Tom Christer Larsen

The trip that we went on this summer to Norway was magical and in everyway, met all of our key expectation with many visual, hands on experiences and delicious surprises too! The places that we visited like Oslo and Bergen (at Tom Christer's suggestion, set up walking tour guides ) This was most beneficial since we had a limited time to explore and enjoy each destination and activity (ies) all along the way. Both guides, (Stig, Mr. Oslo, a native Oslonian) and (John, a local and nature enthusiast, our guide in Bergen) made the whole experience educational, fun and encouraged us to seek out some other special gems of both cities respectfully before we left for further adventures to come.....Like the Fjords!

I must say, Greg and I could go on and on for hours sharing our kimkim travel experiences!!! The fishing/angling day trip on the fjords (Balestrand) was amazing and Captain Tor (a local of Balestrand, Norway) was exceptional with his stories (loved it), answered all of our super interested Q's...we had a successful time, catching fish and touring the fjord areas there. Very first time I realized that seagulls can understand English, after a fashion. "Larry and Denise" are friends of Captain Tor's , the pair are a delight to have around, for sure. I liked all hands on education surrounding the creatures that live in the water and land there, the Starfish where beautiful and I was surprised that they, Starfish actually have a visible, tiny starfish shape on their underside, brillant! Oh the Cider tasting and Lunch super culinary experience and the Hard Ciders went so well with our lunch spread. Like I mentioned before in this review , all the details of the entire trip where very easy to implement including public transfers by train, ferry, cabs, trams, sooo important. The ease of our tour was so well planned by Tom Christer, every special detail , Perfect. We loved love Norway and will return as we can do...so very much more to experience...we speak of all we enjoyed and can hardly wait to return.

Thank you thank you ...Tom Christer~

Hotel Review

Hotel Aurlandsfjord

Aurland

Wonderful Hotel Aurlandsfjord. Comfortable, interior designed and care of a stay here was A plus, the staff and the cusine impeccable, excellent. Location was a joy to walk around this hotel site, the water, the trails and shop s wonderful! There was absolutly nothing we did not like about our stay here. We liked all of the places we stayed. wouldn't change a thing.

Authenticity & Character

The Staff, the Comfort, beautiful! Warmily met (I'm very observant) I've been told by family, friends.

Location

It beauty there getting to it and scenery, jaw dropping beauty... Norway is very clean...can't stress enough!

Staff

All staff were helpful...Anne the young worman who managed the nite from late afternoon until after the dinner hour was fun and enjoyed working there making sure all the guest where attended to in a timely manner at the Hotel Aurlandsfjord

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yes...the Dinning areas and social/ relaxing areas were always impectable, and the rooms and beds, linens where fresh and "just Nice"

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Love the Tour and really found John to be very very knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Yes the consistency

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Well the people of Norway are extremely good looking and intelligent!

Transport

Viking Dinner at Ægir BryggeriPub

Norway

The dinner and tour of the area was so exceptional and more than I expected.

Quality of Experience

History

Food

All the Food we were served

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Norwegians are just like that.

Transport

Nærøyfjord Cruise & Viking Valley Tour

Norway

We love the History of the Scandinavian Countries, expecially the Viking era.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All Aspects

Transport

Tom Christer is a most excellent tour planner. Tom Listens

Transfer from Flåm to Aurland

Norway

It was all so fantastic... easy and compfy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Every one was on time...and Norway is sooo CLEAN!

Transport

Ease of connecting....really not hard or difficult.

Royal Palace Tour

Oslo

Very beautiful. We love the History...Nice to observe the guards and just stroll the grounds... really nice in parks too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Easy Accessible

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Wonderful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lifestyle: Balestrand Fjord Angling & Trolling Excursion

Balestrand

NO

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Balestrand Orchard Walk & Cider Tasting

Balestrand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was introduced to Tom Christer with Ethical Travel in Norway through KimKim. Tom was responsive, knowledgable, willing to express his own opinion when asked, and flexible to our travel requests. Highlights of our stay included Stavanger and climbing Pulpit Rock, Aurland via ferry and rail, Alesand via overnight ferry, and Oslo. Tom arranged local guides for us both for the Pulpit Rock climb and a 3 hour walking city tour of Oslo. Both were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Victoria

Stavanger

Authenticity & Character

Charming.

Location

Ideally located close to shops and restaurants.

Staff

Very helpful. They even arranged breakfast bags for us as we had to leave at 5:30 am for an early morning ferry.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel No13

Bergen

Super location, very welcoming staff, art deco rooms, quiet. Not a 5-Star hotel, but nice and pleasant for a short stay in Bergen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

Best hotel in Alesand. It is just charming and one can easily just hang out in the lobby by the fire or at the spa when not experiencing the town. Rooms are a little small but appointed very nicely. Food is excellent. Overall, it is a first class hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hurtigruten

Bergen

Older ship. We had an outward facing room, but the window view was fully obstructed by a life boat. Also, our room was very very small. For three people we would have gladly paid for a nicer and larger room if that option had been presented and explained to us. The boat is old, but well maintained and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was very nice but did not have as much knowledge of the local attractions that you would normally expect from a larger hotel conciegre.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

Loved everything about this hotel. Ideally located, super friendly and helpful staff, fantastic breakfast, comfy bar, and beautiful large rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

A great introduction to Oslo. We did this on our first afternoon in the City.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Would recommend Stig to anyone. He is local to Oslo and loves the City.

Embark Hurtigruten

Norway

An older boat. Our cabin for 3 was extremely small. We had an outside view, but our window looked directly into a life boat. Would have paid for a larger and nicer cabin if given the choice. Food was good but nothing special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Flåm to Aurland

Norway

Driver ran a few minutes late as he got tied up on another ride, but he was super nice and told us a lot about the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viking Dinner at Ægir BryggeriPub

Norway

Even though this experience is commercialized and designed for tourists, we really enjoyed it. The food was excellent and we enjoyed trying all the items on the plank.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

An amazing view.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transit Between Stavanger and Fjord Line Terminal

Stavanger

Right on time. Clean van and a good driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

Quality of Experience

In addition to the phenomenal views, our trip was made even more special as a traveling teenage choir from the United States was on our boat and we stopped in the middle of the trip for them to sign a song. Very cool!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very nice modern boat with lots of outdoor viewing space.

Pulpit Rock Classic Summer Hike

Norway

Our guide picked us up and returned us to the hotel as well as accompanied us on the hike. She was wonderful, sticking with the slower hikers and allowing those that wanted to go faster hike at their own pace. We were concerned that the weather would prevent us from making it to the top as it was raining hard and quite windy when we left the parking lot. Fortunately, it calmed down after the first few minutes and even cleared up enough at the top for us to see the fjord. This is a definite bucket list item.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were supposed to do this trip in 2020 so over the years I have dealt with a number of Kimkim people. All have been excellent and Tom was no exception. I found Kimkim online and had never heard of them. I normally plan our trips but Norway just seemed like a bridge too far. The 14 night trip was a perfect match for our kind of travel. Be warned though Norway is a big country!! Lofoten is crowded but a must see. Highly recommend utilizing Kimkim for your next holiday

My wife and I usually plan trips ourselves but I was short on time for planning our trip to Norway. Relying on kimkim and its Norway-based Ethical Travel partner greatly relieved the stress. After some initial guidance, our knowledgeable local specialist Tom Christer proposed an itinerary. We communicated back and forth a few times, with Tom providing clear answers to all questions, to refine the plan. The high point of our trip was a 4-night stay at a boutique inn called BesteBakken, in Hafslo. The owner personally hosted delicious family-style dinners and breakfasts where we had a chance to meet other travelers including quite native Norwegians. It was a great base for exploring the local region, including a glacier hike, a kayak day paddle, and a hike up Molden mountain on our own. Our family of 4 adults needed some rest as well as wonderful sights and that's what we got on this trip. Tom or others at Ethical Travel were available to answer questions during the trip, and rebooked us in advance when one boat tour was cancelled. I would not hesitate to use kimkim again.

A belated Thank You to Tom and the Norway crew at kimkim!

Back in the cold days of February this year, my spouse and I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Norway for a short time - and on short notice. Not being good at quickly making detailed plans to visit a new country for the first time without a car in the winter, we went with a recommendation to try kimkim. We are soooo glad that we did!

Tom transformed our desires for beautiful fjords, train travels, and a chance or two at northern lights into a fantastic itinerary of unique memorable experiences and splendid overnight stays in towns rich with history.

The arranged tours, travel, and lodging were all top-notch. Communication was great! The availability of the team's 24/7 phone assistance really helped put our minds at ease with the travel connections.

The Kim, Kim team provided us a positive experience planning our Norwegian winter trip. Tom Christer provided us excellent service planning our trip, during our trip, and even after we got home. It's wonderful to know that good customer service still exists.

We are already referring friends and family to Kim Kim.

The only thing I would’ve changed was to add another night, staying in samurai and adding a bus tour excursion to see the northern lights as our cruise got canceled due to weather.

Thank you Kim Kim and Tom for a magical experience.

Hope to see you soon.

Hotel Review

Sommarøy Arctic Hotel

Sommarøy

The stay was fantastic. The views were breathtaking, and the room was comfortable. The hotel exceeded our expectations, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. I was impressed with the balcony that offered stunning views, perfect for capturing early morning and night pictures.

Location

Activity Reviews

Flight from Southern Norway to Tromsø

Norway

Full Day Ice Dome visit with Activities and Dinner

Tromsø

The full-day Ice Dome visit with activities and dinner was the best excursion of our trip. We had the opportunity to learn about the Sami culture and their way of life, which was incredibly fascinating. The experience was eye-opening, and interacting with the Sami people left a lasting impression on us. The ice dome itself was breathtaking, and the activities offered were enjoyable. It was a memorable and enriching experience that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Tromsø.

Quality of Experience

Northern Lights Park

Sommarøy

The Northern Lights Sailing Cruise in Tromsø was a highlight of our trip. Although we didn't witness the dancing Northern Lights, we were treated to the mesmerizing green Northern Lights. The small group setting and the magical views made the experience truly unforgettable.

Quality of Experience

Silent Oslo Fjord Cruise

Oslo

The Silent Oslo Fjord Cruise was a beautiful experience, offering stunning views of the fjords. However, there were some pauses during the tour guide's explanations, and we wished for more information about the fjords and their history. Overall, it was a lovely cruise, but more detailed commentary would have enhanced the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

This was the best service I have ever received for trip planning and follow thru. Tom Christer did a wonderful job in helping us plan a great itinerary, and then keeping up with this during our trip. We couldn't have asked for better service and we have been referring our friends to your company.
Thanks, again to Tom.

Activity Review

Full Day Ice Dome visit with Activities and Dinner

Tromsø

This was a fabulous day. Everyone was very friendly and extremely helpful

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I and another couple needed help getting from Oslo to Bergen and back. I generally make our own travel plans but was overwhelmed by the train and ferry choices and stops along the way. Happy I contacted KimKim. Tom was very helpful and responsive if there was a concern or a glitch. We had a wonderful trip! I have been meaning to write this review and finally got around to it. Thank you Tom for helping coordinate a memorable trip in beautiful Norway!

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

The guide didn't show up. Tom refunded our money! It wasn't Tom's fault.

Scenic Boat Trip to Fjærland

Norway

This was so much fun..lovely having a local guide who had grown up there! Thor was a delight!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are two first-time visitors who wanted to see Norway’s spectacular fjords, historic towns like Bergen, Oslo, and Trondheim, and more. A friend suggested kimkim to help plan that trip and find out if we could drive the Atlantic Road (inspired by a travel article.) kimkim’s Tom Christer was quick to offer a good plan for us to travel from Trondheim to Oslo for 7-8 days including hotels and transportation along the way. Tom was quick to answer questions, adjust the plan, and develop alternatives before we traveled. Once we were on the trip, Tom helped with schedule changes, found individual guides and drivers when we needed them, and had perfect timing to get us on a shuttle to a scenic viewpoint when we thought it was sold out. Without Tom, we would not have experienced two of our favorite spots on the trip: staying on Håholmen island along the Atlantic Road and Aurland with its quiet magnificence. kimkim and Tom Christer provided great value and support.