Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

Spent 6 days in Norway (August 2022).
Our guide Stig in Oslo was fabulous, and our walking tour through Oslo was exactly what my daughter thought was great. Oslo was easy to traverse, and we both obsessed over the art at the Munch museum (don't miss)
Train ride from Oslo to Myrdal and the Flam Railway were breathtaking. The highlight of the trip was the Fjordsafari out of Flam. Easily the most beautiful scenery in the world.
Wished we could have had more time in Bergen. Morning was rainy when we toured with our guide, but the afternoon was sunny and I wished we could have slept in and had the tour later in the day.

Hotel Reviews

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Very small property in a very small town (800 people) The view of the fjord from our room was amazing. Very gracious staff and we ate both nights at the hotel gasthous, which was quite reasonable in price but delicious food and and extensive bar list. Breakfast was included in our rate, and was a buffet typical for Norway. If you like hiking/biking this is the place for you. If not into hiking/biking the town does not have much else to offer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very quiet with beautiful views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

This recently renovated hotel is exactly what a quiet European hotel should be like. Excellent bar with good bar menu, with food service to 10PM (a rarity in Norway where the kitchens tend to close by 9 with last seating at 8:30). Excellent breakfast buffet (was included with our room). Clean room with juliet balcony with doors that opened, and a fabulous heated floor in the bathroom. Is exactly 1km from the ferry port. We walked with our bags(small carry on & backpack) If you have a larger bag, take a taxi. Is across the street from the train station. So if arriving by train you are right there. Is 1 block the fountain and main museums, is a less than 10 min walk to Bryggen and port area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

Is 1 block from main train station, if you intend to take the train on arrival at the airport or if arriving via train from elsewhere in Norway. Rooms are small, but clean. Breakfast buffet was included in our room rate. Excellent choices with typical Norwegian fare.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Front desk staff not knowledgable about local/adjacent stores, restaurants etc. Do not expect concierge type service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Oslo City Walk with a Local

Oslo

My daughter loves vintage clothes. Stig took us through the central shopping area where these stores were located so we knew exactly where to go. Took us on the walking path by the river to the Mathallen, and had a great rapport with this guide. Had the best coffee of my life with him at Tim Wendelboe. (If you like coffee, this is a must not miss destination)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjord Safari Taste

Norway

This should be 10 stars not 5. Absolute highlight of the entire week.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Flåm to Aurland

Norway

Taxi driver arrived on time. Drove us to our hotel in Aurland. Please be aware that there is limited taxi service in the area. If staying in Aurland, definitely have Kimkim arrange the taxi transfer in advance.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Aurland to Flåm

Norway

Landslide closed the road (only 1) between Aurland and Flam. Our driver picked us up and drove on the bike path to get us to our Fjordsafari on time. We were incredibly grateful to not miss our experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Walked approximately 5 miles on this tour of Bergen. I enjoyed the guide, but my daughter (age 26) was less enamored. If this would have been our first day in Norway I think we would have enjoyed it better, but we had already spent 5 days in Norway and seen typical 19th and early 20th century architecture. The fortress was not open, and the Bryggen was a disappointment with the Hanseatic museum closed for renovations.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I love researching and planning trips but this year I just did not have the time to do it and as our family wanted to try somewhere new and different I was delighted to find KimKim ! The process of booking our Norway trip was really easy and Merée was able to design a customised itinerary based on a little feedback on our group needs and interests. This included some really enjoyable events that I don't think would have been on our radar had I been researching myself, such as Ciderhuset and Oslo Opera House. The kayaking in Sognefjord was a big hit. We had a nice amount of down time to go find our own experiences and found Oslo and Bergen really easy to get around, with plenty of things to do. The best part of the planning process was how easily we could tweak it before arriving at a final plan. All of our hotels were great and Merée managed to get the best room configurations for our group despite a busy hotel season. The KimKim platform was excellent for the planning process and also while on the trip, and Merée and her colleagues were very quick to respond when I posted enquiries. We really appreciated having them on board as they were very responsive and helpful when we hit issues with the travel delays that are unfortunately an inevitable part of travelling these days! Finally, the weather for our trip was amazing and definitely a big part of its success - although I don't think Merée can take the credit for that!

My husband and I recently made a very successful first trim to Norway and Sweden, spending a total of 2 1/2 weeks. The Swedish leg was straight-forward so we made all arrangements on our own. For Norway, we used KimKim Tours because we felt that the intricacy of the transportation system (in our case, a combination of domestic trains and ferries) was more than we were comfortable handling on our own. In addition, KimKim offered the maximum degree of customization compared to other providers. They took care of booking all hotel stays, 'Norway in a Nutshell' train tickets from Oslo to Myrdal/Flam, ferry tickets to Balestrand and one dinner reservation there (Kviknes Inn), Fjaerland fjord excursion, ferry to Bergen, and a walking tour of Tromso. To reach Tromso from Bergen, we self-booked a 4-night Hurtigruten cruise; however this could also have been arranged through KimKim.
While in Norway, we traveled with friends from the US -- a couple who, in addition to participating in our jointly developed itinerary, requested tickets for a Grieg tour in Bergen and slightly different hotel arrangements so that they could extend their in-country travels to accomplish ancestral research. The KimKim system allowed us to view each others exchanges with the specialist which was most helpful. It’s worth noting that at the start, the four of us were set up as a single account. However we learned that the way the cancellation insurance was structured, if one couple had to cancel for any reason, then the other couple would be impacted. As a result, KimKim offered to split us apart though we had already put down a deposit. This was very much appreciated though there were some initial technical difficulties in accomplishing the split. Therefore we suggest that KimKim clarify this particular aspect of their offered insurance before any money is collected. In the end, the global covid-19 pandemic seriously interrupted our travel plans which began in 2019. Our trip was finally undertaken in 2022. KimKim held the money we had initially paid and applied it to the trip when conditions made it possible for international travel to be resumed.
Overall, our bi-country trip was a great experience. In Sweden we easily got around on our own. We rented an apartment in Stockholm, took the train to Gothenburg to visit Swedish friends and from there went on to Norway via bus to Oslo. Once in Norway, we followed our customized itinerary designed through use of the KimKim online platform with advice from KimKim's selected local travel specialist (in our case, Guide Sør based in Kristiansand, Norway). As noted, the KimKim process allows maximum customization (up to 100%). For this to work well, the specialist needs to be given as much detail about the goals of the trip as possible. Upon request, the specialist was able to suggest specifics such as hotel bookings which we had the freedom to use or reject; we were also able to request that the specialist book alternative arrangements. In addition, the specialist advised us about days/hours of operation for various venues (e.g., restaurants, museums) so that we knew this before traveling.
A concern prior to departure was that the final itinerary was posted at least 2 weeks later than anticipated and was not packaged or delivered as expected. The itinerary was posted online in the system 'conversation' requiring us to then print a copy for travel as opposed to being sent to us in hard copy via regular or overnight mail. Nevertheless, the online version allowed us to move forward and provided reassurance that each booking requested had been made.
Land accommodations were all satisfactory (rooms were fine; included breakfasts were excellent). However, at 3 different hotels, our fellow travelers who had booked and paid (in full) in coordination with us, were told that that they had not yet made payment. The first such incident was resolved overnight by KimKim with no additional payment necessary. In the other two cases, our friends had to pay again and then get reimbursed by KimKim. This was accomplished timely but double-payment shouldn’t have been necessary. Apparently, there is a problem with the way things work 'behind the curtain' so to speak. It seems that KimKim uses a third party to accomplish hotel bookings rather than making or re-confirming them directly with each hotel. Other reviewers have similarly commented so our suggestion is that KimKim find a way to avoid this situation in the future. A similar, less concerning glitch occurred when we showed up at Kviknes Inn for dinner, i.e., the reservation noted in our itinerary was not recorded in the restaurant's log. Fortunately there was plenty of seating and no money had been paid in advance.
Of great value was KimKim's ability to advise us on the specifics of local transportation so that getting from one point to the next, whether overland or by water, worked seamlessly. Our helpful specialist secured passage for us, providing detailed input on the location of various stations and docks.
In summary, the degree of customization we sought led us to choose KimKim -- this is a strong selling point for the company. International travel, especially in the midst of a pandemic, can be fraught with problems so we were happy to have accomplished our journey knowing there were specialists we could reach if necessary. A final suggestion is that an emergency phone number to reach a ‘live’ voice after hours should be given to every client; using the number provided, we were only able to reach an answering machine. Luckily, because all hotels honored KimKim’s reservation requests on our behalf, the four of us we were never without accommodations and the various payment glitches were resolved.
Lastly, we’d like to personally thank Julia, Sonia and Kjeld of Guide Sør. We believe that each worked very hard to make our trip a success in spite of the extreme impact of the pandemic.

Julia helped with planning our Norway trip. She listened to my interests and preferences and arranged an amazing trip plan with carefully picked hotels and a variety of activities that made the trip memorable. In addition, she gave recommendations for other activities based on our discussion. She was also very accommodating to changes. I highly recommend her for any Norway trip planning.

Hotel Reviews

29|2 Aurland

Aurland

This place is amazing and so special. Beautiful complex with a beautiful garden. Has interesting history. Lots of nature activities around the area. The staff was amazing. It was hard to leave this serene place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

Spacious room and nice view. Bathroom had weird design

Authenticity & Character

Uniquely beautiful dining room

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ascot Hotel

Copenhagen V

Nice hotel but I don’t think we got the room we were originally booked for . The room location was not favorable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vøringfoss Hotel

Eidfjord

The view was beautiful. Very comfortable parking and nice dining room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dragsvik Fjordhotell

Balestrand

Great boutique hotel. We had the room with the balcony and sitting area and we loved it. View of the fjord. Also the dining room was so welcoming with an amazing view of the fjord and mountains. Highly recommended. Also nice grounds for strolling . Food and service was great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Utsikten

Geiranger

We had the double room with the amazing view of the fjord. They graciously upgraded us to the family room for the second night which was a much more comfortable room. Location was very nice and convenient for hiking trails.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Røisheim Hotel

Lom

Historic hotel with lots of character. Ample parking and spacious room. The windows were tiny but that goes with its historic nature . I liked the dining experience and the many social rooms available in the complex .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

We had a very spacious room. It was across from the train station. Close to city center

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nordic Light Hotel

Stockholm

Modern hotel. Very nice lounge, bar and dining area

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Finnafjord Safari by RIB

Balestrand

Very pleasant guide and experience. The vessel was solid and comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Flåm - Flåm Railway

Flåm

Quality of Experience

Aurland experience

Aurland

This place is very special and serene with personal attention. The landscape and surroundings instill ultimate relaxation

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Norwegian Forest Hike & Organic Dining at Riverside Farm Lodge

Aurland

We had a guided hike with lunch. Amazing experience in a beautiful forest landscape next to the waterfall with gorgeous views of the valley and fjord. Our guide Eilif was so pleasant and knowledgeable and we had a great time with his company

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Orchard Tour & Cider Tasting

Balestrand

Educational . Very pretty dining room with beautiful view. Great cider tasting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We originally planned this trip for before the pandemic, and so we experienced some difficulties when it came to getting this tour re planned, another agent got involved which was very unhelpful. However after we tracked down our original travel agent Julia, everything fell into place. Thanks Julia for rescuing us!!!
We explored Norway by car, bike, boat and foot and were very happy to have traveled from Bergen up the west coast as far as Tromso. Our overwhelming impression of Norway is one of extraordinary beauty, wild summer flowers, snowy peaks, zig zagging highways into breathtaking fjords, water rushing down valleys and cascading off mountain sides, and lush green valleys. The coastlines were almost as spectacular with delightful coves and fishing villages at every turn. We were very surprised by the white sand and opalescent green water on the island of Senja, what a special jewel this place is. Well worth driving to find Senja Roasters, for the best coffee of our trip, Froys Kick Ass blend was a winner.

When I think of a tour, I think I’m paying someone to do for me what I don’t have to do myself. At each leg of this trip we were left wondering and scrambling, causing a lot of anxiety. For example, the itinerary would say the name of the hotel but not tell us how to get there or even if it was walking distance In one town we paid $50 just to taxi ( the only option) back and forth from the bus. Other towns told us to meet somewhere but didn’t indicate if it was an address or a place. That meant each night I’d have to go over the itinerary and figure out the next day with a map in hand. It was stressful. This happened in nearly every location. When we ran into hiccups our local specialist offered sympathy or wasn’t available. Finally there were four things “included” on our itinerary that were not included.— our trips to and from the airports and the excursion to Rosendal with lunch. Very disappointed. I will pursue compensation.

Hotel Reviews

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trolltunga Hotel

Odda

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Short Hike with a Local in Bergen

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Fjordcruise to Rosendal and Manor House Tour

Norway

This felt like a ferry cruise, nothing spectacular. Trish said Rosendal wasn’t included and yet you are including it here. Please advise.

Guided Hike to Trolltunga

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tricia and the entire Kim Kim Team
Please accept our sincere appreciation for all the work you and the KimKim team put in to make our travels so enjoyable. We had a wonderful trip exploring Norway (and a wonderful three days in Stockholm!). All the logistics, the accommodations across Norway and tours were first rate. But most importantly, we appreciate the extra work that went into scheduling this entire trip at least twice and perhaps even three times. Everyone understands the unprecedented disruptions to travel that COVID cost, but none the less, it caused organizations like yours to deal with unique and daunting scheduling, cancellation and rebooking issues. Through all those stressful times, you and Hilde and your other co-workers kept us informed, and did so with a professional, pleasant and positive attitude which was very much appreciated by both my wife and I. The Norway we experienced was a beautiful mixture of colors, from midnight sun on costal rocks and waters to the shine of rosy cheeks and friendly smiles, from multi-colored Bergen store fronts to deep red isolated barns, all never far from the deep greens of spring grasses and just the right amount of mountaintop snow. Thank you for all the effort that went into making our experience one we will never forget.
With deep appreciation
Dan and Jane Brannegan

What an amazing trip! Tricia’s itinerary was spot on and more importantly she was always there to help us along the way. When SAS cancelled our flight to Svolvaer, Tricia found a solution that kept us on schedule so we would not miss a single minute of this beautiful country, kudos to Tricia and the Kim Kim team!
Peter

Tricia was absolutely incredible! From the beginning, Tricia listened to and checked off everything I asked for making my Norwegian bucket list adventure come true! She was amazing in helping us with flight changes due to SAS being on strike, was able to extend our car rental and get us last minute accommodations because of the strike. My dream vacation would not have happened if it weren't for her. Thank you for the most memorable, awesome, amazing, dream vacation of a lifetime!!!!

They say that there are always two trips you take “the trip that you plan and the trip that you take”.
This certainly was the case for our trip to Norway. Plans were initially made in 2020 with KimKim. However, as happened to so many people, our trip was postponed for two years due to Covid. The long awaited trip finally took place this year. KimKim did a great job in making all of our reservations for us in Oslo, Flamm, Bergen and on our Hurtigruten cruise ending in Kirkenes, Norway. All of the accommodations were superb. The layover in Flamm was one of my favorite parts of the entire trip - with I would have stayed there longer. The folks at the Skandic in Kirkenes were most helpful when we were detained there due to the SAS Airways pilots strike. Linda (from KimKim) recommended staying there until we were able to get a flight home, which we were able to thanks to a tourist company in Kirkenes, who provided transportation and recommendations of a flight home via Helsinki. We could not have managed the stress of our situation without all of the kind people we met. Thank you, Linda, for your support during those trying times.

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Old historic hotel, convenient to train station and pleasant walk to center city.

Location

Staff

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Small room but very clean with nice view of garden. Delicious buffet breakfast and very helpful staff.

Location

Staff

MS Nordnorge

Tromsø

Very small but pleasant accommodations.

Staff

Very helpful to our needs

Snowhotel Kirkenes

Excellent food and lovely accommodations in one of their cabins.

Authenticity & Character

Staff were very personable

Location

Not convenient to the town of Kirkenes without a taxi

Staff

Delightful little private cabin

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

Very clean and comfortable and perfect location by railroad and center city. Surprisingly very quiet.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Embark Hurtigruten

Norway

Quality of Experience

Programs or entertainment in evenings, tour guides when time available in ports.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore Kirkenes and Depart Norway

Kirkenes

Information should have been made available about upcoming SAS pilot strike so that we could have started to make plans before leaving the ship. Apparently the staff was aware of this but we did not know until leaving the ship in Kirkenes, which had no other way to leave, other than SAS Airways which we needed to take us to Oslo for our flight home. There is no travel agent in this town and we had to glean information from anyone else who would know. This was very stressful. TV service in our room did not provide any information which would have been a great way to notify passengers of potential problem.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I absolutely loved it! We saw many wonderful places and the detailed planning especially regarding transportation was impressively done. Everyone I communicated with was very helpful esp Tricia and Hild earlier on as this has been a trip long in making.
Trolltunga and Lofoten were our favorites!

Activity Review

Midnight Kayaking in Svolvær

Norway

We missed the experience because we were not notified to meet at 930 instead of 10pm. Disappointing.

I cannot recall how I became aware of KimKim but I am thrilled beyond belief that I used this company. Both Meree and Sonia helped me plan a 2&1/2 week vacation to Norway. My husband and I started in Oslo and traveled as far north to Geiranger in the Geiranger Fjord and Alesund. We traveled via train, ferry, bus and a one night stay on the famous Hurtigruten. The itinerary was a nice pace and gave us plenty of time in each destination. The tickets and scheduling we all done for us. And best of all, we had local travel planners sending us to places where they like to visit, spend time and take their personal visitors. I will most certainly use KimKim in the future. Thank you Meree and Sonia!

Hotel Review

Hotel Union

Geiranger

This is an amazing hotel and spa located next to the UNESCO heritage museum for Geiranger Fjord. Right outside this hotel is a rushing river and several waterfalls so imagine having your windows open and being lulled to sleep by the sound of rushing water. So soothing and peaceful. And the lobby, bar and restaurant are elegant and serve delicious food. My only regret is that I did not have more time to spend here, both to enjoy this beautiful hotel and its location but to also have time to do some exploring and hiking of the surrounding area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the harbor but not right in the middle and it sits up higher above the fjord so the view is stunning

Staff

Very polite, helpful and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Plush bathrobes and large, comfortable room

Activity Reviews

Fjord Safari by RIB (Summer/Fall)

Flåm

This is an excellent way to see a Fjord up close and personal in a small group and learn about the history and lore from the local guide. A lot of fun and offers excellent photo opportunities.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide is very knowledgeable about the area and has a lot of fun facts

Flåm - Ferry to Balestrand

Balestrand

I highly recommend traveling by Ferry as much as possible. The scenery is breathtaking. I felt like I was on a movie set. Train travel may be faster but because of the mountains, there are a lot of tunnels. A ferry lets one see the country side along the fjords. And many of the ferries offer commentary over the speaker. There is plenty of room upon boarding the ferry to store your luggage before finding a seat. And there are small concessions available for purchase on board.

Day trip to Fjærland

Norway

This was a ferry trip first and then a bus with the ultimate destination a National Park with one of the many icebergs in the country. We also visited a museum along the way that helped educate on icebergs and climate change. We also experienced yet another beautiful fjord. The views just never cease to amaze.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We loved having Thomas and Emmy as our guides.

Hotel Reviews

Trolltunga Hotel

Odda

Hotel was good but make a reservation for dinner

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location/view

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trolltunga Camp Sunset Sunrise

TYSSEDAL

Very cold. Please warn tourist on weather delays and cold days and nights , even in July.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåm Marina

Flåm

We were bone tired so it didn’t matter a lot but we didn’t find people there so friendly or helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Overnight Hike to Trolltunga for Sunset/Sunrise

Norway

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Buses to run all day and not close 2-3 hours for lunch.

Flåm Railway and Cycling Adventure

Norway

Biking not for everyone bc the first part is very steep and on gravel but it was beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When we were planning our trip in 2020, we were delighted to find KimKim and Julia Plaschke to help us with our questions and refine our itinerary. Unfortunately COVID necessitated our cancellation of the trip in 2020. We were very pleased that Julia was able to re book us for 2022. Her itinerary suggestions were very helpful and we greatly appreciated the zoom calls to get our questions answered. We were surprised when our trip was handed over to Sonia.

Most memorable places were the Lofoten Islands ( loved the sea eagle and kayaking experiences), several hikes we took, Nes Gard Farmhouse B&B and the experiences there, stave churches, waterfalls, Rose Church, And of course, the beautiful fjords.

Things we liked about working with KimKim:
1. The itinerary suggestions Julia made during our initial conversations, and those sent by Sonia before our trip.
2. The Zoom calls we had with Julia as we got further into the planning.
3. Most of our hotels
4. Sonia’s response time when contacted her while on our trip. Very quick response!
5. Most of our experiences ( there were some issues with the Midnight kayak)
6. Sonia’s quick response (before we left) to our question about who we contact if we have a problem while in Norway – she gave us her phone number.
7. Sonia’s willingness to help us find Gary’s lost bag. Though we got it before she could make contact w/ Iceland Air, we very much appreciated knowing she was working on it.

Things we we were unhappy with KimKim:
1. Upon our arrival at 3 hotels ( Bodø, Reine and Bergen) we were told we would have to pay. We contacted Sonia and this was resolved in each case, but we wish we hadn’t had to deal with that when we were tired from long journeys) Sonia was apologetic each time, which we appreciated. We were surprised that after it happened once, the payment for others was not confirmed before we got to those hotels.

2. We understand that the two weeks before the trip others were traveling and they had needs, too. However, we confirmed that we were going on this trip this year with Julia in February – more than 4 months before we left. That said, we were not pleased that it took so long for us to receive the documents we needed, and that we needed to request them so often. We did not get our Ferry voucher until just before and it was for the afternoon ferry, not the morning one we had planned. We did not get our train tickets until the day before we travelled – two of the 4 tickets were together – the other 2 were both aisle seats – one in a train car that was two cars away from the other 3 of us! We can’t help but think that these reservations were not made sufficiently in advance of our travels.

I would be very happy to provide a detailed review of the experiences (especially the sea kayaking at midnight), hotels and itinerary upon request. We have some suggestions for you to add to the itinerary for others that we found along the way. We believe this detail would help you in planning for others.

Christina really helped me come up with an amazing itinerary for my summer trip to Norway. She was completely upfront with me from the start about where to put my focus on, and what I would need to leave for another trip. She helped me narrow down all of the places that I would be able to see on an 8 full day trip plan which included Bodø, Hamnøy, Reine, Svolvær, Festvågtind/ Henningsvær, and Tromso. It was jam packed, but I was able to see quite a bit. I also had amazing views on the hikes that were recommended of northern Norway. I also had a few guided tours and hikes, and even the guides commented that Christina did a great job in recommending some activities that many tourists don't know about. I would certainly utilize Kim Kim again on another trip.

Hotel Reviews

Eliassen Rorbuer

Moskenes

A great placed to stay if you are in Hamnøy. Beautiful scenery, clean cabin, and peaceful environment.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Comfy, cozy room. Incredible views of mountains, fjords, the different colored cabins. Proximity to other nearby towns like Reine.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Polar

Tromsø

Room seems a bit dated. Also found 2 2 liter Coca Cola bottles not left by me underneath the bed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central location.

Staff

Friendly staff at the front desk.

Cleanliness & Comfort

They need to thoroughly clean. As I mentioned above, there were 2 empty bottles of Coca Cola seen underneath the bed from guests previously in the room. Just make sure to not forget to check for garbage underneath the bed.

Thon Hotel Nordlys

Bodø

The room was nice and tidy. Hotel breakfast also amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right next the the ships and water. Nice scenery.

Staff

Cindy at the front desk was very nice and courteous, and answered a lot of my questions promptly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and tidy. Probably the best Thon hotel I stayed at during my time in the arctic.

Thon Hotel Svolvær

Svolvær

Great location. It's next to public transit, the ferry, the Hurigruten cruise line, supermarkets, and great restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location is everything here. Very central.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean rooms.

Activity Review

Explore Reine and the Surroundings

Reine

The hike to Reinebringen is incredible. A must do if you are physically capable. The stone steps that were installed in recent years made this hike a real pleasure to do. I didn't summit Reinebringen, but got up to 1,542 ft vistapoint that most people see those incredible views from. Festvågtind in the Henningsvær region of the islands probably had the best views of some of the Lofoten islands, even though that hike wasn't as pleasant to do. It sure was memorable and goes down as the most difficult hike I've completed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I used public transportation. While it is a significant saving as opposed to renting a car in Norway, you are at the mercy of when the last bus leaves. You could be in an area for hours since buses can be infrequent. If you don't want that over your head, then rent a car. I got around just fine, but also remember that you might not see as much. So plan accordingly.

Linda did an absolutely wonderful job planning and organizing our Norway trip. She always promptly and pleasantly responded to the logistical questions we had prior to the trip. Our Bergen city tour guide did a wonderful job giving us a great overview of the city. Our water taxi captain Tor gave us a fun s as fun informative ride to our hotel. Our Fjaerland hiking guide took us on a beautiful hike to a secluded overlook over the fjord. Elin on Vaerlandet was so kind and a wonderful host for our island adventure. We loved being able to be so active with this itinerary. Our kids loved the diversity of activity this itinerary provided as well.

Hotel Reviews

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

Very quiet rooms and the family room provided ample room for a family of 4 with 3 beds. The buffet breakfast was the largest spread we had in Norway!

Authenticity & Character

Such a cool old but beautifully updated building

Location

So close to Bryggen, the ferry, and the fish market.

Staff

Always professional, pleasant, and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

Fjærland Fjordstove Hotell & Restaurant

Fjærland

Sitting right in the fjord, this hotel is a true Norwegian experience. The food is locally sourced and amazing! Breakfast buffet was delicious and the evening dinners were mouth watering. Our son called dessert the best dessert he has ever had… we would agree!

Authenticity & Character

Takes you back in time… in an amazing way. Old world charm.

Location

Right on the fjord—-amazing beautiful!

Staff

All staff were so friendly and accommodating doing their best to ensure we had a good stay.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and beds were very comfortable.

Quality Hotel Florø

Florø

Very clean, very quiet modern hotel. Breakfast buffet had many offerings. Loved that it was so close to the ferry terminal.

Authenticity & Character

Right on the harbor

Location

Close to the ferry made it very convenient

Staff

Very pleasant and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, very quiet

Værlandet Havhotell

Hamna

Absolutely amazing and stunning hotel. Loved having a kitchenette. Views were spectacular! Having bike rentals the whole stay made it so easy to get around the islands. Elin was the most kind and gracious host ever! Highly recommend staying here!

Authenticity & Character

Loved the fact that this was so near the boat harbor but felt like you were in a very quiet and secluded location!

Location

The view was so amazingly spectacular

Staff

From pick up off the ferry from the time we left, Elin took such wonderful care of us!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Extremely clean, comfortable beds, and a nice complete kitchenette

Activity Reviews

Bergen - Fjordcruise to Fjærland

Norway

Captain Tor has such a deep understanding of the Balestrand area that it made for a wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Loved having the boat all to ourselves and the ability to ask questions

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and pleasant— he has great stories and a firm understanding of the history and area of Balestrand

Transport

Loved the boat ride

Explore Bergen with a Local

Bergen

Fartein was a wonderful and fun tour guide. He did a good job answering questions and our kids enjoyed his perspective!

Quality of Experience

Great city overview… fun tour guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly and knowledgeable

Transport

We had been looking for some time to do a family trip to Norway in the summer but didn't have the time to do all the detailed planning that we would historically have done. We are a family of four with children ages 11 and 9.

We had a rough idea as to the places we wanted to visit (Bergen, Lofoten Islands, Tromso, and Oslo).

After a few, but not too many, iterations Meree was able to construct an itinerary that worked. She sorted out a reasonable sequence of destinations, hotels that met our requirements, activities we wanted to do, and a logistics plan to get to/from each place. She booked activities that required advance reservation but otherwise left our days open to spending how we wanted while giving well-curated short lists of ideas for each day. After completing the visit and seeing the alternatives, we were comfortable that she had done a good job optimizing our experience while giving us the freedom to do some unexpected things. While it rained (as explained in advance to be likely), we dressed for it and the weather was pleasant for us. The scenery was spectacular - almost better than we thought we would experience.

The fish was fresh and excellent everywhere we went. However one of our group was a child and a vegetarian. While we were never in want of food, this limited our restaurant choices to a narrower subset of what was available as restaurants are considerably less flexible than in other countries on these dimensions. Also, it was generally easy to get same-day restaurant reservations in each location except Svolvaer (including the hotel where we were staying which was 'sold out' for dinner). If we had known that, we would have reserved there the day before, but we didn't know. In retrospect, a short list of restaurants in each city and a heads up that day before reservations are needed in Svolvar would have been appreciated.

Our highlights included the ferry to rosendal castle/fjord, sea eagle rib boat trip, the whale watching boat trip, driving and hiking in the Lofoten Islands, live glass blowing in the Lofoten Islands, hiking at the top of the cable car in Tromso including summer snowfight, and numerous well-designed kid-friendly educational museums in every city we visited.

Logistically we had one issue relating to confusion around a pre-payment for a hotel which was resolved shortly after being flagged. Otherwise, we really didn't need to avail of any live support from the team during the trip.

Hotel Reviews

Thon hotel Andrikken

Andenes

Reasonable location. Reasonable rooms. Reasonable option. Modest walk to the ferry and/or the whale watching experiences. Ample parking. Nothing fancy. Helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Blackout shades were somewhat limited in comparison to other hotels on our trip (i.e., gaps)

Radisson Blu Hotel

Tromsø

Great location. Nice rooms. Friendly staff. Good breakfast. Could benefit from a bit more TLC on room maintenance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

The hotel was well situated in a nice part of town. Much of what you would want to do is very nearby in walking distance. The rooms are nicely designed, well maintained but cozy. It is best to plan your day outside of the room as opposed to in the room. The lobby was tight with limited seating, normally occupied by guests. The restaurants are excellent and the ground floor restaurant has a very special high ceiling and uniquely designed layout which is really special. We did have one observation around the front desk staff.: some were familiar with the town and had helpful suggestions, whereas others were not and relied on google.

Authenticity & Character

Ground floor restaurant

Location

Central location

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Svolvær

Svolvær

Bang in the center of the port and center of town. Great location. Helpful staff. We had a corner room with a truly amazing view of the harbor - it was the highlight of the hotel experience. During our stay, it was intermittently frequented by large tour groups so the restaurant can oscillate between a ghost town and being jam-packed without any availability - best to reserve the day before. The hotel does have a limited number of parking spots in an indoor garage, bet to arrange in advance if you need it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Trollfjord and The White-Tailed Sea Eagles

Svolvær

One of the top 3 experiences for our kids on this trip. It did rain during the experience. We all managed through it and the gear was set up for it, but not for those who don't want that. The boat driver was excellent in engaging with the kids through use of often personal stories at various stopping points. The views were spectacular. While the sea eagles were nice, the rest of the nature was interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjord Cruise to Rosendal

Bergen

The ferry ride had nice views and was pleasant and smooth. The walk around town was interesting. We went to the old castle and enjoyed the house tour. The lunch starts about 30 min later than ideal if you want to take the later ferry back and have time for a bit more in town. The rock garden was worth a visit due to its novelty value.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Limited interactions, more transactional. House tour was good.

Transport

Whale Watching Safari

Andenes

We are glad we did it. It was sunny. The waves were reportedly modest. The museum tour was a helpful build-up. The boat was well organized. They give each speech in three languages which is helpful if you speak one of those languages,. They tried for more, but in the end, we saw killer whales and none of the rarer finds. We made the most of it and enjoyed it nevertheless.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip overall was great. The hotels and itinerary were very good. The plan was well thought out, allowing me to really see many of the highlights of Norway The value was good, but not great. I could have saved money booking it myself. However, there were many glitches. Two of the hotels had the wrong information about my stays, and the email trail showed that KimKim made the mistake, not the hotel. In some cases I was forced to pay after already paying for the entire trip up front. I had to consistently inquire about tickets and how to get from point to point. In some cases I was not given any information on how I was getting to the next point until the day of departure. This is what I thought I was paying for! In addition, I had to lay out bus fare which I still haven't been reimbursed for. So, although the trip was very good, KimKim made errors that should have been avoided. I was willing to forgive the first large mistake, as mistakes happen. But, as nearly each day arrived with a new problem I must conclude this was the result of incompetence.

Travelers beware, we experienced many issues using KimKim some of which we have not yet resolved, including refunds.

Background

Our trip to Denmark, Faroe Islands and Noway was over two years in the making. Covid delayed our trip from 2021 to 2022. In 2020 we worked with Julia who was very helpful in designing our overall trip. In April of 2022 (our trip took place in June/July), Julia handed the trip details over to Sonia. We did not hear from Julia again, despite numerous attempts to call her using the call button on the website.

Below is a list of issues we encountered:

We never received a complete itinerary with all trip details including hotel addresses, rental car information or names of the businesses for our activities. Instead, we had to work off of three incomplete documents that often had incorrect information. This happened despite repeated asks all the way to the day prior to our departure (and multiple promises the weeks prior to the trip saying we would have it)

We have yet to receive refunds for activities planned by KimKim that did not happen or were not what was promised. We even spoke directly to some of the businesses who said they would refund us via our travel agent.

In the Faroe Islands our rental car was organized by KimKim. We received no detailed information about which rental car agency it was or how to find the car. We ended up getting help by a gentleman at the airport. To this date we don’t know if we had the right car.

Activities were on our itinerary that were never booked or were canceled.

The hotel booked for us in Svolvaer was booked with no parking privileges – resulting in a long walk to the hotel the first night. As a result we incurred extra expense we weren’t planning on.

What was great:

Julia picked out some areas of Northern Norway we would have not easily thought to go, including towns, lodging and activities.

The delays in getting back to us, mistakes in scheduling, lack of follow-through, and incomplete itineraries created a large amount of stress and anxiety before and during our trip. We were told a few times that Covid and a busy tourist season were to blame. Given the amount of lead-time planning our trip, the fact we asked for no major changes prior to our trip, and that we had already paid in full a year prior to departing, we think it’s important that anyone planning on using KimKim is aware of what we encountered.

From experience planning family vacations to different countries comes with the usual stresses - much about the destination is unknown, weather, activites, places of interest, hotels! Typically, Costco Travel is our first choice. Norway is a destination that is not served by Costco, which led me to KimKim. The name was weird to take it seriously initially. However, recommendations from the New York Times, BBC, The National Geographic, etc. sealed the deal.

The KimKim portal is very easy to use and has a lot of features that makes exploring and research easy. The chat, call, and collaboration features make it easy for all family members to be view, contribute and be informed about the planning.

Christina, our travel planner was top notch. She was experienced, patient and was ever willing to adjust and refine the trip plan, which we developed over 2 months. She was readily available for phone calls during US daytime, and made recommendations based on our preferences. She planned the entire trip for us, start to finish, and added relevant activities through the entire vacation. Most importantly, she responded very fast and thoroughly, explaining exactly what our different options were throughout our trip. KimKim and Christina made this vacation planning easy and were key to making this as stress free as possible. Based on this experience, I have no doubts that I will be using KimKim for all our future family vacations.

Why Norway? It's not a popular destination like Italy or France! After our visit to Switzerland in 2016, we started researching if there were any countries that matched it's beauty. Started reading about the fjords and the pictures seemed to indicate that Norway would be gorgeous. Subsequent trips to Italy, London, Scottland and Ireland seemed to confirm my family's bias towards Switzerland. We felt that no place could be more beautiful than Switzerland. How wrong were we? Every single part of Norway was absolutely breathtaking, and our entire family was in awe the entire time.

We started our vacation in Bergen, a cute and beautiful, tourist-filled city with amazing food. Christina arranged a 3-hour walking tour with John, who was very pleasant, patient and extremely helpful. He extended the tour to accomodate a brief visit to the musuem, a short coffee break and a visit to the electronics store to buy adapters. John gave us many insights about Bergen and its history that we would have missed if we were on our own.

The ferry ride to Gudvangen via the Sognefjord was absolutely breathtaking. My teenager sons were intially reluctant to ride in a ferry for 5 1/2 hours! By the end of the ride, the family didn't realize how time went by.

Gudvangen: Gudvangen was an amazing place to visit. It almost felt like it was out of a movie. As soon as we got there, we realized we were surrounded by a circular wall of waterfalls, with a singular opening to the Sognefjord. My sons especially loved this place since they got to zipline off a mountain and then subsequently got on mountain bikes and biked down the Nordic mountains. They both said that it was the best experience of their lives. Also make sure you check out the Flam Railway, branded as one of the most beautiful railways in the world. Christina was kind enough to include a visit to the viking village based on my son's request.

Stryn: Stryn was the highlight of our trip. We had a wonderful view of a river flowing to Lake Lovatnet from our hotel room and we even rode on the steepest cable car in the world in Loen!

Christana added a break from activities in Geiranger that the family appreciated. It was easy going and the family had to opportunity to go kayaking in the fjords.

The hotels were all clean and upscale, though the rooms were small by American standards.

Thank you, Christina, and KimKim for helping us make this a memorable vacation. Norway is now our family's favorite place, edging out Switzerland :).

Hotel Reviews

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

Very good lobby, and great/modern rooms, located in central Bergen so you're a walking distance from most attractions and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Good lobby

Location

Very close to the port

Staff

They were nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice and modern rooms

Hotell Utsikten

Geiranger

Was a historic hotel and therefore the kids thought it was dated. The garden view was so-so. The fjord view was great, but with the sun up past midnight, the room was hot. The restaurant was upscale, and the staff were friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Historic

Location

Great view of the fjord

Staff

Friendly, accommodating and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gudvangen Fjordtell

Gudvangen

Easily the best hotel in our trip. We had a 2-bedroom cottage that was clean, modern and had amazing views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nestled between the mountains - our room's door opened to the view of waterfalls in the mountains!

Staff

Very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were updated and very clean.

Stryn Hotell

Stryn, Sogn og Fjordane

Very modern hotel with beautiful rooms. Balconies overlooking the river was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Voss

Voss

Conveniently located near the station and modern. Single room for the family was cramped - especially the second bed!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Conveniently located overlooking the lake and mountains

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

John was very pleasant, patient and extremely helpful. He extended the tour to accommodate a brief visit to the musuem, a short coffee break and a visit to the electronics store to buy adapters. John gave us many insights about Bergen and its history that we would have missed if we were on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Round Trip on the Flåm Railway: Flåm - Myrdal

Norway

We have had our share of scenic train rides in Switzerland and didn't have much expectations from this ride. Boy, how wrong were we! Breathtaking scenery! The Flam train ride is a must when visiting Norway.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Geirangerfjord Sightseeing Boat Cruise & Independent Fjord Farm Hike

Geiranger

It rained the day of our trip. We had seen much of the fjords when we took the ferry to get to Geiranger. Therefore, this seemed a little redundant, though I understand why people take this ride. We chose to exclude the Fjord Farm Hike because of the rain.

Quality of Experience

Transport