Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

We enjoyed the trip put together by KimKim. All the transfers were easy to understand and having our e-tickets in pdf ahead of time made it all very easy. We enjoyed all the accommodations. And trip planning with Edzi before our trip was easy and communication was very good.

Our KimKim specialist in Norway, Tricia, was amazing from start to finish. We had a medical emergency while on our trip and had to change a lot of our plans. Tricia really stepped up and helped us out in our hour of need!

I would absolutely use KimKim again for any future international trips.

Hotel Reviews

Opus XVI

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Alexandra

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Exploration of Ålesund's Surrounding Islands

Ålesund

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We did not understand that KimKim was just booking things for us and not a tour guide. We thought she was picking us up and and taking us from one event to the next. We had 2people in their 80’s and one in late 70’s the other 3 were in their late 50s. We didn’t know until we sent deposit that we were on our on to get to tours, and would never meet anyone from KimKim. She never ask our ages and anything about us. We have traveled we so many travel groups that pick us up from airport and take care of us. We would never travel with this kinda of service again. It was terrible. We had to walk long distances with heavy suitcases and find our on way to each tour are train. This is very hard on a 88 year old person. All KimKim did was book 2 site seeing tours in Oslo ( which were a long walk to get to) 2 hotels, a train ride ( which we had to find our way too, ) and a lift up a mountain in Bergen. All of the tours were lovely but it was very hard on us old people to find our way and manage our on luggage.. This has never been the way we have traveled before. And it will never be the way we do it again

Hotel Reviews

Camillas Hus

Oslo

It was lovely and the breakfast was wonderful

Staff

Everything

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Panoramic Bus Trip

Oslo

We would have enjoyed it more if it could have been totally in English

Fløibanen Funicular Experience

Bergen

Loved it

Christina was great to work with on our trip planning and the emergency line was very responsive when we had issues with our luggage which required us to adjust our travel plans in real time. We appreciated Christina providing driving directions and links along with a schedule which included departure times to make it to our destinations. We had great experiences with the travel guides that were booked and would highly recommend both Fjaerland Guiding and Trolltunga Active.

Christina was the absolute best travel agent I’ve ever interacted with. She was clear in her comms, quick to respond and on top of things when there were (small) changes to the itinerary. She’s the sole reason I’d book through KimKim again.

A BIG thank you to Christina!

Best,
Nickel

FYI-I don’t like starred reviews-We would give a four and half, so don’t look at 4 as 80%.
Some closer attention to details as hotel and transportation location and name(Ex: we had a confusion about the Scandic Hotel in Alesund indicated on our plan, and the phone number was no longer working. We had a confusion about our second shuttle, not sure if that could’ve been avoided because the bus company Norway’s Best didn’t use their regular shuttle. They were using the shuttle to Stegastein ). Any problems we encountered were addressed in a timely manner as best possible by the team with a phone call.
We had no idea there was an indoor terminal to wait for the Hurtigruten coastal boat, also the info « deck » as our overnight accommodation led us to believe we were outside. There is no obvious information regarding that on the Hurtigruten website either, so that would have been relevant information. It was a welcome surprise that we had a fine comfortable space indoors on the seventh floor of the ship. There was also a hot tub on deck and it’s a good thing we had bathing suits with us because we were able to enjoy were able to enjoy it. So, in the future, it would be good to know to a bit more about the ship facilities.
We think it would be great if smaller family hotels were used instead of chains when possible. I know we asked for more economical lodging, so maybe we shouldn’t expect a room with a view. I didn’t think much about that myself in planning. In a country, with so many beautiful views, and with daylight for so long, it’s nice to have some kind of view.
Our experience at the Midtnes in Balestrand was so wonderful. We decided to go to Vik before leaving for Aurland and the owner had breakfast ready early and also brought us to the boat dock( and met our boat when we arrived). He also was full of information. We enjoyed the wonderful dinners at the Aurland Fjord Hotel, we kind of forgot they were in the plan -so it was a nice surprise :)
The guide (Toon?)for our hike in Balestrand was wonderful and we did hike to a higher view, he also brought coffee and Norwegian snacks for us. But we needed to meet him at the trailhead, not the tourist info- not sure what happened there- it was fine, we got his phone number and were able to start no problem.
We had a fantastic trip and it was great that all the necessary booking was done and we had enough free time to add lots to our trip on our own. We are providing details here only to help improve the experience. It was great to have the Kim Kim team on hand to call when needed.
Hester & Maria

We and our children and grandchildren just returned from a fabulous 11-day trip to Bergen and the Western Fjords. Our travel specialist, Linda Verasdal, did an impeccable job of crafting the perfect itinerary tailored to our interests and needs. What memories we made!

We started and ended our trip in Bergen. Must-do’s: Take a walking tour of the harbor area with a local guide to learn about historic Bryggen and tour its colorful, ancient wooden buildings; ride the funicular up Mt. Floyen for amazing views of the city, harbor, and surrounding mountains; then, hike back down to town. Take the light rail to visit an impressive stave church. Eat dockside at Fish Me or lunch as we did at Egon.

We then traveled into the Hardangerfjord region via private transport, stopping at the Jondal ski resort where we snowshoed up to the glacier! Exhilarating!

As we toured the fjord region, we spent two nights in each of these small villages: Lofhus, Ulvik, and Flam/Aurland. Highlights and faves: taking scenic cruises on the fjords on while counting the numerous waterfalls (!!) and taking in the breathtaking beauty, tasting the local apple cider at farms where the trees were in full bloom, kayaking, hiking, getting our thrill on a wild rib boat safari, and taking walking tours with local guides who told us about the area.

In the tiny town of Gudvangen, we took a private tour of the authentically reproduced Viking village of Njardarheimr where our excellent guide Cory debunked the myths and explained what life was really like in the Viking era. Craftspeople demonstrated traditional trades. Faves: trying archery and axe-throwing, meeting the Chieftain of the village, and being introduced to the ancient chess-like board game Hnefatafl. (No, we can't pronounce it!)

After a relaxing cruise on the beautiful Naeroyfjord to Flam, we feasted on the Viking Plank Dinner of local ingredients and brews at the Aegir Brewpub.

We finished our trip with two wonderful days in modern cabins right on the fjord in tiny Aurland. Lastly, we took the famed Flamsbana railway from the bottom of the Aurlandsfjord to the mountains in Myrdal, stopping midway at the powerful Kjosfossen waterfall.

What an experience!

Hotel Reviews

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

We stayed in the cabins with decks overlooking the fjord where we soaked in the peace and quiet as we took in the gorgeous views in all directions. We also very much enjoyed dining at the gastropub at this hotel.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ullensvang

Lofthus Hardanger

We requested rooms facing the fjord and were glad we did. The rooms were spacious and updated. The hotel itself is large and offers many amenities including multiple pools, historic buildings, a dock with seating, a large restaurant, and a bar downstairs for after dinner .

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Hotel Terminus is ideally located opposite the train station, making it easy to catch a train to the airport. The hotel is a renovated older building, but could use more refurbishment. The breakfast served at the hotel restaurant is excellent, however, the lack of a consistently open evening restaurant was a minor inconvenience. However, the location is very walkable, being a few blocks from downtown Bergen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Brakanes Hotel

Ulvik

Brakanes Hotel was a good experience. The location is absolutely stunning, with cabins right on the fjord. Despite undergoing an ownership change, the hotel remains a great place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Glacier Hike in Jondal

Norway

Great experience with guide Wilde who was very friendly, accommodating, and attentive to each person's needs in our group with a wide age range.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Ana gave us a full tour of downtown Bergen and the Bryggen area. She provided extensive information about the history of the area and offered suggestions for restaurants and shopping.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

RIB Fjord Safari

Norway

Driver Richard was great! He had a good sense of humor and gave our grandsons a thrilling ride in the speedy rib boat while not overdoing it. Loved it when he spun a yarn about how getting we in a waterfall with give you a longer life and then nudging the boat up to a waterfall at the fjord's edge so our grandsons could catch the spray! Only time will tell on the veracity of his yarn...

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided kayak in Ulvik

Ulvik

Our guide Christophe was genial and attentive to the widely varying abilities of our group. (Yes, I did bring up the rear!) He took us all across the bay at the end of the fjord where Ulvik is situated and then across the fjord. We stopped on an island where Christophe demonstrated how to start a fire using a rustic flint knife and a steel. Our grandsons were thrilled when he helped each of them to start a fire of birch bark and scraped tinder bits. He then made a fire on a portable grill and brewed us tea and coffee! Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

This was a leisurely tour of Naeroyfjord after our tour of Viking Village in Gudvangen and ending in Flam. Beautiful scenery and ore waterfalls!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Experience in Undredal

Norway

Louis, our guide, picked us up in a shuttle van and took us around the end of the fjord in Flam to Undredal on the other side. He took us on a walking tour of the tiny town while he explained the history of the area. We then visited the tiny stave church in town, which was an inspiration for the Disney movie Frozen. We admired the ancient painting on the wooden staves and ceiling inside the church and marveled at the two drawings dating from the Viking era, which were carved into small squares on the walls. We lunched on goat at a restaurant fjord-side where we tasted various kinds of goat cheese. The whole valley is famous for its goat herds and the cheesemaking.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Osafjellet and the Tunnel

Ulvik

The visit to Osafjellet and the Tunnel was interesting, but the guide spent too long on a PowerPoint presentation at the beginning, which was a bit dry. The tunnels themselves were fascinating, but the uneven, wet footing was a challenge, and the lack of provided lighting made it potentially dangerous. The overall experience was okay, but some aspects could have been better planned

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore a Cider Farm in Hardanger

Ulvik

The cider farm tour was a great experience, but there were some issues with communication regarding the amount of walking involved. The tour included a lot of walking, which was a challenge for some members of the group. The cider tasting was done back at the hotel rather than at the farms, which was a bit of a disappointment.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wonderful honeymoon in Norway! Definitely recommend Flam and the bike ride from Myrdal. Would love to go back!

Hotel Review

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cycling Adventure en route from Oslo via Flåm Railway

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ferry Transfers through Hardangerfjord

Norway

Kimkim team was very helpful on planning our Lofoten Islands trip to Norway. We had provided information on what we wanted to do while on our trip there, and they helped put together a detailed itinerary on the excursions and accommodations. They also provided us helpful information on places to check out on any down time that we had and were very responsive on communicating with us along the way if we had any questions. I would highly recommend and use KimKim again for future travels

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Havet

Bodø

Beautiful views of the water from the room! May have had the best breakfast buffet in Norway. walking distance to a lot of the local shops and restaurants. were able to take advantage of a sauna/polar plunge experience, which was in walking distance - would definitely go back again

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reine Rorbuer

Reine

beautiful views of the water and mountains from our cabin - walking distance to one of the best hikes in Norway, Reinebringen, as well as local convenience store and restaurant, which stayed open until midnight while we were there. staff very friendly and accommodating with any questions we had. great breakfast buffet. cabins were very clean. would highly recommend and visit again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Svolvær

Svolvær

beautiful views of the water and mountains from our hotel - if you are into hiking, close to the Djevelporten and Floya hike. walking distance to a number of restaurants, shops , and excursions - staff was very friendly and accommodating

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

HATTVIKA LODGE

Ballstad

Great hotel - we were there for a short period of time, so didnt get a chance to use the amenities (sauna) as much as would have liked, but the cabins were great. friendly staff as well. if we were able to plan with more time at the lodge, we definitely would in the future

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arctic Horseriding Trip

Norway

First time ever attempting horseback riding and the instructors did an amazing job at making me feel comfortable with it. Were able to enjoy a number of different views and walk along the local beaches. Enjoyable experience I would recommend to anyone.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Summer Kayaking Excursion

Reine

Kim was our guide for and she was great! made us feel very comfortable on our kayaking experience, offered great conversation, making you feel like you were hanging out with a friend

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trollfjord and The White-Tailed Sea Eagles

Svolvær

Guide was great at providing information on the fjords in the area, as well as the sea eagles - saw many sea eagles, so you wont be disappointed!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From a delightful walking tour of Oslo, to kayaking the Aurlandsfjord and ferrying along the Sognefjord, to discovering how much we love Balestrand, our first time in Norway was rich with beautiful experiences. Merée's expertise ensured smooth transportation, varied excursions, comfortable stays in historic hotels, and solid guidance on a good route for exploring the beautiful southern fjordlands in the time we had available (11 days).

Most noteworthy is Norway's clean air and delicious water, the well-run ferry service, and of course the awesome impression of one of the world's unique landscapes. We also came to appreciate the care taken to keep alive and thriving the various historic hotels of the region. Outside of the Nordic countries one hears much about Danish and Swedish baking... but it was our experience that Norway's kanelboller (cinnamon buns) and various seed breads are second to none!

From our hearts, thank you to Merée, Fenne, and Julia for such a memorable and well-run trip.

Hotel Reviews

Opus XVI

Bergen

Grand hotel, elegant and well cared-for throughout. Breakfasts were done in such a way as to minimize food waste... instead of a buffet, one orders from a menu. Brava!

Authenticity & Character

A doubly intriguing background as both a former national bank building and an homage to the composer Edvard Grieg.

Location

Well-sited near Vågen harbor and the super-historic Bryggen.

Staff

The front-desk staff and housekeeping were warm, kind, and engaging.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was sumptuous, elegant, and luxurious. Spotlessly clean, thoughtfully laid out, bed and chaise both plush for lounging. Bath and coffee amenities of high quality.

Hotel Christiania Teater

Oslo

Good location for easy walking around Oslo. A beautiful building, well-kept, with engaging artworks throughout. Very nice variety and preparation of breakfast foods.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely blend of history and comfortable modernity. We enjoyed the art throughout. Serves a plentiful and traditional breakfast buffet of good quality.

Location

Good proximity to interesting points such as the National Theater, the university, and walks along the waterfront. A reasonable walk to the wonderful Deichman public library and the exciting opera house. If you have a lot of (or heavy) luggage, be prepared for a 10-15 minute walk from the train station with a mild incline along the way.

Staff

Staff was kind and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable - firm underneath with top padding. Room and hotel spotless.

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

A charming old hotel that was very approachable. The oldest section is being renovated and will likely be very lovely when complete.

Location

Flåm is very small so it's hard to go wrong here, but the Fretheim was both close to the wharf and a bit set back from the bustle.

Staff

Staff were all very nice whenever we talked with them. Once you had their attention, everyone was lovely and warm.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms and common spaces were clean and in good working order. Beds were comfortable. It was very helpful and convenient that the hotel had a small laundry room with do-it-yourself washer and 2 dryers.

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

A grand dame of an historic hotel. Stunning views, comfortable rooms. The buffet dinner and the breakfasts were delicious and great quality.

Authenticity & Character

Explore the older building - stunning view of the Sognefjord from the picture windows, and furniture with 'dragon style' carvings in the Høyviksalen (Høyvik Hall). The 'old reception' is very charming. The newer building has modern conveniences and engaging views to the mountains and village.

Location

Right at the harbor where you arrive by ferry. Easy walking to most points of this small, charming village and walkable to the trail heads.

Staff

The majority of staff were welcoming, kind, warm, and competent. The maître d'hôtel was very friendly and jokey with guests, but unfortunately overbearing and condescending to at least some of the wait staff and bussing staff, which was a bad look for such an elegant hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room and all common spaces spotlessly clean and well cared-for. Buffet dinner elegantly presented, of quality, and well kept up.

Activity Reviews

Ulriken Cable Car

Bergen

Although the day we rode this was a foggy one, the experience is top notch. It's a fantastic view of the storied city of Bergen and gives access to unique and awe-inspiring hiking atop Mt. Ulriken.

Quality of Experience

Mt. Ulriken is a stunning alpine landscape, and what a way to access it! (via a swift, clean, well cared-for conveyance)

Transport

The cable car and launching/landing points were clean and well kept.

Fjord Kayaking

Flåm

Aurlandsfjord is best enjoyed in the water! I could happily spend all my remaining days kayaking in the southern fjords.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was passionate about the environment and friendly. He took some time at the beginning to go over technique and help with kayak adjustments but needed to spend a little longer with each person to ensure details such as the foot pedal distance was correct for everyone. This would help beginners have a more enjoyable experience.

Transport

For me, kayaking is second only to walking! So for me this form of transport was most enjoyable.

Fjordcruise in the Nærøyfjord

Flåm

The Nærøyfjord is beautiful and scenic, and the "Future of the Fjords" all-electric catamaran was an EXCELLENT conveyance to cruise it!

Quality of Experience

Food

We did not partake of the offerings on board, but there were several choices, and the quality looked reasonable for a captive audience in a touristic area.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The crew of the Future of the Fjords catamaran were all kind and competent. The lead crew member stayed for a long while once we were back in Flåm making sure the vessel was ship shape before leaving for the day.

Transport

In general, we are awed and glad to see so many electric vehicles in Norway, and having an all-electric catamaran to get to such a sensitive ecological area allows one to truly enjoy. Air emissions are obviously nonexistent, but there is still some noise pollution, particularly for underwater life. The catamaran was very well cared-for, clean, and beautifully appointed for comfort and great views as you go along.

Visit the Viking Valley

Norway

We did not visit the viking village. It looked too touristic for us, and a woman we met while hiking confirmed that it felt that way to her, too, when she did go inside. Besides the pay-entry viking village there is little else available in Gudvangen. There were perhaps two restaurants (cafeterias, both, I think) and a convenience shop for sundries. The best thing we did with our time was to walk away from the viking valley along an old road on the Nærøyfjord - a beautiful and peaceful walk. We likely would have had a wonderful time had we booked a day-long kayak excursion, as it's a beautiful fjord and we enjoyed kayaking the Aurlandsfjord so much.

Stegastein Viewpoint by Bus

Norway

Everything about this excursion was scenic, from the drive up, to the aesthetic viewing platform, to the inspiring view of the Aurlandsfjord itself. Aurlands is a charming-looking hillside town with a few smallholdings and various traditional and newer-style homes.

Quality of Experience

The Sognefjord and the mouth of the Aurlandsfjord are gorgeous.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was highly competent, and kind and engaging throughout the short drive.

Transport

Another opportunity to take an electric conveyance in this marvelous country. Van was adequately comfortable and driver was competent and friendly.

Oslo private tour

Oslo

Our guide was a dapper architect who shared key moments and aspects of Norway's history as we walked through Oslo's streets, military bases, and city parks. We will always remember "the blue, the green, and the city between..." - a city planning framework he shared with us throughout this charming, very walkable city.

Quality of Experience

A local's perspective is generally a good way to go, and this was no exception.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was dapper, knowledgeable, friendly, and amenable to include our interests folded into his original tour plan.

Transport

This is a walking tour, and Oslo is a very walkable city.

Mathia and team had planned our Norway trip very well. The team was very detailed and planned all our activites for Norway. We had so much fun and Norway was lovely. I will definitely recommend Mathia and team if you are planning a trip to Norway. Special mention to John who took us around Bergen .We saw a lot of places and local gems which we wouldnt have known had we done it alone. Highly recommended

Christina and the Kim Kim team were there for us every step of the way. Christina was so helpful in planning and logistics - we appreciated her pespective, suggestions and helpful tips! When we arrived in Norway, we had a few uncontrollable mishaps along the way and were thrilled that the Kim Kim team were so responsive to our questions and needs.

Kim Kim contracted a few different outfitters/guides for hiking and kayaking activities - all the guides were fantastic, they paced the activity to our level and shared so much rich Norwegian history as well.

Thank you Christina and Kim Kim for making this dream trip come true!

Our trip was specifically geared toward our desire to see as many of the major waterfalls in Norway. Tricia put together the customized itinerary along with three tours - a hiking trip to The Valley of the Waterfalls, a kayaking / hiking trip in Øvre Årdal, and a kayaking trip to the Seven Sisters in Geiranger. The custom itinerary hit all of the major waterfalls in western Norway and the tours were wonderful. We unfortunately had some issues with the rental car but Tricia and the team at Ethical Travel have been supportive in trying to resolve them as much as possible.

We had an amazing trip in Norway. All through the planning process our planner Christina was patient & answered all our questions. She kept well within our budget taking note of external costs as well such as the car. The itinerary was planned perfectly with detailed instructions & maps as well. We had such a wonderful time in Norway it was so sad for the holiday to end. I would highly recommend using Kim Kim as your holiday planner.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

Hotel room was big & the breakfast selection was amazing, Quick walk from the Oslo Central Train station. There is a mall next to the hotel. Easy walking distance to the places of interest. Only downside, as the hotel is next to a stadium, & if your room faces that way during a match it is very noisy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

The family room we booked was nice but a bit small. We had to carry our luggage up a winding staircase & there are no railing for you to hold on to. The dinner at the restaurant was good. Everything we ordered was delicious. But breakfast was a disappointment. Everything was cold.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

It is quite a walk from the ferry terminal especially if you are wheeling your luggage. Staff are not so friendly. The rooms are super small & the room looks like it was partially renovated. Breakfast was nice but there were not so quick to top up finished breakfast items.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fjærland Fjordstove Hotell & Restaurant

Fjærland

Wonderful intimate hotel. We recommend staying here if you are nearby. The staff so super friendly & our room was amazing. Dinner was pricey but it was so delicious. Totally worth it. Breakfast has not so much variety but it was sufficient for us. Everything so was so good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reinheimen Lodge

Skjåk

We chose to stay in the hotel rather than the cabin as the cabins has no toilets but it was still nice. The staff was so friendly. Dinner at the hotel was very deliciously. Breakfast was intimate & so good. Highly recommend staying here if you are driving thru.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trolltun Hotel & Cabins

Dombås

We stayed in the cabin. We had to wait for our room for 2 hours past check in time. Things to take note are bedsheets & pillow cases are not provided & you have to pay extra for them. 5 mins drive away are nice places to eat & a supermarket.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon hotel Nidaros

Trondheim

A bit difficult to park & unload luggage. The breakfast selection was amazing. Easy walking distance to the places of interest. Keep your windows closed if your facing the pubs & discotek as it can get very noisy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Kristiansund

Kristiansund

The breakfast selection was amazing. Every evening other than summer season they have light snacks prepared from 6pm to 9pm. Easy walking to places.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Hotel Parken

Alesund

The breakfast selection was amazing. Easy walking distance. Unfortunately we were there during a holiday so most places closed early.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Utsikten

Geiranger

We had an amazing view but the room is a bit small. Staff are very friendly. Please take note no lifts so you will have to carry your luggage to the rooms yourself. Dinner at the hotel is very pricey so you may want to find an alternative place. Breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Moskus Ox safari

Norway

Amazing! We got to see the Moskus Ox 10 mins into our trip. We were told we were very lucky. The Guide Erland was very knowledgeable & was very patient with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

John was very knowledgeable. Sharing with is the history of Bergen. It was a fun walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A Taste of Norway's Culture and Cuisine

Oslo

Our guide Stig shared with us Oslo's history & he made the culinary experience customizable according to what we what to try. It was a fun walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

Beautiful cruise with amazing views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to Neshaugen with a Glacier View

Fjærland

The trekking up it not for the unfit. Our guide was patient with us & walked slowly as it was through the forest. Although we could not see the glacier due to the weather, the view he showed us was still amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall it was an amazing trip!! Krista and the entire KimKim staff that we interacted with were always extremely helpful and responsive.

Best part of using KimKim: having all of the train and excursion tickets taken care of. Loved not having to worry about train connections, or seats, or ensuring we were taking an excursion that was reputable.

One challenge with KimKim: Hotels. One two different occasions, the hotel could not find our reservation - in one instance even with the confirmation number. We ultimately figured it out - the reservations were under a KimKim employee's name - but that name didn't show up anywhere on our itinerary. I'd highly recommend adding all names associated with a trip to that individual itinerary. It creates a bit of frustration when trying to get to one's room after traveling.

We also had to pay for one of our rooms upon arrival. KimKim did refund the money quickly - thank you. One last thing on the hotels, the individual room at our last hotel as extremely small (the double was as well as but not quite as bad) - I would have paid a bit more to get a larger room. Possibly being given a few more options on hotels would be nice.

So overall, fabulous trip - loved the train ride, especially the Flam railway as well as the Fjord cruise. Funicular in Bergen was great and beautiful easy walk down.

Krista was fantastic!! Thanks to everyone for helping make a memorable trip.

Anna did a fantastic job of finding us hotels and experiences along the way that fit our car tour of Norway. We followed the schedule that we agreed on with Anna and it worked out perfectly. We saw those things that were high on our list and also had the confidence that each day we would end up at a good hotel and know what we were doing the next day. Made all those "when do we leave in the morning?" conversations so easy: just look it up on Anna's schedule. Plus, all the addresses were great for inputing into our car's navigation system. So easy!

Hotel Review

Hotel Victoria

Stavanger

Our favorite hotel in Stavanger. Located right dockside where you can see all of the activity and beautiful overview of the approaches to the harbor. Watch all the ships come and go! And right downtown next to great walks and restaurants. Also a LOVELY breakfast in the morning was included. Just a really great place to stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Explore Bergen with a Local

Bergen

John was a wonderful guide; so glad Anna found him for us. We walked the hills of Bergen and he gave us a great perspective on the history and evolution of Bergen over time. His love for the town was so apparent in our discussions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I highly recommend KimKim if you are planning a trip to Norway! I typically do a lot of research on my own and plan my own travel. However, pressed for planning time and wanting to really maximize our 7 days in Norway, I came across KimKim and decided to give it a try. I am so happy I did! It was so easy to correspond electronically, our dedicated specialist quickly put together an itinerary based on our profile and interests and then modified it slightly after our review based on our input. Ethel coordinated our transportation (trains, boats, and car service!), accommodations (and it was not a problem that we had already booked our Oslo hotel) and many excursions (tours, fishing, museums etc). I was also provided the 24 hour contact person of someone in Norway for emergencies/last minute questions. Norway was amazing and KimKim was a delight to work with and well worth the small fee.

Hotel Review

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Amazing location, loads of history, comfortable and very clean rooms, a bit dated but lovely stay overall and appeared to be the best place to stay in the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Oslo private tour

Oslo

Christina was very friendly and knowledgeable! The tour was definitely a highlight.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Deep Sea Fishing Excursion

Balestrand

Our fishing guide was absolutely wonderful! Excellent gear, very knowledgeable, very patient and stunning views from the water. And we caught a great diversity of fish!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Fjærland

Norway

Boat trip was a lot of fun, gorgeous views of the fjords and villages, friendly and knowledgeable tour guides. The glacier museum is a must see! And getting up close to the glacier was a very cool experience.

Quality of Experience

L

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mar was simply amazing. She created an itinerary which was exactly what we were looking for. She was attentive to our requirements and how we wanted to travel. We loved the small towns that she included in our itinerary: Voss, Flåm, Undredal and Rosendal. Fenne took over from Mar after the itinerary was created and helped us with the reservations. And we are so happy and impressed with Fenne who rescheduled our boat ride at no extra cost for us. This was our first trip with Kimkim. But we know we are going to have many more with them. Absolutely loved them. They made our trip super memorable.

Activity Review

Fjord Cruise to Rosendal

Bergen

Loved Rosendal. Beautiful quaint town. Very serene and peaceful. Enjoyed the hike to the waterfall and the manor.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Norway was absolutely amazing. All of the arrangements Mathia made for us were exactly what we were hoping. The hotels were great (Bergen Bors - Wonderful), the fishing cabins were great, all of the people were dealt with were friendly and helpful. My favorite place was Reine and second was Aurland. The Fjord cruise through the Nærøyfjord was absolutely spectacular and kyaking in Reine was one of the highpoints. I would skip Svolvaer next time, but probably because the weather was so miserable, but the Svinoya Rorbuer was great, the food was outstanding, the sauna was fun. All of Mathia's recommendations were so helpful. The Flam Railway was amazing as well. We even saw the King & Queen drive past when we were at the Fortress in Bergen. But, enough about all that, I would like to praise Mathia for a moment. Mathia was OUTSTANDING. He was responsive very quickly when we had inquiries, he made alternate arrangements when some of our excursions were cancelled, he checked in to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and to see if we needed anything. When I return to Norway, I will definitely be utilizing Mathia again; he truly was just the best.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

The Thon Hotel Opera in Oslo was great. The staff was really nice and very helpful. The overall experience was pleasant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Svinøya Rorbuer

Svolvær

The Svinøya Rorbuer was a nice fishing cabin with an amazing restaurant in a building from the 1800s. The staff took good care of us, but the town itself was a bit too industrial and less appealing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reine Rorbuer

Reine

The Reine Rorbuer was my absolute favorite. The people there were amazing, and the place itself was the most beautiful I've ever seen. The kayaking activity during our stay there was also my favorite part of the whole trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

The Bergen Børs Hotel was fantastic, the front desk staff especially.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Oslo Airport

Gardermoen

The Thon Hotel Oslo Airport was great. The dining room staff was amazing, and the food felt like it came from a five-star restaurant. The overall experience was absolutely delicious and enjoyable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

The Fjord cruise was amazing. It was everyone's favorite activity during the trip. The scenery was breathtaking, and the experience was unforgettable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak Tour on the Reinefjord

Norway

The kayak tour on the Reinefjord was my favorite activity. Our guide was wonderful and made the experience unforgettable. Although we didn't get to see any orcas in the fjord, the conditions were perfect, and the overall experience was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

What can I say! Our trip of a lifetime was indeed that! Tricia was amazing and extremely patient with us while planning our trip and even throwing her a last minute curveball with accommodations. We wanted a true Norway experience and I feel like that’s what we got! From Tromso to Senja, Bergen, Fjaerland, Flam, Aurland and Oslo, I feel like we were able to truly absorb so much of the Norwegian lifestyle. She recommended some absolutely stunning hikes, ridiculously good food and even more importantly the people we met along the way. Robert, our guide in Senja, was one of our favorites! He was so kind and in tune with everything even on a hike in 17° weather! We saw reindeer on the hike! The Arctic Safari was awesome as well! We saw a humpback whale and sea eagles. The views of the fjords were incredible! John, our guide in Bergen, was also a wealth of knowledge and took us on a 7 mile walk of the city. We took trains, planes, ferries, rented a car and the majority of the trip was nearly perfect! We had some minor issues, as all do, but nothing that we couldn’t resolve on our own.

I was a bit skeptical of using a travel agency I had never heard of before, but have already recommended Kimkim/Ethical travel and Tricia to several friends.

Thank you Tricia for making my 60th birthday one to remember forever!