Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

The help we had planning our winter trip to Norway was amazing. Right from the beginning our thoughts were heard and ideas were given to make it all work. Fridur was super helpful and responsive. Our bookings all worked seamlessly and were in great locations.

Fortunately the rain stopped for our walk with an expert in Bergen - which was so interesting and informative - Fartein from Ethical Travel Portal was a great guide and easy to be with. We really loved our time in Bergen and the Bergen Børs Hotel was exceptional. Due to such short daylight we felt we had too long in Svolvær (and not enough time in Tromsø) but this was not helped by a cancellation to our ship due to bad weather. We had several cancellations and changes made during our trip due to bad weather and Fridur was super quick to respond and help us get sorted so the rest of our itinerary could be completed as best as possible. The communication we received was exceptional!

In Tromsø we had 2 different accommodations (with a break in between) and we preferred the location of Scandic Ishavshotel over the Thon Hotel Tromsø.

Our highlight was a night in Lyngen North in a glass igloo - so so beautiful (and getting there by bus was so easy with Fridur's clear instructions). We didn't see the lights (due to unsettled weather for almost our whole time) which was disappointing however we still thoroughly enjoyed Norway! Is it such a beautiful and rugged country.

It would have been a lot better if ferry timings were taken into planning. We reached Bodø on Saturday from Oslo, not much to do. On Sunday ferry to Lofoten was not till 1 pm so lost morning. Reached Lofoten at 4.30 pm it was pitch dark so not much to see . So literally 2 wasted days Hurtigruten to Tromso cancelled no one’s fault . Rushed to Ice hotel that evening. That was fun
Next day after dog sledding we waited 2 hrs for nothing before getting dropped at hotel .
Christmas evening and day Tromso was shut so we stayed at hotel . Last evening was good we got to see northern lights so it was good
I think days could have been better planned depending on local closings . That was the purpose of getting a local planner. I received car refunds but not Hurtigruten refund

Tatjana and I had a great time, specially in Geilo, where the snow, sun and skiing conditions were absolutely perfect. Heidi was a great guide and, further, she arranged a wonderful evening dinner at the Geilo Mountain Lodge for her partner and us. (The Lodge should be on the Michelin list!!!) Oslo at the front and back end of our trip included Vinterland, Vigeland statuary park, and viking, Fram and Kon-Tiki museums that were very well done. The convenient light rail took us to Holmenkollen ski jump and museum that were also very impressive. And for my 80th birthday and New Years Eve the fireworks seen from the Opera fjord-side apron was great (Be certain to recommend making reservations for New Year's dinners and parties in advance-we lucked out at the Opera Hotel being the last couple accepted. Also recommend coat and tie for males and dresses for females-ski apparel would have been out of place). Because of the rain in Bergen (according to the hotel averaging 266 days per year) it was less enjoyable, but John, our guide took us to see the old town, Hanseatic row and up the funicular. There the clouds and mist parted long enough to see why Bergen is called Bergen. Our son and family joined us for two days and we
and we discovered the Vil Vite childrens's museum where our 3 year old granddaughter enjoyed 2 afternoons. Recommend changing the trip itinerary to one more day in Geilo and one less in Bergen.

The Bristol, Opera and Geilo hotels were excellent, particularly the Bristol-very elegant! The Zander K was marginal in room quality and services. However, it was close to the train station and good restaurants.

The pre-booked travel tickets were essential, especially for the Geilo to Bergen leg, where in Gudvangen in the rain and dark getting bus tickets would have been difficult (by the way the bus driver said that the ticket we had was for another company, but he took us anyway, saying he would make payment adjustments.)

So, thank you for the arrangements. We had a wonderful white Christmas and New Years in Norway.

Don and Tatjana

Our family of 6 from hot and wet tropical Singapore, had a fantastic trip to icy cold Norway! Ingrid has been very accommodating to our needs and very responsive to our numerous questions...and sh was able to allay all our concerns etc. There were a couple of slight imperfections (no fault of Ingrid). Firstly, we found the local guide from Oslo to be wanting...slipshod work despite we gave him a tip of 800 NOK while the young man in Bergen was fantastic. He might be short of knowledge (he couldnt answer a few qn) but he made it up with his dedication and enthusiasm, and walked with us for more than 3 hours through slippery terrain and windy conditions! The activities from dog sledding(Marcus) to Northern lights (Jann) were fantastic which were the highlights of the trip. The hotels were generally good as they were closed to transport...except for Zander K (no inroom telephone, no kettle and no coffee or tea were provided. Overall, thanks to Ingrid, KimKim for a job wel done!

Our 14 day trip to Norway was phenomenal! Linda did an amazing job curating our trip with a special overnight at a farm to table dogsledding adventure with Kjell. It was the highlight of our trip! Linda also arranged Sami reindeer sledding, northern lights chasing, private walking tour, fjord cruise, flam railway, another private tour and more. We went from Tromso and worked our way down to Oslo. Linda and kimkim created an awesome experience and also booked fabulous hotels, all with views and breakfast. We could never do this alone and our travel agent also agreed she could never have made these arrangements either! Thank you so much for working with us-you have made lifetime memories.

I contacted KimKim for a much needed solo trip away and I was thinking about Norway. Julia was my specialist and she was fantastic! Not only did she listen to all of the things I wanted, but she was super fast in her response time. What most impressed me was that she would respond, day or night and at one location where they couldn't find the reservation she was available in real time. Additionally, she messaged me throughout the trip to see how it was going. She made my experience wonderful. Surprisingly, the additional add of Finland ended up being the highlight for me so I'm glad she was able to help me add that on.

The accommodations were super fantastic particularly the Lapland Hotels Bulevardi in Finland and Malangen Resort in Norway. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Ivalo is worth doing but it's more about the destination and experience than the accommodations or food which aren't stellar. Everything was really great.

My trip was planned by Fridur and after a lot of messages back and forth, the entire schedule was turned upside down or rather north south reversal and no regrets!!! Thanks to Fridur who managed to get all the things we wanted to do into our schedule.
Camp Tamok was our first stop and it was well worth the entire day spent there. Dog sledding with Kristin was fantastic with the huskies sooooo loveable and strong. What an experience! Then we tried our hand(and legs!) at cross country skiing which was done with head lights and plenty of snow! Another incredible experience. But the best is yet to come. Andreas took us to chase the northern lights and there was no chase, cos the lights came to us literally. We set up a camp fire on a frozen lake, and voila after some time we saw the first rays of the aurora. What came in the next 30 minutes were a feast for the eyes and camera as we witnessed the dancing aurora lights with our own eyes!!! What a sight. And this is only the first day. All thanks to the great experience and knowledge of Andreas, great guy and great company.
Next day we went snow shoeing near Tromsø which was another excellent experience. Followed by Tromsø city tour on our own. Boy my face almost froze on the way across the bridge to the cathedral. Oh and how we tried our best not to slide and fall on the slippery ice was fun.
Next thing on the list was to spend the night in a glass igloo waiting for the aurora. An unforgettable experience in Lyngen North but the Aurora decided not to show up in Lyngen that night. :-(
Then we were off to Stavanger for the Preikestolen hike. It was an adventure with ski poles and ice spikes to keep us from falling in the slippery ice. We had a great hike with some really friendly people in the group and our guide Fabrizio was great with the camera. His photos were amazing.
It was a really tiring hike but the reward of the views during the trip and the Pulpit rock makes it worthwhile. Unbelievable sights!
The grand finale of the trip was Norway in a nutshell from Bergen to Oslo. Highlight was the Flam railway and the fjord cruise. Fantastic views.
It was a great trip with fantastic experiences and unforgettable views. I have to say that the best hotel stay in the trip was Bergen Bors hotel with their warm and sincere staff that is ever ready to help and provide helpful tips. This is what makes the hotel the one we want to return to!!!
Oh and not forgetting the Norway in a nutshell staff(sorry forgot the name) in Flam who recommended us to take an earlier train and to stop at Vatnahalsen and explore the charming hotel and its surroundings as it was getting dark and we had to wait for the next train to Oslo. Views there were stunning.
All the above planned and recommended by Fridur, great plan and recommendations. Not all rosy and nice as some minor hiccups, mostly more detailed information needed, which Fridur was on hand to provide within minutes so no major drama.
5 stars service !!!

Our trip to Northern Norway and the Finnish town of Kilpisjarvi was a dream come true. Our tour guides, Gareth and Amanda from Adventure by Design were awesome. I loved that We were treated like family and they were so patient with my kids. Traveling with a young family is always s challenge and Gareth and Amanda definitely made it easier. We got to see some amazing Northern Lights, reindeers, beautiful frozen lakes. It was a wonderful trip which was very well planned in a short time.

We booked our 7 days trip through Kim Kim. Our agent - Ms Ingrid was very helpful. This was our first time we visited Norway, our ultimate aim was to chase the Northern Light and indeed we were lucky enough to see lot and lot of them! Thanks to the guide - Ms Trine. Also never forget our experience with Reindeer and Sami Culture and the reindeer soup provided was awesome!
We had a good time in Tromsø as the city was beautiful with snow. The hotel in Tromsø was fantastic and the breakfast was the best of all!
Lucky that our 2 days stop-over in Bergen had a three hours guided cultural tour with a local - he really know the in and out of the city. The stop over was too long for us as we had not much things to do. The hotel location was just beside the train station but the hotel room was not that cosy.
The train to Flåm and Fjord cruise were a great experience as well. We like the cool weather and beautiful surrounding in Flåm.
We had a short stay in Oslo, just walked around the city and visited the World War II site.

For me, the most memorable part of our sensational trip was the train ride to Myrdal & then down to Flam. We have seen many things, but the scenery and its dramatic changes on the way up and back down. We loved the golden trees of Autumn. For George, it was the trip through the fjords.
Every part of our trip exceeded our expectations in every way. The Thon Opera Hotel was great and so well located. Stig was an excellent guide and great guy, in Aurland, the innkeeper had no rooms & said we could stay in our own cottage right on the fjord which was great-there is that word again! Bergen was charming & we had a full day of sunshine with our guide. He was OK but had not gotten the certification training and just wasn’t as knowledgeable as Stig. He did a good job, but Stig was extraordinary.

Thank you Linda and the Kimkim team for a wonderful, well planned holiday!

Wow! A magical trip to Norway! We started our journey in Oslo and ended in Tromsø. We opted to go with KimKim because the logistics we had in mind were more complicated than what we wanted to deal with... Definitely a very good decision on our part. I sent Andre a list of what we had in mind and he came through like a champ. Our desire was not to have to rent a car but travel using buses, trains, ferries and planes. Andre put it all together and made reservations for us a much as possible. A summary and detailed itinerary was provided just prior to the trip.
We stayed in Oslo (our own reservations), Aurland, Voss, Bergen and Tromsø. We visited museums, cruised fiords, took Flam scenic tour, rode cable cars and funicular up mountains for tremendous views, took a great walking tour of Bergen with David (knowledgeable fun guy), hunted Northern lights with Opel (very entertaining and knowledgeable) and an outstanding 5 hour Tromsø boat cruise with professional and fun Captain and mates (shoot, forgot their names) that including a bit of eagle and seal sightings, fishing and a delicious soup prepared while we were google eyeing the beauty of the waterways.
Our hotels were very comfortable and clean. The dinners at our inn in Aurland were so good and the service was outstanding. The hotel breakfasts in Bergen and Tromsø provided a huge variety of excellent foods. And the service at both hotels were good. The hotel in Voss was good but the breakfasts lacked appeal.
Each city, town and village we visited had its own unique characteristics and we found it all very interesting and beautiful.
We did have one boat cruise cancellation but opted for the later trip. Andre was extremely helpful in rearranging our day and reservations. Also we requested a change in hotel upon our return to Oslo as we wanted to be near the airport given an early morning flight back to the states. Andre made the change and all went amazingly well. Thanks KimKim staff (Andre and Ingrid) for your outstanding communications and excellent planning expertise. Although we normally like to make our own travel arrangements I would not hesitate to request KimKim's services again. We've already spread the word on their 'job well done'!

My wife and I had the most amazing time travelling around Norway, this was very easily the best trip we've ever taken. We got to see some amazing sights, untouched beauty, and explore Norway in a way that its meant to be. Through our entire journey, we took trains, busses and ferries which gave us the opportunity to see some of the most stunning landscapes imaginable.

Fridur did such a good job of putting all this together, she was very responsive and always full of suggestions on what we could do. We started off in Oslo and then travelled to Bergen via Geilo, Flam, and Balestrand - which had to be the most memorable place in our trip. Our hotel room had the most amazing view of the Fjord and snowcapped mountains which made it something I'll never forget. We had a great time with Balestrand Fjord Adventure when we went out sightseeing on the rib boat. I recommend them to anyone looking to see the fjords in a more fun way. When we got to Bergen we had a very nice walking tour of the city centre with David Pavels. He was funny, informative, and had so many interesting stories about life in Bergen and Norway. Sadly he doesn't have a TripAdvisor page or I would have written him a review.

Overall, Kimkim did a fantastic job of putting our Norwegian holiday together and if all their trip experts are as good as Fridur, we'd be more than happy to use their services once again on our next adventure.

My son and I were planning for a trip to Norway in early October, without knowing that it was the period in-between Summer and Winter when the standard Norway Nutshell tours were not available. Then we came across Kim Kim Travel and decided to give it a try.

The decision won us a wonderful trip. Our specialist Andre was instant with his responses. He was thoughtful in planning for our itinerary, and patient in answering my endless questions and requests. He even provided maps indicating where, when and how to go for our cruises, trains, taxis, etc. This provided the assurance I needed, and a promising start.

All arrangements on our 6-day Fjord trip from Oslo to Bergen went as smooth as silk. We enjoyed in particular the waterfront cabin at the Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri Hotel in Aurland, and the delightful room at the Midtnes Hotel in Balestrand, both of which provided panoramic view of the Sognefjord. It was not a trip which would make one bubble with excitement; it was one which was so scenic and tranquil that it felt like being in paradise. And all these due in no small part to Andre!

All the hotels were great. All but 2 transportation arrangements went off without a flaw. Overall, we are very pleased with our visit to Norway. I am thankful that Ingrid helped me to arrange everything!

In Oslo, we liked the Thon Europa more than the Thon Spectrum. The Europa had a better breakfast buffet, was an easier walk from the train station & the neighborhood seems a bit better. Next door to the Europa is the Brunello Ristorante. You should recommend this to others! This was some of the best Italian food we have ever had.

The Hurtigruten lobby is on a small side street and was not obvious. If possible, maybe provide a bit more detailed map. Since it's so late, there are not people around to ask for help. We did find it, but we had our concerns for a few minutes!

The bus & ferry to Geiranger was very enjoyable. The ferry back showed us some gorgeous scenery. We very much enjoyed that day.

The time with John Grahl-Madsen was not time well spent. He just didn't seem engaged. On other trips, in other countries, we have had guides who have made a significantly better impression. During planning, I had expressed an interest in going up the funicular. He pointed it out & said we could do that on our own. Our itinerary didn't allow time for that.

The ferry from Bergen to Aurland was a great way to move locations and see more of the scenery.

Aurland: you are already aware of the issue with the taxi company. I'm not sure what options there are, but I would suggest finding other options for sightseeing & transport to Flam. I'm very glad that the taxi did eventually show up that morning so we were able to see the Borgund Stave Church. That was very special. The Fisherman's Cabin at Vangsgaarden was charming with a view that was magnificent. It was a little surprising that we had to make our own beds, strip them at check-out, sweep the floor, take out the garbage, & do a light cleaning of the bathroom.

Flam to Oslo by train: Our itinerary was that we made this trip on September 24. No one looked at our tickets Flam to Myrdal. Myrdal to Oslo we learned that our tickets were for September 23. The conductor found 3 unsold seats for us and allowed us to stay on the train.

Oslo: We had a tour with Stig Frislid Torset. He was better than John, but again we have had better. Our travel companion had been told by a friend of Norwegian descent to try a specific type of pastry. Stig found a shop that sold it for her. We requested that we see the Vigeland Sculpture Park. He commented that was not normally what he did, but if that's what we wanted ... we said we did. He did have interesting commentary about some of the sculptures. Afterwards, he showed us some of the "hidden gems" that he normally focuses on, which included Grass Roots Square. Grass Roots Square is very special & we were very glad that we saw it.

I would recommend Kimkim to others. Thanks for your help in creating a memorable trip for us.

Ingrid was our guide for our visit to Oslo and Bergen . Luckily my cousin and I travelled together for the most part , or we would have been quite lost .

Initially I arrived earlier than she , and somehow got to the bus for the hotel for the night , the Gardemon Airport Hotel , which was suggested by our Svalbard leader . The hotel was very nice , the food fabulous , and a wonderful walk nearby .

We next flew to Tromso and Longyearbyen for our artic adventure , which was unbelievably wonderful , except I did not see the whales that others were able to see .

We returned to Oslo and both of us were a bit nervous about the location of the hotel which in reality , could not have been easier - The Thon Opera , at Ingrid's suggestion . The restaurant was not great - expensive then closed for repairs .

Then we went to Myrdal to get the Flam train . It turned out to be easier than expected , and the ferry to Balestrand was lovely . It was nice to have the tickets paid for in advance . The hotel in Balestrand was GREAT - thank you Ingrid - then another ferry to Bergen . In the rain . I wish I had known to expect so much rain . . .

Bergen started off negatively . In the rain . Ingrid had sent maps , but they were useless . First of all , they faded in the rain , and secondly , without directions or street names . It took almost 2 hours to find the hotel , which was not great . Dark and unattractive , dining area right at the front door . We were surprised to find that a ' superior room ' was reserved for us , but it had only one bed ! We had to down grade to a room with twin beds , no view . Also dark . The hotel was not a great choice , the staff less than cordial . We would have been better off some place like the Hotel Bergen near the old wharf . We had a GREAT meal at Lyskevet ?? The inadequate directions and maps were the most frustrating part of our visit .

We returned to Oslo Thon for the night , and a dinner at a restaurant that was not great - a new one , started with an A - Atla ???

So we survived but had many frustrations .

My wife and I are so pleased we decided to hire Kimkim to plan our first trip to Norway. We had a limited time (6-7 days) and felt they did a wonderful job giving us the best itinerary for our interests/time constraints. The accommodations they selected were convenient and comfortable, the detailed itineraries they provided were extremely helpful (including maps, wayfinding info, etc.), and the guides they hired were professional and informative. If we had planned things ourselves we probably wouldn't have experienced the most special part of our trip, staying in Aurland for a few nights and taking a cruise of the Aurlandsfjord & Nærøyfjord.
Thank you for taking logistics off our plate, allowing us to enjoy your beautiful country free of stress or worry!

Andre was quick to respond and always accommodating. The hotels he chose were excellent, as were his suggestions for our day trips. We totally appreciated not having huge drives to make. His planning was superb!!! We can’t thank him enough for such an amazing experience!!!!!

Balestrand was wonderful, probably the highlight of our trip, especially the Fjord boat trip there and from. The hotel was also quite special

Flam was also wonderful as well, as was the train ride.

Given the objectives (truly scenic, awe-inspiring nature), I felt like we could have been guided differently.

The others were fine and reasonable for the price paid, but I have some feedback for the rest of the trip

1. Initially we had a day in Bergen set aside, which I changed and I was glad we did because Bergen while more enjoyable than your typical European city wasn't why we were in Norway

2. Tromso we knew was a risk given the low probability of seeing the Northern Lights, but I wish we had given a more thorough pros/cons discussion of going. We didn't see the lights, it was raining (none of which can be predicted), but I feel like we wasted a day a few thousand dollars on that decision. I would have rather spent another day in a city like Balestrand or Flam

Besides that, the packing guidance was less helpful as we were told to pack thermal underwear, jackets and clothing that took up a lot of room in the suitcase, and we ended up not needing because the Tromso bus was warm (where you spend the majority of the time on the tour) and they have thermal jackets, so I wish we were guided to pack differently.

The water bottle was unnecessary as well, more of a nice to have.

3. I wish there was more detail about the transportation (e.g., length of trip, where to sit on the train, boat, etc)

4. I wish we had more choices about the hotels. Balestrand and Flam hotels were very nice, but the Bergen hotel was not great and the Tromso hotel was terrible and dirty

5. I wish I had more flexibility to change the room bookings. I ended up needing an extra room, and it proved impossible to do through KimKim

We had a very very positive experience each step of the way, from planning the trip with Emily (who listened very carefully to what we wanted, found the kinds of places we wanted to stay at, and developed an excellent itinerary that allowed us to see and experience truly beautiful places) , to the places we stayed, all that we saw, our hiking and kayaking experiences, and especially with our guide, Thomas Riis. He was an exceptional guide, outstanding in every way. Thomas was friendly, flexible, patient, extremely helpful, and very very knowledgeable. He radiated a very positive energy all the way through our time with him. We would wholeheartedly endorse him and would gladly have him as our guide again.

There was one mixup on the travel arrangements but Kim Kim, and specifically Emily, responded quickly and efficiently.