience the beauty of Norway. It's so worth it.

Thank you Kimkim for creating a great trip. We had a lot of fun and got a real taste for Norway.
We'll be back to book another Kimkim adventure.

Noeleen & John

Everything was great and stress free. Would absolutely work with Mathia again if we come back to Norway in the future, which we intend to do. Accommodations were good, transportation was easy. Could not have gone better.

Hotel Reviews

Heimen Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vestlia Resort

Geilo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finnabotn RIB Tour

Balestrand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Train to Flåm -> Ferry to Balestrand

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall, I was very happy with the Norway trip organized for us by KimKim. The hotels were comfortable and the locations made it easy to explore the area right out my door. The guides organized by KimKim were knowledgeable, friendly and worked at a pace comfortable for the whole group. The experiences were nicely tailored to the highlights of each area we visited. A very memorable experience for sure!

Mathia was a huge help in planning my two weeks in Norway. First he helped me book just the exact right cruise out of Bergen on Havila when I was struggling to figure out how to do only part of the coastal route. When only an interior cabin was available, he monitored the bookings and secured a newly available cabin with window with no prompting from me.

Then he re-routed our rental car pickup in Lofoten to be there when we disembarked, saving us from expensive taxi rides.

And finally, he showed us around his home island of Vesterhålen when we realized how close we were. It was a treat to meet him after so much electronic correspondence, and even better to get a personal guide for a bit.

I would recommend Mathia to anyone planning a trip to Norway!

Everything was wonderful! We especially loved the guides - Katrina and Kristina. They were so nice and knowledgeable. Katrina (in Bergen) had a great list of restaurants, and we really loved the lunch spot, but the one we checked out for dinner sort of "shooed" us away. Maybe they were having a private event. It was a Norwegian restaurant with a hunting vibe. I don't remember the name of the restaurant.

The hotel in Bergen was so worth it! We hung out in the great lobby, and the bartender, Anders, was so friendly! We even checked out the sauna in the basement - my girls have never checked out the sauna.

The towns we visited were wonderful! Ålesund was beautiful and we enjoyed their art museum. The Art Nouveau buildings were fantastic! Thanks to your local contact here, we arranged to stay an extra day because we missed the Fjord boat - poor planning on our part. Geirangerfjord was so worth it - even though we had to buy another trip and another hotel night. Loved every minute of it!

I could probably have done without the giant Jet ski ride - would rather have kayaked. The guide though was a good driver and very friendly. I would add that the tourists in Alesund along with the locals did stare a lot at my daughter - she's from New York and an alternative dresser! - but I did read on Reddit that the smaller towns have a "staring problem", haha.

Oslo was a great city - enjoyed the Munch museum so much! (Nobody stared either) I think it is my new favorite museum! Kristina steered us to a less-traveled part of the main drag, and we found an amazing Italian restaurant. It was fun being there during the World Cup as well! We captured some amazing photos - both my daughters are wonderful photographers. I'll try to send you a link to my album!

Thanks for everything, Taylor! You did a fantastic job!

From the start, our small group of friends wanted to shape our own trip, keep it small, and flexible. We found kimkim and felt as if we'd found a source for guidance in Taylor who helped us plan a delightful trip! The kimkim experience started with asking good questions to help us narrow our focus to some specific cities and fjords we wanted to visit in Norway. We enjoyed scrolling through all the optional activities, clicking to learn more, and then keeping or discarding various activities. Our group wanted to do mostly unscheduled or independent exploration, but include some group tours or activities, too. Taylor found great options for us. By the end of the planning process, which was exciting to do, we all felt like we had a great plan for our trip.
Pre-trip, we met via Zoom with Taylor and had a chance to ask questions, clarify any issues, and find out about what to expect when we landed in Oslo. In the weeks just before the trip, we only needed to focus on packing and tending to our own personal details, knowing the kimkim had the rest under control! That was huge! Here are a few highlights about what we planned and experienced on the trip:

Transfers from the airport to our hotel, hotel to the train, and things like that made us all feel cared for and confident in the plans. Knowing someone had checked the timing of everything and indicated on the detailed itinerary where and when to gather allowed us to enjoy our free time.

Oslo Private City Walk: Lene met with us on our first morning, sitting down with a map, listening to what we had done already and hearing of what we wanted to do. She proposed options, and we chose her idea of learning how to buy tickets online, and then led us to the Vigland sculptures. As a native of Oslo, her knowledge and understanding of the area was helpful. Our experience of the sculptures was enhanced by information she shared. We all agreed that she was a great choice as our guide.

RIB Safari: Our group enjoyed the anticipation of the RIB Excursion, as well as the real event! They provided all the gear, a great guide, and the weather made it a perfect outing. The cheese tasting and fjord tour was really fun! All agreed that it was a highlight.

Bergen Food & Culture Walk: This walking tour was beyond expectation. Our guide was a delightful fellow who told stories well, and navigated the city as we stopped here and there for exceptional tastes of food and beverages. It was more than a lunch! Starting with a fishcake, several other small stops, then soup at a sit down restaurant, and finally a beer. Wow! We loved it!

Geirangerfjord Cruise: Cato, our cruise ship host was personable, and very experienced. He made this an interesting time, on a foggy day. Our time in the town was enjoyable. In the afternoon, he stayed up top and, as the fog burned off, he shared more about the fjords. Great guy!

Lodging: All of our lodging was well located near transportation and great views. Most of us agreed that the Flam Marina was the best. Fortunately, the enormous cruise ship present when we arrived, departed around suppertime. No more ships arrived while we were there, making those days and evenings a dream of peaceful waters and quiet atmosphere since we were on the quiet end of the marina. Weather was great!

External factors making this a great trip were the weather--not a drop of rain the whole time we were in Norway--and the World Cup soccer tournament which we could watch anywhere we went. I can't imagine a better trip!

Activity Reviews

Edvard Munch Museum in Oslo (Tickets not included)

Oslo

Great place! We planned ahead to get an English tour. The guide , "Sid", was excellent! Great refreshments on the main floor. The museum store was also full of good stuff.

Self-Guided Oslo Exploration

Oslo

There were plenty of options in Oslo, so we chose carefully what to do as we arrived, and with the time most of us had at the end of our trip. Learning how to download the right app, and buy tickets was very helpful. Using 24 hour tickets allowed for easy transportation and included some local ferries too.

Explore Ålesund

Norway

We did not have a lot of time in Alesund and would have enjoyed another day. Loved the art nouveau museum, and walking along the water. Totally recommend the museum. We ate great food in Alesund.

Self-Guided Hiking in Bergen's Seven Mountains

Bergen

People who hiked really enjoyed the trails at the top. The funicular made this activity more doable.

Self-Guided Bergen Exploration

Bergen

Bergen's funicular and street life were the most fun. Lots of food spots, and areas to walk.

Self-Guided Flåm Exploration

Flåm

Mostly, my husband and I enjoyed keeping our eyes on the beautiful calm water vs hiking or doing outings. We enjoyed the restaurants and sought out spots to watch World Cup Soccer. Very fun..

Quality of Experience

Our lodging was exceptional with regard to breakfast options, view of the water, and proximity to the busy areas.

Fjord RIB Safari & Undredal Cheese Tasting

Norway

This adventure was a highlight! Having all the gear provided to us, great RIB Safari staff, and a beautiful day made everything great!

Quality of Experience

All around good weather, staff, and cheese tasting experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Made us feel safe and equipped us with outfits and knowledge to enjoy the boat ride.

Transport

We walked to the RIB Safari location and then the boat ride was easy and felt safe.

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

Our tour boat host was Cato. He was kind, personable, and willingly shared about his Norwegian upbringing, stories and info about the fjord. There was a lot of fog the day we were on board, but the skies cleared enough to see more on the way home. The town of Geiranger offered a good assortment of activities, restaurants, and gift shops to keep us all satisfied. Cato offered suggestions to us for a couple of places to eat, and activities to do.

Quality of Experience

Cato made the biggest impact on our group's time on the fjord cruise.

Fløibanen Funicular Ride

Bergen

Everyone enjoyed this opportunity to use the pass multiple times a day. Some rode up and walked down or just went up and down a couple of times at different times of day. The funicular was easy to use.

Quality of Experience

I did not do the trails. Just enjoyed the views. I think those who walked around had a more enjoyable time.

Visit Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

I enjoyed the trip up. We paid to ride a bus up. Great view!

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Wonderful food and stories, and a good walk into parts of town I didn't go otherwise.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Engaging, kind, and helpful. One or two of our group needed to sit down vs stand sometimes, so the guide shifted the group to be near those who needed to sit, when possible. Easy solution.

Private City Walk

Oslo

Lene worked well with our group. She helped us clarify how to best use her time with us. She made great suggestions, and helped us understand how Oslo has changed over the years. Our group reflected on how she added to tool kit by showing us how to get tickets and use the transit system. It was great to have her as our guide.

Taylor did an excellent job keeping in touch and coordinating my husband and I as an add on to another group. She let us know each day about tickets, events and made our day go smoothly. Can’t say more about her communication.

Tour Guides:
Our guide in Oslo for city tour was just wonderful. She sat down with us at the beginning of the time to see what was best for our 3 hours together. She helped us get set up with public transportation and traveled Roth us to the Sculpture garden. She also gave us tips on visiting neighborhoods and we later found the best fish soup we’ve ever eaten in an off the beaten path area! She was extremely knowledgeable and shared so much in a short amount of time!
Also the guide in Flam on the fjord safari was just great. You can tell he loves what he does. This was an overall super experience…one of the highlights of our trip.
The food and culture tour was great also. Our guide was local and shared many inside tidbits about life in Bergen.
The guides you work with are not only knowledgeable but good at communicating and adapting to needs of the group.
Hotels:
Each of our hotels was in a very walkable location close to lots of activities. Our favorite was Flam with the just a “pinch myself” view from our balcony. Love the waterfront locations.
Breakfasts were like feasts at each hotel but especially in Oslo. I wanted to take home a fancy coffee machine…ha!

Hotel Review

Flåm Marina

Flåm

This hotel is in an idyllic setting. Away from the busy-ness of downtown. The view from our balcony was just incredible with the fjord right there. Breakfast area overlooked the incredible view as well. Enjoyed the breakfasts to start our day.

Authenticity & Character

Marina feel

Location

Gorgeous views right there!

Staff

Staff very helpful and friendly. Helped us find info to discover the old town with the church.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private City Walk

Oslo

Our guide sat down with us to determine best use of our 3 hours together. She helped us secure public transportation and went to the Sculpture Garden together. Very adaptable to our wishes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was so adaptable to our needs. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly.

Fjord RIB Safari & Undredal Cheese Tasting

Norway

One of the highlights of our trip. Great to be in the fjord and look up at the beauty. Also to experience the little villages along the way. Including the cheese tasting.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Oh

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was enthusiastic and you could tell he loved his job.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was enthusiastic and you could tell he loved his job.

Transport

Transport

We had an excellent kimkim experience. Anna developed an itinerary that was exactly what we were looking for, and Michelle was very helpful when we arrived. Bookings went smoothly and instructions/vouchers/documents were clear and well organized. We did have a couple of very minor hiccups which were easily resolved with a call to the 24-hr hotline. A reassuring aspect of kimkim’s services is that they are very responsive. If you need anything, you will get a real human on the line who will help you immediately. Staff are also quick to respond via chat. Norway is a beautiful and friendly country. We highly recommend traveling there with kimkim.

Kimkim did a great job organizing our trip in Norway. Activities and local guides were wonderful. We especially enjoyed the rib boat tour from Fløm, the food tour in Bergen, and the walking tour of Oslo! Norway is so beautiful and the people are so kind and helpful.

Here’s a warm, detailed review that reflects how enthusiastic you’ve been about your Norway trip:

Alex was absolutely fantastic to work with from start to finish. He listened to what we wanted, asked thoughtful questions, and created an itinerary that was even better than we imagined. Every destination felt intentionally chosen, and the pace was perfect. We were able to experience Norway’s incredible scenery while still having time to relax and explore on our own.

The hotels were excellent, transportation was seamless, and all of the logistics were handled so well that we could simply enjoy the trip. It was obvious that Alex knew the country and took great care in planning every detail.

What impressed us most was how personalized the experience felt. We never felt like we were following a generic itinerary. Instead, it felt like a trip designed specifically for us, and it showed in every stop along the way.

This was truly one of the best vacations we’ve ever taken. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we’re already working with Alex to plan another trip to Norway. There really isn’t a better endorsement than becoming a repeat customer before we’ve even stopped talking about the first trip.

Thank you, Alex, for helping us create memories we’ll treasure for a lifetime. We can’t wait to see what you plan for us next!

Christina did an excellent job on planning our itinerary! She listened to us well and what we hoped to see in Norway. We started in Bergen, went to Balestrand, Aurland and ended in Oslo. We did a city tour in Bergen which gave us a good idea of what the Norway culture and its people were like. we ate at great restaurants suggested b y Christina and many other fun things.
We took a boat through the beautiful fjords to get to Balestrand. Balestrand was magical...like a picture perfect town from another time or story book. While here, we did an Apple Cider tour and tasting (soo good), rented cars for a day to drive to the waterfall in Felgefossen and after hiking the waterfall sat at a quaint adjacent cafe called Feigesagi where we tried brown cheese and waffles! We went on a guided boat tour and fishing with a very animated tour guide named Tor! Loved this...it was a great day!
Took another boat to Aurland. In Aurland we found another beautiful magical town! We did a sauna and cold plunge one day (highly recommend), had excellent dinners at the hotel we stayed at The Hotel Aurlandsfjord (by the way we loved all the hotels we stayed at). We had a guided Waterfall hike and view of Segastein, a fjord cruise and a trip to Viking Valley. It was all so awesome and we learned a lot about Norway, it's people and culture.
We then took a train (what a fun experience) to Oslo. We had a wonderful guided tour of Oslo with a guide who even sang us a Norwegian song (she has an incredible voice!). And then we used the rest of our time in Oslo to explore and dine on our own.
We loved our trip to Norway and are so grateful for all of the things Christina arranged for us! We are recommending this trip to all of our friends and family!

This was my first time using KimKim and I am impressed by how customizable and personal my experience was. After I got my first itinerary from Roy, I responded with the parts I liked and didn’t like and Roy just kept adjusting until the itinerary for a week in Norway was ideal for me and my sister. I was really appreciative when after the initial trip’s estimate was more expensive than I could afford, accommodations were changed so that we didn’t have to cut any of our activities. And the accommodations we ended up with were fantastic! I would definitely use kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Flåm Camping & Hostel

Flåm

Really slow WiFi, which mattered to me as an international traveler with no cellular data available. But, comfortable place to stay and I was grateful for the access to laundry facilities my this point in my 2 week trip

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gudvangen Fjordtell

Gudvangen

This was a fun hotel! Bring a sleep mask if you stay during the summer because the skylight doesn’t have any cover and it’s bright all night! But the Viking aesthetic and proximity to the boat and restaurants are great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The shape of the rooms makes it difficult to keep luggage open and it’s tricky to get to the bathroom in the back when suitcases are out

Scandic Neptun

Bergen

Fantastic breakfast and a great location!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Stegastein Viewpoint by Bus

Norway

Beautiful view but always crowded.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Viking Valley

Gudvangen

It’s fun but I didn’t feel like this was worth the stop, sadly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise

Bergen

Quiet and modern electric boat that made a trip along this stunning fjord feel intimate and peaceful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Culture & Nature Excursion by Electric Minibus

Flåm

Had my favorite tour guide who almost felt like a friend by the end. Loved all of his local knowledge and friendly advice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Floating Sauna Experience - Aurland

Aurland

Really one of my favorite memories of my trip to Norway.

Quality of Experience

Look

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We never would have been able to plan this trip without Roy. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the country, and worked with us through a few iterations of our itinerary to ensure that it was just right and would allow us to do everything that we wanted.

Planning our Norway trip with our Kimkim team was so smooth. They designed a vacation for us that allowed us to take in many points of interest and enjoy the culture of the area. To have all of our vouchers and days’ plans in one place on the app relieved any stress. Our hotel booking locations were close to popular areas and other transportation transfers. This was so convenient!

At first the planning went well. As we got closer to trip time and our agent went on leave, we had no responses to messages and had to call the emergency line for someone to be assigned to us.

We did like the Bergen lodging, though the washer dryer wasn’t in room, as promised. The Fjærland stay was excellent, but it would be great to know there were only three restaurants in town.

Some of the trip planning made no sense. We were originally scheduled to be in a town two hours from the airport which needed ferries that stopped at 11 pm.

It wasn’t the same as my other kimkim trips.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sagafjord Hotel

Sæbø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fjærland Fjordstove Hotell & Restaurant

Fjærland

Great experience!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vander Apartments

Oslo

Great location. Note that washer and dryer isn’t in the room. And one in basement is always busy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Floating Sauna

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guidet Hike to Blåbærstølen

Fjærland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was great.

Hotel Reviews

Radisson RED Hotel, Oslo Airport

Ullensaker

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wangen Apartments by Flåmsbrygga

Aurland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Not super friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Hotel Oslo

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Summer and Autumn Fjord Safari on a RIB boat

Aurland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first time working with kimkim, and I would not hesitate working with them for future trips. They made our time in Norway seamless and stress-free, without the constraints of a guided tour. The hotels that they chose for us were spot on, with great locations, amazing breakfasts and helpful staff. Transfers and activities were all great. We really enjoyed all of our guides: Nathan on the RIB Safari in Flom, Knut on the Food and Culture tour, and Cado on the Geiranger fjord tour. Thank you Taylor and the whole Kimkim team for arranging a great trip!

Hotel Reviews

Quality Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

This hotel has a exceptional deck right on the field, where you can watch the sunset. Staff was very friendly and helpful, and the whole place had a cheerful vibe. I would definitely stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Torget

Bergen

This hotel is right in the center of the activities in Bergen, directly across from the fish market. The breakfast was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåm Marina

Flåm

The Marina had a beautiful view and more quiet being slightly away from the main town hub. I would definitely stay there when in Flam again. Also, the restaurant food was great and staff very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

This trip exceeded expectations. I really enjoyed the stories that Cado shared regarding the history and life on the fjord. This fjord is exceptionally beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Great choice for hotel in Oslo. During the whole trip we had a perfect mixture of good things to do for young and old. Both our guides were delightful. Kim Kim was very quick to helpfully respond to every question or issue raised during the trip. I would not recommend the Viking experience diner in Flam for kids. The restaurant at the top of the tram was world class in Bergin. For kids, Zip line in Oslo and rib boat in Flam were highlights.

We had a wonderful time and Norway is a very special place to visit.

I am sorry that we did not schedule a zoom call with Taylor prior to departure to tweak final details. I do think it would have been very helpful. We left the US on June 25 and did not begin our KimKim portion until July 5. In our communication, this did not get conveyed well. The video Taylor provided did help but a zoom call would have been better. We also should have reviewed KimKim's recommendations closer prior to departure to confirm that they suited us.

The KimKim app is excellent! User friendly and wonderful to have all tickets and vouchers easily accessible.

KimKim's communication is also superb- they respond to text messages and emails quickly and their responses were clear and helpful.

Hotel Reviews

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

It was a perfect choice for us. We like to be at the airport the night prior to departure. It was a short walk to the international terminal.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was at the airport

Staff

The receptionists

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bedroom

Home Hotel Bryggen

Bergen

The hotel was in a great location. The staff- friendly, professional and helpful. It was clean and met our needs. There were many tour groups with us at the hotel. A more elegant, boutique-type hotel would have been our preference. Breakfast and dinner were provided. The breakfast was excellent and the dinner- we did not realize was part of the package so a bonus. It was a buffet and nothing exceptional, but it served its purpose well.

Authenticity & Character

The traditional Norwegian look

Location

It is in the center of the old section, directly across from the harbor

Staff

The waitresses

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

The tour guide was genuine and passionate about Bergen. The tour was food and culture, but we expected more history of the area as we walked. The fish market and small restaurants on the tour were great, and the selection of food tastings- excellent. Restaurant in the Fish Market that tour guide recommended and it was excellent: Fjellskal

Quality of Experience

Food tastings

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guides authenticity

Transport

Enjoyed the walk!

Fløibanen Funicular Ride

Bergen

It is a great view of the city at the top! We did not eat at the restaurant at the top but we heard good things about the quality.

Quality of Experience

There are great children activities at the top- petting zoo with goats, playground, troll structures, etc. It is a great place for families to visit.

Self-Guided Bergen Exploration

Bergen

We enjoyed our self-guided exploration. We walked up to the summit of Mount Floyd and rode the funicular (known as the Floibanen) down. We also walked around Bryggen, the wharf and the fish market and ended the morning with a hotdog from Hungry Dog.

Quality of Experience

The city center is very walkable and enjoyable.

Depart Norway

Norway

Norway in a Nutshell Sogenfjord Route: Ferry and train rides from Bergen to Oslo Central Station was stunning and an absolute must! It is a very long day. We wish we would have broken up into 2 days and stayed one night along the way- perhaps at Balestrand or Flam. Flam was very busy with many tourists and cruise ships The Flam train- definitely plan to sit on right side for the views. There are also no reserved seats so get in line early. The Kjosfossen Waterfall- beautiful and definitely worth getting off train to see. Bike riding from Myrdal to Flam would have been a fun activity to include. While visiting Flam, there is luggage storage at the tourist center. The train ride from Myrdal to Oslo- very enjoyable and loved the views along the way. Driver from train station to Oslo airport- professional and enjoyed the conversation.

Quality of Experience

The views of the fjords

Fjord Cruise to Rosendal

Bergen

It was a long day, and we should have researched more. We only had 3 1/2 hours in Rosendale. The tours of the barony and garden did not line up with our time there- we had to select one. There was not enough time to visit the church or to take a hike to the waterfall. Next time, I would plan to spend the night in one of the lovely hotels available. I would also want to explore the National Park. And if time was a concern, I would skip this activity and spend an extra day on the Sogneford Route.

Quality of Experience

spend the night or delete from itinerary