Katie Acheson-Gray

Having Kimkim's assistance in planning our 17 day self-drive tour of Norway was very helpful. We started with a long list of places we wished to visit and Katie helped us reduce our list to the most important destinations that were within a few hours drive of each other. Most of the lodges we stayed at were fine but one was terrible (Batsfjord Rorbuer). We ended up leaving after our first night and getting a much nicer Airbnb place for the second night. In Alesund we could not fit our luggage into the standard room at Quality Hotel Waterfront so we paid for an upgrade to a larger room with a nice view. Otherwise things went well.

Most everything was real good. My only recommendation would be to ask more about the ages of the travelers and any restrictions they may have.

Team is super easy to work with and super responsive!! Everything worked out super well!

Our trip was all around amazing. We ended up in Oslo for two warm days and enjoyed our tour with Stieg. The Thon hotel was a great location. Note:/fisheriet Bjorvika restaurant is wonderful and in a cool neighborhood. Train to Flam, then Aurland. There was a hiccup in the taxi but ferry or bus is a good alternative. The fisherman’s cabin in Aurland was really special..on the water literally and simple but amazing views. We highly recommend the sauna and dipping on the pier. Breakfast was particularly nice in an old historic house with a nice spread. The Fiord Cruise was amazing as was the Stegstein viewpoint. Ferry to Balestrand and the hotel Kniknes was outstanding. Loved walking around the town (a great local restaurant Pearl of the Harbor , run by a Ukrainian with a Norwegian flavor). Note the hotel has no elevator and a lot of stairs to climb to our room. We were fine but some may not be. The cider tour and tasting was fantastic….and impressive history. Bergen was great ..as was the tour with John…a lot of local knowledge. The Hotel Terminus …very nice room, and location. Personally we felt that there were too many groups and events and not catered to individuals as much. . Loved Bergen , roaming around, food, and the funicular. We went early up the Funicular and highly recommend the walk down. Then the Hurtigruten….the fiords were spectacular…so glad we did it. And Trondheim. we LOVED the hotel Britannia….really top notch spot in every way. The Breakfast buffet was the most impressive I have ever seen and the service impeccable. Walking tour with Wanda was perfect. She is very knowledgeable and very entertaining with her stories. We also love the Bakklandet neighborhood and restaurants. Trondheim was really a lovely little city….turned out to be one of favorites!

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

The Grand Hotel Terminus in Bergen has a fantastic location, and the rooms are beautiful, but it was not quite our style. The hotel was very crowded with groups, and there was a wedding on Sunday that seemed to take over the place. There wasn't a lobby area to relax in, which was a bit inconvenient. Despite these issues, the room was great, and Bergen itself is lovely.

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri in Aurland was absolutely magical. It's located right on the water, and we stayed in the fisherman's cabins, which were fairly basic but offered such an amazing experience with a deck overlooking the fjord. The setting was reminiscent of being in the Alps. The breakfast spread was also lovely. If you prefer super fancy, this might not be your cup of tea, but we loved it.

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

We really enjoyed staying at the Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand. It's an old, charming hotel with beautiful views by the sea. However, it doesn't have an elevator, which might be a concern for those who have trouble with stairs. There's a lovely restaurant nearby at the harbor run by a Ukrainian chef, which was a pleasant surprise. The food was great, with a fusion of local and Ukrainian flavors.

Activity Reviews

Cider & Fruit wine tasting with 5 snacks

Balestrand

The Cider & Fruit Wine Tasting with snacks in Balestrand was a delightful experience! We loved the variety of local produce and snacks on offer. It was a perfect way to spend the afternoon and learn about the local cider-making traditions. Definitely worth doing if you're in the area.

Floating Fjord Sauna

Norway

The Floating Fjord Sauna in Aurland was a unique and enjoyable experience. We love dipping in cold water, and the combination of sauna and fjord was perfect for us. The staff advised us to shower with warm water before the dip, which made the experience even better. We spent around an hour alternating between the sauna and cold dips, and it felt invigorating. A highly recommended activity!

What a magical trip! My husband and I are independent travelers but we wanted the expertise and logistical skill of a destination specialist who knew Norway inside out, and that's just what we got with Katie. We decided to travel from Oslo to Balestrand and fjord country to Bergen and then go on to Floro and the tiny island of Kinn -- mostly by ferries and train. Katie understood our budget constraints and still offered up remarkable suggestions on centrally located lodgings, including a cabin in Balestrand overlooking snow-capped mountains that we wanted to stay in forever. All the ferries and trains were arranged for and paid for in advance and she helped us secure an electric car for two days. Our entire trip (with PDF attachments and confirmations) was placed on an app, so all we had to do was open the app -- couldn't be easier. When a couple of hitches developed (as they always do in travel), we just reached out to KimKim and they responded in literally a minute and solved the issue right on the spot. Everyone there seemed committed to ensuring we enjoyed a wonderful vacation. A number of helpful suggestions were offered for us to explore at every stop we made, and we feel our two-week trip was filled with well-balanced activities (from cultural activities to awesome nature). We are still glowing from this trip and the wonderful people we met in Norway and the sights! OMG, the sights!

Katie was very easy to work with and extremely knowledgeable about the areas we were visiting. We had a fantastic time and the guides we interacted with both did a very good job. Aspan, our driver, was very knowledgeable about the area and took us on a beautiful scenic drive along the edges of the fjords and to many scenic waterfalls and other spots. We also really enjoyed our day with Elin, she is a sweetheart and made sure that we were all having a great time and she was full of fun stories and knowledge as well. The only “glitch“ was on the morning that it was pouring rain and we decided to not go on the guided E bike tour. As Katie was on her maternity leave we were working with Tom and that communication wasn’t as fluid. I assumed we would be refunded the money we paid for the tour but Tom said we had to cancel within 72 hours but I do not believe that any bike tours took place that morning due to the heavy rain so it was probably cancelled by the company anyways. We asked for a couple of other options to do that morning and one of the options he gave us was closed and the other one was an outdoor museum. But we figured out a fun activity for that morning, regardless. At the last minute, I wanted to have the experience to ride a Norwegian fjord horse and asked the kimkim team if they could arrange for that at a farm, Øvre-Eide Gård. I was told by kimkim they had nothing available, but when I emailed them they were able to accommodate us, and it was one of the highlights of our trip! Overall, we had a phenomenal time in Norway and are looking forward to hopefully being able to go back in the future. This was a bucket list trip for me and it fulfilled my heart, as well as my soul to visit the land of my ancestors!

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

A beautiful hotel with wonderful staff. The balcony overlooking the harbor was great and the breakfast buffet was amazing. Just like the other two hotels, the lack of air-conditioning was a bit of a problem for us. We would highly suggest that the hotels install ceiling fans or fans for those of us who like to sleep in cooler rooms. We had to sleep with all the windows open, and it was a bit noisy since it was right in the hub of the downtown activities. But the location was great with lots of walking activities nearby, and easy access to public transportation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

The view of the fjord from our room was spectacular. We were not expecting the dock to be right in front of our room, though, and sometimes made it a little awkward when people were out on the dock looking into our room. The room was absolutely beautifully appointed, but the only thing it was lacking was a place to put our luggage. Due to lack of air-conditioning the room did get a bit warm so I would suggest a fan or a ceiling fan.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

The room was very comfortable and spacious. Although it got very hot due to lack of air-conditioning. The bathroom did not have an electrical plug so that made getting ready in the morning a bit tricky. Even though it was right next to the train station the noise was not really a problem. We ate dinner in the restaurant on the first night and we’re not overly impressed, but it’s a fantastic location, and they have an amazing breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Waterfall Hike & Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

Our guide, Elin, is who made the day as amazing as it was. The drive up to the viewpoint was windy and twisty but once we got there, it was amazing. And I am very glad that we got there first thing in the morning as it got very crowded and when we arrived, we were the only ones there. The waterfall hike was fine, it really wasn’t a hike that we needed a “guide“ for, but what made it so fun was Elin’s enthusiasm and fun stories.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

Another amazing day out on the fjords. Again, spectacular views, and this time it was not pouring rain so we were able to enjoy without getting soaking wet, although it was a bit chilly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise from Bergen

Bergen

This was amazing! Even though it was raining and very cold, it was well worth it. One of the highlights of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Oh

Transport

Guided Bike Tour: See the City Like a Local

Bergen

We did not go on this activity as it was pouring rain that morning. We contacted Tom and he said that we could not be refunded our money for the tour as we did not cancel 72 hours in advance. I highly doubt the company even had the bike tours that morning, as it was raining so hard. But we were never offered a refund.

We had a wonderful trip to Oslo thanks to Katie's expertise. All of the activities were fun but the food tour was an especially huge hit with everyone. Our guide, Stig, was lovely and extremely knowledgeable. I doubt this will be our last kimkim trip.

Hotel Review

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

The rooms were a great size. Wonderful showers. And the staff were all very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right next to the central train station and the port.

Staff

Everyone we met were very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

A Taste of Oslo's Culture and Cuisine

Oslo

It was such a treat. We were able to meet up at the hotel lobby. Walking around and not being in a rush was especially enjoyable. And the snacks were all delicious. We're still talking about the waffles.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stig was a wonderful tour guide. We learned alot about Oslo and had some delicious treats. Highly recommend.

Our trip to Norway was an unexpected and unplanned Christmas revelation - it was merely an extension of another planned trip to Rome. After extensive consulting with our expert who spared no detail in planning our itinerary, Ms. Katie, I realized, we were up for an adventure of a lifetime. She recommended beautiful quaint Tromsø and two sites in Senja (Hamn-Senja and Norwegian Wild) to explore. Not even an unseasonable snowstorm dampened our trip. The polar nights added to the beauty and much needed quietude and stillness to appreciate the raw grandeur of Senja Islands and arctic north. The transportation and accommodations she chose were top notch and comfortable (Hygge is not a buzzword. It is a lifestyle, my friends!). Our cabins in Hamn and Norwegian Wild allowed for expansive views of the natural beauty in the northern Norway and Ånderdalen National Park. The fresh and healthy food were prepared with love (“just like my grandmother served me in childhood”, said our host and proprietor of Norwegian Wild, Hege). We drank the best water from the tap and ate fresh powdery snow! Our winter adventures were capped by the warmth and welcoming Norwegians: our driver from Tromsø, Finn-Åge who we ran into while waiting for Stig to pick us up in Finnsnes, the chefs and bartender and activity coordinator in Hamn-Senja, Franco and Roberto at Norwegian Wild talked to us with excitement about our stay. The piece de resistance: we saw the aurora borealis when the winter clouds parted, while hot tubbing next to our cabin (named Silda)! Silda means herring - our trip was a rarity, much like a red herring!

Katie at Kimkim was such a great fit for us. There were 10 adults (siblings and spouses) traveling to Norway for the first time. We only had 2 weeks so we wanted to make sure our choices fit our personalities and styles (which is no easy task with 10 participants). We gave Katie a rough idea of the things we liked and the things we wanted to avoid and she gave us choices to consider and was VERY patient as we changed our minds several times. We used trains, planes, automobiles and boats to get all around Norway and everything was seamless. Katie's attention to detail was perfect. Kimkim was available to us while we were in Norway (there were a couple of occasions where they didn't seem to have our prepaid reservation at a hotel and once, our shuttle was very late). Kimkim called these businesses for us to help make sure all was ok. Katie really listened to what we were looking for and chose hotels that we really liked. I also liked that we could leave some days unplanned but Katie still gave us ideas of things to do once we arrived. I would use Kimkim again and again!

Our guide Katie was very helpful, the itinerary was very much to my expectation. We can see beautiful Norway, it helps also with good weather (we have been very lucky). Taxi in smaller cities probably is not the most reliable service. But in general, most cities in Norway are not big, very walkable (and also relatively flat). It’s also my first time using assistance of tour guide, also a good experience for me.