Linda Veråsdal

Linda did a great job planning our trip. She was always very responsive and was able to address all issues. If we do this again, we will certainly ask for her.

Activity Review

Fjordcruise on Nærøyfjord Gudvangen | Bus and Train to Bergen

Norway

Were able to show the grandchildren the beauty of Norway.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Our local specialist, Linda, did an amazing job with our constant changes. She stayed positive and made sure we had the correct bookings on correct dates for each traveler.

We and our children and grandchildren just returned from a fabulous 11-day trip to Bergen and the Western Fjords. Our travel specialist, Linda Verasdal, did an impeccable job of crafting the perfect itinerary tailored to our interests and needs. What memories we made!

We started and ended our trip in Bergen. Must-do’s: Take a walking tour of the harbor area with a local guide to learn about historic Bryggen and tour its colorful, ancient wooden buildings; ride the funicular up Mt. Floyen for amazing views of the city, harbor, and surrounding mountains; then, hike back down to town. Take the light rail to visit an impressive stave church. Eat dockside at Fish Me or lunch as we did at Egon.

We then traveled into the Hardangerfjord region via private transport, stopping at the Jondal ski resort where we snowshoed up to the glacier! Exhilarating!

As we toured the fjord region, we spent two nights in each of these small villages: Lofhus, Ulvik, and Flam/Aurland. Highlights and faves: taking scenic cruises on the fjords on while counting the numerous waterfalls (!!) and taking in the breathtaking beauty, tasting the local apple cider at farms where the trees were in full bloom, kayaking, hiking, getting our thrill on a wild rib boat safari, and taking walking tours with local guides who told us about the area.

In the tiny town of Gudvangen, we took a private tour of the authentically reproduced Viking village of Njardarheimr where our excellent guide Cory debunked the myths and explained what life was really like in the Viking era. Craftspeople demonstrated traditional trades. Faves: trying archery and axe-throwing, meeting the Chieftain of the village, and being introduced to the ancient chess-like board game Hnefatafl. (No, we can't pronounce it!)

After a relaxing cruise on the beautiful Naeroyfjord to Flam, we feasted on the Viking Plank Dinner of local ingredients and brews at the Aegir Brewpub.

We finished our trip with two wonderful days in modern cabins right on the fjord in tiny Aurland. Lastly, we took the famed Flamsbana railway from the bottom of the Aurlandsfjord to the mountains in Myrdal, stopping midway at the powerful Kjosfossen waterfall.

What an experience!

Hotel Reviews

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

We stayed in the cabins with decks overlooking the fjord where we soaked in the peace and quiet as we took in the gorgeous views in all directions. We also very much enjoyed dining at the gastropub at this hotel.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ullensvang

Lofthus Hardanger

We requested rooms facing the fjord and were glad we did. The rooms were spacious and updated. The hotel itself is large and offers many amenities including multiple pools, historic buildings, a dock with seating, a large restaurant, and a bar downstairs for after dinner .

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Hotel Terminus is ideally located opposite the train station, making it easy to catch a train to the airport. The hotel is a renovated older building, but could use more refurbishment. The breakfast served at the hotel restaurant is excellent, however, the lack of a consistently open evening restaurant was a minor inconvenience. However, the location is very walkable, being a few blocks from downtown Bergen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Brakanes Hotel

Ulvik

Brakanes Hotel was a good experience. The location is absolutely stunning, with cabins right on the fjord. Despite undergoing an ownership change, the hotel remains a great place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Glacier Hike in Jondal

Norway

Great experience with guide Wilde who was very friendly, accommodating, and attentive to each person's needs in our group with a wide age range.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Ana gave us a full tour of downtown Bergen and the Bryggen area. She provided extensive information about the history of the area and offered suggestions for restaurants and shopping.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

RIB Fjord Safari

Norway

Driver Richard was great! He had a good sense of humor and gave our grandsons a thrilling ride in the speedy rib boat while not overdoing it. Loved it when he spun a yarn about how getting we in a waterfall with give you a longer life and then nudging the boat up to a waterfall at the fjord's edge so our grandsons could catch the spray! Only time will tell on the veracity of his yarn...

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided kayak in Ulvik

Ulvik

Our guide Christophe was genial and attentive to the widely varying abilities of our group. (Yes, I did bring up the rear!) He took us all across the bay at the end of the fjord where Ulvik is situated and then across the fjord. We stopped on an island where Christophe demonstrated how to start a fire using a rustic flint knife and a steel. Our grandsons were thrilled when he helped each of them to start a fire of birch bark and scraped tinder bits. He then made a fire on a portable grill and brewed us tea and coffee! Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

This was a leisurely tour of Naeroyfjord after our tour of Viking Village in Gudvangen and ending in Flam. Beautiful scenery and ore waterfalls!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Experience in Undredal

Norway

Louis, our guide, picked us up in a shuttle van and took us around the end of the fjord in Flam to Undredal on the other side. He took us on a walking tour of the tiny town while he explained the history of the area. We then visited the tiny stave church in town, which was an inspiration for the Disney movie Frozen. We admired the ancient painting on the wooden staves and ceiling inside the church and marveled at the two drawings dating from the Viking era, which were carved into small squares on the walls. We lunched on goat at a restaurant fjord-side where we tasted various kinds of goat cheese. The whole valley is famous for its goat herds and the cheesemaking.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Osafjellet and the Tunnel

Ulvik

The visit to Osafjellet and the Tunnel was interesting, but the guide spent too long on a PowerPoint presentation at the beginning, which was a bit dry. The tunnels themselves were fascinating, but the uneven, wet footing was a challenge, and the lack of provided lighting made it potentially dangerous. The overall experience was okay, but some aspects could have been better planned

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore a Cider Farm in Hardanger

Ulvik

The cider farm tour was a great experience, but there were some issues with communication regarding the amount of walking involved. The tour included a lot of walking, which was a challenge for some members of the group. The cider tasting was done back at the hotel rather than at the farms, which was a bit of a disappointment.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The whole process of planning our trip to Norway was so simple with the support of the wonderful team at kimkim. We started off with Andre, who came up with the initial plan based on my requests. When Andre moved on to another area, Linda took over, everything was seamless. We spent an incredible 6 days in Norway with the excitement of a RIB boat tour to watch the sea eagles and an amazing northern lights tour. An overnight trip on the Hurtigruten took us to our next adventure of reindeer sledding. We were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery and learn about the local history and culture. There was only one small hiccup which was dealt with admirably by Tricia when I called the emergency number. Communication before, during and after our trip has been excellent.

Norway is such a magical place, and this trip allowed us to burrow in further than our previous trip. Our trip had a nice flow, and our accommodations were excellent. We stayed in both an incredible boutique style hotel suite, and a fishing cabin in the Lofotens. Our overnight on the Hurtigruten Ferry gave us a taste of cruising and allowed us to take a RIB trip to the Saltstraumen Strait. We liked having 2 nights at our hotels so we could get there, explore and relax. Linda was attentive to our needs with many great suggestions. Thank you for your organization and ease of planning.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Nidelven

Trondheim

Central location by the flower bridge with easy access to outside terrace restaurants and bars. This hotel had the best breakfast buffet ever!!!! It's hard to call it a buffet as there were stations set up with personal service for everything. The room was comfortable. The hotel staff was extremely helpful. We had an issue with our power cords and they were able to advise us on how to fix our access.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location and breakfast

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hustadvika Havhotell

Fraena

I wish I had read the driving instructions to this hotel that you provided more thoroughly before I panicked. Turns out we were only 3 minutes away when we started asking directions. The room was comfortable and cozy. The staff was very pleasant. It was a bit isolated if you didn't want to eat at the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

MS Kong Harald

Tromsø

This ferry ride was great exposure to what cruising must be like. Our room was small but had everything we needed. We were only onboard 1 night. If we had gone further it would have been nice to have a room with a larger window. We sat on the observation deck most of the time. It was amazing how closely we navigated through the islands. We signed up to take the RIB Saltstraumen excursion. This may have been the highlight of our trip. For some reason we thought we had our room until we reached Svolvaer. But when we were paged we found out we should have checked out by 11. We were hoping to come back from the RIB adventure, take a warm shower and gather up our belongings for our departure. That was our mistake. The scenery along the passage was incredible!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nordis Apartments

Svolvær

Wow!! What a great little boutique hotel!!! We loved our corner suite with a lovely view of the harbor and mountains. Our bedroom was spacious, and we appreciated having the sitting area and outside balcony as well. We would definitely stay here again. Thank you for getting us such a lovely space.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Corner suite with balcony on the harbor

Staff

Friendly and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reine Rorbuer

Reine

Quaint fishing cabin right on the harbor. Lovely space with lots of character.

Authenticity & Character

A true fishing cabin outfitted as you would hope, but with modern amenities

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Trollfjord Cruise

Svolvær

Amazing time on the water. The guides were informative. The scenery was stunning.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and friendly. Enjoyed the underwater drone images.

Transport

Diverse scenery

We had an absolutely amazing time in Norway thanks to our trip planner Linda. Every place we visited was more magical than the last, and the lesser known towns she sent us to were our favorites. We never could have had this trip without her. My only regret is that we didn't have more time to explore these magical places.

We only had to reach out to KimKim once while we were away to get some advice on timing with the ferries. Linda was off that day, but her team member figured out exactly where we were based on our shaky directions from inside a tunnel, as was able to calculate our travel times and and give us advice on our next move. I was shocked at the level of customer service.

The tour guides Linda matched us up with here so kind and knowledgeable, it felt like walking around with our new Norwegian friends rather than being on a tour. Special shoutout to our inn keeper in Værlandet, who gave us food out of her own freezer when we arrived after the grocery store had closed. Above and beyond!

A memorable trip

I had been to Norway twice before so one may think I had done it all - far from it. Despite my age of 76 I had planned a hiking trip w
trip with Kim-Kim tours. It was an independent tour with Kim-Kim making most of the itinerary, booking guides, gondolas etc and making helpful suggestions
The result being, that despite
a couple problems, that this was an awesome trip and experience. The first 6 days of the 3 week trip I relived past experiences in Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen climbing pulpit's rock, dining on wharf in Bergen, cruising the archipelago in Oslo, etc., but I also had many new adventures like hiring a guide in Oslo (Kim-Kim suggestion) that was fantastic. Kim-Kim gave me an option of mountains to hike at every stop and also options on accomations. I rented a car in Bergen and headed to Kalvag, staying in unforgettable Knutholmen. Unfortunately it had rained all July in Norway so despite sunny weather the ground was saturated and gave way on my hike causing me to have a serious fall and injury. The owner of knutholmen was fantastic in helping me, but my hiking trip was ended. This is where Kim-Kim stepped up and not only saved my trip but made it the best sight seeing trip of my life. Linda, from Kim-Kim, each night provided me with incredible scenic drives and interesting stops and activities along the way. I have seen incredible scenery I would have never seen without her help. Norway turned out to be the most beautiful country I have ever seen. So instead of the fall ruining my trip, it turned it into a fantastic explorative journey that Kim-Kim enhanced with Linda's constant help. For example, Andalnes and route 93 with the Trollstigen drive are indescribable beauty suggested to me by Linda.
It was truly a trip I will never forget !

Activity Review

Oslo City Walk with a Local

Oslo

Quality of Experience

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Wit and knowledge

Transport

I used my own rental but kim-kim did move my bags once. Each country had excellent transports of busses, trains ferries

Our trip to Norway was amazing! We loved the summer farm in Innerdalen. Our guides were knowledgeable and friendly. The hike to Romsdalseggen was worth the effort because of the views! Our planner, Linda did a fantastic job incorporating our ideas to create a fun and beautiful trip.

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!

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

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

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 Hotel

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

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

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

We are so incredibly grateful to Linda for planning us an AMAZING 18 day itinerary through Norway.
She really gave us incredible diversity along our travels- allowing us to see the country from so many points of view!
We came home with so many memories we will cherish forever- and it was so thoughtful how Linda checked in with us along our journey.
Since we went North to South through the country, I thought I would share my favourite stops along the way:
- Honningsvag and Nordkapp: being that North was something we will never forget. Being at Nordkapp on the summer solstice Instantly became a core memory. The midnight sun and the driving were epic!! We would have loved another night here. Our hotel in Honningsvag had a beautiful rooftop terrace.
- The Sami culture park in Karasjok is worth a visit we loved to learn about the culture and driving here we saw SOO many reindeer! We also got to feed some at the nature park right beside our hotel. Be aware that the park is closed on Sundays if you travel there over a weekend. The restaurant there beside the Scandic hotel was one of our favourites of the entire trip!
- Tromso was a lively incredible city with amazing views everywhere you look. The cable car for the midnight sun is a must. We spent quite a bit of time up there. The views were beautiful. Our hotel- Clarion the Edge had the most comfortable bed of the entire trip and I slept so well here.
- Fjaerland: this was HANDS DOWN our absolute FAVOURITE part of our trip! This small village should be visited by anyone going to Norway. Kayaking in the fjord, the floating sauna, the glacier museum and having lunch in front of the glacier left us speechless. We were in love with every minute of being here. 2 nights was the perfect amount of time to see the village and do some activities. A MUST visit for anyone. Fjaerland Fjorstove hotel had the most amazing and friendly staff, the food was great and better yet- learning about the village from the locals was so fantastic.
- Vaerlandet: The next top stop for us on our journey- we enjoyed the island life thoroughly and the hotel was INCREDIBLE. Vaerlandet Havhotell- Elin was Incredible. She was SO nice and accommodating, even letting us do a load of laundry during our visit! The view from our terrace allowed us to fully enjoy sunsets, the breakfast delivered right to your door was great and climbing Alden mountain with a private boat transfer was also a core memory from our trip!
-Flam Railway: an incredible trip not to miss up the mountain with so much beautiful scenery and waterfalls!
-Oslo: We really enjoyed the city vibe of Oslo. There were so many great shops and restaurants here, but we truly wouldn’t have enjoyed Oslo as much if we didn’t have a guided walking tour with our guide STIG! He was AMAZING! Such a cool, laid back guy, who loved being off the beaten path and really made us fall in love with his city. The stories and history he shared made our visit to Oslo so special. Thanks Stig!!!
The opera house is the ideal place to watch the sunset each night and the vintage shops were my favourite!

Thank you Linda and Kimkim for an incredible trip we will never forget. We really felt like we could reach out to Linda for anything- having the best support along our travels. Once again, we are so grateful for you!
We have been telling everyone we know about the incredible service and look forward to using it again in the future!

Love, Natalie & Tyler

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Alta

Alta

This hotel had the most elaborate breakfast spread of any hotel on our trip! We loved the fresh food options, we slept well here and they even allowed us to do laundry for free! Would highly recommend this hotel- service, location and amenities were great!

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the Center of the city amenities

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Karasjok

Karasjok

Loved the Sauna, the staff were so nice and helpful, and the restaurant next door was our favourite of our whole trip!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything- including the reindeer at the nature park! We could see them from our window

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The View Hotel

Nordkapp

The rooms were really nice, the anytime drink machine was great (the choco milk here was my favourite) and the rooftop terrace is stunning!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Incredible views! Living up to its name!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Hotel the Edge

Tromsø

This hotel had the most comfortable beds and I slept the best here of any hotel on our trip! The breakfast was great and the staff were very friendly. It’s also so close to a lot of great restaurants and shops!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

The hotel was super nice, the staff was great here- and being that we couldn’t make breakfast either time we stayed here they prepared us a breakfast box and it was delicious. The restaurant is booked super far in advance but luckily the location is great in the centre of town so there are many great restaurant choices around, and even a grocery store right across the street.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Each time we stayed here the staff brought a kettle to my room for me which I appreciated SO much!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fjærland Fjordstove Hotel

Fjærland

This was hands down my favourite village we visited on our trip. The staff at this hotel are incredible. The terrace and the room we stayed in had AMAZING views of the fjord and glacier. We would absolutely come back to Norway just to visit here again. We loved the story time about the village before dinner and appreciated the local cuisine!

Authenticity & Character

Loved the old world charm like a bed and breakfast

Location

You will not beat these views!

Staff

SO friendly and we enjoyed hearing about the village from them!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Værlandet Havhotell

Hamna

This hotel is an absolute GEM! Our terrace allowed us to enjoy the sunset fully each night, we loved the breakfast delivered to our door each morning and most importantly- ELIN was SOO nice and accommodating, even letting us do a load of laundry! We were SO grateful to stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Elin you rock! Thank you for your kindness and generosity!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

The rooms here are BEAUTIFUL! The additional touches of robes, slippers, the tech of the digital lights, music syncing, etc made it feel very luxurious. I would absolutely stay here again in Oslo. The breakfast was hands down the best of our trip, with eggs Benedict, omelettes, etc. the location also could not have been any better so close to the train station and we enjoyed hearing live music in the square in front of the hotel most nights!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Oslo City Walk with a Local

Oslo

STIG!!! He was THE BEST! We truly enjoyed our walking tour with Stig so much- it was one of the highlights of our trip. He is such a cool, laid back person with a love for his city that was infectious. We thoroughly enjoyed learning about the history, the great tips on bars, restaurants and shops and just the company of this amazing human. We truly would not have discovered so many of the places Stig took us if it weren’t for our tour. Thank you Stig for your time, your company, your love for what you do and for making us fall in Love with Oslo! Xo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak in Fjærlandsfjord

Norway

This experience was one of the highlights of our entire 18-day trip. Our guide was incredible, and we enjoyed hearing about the village during our time together. It almost feels surreal on the water- everywhere you look you feel like you are in a postcard or painting. When we turned around to go back- the moment of seeing the glacier and the view change was so beautiful. Thank you for such a lovely experience- we will cherish that forever!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide (I’m so sorry I forget your name!) was incredible and told us such cool history and information about the village!

Transport

We walked 2 minutes from our hotel to get there! :)

Floating Sauna

Norway

WOW this experience was amazing. You just cannot beat the peace you feel from feeling relaxed in there and seeing the gorgeous views. Omg the glass was so clean my pictures turned out amazing from here! We jumped into the fjord to cool down- and it was COLD! The water was 8 degrees haha but it felt fantastic. This is a MUST DO activity!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Norway was very nice. We had several surprises along the way, from the initial
planning (pre-covid) to the actual trip. At the end of the trip, we were dumbfounded to be
affected by the SAS Airline strike, which resulted in our being stranded in Norway.
I really compliment our Kimkim consultant, Linda, for doing her best to help us. She never
failed to respond to our emails and also helped to research options for us to get out of
Norway. It was very comforting knowing she was there and paying attention to our dilemma..
Kimkim did a very thorough job of planning our trip in meticulous detail, trying hard to
do exactly what we asked. Even with all the many, many changes, cancelations, rebookings
and delays, I must give them kudos. I wouldn't hesitate to use Kimkim again for this type
of trip.

We had great guides. Stig was incredible in Oslo. Torstein was great in Aurland. John was superb in Bergen and went out of his way to help. Linda was the best - responsive, courteous, helpful - even got us refund from hotel due to difficulty leaving US. Linda was creative in planning the trip and with me all the time, thru kimkim, very fast responses. Our 13 days in Norway was everything we could have imagined. Even the weather cooperated!!

We had an amazing experience planning and coordinating the trip with Linda and the team. Despite Covid19 trying hard to cancel our trip (and after 2 years of postponing it) we managed to take the trip and have an incredible time. The team was super helpful throughout all the different changes, adjustments and was very accommodating and always with a smile. We thank them for that!

Beyond the great selection of hotels and options along the journey the team also picked an incredible guide in Oslo (Stig). We had a great day out with him!

Thank you for all the support and making out trip special.

Linda had to plan our trip not once but three times thanks to COVID. It was well worth the wait! The best part for us was the local touch. While other folks walked around in groups of 20 struggling to hear one guide tell stories, our family had one guide all to ourselves. They provided great insight and a personal touch I don't think we would have had with another company.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Byparken

Bergen

Perfect location, great breakfast. The rooms were a bit small and could use some updating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Midtnes Hotel

Balestrand

The view from the hotel was fantastic! But the hotel itself is old and lacking any amenities. If you know that going in, you'll be fine. The owner is lovely and attentive.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

Awesome central location and fun decor. But the rooms are very cramped.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Bergen with a Local

Bergen

Vilde was lovely - lots of great history of Bergen as well as tips for just about anything we wanted to do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scenic Boat Trip to Fjærland

Norway

Captain Tor was fantastic. He made sure each of us was able to see or do something we wanted or didn't even know we wanted. My son had a special request to fish and he let him cast a little bit even though we weren't on a fishing cruise. He let my daughter drive - something she was nervous about at first but ultimately loved.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

It was amazing how much Stig knew about Oslo's history. He was very thoughtful about including our whole family in the experience and even sent a photo after the tour was over.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My husband and I recently returned from a trip which included Bergen, Vaerlandet, Fjaerland and Lofoten . It's hard for me to express with words how wonderful our trip was. The credit for this goes to our wonderful specialist Linda. We started planning this trip about 3 years ago . We had to cancel our plans twice due to covid. This involved a lot of work on Linda's part but she was always gracious and happy to help. In addition to planning our route she also recommended and scheduled activities for us as well as arranging our rental cars. We started our trip in Bergen which is the city where my grandmother was born. It is very special for me to be in Bergen and this was my fourth visit. I did the walk with a local which was excellent! My guide, Brit, was a wealth of information . We walked for 3 hours and saw much of Bergen. My husband and I stayed at the Bergen Bors Hotel which is beautiful and located across the street from the fish market. My husband and I did a rib boat tour out of Bergen which was really fun!. We also did the round trip Fjord cruise from Bergen to Rosendal. I would highly recommend this cruise if you are in Bergen . We then left Bergen and drove and took ferries to Vaerlandet . We really enjoyed staying at the Vaerlandet Havhotell. The woman who checked us in to the hotel as well as chef Michael of the only restaurant on the island took great care of us. Our next stop was Fjaerland which is one of Norway's Book towns. We enjoyed the glacier museum as well as a guided hike to Blabaerstolen. The Fjaerland Fjordstove Hotel and staff were wonderful. Everyone we encountered in this town was extremely friendly . We visited the 2 stave churches on this route which were stunning! We then drove back to Bergen. Linda made all of these drives easy with a ferry outline and schedule. We then flew to Svolvaer . The Nordic Suites hotel was a beautiful place to stay. The silent Trollfjord Cruise is a must if you are in Svolvaer, We saw several white tailed eagles on the cruise. We then drove to Reine and stopped at several beautiful white sand beaches. We took a 4 hour fishing tour while in Reine which was great fun! Everyone on board caught a fish. We also stopped at the Viking Museum which was great very nice. We stayed 1 night in Henningsvaer and then flew back to Bergen . Then home to the US. I could not be more pleased with Linda and the trip that she planned for us. She is amazing!!! Hopefully we can return to Norway soon.

Hotel Reviews

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

A beautiful hotel with a wonderful location across from the fish market .

Authenticity & Character

Location

centrally located to the harbor

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Værlandet Havhotell

Hamna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fjærland Fjordstove Hotel

Fjærland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nordis Suites

Svolvær

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reine Rorbuer

Reine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Henningsvær Bryggehotell

Vagan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

My guide Brit was wonderful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Round Trip Fjord Cruise Bergen to Rosendal

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guidet Hike to Blåbærstølen

Fjærland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore Svolvær

Svolvær

Quality of Experience

Trollfjord Cruise

Svolvær

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Reine and the Surroundings

Reine

Quality of Experience

Drive from Reine to Henningsvær

Norway

Quality of Experience

Unbelievably Amazing Family Trip to Norway

Linda very patiently worked with me to plan what ended up being a twice-postponed (due to the pandemic) family trip to Norway. Family travel can be challenging, especially with teenagers-- but Linda's arrangements were spectacular! She really took into account our interests and helped us plan a trip full of adventure. Our guides-- especially our hiking guide, Heidi and our kayaking guide, Craig-- were amazing! The excursions were well-planned, exciting, and took us to some of the most beautiful places we've seen. Each day planned by Linda had a great balance of activity and time to explore. She helped us with complicated travel arrangements (trains, busses, ferries...), and figuring out how to navigate our visit during the Easter holiday week. We felt as though we got to cover a good amount of ground, and our accommodations in the fjord towns were especially wonderful (an area where we weren't sure what would await us when we arrived, since there aren't options as plentiful as in the cities). I cannot rave enough-- this was our first experience with KimKim, and I'd recommend Linda to anyone! Thanks for all you did to make our trip so spectacular and memorable.

Hotel Reviews

Gudvangen Fjordtell & Apartments

Gudvangen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

STAY HERE, in the fisherman's cabin. Very small, but comfortable and (essentially) IN the fjord. We loved this cabin!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central to town, able to walk everywhere!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Waterfall Hike Overlooking Aurland

Aurland

Our guide, Heidi, was really great. A perfect balance of information and just letting us enjoy the hike. So friendly, chatted with our whole family. When we had extra time, she drove us to another lookout point which was as spectacular as the hike!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

See above-- a really exceptional guide!

Transport

Kayaking Adventure in Gudvangen

Gudvangen

Unparalleled experience being IN the fjord. A fun way to see the area, great adventure, learned about the small farms and towns along the way. Even an unexpected meal cooked for us on the shores of the fjord. This adventure was one of the highlights of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Truly exceptional guides. Craig was our main guide-- knowledgeable, friendly, fun, and made us feel safe from the first minutes of the trip. Craig was training a new guide (Trechelle), and the two of them led an exception afternoon of paddling and exploring.

I thought Linda did a great job arranging our trip to Norway.

Unfortunately outside influences affected the trip. SAS changed our flights 6 times which had a knock on affect to our itinerary but Linda was very patient reorganising it multiple times. SAS also lost one of our bags which was returned to us a day later thankfully. We returned to the UK with Norwegian Airlines who seem a great deal more reliable.

I would not recommend travelling to the islands over Christmas when many of the facilities are shut. However this may be due to Covid restrictions (restaurants are not currently allowed to serve alcohol).

Covid blighted this trip (I tested positive on day 3) but Linda continued to provide support and assistance throughout. Not the trip we wanted at all but not because of anything that KimKim had control of.