Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

Our guide in Oslo was very knowledgeable and fun to be with. She provided a very good overview of the history and places to visit. This was helpful when we spent our last full day there.
The hike outside of Stavanger was beautiful but too difficult for me. Unfortunately I held up the other people on the hike. The guide was very nice but not as helpful for me.
The food walking tour in Bergen was great! The guide was knowledgeable and a lot of fun!
We really enjoyed the cider tasting in Balestrand!! The ciders were great along with the food, and the guide was very quirky in an amusing sort of way. The orchard was so beautiful. Great fun!!
We loved the ferry ride up the fjord to the glacier. The guide was great!!
We particularly loved everything about Flam!! The hotel was a nice spacious break from smaller hotel rooms. Our guide for the kayak tour made the trip lovely. My absolute favorite part about the entire trip was the RIB excursion. It was surreal!! And the guide; he couldn’t have been better. I was a bit tentative about the zip line trip, but it was the most exhilarating one minute I’ve ever spent.
All in all the trip exceeded our expectations!

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Oslo

Perfect location! The most amazing breakfast ever! Only minor issue is the room was a bit small and no ventilation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Victoria

Stavanger

Very pretty and great location! Wonderful staff and the breakfast was so good’

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel

Bergen

Terrific location! Particularly lovely bar with great casual dining.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the hotel as soon as we arrived. The staff couldn’t have been nicer. We enjoyed having a glass of wine in the afternoon and taking in the incredible scenery from the deck!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåm Marina

Flåm

Loved the fact that the hotel was a little bit away from the harbor. The extra space made it feel like a small apartment which was nice to be able to spread out. It’s close to a small farm with a restaurant which was very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view from the small deck was fantastic.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Oslofjord Dinner Cruise

Oslo

It was very nice to see the city from the water at night all lit up with lights. The food was just ok.

Fløibanen Funicular Ride

Bergen

This is a must!!

Sør-Hidle Island Gardens Visit & Dinner

Stavanger

We were overwhelmed with the beauty of the gardens. The food was delicious

The entire trip to was phenomenal. We may never get back to Norway so wanted to make it memorable. We told Mathia from the KimKim team what we were looking for and he created an amazing itinerary. There is no way I could have done this on my own (trust me, I tried). The one on one guides were fantastic, the hotels were great, and having everything taken care of in advance takes a lot of headache out of travelling.

When we did have one issue with our ride leaving without us, Mathia was quick to respond and another ride was there within 20 minutes.

Thank you so much,
The Derby's

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

We didn't arrive until 2 AM, but they had someone there waiting for us!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Aksjemøllen

Lillehammer

Fun hotel in a great location

Authenticity & Character

It was a former mill and keeps the character of it alive in their decor.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oppdal Turisthotell

Oppdal

Fun place right by the train station so we wouldn't get lost!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Nidelven

Trondheim

Loved being over the water

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Really fun place right in the heart of Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Best food ever!

Authenticity & Character

We were in the newer part, but overall the hotel is very historical with excellent artworks

Location

Balestrand is amazing and the hotel is beautiful

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heimly Pensjonat

Flåm

Loved our little hotel. They have dinner there which we loved. They even held it when we were running late.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Geilo Hotel

Geilo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Our guide was so fun

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

we didn't have transport

Musk Ox Safari

Oppdal

Even though it was a larger group, our guide held us together well! Plus, we saw Musk Ox. Beautiful land

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trondheim Walking Tour

Trondheim

Guide was amazing. She showed us all around the city and made it personal to our Minnesota roots.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

N/A

Guided Kayaking in Flåm

Norway

We had to cut our paddling short due to weather, but the guides did their job and made sure we were safe.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nærøyfjord Cruise & Viking Valley Tour

Norway

Beautiful. Love having the electric boat as it was so quiet

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Waterfall Hike & Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

One of our favorite activities. There was no one else at the Stegastein viewpoint (and that is rare)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Got to see the city through the eyes of a local

had found KimKim while in the process of planning our honeymoon in Norway. A traditional travel agent wouldn't be able to provide what I was looking for but the scale of what I was trying to accomplish seemed massive and I knew I needed some help. A quick Google search led me to KimKim and it was exactly what I was looking for.

After a quick email exchange about where we wanted to travel too, we were put into contact with our local expert, Taylor. We started the dialog about where we wanted to go and things we wanted to do and she put together the first version of an itinerary for us. During the entire process she was very receptive to all modifications we wanted to make on top of giving meaningful feedback on our ideas since she has actually traveled in this area before. After some back and forth and a few versions of the itinerary, we had the blueprint for our perfect vacation. I should mention that up until this point we had not been charged for anything by KimKim and Taylor had been working hard on this for us for over a month. We paid the deposit after the itinerary was locked in and then Nick and Maria got to work booking all of our accommodations, excursions and transportation (airport transfers, etc.. KimKim does not book your flights).

Once everything was booked, the entire itinerary along with all confirmation numbers was conveniently put into an app and shared with us. I can't stress enough how awesome it was not having to sift through pages of emails looking for confirmation numbers and hotel addresses while abroad. I never had to do more than pull up the app to find any information I needed, and each location was linked to Google maps.

Our honeymoon went off without a hitch, and it was one of the best experiences I've had in my life. Not once did we run into a hiccup, every ride transfer was waiting for us when we needed them and if I had a question someone was prompt with a response. All in all the entire experience was a joy from start to finish and I would 100% book another trip with KimKim in the future.

Massive thanks to Taylor, Nick and Maria 🙌

Varied and fascinating trip of beautiful Norway.
The pan Mathis put together was flawless.

Our trip to Norway was a wonderful experience. We were impressed by the beauty of the country—the dramatic landscapes, forests, coastline, and charming towns and cities. Trondheim quickly became one of our favorite places, with its history, architecture, and relaxed atmosphere. We also greatly enjoyed exploring southern Norway, hiking along scenic trails, and spending time by the sea. Oslo offered a very different but equally interesting experience, combining nature, culture, and city life. Everywhere we went, we found people friendly and helpful. Norway left us with many wonderful memories, and we would happily return.

Activity Review

Trondheim Walking Tour

Trondheim

Kimkim was terrific and we just completed an outstanding trip to Norway!

I asked Anna to help put together a 3-week self-drive trip that focused on the outdoor beauty of Norway, including lots of day hikes I had read about (including others she might recommend), with accommodations that were nice & clean – and a handful of splurge stops she thought were worth it. Anna was quick to propose a trip that looked great, worked with us as we made a few tweaks (including a start in Oslo to take the cross-country rail trip before starting our self-drive – worth it!), and she recommended & incorporated a handful of private city walks and guided hikes. The process was easy, the trip was custom, the results were great.

Accommodation favorites include: The Bolder (a modern compact stand-alone cabin with a spectacular view), Fjaerland Fjordstove Hotell & Restaurant (a historic gem in a charming tiny town with a terrific restaurant), Blatind Botique Hotel (cozy luxury in a private mountain setting with excellent dining), and an unbelievable lakeside view from a Vollsnes Feiehus Stryn cabin near Loen. We also enjoyed the quirky/funky Dovregubbens Hall, and Hotel Brosundet in Alesund. And we stayed in a handful of Scandic hotels which were nice, clean, and had great breakfasts. We wanted a variety – and we were happy with the variety!

Add-on favorites include: A private city walk in Bergen, followed by a hike above the city the next day (beautiful). A private hike to a historic farm now known for wild blueberries in an idyllic setting near Fjaerland. And a floating sauna (with occasional fjord plunges!)

Hiking area favorites: Forsand, Voss, Loen, Andalsnes

One other note. Kimkim provided support during our trip – I didn’t expect to need it, but I did. During one of our drives, we arrived at what looked like an abandoned ferry terminal (we were the only ones there). I couldn’t quite make sense of the ferry terminal schedule on-line, so I reached out to Kimkim’s 24-hour number (it was Sunday), and they responded immediately --confirmed the ferry schedule, provided an alternate route if I didn’t want to wait, and asked what else they could do. I really appreciated the support.

A great trip! Thank you.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Voss

Voss

Great location in Voss. Big nice breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rosendal Turist hotel

Kvinnherad

Top floor room of old building had a tiny triangle-shaped shower with no shower door, and angled (roofline) ceiling in the bathroom (I hit my head twice). We ate at the restaurant on the night they were serving crab and shrimp buffet -- we did not care for it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were clean. The bathroom in my room just wasn't comfortable.

The Bolder

Forsand

Small but fantastic. We spent one entire afternoon marvelling at the view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The cabin was initially made up for 2 (reservation was for 3) -- and they remedied the issue promptly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fjærland Fjordstove Hotell & Restaurant

Fjærland

A historic gem in a charming tiny town with a terrific restaurant. The expansive lobby lounge and wrap around deck were really nice. This was a favorite for sure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vollsnes Feriehus Stryn

Stryn

The setting is spectacular -- the views amazing. Big, modern, and it has a washing machine! Free kayaks -- we used these and they were great. Walking distance to some great trails. The cabin is a 4-plex, so if others are out late on their deck, you will hear them (we did).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Owner stopped by after we arrived to make sure all was OK

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean.

Dovregubbens Hall

Dombås

Quirky, funky, but perfect for the setting, and we liked it. Clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Oppdal Turisthotell

Oppdal

Rooms were clean, but dated. Overall, this hotel seems tired. Breakfast was nothing special.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, but not cozy or all that welcoming.

Frich's Ekspress Hotel

Åndalsnes

Clean rooms. We liked and used the common lounge several times. Handy to have a grocery close. But the restaurant in the building is closed. And it's in a bit of an odd part of town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Seemed to be in the more industrial part of town. Restaurant in building is closed. Not bad, but we needed to drive to eat, hike, or see the town center.

Staff

Didn't see any, but rooms were clean.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blåtind Boutique Hotel

Stordal

Cozy luxury in a private mountain setting with excellent dining. This was a treat.

Authenticity & Character

Mountain lodge on the outside, lux on the inside.

Location

Staff

Ole was exceptionally personable and very welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

Great location. Rooms were fine.

Authenticity & Character

Genuine Alesund

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

Small but comfortable rooms. Very handy to adjacent mall, restaurant, train station. Good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very friendly at the front desk.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byparken

Bergen

I liked the location (away from the cruise crowds, but still very walkable to the main city area). Nothing special, but clean. Good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guidet Hike to Blåbærstølen

Fjærland

We had a beautiful day -- the scenery was terrific, and we even ate a few blueberries (though the season had passed). Our guide was a life-long local, very knowledgeable -- and enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Floating Sauna

Norway

Fun and hot (sauna) and freezing (jumping into the fjord). A must do. And the scenery -- fantastic!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Easy, easy walk from hotel.

Voss Gondol

Voss

The gondol ride was nice and the view up top is nice. Unfortunately the trails at the top are shared by mountain bikes, and though we didn't see/meet any mountain bikers on the trail, the trails themselves were torn up from bicycle ruts & very muddy -- a disappointment. Loved the swing at the top of the mountain.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Visit Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

The view is very nice. The drive up is insane.

Quality of Experience

Cheese Tasting in Undredal

Norway

Great cheese, and hands-down the best brown cheese of the trip. An informative hour.

Quality of Experience

Hike to Rampestreken Viewpoint

Åndalsnes

Steep, and tree-root covered along much of the way, but very doable. The hike above the viewpoint to the top is the steepest and most exposed along the side of the mountain.

Quality of Experience

The Bordals gorge

Voss

This is a quick stop (you can do a hike from the hotel, or drive there and step out). We drove (and did a separate hike around the city).

Quality of Experience

Geraingerfjord Safari by RIB

Geiranger

The day was cloudy & misty. Our guide was fine but not particularly exciting. We had arrived via ferry from Hellesylt (due to a road closure), so we had already seen most of it. On a clear day with a more entertaining guide, it would be better.

Quality of Experience

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

I liked getting away from the tourist center to see other parts of the city -- a more "real world" look at Oslo. We had a few bites of local food along the way (cinnamon bun, Syverkiosken) -- a nice walk!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Informative, and away from the cruise crowds -- our guide timed it so the bulk of the crowd had cleared once we arrived at the fish market area. Enjoyed walking the narrow streets and seeing the historic homes.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided hike over "Vidden"

Bergen

Our guide modified our original hike to accommodate us with a less strenuous hike -- funicular up, then hiking above the city, and back down to our hotel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

What comes to mind is my interest, long before my trip to Norway, in the Viking Age and Norwegian explorations, as demonstrated in two musical compositions: (1) "Viking" by Peter Hammill who, with vivid imagery, stirringly sings: "Looking out forward over the prow of our long ship, pulling our oars and listening..." see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oXn7m_4Cog, and (2) "Amundsen" by Justin Sullivan (while I cannot speak to this its historical accuracy, his is a fine video regarding Roald Amundsen. In taking on the explorer's persona, Mr. Sullivan sings "long ago I learned how to sail...see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_YZd6N978c.)

Without much thought of these works of art, before having arrived, and having no idea that Roald Amundsen's ship was still around, I was gladly surprised to find the ship, so well preserved, at the museum in Oslo! I was not even aware that there was such a museum in Norway. It was indeed memorable part of the trip.

And then there were the fantastic fjords, the climb made to Steinsdalsfossen waterfall, the Stave churches, the TB museum, all very rewarding. Also, while we were there the beloved King Harald passed away and with that event I was able to learn about his life. It was moving to be witness to so many of his followers paying tribute to the King at the parliament, while awaiting his funeral.

I would enjoy returning to Norway. The above accounts of my time there were made possible by Kimkim's planning, itinerary, and guidance, to include the wealth of knowledge displayed by our Oslo tour guide.

Steve

Krista helped us plan an amazing 31 day Scandanavian adventure through Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Highlights were the Folkmuseum and Vigeland Park in Oslo, kayaking in Flam, riding the funicular in Bergen to the park above and going to the Troll museum. The numerous fjord cruises were breath taking. We enjoyed the Cidery tour and lunch in Balestrand. And ending our time with a Midnight Sun kayaking in the Lofoten Islands. We loved Sweden visiting museums and castles. We took a day each to visit Sigtuna and another Uppsala where we had fun looking for Rune Stones. Our visit to Visby on Gotland Island, Sweden was fantastic. Starting and ending our trip in Copenhagen was perfect. The 3 hour Hygee tour is a must do and highly recommend traveling to Fredericksborg Castle. The hotels were very nice with delicious breakfasts. The hotel in Flam was okay but it made up for its plainness by its wonderful breakfasts and dinners. It was also nice to not be in the center if Flam with all the cruise tourists everywhere. We had excellent support by Matijs and Beni. They alerted us to the Norwegian Airtraffic controllers strike - luckily we were not affected. Thanks for the memorable trip!

Hotel Reviews

Copenhagen Island Hotel

Copenhagen

Our first stay here at the beginning of our trip was a room on the first floor facing the water with a small outdoor balcony where we could relax and watch people swimming. It has an excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Nice decor and lighting. The area for breakfast has good views and comfortable seating and layout.

Location

Great location, close to public transportation.

Staff

Breakfast was perfect.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Nice room and very good breakfast. Easy walk from station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Perfect for seeing the main sites. Centrally located.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heimly Pensjonat

Flåm

The hotel is small, only 42 rooms. The rooms are basic, no coffee maker in room. There was decaf coffee available but if you wanted regular coffee before breakast or later in the day, you have to buy it. But the fact that it is a 20 minute walk outside of town away from the deluge of cruise tourists and has beautiful views of the water and provided both breakfast And delicious dinners made up for the small, basic room.

Authenticity & Character

A place we're people stayed before the chain hotels. It had a homey feel.

Location

Away from crowds and beautiful water view.

Staff

The woman who worked the front desk was very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean - just an older building.

Scandic Torget

Bergen

A very busy hotel in central Bergen. We could easily walk everywhere to see the sites and activities. It was a mad house trying to checkin and we had to request luggage storage since checkin is 4:00. There is 1 key for luggage storage area and it is just a room off the dining area with tables and chairs in it. That made it feel stressful.

Authenticity & Character

Very good breakfast.

Location

Excellent. Right in the center of everything.

Staff

Only 2 check in people who were not that friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Donners Hotel

Visby

Great location, very friendly and helpful staff. Cool older hotel. We had a room on the 4th floor in the rafters. It was a large space which accommodated twin beds.

Authenticity & Character

Quiet, older hotel with character.

Location

Excellent. Visby is a walkable town and the hotel is in the center.

Staff

Very helpful and gave excellent recommendation for dinner on our first night. Both young men who worked the desk were friendly and fun to talk to.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Havila Cruise

Fosnavåg

When we were first boarding, we didn't realize that when you scan your ticket you are assigned specific seats. We thought we would have to find seats. The seats were comfortable and the meals very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Relaxing way to get to Alesund.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shower was great! Good water pressure.

Thon Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

Nice room with helpful, friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located.

Staff

Helpful providing excellent recommendation for traditional Swedish food.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Svinøya Rorbuer

Svolvær

Unique old refurbished fishing cabin. We stayed in 2 bedroom, and 1 bath on first floor and on 2nd floor was an open space with the kitchen, table and chairs and a livingroom. The bedrooms are tiny with built in single beds. Lots of character! The restaurant were breakfast is held is very old, charming and special.

Authenticity & Character

Most authentic place we stayed in.

Location

Beautiful views.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bedrooms can get hot and stuffy due to small size.

Hotel Lilla Rådmannen

Stockholm

Great place. Good location. Excellent breakfast. Excellent restaurant with Belgium beers.

Authenticity & Character

Great restaurant with Belguim beers.

Location

Near public transportation.

Staff

Friendly. Restaurant staff was very knowledgeable of their beers.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Norsk Folkemuseum - The Open Air Museum (museum tickets included)

Oslo

We enjoyed seeing the Stave Church, the old farms and buildings. We were lucky and saw a dancing performance. We tried the homemade lefties with butter. It is amazing that this musuem was started in 1881!

Quality of Experience

Historical buildings in a large open area.

Summer Kayaking Excursion

Norway

Nice small group kayaking experience in Flam's harbor area. Mette was a very knowledgeable guide and did a great job. The equipment was well maintained. It was a fun morning.

Quality of Experience

Guided Cidery Tour to Balestrand & the Sognefjord

Bergen

Balestrand is a very pretty town. The Cidery tour was fun and we had a delicious meal pairing 5 different ciders.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Midnight Sun Kayaking Excursion

Norway

Amazing kayaking experience. We had a good amount of time in the ocean. It was about 2 1/2 hours on the water. We landed on a small island for a small break for hot tea and cookies. Guides were excellent. The equipment was not as good as Flam's. The skirts were beat up and need to be replaced.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Need new kayak skirts

Sea Kayaking In Ålesund

Ålesund

We expected the kayaking to be in canals in Alesund to see Art Nouveau buildings. Tgat didn't happen. The group was too large and a good junk of time went to outfitting everyone with equipment. The guides were great but this tour isn't worth the time or money.

Quality of Experience

Smaller group. Kayak to see the buildings

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly

Transport

Good kayaks

Hygge Tour Copenhagen

Copenhagen

Our tour guide Amit was fantastic. We spent 3 hours walking around Copenhagen. He provided a lot of information about the concept of hygge, the Danish culture, historical facts and present day information about education, taxes, etc. We stopped first for a delicious pastry, then a stop at a sweet shop and ending the tour in a cute, funky little coffee shop.

Quality of Experience

Great guide, valuable information and delicious snacks.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amit was smart, friendly and easy to talk to.

Oslofjord Dinner Cruise

Oslo

Nice tour of Oslo by water with a very good meal.

Quality of Experience

Food

All of it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim did a fantastic job helping us organize our itinerary Norway, as well as offering possible activities and side trips. We are most grateful.
All the accommodations were excellent. Some trip highlights included The Hidden Gems walk in Oslo, the Romsdals Gondola and walk, The Loen Skylift, the Sor-Hidle Garden Visit and Dinner, and Lysefjord Cruise. The Borgund Stave church was incredibly impressive! The landscapes we drove through daily were absolutely stunning, and really reinforced why we were eager to see Norway in the first place.

From our end, we realize in retrospect that we probably tried to fit too much in for the time we had. Even though it was clearly posted on our itinerary, the driving some days ended up feeling like too much, with some days very long. We also had some major frustrations with the charging stations for our electric vehicle. It seemed like many of the stations required a unique app, and with all the instructions in Norwegian requiring us to use google translate, the whole charging process ended up taking far longer than we had expected.

We would definitely use kim kim again! Thank you for everything!

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Norwegian Evening Cruise in Oslo fjord

Oslo

Way too touristy. The shrimp dinner required a ridiculous amount of shelling for some tiny shrimp, making it not worth it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Arrive in Loen

Loen

The Sky Lift was great!

Sør-Hidle Island Gardens Visit & Dinner

Stavanger

Excellent! A hidden gem!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What a well organized and pleasant trip we had! Daniel was an enthusiastic and charming tour guide in Oslo. I loved each city: Oslo had so many sights to see-City Hall, Fram, Munch, and Open Air museums were fantastic. Opera House was fun to walk to and climb to roof. Transportation well organized by KimKim. Easy to get to train station from hotel, from cruise boat to hotel, to and from airport, etc. Train ride was beautiful and bike ride on path next to train going downhill looked like a great ride too! Flam and fjiords were gorgeous (my favorite pictures), but port was touristy with cruise ships. Our day trips in Flam were great with a challenging hike Brekkefossen and kayaking. I would replace Viking day Village with trip to Viking museum in Oslo when it opens. We were able to see Viking exhibit at Historical museum in Oslo, though. Bergen was interesting, particularly the funicular, hike, walk through Bryggen where we discovered St. Jorgen's hospital leprosy museum and church. Cruise to Rosendal was special, especially the Stone park, Manor and gardens.

Thank you for organizing a great trip!

The guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. They also took extra steps to make our handicapped group members feel comfortable.

The van driver from Farsund to Arendal went above and beyond to take some small detours at our request which permitted us to see some sights otherwise would be missed.

The extra effort to coordinate with family in Farsund and the guide making sure that their reception of us went very well made our group very very happy that we had made the journey.

Great job getting things together so quickly and addressing our concerns.

Hotel Reviews

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Small rooms but decent facility.

Authenticity & Character

Location

close to center of Oslo and other features

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Love this hotel and view. This was my second time staying there. Food service good too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfort Hotel Bergen

Bergen

Felt a little like we were staying in a dorm room again. Furnishing and room were a bit worn and tired.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very helpful with questions and needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom was decent but room a bit worn.

Activity Reviews

Luggage Transfer Service

Norway

Easy and convenient

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Past & Present City Walk

Bergen

Guide very knowledgeable and good. It was disrupted by memorial events for the king, however, so the tour was cut short a little bit.

Shared Fjord Sauna Experience - Flåm

Flåm

Love the boat ride. But there were many changes in where to stand in line. There was a lot of confusion.

Amazing vacation. The planning with our local agent Mathia was perfect. He listenes to our needs and planned the best holiday. We especially loved our time in the tiny town of Aurland relaxing in a café with a bottle of wine and the most incredible view.

Hotel Reviews

Wangen Apartments by Flåmsbrygga

Aurland

What a wonderful little hotel. The most amazing location sitting right on the edge of the fjord and next to two great restaurants. The room was simple and clean and simply perfect for the location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

Scandic Byporten in Oslo was good for a quick stop. We stayed there just to shower and have breakfast after arriving early in the morning before continuing our travel. The location was excellent, right next to the train station, so we didn't have to walk outdoors. The included breakfast was a nice touch.

Hotel Norge by Scandic

Bergen

Hotel Norge by Scandic in Bergen was a very nice, beautiful, and modern place. The breakfast was fantastic, one of the best we had on the trip. It was a great place to stay and added to the enjoyment of our time in Bergen.

Solstrand Hotel & Bad

Os

Solstrand Hotel & Bad was amazing and one of the nicest places we've ever been. The hotel used to be the residence of Norway's first prime minister and has a beautiful historic main building with a newer section where we stayed. The location on the water with views of the mountains and national park was stunning. The spa, pool, hot tub, and fjord swimming access were fantastic. We had full board with incredible meals every day, and the staff were very attentive to our dietary preferences. We also enjoyed biking and walking around the beautiful surroundings. It was a perfect way to end our trip.

Activity Reviews

Fjordsafari Extended

Norway

The Fjordsafari Extended was possibly one of the best things I've ever done in my entire life. It was a two hour and fifteen minutes extended riverboat tour, and we got lucky with beautiful weather. The experience was amazing, and being on the water with such stunning views was unforgettable. The weather could have made a big difference, but luckily it was perfect for us.

Waterfall Hike & Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

The Waterfall Hike and Stegastein Viewpoint was very nice and worthwhile. It wasn't as spectacular as the Fjordsafari, but we enjoyed it a lot. The hike was made easier because after the hike, they drove us up to the viewpoint, which saved us from a long uphill walk. The group was about twelve people with two guides.

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

The Bergen Walking Tour with a Local Guide was good but not great. Our guide seemed a bit resistant to new things and rushed us through the tour, finishing early and missing opportunities to explore some interesting sites like the oldest church and a fort. We ended up visiting those places on our own after the tour. The guide was nice and informative but could have been more engaging and thorough.

Our guide Mathia took the trip of our fondest dreams and imagination and made it a reality! We didn’t give him a whole lot of time to put it together, the trip was a bit of a last minute thing, but boy, did he pull it off! We got everything we wanted and more! Mathia was a pleasure to work with all the way through from the planning to the lift off for the return trip home. We wanted a full adventure in Norway and see as much of her natural splendor as possible and we believe we did, all thanks to Mathia and kimkim. Some of the highlights are: climbing up to Sugar Top Hill in Alesund, we loved that city, so scenic and so quaint! We decided we could live there! Our walking tour guide John Grahl-Madsen took us on a delightful walk through his home town of Bergen, he was so nice and accommodating. We absolutely loved our e-bike tour and hike through the Valley of the waterfalls in Husedalen and Ullenvang. I think that was my favorite! Our private tour guide Emilie Guyot was fantastic! She was very personable and knowledgeable and took care of us perfectly! We capped off the trip with a hike to Priekestolen in Stavanger. The are no words to describe the magnificence of that place! A very singular experience. All of our accommodations were spot on, just what we wanted. We were very comfortable in each of them. Again, this incredible and adventurous trip would not have been possible without Mathia and Christina, our kimkim guides. They were absolutely fantastic and always there when we needed them. We can’t wait to do it again and we would wholeheartedly recommend using kimkim to all of our friends and family who are looking for a great, very smooth and stressless travel experience .
David and Elizabeth Smith

Our group of 6 couldn't be happier with our Kimkim Norway experience. Your service and recommendations were spot on. All hotels were great locations, close to transportation and dining. Oslo: Our guide Daniel made Oslo come alive. So very knowledgeable about Amundsen's expedition, folk history, Stave churches, Vigeland sculpture park and Oslo in general. He pointed out other areas to explore on our own... like City Hall, the Library, the History Museum... all great ideas. *Sorry to miss the Viking Museum which was closed. Flaum: Train ride to Myrdal was just breathtaking and the forest spirit at the waterfall was unexpected. Our kayak adventure was perfect...just the right amount of time on the water. Again - our guide Greg shared so much information about the area and really made the experience much more interesting. Great hike in Flaum ... though my calves are still sore. Hotel and Food in Flam were very good. Baden: *I would have liked a tour of Bergen. While we enjoyed the Viking Village, it was a little too much time and effort. Hiking was nice. Added the Leprosy Museum which was fascinating. Needed more time at Rosendal. Rock Park was so interesting. Disappointed that our tour of the Manor didn't include inside spaces... we didn't have time to see it all. Overall just a wonderful trip. Thanks again for all of your guidance and support. Jo

Thank you Kimkim for five days of vacationing in Norway around Bergen and Oslo. The hotels were great, the scenery beyond belief, and the rain did not dampen our enthusiasm. We missed the tour of Bergen on the first day for reasons unclear to us, but the rest of the tour was impeccable.

Hotel Reviews

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel

Bergen

Great breakfasts and meticulous service.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Europa

Oslo

A little cramped

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Hardangerfjord & Waterfalls Day Trip

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luggage Transfer Service

Norway

Quality of Experience

Ww1

Guided Minibus Tour with Local Guide & Photostops

Bergen

It was cancelled without notice to us, and so far, no reason for the cancellation has been given.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall the trip was very good and Kim Kim was helpful. We had to know what we wanted to do. If we did not, i do not know whether we would have been told what to do. I came to Kim Kim because i did not know anything and wanted a lot of guidance. In the end, I had to say what we wanted. After we gave Krista parameters of what we wanted she came up with a good plan.

Planning
Airport private transfer were set up. About 2.5 time smore expensive than just Uber to hotel. Luckily at the last moment we asked and canceled the airport transfers. Our specialist, Krusta, should have asked us whether we were comfortable with Uber or wanted a private car.
We never got itemized costs of the trip so we could make decisions on whether we wanted to do all the activities. I had to ask 3 times for itemized costs and only got it after trip was done. That is NOT very transparent. A safari and a kayaking trip was suggested for out time at Geiranger. I assumed we would see different places. We saw the same fjord when we kayaked, and when we did the Safari and took the ferry from Geiranger to Alesund ( you will see the same fjord in any ferry route out of Geiranger). As such the Safari was completely unnecessary and for us a waste of money. Either the safari or kayak would have been enough.
We had Kim Kim get us all tickets to activities. In one way that was good. I do not know whether the cost was lower with Kim Kim. From what I see it was at best the same or higher. I think you are better off asking Kim Kim what activities to do and book them yourself unless money is not a concern.

Due to rail construction the train was changed to bus. The tickets issued still mentioned train and the bus information was hidden. Instructions on how to get to bus stops were not clear. Luckily i asked about it ahead of time and clarified where to go etc or we may have gone to the wrong place.

Experience and Service
With the exception of not telling us somethings to make our trip even better the service and communication were good. They had a support team (Matijs and Beni) who responded quickly on what's app as well as on the app. If we really needed something they were there. They told us that the bus stop in Alesund was changing due to road closures.
Krista, teh booking team (Jacob) and support team were polite and quick to be helpful.

Fees
Kim Kim never disclosed what their fees were and how they charged. In the end there is a service fee and an admin fee. I do not know whether it is a Percentage of what we bought through Kim Kim. Mine ended up being close to 20%. I expected that I would have higher costs for the great/extra service we received from Kim Kim (vs doing it all ourselves) but I thought it would be 10% but 20% for me seemed high. Thinking back had they told me it was 20% I would have likely agreed. But i was not told anything and then told this was my cost without any breakdown - which to be fair I accepted. I think it is better for the costs itemized to be shared before they take payment.

Overall
Loved Norway. Linked Kim. Great service. Service fee the high side.
Wil never go back again as Immigration in Oslo was the worst of any country i have been to ( I've been to over 30 countries). This has nothing to do with a strike - i kept being told this was because of air controller strike. Any non-EU passport holder has to wait for 3-4 hours to get into Norway. To leave Norway we waited 2 hours (there was no strike at that time). We were USA passport holders. They only have one person processing 90% of passengers arriving into Norway.

Hotel Reviews

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Good value for money. No A/C. Packed breakfast was basic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel

ÅNDALSNES

Nice. Fantastic Staff. Breakfast buffet good. Very costly relative to room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Marcus and Inka(Inga) were so helpful, polite and helpful. They made restaurant reservations for us. Let us store our food in hotel refrigerator.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grande Fjordhotel

Geiranger

Resort. Expensive but spacious rooms and beautiful. Not convenient to get to the town as it is a 2KM walk. Shuttle service is there bit frequency is not 24/7. Restaurant and Breakfast buffet is very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Need shuttle service to get to town. otherwise very quiet and beautiful. If you have your own car, FANTASTIC location.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Right in town. Windows face the street with cars and bars. NOISY all night Would be fantastic if they had A/C. Without A/C, we have to open windows to be cool and give up on sleep.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location if they had A/C. Without A/c have to open windows to be cool and sacrifice sleeping.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Geraingerfjord Safari by RIB

Geiranger

Very expensive. Not worth the cost. do not see anything that you cannot see from the ferry ride/cruise ship ride into port or Kayaking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Romsdalseggen Guided Hike

Åndalsnes

Great guide. Fun. Knowledgeable. Great for active fit people.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Kayaking Geirangerfjord

Geiranger

Great staff

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

N/A we did not use transport

Mathia was fantastic at setting up the 9 day trip for my wife and I to Norway...Oslo, Bergen, Aurland ,Oslo. We are both 80 and the trip was perfect in every way. That rarely happens to us. Everything eent right as planned. Often Mathia anticipated issues and contacted me...I didn't have to contact him. There was an air traffic controllers strike in Norway as well as the death of the King of Norway. We were kept informed throughout. Even when Matthia was away for a couple of days his backup couldn't have been more helpful. Every question I asked was answered almost immediately by Mathia or his backup. The quick replies by Mathia gave us peace of mind throughout the trip. We really liked Bergen, the Flam Railway, and of course the Fjord cruise. Thanks for a great trip.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

I

Scandic Ørnen

Bergen

Great location near train station and Opera House.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Aurlandsfjord

Aurland

Great view from our second floor balcony. Quiet. Elevator only goes to 2nd floor. Breakfast was perfect. Room included dinner for our 2 nights. My wife is Vegetarian. I am not. The dinners were not to our liking. Options were available for an additional payment. Staff was super polite and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great view of the fjord from 2nd floor balcony.

Staff

Very helpful and polite.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel, Oslo Gardemoen

Gardemoen

Right at the airport. Simple walk through a covered sidewalk to airport.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nærøyfjord Cruise & Viking Valley Tour

Norway

Viking Valley Tour was better than expected. Included horse shoes, archery, axe throwing and other games.

Quality of Experience

Stegastein and Borgund Stave Church

Norway

Quality of Experience

Kadri was lovely and amazing in every way, and, we had an absolutely fabulous trip! Thank you.

We had a very good trip! Thanks, Julia and team for putting it together and making sure it all ran smoothly. When we needed to change rooms to ensure we had two beds, the team was very responsive. Appreciate it!