Merée Ruzits

This trip was incredible. While I may have been able to book this trip on my own - this was WAY easier. They picked great hotels that were closer to the sights. The igloo experience was something that changed my life. It was one of the best things I ever experienced. The only thing I wish was a little better info for the buses and trains - that is my only complaint. But this was a 10/10 experience and would highly recommend to anyone.

Hotel Reviews

Radisson Blu Hotel

Tromsø

The Radisson Blu Hotel was also well located. However, there were some communication issues regarding my stay on the night of the ice dome experience. I wasn't initially informed that I still had the hotel room for the night, which would have been good to know beforehand. Other than that, the hotel was pretty good

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

The Bondeheimen hotel was a pleasant surprise. The location was great and I didn't have to venture very far to get to things. Overall, I was very pleased with this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Chase

Tromsø

The northern lights were very cool, I would have preferred doing another activity like this one versus the husky visit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aurora Husky Visit

Tromsø

The husky visit, was not my cup of tea. I felt a bit sad for the dogs that were there.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend the morning in the ice domes and transfer back to the city

Tromsø

The ice dome experience was hands down the best thing I've ever done. It was just incredible. There were some communication issues regarding how I was supposed to get there and whether or not I had to carry all my luggage. But other than that, it was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Bergen to Oslo scenic train route - Bergensbanen

Norway

The train experience was generally okay, but there was a bit of confusion due to some work being done on the train tracks. I had to transfer to a bus at some point which was unexpected. I think it would be helpful if there were some checks closer to the trip to ensure everything is running smoothly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We deeply appreciate the plans that you made for us.
The Kviknes motel was a high point of our experience. We stayed for the evening seafood buffet that ranks #1 in my mind so far of any place that I have been in the last 15 years, and I told the maitre'd this.
The opposite end of the luxury spectrum was at the Eidegard in Sjkolden. What a wonderful place, staying in a very old house. The kitchen was wonderful for the 4 meals we made there.
Our trip to Fortun to visit my grandmothers birthplace was breath taking both in scenery and physical exertion to go up 300 meters on foot.
Our stay at the Laerdal Motel was also very good. We got in before the 3 tour buses both days. Food was very good.
Going to the Bogrund stave church was amazing. Going to the Hauge church and finding 6 tombstones with my last name was bitter sweet. Good to find my roots. Visiting the city hall and library was very informative. Folks knew my family name and the farm they came from.
Tunnels-did I mention tunnels and ferries? Those people knew what they were doing.
The Voss Gondola ride was so much better than we anticipated. The weather really did cooperate at the top for us to wander around for an hour. We should have stayed in Voss.
Returning Bergen, the Food and Culture tour by Mateus was very good. It again exceeded our expectations.
We then went to the Cornelius. Another amazing place with amazing food, wine, ambience and just fun.
Our stay at the Augustin worked out. The original address was closed for cleanout and renovation. The "new" place was half a block away and that worked out very well. Luckily they had a single parking spot for our rental car. We did not know that breakfast was included. Very good! We were 5 minutes from the city center mall and the harbor and fish market.
We spent a day exploring west of Bergen, before returning our rental car.
We give Kimkim a rating of 10 out of 10 and highly recommend using them. A little investigation would have prepared us for the wonderful side trips.

We deeply appreciate the plans that you made for us.
The Kviknes motel was a high point of our experience. We stayed for the evening seafood buffet that ranks #1 in my mind so far of any place that I have been in the last 15 years, and I told the maitre'd this.
The opposite end of the luxury spectrum was at the Eidegard in Sjkolden. What a wonderful place, staying in a very old house. The kitchen was wonderful for the 4 meals we made there.
Our trip to Fortun to visit my grandmothers birthplace was breath taking both in scenery and physical exertion to go up 300 meters on foot.
Our stay at the Laerdal Motel was also very good. We got in before the 3 tour buses both days. Food was very good.
Going to the Bogrund stave church was amazing. Going to the Hauge church and finding 6 tombstones with my last name was bitter sweet. Good to find my roots. Visiting the city hall and library was very informative. Folks knew my family name and the farm they came from.
Tunnels-did I mention tunnels and ferries? Those people knew what they were doing.
The Voss Gondola ride was so much better than we anticipated. The weather really did cooperate at the top for us to wander around for an hour. We should have stayed in Voss.
Returning Bergen, the Food and Culture tour by Mateus was very good. It again exceeded our expectations.
We then went to the Cornelius. Another amazing place with amazing food, wine, ambience and just fun.
Our stay at the Augustin worked out. The original address was closed for cleanout and renovation. The "new" place was half a block away and that worked out very well. Luckily they had a single parking spot for our rental car. We did not know that breakfast was included. Very good! We were 5 minutes from the city center mall and the harbor and fish market.
We spent a day exploring west of Bergen, before returning our rental car.
We give Kimkim a rating of 10 out of 10 and highly recommend using them. A little investigation would have prepared us for the wonderful side trip

This was our second Kim Kim organized trip of this year and it was great. Travel logistics worked out quite well and we loved each of the venues. The only aspect that could have been better was in Bergen. That hotel, the Zander K was immediately adjacent to the train station (making arrival easy) but at least 10-15 minutes walk from any of the sights in the city. We would have preferred a hotel closer to the ‘action’. Also, we ended up canceling our final boat excursion. There was no need for two consecutive boat trips and the final one would have been an all day experience without much for the kids to do. We also never used the bus tickets to the airport given how inconvenient the times were of their availability (and the info for Saturday travel was different that what was shared with us).

But, not to belabor the Bergen issues, the rest of the trip was excellent…well conceived and extremely enjoyable. We added the sauna in Flam and suggest you offer that to other travelers.

Merée was just incredible at organising everything and very patient with us. We changed ideas a few times and Merée was so understanding and really receptive to any feedback we had. We had an awesome time on our trip to Norway and everything was organised perfectly

Hotel Reviews

Augustin Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close walk to anything in the city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fleischer's Hotel

Voss

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the water, easy parking

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rosendal Turist hotel

Kvinnherad

Authenticity & Character

Location

Kind of random town - not much near

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trolltunga Hotel

Odda

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lilland Brewery Hotel

Strand

Cute hotel but in a random location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right next to a strip of supermarkets and stores and just not near anything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Maritim

Stavanger

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right near centre of town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whitewater rafting (Voss)

Voss

This is just SUCH a great experience - highly highly recommend for anyone, even with no rafting experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Ice Hike in Juklavass Glacier

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to Trolltunga

Odda

Michelle was AMAZING! Day was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Michelle was just awesome

Transport

Kjerag Summer Hike and Fjord Cruise

Stavanger

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was amazing! One of the best things about the trip was how smooth the transportation went and how close the hotels were to public transportation. This allowed us to maximize our time at each destination. All the guides were prompt and very informative. They went out of their way to help us find the best local restaurants for our meals. The people were extremely friendly and all the views were spectacular! If you haven’t visited a Scandinavian country put it on your bucket list!

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

The hotel has a very interesting location connected to the train station and also part of a mall. Location is very convenient! Staff was very helpful!

Authenticity & Character

The hotel is very modern.

Location

Convenient to transportation and in the heart of the city.

Staff

This hotel had plenty of staff and they were very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel maximizes the space it has.

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

This is a wonderful hotel. The accommodations were perfect complete with a balcony for optimum views. The restaurants in the hotel were very good. There is plenty of outside seating at the hotel to enjoy all the views of the Sognefjord. I hope to come back….

Authenticity & Character

The hotel has been around for hundreds of years. The furnishings and pictures were amazing!

Location

Convenience to the ferry and the wonderful views it has to offer.

Staff

Very helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms are clean and very well laid out to maximize space and comfort.

Activity Reviews

Orchard Tour & Cider Tasting

Balestrand

This was one of my favorite activities. It is a family run cider house that was started by his grandfather. Everything was interesting from how they grow the apple trees to how they pair the cider with food.

Quality of Experience

The amazing thing was how much the taste of the cider changed with the food pairings.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The love for what they are doing!

Kayaking Tour

Balestrand

Our guide was very patient and helped everyone have a good time. Our group was very large with different skill levels.

Quality of Experience

Our guide did a great job lining up the kayaks for fun group pictures.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very laid back and took many fun pictures .

Oslo private tour

Oslo

Bjorn was very knowledgeable. He did not overload us with facts and threw in some amusing stories.

Quality of Experience

Guide did a great job getting us on and off transport so we were able to move around quickly.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide went out of his way to show us good lunch and dinner spots!

Transport

Our guide was an expert on all the “ways” to get around the city.

Private tour Copenhagen walking tour

Copenhagen

Ilsa was a wealth of knowledge. She knew so many “folklore” stories! Put on your walking shoes because there is much to see and much ground to cover.

Quality of Experience

Guides knowledge and willing to work with us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We arrived late and she was able to accommodate us.

Our Norway adventure was absolutely amazing! We could not have enjoyed the experience without the knowledgeable planning and excellent support from the KimKim team.

My experience with all of the staff, Gaia, Meree, Fenne, and Julia was fabulous. They were very responsive to our needs in setting up the trip we wanted, and in helping us as we travelled. The Lofoten Islands are special. Because of KimKim we were able to experience the beauty of the geography and the people. We were able to feel the history, and participate in life today on several of the islands. My personal goal was to go by boat to an isolated area where my Grandmother was born. Though not being used today as a summer home, it was there. I would not have been able to do this without the help of KimKim staff.
Thank You!

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Oslo Airport

Gardermoen

Met our needs for the very brief time we were in between flights.

Bensvik Brygge

Værøy

Truly a favorite place for us. Great owners, they became like family. We cannot say enough about the comfort, view, and overall ambiance.

Authenticity & Character

The building and view are very authentic . The inside of the apartment has been renovated so we had a modern kitchen and bathroom.

Location

On the water and easy walking to restaurants and Coop.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eliassen Rorbuer

Moskenes

Narnia Lodge Lofoten

Gimsøy

This was a home not a hotel. We did like staying in a sparsely populated community but this home was very unsatisfactory. The stairway to the bedrooms was extremely steep, and only ourselves, without belongings, could maneuver up. There were plenty of beds but one did need to walk through one bedroom to reach another one. The only bathroom was downstairs. The shower was not used by us, simply uninviting with a mop against the side and a wet rug hanging on the shower curtain pole. The washer was running with towels inside, which we ended up hanging up to dry. We did have clean towels put out for us. Clean sheets were available but we did need to make our own beds.

Anker Brygge

Svolvær

Simply a lovely place with the ambiance of a fishing village. Great staff and terrific breakfast buffets.

Specialty accomodation Skrovahuset Lofoten

Skrova

This was a home not a hotel. We were informed breakfast would be included but it was not. We arrived late on a Saturday night with a summer festival happening. It was great. The only store, Coop was closed until Monday morning so no shopping. Fortunately, the one restaurant opened at 11am for waffles and 12-9 for meals ...we didn't starve. The stairway to the bedrooms was very steep so we left our bags downstairs which was convenient since the bathroom was there. The view was lovely and we had a wonderful time but not recommended for individuals not able to manage the steps.

Veversmauet Apartments

Bergen

Once we found the apartment and our way around Bergen it was great for walking to everything.

Flåm Marina

Flåm

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Certainly met our needs: easy to the train station the next morning after a wonderful breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private RIB boat tour

Svolvær

Gunnar was fabulous in researching the location we wanted to visit, gearing us up for safety, and leading the trip. We were given so much information about the fjord area, historical living along the shores, White Tailed Sea Eagles, and the Trollfjord. He made our experience much more than we anticipated. Through him we were able to achieve the main goal of our trip, to find the home where my Grandmother was born.

Quality of Experience

There was not a single negative

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gunnar is an extremely nice person with a load of knowledge on the environment, history, and people.

Transport

Great fun!

We had a great time. The quality of the hotels and transport was great. We liked how the hotels were close to the train stations or boat docking area (I will admit that 1 km from the dock to the hotel in Geiranger did not sound too bad, but it was all up a very steep hill). We did not end up going on the day trip to Runde Island to see the birds. We were tired and the transport looked kind of tricky, so we skipped it and walked around Alesund.

Most of all we liked how Meree listened to us and made the trip for us. The pre-booking of the trains, tours, and hotels made it very easy and took a lot of the stress out of getting around. The pace and variety of travel was great. Both this trip and our past trip to Nepal were very well done. I would recommend you to anyone.

Thanks
Brent

Hotel Review

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Great location and our number one breakfast hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Panorama tour Oslo

Oslo

Good tour. 3 hours was just right.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From a delightful walking tour of Oslo, to kayaking the Aurlandsfjord and ferrying along the Sognefjord, to discovering how much we love Balestrand, our first time in Norway was rich with beautiful experiences. Merée's expertise ensured smooth transportation, varied excursions, comfortable stays in historic hotels, and solid guidance on a good route for exploring the beautiful southern fjordlands in the time we had available (11 days).

Most noteworthy is Norway's clean air and delicious water, the well-run ferry service, and of course the awesome impression of one of the world's unique landscapes. We also came to appreciate the care taken to keep alive and thriving the various historic hotels of the region. Outside of the Nordic countries one hears much about Danish and Swedish baking... but it was our experience that Norway's kanelboller (cinnamon buns) and various seed breads are second to none!

From our hearts, thank you to Merée, Fenne, and Julia for such a memorable and well-run trip.

Hotel Reviews

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

A grand dame of an historic hotel. Stunning views, comfortable rooms. The buffet dinner and the breakfasts were delicious and great quality.

Authenticity & Character

Explore the older building - stunning view of the Sognefjord from the picture windows, and furniture with 'dragon style' carvings in the Høyviksalen (Høyvik Hall). The 'old reception' is very charming. The newer building has modern conveniences and engaging views to the mountains and village.

Location

Right at the harbor where you arrive by ferry. Easy walking to most points of this small, charming village and walkable to the trail heads.

Staff

The majority of staff were welcoming, kind, warm, and competent. The maître d'hôtel was very friendly and jokey with guests, but unfortunately overbearing and condescending to at least some of the wait staff and bussing staff, which was a bad look for such an elegant hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room and all common spaces spotlessly clean and well cared-for. Buffet dinner elegantly presented, of quality, and well kept up.

Opus XVI

Bergen

Grand hotel, elegant and well cared-for throughout. Breakfasts were done in such a way as to minimize food waste... instead of a buffet, one orders from a menu. Brava!

Authenticity & Character

A doubly intriguing background as both a former national bank building and an homage to the composer Edvard Grieg.

Location

Well-sited near Vågen harbor and the super-historic Bryggen.

Staff

The front-desk staff and housekeeping were warm, kind, and engaging.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was sumptuous, elegant, and luxurious. Spotlessly clean, thoughtfully laid out, bed and chaise both plush for lounging. Bath and coffee amenities of high quality.

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

A charming old hotel that was very approachable. The oldest section is being renovated and will likely be very lovely when complete.

Location

Flåm is very small so it's hard to go wrong here, but the Fretheim was both close to the wharf and a bit set back from the bustle.

Staff

Staff were all very nice whenever we talked with them. Once you had their attention, everyone was lovely and warm.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms and common spaces were clean and in good working order. Beds were comfortable. It was very helpful and convenient that the hotel had a small laundry room with do-it-yourself washer and 2 dryers.

Hotel Christiania Teater

Oslo

Good location for easy walking around Oslo. A beautiful building, well-kept, with engaging artworks throughout. Very nice variety and preparation of breakfast foods.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely blend of history and comfortable modernity. We enjoyed the art throughout. Serves a plentiful and traditional breakfast buffet of good quality.

Location

Good proximity to interesting points such as the National Theater, the university, and walks along the waterfront. A reasonable walk to the wonderful Deichman public library and the exciting opera house. If you have a lot of (or heavy) luggage, be prepared for a 10-15 minute walk from the train station with a mild incline along the way.

Staff

Staff was kind and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable - firm underneath with top padding. Room and hotel spotless.

Activity Reviews

Oslo private tour

Oslo

Our guide was a dapper architect who shared key moments and aspects of Norway's history as we walked through Oslo's streets, military bases, and city parks. We will always remember "the blue, the green, and the city between..." - a city planning framework he shared with us throughout this charming, very walkable city.

Quality of Experience

A local's perspective is generally a good way to go, and this was no exception.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was dapper, knowledgeable, friendly, and amenable to include our interests folded into his original tour plan.

Transport

This is a walking tour, and Oslo is a very walkable city.

Ride the Ulriken Cable Car

Bergen

Although the day we rode this was a foggy one, the experience is top notch. It's a fantastic view of the storied city of Bergen and gives access to unique and awe-inspiring hiking atop Mt. Ulriken.

Quality of Experience

Mt. Ulriken is a stunning alpine landscape, and what a way to access it! (via a swift, clean, well cared-for conveyance)

Transport

The cable car and launching/landing points were clean and well kept.

Visit Stegastein Viewpoint with a bus

Norway

Everything about this excursion was scenic, from the drive up, to the aesthetic viewing platform, to the inspiring view of the Aurlandsfjord itself. Aurlands is a charming-looking hillside town with a few smallholdings and various traditional and newer-style homes.

Quality of Experience

The Sognefjord and the mouth of the Aurlandsfjord are gorgeous.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was highly competent, and kind and engaging throughout the short drive.

Transport

Another opportunity to take an electric conveyance in this marvelous country. Van was adequately comfortable and driver was competent and friendly.

Visit the Viking Valley

Norway

We did not visit the viking village. It looked too touristic for us, and a woman we met while hiking confirmed that it felt that way to her, too, when she did go inside. Besides the pay-entry viking village there is little else available in Gudvangen. There were perhaps two restaurants (cafeterias, both, I think) and a convenience shop for sundries. The best thing we did with our time was to walk away from the viking valley along an old road on the Nærøyfjord - a beautiful and peaceful walk. We likely would have had a wonderful time had we booked a day-long kayak excursion, as it's a beautiful fjord and we enjoyed kayaking the Aurlandsfjord so much.

Fjordcruise in the Nærøyfjord

Flåm

The Nærøyfjord is beautiful and scenic, and the "Future of the Fjords" all-electric catamaran was an EXCELLENT conveyance to cruise it!

Quality of Experience

Food

We did not partake of the offerings on board, but there were several choices, and the quality looked reasonable for a captive audience in a touristic area.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The crew of the Future of the Fjords catamaran were all kind and competent. The lead crew member stayed for a long while once we were back in Flåm making sure the vessel was ship shape before leaving for the day.

Transport

In general, we are awed and glad to see so many electric vehicles in Norway, and having an all-electric catamaran to get to such a sensitive ecological area allows one to truly enjoy. Air emissions are obviously nonexistent, but there is still some noise pollution, particularly for underwater life. The catamaran was very well cared-for, clean, and beautifully appointed for comfort and great views as you go along.

Fjord Kayaking

Flåm

Aurlandsfjord is best enjoyed in the water! I could happily spend all my remaining days kayaking in the southern fjords.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was passionate about the environment and friendly. He took some time at the beginning to go over technique and help with kayak adjustments but needed to spend a little longer with each person to ensure details such as the foot pedal distance was correct for everyone. This would help beginners have a more enjoyable experience.

Transport

For me, kayaking is second only to walking! So for me this form of transport was most enjoyable.

Meree was incredibly patient and a wealth of information. We were trying to meet long-lost family AND keep up with my daughter's surprisingly fluid (their itinerary kept changing) school mission trip. Meree was able to make suggestions according to what we thought we wanted and what we ended up needing and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend her.

Activity Review

Return to Oslo, Explore

Oslo

We returned to Oslo from Stockholm towards the evening just before shops closed and there wasn't much to do other than go to our hotel and get ready for our return flight. We booked our flight to Stockholm and back and chose a later flight on purpose so not a reflection on Meree or the Kimkim team at all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We reserved our own flights to Norway and then within Norway and to Sweden. We booked the flexible/refundable tickets which came in handy as we ended up rescheduling once. They are a bit pricey but worth it if you at all think you might need to make adjustments along the way. Also learned that the less expensive tickets increase in price substantially about 2 weeks out from the date you want to fly.

Norway and the Lofoten Islands have been a lifetime dream trip of mine and Meree was able to deliver. From designing my trip to being support when in Norway, it went above and beyond my expectations and I can't wait to book my next trip!

Thank You Meree for planning our Norway trip. Apart from the fact that we fell ill largely due to the harsh cold winter, we had great fun and enjoyed our vacation. Very happy that we managed to catch the highlight of our trip which was the northern lights.

Thank you once again and looking forward to engaging your services again in the near future.

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Cecil

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Chase

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend the morning in the ice domes and transfer back to the city

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to the Ice domes

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Cruise

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Bergen to Oslo scenic train route - Bergensbanen

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Luggage Transfer Service

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had just completed a 15 days trip to northern Norway (Bodø, Reine, Svolvær and Tromsø) with kimkim. It was the first time we engaged kimkim's services. We wanted a seamless experience in planning a 2 weeks long vacation trip without too much effort. In the past, we did all the research, planning, and booking and it took a lot of effort and time. Our primary objective for this northern Norway trip was to catch the northern lights, as we did not manage to catch it the last time we went to Iceland! The other secondary objectives was to tour the beautiful scenic country along with other winter activities. This trip certainly did not disappoint!

We read about the reviews of other customers who engaged kimkim's services in planning and booking for their trip and decided to try it out too. Merée, our assigned specialist did not disappointed! She tailored the itinerary to our requirements, going back and forth countless times with the places, timeline, activities and accommodations. It is due to Merée's recommendation and patience with us that we decided to commit to booking the trip via kimkim.

A trip this long is bound to run into some hiccups. The crucial difference is that kimkim also provided emergency contact during the trip to help address any issues. And indeed we did needed that service! Merée went above and beyond in supporting us with last minute on the fly suggestions and recommendations (places to go, restaurants, sauna!), management of planned activities (postponement / cancellation due to weather) and other minor stuff (hotels check in/out, parking).

We not only met our primary objective where we caught the spectacular northern lights a couple of times, but also met and interacted with wonderful people, from friendly locals to fellow travelers from around the world with the same objective (northern lights!). A worthy mention is Odd, the northern light chase activity guide in Svolvær who was supposed to bring us out but due to the unfortunate timing of the weather (snow storm!), first recommended we postpone if possible to the next night, and then further came down to explain and recommend that we cancel (and refunded us) the next night as the odds of catching the northern lights will be very low. He further advised us that the weather will be cleared up the next day and we should be able to catch the northern lights from where we will be going!

We are really glad that we went with kimkim and thoroughly enjoyed the full northern Norway winter experience! It was a very memorable trip from the northern light chases, the scenic and breath taking drive from Tromsø to the Lofoten islands, to the other activities: Icelandic horse riding in Lofoten, traveling via Hurtigruten cruise along the coast, reindeer sledding & overnight in a Lavvu tent, dog sledding with huskies and whale watching!

It's the people that make the biggest difference in everything we do and we are glad we worked with Merée, and met all the wonderful people along the trip!

Meree was great at listening to what I wanted to see and do and updating the itinerary accordingly. Julia was helpful while traveling as well.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Ullensvang

Lofthus Hardanger

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Augustin Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Fjordcruise in the Nærøyfjord

Flåm

It's extra cold with the wind, so need to factor that in. It was a great experience. It's helpful to follow audio guide to know what's coming up because it goes pretty fast. I missed a waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just finished the fourth trip planned by Kimkim , and the first time working with Merée in Norway. Excellent planning, great selection of hotels and activities. Due to a death in the family one week before our original date we needed to shift the trip out by two weeks. Not a problem for Merée and Sonia, many thanks.
My brother and I loved the Polar Fjord Sea eagle tour from Bodo. Primary focus of the trip was to photograph Northern Lights and we succeeded very well especially in Tromsa with Trini. However the weather is obviously integral to chasing the Northern Lights and I would recommend getting in touch with the tour providers before hand to exchange contact information in case they need to be in touch.

Thank you Kim Kim for planning our wondeful 8 days trip to Norway.
The orgainzatin could not be better.
Communicating with Meree was quick, easy and professional.
Meree responded to all our needs and she was ready to make all possible changes that we suggested.
Activities great. The kayaking in Flam was really good. The person responsible excellent. (I think her name was Rea). The RIP boat person was also excellent.
The only thing is that the hotel booking in Oslo was not good. I know I have asked Meree for a hotel in Oslo in a reasonable price, but this was very different from all the hotels we stayed.
We went our for a brekfast since the breakfast hall was so poor and smelly.
But overall it was a wondeful week million thanks to Meree and Kim Kim.
Lena and Filippos

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Union Geiranger Bad & Spa

Geiranger

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Ålesund

Ålesund

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Astoria

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

RIB Boat tour Geiranger

Geiranger

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjord Kayaking

Flåm

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A well planned trip. Loved our Norway stops which gave good insight into variations of important coastal towns.

Thank you KimKim for planning our wonderful Norway adventure. Communicating with Meree and Sonia was easy. They both responded back quickly to my questions and made adjustments as requested. Everything you selected for our group was great from the hotels to the activities. The best part of the trip was it was worry free. Everything was scheduled and all we just had to do was show up.

We loved all the hotels we stayed at - Hansatic Hotel in Bergen, Trolltunga Hotel in Odda, Fretheim Hotel in Flam and Dragsvik Fjordhotel in Balestran. They each had their own charm and uniqueness.

All of the activities were wonderful. In Bergen we enjoyed the Funicular and the Ulriken Hike. The favorite activity of the whole trip was in Odda with the Trolltunga hike and overnight stay in a dome. The guides Oyvind, Stepan and Jana were great. Also enjoyed meeting Jostein. In Flam the ride on the Flamsbana Train and biking down to the Flam Valley was so much fun. A special treat along the way was interacting with the friendly goats and eating cheese at the Rallarrosa Farm. In Borgund we enjoyed the beauty of the Stave Church. We ended our trip in Balestrand and loved the view of the Fjords from the windows of our Dragsvik Fjordhotel. There is lots to do in Balestrand. We enjoyed kayaking with Jan, taking the rib boat to Finnabotn with Lars, biking around Balestrand village and ending our trip enjoying lunch and cider at Ciderhuset hosted by owners Gard and Tuba

Just driving around in Norway had us in awe. The views are breathtaking. Norway is a very beautiful country.

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Hotel Bergen Airport Terminal

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to Airport - great for early morning flight

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dragsvik Fjordhotel

Balestrand

Authenticity & Character

Location

Views of the Fjords were amazing

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trolltunga Hotel

Odda

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hanseatic Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Orchard Tour & Cider Tasting

Balestrand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gard & Tuba were great hosts.

Transport

Finnafjord RIB Boat Tour

Balestrand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enjoyed Lars. He was very knowledgeable about the area.

Transport

Kayaking Tour

Balestrand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jan was awesome

Transport

Bike in the Flåm Valley (Flåm Railway + biking)

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overnight Hike to Trolltunga

Odda

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides - Oyvind, Stepan and Jana were outstanding. Jostein provided informative information about the trip.

Transport

Itinerary was perfect for us! Meree was exceptionally quick to respond to any requests for minor tweaks. All the hotels were amazing and the hosts completely accommodating.