Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

Tom was very helpful in organising our trip, booking both accommodation and activities. We all enjoyed our boat trips, the cycling back down to Flam, and our guided tour round Bergen with Fartheim.

Our trip to Norway was absolutely amazing and life changing. The itinerary Julia set up for our family of 5 (grandma, parents, and kids ages 5 and 7) was just perfect. I communicated with Julia in early 2022 to provide some comments around what we were looking for - seeing the fjords, being outside and active, etc. From there, Julia took my feedback and made the perfect itinerary. Everything was so easy and convenient, and our favorite parts of the trip were undoubtedly items I never would’ve planned on my own. We are so thankful to Julia and the KimKim team and I would 100% recommend using them!

Some of our most notable trip highlights include:
1) our taxi boat with Captain Tor where he drove right up to fresh waterfalls for us to touch and let our kids catch some fish along the way
2) everything about Fjaerland Fjordstove Hotel (this is such a charming place with a wonderful staff)
3) our private hike in Fjaerland where our kids picked fresh strawberries and blueberries

Thank you Julia and team!

Karolina planned the itinerary for a 10-day scenic/hiking trip through western Norway for my husband and me in August 2022. Kimkim's excellent secure online communication system made it really easy to for me to send my comments as the itinerary was being developed. Karolina was very prompt in responding to and adjusting the itinerary per my comments. My only complaint is that after I approved and paid 100% for the trip (I think in June), it took a long time to get final confirmation of all my bookings. In fact, I did not get firm confirmation of all of my bookings for the trip until just a week before my departure from the US. Karolina was unavailable due to vacation twice during this period and said another associate would get in touch with me but that other associate never provided any updates. In the end, everything worked out and the trip went very smoothly. I was especially thankful that per my request, Karolina made the reservations for the electric charging station at Hotel Ullavang and for parking at P3 for our hike to the Trolltunga (a must as if we did not have the parking reserved, we would have had to hike an extra hour uphill). Also, much thanks to Julia who I was able to communicate with via Whatsapp during our trip with last minute issues or questions. Julia was awesome and responded almost immediately each time I Whatsapp'd her with a question. Thanks to the Kimkim team for a fabulous trip in western Norway!

With Julia’s help we had a brilliant road trip taking in fjord country at the end of a longer Scandinavian adventure. Each hotel she recommended was special in its own way although our favourites were probably our stays in Alesund and Aurland. Driving along high snowy scenery, approaching gerainger by ferry along the fjord and our trip on a rib boat were all highlights

Hotel Review

29|2 Aurland

Aurland

292 Aurland is a hotel based around what was a farm. Rooms are in converted farm buildings and each is individual. We found our rooms interestingly furnished and comfortable but we particularly liked the grounds which had lots of areas for having a drink or coffee in the glorious weather. We enjoyed the communal dining and the chance to swap stories with other travellers. Good food and wine and great staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Finnafjord Safari by RIB

Balestrand

The highlight of the trip was no question 1) our stay and visit in Auckland and 2) the private tours provided both in Oslo and Bergen!!!....both Stig and Vilda were amazing!....and of course Linda was the best travel planner ever. Thank you all so so much!

Hotel in Fjaerland was amazing, great food, beautiful decor. Julia, the local specialist was very responsive and helpful

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.