Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

My trip to Norway was flawlessly planned by Mar, who absolutely nailed every detail. The itinerary was packed with exciting activities, perfectly balanced so that it never felt overwhelming. My two teenage children (16 and 18 years) had an incredible time and enjoyed every place we visited.
We explored the vibrant cities of Bergen and Oslo, as well as the stunning countryside, including Flam, various fjords, and the breathtaking landscapes we saw during our train journeys. I also interacted with Fenne, who provided all the necessary links for tickets and vouchers. She was extremely helpful in answering any questions I had.
Having a trip to an unfamiliar country organized by KimKim was definitely worth it. They took care of all the logistics, so we didn’t have to worry about purchasing boat, rail, or funicular fares or waiting in lines. Before the trip, I was a bit anxious about the possibility of too many activities per day, but the balance was perfect, allowing us to enjoy each moment fully.
Norway is an amazing country. My kids especially loved the RIB boat safari and the free bike tour, and they even swam in the fjord that day! Personally, I loved visiting the Gudvangen Viking Village, exploring Bergen, and the unforgettable Flåmsbana train ride. I also enjoyed the self-exploring day in Oslo, visiting the Munch Museum and letting my kids scroll around the city center.
The trip perfect, but if I had to change one thing, I would have taken the Naeroyfjord Round Trip boat to Gudvangen and returned by shuttle bus, instead the other way round. That day was quite full, and we were a bit tired at the end, so the 10-minute bus ride would have been better than the 2-hour boat journey back.
The hotels were all lovely, and it was a real comfort to have dinner included during our stay at Heimly Pensjonat for three days. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better experience, and I highly recommend planning your trip with KimKim!
Thank you Mar and Fenne.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

Very close to the train station, which was very handy as we arrived by train and we had to leave to the airport from there.

Authenticity & Character

no charme, as in the middle of a shoping center

Location

Almost in the train station :-)

Staff

very friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

the extra bed for the third person was uncomfortable

Heimly Pensjonat

Flåm

Amazing views, very nice rooms, amazing breakfast and dinner. It felt like being at home. The only small issue we had is that we only got one roll of toilette paper and we rund out of it on the third day. But that was ok, as we could manage with tissues. The staff in the restaurant was very friendly and even offered an alternative to one of the meals that my son didn't like.

Authenticity & Character

Felt like home.

Location

Just in front of the Fjord with amazing views.

Staff

Very nice waiters.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were slightly to narrow.

Clarion Hotel Admiral

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

The breakfast was amazing, it even had vitamins, omega, all kind of veggy milks, and everything else you can think of.

Location

The best thing is the location, directly at the Fjord, in front of the Bergen Brygge houses.

Staff

Everybody was very nice and friendly. We felt like at home.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was super comfy. We slept as stones.

Activity Reviews

Round Trip Fjord Cruise & Bus Transfer via Gudvangen

Norway

I love the fact that the boat is electric. Again, amazing views over Fjords and Waterfalls.

Quality of Experience

e-boat

Guides, Drivers and Staff

everybody was very nice

Transport

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise

Bergen

Breathtaking landscapes and history.

Quality of Experience

great views

Guides, Drivers and Staff

do not remember the staff, but that is a good sign

Transport

departs from the city center

Fløibanen Funicular Ticket

Bergen

We had a great view from the top of the Floi mountain.

Quality of Experience

Good view over Bergen

Guides, Drivers and Staff

no drivers or guides were involved as it was easy to get along alone

Transport

station in the middle of Bergen's center

Culture & Nature Excursion by Electric Minibus

Flåm

This was one of my favorite tours. We went with an electric mini bus to very interessting places, such as an abandoned medieval farm village (Otterness if I remember correctly), we visited the Flam Church, a shoe factory in Aurland and several Waterfalls.

Quality of Experience

easy and confortable

Guides, Drivers and Staff

the guide was explaining many interessting things about e-cars, culture and nature

Transport

very comfortable mini bus

Viking Day in Gudvangen

Gudvangen

We had an amazing vikinger guide who knew a lot about nordic mytology and history. He had a very good sense of humor and charme. The village was very authentic and interessting.

Quality of Experience

Very authentic viking village with a very funny guide.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide knew a lot about norse history and mythology. He was like a mix of an actor and a teacher.

Transport

It was very easy to take the shuttle bus from Flam to Gundvangen.

Rental Bike Excursion

Norway

Quality of Experience

Top bikes and very good roads.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We did not speak much, but that is a good sign as everything was so simple.

Transport

Very close to the hotel.

Fjord RIB Safari & Undredal Cheese Tasting

Norway

Gustav and Helmut were our guides and they were super nice. My kids (16 and 18) liked this activity the best. It was the best Fjord trip as you are much more in contact with the water, the wind, the mountains and you can almost sense the trolls.

Quality of Experience

It was very dinamic, fun and exciting. We heard a lot of stories from the guides about the legends, landscape and habitants.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very cute and nice guides. They made us feel very welcome, safe and entertained.

Transport

The boat started just from the dock in front of the hotel.

We traveled in Norway. We rented a car and then traveled to places recommended by KimKim and Mar. It was great to have a mix of planned days and days with suggestions that we could do on our own. We really enjoyed Flam with the train, zipline, bikes and kayaking. The scenery and suggested routes to drive were simply stunning. We were thrilled with the accommodations. Norway will be a stunning memory for sure!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Aurlandsfjord

Aurland

This one was fine - no elevator. What was a really nice perk was that breakfast and dinner were included. The only downside to that was there was no choice in the dinner - if you did not like what they were having, you would have had to buy something else. I was vegetarian and that was fine, but my daughter did not want goat and asked to have the vegetarian and was told no. Town is cute, but small.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Balestrand Hotel

Balestrand

This hotel had a fun vibe with a pool table and young staff and a bar. The room was our smallest of all of them and breakfast was only croissants and coffee. The town was also small but beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

This hotel was fine. Right in the city center - right next to the train station. Parking was a little hairy in the tight garage, but otherwise, just fine.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Home Hotel Bryggen

Bergen

The centrality of this hotel was great as was the "family" room we stayed in. The included breakfast was amazing. The only downside was parking - garages are so tightly packed downtown! Yikes!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trolltunga Camping

Odda

The room was great with a kitchen and bedrooms. The scenery walking into town and the lake were gorgeous. The staff was also very helpful and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Highland Lodge

Geilo

This hotel was new, beautiful, had lovely walking paths, a pool, a sauna, a kitchen in the room and was just beautiful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ulriken Cable Car

Bergen

This ride was great - the views were amazing and the walk down was hard on the legs, but worth it! Just note, there is a funicular in town but this is a 12 minute drive outside of town. Town buses seemed to be available to get there. Note what kind of ticket you have. Ours were one-way which was great! But it is a steep descent (or ascent!)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Summer Kayaking Excursion

Norway

The guide, Romane, made it amazing! She was knowledgeable about the sport and the area. She told us good stories and also let us discover the scenery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She was so much fun to chat with!

Transport

Flåm Railway, Zipline & Cycling Adventure

Norway

This was amazing - I am afraid of heights but sucked it up and am glad I did. The train ride to the zip line is stunning and the zip line itself is the longest in Norway - over beautiful scenery. Then we picked up bikes to ride 7 miles back downhill to town. Easy! After lunch we went kayaking with a guide who was outstanding - she was so personable and knowledgeable about the area. Overall an amazing day! Definitely the best day for our teens!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viking Day in Gudvangen

Gudvangen

This was a nice way to break up a travel day and see a Viking village and to learn more about what defines a Viking and how they lived. The guide was knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Everything was perfect and always quickly responded when there was an issue! Thank you for all your help for a lovely trip to Norway!

Absolutely beautiful country. Started in Oslo, for those looking for adventure I would limit your time here. Balestrand has amazing hiking, got to the Burasi peak for spectacular views. Take a few hours to kayak. The RIB boat tour is a quick way to see some other beautiful Fjords. In Bergen get a ticket to ride up to the overlook point and you can hike further up the mountain and enjoy some beautiful perched lakes along the way. Had a great time fishing, about a 5 hour experience with 2 hours in the water with lines in.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Original room was very small and clearly wasn’t cleaned. The staff was initially in denial.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location

Staff

Not helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dirty bathroom and the room clearly was cleaned

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Great views and perfectly located property. Spacious rooms with a balcony. Great breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Great property surrounded by local history

Location

Perfectly located at the edge of the fjord

Staff

Friendly and helpful staff and bartenders

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and spacious

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Great location and friendly staff. Rooms are modest in size. Lower floors can hear the nightlife.

Authenticity & Character

Older hotel with charm

Location

In the middle of everything

Staff

Nice at check in

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean

Activity Reviews

Catch & Cook Fishing Excursion

Bergen

They put you on fish and the fish soup was good. Very nice staff

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Finnafjord Safari by RIB

Balestrand

Quick trip with amazing views

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking in Sognefjord

Balestrand

High end kayaks with a rudder

Quality of Experience

The views

Flexible with revisions and additional requests. We had a great trip!

Mar and Fenne were so incredibly helpful. They planned an amazing trip throughout Norway with a lot of fun activities. When my son was injured a week before our trip they were super helpful in cancelling what could be cancelled.
I would use KimKim again in the future for sure!

The trip that we went on this summer to Norway was magical and in everyway, met all of our key expectation with many visual, hands on experiences and delicious surprises too! The places that we visited like Oslo and Bergen (at Tom Christer's suggestion, set up walking tour guides ) This was most beneficial since we had a limited time to explore and enjoy each destination and activity (ies) all along the way. Both guides, (Stig, Mr. Oslo, a native Oslonian) and (John, a local and nature enthusiast, our guide in Bergen) made the whole experience educational, fun and encouraged us to seek out some other special gems of both cities respectfully before we left for further adventures to come.....Like the Fjords!

I must say, Greg and I could go on and on for hours sharing our kimkim travel experiences!!! The fishing/angling day trip on the fjords (Balestrand) was amazing and Captain Tor (a local of Balestrand, Norway) was exceptional with his stories (loved it), answered all of our super interested Q's...we had a successful time, catching fish and touring the fjord areas there. Very first time I realized that seagulls can understand English, after a fashion. "Larry and Denise" are friends of Captain Tor's , the pair are a delight to have around, for sure. I liked all hands on education surrounding the creatures that live in the water and land there, the Starfish where beautiful and I was surprised that they, Starfish actually have a visible, tiny starfish shape on their underside, brillant! Oh the Cider tasting and Lunch super culinary experience and the Hard Ciders went so well with our lunch spread. Like I mentioned before in this review , all the details of the entire trip where very easy to implement including public transfers by train, ferry, cabs, trams, sooo important. The ease of our tour was so well planned by Tom Christer, every special detail , Perfect. We loved love Norway and will return as we can do...so very much more to experience...we speak of all we enjoyed and can hardly wait to return.

Thank you thank you ...Tom Christer~

Hotel Review

Hotel Aurlandsfjord

Aurland

Wonderful Hotel Aurlandsfjord. Comfortable, interior designed and care of a stay here was A plus, the staff and the cusine impeccable, excellent. Location was a joy to walk around this hotel site, the water, the trails and shop s wonderful! There was absolutly nothing we did not like about our stay here. We liked all of the places we stayed. wouldn't change a thing.

Authenticity & Character

The Staff, the Comfort, beautiful! Warmily met (I'm very observant) I've been told by family, friends.

Location

It beauty there getting to it and scenery, jaw dropping beauty... Norway is very clean...can't stress enough!

Staff

All staff were helpful...Anne the young worman who managed the nite from late afternoon until after the dinner hour was fun and enjoyed working there making sure all the guest where attended to in a timely manner at the Hotel Aurlandsfjord

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yes...the Dinning areas and social/ relaxing areas were always impectable, and the rooms and beds, linens where fresh and "just Nice"

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Love the Tour and really found John to be very very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Yes the consistency

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Well the people of Norway are extremely good looking and intelligent!

Transport

Viking Dinner at Ægir BryggeriPub

Norway

The dinner and tour of the area was so exceptional and more than I expected.

Quality of Experience

History

Food

All the Food we were served

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Norwegians are just like that.

Transport

Nærøyfjord Cruise & Viking Valley Tour

Norway

We love the History of the Scandinavian Countries, expecially the Viking era.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All Aspects

Transport

Tom Christer is a most excellent tour planner. Tom Listens

Transfer from Flåm to Aurland

Norway

It was all so fantastic... easy and compfy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Every one was on time...and Norway is sooo CLEAN!

Transport

Ease of connecting....really not hard or difficult.

Royal Palace Tour

Oslo

Very beautiful. We love the History...Nice to observe the guards and just stroll the grounds... really nice in parks too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Easy Accessible

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Wonderful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lifestyle: Balestrand Fjord Angling & Trolling Excursion

Balestrand

NO

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Balestrand Orchard Walk & Cider Tasting

Balestrand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was well planned!

Activity Review

Overnight Hike to Trolltunga

Odda

This was an incredible experience. We almost missed our tour due to a lack of communication with our bookings team and Kim Kim. We were told we were with Trolltunga Adventures and the tour started at 11:30. We were actually booked with Trolltunga Active, who start tours at 10:30. We were not told about the parking situation at the base of the hike. We had reserved parking we were not told about in P2 with a paid shuttle to P3. Due to this, it was a hassle to race up the mountain and find our correct group. If not for the amazing tour guides at Trolltunga Active and the humorous shuttle driver, we would have missed out on our favorite part of Norway. We are still trying to get our pictures from the tour guides at Trolltunga Active and have asked Kim Kim for help but have made no progress.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Naeroyfjord and the Geiranger Fjord were the highlights for us. The geography is so unusual.

This is the first time our family of four used KimKim and I know we will be repeat customers based on how amazing our trip to Norway was! Our specialist, Mathia, did a great job developing an itinerary based on our requests, and the trip was once-in-a-lifetime! We said we wanted to experience the beauty of Norway and that's exactly what happened - our accommodations in Aurland were right on the water of the fjord, and we saw an otter hanging out there one morning! The hotel in Ulvik was comfortable and convenient, and all the transfers and tickets were perfect. Because everything was taken care of, we were more relaxed and able to truly enjoy the trip. On Mathia's recommendation, we stayed a day in Bergen and I'm so grateful he recommended it - Bergen was the highlight of the trip. The guide in Bergen provided a wonderful overview of the city and we were able to enjoy our personal time there even more. I knew this itinerary was a good one when native Norwegians told us "You saw the best places!". Many thanks to Mathia and his support on this journey!

Hotel Reviews

Strand Fjordhotel

Ulvik

Family run hotel with lots of character, big rooms and large patio area right on the water. We really enjoyed our time there and the personal attention from the staff ensured a wonderful stay. Conveniently located in the middle of the village, easy walk to the cider farms, kayaks and bikes available for rental.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Conveniently located, clean rooms, good breakfast buffet - just what we needed. Literally steps from the train station, which we used to arrive and depart, so the convenience was great.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Norge by Scandic

Bergen

Amazing breakfast buffet - so many choices and a great way to fill up before a busy day! Rooms were clean and appropriately sized for a city hotel. Location is perfect in the middle of Bergen within walking distance to everything. It was a great home base for our two days in Bergen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

We stayed in a cabin right on the water with a small kitchen and living area - it was great for our family of four. We had a small sitting area outside that was right on the water, so I spend most of my time out there, looking at the fjord. Excellent breakfast and conveniently located right in the middle of the village.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore a Cider Farm in Hardanger

Ulvik

This cider walking tour was a great way to learn about the Hardanger fjord area, as well as learn more about apple orchards and cider production. It was very interesting and helped me understand more about this part of Norway. Highly recommend as a good way to stretch your legs and learn.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Amazing! Highly recommend doing a tour with John - his knowledge about the area really enhanced our stay in Bergen. He took us all over the city at a measured pace and pointed out things only the locals know. It was a great experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjordsafari Extended

Norway

Excellent! Up close and personal view of the fjord and villages - really enhanced our understanding and awe of the area. Staff was pleasant and professional - I appreciated their attention to safety. Highly recommend. I was concerned about motion sickness and it was not a problem at all - so glad our planner recommended this activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

Amazing view - great way to get a feel for the area on our first day there. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had never used a service like Kimkim to plan a trip before, but have had such an amazing experience in Norway, thanks to Tricia and the Kimkim team, that we'll be coming back. Having someone like Tricia give us expert advice and structure our trip around our wish list has been amazing, and she had us doing things we wouldn't have thought of (Flam bike ride, floating sauna, walking tour guide in Bergen, and staying in Hjelle, to name just a few!)
We knew that it could be a busy 12 days in Norway, but the local knowledge from Tricia meant that a good mix of travel, activity and downtime to simply appreciate the beauty of the surroundings was achieved.
And it didn't stop with the planning and booking of everything, it was really nice to have Tricia keeping in touch with us nearly everyday to make sure things were going to plan.
Thanks Tricia, a truly memorable holiday, that managed to avoid the crowds, and had my daughters constantly saying, "this place can't be real, we're in a fairy tale!"

Hotel Reviews

Wangen Apartments by Fjord Resort

Aurland

This place is very modern, fancy, and ideally situated at the waters edge. Fantastic views, and very very comfortable.

Location

10 min from Flam, right on the waters edge in Aurland. Lovely balcony to admire the fjord from!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fjelleventyret gårdsovernatting

Vassgangen

Ultra modern, really comfortable, and perfectly located for the stables, and hill walks. The restaurant on site serves amazing food!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vollsnes Feriehus Stryn

Stryn

We did not expect this apartment to be so amazing. The location is stunning. The apartments are super super comfortable, with our own sauna and all the facilities we needed. Having access to row boats, kayaks, SUPs, and bikes made this seemingly remote location just come alive for us. The one thing I would recommend though, is to get an apartment with a view of the lake, ours didn't which was a little unfortunate. Otherwise, we couldn't fault the place, and would happily spend a week or more there next time!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quiet, but stunning!

Staff

The owner and her father, always stopping for a chat if we were outside, and generally interested in what we wanted to do.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hurtigruten

This wasn't a ferry trip, it felt more like a cruise! Amazing food, comfortable cabins, smooth sailing and scenery everywhere!

Authenticity & Character

Location

How can cruising up the coast of Norway, weaving through fjords and islands not be AMAZING!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

A nice old style hotel which seems to come from the age of steam trains! Located right beside the main railway station in Bergen, but also close to the main tourist areas. Very helpful and friendly staff. No great view from the hotel, but you are in downtown Bergen!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nes Gard

Høyheimsvik

Lovely farmstay type hotel, with comfortable rooms in a converted barn/warehouse. The restaurant cooks amazing set meals (no choice) which were divine, even for picky teenagers!

Authenticity & Character

The use of the old farm buildings and homestead give the place so much character. The fact that the evening meals are prepared with as much local produce (and farm grown if possible) added to the authenticity.

Location

A nice quiet location, with a fabulous waterfall on the far side of the fjord.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

The hotel was nice and close to the central railway station, and well placed for walking through central Oslo, the opera house, and the harbour areas. Breakfast was exceptional! Other than that, it is a typical city centre chain hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Typical city centre chain hotel.

Location

Very close to central railway station, a lot of public transport options, and easy to walk through central Oslo.

Staff

Friendly and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

In general the place was very clean and comfortable, but a couple of areas of cleanliness in the bathroom were lacking.

Activity Reviews

Horseback Riding: From Village to Mountain

Norway

This was an activity for my daughter who is an experienced rider, used to guiding treks herself. She had such a great time with the guide, pony, and the other rider on the trip, and found the whole experience truely memorable.

Explore Bergen with a Local

Bergen

Not something we would have thought about doing, but another suggestion from Tricia that hit the mark! John was brilliant at understanding what would be good for us to see, and tailoring his tour and commentary to suit. We saw parts of Bergen we would never have found, and gained a better appreciation for the city away from the tourist areas. The guide, John, has so much knowledge and a really nice and easy going way working with us.

Flåm Railway and Cycling Adventure

Norway

The Flam railway was on our list of must do activities, and it lived up to expectations. A great 1 hour train journey. But, the cycling back down to Flam was even better! Great suggestion from Tricia that we would not have thought of. We had such a great morning cycling back down with amazing scenery, waterfalls, tunnels, river, and goats! So good, we wanted to do it again straight away!

Embark Hurtigruten

Norway

So good... comfortable, smooth and really well looked after onboard. But the scenery that is going by, steals the show.... it's amazing. So good that I had to get up at 4am to watch the sunrise as we cruised between islands and fjords. Wished we were booked to stay onboard for a week!

Kayak Trip on the Lustrafjord

Norway

The trip itself was amazing and not a hard paddle. The guide was brilliant, a lot of humour, a lot of facts, and generally kept everyone entertained!

We LOVED Norway and we loved everything Mar set up for us. It was such a wonderful experience. And everything was smooth from the moment we arrived to our drop off at the airport. The only bummer was having to leave. I will definitely be coming back to Norway and will look into KimKim for any future trips. And Mar was truly outstanding. She listened to everything we had to say and planned our trip accordingly. Every hotel, every train, every restaurant recommendation and every activity was perfect. She took the stress of having to plan a vacation out of the equation so all we had to was enjoy every minute. I would definitely recommend KimKim and definitely recommend Mar. And I hope to return to Norway again soon.

Activity Reviews

Fjordsafari and Hike to Mountain Goat Farm

Flåm

Such a great way to experience the fjords - from the water and the mountain tops. The boat experience was super cool to go racing through the water, see the waterfalls up close, learn about the different villages and the myths of the trolls. Robbie our guide was awesome!! And then the hike up to the goat farm was something else. The views were breathtaking. AnnaKaren the owner of the farm was amazing - the goats, the lunch, her hospitality - we couldn't have asked for anything better. And our guide Lauma was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Floating Sauna Experience

Norway

Such an amazing experience. There were only two of us so we had the whole sauna to ourselves. The views from inside the sauna, jumping in the fjord to cool off, truly incredible. At first I thought 2.5 hours would feel like forever, but then I didn't want it to end.

Quality of Experience

Mathia made our trip planning easy - a well planned trip across Norway with nice accommodations and helpful tips along the way. He gave us all the necessary details and checked in daily. When we had some minor issues, he replied super quickly and helped us sort it out. We especially liked the Flåm railway/bike excursion and enjoyed our stay in Oslo at the beautiful Amerikalinjen hotel.

Our trip was titled by Kimkim "Amazing Norway from South to North" and it was amazing! In every city we visited we had varied activities planned along with ample time for pursuing things on our own. Ethel really listened to our interests and built a trip allowing us to see a good portion of the country in our limited two week time frame. We had two excellent tours. The Food and Cultural Tour in Bergen was informative and fun. Our guide's love for the city was evident in her enthusiasm and in depth knowledge of the area. In Tromsø, Bernhard did a terrific job highlighting the history of Tromsø and the region. He helped us fall in love with the city. The learning throughout the trip was well balanced with physical actives and opportunities to soak in the beauty of the scenery. Norway in a Nutshell made for a long day, but it was so worth it to see so many incredible views. We snorkeled and kayaked. Our kayaking guide, Rune was incredibly helpful, thoughtful, and provided us with interesting insights into Norwegian life as well as a fun day of kayaking. Our accommodations were good and breakfast was always included. We enjoyed the over night trip on a cruise ship which made a side trip into Trollsfjord and through the islands of northern Norway. The midnight sun was spectacular!

The Kimkim team was very responsive to questions and worked with us to resolve two unforeseen issues. On one day activities were planned too close together, but in the end it all worked out. Additionally, in Tromsø, our itinerary said that we had reservations at the restaurant at the top of the gondola only to find out that the restaurant was no longer in existence. I would suggest providing information or suggestions on public transportation options in Svolvær. We spent over $100 on a taxi to get to our snorkeling excursion only to find out that we could have taken the bus for about $9. Needless to say, we returned on the bus!

Over all the trip went very smoothly and we felt each day was filled with great activities and adventures! I hope to work with Kimkim again. Thanks for an amazing trip!

Kristiina was very helpful and knowledgeable, paid close attention to the kind of trip we were looking for in Norway, and did not disappoint! The itinerary was well planned out and detailed, so helpful to refer to during our trip. Fenne did a fantastic job making our reservations and making edits when we had questions or concerns. We were affected by the global IT outage and had our flight to Oslo disrupted as well as lost our baggage, but the emergency text line and Rufo were amazing! They were able to find us a hotel in Amsterdam at a lower price, notify our hotel in Oslo that we would be missing the first night and arriving very late the next day, as well as direct us to places to purchase clothing. They also switched the dates of our reservations for a kayak trip when we noticed that it was going to rain that day. Can't say thank you enough to them for their on-the-spot support! Highly recommend KimKim to any travelers, they are very professional and kind :)

Mathia was just incredible in putting our trip together. We gave him what we wanted to do and he made it all happen. Our hotels were booked very strategically for our 1 and 2 nights in each place taking into consideration for very early train and ferry departures.
Our private guide, John, In Bergen was excellent and gave us a lot of interesting historical information. Our guide in Trondheim, Wanda, was beyond excellent. She showed us so much and was very informative with everything.
It was unfortunate that the audio on the Gerainger excursion wasn’t working but other than that it was lovely.
We can’t say enough nice things about the quality of KimKims services and the expertise of Mathia.

Hotel Reviews

Quality Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bristol

Oslo

Just fabulous Second best breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near every thing to see

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Close to the train for a 6:15 am departure and near the opera but not near the other sights we saw. It turned out that the Bristol was better located for all that we did our first 2 days. Aside from that, which has nothing to do with the hotel, our stay was very nice and we had arranged for a bag breakfast as we had to leave very early.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Nidelven

Trondheim

Best breakfast buffet ever experienced. No compaints.

Scandic Kristiansund

Kristiansund

The hotel is old and tired looking as is Kristiansund. Our least favorite.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Trondheim Walking Tour

Trondheim

Excellent and informative. Wanda is one of the best guides ever anywhere.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Geiranger Fjord Cruise

Ålesund

Unfortunately the audio wasn’t functioning so much was missed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Audio was non functional

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Our local tour guides, Stig(Oslo), Tor(Belestrand) and John (Bergen) were great! They all had wonderful stories to tell and it was obvious they had great love for their cities. Thank you!

I usually plan all my travel by myself but was feeling a bit overwhelmed with figuring out where to go and what to do in Norway. Maria did a wonderful job tailoring the trip to our interests. We loved our kayak and hiking tour with Mads in Alesund. Kayaking in Geiranger was also a highlight. The accommodations were great and the distance between towns was perfect and allowed us to see breathtaking vistas but not have to drive all day. The entire trip went smoothly and we wouldn’t hesitate to use Kimkim again.

We loved our trip to Norway and working with Linda who lives in Norway. We usually plan our own trips, but we became unsure of where to go and how to get around. Linda had a plan for us within 24 hours. We loved the fjords, the quaint hotels, our kayaking and mountain bike/hike trips, the beautiful countryside and all the people we met. Linda checked in with us during our trip and was available if we had questions.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

Larger upscale hotel that seems like it was the nicest in Alesund.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hustadvika Havhotell

Fraena

Comfortable lodging on the sea in a remote area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Storfjord Hotel

SKODJE

Luxury hotel that over looks the fjord and mountains in the distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sagafjord Hotel

Sæbø

Most beautiful views of fjord and mountains! Comfortable hotel that could use some updating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

E-Bike and Hike with a Guide

Skodje

Fun morning mountain biking and hiking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hjørundfjord Exploration: Kayak Tour

Hjørundfjord

Most beautiful place to kayak!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This trip was fabulous. Truly gorgeous scenery and we were able to do many of the things I hoped to when imagining this trip. I loved the area that we chose in conjunction with Mathia, because while we wanted to be busy and doing activities it was such a calming and serene place, we couldn’t help but relax.

One thing I think as a company KimKim HAS to improve on is being explicit about what is and isn’t included. I thought the rental car was part of the package because we had discussed it to often and it wasn’t part of the list of excluded costs and that was a big expense to swallow after already paying for everything else, and I only found this out after the fact when booking the rental car. Another tip for the company: when we talked to Mathia via zoom, it smoothed a lot of issues we were having (and many iterations of the itinerary). I would recommend setting up at least 2 calls to be sure everyone is on the same page, to start the process and to finalize plans.

Once in Norway, there were a few hiccups with tour operators shifting plans, and both Mathia and Tricia were able to help us navigate those changes pretty effectively, and refunded what I wasn’t able to do. Mathia sent along spectacular hikes for us to do in hours of the day where we didn’t have plans (there are lots of hours in summer in Norway!).

We loved staying at Skagakaia (so quaint and Lone who operates the inn kept us fed with really yummy Norwegian foods) and the hiking around it as well. We did a kayak tour of a fjord with Ian while staying there, and it was so neat to go in the evening as the sun was setting! We saw lots of wildlife and got some great pointers to improve our technique. We also took a trip to Litløya and loved the tour of the lighthouse as well as our walk around the island to see historical settlements and notable geographic features.

We went to Andenes next and did a whale watching tour where we were surrounded by a pod of pilot whales, and some of them even interacted with our boat. From there, we took Mathia’s suggestion to hike Måtind which I would highly recommend to anyone in the area looking for a challenging but breathtaking hike.

Next we drove to Stokmarknes and did the 4 summit hike with Robin. This was a beautiful hike, a little less challenging than some of the others we had done, but the other option he had for us was more technical and we didn’t necessarily want to get into climbing on rocks with steep drop offs. If we make it back, we’d probably give that other hike a try. We enjoyed Norwegian chocolate and explored fields of wild cloudberries and blueberries.

Our last day we were in Stokmarknes again and did a bike tour of the coast of the island with Robin. Both of us are very anxious bikers but the tour sounded so fabulous that we wanted to give it a go. Because we had a flight to catch that evening, the tour was shortened a bit, but we made it out to a gorgeous beach with the Lofoten islands in the distance. We spent some time there and considered swimming were the weather a little warmer. From there we road back a little ways to the most adorable little art gallery/ cafe that also has a beautiful hidden lake (?!). We canoed around the lake, and then returned to the cafe for lunch and coffee/tea. Even as a novice bike rider, this tour was accessible (if challenging) and I really loved it.

We then made it back and caught our flight back. Truly an amazing trip. The only knock I would have on the actual itinerary was we would have appreciated more activities on days when there was just one tour, because we were trying to pack in as much as possible on long days, and had communicated this in the planning process.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Oslo Airport

Gardermoen

Nothing special, hotel by the airport but it served its purpose. Note that the shuttle from here to the airport is available for a small fare.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quality Hotel Richard With

Stokmarknes

Nice hotel but kind of strange to have such a nice hotel in such a small town with not much to do around it. We had scheduled tours to do but on off times didn’t know where to go. The room itself was well laid out and not too small. The beds were comfortable and my friend loved the pillow so much she looked up the brand to buy it for herself. The bathroom was also really nice and modern. Random to note, but the hair dryer was the best I used in Norway. The included breakfast was quite extensive and satisfied both an American breakfast craving as well as Norwegian tastes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skagakaia

Bø

So quaint and really cute! Enjoyed exploring all the common areas and eating in the dining room. The views from the shared patio area were stellar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Narvik

Narvik

They canceled my reservation when I didn’t show up by 6pm, which I was never scheduled to do, then with flight delays ended up there at 9:45. But what the heck?

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Marena

Andenes

Had a funny smell like body odor in the room, possibly sewage? But was clean and decently comfortable. Just not very impressive and the smell.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Tour with Skagakaia Guide

Norway

We went kayaking with Ian! It was gorgeous, we saw eagles and lots of sea life and he let us tool around the fjord for about 3 hours. Loved this, and felt like my kayaking improved with his tips.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

He picked us up at the inn we were staying at but we drove ourselves.