Norway Self-Drive Tours

This was our fifth trip trip booked through Kimkim, and once again, it did not disappoint! Kimkim has done a fabulous job coordinating trips around the world with well-qualified local tour companies. For Norway, we worked with NORD DMC. Jacob, Ethel, Riccardo and the whole team were fantastic in planning out a tailored itinerary that met our travel needs and interests. They also made themselves readily available when we had questions along the way, ensuring that our trip to Norway was a memorable one and went as smoothly as possible.

Our trip entailed seven nights in the northern region of Norway. The first night was spent in Bodo where we went on a late night small-group tour in a van up into the mountains to see the Northern Lights which were magical (as it was our first time seeing them). The next three nights were spent in Svolvaer in the center of the Lofoten Islands. What a beautiful place! We did another small-group van tour through the snow covered islands, taking many pictures along the way. The highlight was stopping in Reine which was picturesque! We definitely recommend lunch at Anita'sd Seafood. Best fish soup ever! Svolvaer where we stayed was also a very walkable charming town. Our two go-to restaurants were Nordis and Bacalao. Great selections of quality food! Afterwards, a couple of Norwegian beers at the Telegrafen Pub were enjoyable while we chatted with locals and tourists. During the day, we did a couple of easy hikes outside of town, taking in the beautiful countryside, and ending the day doing the floating sauna and jumping into the harbor to cool off! The final day in Svolvaer was spent in a zodiak-style boat jetting around the fjords and enjoying the sights while the captain threw fish to the eagles that flew aroud us! A great experience!

We then flew to Alta where we spent the next three nights. We stayed in a cabin at the Flatmoen Natur Lodge where we had a glass ceiling to watch the Northern Lights from our bed! We visited the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel (great for taking photos at, but too cold to sleep there -- glad we were at Flatmoen!). In addition to a side excursion one day to go cross-country skiing (which was a lot of fun!), the highlights in Alta were doing an evening dog-sledding excursion from the Trasti & Trine lodge (where we had delicious elk stew for dinner) and then a reindeer sledding excursion and Sami experience at the Sami Siida Restaurant where we enjoyed the local delicious salmon!

All along the way, the NORD DMC team were readily available to address all our logistical questions (it took some coordination to make sure we made the flight connections with the small planes between cities). As with our prior trips through Kimkim, my wife and I were very comfortable that we were always in good hands!

Norway is a beautiful country for both its scenery and its people! We really enjoyed experiencing it and the many outdoor adventures in the wintertime. My wife and I both agreed that we will be back another time during the summer to experience it once again in warmer weather!

It took me a little long to write, but all i have to say are nice things. Helpful, good planers, problem solvers...all perfect on our trip. Tks!!

Taylor worked with me to plan our trip to Norway. She was always available and was more than knowledgeable about the not only our wish list but other equally intriguing side trips.
I never waited more than 24 hours to get a response to any questions I had. Her recommendations rounded out our incredible itinerary.. while we were able to give her a sizable budget, she never deliberately exceeded or sought out activities and housing at the very top of the budget.
Overall, I enjoyed working with Taylor and have no suggestions for her performance.
My only recommendation relative to KimKim and this trip is to provide a less congested program for gathering and delivering information. This is relative to easier/clearer information regarding venues and for obtaining traveler information. Everything became clear once we could access the app. By the way, wonderful app!
We will use your agency again and will look forward to interacting with Taylor again.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Hunt by Boat

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Reindeer Feeding & Sámi Culture Experience

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lyngen Alps Snowmobile Excursion

Tromsø

Staff was extremely helpful. Scenery exceptional.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

Dinner was ok, not special but ample. Once the aurora showed up, we were outside. They offered a couple of related lectures inside that were interesting. Overall, well worth the price.

Quality of Experience

Kvaløya Husky Sledding Excursion

Tromsø

Staff know what they’re doing and will make you comfortable doing it. They assisted me in getting from the bus to the dog sled. Made my experience much easier. Our trip was 10 kilometers and the scenery was gorgeous.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Norway in a Nutshell Day Trip

Bergen

The highlight of our Bergen visit! Seamless transfer between bus, train and boat. The only way to see all the wonders of Norway! We had a bit of trepidation about not having a guide to assist in transfers. Totally not needed! Bring a camera.

Quality of Experience

Fløibanen Funicular Ticket

Bergen

Cultural Walk with a Local

Bergen

Guide was an excellent historian.

Self-Guided Bergen Exploration

Bergen