Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

Alex did a fantastic job helping us plan a short trip to Norway. We had always had it on our list to see the fjord's and possibly Northern Lights in Norway, but the timing never seemed right. This year we decided to do a week in Iceland and thought a trip to Norway would fit right in with our travel plans!

We were so lucky to be connected with Alex! After discussing some places we'd like to go in Norway (Bergen, fjords, Northern lights), Alex suggested we do the Norway in a Nutshell day trip from Bergen, followed up by a 3 day stay in the Lofoten Islands and a final night in Tromso, where we might be lucky to see the Northern lights (we didn't).

The KimKim team arranged all our hotels and transportation to/from the airport to our hotel, rental car in the Lofoten Islands, as well as the Norway in a Nutshell transportation, and internal flights in Norway from Bergen to Svolvaer and on to Tromso!

The hotels were close to the sites in Bergen and Tromso, and in Svolvaer, the Anker Brygge, was right in the center of town on a small island. The rooms were a good size and very comfortable, with Anker Brygge being traditional Norwegian fisherman’s cottages with a small kitchen and dining area, living room and separate bedrooms and free on-site parking! The restaurant Kjøkkenet, which is located on the island and associated with Anker Brygge, served delicious dinners (we ate there all 3 nights!!)

Breakfast was provided at each hotel, and was a nice variety of breads, pastry, sliced meats, cheeses and fruit!

Since Alex had spent time in Norway and specifically Lofoten Islands, he suggested areas to stop and explore, as well as provided some beautiful photos he had taken on his most recent trip!

All-in-all, we had a great time in Norway, and we couldn't express our thanks to Alex and the KimKim team any deeper for arranging this for us!

My wife and I have just returned from our 13 day trip to Norway. It was wonderful! All of the kimkim-organized activities, hotels, and transportation went off without a hitch. Of particular note were:
1. Norway is a spectacularly beautiful country. Our boat rides and train voyages (particularly the ride from Bergen to Oslo), allowed us to appreciate the jaw dropping beauty of cities, fjords, waterfalls, and farmland.
2. Each city we visited was beautiful, with impressive old and new architecture. We had great walking tours of Tromso (led by Jurgen), Oslo (led by Björn, a retired architect) and Bergen. The guides were knowledgeable and open with personal observations about their lives in Norway.
3. The hotels were all very nice, located in the center of each city. Breakfasts were ample and delicious. Rooms were small, but comfortable.
4. We loved having a car for a couple of days to tour the Lofoten Islands. Gorgeous!
5. We took multiple flights from airports large and small. A beautiful way to get around the country, with no delays or connection problems.
6. Norway has a multitude of fascinating museums: historical, cultural and artistic. The few we visited in Tromso and Bergen were great, as was a brand new one outside of Svolvaer dealing with the cod fishery!
Thanks, kimkim, for designing a great vacation customized to our interests, and paced just right for us.

Hotel Reviews

Karl Johan Hotel

Oslo

Lovely hotel, great location, delicious breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the middle of town, walking distance to all activities.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Clean, comfortable, small rooms. Excellent breakfast. No

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Svolvær

Svolvær

Clean, comfortable, small rooms. Paid parking several blocks away. Excellent breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quality Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

Clean, comfortable. Excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz

Bergen

Clean, comfortable, small rooms. Excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private City Walk

Oslo

Our guide Bjorn, a retired architect, was knowledgeable, friendly, and open to a wide ranging discussion about the city. This tour was a high point of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was delightful.

City & Polar History Walk

Tromsø

Jürgen, our guide and lifelong Tromso resident, was totally open, sharing his thoughts about his life and his city. He took us through the Arctic Explorer and the Sami museums. This tour was a highlight of our visit.

Quality of Experience

Interesting town, excellent guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent guide

Driving the Lofoten Islands: Nature Stops Along the Way

Norway

Wow! As was promised, the Lofoten Islands are spectacularly beautiful. And although the roads are narrow, we did not find driving difficult.

Quality of Experience

Beautiful!

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

This cruise through Geirangefjord was very comfortable and the scenery. Unbelievable. The crew provided helpful commentary throughout the trip. Town of Geiranger is basically a tourist locale, which didn’t interest us too much, except for a very cool walk up along the waterfall at the edge of town. There are longer hikes available in the area.

Quality of Experience

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Four of us and a guide walked through the center of Bergen, trying some typical snacks and also having a light soup lunch. The highlight of the walk was exploring the UNESCO historic area, the site of.the Hanseatic League trading activities.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fløibanen Funicular Ride (Tickets not included)

Bergen

Gorgeous view from the top. There are restaurants, kids playground, and hiking trails at the top as well.

Quality of Experience

Spectacular view.

Oslofjord Evening Cruise with Prawn Buffet

Oslo

This is the one activity which we found disappointing. It was a nice boat ride around the harbor and islands adjacent to Oslo, but there was no commentary or information about what we were seeing. (one could get some information on an app). The dinner consisted of a buffet of peel – yourself shrimp, bread, and lettuce. Drinks were available for purchase.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No commentary

Transport

Pretty sailboat, but of course we did not sail.

Norway in a Nutshell Day Trip

Bergen

Beautiful scenery throughout. Only downside: this is obviously a very popular experience and even in September, it was quite crowded. At one point, we had to wait at the bus stop in the rain to make our last connection.

Quality of Experience

Depart Norway

Norway

Our limo driver to the airport was prompt, helpful, friendly and informative.

Quality of Experience

Visit Henningsvær

Svolvær

Very pretty town.

Quality of Experience

Welcome to Tromsø

Tromsø

Lovely Arctic town, easily walkable. Interesting museums.

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Bergen Exploration

Bergen

Beautiful historic city, UNESCO heritage site. Downtown easily walkable.

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Oslo Exploration

Oslo

Bustling, attractive city with compact walkable downtown and waterfront. Beautiful old and new architecture.

Quality of Experience

Northern Lights Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

Nice outing on the water, good meal. We did not see the Northern Lights on our cloudy night.

Quality of Experience

Self-Guided Svolvær Exploration

Svolvær

Nice waterfront town. Worked as a base for our time driving around the Lofoten Islands. We enjoyed the nearby SKREI museum — an art gallery, explanation of the cod fishery, and an aquarium.

Quality of Experience

Explore Ålesund

Norway

Yet another lovely waterfront city, with great Art Nouveau architecture. Home of the Geirangerfjord cruise up the fjord which was spectacular.

Quality of Experience

We are not good planners, often having an idea for a trip 3 weeks before actually leaving home. So, when we decided to go to Norway about three weeks before we'd leave, we knew we'd need help putting together an itinerary. Years ago, KimKim helped us put together a fantastic trip to Iceland so we sent off a message and heard right back from Christina. What a great week in Norway. Oslo? The fjords! Bergen! Hiking with Jurgen, kayaking with Sergei, cider tasting at the Ciderhus in Balestrand, RIP boat touring, fantastic meals, and restful nights in cozy hotels were all part of her deliverable. And, she managed to put everything together on short notice. We really should up our planning game but it's nice to know that Kim Kim is there when we need help.

Taylor and her team at Kimkim set up our family trip to Norway. We had an amazing time! They were always available to answer questions in order to plan the perfect trip for us and while traveling they would promptly respond to any questions we had. We felt well taken care of and every excursion, experience and transfer ran smoothly. And our fabulous guides were knowledgeable and went above and beyond to show us around and pivot when necessary.

Will definitely use Kimkim for future travel

Overall our trip was outstanding and it was nice to have so much of the planning done and executed well. The app was an excellent resource for all necessary information. Drivers were on time and easy to find. Having arrangements booked and tickets in hand all worked well. We were happy with the hotels, particularly in Balestrand. Good locations for local touring and reaching transportation. We particularly enjoyed the Fram/Arctic Exploration museum in Oslo. Our kayak leader in Flåm was fun and enthusiastic particularly as it was her last day of the season. The sauna/cold plunge in Aurland was quite nice. Hotel in Aurland was nice, meals were ok. We took the 500 step waterfall hike in Flåm as we had to wait quite a while for the ferry to Balestrand and Flåm was getting dense with tourists. The Inkvenes Hotel was elegant and very impressive. Note that many of the other restaurants in town were closed, for the season I guess. The fjord cruise and glacier museum were very enjoyable and informative, unfortunately the glacier has receded so much there was no hiking involved as we had hoped and planned for. For whatever reason we had thought of it as a glacier hike. Bergen was a charming city, took the funicular up and hiked down through interesting old neighborhoods. Lofoten Islands were quite unexpected in both the beautifully rugged terrain and the amount of development. Thought Svolvær was going to be a little village like Aurland. The hotel was just in the right place however with a view of the harbor yet easily walkable to everything. In fact, had we stayed in the red fisherman’s huts it would have been inconvenient to drive into “town” for meals and activities. Renting a car and driving around Lofoten was quite easy and rewarding. The little town of Heannisfor (sp) was quite charming, we took some hikes and were impressed with the surprisingly nice golf course. One of the highlights, for me at least, was the fishing trip. Small group, nice to be on the water, Cindy and I caught a number of fish including a 12.5 lb cod. We were given the fish and hoped to get it prepared but our hotel didn’t do that and we didn’t really know how that process worked but found out later that a certain restaurant would do it. But still very fun. Could have spent another day there.
We were quite happy with the work that Alex did. It was thoughtful and very thorough. We were somewhat disappointed to discover that much of the early parts of the tour was essentially the Norway in a Nutshell tour, as we were following the same group of tourists around. We understand that as first timers it probably gave us a good view of the country’s highlights, but it did seem less than customized. But as we didn’t know the country well and had not given specific input it was fine. Next time I think that we should research, or you could suggest, some off the path alternatives. Overall however KimKim made it a wonderfully pleasant experience.

We loved the Flam Railway, the fjords, and the Lofoten islands. All our accommodations were great, but our favorites were in Aurland and Svolvær.

Our trip was really wonderful. Maria was so easy to work with and she planned our activities perfectly after we told her what we really wanted to see and do, and then her own suggestions added excitement and fun to the trip. We loved having all our tickets/passes/bookings right at hand in the app. But even better was all the addresses, suggestions for what to wear or to bring to an activity were right at our fingertips and so helpful. We smoothly moved from one place to another and never had a problem with any of our plans. So thoughtfully detailed and planned out!

In Oslo, we explored based n the suggestions Maria gave us and enjoyed, parks, gardens, museums and the palace and opera house. Our guide on a nature tour, Giovanni, gave us ides for where to go after our tour and even helped us find the best way to get where we wanted to go. Our time in Oslo was so much fun.

My biggest “want” was to see the fjords. Maria set us up for a really amazing experience in the Sognefjord and surrounding fjords. We had a lovely train ride from Oslo to Flǎm and we stayed in Aurlandsfjord that night which was was the most magical place. We did the sauna there and jumped into the fjord which is a must do while in Norway. Our hotel there was lovely and we woke up to such beautiful views it was breathtaking. We had a RIB boat tour with Inge, who was a fabulous guide and delighted us with some fun history of the area as we cruised the lovely fjords. We ferried to Balestrand after that and spent two days in that part of the fjord. We went to see the Glacier Museum in Faerlandsfjord aboard a vintage ferry with our guide Guya (sp?) who shared his own history of watching the glacier change over time having lived in the area all his life. It was a beautiful thing to see and learn about.

We left by ferry for Bergen after that and spent our last 3 days discovering the fascinating area that my family are from. We kayaked in the North Sea with Iris as our guide and she knew much about the region and its history and she showed us some beautiful parts of Bergen we would not have otherwise seen. We went to the Troll Museum and the University of Bergen Museum and enjoyed both. A trip up the funicular with tickets that were flexible allowed us to do that on a day when the rain stayed away. We enjoyed the ride and found ourselves wandering a troll forest at the top and then hiking a bit to a pretty lake. All of this right above Bergen yet we felt miles away from the noise of the city. We shopped, tried local foods and even got a have a beer in a wine cellar built in the Middle Ages.

The peace of mind knowing everything was in place and easily accessible within the KimKim app, made this trip so hassle free we were able to enjoy every moment. I could not have planned a trip in a place I have never been to before and not had a lot of stress. KimKim made it possible without the stress. The support staff even checked in with us to make sure we were happy. Maria and her team did such a wonderful job helping us have a memorable, everything we wanted it to be trip - we can’t thank you enough!

Hotel Review

Hotel Aurlandsfjord

Aurland

We enjoyed our stay at this hotel so much. The staff were not just welcoming and friendly, they went out of their way to make our stay amazing. The food was fantastic and the location is just delightful.

Authenticity & Character

So much charm and nicely appointed rooms.

Location

The views are incredible

Staff

They were just delightful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Øygarden Islets Kayaking Excursion

Bergen

Iris was a wonderful guide and the equipment and instruction were all spot on. We had a lovely time exploring the islands.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oslofjord Island Hopping Nature Walk

Oslo

Giovanni was a wonderful guide for our tour and so helpful with suggestions of others things to do and try.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjærlandsfjord Cruise & Bøyabreen Glacier Visit

Balestrand

The boat was so much fun - it was a vintage ferry with friendly staff and it made the trip seem so very Norwegian. Our guide was amazing, the museum is very interesting and had so many hands on exhibits, we really learned a lot. The glacier visit was very memorable and scenic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Fjord Safari by Premium RIB

Bergen

This is a high speed adventure ride from Bergen to the fjord. It was exciting and beautiful.

Quality of Experience

The ride was exhilarating and the scenery was beautiful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver/guide was great. The staff helping us gear up were rushed, but helpful

Transport

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

We very much enjoyed walking the Bergen and Brggyn area to learn more about the history and culture. The food was great and we learned so much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjord Safari by RIB

Flåm

Inge gave us a wonderful view of the fjord near Flåm. The ride was smooth and comfortable and she gave us great photo opportunities, entertained us with stories of the area and its history in a witty and fun way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shared Fjord Sauna Experience - Flåm

Flåm

This was our favorite activity. While the guide/concierge was just ok, the sauna itself, the facility, location and amenities were wonderful. We had so much fun that evening we will never forget it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful everything was wonderful. Thanks for your help you made our trip a great success!

Hotel Reviews

Svalbard hotel | The Vault

Longyearbyen

Perfect location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Location was perfect, Quiet great food a stay of a lifetime! Thanks.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The desk clerk was amazing!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Svinøya Rorbuer

Svolvær

Best place we stayed on the whole trip on a stormy day we could see the weather and on a clear day we could walk where we wanted and the food was amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

City Walk

Norway

This was the best our guide was perfect and I would go with her anywhere!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was the best ever!

Transport

Glacier Safari

Svalbard

Our guide was a perfect gentleman when we were at the glacier he would us let enjoy the quiet and the calfing of the glacier. It was the most peaceful and full of awe trip. Hard to explain but just perfect!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Just was so nice and we just enjoyed him and the trip.

Transport

It’s a long way and felt like a big adventure.

First of all, we had an absolutely amazing time in Norway. Everything went so smoothly because of the way the trip was designed by Tom Christer.
My wife has a chronic, debilatating condition, and we had debated back and forth whether we should even go on this trip. I started researching everything on my own but realized that I was out of my league. Years ago, when we went to Germany, I used an American travel agent who, we found out much later, had no idea what she was doing. When we got into trouble over there, she never picked up the phone.
So, I decided to find a Norwegian travel consultant online. I read the reviews. Basically, people were saying that kimkim was highly regarded but that a person could do the trip more cheaply by booking everything themselves. That did not make any sense to me, because how can a person really know what to see and how to book the travel arrangements correctly, if they had never been to the country.
My wife and I agreed that, if we had tried to arrange everything on our own, our trip would have been a disaster. As it happened, our experience was just the opposite. Tom planned the trip so that our daily excursions would not be so strenuous for my wife, yet we were able to see so many things. The hotels and the views from the hotels that Tom selected were amazing as well as the breakfasts. I had a few questions along the way, and the team at kimkim always picked up the phone to steer me in the right direction. We had one small problem that Tom's colleague, Mathia, fixed for us immediately. What we really appreciated was that Tom, Mathia, and even Christina were always sending us emails to check up on us to make sure everything was going smoothly.
So, this excursion ended up being the trip of a lifetime for us! Norge er så vakker--Norway is so beautiful. Not only did we get to experience the amazing fjords and the small country towns, but we were able go to the wonderful city of Bergen and the very active, modern-day capital of Oslo. It was the perfect balance for someone like us who had never been to the country before. We would highly recommend kimkim and especially Tom Christer.

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Close to everything, amazing breakfast, beautiful hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Hotel was drop-dead gorgeous. Amazing breakfasts. Views were amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

This was a cottage right on the water. Awesome views!! The proprietor, she treated us like family and gave us a big hug when we left. Amazing experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

The rooms in this hotel were tiny and stuffy. However, breakfasts were fabulous, and the view of downtown Oslo was without compare!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We were at this hotel for three days and booked a day for our room to be cleaned and supplies re-stocked. The cleaning people never showed up.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

The views, the cliffs, the waterfalls. We felt like we were in a living postcard. My wife has some disabilities, and the staff were very helpful in getting on the boat safely.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just returned from a wonderful week in Norway...planned by Mathia!!
Hotels were excellent....perfect location each one!! would highly recommend the Amerikalingen, Aurlandfjord, and the Belgen Bors!!!
Our guides were really terrific.... Mia in Oslo and John in Bergen....walked and talked and learned quite a bit...would have missed so much had we not used the guides.
Loved the experience of the FjordSafari....great crew!!!
Certainly enjoyed the ferry from Aurland to Bergen....
All was excellent despite a bit of rain....never slowed us down
Many thanks to all....especially to Mathia who planned the trip.... (A few small issues arose that were quickly (few minutes) resolved via text on the KimKim App. really excellent service before and during the adventure)

The kimkim team were helpful in our planning for the trip and made us aware of their availability if needed..they were very prompt in helping us exchange one tour for another. The hotels were all very nice and in great locations. We felt that 2 days in Flam would have been enough. Not thrilled with the Viking village.
Enjoyed the beach hike in Bodo with Ivar. He suggested we take the 2 hour ferry commuter trip to visit the islands.. we enjoyed that
The evening ferry from Bodo to Svolvaer was gorgeous because of the sunset. The RIB tour in Svolvaer was alot of fun
A memorable trip and Kimkim helped alot.

Taylor and Coraima were very helpful explaining the itinerary details. I liked the Nobel Peace Center and the Munch Museum in Oslo. The Fisheries Museum in Alesund was fascinating. We ate a lot of salmon, herring and cod. The buffet breakfasts were very good. The fjord trips gave me a good way to see what glaciers could do. The Floibanen Funicular in Bergen was very interesting.

The itinerary provided in the app needed many clarifications to make it flow chronologically, and to make it parallel the actual legs of the trip. Also, I would have preferred that any messages from KimKim came to me directly in email, and not through the app, because my iPhone would not allow me to access the trip chat area in the app, no matter what I tried. I could only see messages in the evening of each day on my iPad, which I didn't carry around with me, and my desktop, which I obviously didn't take with me.

Taylor was as excited as we were about our visiting Norway-she had so many tips and hints that wouldn't be available anywhere else and she shared generously. Coraima and Chris really helped when we had questions about the app and other items. My favorite experience was the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo. The work being done there is critical to our future. Norway, of course, is best known for it's beautiful mountains, waterfalls, fjords and nature. I loved the train ride from Flam and the waterfall stop with the woman in red. The Fjord trips gave us the opportunity to really meet and learn about other global travelers as well as appreciate the farms and homes along the way. The culture and food walk was excellent-please tell the woman who led the tour (I did not catch her name) that she was a pleasure to spend time with. The Vikings are not to be missed-and the troll forest near the funicular was so special! Speaking of vikings, the dinner was OUTSTANDING! So much to share! Ronnye Schreiber

Hotel Review

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

This hotel was located in the midst of everything we wanted to do. It is a bit run-down. Their breakfast was excellent. Something I noticed in most of the hotels that differs from the US. In the US, there are generally tissues in the bathrooms. Not so in our first few hotels. Also, could have used a night light to get around.

Authenticity & Character

Just a bit run-down.

Location

Centrally located to all activities.

Staff

I really did not interact with them to have much of an opinion.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom and bed was clean and comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Edvard Munch Museum in Oslo (Tickets not included)

Oslo

One of the reasons we went to Norway was to see the original "Scream"- Bucket list satisfied. The museum had fabulous art, not just by Munch, but other Norway artists.

Njardarheimr Viking Village Day Trip with Nærøyfjord Cruise & Bus Transfer

Norway

The Viking Village was so much better than I expected. The docents, dressed in garb of the day, were excellent at explaining the history, closing, weaving, etc. The "fights" were fun to watch. The transportation to the village was easy and pleasant. One issue: we had a very hard time finding the Village after we got off the boat. There were competing directional signs and people that sent us in the wrong direction. Signage needs help.

Quality of Experience

Finding the viking village was a problem for us. The overall day was fun and interesting.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They answered all questions and were generally kind.

Transport

We got there in one piece! LOL

Ægir Viking Meal Experience

Norway

They brought us to our seats upstairs right on time. The waiter was so helpful, especially when we had questions about the content of the food (I am lactose intolerant and was wary of the soup)-all was GREAT. And since we don't drink beer, he gave us a locally brewed hard cider-what luck!! The food was outstanding. And it was wonderful that the restaurant was night next to the hotel. After a long day of having fun, we were exhausted and the small distance made this easy.

Quality of Experience

Being with my husband of 53 years and enjoying ourselves sharing a new experience!

Fløibanen Funicular Ride

Bergen

What a quick trip up and down! I hardly noticed the ride- but at the top, we saw Troll Carvings (so much fun) in the dense forest. The cashmere goats were adorable. The view was inbetween raindrops, but that's Norway and to be expected.

Quality of Experience

A little less rain, Norway! LOL

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

The boat was new and very comfortable. We traveled 3 hours to Alesund, had 3 hours on land and then 3 hour return. I did enjoy the waterfalls and farms along the way. I downloaded the app on the boat and learned lots about the areas we passed-very useful and interesting. Lunch was at the Brasserie Posten where we had beet root, herring, and salad over toasted rye. Very traditional Norwegian food.

Quality of Experience

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Worthwhile time spent with a very knowledgeable guide. We tasted foods at the new Fish Market, had sample of sausage from whale and other fish at the old fish market. Walked around Bryggen and visited a bar downstairs where local beer was offered. Stories of kings marrying commoners. Norway soup at another venue. Visited UNESCO site for artists. Lovely afternoon!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide really knew her stuff. I did not catch her name. If you can locate her, please tell her how pleased we were.

Tom worked miracles for us on our Norway self- driving trip .
My husband and I decided to add a Norway excursion on the back of a Faroe Islands trip on a whim .I was having difficulty navigating the logistics of driving times , lodging and certain activities that were slightly out of season
With about two weeks notice, Tom put together a phenomenal trip for us . We were stunned at the amazing lodgings he was able to procure last minute ., all within our budget . Tom booked everything from accommodations to excursions to our rental car. Tom and Mathia were incredibly supportive, touching base with us daily to be sure things were running smoothly and giving us suggesting a for things to do , places to eat, possible road delays, weather updates etc. Mathia even met us briefly at the ferry to say hello ; unfortunately we were out of time so no coffee date !
It was quite obvious that our adventure was planned by someone who lives locally and knows the area well and cares about the experience their client is having .

I cannot recommend this agency highly enough , I hope to be able to work with them in the future .

Alex Maria Nick Coraima and Lea have all been superb with constant communication and attention to detail. I thank you all so very much for helping to make my first trip to Europe and Norway so amazing! We enjoyed every activity and the flights/hotels were all convenient.

We have recently completed the most enjoyable two week vacation in Norway with the gracious assistance of Mathia. He was very attentive to our requests and arranged for hotels and tours that met our wishes completely. Everything was organized and documented exactly as planned, and the hotels, guided tours, and recommendations were superb. We really appreciated Mathia's availability throughout our trip and were comfortable knowing that we could reach out to him if we encountered a problem. Somehow he even managed to provide good weather!
Among the highlights for us, apart from the spectacular natural beauty and unique cities, were the outstanding museums we visited. These included the Ringve and Rockheim Music Museums in Trondheim, the Sunnmore Outdoor Museum in Alesund, and the Norwegian Fjord Centre in Geiranger. Additionally, Christell, John, and Wanda were enthusiastic guides who shared their passion for and knowledge of their respective cities.
The combination of trains, boats, waterfalls, museums and cities was most enriching and enjoyable. It's difficult to say what we loved best about the trip!

Hotel Reviews

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

Amerikalinjen, the former headquarters of the Norwegian American Line, is a beautiful old hotel centrally located within walking distance of the train station and the pedestrian downtown. A delicious breakfast was served in the inviting Atlas Brasserie. We were pleasantly surprised to find that our room was ready in time for our early arrival. The staff was accommodating and friendly, and the room was comfortable and clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

The small village of Aurland was a wonderful place to stay for a night. We stayed in one of eight delightful little cottages directly overlooking the water. The cottages were simple but clean, bright and inviting. The little deck was a wonderful place to enjoy a glass of wine and the incredible view. The breakfast was fabulous and served in a beautifully decorated traditional home. We enjoyed our walk through the little town and along the water. The hotel was conveniently located within a five minute walk of the ferry.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Nidelven

Trondheim

We had a lovely room with a beautiful view over the canal and the flower bridge. There’s something special about being right on the water. The hotel is in a great location, within walking distance of the train station and many of the repurposed old buildings and restaurants in the old town. The buffet breakfast was one of the best we’ve ever had. The variety of food was amazing. Our train left early in the morning, making breakfast a bit rushed. Had we let the front desk know the night before, we could have had a packed breakfast prepared for us. A good tip for other travellers with early departures.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

The location right next to the airport and train station is really convenient. It is what one would expect from a large hotel, where the location, cleanliness and convenience are more important than uniqueness and ambiance. The dining room served very good dinners and a nice buffet breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel is directly connected to the Oslo airport and the airport train station, making it a great place to stay the night before our departure.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

MS Vesterålen

Tromsø

The accommodation on the MS Vesterålen Hurtigruten ship was a bit of a surprise. The room was smaller than expected and had bunk beds, which was challenging for us as older travelers because one had to climb a ladder. It would be helpful for future travelers to know about this setup in advance or to have an option for a room without a ladder.

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

The highlight of this hotel was the distinctive wood-panelled bar. The lobby area and breakfast rooms were equally reminiscent of classic hotels. The room was spacious, refurnished and comfortable. The location is within walking distance of the old Bryggen district, restaurants, pedestrian streets and the funicular. The hotel is directly across the road from the beautiful old train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

This is a delightful hotel with a distinctive Norwegian flavour. The room had a comfortable small table and chairs with a sliding glass door that opened onto the canal below, giving us great views of the activities on the water. The highlight of the hotel is its spectacular lobby, with its high ceilings, beautiful stone fireplace, and comfortable seating. The breakfast buffet was beautifully laid out and served in a bright room with lovely Scandinavian décor. As we are senior travellers, we chose to take a taxi to the Geiranger Fjord Cruise terminal rather than walk. However, the distance isn’t far, and many travellers would find it walkable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Geiranger Fjord Cruise

Ålesund

My favorite activity was the Full Day Geiranger Fjord Cruise. We were so lucky with the weather, and the experience was incredible and unique. The combination of the stunning geography, the visual experience, and the cultural aspects made it a well-balanced and memorable trip.

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

The Bergen Walking Tour with a Local Guide was excellent. Our guide, Tom, was personable and showed us the key sights while also giving great suggestions for lunch spots.

Relax onboard the Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten

While relaxing onboard the Hurtigruten was generally enjoyable, there was a part of the trip where the ship stopped for a good part of the day without any clear options for excursions or activities. It was a bit of a surprise and felt like downtime without much to do, which could be improved by offering optional excursions or activities during such stops.

We had a great time on our trip to Norway. Our local specialist Alex was wonderful with planning the trip. He was very accessible and easy to work with. He was especially helpful when a last minute emergency required us to adjust some of our plans during the trip.

Our guides in Oslo (Kathleen), Flam (Bjorn) and Bergen (Kori) were wonderful.

If you're thinking about a trip abroad and would like assistance in planning a successful experience, Kimkim is the way to go!

Hotel Reviews

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåm Marina

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private City Walk

Oslo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Waterfall Hike & Stegastein Viewpoint Experience

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Depart Norway

Norway

Quality of Experience

Kim Kim and our agent Mathia recommended, organized and made all the arrangements for our ncredible Norway trip.
It was incredible value for a 5 star experience. It was the perfect mix of train and boat travel. Well paced but scheduled to maximize our 12 days with sufficient down time for relaxation and to explore on our own.
The boutique hotels were some of the best we have stayed at in Europe. All well located and unique. The guides for our personal citytours were exceptional.
All of the recommendations for the itinerary, activities and restaurants were perfect and allowed us to really experience Norway and everything it offers in its diverse geography, culture and history.
Particular highlights were the Flam Railway, Fijord Ferry cruises, Hurtigruten overnights and the City of Trondheim.
We have no hesitations in giving the highest recommendation to Mathia and his local Norwegian team and Kim Kim as the broker and platform for the easy arranging of such a wonderful custom self directed travel experience.

The tour was well organized and the emergency support was first class. The hotel in Alesund was bit disapointing where as the hotels in Oslo, Bergen, Tromso and Lofoten islands were very conveniently located and decent
Kristina was very resourceful when it came to planning and patiently and pragmatically responded to my innumerable requests to summarize , .Kim Kim did a splendid job

Mathia was amazing to work with in planning/executing our trip. He is an excellent communicator and responded in a timely manner when we had questions or concerns.
Guides Christel, Emme and John were top notch. .
There were minor scheduling things we would have done differently, but all in all it was a wonderful trip.