Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

We inherited this trip from a family member who did the initial planning. Im sure that part of the process was great. Once we were on the ground in norway, we found our specialists unresponsive, and we repeatedly ran into problems because none of the destinations had us in their systems, we were not sent transit tickets that had been prepaid… most of our requests for info or assistance were completely ignored.

We've always planned our own vacations, but this time decided to get help with Tricia and Kimkim. It was one of the best decisions we could have made. The vacation that Tricia planned for us was tailor made for us and was truly the trip of a lifetime. Everything we did felt like a personal experience, the guides and folks that we met were amazing. The adventures and experiences we had were things we couldn't have done without Tricia's help. It was a trip that we won't ever forget.

Hotel Reviews

Trasti & Trine´s Lodge

Alta

This is the most personal and amazing dog sled trip that you'll ever find. Here you aren't just a number, you're a friend and a fellow traveler.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GLØD Aurora Canvas Dome

Alta

Want to glamp under the northern lights while eating 5 star meals? This is your place.

Activity Review

Northern Lights Sailing Cruise

Tromsø

You can tell a lot about a captain by his boat, and this is one of the most well maintained vessels I've ever seen. You won't find a better boat or a more experienced captain in Norway.

I'm so glad I found Kimkim and got to know Tom. He's such a lovely person, planned our trip and tailored it to my liking. Because we planned it very last minute, it was a little rushed but Tom was able to accommodate to my last minute changes such as the dates etc. Our accommodation and activities were booked by Tom so it was really convenient and easy for us, and he got back to me really quick whenever there were issues I needed help with.

We visited Tromsø, Lyngen and Alta. It was freezing cold as we visited in late December, but it was one of the best experiences of our lives! We got to go on a northern lights cruise, see reindeers, went husky sledding and try local cuisine. We were quite lucky on this trip, as we saw northern lights nearly everyday. Overall, would recommend this platform to anyone looking to plan a trip to anywhere, not just Norway 😊

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Comfortable rooms with good view and the breakfast is really good too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Quite in the centre so everything you need is close by

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lyngen North: Lyngenfjord House

Rotsund

Really homey accommodation, had all 3 meals here during my stay here and it was lovely. Lovely staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge

Alta

The place is stunning with an igloo hotel and rooms are amazing. The only downside was they kept messing up my meal reservations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Sailing Cruise

Tromsø

Such a cosy cruise with the lovely Sachi and Kenneth. Had reindeer stew on board and saw northern lights.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Snowmobiling Tour

Lyngen

Worth every penny, nice guides who are serious about their work and also want visitors to have an amazing time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reindeer and Sami Experience

Alta

Wish there was more to it

Husky Sledding Experience Along The Alta River

Alta

I personally loved it, such a unique experience. Was a little scary at first to drive the sled but it's fun once you get the hang of it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kimkim Review

Dear Tricia and Christina,

We had a wonderful time in Norway! Everything went smoothly, all the guides were most personable and the cooking class was fantastic.

To make my response more precise, I am going to organize my comments in accordance with our daily schedule

Days 1 & 2, Oslo: We took a taxi from the airport to the hotel, as recommended, and all went well. The Thief is a lovely hotel with an amazingly good brunch. Best gravlax we ate on the entire trip! Stig met us at the hotel as anticipated and we planned the next day. Our time on Day #2 at the folk museum was well spent. After several hours walking around, we ate at their restaurant and then walked along the Oslo harbor while I took photographs. Stig was a very knowledgeable and enjoyable guide.

Day 3, Sigdal: We met Einar as planned and he drove us out to Sigdal where we met with our prearranged contacts. Again, we found Einar a very pleasant companion for the day and I’m sure he’s very knowledgable re: hiking expeditions. We enjoyed a nice lunch together and he found a place where we could buy needed umbrellas (as well as some fun socks for gifts that said things like, on the bottom of one foot “The wife is always right” and on the bottom of the other, “The husband is always wrong” . . in Norwegian.) He was very patient with my photographic needs.

Days 4 & 5 Oslo to Bergen: The train ride was beautiful and I imagine it’s even nicer in the summer. John met us at the station and helped us to our hotel. Again, John was an exceptionally nice guide and showed us around the city - commenting on its history and directing us to the best reindeer sausage in Bergen. The weather was not good so we didn’t do the Funicular. The hotel was very interesting although we missed the extravagance of the buffet in Oslo.

Day 6, Bergen to Bekkjarvek: John was so kind - he came down to help us take our luggage to the ferry. We enjoyed the ferry very much - even though the seas were a bit rough. A driver from the hotel was waiting for us when the ferry landed and we were pleased to have the opportunity to see the island. The hotel at Bekkjarvek has a quasi-museum in it, as well as stores and a library - so it was really fun to walk around. The cooking class went well beyond our expectation. The chefs were extremely nice and we sipped on white wine while we watched them cook and learned about life in the kitchen. Ken even got to do a bit of the chopping himself. Afterwards, during dinner, we were invited back to watch as each separate course was prepared. Needless to say the food was delicious and the entire experience was really fun. Highly recommend this for future guests - especially once Chef Johanssen’s new facility is completed.

Day 7: Bekkjarvek to Tromso: The ferry stop is right outside the hotel - so convenient - and the bus was waiting at the conclusion of the ride to take us to the airport. Again, it was an easy transition for us to navigate. We took a taxi to the Edge - a most wonderful hotel - and then had a lovely evening on the sailing cruise. In all honesty, we could have used a bit more food on board the ship i.e. I’d recommend they serve cheese and bread with their soup. We were able to see a bit of Northern Lights but the cloud cover was substantial. The captain and his crew were very congenial - we really enjoyed talking with them and the other guests.

Day 8, Tromso: Bernard, our guide in Tromso, was extremely knowledgeable about the city and answered all of our questions in detail. He took us to some interesting shops and showed us the Sami market. I enjoyed talking with him very much. That evening we went Northern Light hunting with Dan - who did his best to find a break in the clouds so we could get photographs. We drove 3 hours into Finland, where he prepared a camp fire and served us stew. He then took pictures of us under the Northern Lights and processed all of them that night (impressive since we didn’t get back until after 1 AM). He wanted us to be able to see the photos when we woke up the next morning. Again, I think he is a top pro at what he does.

Day 9: Tromso: The breakfast buffet at The Edge (thanks to Marcus Samuelsson - the world renowned chef) was the best I have ever had anywhere. (The gravlax was not quite as good as that at The Thief - although the scrambled eggs were better). We loved being able to try the incredibly wide variety of offerings. We spent the day at the reindeer races, the art museum and buying presents to take home. We wished we had more time to see the other museums as well.

Day 10: Back to Oslo where we enjoyed returning to the Thief and walking around the harbor. Had a nice (although expensive) dinner at a nearby restaurant and packed up to head out very early in the morning for our flight home.

In summary; 1) All beds were very comfortable, 2) All guides were most congenial, 3). All transitions occurred smoothly, and 4). We had a great time! Thank you for all your work in putting this together for us. We are recommending you to all of our friends.

Moving on - do you offer a similar service for Iceland? We’d love to visit Iceland this September. Particular interests include photographing fishing villages and sheep round-ups. Also, we are trying to convince Ken’s brother and his wife (who is of Norwegian descent) to join us in Norway in late spring or early summer of 2024. When should we start working on that trip?

Best regards,

Robin and Ken

Norway and the Lofoten Islands have been a lifetime dream trip of mine and Meree was able to deliver. From designing my trip to being support when in Norway, it went above and beyond my expectations and I can't wait to book my next trip!

Amazing trip! We loved everything about Norway and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. My husband and I have traveled extensively and used several travel companies, our experience with Kim Kim far exceeded anything we’ve had before. Trish, our guide, put together the perfect itinerary. When we had a few glitches she was on top of it! And very accessible when we needed her! We have already started to plan our next adventure!

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Stunning view from our room! Nice breakfast with good variety. Comfortable bed. Bus stop out front makes traveling to the airport convenient. Within walking distance to several museums and shops.

Authenticity & Character

Lobby congested at times, not enough seating

Location

Close to ferry, bus stop and shops

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was spotless

Mefjord Brygge

Mefjordvær, Senjahopen

Nice on-site restaurant/bar. Staff incredibly helpful and friendly. When our dog sledding trip had a glitch they were on it and found us another tour. They also arranged drivers who were extremely safe which put us at ease considering the road conditions in the snow!

Authenticity & Character

Charming decor

Location

Close to ferry, off the beaten path

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sommarøy Arctic Hotel

Sommarøy

Room was very nice, comfortable bed. Staff helpful and available. Restaurant very nice, lovely breakfast with lots of choices.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Park

Sommarøy

Highlight of my husbands trip - he really enjoyed his time at the Northern lights park with the owner. Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate but that just means we will be back!

Quality of Experience

Havlar’s stories!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All very safe drivers!

Transport

Dogsledding in Senja

Senja

Wow! Wow! Wow!! Loved this tour!! Especially driving the dog sled! That was very unexpected.

Quality of Experience

A meme pry not to be forgotten

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, helpful

Transport

Aurora Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

Beautiful boat, incredible meal, and gorgeous scenery!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Silent Whale Watching

Tromsø

If you haven’t done a whale watching trip before this is a very good one. The staff were extremely educated on Norway, the fjords and whales. On top of that we saw humpbacks and orcas!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Northern Lights Safari

Senja

Our guide drove everywhere trying to find the lights - but the weather didn’t cooperate. We can’t control nature! But our guide gave 100% effort!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christina did an absolute job planning our trip in Norway. It was absolutely perfect from beginning to end. She answered every question I had no matter how crazy. I’m so so glad we went with Kimkim, and we will be using kimkim again. Thank you so much for all your help!

Hotel Reviews

Trasti & Trine´s Lodge

Alta

Everything about Trasti & Trine was amazing. The food was the most incredible food we have eaten and the breakfast incredible. We were lucky to see the northern lights on 2 nights! We also did the dog sledding which was wonderful. An amazing relaxing and peaceful 2 nights.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GLØD Aurora Canvas Dome

Alta

Glød was fantastic. The tents were very warm during the winter and the staff were lovely.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whale safari

Alta

The suits were not quite week enough for the weather and unfortunately we saw no whales.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trasti og Trine Dog Sledding

Alta

The only thing I have to say is I wish I booked the longer tour! What an incredible experience and so much fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern lights adventure with reindeer

Alta

Our time spent learning about the Samii community was incredible. We were so lucky to be the only ones with an incredible guide. And being on the reindeer sled was awesome!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hunting the Northern lights with Photographer

Alta

Seeing the northern lights can never be guaranteed. Our guide tried his absolute best and did all the necessary research and that’s all we can ask 😊

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was an amazing trip! Christina was there for me the whole way making lasting minute adjustments for me as life happened with delayed or missed flights. She lined up transportation and moved hotel reservations with detailed instructions how to get where I needed to be. She is nothing short of awesome.
Alta, Sorrisniva Wilderness Lodge was a perfect setting. Quiet, immaculate and friendly. The Sami Culture/Reindeer Sledding was a must. Our guide was great (I think his name was Malika), very informative and interesting. From there we traveled to Lyngen North Glass Igloo. This place is a must with a perfect view to look for the Northern Lights. Our last night the conditions aligned and the lights put on a show from around 9 pm until 4 am. The lights streamed across the sky over our igloo. It was simply amazing. Norway is probably the cleanest country I have ever seen. The people are extremely polite and helpful. With English being their second language (thankfully), it wasn’t confusing or stressful to obtain information to navigate around.
I will absolutely use KimKim again to my next destination. No hesitation!

The whole process of planning our trip to Norway was so simple with the support of the wonderful team at kimkim. We started off with Andre, who came up with the initial plan based on my requests. When Andre moved on to another area, Linda took over, everything was seamless. We spent an incredible 6 days in Norway with the excitement of a RIB boat tour to watch the sea eagles and an amazing northern lights tour. An overnight trip on the Hurtigruten took us to our next adventure of reindeer sledding. We were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery and learn about the local history and culture. There was only one small hiccup which was dealt with admirably by Tricia when I called the emergency number. Communication before, during and after our trip has been excellent.

The KimKim Team was fantastic! Joanna worked tirelessly to help incorporate all the things I wanted for our trip to Norway. She adjusted timelines and routes to ensure we could do all that we wanted to while there. She was quick to respond and always so friendly! As our trip got closer, we were transferred to another agent, Meree, who was helpful and wrapped up the final details. Finally, while in Norway we had a few huge hiccups with flights and Julia was on hand and ready to assist even on Christmas Eve! She found new flights for us and interrupted her own celebrations to help us get to our destinations safely,. I highly recommend KimKim to anyone needing help with a trip!

Hotel Review

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Friendly staff and delicious food!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Whale Watching Excursion by Electric Ship

Tromsø

We really enjoyed our whale safari. The staff was knowledgeable and so friendly. We were especially impressed by their eco-conscious business model.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The reindeer sled experience with the Sami guide was amazing. We also enjoyed the cruise in Tromso even though the northern lights did not cooperate. The food on the cruise was delicious and the guides were knowledgeable.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Norge by Scandic

Bergen

Rooms and bathroom were large and comfortable. Breakfast buffet had many delicious options and the dinner we had in the hotel restaurant was very nice. The location near the harbor, shops, funicular train and restaurants was great - we were able to walk everywhere.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bristol

Oslo

I would stay here again for sure - it is a beautiful hotel with friendly and helpful staff. The location is great and we were able to walk to the Winter Wonderland one afternoon and to a movie theater one evening. It is also convenient to picking up the tram. The afternoon tea is first rate and their breakfast buffet was the best one we experienced. The rooms were perfectly appointed and the beds were super comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful old building and very warm and cozy

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Hotel

Tromsø

Very nice location in Tromso - walking distance to shops and restaurants, and the airport express bus has a stop across the street. Many of the tour groups pick up there.

Authenticity & Character

It is not charming because it is a newer hotel but it was nice.

Location

close to airport and shops and restaurants

Staff

Friendly and helpful in both the restaurant and front desk.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was very clean but the rooms were hot and adjusting the thermostat did not help. We had to open a window to cool it down. Breakfast had many choices and was delicious.

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Hunt by Bus

Tromsø

While our guide was tenacious in trying to find the lights, nature did not cooperate. Still, it was a nice experience and we did get a photo with a glimmer of the lights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reindeer Sledding & Sámi Culture Experience

Tromsø

We loved the reindeer sled ride in the beautiful snow but hearing our Sami guide talk about her life and her reindeer was the best. We learned much about the Samis and the reindeer stew and other snacks, along with hot coffee and tea, was much appreciated after being outside for a while.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very nice bus transportation

Northern Lights Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

Even though we did not see the northern lights due to clouds, we really enjoyed the experience. The boat was very nice and comfortable. The guides were knowledgeable and the three-course meal with glass of champagne was delicious. They also offered a bar with drinks for purchase.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alverstraumen winter cruise

Bergen

The cruise itself was nice but the weather was not pleasant. This would be a wonderful cruise in warmer months. We met some nice people from other places and enjoyed speaking with them.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The dogsledding was a highlight of our trip. The Ice Hotel was a low point and I would not recommend it. The arrangements for getting from place to place were good with one exception. When we got off the ferry from Tromso to Svolvaer, no taxis were available and we had to walk with 4 suitcases over a mile in the snow to our hotel. To make matters worse, no directions to the hotel were provided. That should be easily fixed.

With the exception of the Ice Hotel, accommodations were good. The Amerikalinjen in Oslo was a first class hotel which I would recommend if an extended stay in Oslo were being planned.

Our local specialist, Julia, was very knowledgeable, responsive to our in-trip inquiries and willing to make adjustments to the planned agenda.

Adjusting to the darkness was difficult but definitely outweighed by the delightful Norwegian people, almost all of whom spoke fluent English and were very helpful with directions. The Northern Lights were elusive but we did see them on more than one occasion. Just do not expect multiple dancing colors. You are far more likely to see streaks of green.

Our family trip to Norway was unforgettable and seamlessly arranged by the KimKim team, most notably Julia, with help from Meree. We had some challenges scheduling the trip due to COVID and a personal emergency. Julia was able to navigate these changes coming up with a wonderful itinerary. Our goal was to spend family time amid the snow and Northern Lights at Christmas. We started in Oslo, where a lovely boutique hotel was booked for us. It was in the middle of the city with easy access to museums and restaurants. We loved walking through the Vigeland sculpture museum and enjoying Gustav Vigeland's works. Also, the harbor and its excellent restaurants were enjoyable.
We then traveled to Tromso. Julia arranged an unforgettable tour of the Tromso Ice Domes and a snowmobile trip exploring the Northern Tip of Norway, which borders Sweden and Finland, the Three-Country Cairn. We then traveled by minibus to a location outside Tromso for a spectacular Northern Lights display. Our travels then took us to Alta, where we went on a dogsledding trek with a guide who has successfully competed with her dogs in many dogsledding races, including the famed Iditarod. We dined in the restaurant where her husband, the former chef for the King of Norway, prepared an exquisite 5-course meal with local ingredients.
It was a magical time that will stay with us forever. I am grateful to Julia and the team for making it possible.

Hotel Reviews

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

The hotel location in the center of Oslo within walking distance of shopping, restaurants, and museums. The rooms are comfortable and immaculate. The hotel staff is friendly and very helpful. There is a lovely smorgasbord breakfast included in the room price. The restaurant also serves dinner. The decor is modern and tasteful while respecting the historic building. I enjoyed breakfasting at the bar overlooking the street at 7 am and watching Oslo come to life.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central - close to restaurants, museums, and public transportation

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Malangen Resort

Skutvik, Meistervik

This hotel comprises apartments and separate cottages, all overlooking the Fjord. The unit I had was owned by a Tromso family who invited guests to write in their guestbook telling a little about themselves and where they were from. There was a basket of flannel slippers near the door, so we could remove our snowy boots in the mudroom. The decor was simple and tasteful. Like much of Scandinavia, the unit was immaculate. The room charge included an excellent smorgasbord for breakfast. Dinner was available at an extra charge. The first night we ordered off of the menu. On the second night, we had the Christmas buffet. Both were excellent. The dining room was decorated for Christmas in a very tasteful way. The furnishings were comfortable and modern.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A bit remote but lovely

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora

Tromsø

The Hotel Aurora was located in central Tromso. It was more reminiscent of a chain hotel than the other more boutique-like hotels we stayed at. The decor was modern, and the facilities and rooms were immaculate. The biggest advantage was the location which gave easy access to the many tours available in Tromso. All meals were included. They were buffet-style and simple, but the food was very good.

Authenticity & Character

It felt more chain-like but was very comfortable

Location

Close to tour pickup sites

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bjørnfjell Mountain Lodge

Alta

This beautiful mountain lodge is located a few kilometers outside of Alta. It is rustic but modern and very cozy and inviting. The rooms were lovely. I had a beautiful view of one of the ski slopes and the bison shed! The staff was particularly friendly and warm. They went out of their way to make sure that we were comfortable. I loved chatting about local traditions and the way of life in Northern Norway. The room price included a delicious smorgasbord breakfast, and dinner was also available. There was a set menu for each evening. The facility offered several winter activities, including snowshoeing, skiing, tubing, and watching the Northern Lights from the mountaintop warmed by a campfire.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ice domes tour and reindeers

Tromsø

This was a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas Eve with my family. Our guide was a young Swedish man who was knowledgeable and also very engaging! The structure itself is amazing. It was fascinating to learn about how the domes are constructed. There are gorgeous ice carvings of Norwegian explorers and arctic animals inside each room. It is possible to book an overnight stay in one of the rooms though the shower and bathroom facilities are shared and a bit rustic. The ice beds are topped with a mattress and reindeer skins for warmth. We enjoyed a shot at the bar in glasses made of ice. We also had a simple stew for lunch in the dining room. There was a herd of reindeer that we were able to observe. After the tour, we walked up a path to a dog sledding kennel where there was no other than Santa! I wonder if he made his journey that evening by dogsled or with reindeer pulling his sleigh!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lapland Snowmobile Excursion

Tromsø

This was an all-day event in a very remote and beautiful place. The guides were knowledgeable, and I learned much about this area. We traveled to a manmade island that marks the borders of Sweden, Norway, and Finland . It is the northernmost international tripoint in the world. We traveled here on Christmas Day in the depth of the polar nights. The sky was clear, and during the 3 hours of dusk, the sky was blue with the gorgeous color of a sunset (though the sun never appears) reflected on the snowy terrain. Truly an unforgettable experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

There was a lovely warming stew served outside

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Hunt by Bus

Tromsø

This was a trip by minibus with a group of 15 people originating in Tromso. The guide is familiar with the local microclimate and can find a spot where the Northern Lights are likely to be seen, even if it is cloudy in Tromso. We were lucky, needing to travel only about 45 minutes outside of Tromso. The guide set up a campfire and had warm drinks for us. He had an undergraduate degree in physics and was a graduate student at the Arctic University of Norway in Tromso, studying clean energy and its integration into the grid. Not only was he able to explain the science behind the northern lights, he also provided insight into the vibrant scientific and cultural landscape of Northern Norway. Hearing fellow travelers' stories about the campfire was also interesting. We were richly rewarded for our patience with a spectacular show of the lights.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dog Sledding & Northern Lights

Alta

If I could give this experience 10 stars, I would. It was a fabulous from start to finish, particularly since Tine and Hanna, our guides, are the real deal. They have both successfully raced their dogs internationally, notably in the Iditarod. The dogs that pulled the sleds were wonderfully socialized, and it was obvious that they loved their work. We learned how to harness the dogs and drive the sleds. We then took off on a lively trip through woods and fields in the beautiful Norwegian countryside under the Northern Lights. The evening ended around a campfire with a mug of warm cocoa or tea. The venue is also an Inn and has a world-class restaurant. The chef, Trasti, is phenomenal.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full activity day

Alta

The lodge is an all-inclusive winter activity destination place. While we could not participate in scheduled activities on the mountain due to severe weather (several roads were closed), we could go out on our own by snowshoe. The staff was wonderful and treated us like family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The kimkim platform was user friendly and easy to navigate. The service allowed me to interact with the travel specialist directly and in real time. I was very pleased with the service. My children and I enjoyed the Northern Lights and tour of Oslo the most. The whale watching consumed the entire day after a long travel day. We returned from the whale watching at 1700 and were expected to go on a reindeer feeding and sledding event at 1800. It was too much, too fast and we cancelled it. Unfortunately I was not offered any refund due to kimkim cancellation policy. I also did not expect to have so much additional travel expense once I arrived. The trip cost per person seems very high considering it was me and 2 children sleeping in one hotel room and the only travel cost covered was by train (where kids travel free or discounted). In addition to paying for international flight I was also responsible for all in-country air travel and local transportation. Although the kimkim service was great it was quite expensive.

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Oslo

Excellent hotel with great amenities and breakfast

Bergstadens Hotel

Røros

Nice staff but hotel needs significant improvements. Breakfast was ok

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Polar

Tromsø

Dated hotel but nice enough. We were too busy for breakfast at this location.

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Adventure in Tromsø

Tromsø

Great experience. Kids favorite! Guides were friendly and knowledgeable. They did not show up until a few minutes after meeting time which caused some stress

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Silent Whale Watching

Tromsø

Neat to see humpback whales but did not know we would be on boat for 9 hours. Would have used that time differently Not able to go on next excursion that evening because we arrived back too late.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A lot of guests were sea sick. My daughter got queezy and slept most of the time

Reindeer Feeding & Northern Lights Experience

Tromsø

Not able to participate. Scheduled to begin 1 hour after our return from whale watching. This is after a long day of travel and la night of Nothern Lights. Kim Kim could have done a better job of scheduling to accommodate. The following day was just a travel day back to Oslo. Could we have done something then instead of trying to cram three excursions into 24 hour period?

Quality of Experience

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Mari was great and we enjoyed our day with her

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful time cramming a lot of activities in multiple cities into a 12 day period. I am a stickler for excellent communication. Tricia lived up to my expectations. She consistently followed up and did a good job making adjustments to unexpected difficulties.

I apologize for the late review for this trip to Norway. We enjoyed every minute of the trip and we were able to rely on the help of our guide and communication with Kim Kim along the way. We had one issue with our hotel in Oslo but KimKim went above and beyond in helping to find a better room which suited our needs as two independent women travelers.

Both Oslo and Bergen were memorable and of course the beautiful boat ride we took from Flam to Bergen through the Fjord country. I cannot wait to go back and see more of Norway. Thank you for making this part of our travels go smoothly and finding us such outstanding accommodations along the way. Traveling in off season (October) was a little rainy but mostly just perfect for seeing many things without crowds. We even had 3 perfect sunny days in Bergen!
Warmly,
Gerri Sweeney

Thank You Meree for planning our Norway trip. Apart from the fact that we fell ill largely due to the harsh cold winter, we had great fun and enjoyed our vacation. Very happy that we managed to catch the highlight of our trip which was the northern lights.

Thank you once again and looking forward to engaging your services again in the near future.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Cecil

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Transfer to the Ice domes

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend the morning in the ice domes and transfer back to the city

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Hunt by Bus

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Bergen to Oslo scenic train route - Bergensbanen

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luggage Transfer Service

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had just completed a 15 days trip to northern Norway (Bodø, Reine, Svolvær and Tromsø) with kimkim. It was the first time we engaged kimkim's services. We wanted a seamless experience in planning a 2 weeks long vacation trip without too much effort. In the past, we did all the research, planning, and booking and it took a lot of effort and time. Our primary objective for this northern Norway trip was to catch the northern lights, as we did not manage to catch it the last time we went to Iceland! The other secondary objectives was to tour the beautiful scenic country along with other winter activities. This trip certainly did not disappoint!

We read about the reviews of other customers who engaged kimkim's services in planning and booking for their trip and decided to try it out too. Merée, our assigned specialist did not disappointed! She tailored the itinerary to our requirements, going back and forth countless times with the places, timeline, activities and accommodations. It is due to Merée's recommendation and patience with us that we decided to commit to booking the trip via kimkim.

A trip this long is bound to run into some hiccups. The crucial difference is that kimkim also provided emergency contact during the trip to help address any issues. And indeed we did needed that service! Merée went above and beyond in supporting us with last minute on the fly suggestions and recommendations (places to go, restaurants, sauna!), management of planned activities (postponement / cancellation due to weather) and other minor stuff (hotels check in/out, parking).

We not only met our primary objective where we caught the spectacular northern lights a couple of times, but also met and interacted with wonderful people, from friendly locals to fellow travelers from around the world with the same objective (northern lights!). A worthy mention is Odd, the northern light chase activity guide in Svolvær who was supposed to bring us out but due to the unfortunate timing of the weather (snow storm!), first recommended we postpone if possible to the next night, and then further came down to explain and recommend that we cancel (and refunded us) the next night as the odds of catching the northern lights will be very low. He further advised us that the weather will be cleared up the next day and we should be able to catch the northern lights from where we will be going!

We are really glad that we went with kimkim and thoroughly enjoyed the full northern Norway winter experience! It was a very memorable trip from the northern light chases, the scenic and breath taking drive from Tromsø to the Lofoten islands, to the other activities: Icelandic horse riding in Lofoten, traveling via Hurtigruten cruise along the coast, reindeer sledding & overnight in a Lavvu tent, dog sledding with huskies and whale watching!

It's the people that make the biggest difference in everything we do and we are glad we worked with Merée, and met all the wonderful people along the trip!

Meree was absolutely incredible and helped us out while we were traveling. Will definitely recommend KimKim to others and specifically to our friends wishing to travel to Norway.

Meree was great at listening to what I wanted to see and do and updating the itinerary accordingly. Julia was helpful while traveling as well.

Hotel Reviews

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heimen Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ullensvang

Lofthus Hardanger

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Fjordcruise in the Nærøyfjord

Flåm

It's extra cold with the wind, so need to factor that in. It was a great experience. It's helpful to follow audio guide to know what's coming up because it goes pretty fast. I missed a waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport