Alex Mottler

The best place to start is with your staff: Nick & Alex were great! They may not have always had the best suggestions but they were always attentive and responsive and I will definitely be back.
So, when I accepted your itinerary, I probably should have taken a closer look at things. Turns out, you folks booked me to arrive in Bergen by plane late on the 17th of May after spending all day cooling my heals at Helsinki Airport. The 17th of May is Norway's Constitution Day and there were many festivities to enjoy, which I (fortunately, on short notice) had you folks change my itinerary to a morning arrival to experience. From that point on, my experience in Norway met most of my expectations.
The City Walk was extraordinary and really gave me the kind of overall information that helped me navigate the streets and the culture. The kayaking was exceptional, helped by picture perfect weather, and gave me a chance to explore the lowlands on the North Sea.
The next day was crystal clear, perfect for the funicular to the peak above town. What a view! and then to top off my stay, dinner at the Cornelius. For some reason, Alm, the owner, took an interest in me, from Hawaii, and that we were the same age, and gave the Grand Tour of his restaurant; from his extensive Wine Cellar to his cramped kitchen. The dinner was perfect and left me wanting to extend my stay there! But, more adventure awaited...
The next day was an exciting ferry through the narrow straights of the lowlands into Sognefjord and Balestrand. What a magical place to just chill. Steeped in history and stunning views I just soaked it up. The Cider Sampling was an interesting side show but the main event was the Kviknes Hotel.
On to Flam and the first bit of clear miss booking. You folks had originally set me up to stay in Aurlandsfjord, which I would have preferred. But, I threw you a curve when I had to change my dates and that was no longer available. My replacement booking at the Heimly Pensjonat nearby in Flam was billed as including a "fjord view". I understood that Flam was a transit focal point for the ocean liner/rail road connection and, as such, was crammed with tourists sporadically. But I figured that could be mitigated with strategic directioning. That didn't happen. I ended up in the basement ("Family Room"). As it turned out, the ocean liner at dock when I arrived, sailed that night and no other showed up till my departure day. When I contacted Alex regarding the booking goof, he generously offered a comped tour of my choice to make amends. The Bike rental was a great idea but I forgot how hard a full day can be on my behind and ended up returning the bike around 3:00. I was able to reach Aurlands and really great coffee shop there for some quality chill time. That afternoon I took the RIB Boat to Undredal and zoomed about. That was loads of fun! I also ended up switching things around on the fly for the next day to be able to kayak in the Unesco designated Nærøyfjord. That took some scrambling that Alex & Nick handled expertly.
And finally I was floored by the vast beauty of Norway, once again, with my transit the next day by train to Oslo.
All and all, a wonderful adventure in Norway that I would have had to spend an inordinate amount of time arranging but with Kimkim's help, really made it possible. For that, I am forever grateful. Thanks guys!!
Mahalo, Eric

It is really hard to put into words how wonderful this experience was. We have been planning this trip for a couple of years and we were really not sure how to go about the process of making this experience the easiest and best. My brother did the research and chose you guys to do all the reservations, day trips and destination pick ups which were expedited flawlessly. We wish we had had a couple of more free days to explore each city but our time constraints didn't make that possible. Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Karl Johan Hotel

Oslo

Becareful if you are booked in the Back yard rooms...Your view is a block wall you can touch from your window. ..Rooms 247 upward... They were, however, very accommodating when we asked to move.. And this was on Constitution day.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Hotell Bondeheimen was a nice start to our trip. We were only there for one night, but the breakfast spread was phenomenal, which we really appreciated. We did have to request a room change due to a broken window, but the staff was gracious and accommodating.

Quality Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

Quality Hotel Ålesund was a nice spot to stay with a lovely waterfront view. It was comfortable and provided all the amenities we needed. Again, the breakfast offerings were superb. It was a good base for exploring Ålesund.

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Scandic Torget in Bergen was well-located in the main area, which made it easy to explore the city. The hotel was nice, although we might have wished for a bit grander experience since we don't travel often. But, overall, it was a very pleasant stay, and everything went smoothly during our time there.

Activity Reviews

Private Floating Sauna Experience in Ålesund

Ålesund

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjord Cruise to Rosendal

Bergen

The day trip to Rosendal was quite beautiful, especially the hike up to the waterfall, but it did end up being a bit long. While the experience itself was lovely, it left us feeling like we missed out on exploring more of Bergen. If there were more time to spend in Bergen, it could have been a great additional activity.

While planning our Norway trip there were a few things we knew we’d like to do but decided we could use knowledgeable assistance for the details on hotels, in country travel, airport transportation, etc as well as other ideas on what to include.

I’d read about KimKim and contacted them just to see what it was all about. I was connected with Alex, a country specialist. He laid out a proposed itinerary based on our input that we could change however we liked. We found the cost to be reasonable and well worth it. Everything was booked and paid for before we started, which was a pleasure. We travelled three times between cities (air and train) and airport transportation were was waiting for us each time. Except for things we did on our own all events were set, we just needed to show up. We stayed in 4 hotels, all were perfect and wonderfully located. Alex and Nick explained how things work in Norway such as paying for things, making connections, directions and time from hotel to boat, etc. Alex’s personal experience with Norway and some of what we did was invaluable (eg “consider doing the hike in Rosendal to the waterfall, and bring swim stuff! (he had done this).

I am certain if I had planned this out myself we would not have had the wonderful ten days we had in Norway. One example, we wanted to be in Oslo for Norway’s Constitution Day celebration and Alex put us in a nice hotel directly on the parade route; I would not have thought to do that.
Definitely recommended!

Hotel Review

Quality Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

Quality Hotel Ålesund stood out as our favorite accommodation during the trip. The rooms were spacious compared to the ones in busier cities, which was a refreshing change. The location and overall atmosphere made it very pleasant to stay there. I would happily stay there again.

Activity Reviews

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

The Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip was the highlight of our activities. It was breathtaking, and the experience was intimate with only about 45 people on the boat. Everyone seemed like-minded, appreciating the beautiful scenery, which made it a truly memorable excursion.

Norway in a Nutshell Day Trip

Bergen

The Norway in a Nutshell Day Trip was a bit disappointing for us. While it was a detailed tour, it felt rushed especially at the stop in Flam, where we had only 45 minutes to explore. The train, bus, and boat sequence was interesting but it was a very long day. The boat ride was crowded and more like a social event rather than an exploration. We wish we had more time to truly enjoy the surroundings.

Private Floating Sauna Experience in Ålesund

Ålesund

All of our guides did a wonderful job and were very knowledgeable and helpful. We loved Aurland and our Gide there. The place we stayed was in a beautiful, tranquil spot called 21/2 Aurland.

Hotel Reviews

29|2 Aurland

Aurland

This was the most beautiful place we stayed in Norway. From the owner to everyone working there you made our stay so special. We can’t wait to come back and stay longer.

Authenticity & Character

Fits lovely into the mountains and tells a story about Norway in every direction.

Location

After the larger cities this was such a peaceful place to relax and enjoy the true beauty of Norway.

Staff

The staff are special because each love and appreciate their country and take care of the land around them with organic farming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room and the lodge made you feel right at home.

Karl Johan Hotel

Oslo

Perfect location for Oslo stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel

Oslo

Very modern hotel and clean

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right by train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Det Hanseatiske Hotel

Bergen

Amazing location in Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Experience Aurland with a Local Guide

Aurland

Our guide was a very special person and we felt like friends in just a few minutes with him . As a small ground 4 he would pick us up and take us wherever we wanted to go and some places we didn’t know about.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The best

Transport

Private Oslofjord Island Hopping Nature Walk

Oslo

The Private Oslofjord Island Hopping Nature Walk was really well organized, and our guide was very informative and sweet. It was a bit challenging with the ups and downs, so I would definitely recommend bringing a hiking stick especially for older guests. Overall, it was a great way to explore the islands and enjoy the scenery.

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

The Food & Culture Walk in Bergen was enjoyable, although a bit long. The first stop had a huge cinnamon roll that seemed excessive, especially as it was too much after breakfast. I think the sequence could be improved by offering the cinnamon roll at the end so people can take it away if they're too full.

Fjord Cruise to Rosendal

Bergen

The Fjord Cruise to Rosendal was the highlight of my husband’s and my part of the journey. It was quite cold, but the ferry was nice with a lovely breakfast bar. You could get a variety of hot and cold drinks, making the experience very enjoyable. The scenery was spectacular, and the weather held up beautifully!

KimKim was easy to work with and very responsive during the trip to any inquiries that we had. We loved the trip to Norway. The hotels were all good and the activities were fun. Our favorite stop was in Balestrand as it was less to touristy, and quieter than other places we visited, but still stunningly beautiful.

Hotel Reviews

Opus XVI

Bergen

Great hotel in a great location. This was the nicest hotel we stayed in while traveling ion Norway.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Beautiful exterior. Our room was in the newer wing (built in the 1960s). Although the hotel lobby and dining room were stunning, our room was very bland and functional. The room was clean. We did have a balcony and supposedly a water view, but it was hard to see the water from our room. Good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Great lobby. Great location. Room was nice. Bathroom was a bit small. Breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karl Johan Hotel

Oslo

Great location. We were able to walk everywhere from the hotel. Our favorite breakfast of our trip to Norway. The room was very nice (and modern). The staff was very helpful in suggesting neighborhoods to explore.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

It was an enjoyable tour. The tour guide was fine (not spectacular). In the past, most food tours had too much food so I left stuffed. This food tour had a much smaller amount of food, but I was still OK with that.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fjord RIB Safari & Undredal Cheese Tasting

Norway

We really enjoyed this activity. The cheese tasting was enjoyable. The best part of the activity was being on the smaller fjords on a smaller boat. The guide was very knowledgeable and personable. We highly recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Waterfall Hike & Stegastein Viewpoint Experience

Flåm

While you can do this activity on your own, our guide (Irvin) was great and we learned a lot about Norway. Irvin was the best guide of our entire trip to Norway.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private City Walk

Oslo

We loved this walking tour. We learned a lot about Norway and Oslo. OUr guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oslofjord Dinner Cruise

Oslo

Food was delicious. Very nice scenery. No guide. You just ate dinner, talked to your companions and enjoyed the view.

Quality of Experience

Food