Taylor Hook

We had a great trip to Norway and the help with knowing where to go and where to stay - was amazing. I took parents in their 80s and my teenagers on a family trip and I am not sure we could have pulled off a trip that was exciting for everyone without KimKim.

Taylor was awesome. When we’re planning the trip at one point we lost a hotel room for a night she sent us from Flåm to Balestrand and it was one of the best nights we had on the whole trip. Short stay but one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. In addition, she was so attentive to our needs and the hotels were in the perfect location that adventures and tours were set up perfectly. I will definitely definitely use this group again because they know what they’re doing.

Thanks Taylor and the Kimkim Team. Taylor planned a great trip for us, having spoken with us and heard our needs, likes and dislikes. Also to Nick and Maria who kept in touch when we were there. Communicated all the time, and made us feel really welcome and looked after. Luckily we didn't have any emergencies or need too much looking after, but it was great to know there were people there to call if needed. Anytime. Thank you.

Things we especially liked/that went well:
the app is great. Love having the details to hand, links to different transport we're using (flights, trains, ferries) and name and details of pickups and drivers. So obvious but not always provided by travel companies. Loved it.
The quality and location of the hotels was great. We're a bit spoilt and like the luxe end of the hotel market, but felt that KimKim got it right - the hotels were nice/better than nice AND extremely well places to schlepp ourselves and our bags across to a station, ferry port, etc. It made a huge difference, especially since it was raining a lot of the time.
Suggested activities and guides were great. Sven in Oslo and Sandra in Bergen were fab. Informative and easy to be with.
We loved the apple cider tasting in Balestrand, and the buffet at the Kviknes Hotel was the best buffet we've encountered for a very long time. We ate there both nights of our stay in Balestrand. Loved the oldy-worldy feel and it didn't feel overwhelmed by the large number of tour parties who were there too.
Oslo - two highlights - the Public Library is very special. It's a workspace for everyone, filled with books for everyone. Also the National Museum is fabulous. The feel, the curation of the exhbits - great. And you get a good taste for Munch from their smaller collection. (vs. a major feast (if it's to your taste) in the Munch Museum across the river.
The train to Flam on the Flam Railway was lovely. A bit of a tussle to get a window seat (which we didn't manage) - but still a fun, beautiful ride. The most surprising bit was a fabulous plate of fish and chips at the Flaam Bistro (Canteed). Don't miss it. Another couple we met said the Viking lunch at the PUB in Flaam was great too.

What was less great:
TBH, nothing.
We'd have liked it if it rained less, but it's Norway (and Bergen is renowned for rain :-)). And it didn't stop us doing anything.

The ferries were a bit of a bun fight - understandably as it's peak tourist season. If you are on a ferry - get there early. You won't be the first in the line but you'll get a decent seat and sit together. Ditto the Flaam Train. But if you go in peak season, you have to be chill and roll with it. There are a lot of people wanting to experience the beauty of Norway. It's so worth it.

Thank you Kimkim for creating a great trip. We had a lot of fun and got a real taste for Norway.
We'll be back to book another Kimkim adventure.

Noeleen & John

Everything was wonderful! We especially loved the guides - Katrina and Kristina. They were so nice and knowledgeable. Katrina (in Bergen) had a great list of restaurants, and we really loved the lunch spot, but the one we checked out for dinner sort of "shooed" us away. Maybe they were having a private event. It was a Norwegian restaurant with a hunting vibe. I don't remember the name of the restaurant.

The hotel in Bergen was so worth it! We hung out in the great lobby, and the bartender, Anders, was so friendly! We even checked out the sauna in the basement - my girls have never checked out the sauna.

The towns we visited were wonderful! Ålesund was beautiful and we enjoyed their art museum. The Art Nouveau buildings were fantastic! Thanks to your local contact here, we arranged to stay an extra day because we missed the Fjord boat - poor planning on our part. Geirangerfjord was so worth it - even though we had to buy another trip and another hotel night. Loved every minute of it!

I could probably have done without the giant Jet ski ride - would rather have kayaked. The guide though was a good driver and very friendly. I would add that the tourists in Alesund along with the locals did stare a lot at my daughter - she's from New York and an alternative dresser! - but I did read on Reddit that the smaller towns have a "staring problem", haha.

Oslo was a great city - enjoyed the Munch museum so much! (Nobody stared either) I think it is my new favorite museum! Kristina steered us to a less-traveled part of the main drag, and we found an amazing Italian restaurant. It was fun being there during the World Cup as well! We captured some amazing photos - both my daughters are wonderful photographers. I'll try to send you a link to my album!

Thanks for everything, Taylor! You did a fantastic job!

From the start, our small group of friends wanted to shape our own trip, keep it small, and flexible. We found kimkim and felt as if we'd found a source for guidance in Taylor who helped us plan a delightful trip! The kimkim experience started with asking good questions to help us narrow our focus to some specific cities and fjords we wanted to visit in Norway. We enjoyed scrolling through all the optional activities, clicking to learn more, and then keeping or discarding various activities. Our group wanted to do mostly unscheduled or independent exploration, but include some group tours or activities, too. Taylor found great options for us. By the end of the planning process, which was exciting to do, we all felt like we had a great plan for our trip.
Pre-trip, we met via Zoom with Taylor and had a chance to ask questions, clarify any issues, and find out about what to expect when we landed in Oslo. In the weeks just before the trip, we only needed to focus on packing and tending to our own personal details, knowing the kimkim had the rest under control! That was huge! Here are a few highlights about what we planned and experienced on the trip:

Transfers from the airport to our hotel, hotel to the train, and things like that made us all feel cared for and confident in the plans. Knowing someone had checked the timing of everything and indicated on the detailed itinerary where and when to gather allowed us to enjoy our free time.

Oslo Private City Walk: Lene met with us on our first morning, sitting down with a map, listening to what we had done already and hearing of what we wanted to do. She proposed options, and we chose her idea of learning how to buy tickets online, and then led us to the Vigland sculptures. As a native of Oslo, her knowledge and understanding of the area was helpful. Our experience of the sculptures was enhanced by information she shared. We all agreed that she was a great choice as our guide.

RIB Safari: Our group enjoyed the anticipation of the RIB Excursion, as well as the real event! They provided all the gear, a great guide, and the weather made it a perfect outing. The cheese tasting and fjord tour was really fun! All agreed that it was a highlight.

Bergen Food & Culture Walk: This walking tour was beyond expectation. Our guide was a delightful fellow who told stories well, and navigated the city as we stopped here and there for exceptional tastes of food and beverages. It was more than a lunch! Starting with a fishcake, several other small stops, then soup at a sit down restaurant, and finally a beer. Wow! We loved it!

Geirangerfjord Cruise: Cato, our cruise ship host was personable, and very experienced. He made this an interesting time, on a foggy day. Our time in the town was enjoyable. In the afternoon, he stayed up top and, as the fog burned off, he shared more about the fjords. Great guy!

Lodging: All of our lodging was well located near transportation and great views. Most of us agreed that the Flam Marina was the best. Fortunately, the enormous cruise ship present when we arrived, departed around suppertime. No more ships arrived while we were there, making those days and evenings a dream of peaceful waters and quiet atmosphere since we were on the quiet end of the marina. Weather was great!

External factors making this a great trip were the weather--not a drop of rain the whole time we were in Norway--and the World Cup soccer tournament which we could watch anywhere we went. I can't imagine a better trip!

Activity Reviews

Explore Ålesund

Norway

We did not have a lot of time in Alesund and would have enjoyed another day. Loved the art nouveau museum, and walking along the water. Totally recommend the museum. We ate great food in Alesund.

Private City Walk

Oslo

Lene worked well with our group. She helped us clarify how to best use her time with us. She made great suggestions, and helped us understand how Oslo has changed over the years. Our group reflected on how she added to tool kit by showing us how to get tickets and use the transit system. It was great to have her as our guide.

Food & Culture Walk

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Wonderful food and stories, and a good walk into parts of town I didn't go otherwise.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Engaging, kind, and helpful. One or two of our group needed to sit down vs stand sometimes, so the guide shifted the group to be near those who needed to sit, when possible. Easy solution.

Visit Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

I enjoyed the trip up. We paid to ride a bus up. Great view!

Fløibanen Funicular Ride

Bergen

Everyone enjoyed this opportunity to use the pass multiple times a day. Some rode up and walked down or just went up and down a couple of times at different times of day. The funicular was easy to use.

Quality of Experience

I did not do the trails. Just enjoyed the views. I think those who walked around had a more enjoyable time.

Geirangerfjord Cruise & Day Trip

Norway

Our tour boat host was Cato. He was kind, personable, and willingly shared about his Norwegian upbringing, stories and info about the fjord. There was a lot of fog the day we were on board, but the skies cleared enough to see more on the way home. The town of Geiranger offered a good assortment of activities, restaurants, and gift shops to keep us all satisfied. Cato offered suggestions to us for a couple of places to eat, and activities to do.

Quality of Experience

Cato made the biggest impact on our group's time on the fjord cruise.

Fjord RIB Safari & Undredal Cheese Tasting

Norway

This adventure was a highlight! Having all the gear provided to us, great RIB Safari staff, and a beautiful day made everything great!

Quality of Experience

All around good weather, staff, and cheese tasting experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Made us feel safe and equipped us with outfits and knowledge to enjoy the boat ride.

Transport

We walked to the RIB Safari location and then the boat ride was easy and felt safe.

Self-Guided Flåm Exploration

Flåm

Mostly, my husband and I enjoyed keeping our eyes on the beautiful calm water vs hiking or doing outings. We enjoyed the restaurants and sought out spots to watch World Cup Soccer. Very fun..

Quality of Experience

Our lodging was exceptional with regard to breakfast options, view of the water, and proximity to the busy areas.

Self-Guided Bergen Exploration

Bergen

Bergen's funicular and street life were the most fun. Lots of food spots, and areas to walk.

Self-Guided Hiking in Bergen's Seven Mountains

Bergen

People who hiked really enjoyed the trails at the top. The funicular made this activity more doable.

Self-Guided Oslo Exploration

Oslo

There were plenty of options in Oslo, so we chose carefully what to do as we arrived, and with the time most of us had at the end of our trip. Learning how to download the right app, and buy tickets was very helpful. Using 24 hour tickets allowed for easy transportation and included some local ferries too.

Edvard Munch Museum in Oslo (Tickets not included)

Oslo

Great place! We planned ahead to get an English tour. The guide , "Sid", was excellent! Great refreshments on the main floor. The museum store was also full of good stuff.