Ethical Travel Portal

When my son said that he had a lifelong dream to see the northern lights, I knew that I'd need the help of a travel agent familiar with northern Scandinavia. A quick internet search led me to Kimkim, which had already done the work of planning the outline for a perfect trip. I had never used an internet based travel agent before, but the idea of using agents based where we would be traveling was quite appealing so I gave them a chance. I was very glad I did.

From the very beginning it was... read more

When my son said that he had a lifelong dream to see the northern lights, I knew that I'd need the help of a travel agent familiar with northern Scandinavia. A quick internet search led me to Kimkim, which had already done the work of planning the outline for a perfect trip. I had never used an internet based travel agent before, but the idea of using agents based where we would be traveling was quite appealing so I gave them a chance. I was very glad I did.

From the very beginning it was a personal experience. I worked with Ingrid and Hilde, who both were very responsive and worked quite hard to create a custom trip for us. Their communication was excellent, and I especially appreciated their attention to emergency contacts in case anything went wrong. Unfortunately we arrived in Bodø to gale force winds, which immediately threw a wrench into our itinerary since the ferries were canceled. Hilde immediately rebooked our hotels and suggested an alternative and completely worthy itinerary. I expect that a lot of travel agents would let you down in circumstances like this, but not Kimkim. This "above and beyond" service convinced me to use them again for any of my future travel plans.

The trip itself was exceptional, and had many highlights:

- Northern lights. Even though we had poor weather, our guide in Tromsø managed to find the one spot with clear skies and we were rewarded with an amazing display
- Dogsledding. We really appreciated that it was much more than a glorified ride at Trapper's Farm, which has been our past experience with other sledding opportunities
- The people. The staff at every hotel, shop, guided tour, and museum were knowledgeable, friendly, and exceptionally welcoming.
- The sights. Lafoten in particular was extraordinarily beautiful
- The museums. The Bodø aviation museum, and the Tromsø polar and WWII museums were particular highlights. Honorable mention also goes to the science center and planetarium in Tromsø, where we went to ensure at least one sighting of the northern lights.
- The meals. We ate like kings and loved the food!

All in all I can't recommend the Norway tours more highly. There are plenty of sample itineraries to choose from, but the Kimkim agents are perfectly happy to customize one of the tours to your needs. You won't regret it - we certainly didn't!

evrything went smoothly, as plan, we had a very good time.
thank you for your help. \the trappers farm was amazing.

Our trip to Norway was absolutely wonderful. I already knew where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see before I contacted Ingrid. She was instrumental in several crucial ways: She helped me book our flights within Norway; she arranged for the train tickets to Flam and Bergen, as well as the tickets for the trip on the Fjord; and she arranged a local guide for a city tour in Oslo, Bergen and Tromso. She also helped me choose hotels in each city. Her choices were perfect. The hotels... read more

Our trip to Norway was absolutely wonderful. I already knew where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see before I contacted Ingrid. She was instrumental in several crucial ways: She helped me book our flights within Norway; she arranged for the train tickets to Flam and Bergen, as well as the tickets for the trip on the Fjord; and she arranged a local guide for a city tour in Oslo, Bergen and Tromso. She also helped me choose hotels in each city. Her choices were perfect. The hotels we stayed in were lovely, and they were all were very well located.
I worked with Ingrid over several months, and she remained very pleasant, kind and upbeat throughout the entire process. I would highly recommend her to anyone who wishes to travel in Norway.

Traveling to Norway in December presents its own unique challenges - mostly due to the fact that the weather is unpredictable (which we knew going into things)- but everything that could be controlled was handled smoothly and efficiently through Kimkim. We had a number of room reservations and travel connections that had to be coordinated, and Kimkim made sure that everything flowed together smoothly. We traveled northward by plane, train and ferry, and each step along the way we were... read more

Traveling to Norway in December presents its own unique challenges - mostly due to the fact that the weather is unpredictable (which we knew going into things)- but everything that could be controlled was handled smoothly and efficiently through Kimkim. We had a number of room reservations and travel connections that had to be coordinated, and Kimkim made sure that everything flowed together smoothly. We traveled northward by plane, train and ferry, and each step along the way we were where we needed to be when we needed to be there with minimal hassle. Kimkim also arranged for our local tours, including private walking tours, a bus tour, a whale watching tour, a Northern Lights chase, dog sledding, and reindeer sledding all of which were professionally run and very enjoyable. Ingrid, our Kimkim specialist, worked to incorporate our personal interests and was responsive to my many questions prior to departure. Once we were on the ground in Norway, a "glitch" arose regarding our whale watching tour (an equipment problem with the boat) and Ingrid quickly worked to rearrange things before we even became aware of any problem. As with any "complex" trip there were a few minor missteps, but overall things went very smoothly.
The highlights of the trip were our walking trip with Sonya, our guide in Trondheim, the Northern Lights Chase and reindeer sledding (also in Trondheim) and Birk Husky in Kirkenes. We traveled on two different Hurtigruten ferries, both of which we enjoyed - although we liked the smaller size of the Richard With better than the larger Trollfjord.

The help we had planning our winter trip to Norway was amazing. Right from the beginning our thoughts were heard and ideas were given to make it all work. Fridur was super helpful and responsive. Our bookings all worked seamlessly and were in great locations.

Fortunately the rain stopped for our walk with an expert in Bergen - which was so interesting and informative - Fartein from Ethical Travel Portal was a great guide and easy to be with. We really loved our time in Bergen and the Bergen... read more

The help we had planning our winter trip to Norway was amazing. Right from the beginning our thoughts were heard and ideas were given to make it all work. Fridur was super helpful and responsive. Our bookings all worked seamlessly and were in great locations.

Fortunately the rain stopped for our walk with an expert in Bergen - which was so interesting and informative - Fartein from Ethical Travel Portal was a great guide and easy to be with. We really loved our time in Bergen and the Bergen Børs Hotel was exceptional. Due to such short daylight we felt we had too long in Svolvær (and not enough time in Tromsø) but this was not helped by a cancellation to our ship due to bad weather. We had several cancellations and changes made during our trip due to bad weather and Fridur was super quick to respond and help us get sorted so the rest of our itinerary could be completed as best as possible. The communication we received was exceptional!

In Tromsø we had 2 different accommodations (with a break in between) and we preferred the location of Scandic Ishavshotel over the Thon Hotel Tromsø.

Our highlight was a night in Lyngen North in a glass igloo - so so beautiful (and getting there by bus was so easy with Fridur's clear instructions). We didn't see the lights (due to unsettled weather for almost our whole time) which was disappointing however we still thoroughly enjoyed Norway! Is it such a beautiful and rugged country.

Tatjana and I had a great time, specially in Geilo, where the snow, sun and skiing conditions were absolutely perfect. Heidi was a great guide and, further, she arranged a wonderful evening dinner at the Geilo Mountain Lodge for her partner and us. (The Lodge should be on the Michelin list!!!) Oslo at the front and back end of our trip included Vinterland, Vigeland statuary park, and viking, Fram and Kon-Tiki museums that were very well done. The convenient light rail took us to... read more

Tatjana and I had a great time, specially in Geilo, where the snow, sun and skiing conditions were absolutely perfect. Heidi was a great guide and, further, she arranged a wonderful evening dinner at the Geilo Mountain Lodge for her partner and us. (The Lodge should be on the Michelin list!!!) Oslo at the front and back end of our trip included Vinterland, Vigeland statuary park, and viking, Fram and Kon-Tiki museums that were very well done. The convenient light rail took us to Holmenkollen ski jump and museum that were also very impressive. And for my 80th birthday and New Years Eve the fireworks seen from the Opera fjord-side apron was great (Be certain to recommend making reservations for New Year's dinners and parties in advance-we lucked out at the Opera Hotel being the last couple accepted. Also recommend coat and tie for males and dresses for females-ski apparel would have been out of place). Because of the rain in Bergen (according to the hotel averaging 266 days per year) it was less enjoyable, but John, our guide took us to see the old town, Hanseatic row and up the funicular. There the clouds and mist parted long enough to see why Bergen is called Bergen. Our son and family joined us for two days and we
and we discovered the Vil Vite childrens's museum where our 3 year old granddaughter enjoyed 2 afternoons. Recommend changing the trip itinerary to one more day in Geilo and one less in Bergen.

The Bristol, Opera and Geilo hotels were excellent, particularly the Bristol-very elegant! The Zander K was marginal in room quality and services. However, it was close to the train station and good restaurants.

The pre-booked travel tickets were essential, especially for the Geilo to Bergen leg, where in Gudvangen in the rain and dark getting bus tickets would have been difficult (by the way the bus driver said that the ticket we had was for another company, but he took us anyway, saying he would make payment adjustments.)

So, thank you for the arrangements. We had a wonderful white Christmas and New Years in Norway.

Don and Tatjana

Our family of 6 from hot and wet tropical Singapore, had a fantastic trip to icy cold Norway! Ingrid has been very accommodating to our needs and very responsive to our numerous questions...and sh was able to allay all our concerns etc. There were a couple of slight imperfections (no fault of Ingrid). Firstly, we found the local guide from Oslo to be wanting...slipshod work despite we gave him a tip of 800 NOK while the young man in Bergen was fantastic. He might be short of knowledge... read more

Our family of 6 from hot and wet tropical Singapore, had a fantastic trip to icy cold Norway! Ingrid has been very accommodating to our needs and very responsive to our numerous questions...and sh was able to allay all our concerns etc. There were a couple of slight imperfections (no fault of Ingrid). Firstly, we found the local guide from Oslo to be wanting...slipshod work despite we gave him a tip of 800 NOK while the young man in Bergen was fantastic. He might be short of knowledge (he couldnt answer a few qn) but he made it up with his dedication and enthusiasm, and walked with us for more than 3 hours through slippery terrain and windy conditions! The activities from dog sledding(Marcus) to Northern lights (Jann) were fantastic which were the highlights of the trip. The hotels were generally good as they were closed to transport...except for Zander K (no inroom telephone, no kettle and no coffee or tea were provided. Overall, thanks to Ingrid, KimKim for a job wel done!

Our 14 day trip to Norway was phenomenal! Linda did an amazing job curating our trip with a special overnight at a farm to table dogsledding adventure with Kjell. It was the highlight of our trip! Linda also arranged Sami reindeer sledding, northern lights chasing, private walking tour, fjord cruise, flam railway, another private tour and more. We went from Tromso and worked our way down to Oslo. Linda and kimkim created an awesome experience and also booked fabulous hotels, all with views... read more

Our 14 day trip to Norway was phenomenal! Linda did an amazing job curating our trip with a special overnight at a farm to table dogsledding adventure with Kjell. It was the highlight of our trip! Linda also arranged Sami reindeer sledding, northern lights chasing, private walking tour, fjord cruise, flam railway, another private tour and more. We went from Tromso and worked our way down to Oslo. Linda and kimkim created an awesome experience and also booked fabulous hotels, all with views and breakfast. We could never do this alone and our travel agent also agreed she could never have made these arrangements either! Thank you so much for working with us-you have made lifetime memories.

My trip was planned by Fridur and after a lot of messages back and forth, the entire schedule was turned upside down or rather north south reversal and no regrets!!! Thanks to Fridur who managed to get all the things we wanted to do into our schedule.
Camp Tamok was our first stop and it was well worth the entire day spent there. Dog sledding with Kristin was fantastic with the huskies sooooo loveable and strong. What an experience! Then we tried our hand(and legs!) at cross country skiing... read more

My trip was planned by Fridur and after a lot of messages back and forth, the entire schedule was turned upside down or rather north south reversal and no regrets!!! Thanks to Fridur who managed to get all the things we wanted to do into our schedule.
Camp Tamok was our first stop and it was well worth the entire day spent there. Dog sledding with Kristin was fantastic with the huskies sooooo loveable and strong. What an experience! Then we tried our hand(and legs!) at cross country skiing which was done with head lights and plenty of snow! Another incredible experience. But the best is yet to come. Andreas took us to chase the northern lights and there was no chase, cos the lights came to us literally. We set up a camp fire on a frozen lake, and voila after some time we saw the first rays of the aurora. What came in the next 30 minutes were a feast for the eyes and camera as we witnessed the dancing aurora lights with our own eyes!!! What a sight. And this is only the first day. All thanks to the great experience and knowledge of Andreas, great guy and great company.
Next day we went snow shoeing near Tromsø which was another excellent experience. Followed by Tromsø city tour on our own. Boy my face almost froze on the way across the bridge to the cathedral. Oh and how we tried our best not to slide and fall on the slippery ice was fun.
Next thing on the list was to spend the night in a glass igloo waiting for the aurora. An unforgettable experience in Lyngen North but the Aurora decided not to show up in Lyngen that night. :-(
Then we were off to Stavanger for the Preikestolen hike. It was an adventure with ski poles and ice spikes to keep us from falling in the slippery ice. We had a great hike with some really friendly people in the group and our guide Fabrizio was great with the camera. His photos were amazing.
It was a really tiring hike but the reward of the views during the trip and the Pulpit rock makes it worthwhile. Unbelievable sights!
The grand finale of the trip was Norway in a nutshell from Bergen to Oslo. Highlight was the Flam railway and the fjord cruise. Fantastic views.
It was a great trip with fantastic experiences and unforgettable views. I have to say that the best hotel stay in the trip was Bergen Bors hotel with their warm and sincere staff that is ever ready to help and provide helpful tips. This is what makes the hotel the one we want to return to!!!
Oh and not forgetting the Norway in a nutshell staff(sorry forgot the name) in Flam who recommended us to take an earlier train and to stop at Vatnahalsen and explore the charming hotel and its surroundings as it was getting dark and we had to wait for the next train to Oslo. Views there were stunning.
All the above planned and recommended by Fridur, great plan and recommendations. Not all rosy and nice as some minor hiccups, mostly more detailed information needed, which Fridur was on hand to provide within minutes so no major drama.
5 stars service !!!

We booked our 7 days trip through Kim Kim. Our agent - Ms Ingrid was very helpful. This was our first time we visited Norway, our ultimate aim was to chase the Northern Light and indeed we were lucky enough to see lot and lot of them! Thanks to the guide - Ms Trine. Also never forget our experience with Reindeer and Sami Culture and the reindeer soup provided was awesome!
We had a good time in Tromsø as the city was beautiful with snow. The hotel in Tromsø was fantastic and the breakfast was... read more

We booked our 7 days trip through Kim Kim. Our agent - Ms Ingrid was very helpful. This was our first time we visited Norway, our ultimate aim was to chase the Northern Light and indeed we were lucky enough to see lot and lot of them! Thanks to the guide - Ms Trine. Also never forget our experience with Reindeer and Sami Culture and the reindeer soup provided was awesome!
We had a good time in Tromsø as the city was beautiful with snow. The hotel in Tromsø was fantastic and the breakfast was the best of all!
Lucky that our 2 days stop-over in Bergen had a three hours guided cultural tour with a local - he really know the in and out of the city. The stop over was too long for us as we had not much things to do. The hotel location was just beside the train station but the hotel room was not that cosy.
The train to Flåm and Fjord cruise were a great experience as well. We like the cool weather and beautiful surrounding in Flåm.
We had a short stay in Oslo, just walked around the city and visited the World War II site.

For me, the most memorable part of our sensational trip was the train ride to Myrdal & then down to Flam. We have seen many things, but the scenery and its dramatic changes on the way up and back down. We loved the golden trees of Autumn. For George, it was the trip through the fjords.
Every part of our trip exceeded our expectations in every way. The Thon Opera Hotel was great and so well located. Stig was an excellent guide and great guy, in Aurland, the innkeeper had no rooms & said we... read more

For me, the most memorable part of our sensational trip was the train ride to Myrdal & then down to Flam. We have seen many things, but the scenery and its dramatic changes on the way up and back down. We loved the golden trees of Autumn. For George, it was the trip through the fjords.
Every part of our trip exceeded our expectations in every way. The Thon Opera Hotel was great and so well located. Stig was an excellent guide and great guy, in Aurland, the innkeeper had no rooms & said we could stay in our own cottage right on the fjord which was great-there is that word again! Bergen was charming & we had a full day of sunshine with our guide. He was OK but had not gotten the certification training and just wasn’t as knowledgeable as Stig. He did a good job, but Stig was extraordinary.

Thank you Linda and the Kimkim team for a wonderful, well planned holiday!

Wow! A magical trip to Norway! We started our journey in Oslo and ended in Tromsø. We opted to go with KimKim because the logistics we had in mind were more complicated than what we wanted to deal with... Definitely a very good decision on our part. I sent Andre a list of what we had in mind and he came through like a champ. Our desire was not to have to rent a car but travel using buses, trains, ferries and planes. Andre put it all together and made reservations for us a much as... read more

Wow! A magical trip to Norway! We started our journey in Oslo and ended in Tromsø. We opted to go with KimKim because the logistics we had in mind were more complicated than what we wanted to deal with... Definitely a very good decision on our part. I sent Andre a list of what we had in mind and he came through like a champ. Our desire was not to have to rent a car but travel using buses, trains, ferries and planes. Andre put it all together and made reservations for us a much as possible. A summary and detailed itinerary was provided just prior to the trip.
We stayed in Oslo (our own reservations), Aurland, Voss, Bergen and Tromsø. We visited museums, cruised fiords, took Flam scenic tour, rode cable cars and funicular up mountains for tremendous views, took a great walking tour of Bergen with David (knowledgeable fun guy), hunted Northern lights with Opel (very entertaining and knowledgeable) and an outstanding 5 hour Tromsø boat cruise with professional and fun Captain and mates (shoot, forgot their names) that including a bit of eagle and seal sightings, fishing and a delicious soup prepared while we were google eyeing the beauty of the waterways.
Our hotels were very comfortable and clean. The dinners at our inn in Aurland were so good and the service was outstanding. The hotel breakfasts in Bergen and Tromsø provided a huge variety of excellent foods. And the service at both hotels were good. The hotel in Voss was good but the breakfasts lacked appeal.
Each city, town and village we visited had its own unique characteristics and we found it all very interesting and beautiful.
We did have one boat cruise cancellation but opted for the later trip. Andre was extremely helpful in rearranging our day and reservations. Also we requested a change in hotel upon our return to Oslo as we wanted to be near the airport given an early morning flight back to the states. Andre made the change and all went amazingly well. Thanks KimKim staff (Andre and Ingrid) for your outstanding communications and excellent planning expertise. Although we normally like to make our own travel arrangements I would not hesitate to request KimKim's services again. We've already spread the word on their 'job well done'!

My wife and I had the most amazing time travelling around Norway, this was very easily the best trip we've ever taken. We got to see some amazing sights, untouched beauty, and explore Norway in a way that its meant to be. Through our entire journey, we took trains, busses and ferries which gave us the opportunity to see some of the most stunning landscapes imaginable.

Fridur did such a good job of putting all this together, she was very responsive and always full of suggestions on what we... read more

My wife and I had the most amazing time travelling around Norway, this was very easily the best trip we've ever taken. We got to see some amazing sights, untouched beauty, and explore Norway in a way that its meant to be. Through our entire journey, we took trains, busses and ferries which gave us the opportunity to see some of the most stunning landscapes imaginable.

Fridur did such a good job of putting all this together, she was very responsive and always full of suggestions on what we could do. We started off in Oslo and then travelled to Bergen via Geilo, Flam, and Balestrand - which had to be the most memorable place in our trip. Our hotel room had the most amazing view of the Fjord and snowcapped mountains which made it something I'll never forget. We had a great time with Balestrand Fjord Adventure when we went out sightseeing on the rib boat. I recommend them to anyone looking to see the fjords in a more fun way. When we got to Bergen we had a very nice walking tour of the city centre with David Pavels. He was funny, informative, and had so many interesting stories about life in Bergen and Norway. Sadly he doesn't have a TripAdvisor page or I would have written him a review.

Overall, Kimkim did a fantastic job of putting our Norwegian holiday together and if all their trip experts are as good as Fridur, we'd be more than happy to use their services once again on our next adventure.

My son and I were planning for a trip to Norway in early October, without knowing that it was the period in-between Summer and Winter when the standard Norway Nutshell tours were not available. Then we came across Kim Kim Travel and decided to give it a try.

The decision won us a wonderful trip. Our specialist Andre was instant with his responses. He was thoughtful in planning for our itinerary, and patient in answering my endless questions and requests. He even provided maps indicating... read more

My son and I were planning for a trip to Norway in early October, without knowing that it was the period in-between Summer and Winter when the standard Norway Nutshell tours were not available. Then we came across Kim Kim Travel and decided to give it a try.

The decision won us a wonderful trip. Our specialist Andre was instant with his responses. He was thoughtful in planning for our itinerary, and patient in answering my endless questions and requests. He even provided maps indicating where, when and how to go for our cruises, trains, taxis, etc. This provided the assurance I needed, and a promising start.

All arrangements on our 6-day Fjord trip from Oslo to Bergen went as smooth as silk. We enjoyed in particular the waterfront cabin at the Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri Hotel in Aurland, and the delightful room at the Midtnes Hotel in Balestrand, both of which provided panoramic view of the Sognefjord. It was not a trip which would make one bubble with excitement; it was one which was so scenic and tranquil that it felt like being in paradise. And all these due in no small part to Andre!

All the hotels were great. All but 2 transportation arrangements went off without a flaw. Overall, we are very pleased with our visit to Norway. I am thankful that Ingrid helped me to arrange everything!

In Oslo, we liked the Thon Europa more than the Thon Spectrum. The Europa had a better breakfast buffet, was an easier walk from the train station & the neighborhood seems a bit better. Next door to the Europa is the Brunello Ristorante. You should recommend this to others! This was some... read more

All the hotels were great. All but 2 transportation arrangements went off without a flaw. Overall, we are very pleased with our visit to Norway. I am thankful that Ingrid helped me to arrange everything!

In Oslo, we liked the Thon Europa more than the Thon Spectrum. The Europa had a better breakfast buffet, was an easier walk from the train station & the neighborhood seems a bit better. Next door to the Europa is the Brunello Ristorante. You should recommend this to others! This was some of the best Italian food we have ever had.

The Hurtigruten lobby is on a small side street and was not obvious. If possible, maybe provide a bit more detailed map. Since it's so late, there are not people around to ask for help. We did find it, but we had our concerns for a few minutes!

The bus & ferry to Geiranger was very enjoyable. The ferry back showed us some gorgeous scenery. We very much enjoyed that day.

The time with John Grahl-Madsen was not time well spent. He just didn't seem engaged. On other trips, in other countries, we have had guides who have made a significantly better impression. During planning, I had expressed an interest in going up the funicular. He pointed it out & said we could do that on our own. Our itinerary didn't allow time for that.

The ferry from Bergen to Aurland was a great way to move locations and see more of the scenery.

Aurland: you are already aware of the issue with the taxi company. I'm not sure what options there are, but I would suggest finding other options for sightseeing & transport to Flam. I'm very glad that the taxi did eventually show up that morning so we were able to see the Borgund Stave Church. That was very special. The Fisherman's Cabin at Vangsgaarden was charming with a view that was magnificent. It was a little surprising that we had to make our own beds, strip them at check-out, sweep the floor, take out the garbage, & do a light cleaning of the bathroom.

Flam to Oslo by train: Our itinerary was that we made this trip on September 24. No one looked at our tickets Flam to Myrdal. Myrdal to Oslo we learned that our tickets were for September 23. The conductor found 3 unsold seats for us and allowed us to stay on the train.

Oslo: We had a tour with Stig Frislid Torset. He was better than John, but again we have had better. Our travel companion had been told by a friend of Norwegian descent to try a specific type of pastry. Stig found a shop that sold it for her. We requested that we see the Vigeland Sculpture Park. He commented that was not normally what he did, but if that's what we wanted ... we said we did. He did have interesting commentary about some of the sculptures. Afterwards, he showed us some of the "hidden gems" that he normally focuses on, which included Grass Roots Square. Grass Roots Square is very special & we were very glad that we saw it.

I would recommend Kimkim to others. Thanks for your help in creating a memorable trip for us.

Ingrid was our guide for our visit to Oslo and Bergen . Luckily my cousin and I travelled together for the most part , or we would have been quite lost .

Initially I arrived earlier than she , and somehow got to the bus for the hotel for the night , the Gardemon Airport Hotel , which was suggested by our Svalbard leader . The hotel was very nice , the food fabulous , and a wonderful walk nearby .

We next flew to Tromso and Longyearbyen for our artic adventure , which was unbelievably... read more

Ingrid was our guide for our visit to Oslo and Bergen . Luckily my cousin and I travelled together for the most part , or we would have been quite lost .

Initially I arrived earlier than she , and somehow got to the bus for the hotel for the night , the Gardemon Airport Hotel , which was suggested by our Svalbard leader . The hotel was very nice , the food fabulous , and a wonderful walk nearby .

We next flew to Tromso and Longyearbyen for our artic adventure , which was unbelievably wonderful , except I did not see the whales that others were able to see .

We returned to Oslo and both of us were a bit nervous about the location of the hotel which in reality , could not have been easier - The Thon Opera , at Ingrid's suggestion . The restaurant was not great - expensive then closed for repairs .

Then we went to Myrdal to get the Flam train . It turned out to be easier than expected , and the ferry to Balestrand was lovely . It was nice to have the tickets paid for in advance . The hotel in Balestrand was GREAT - thank you Ingrid - then another ferry to Bergen . In the rain . I wish I had known to expect so much rain . . .

Bergen started off negatively . In the rain . Ingrid had sent maps , but they were useless . First of all , they faded in the rain , and secondly , without directions or street names . It took almost 2 hours to find the hotel , which was not great . Dark and unattractive , dining area right at the front door . We were surprised to find that a ' superior room ' was reserved for us , but it had only one bed ! We had to down grade to a room with twin beds , no view . Also dark . The hotel was not a great choice , the staff less than cordial . We would have been better off some place like the Hotel Bergen near the old wharf . We had a GREAT meal at Lyskevet ?? The inadequate directions and maps were the most frustrating part of our visit .

We returned to Oslo Thon for the night , and a dinner at a restaurant that was not great - a new one , started with an A - Atla ???

So we survived but had many frustrations .

My wife and I are so pleased we decided to hire Kimkim to plan our first trip to Norway. We had a limited time (6-7 days) and felt they did a wonderful job giving us the best itinerary for our interests/time constraints. The accommodations they selected were convenient and comfortable, the detailed itineraries they provided were extremely helpful (including maps, wayfinding info, etc.), and the guides they hired were professional and informative. If we had planned things ourselves we... read more

My wife and I are so pleased we decided to hire Kimkim to plan our first trip to Norway. We had a limited time (6-7 days) and felt they did a wonderful job giving us the best itinerary for our interests/time constraints. The accommodations they selected were convenient and comfortable, the detailed itineraries they provided were extremely helpful (including maps, wayfinding info, etc.), and the guides they hired were professional and informative. If we had planned things ourselves we probably wouldn't have experienced the most special part of our trip, staying in Aurland for a few nights and taking a cruise of the Aurlandsfjord & Nærøyfjord.
Thank you for taking logistics off our plate, allowing us to enjoy your beautiful country free of stress or worry!

Andre was quick to respond and always accommodating. The hotels he chose were excellent, as were his suggestions for our day trips. We totally appreciated not having huge drives to make. His planning was superb!!! We can’t thank him enough for such an amazing experience!!!!!

We took an 11 day road trip through Norway that was a fantastic experience. We wanted to be on our own for the most part, but appreciated having the hotels and activities suggested for us. From there, Fridur helped us to customize something that worked for us. Fridur was also VERY helpful mid-trip proactively helping us to manage detours caused by unexpected weather.

We also very much enjoyed our time with David, our guide in Bergen. It was more like a friend of friend showing you his city than a stuffy tour. That was perfect for us.

Larry

Ingrid was lovely to chat with when planning our trip. Her responses were always very prompt. However, we were planning a trip for Bergen for mid-late September. Our group would have greatly appreciated and benefited from having her insider perspective shared ahead of time. For example, many of the attractions on the Bergen card (which she sold us as part of the package) were closed or on very limited hours due to the fact that it was “late” in the season. Additionally, we feel Ingrid... read more

Ingrid was lovely to chat with when planning our trip. Her responses were always very prompt. However, we were planning a trip for Bergen for mid-late September. Our group would have greatly appreciated and benefited from having her insider perspective shared ahead of time. For example, many of the attractions on the Bergen card (which she sold us as part of the package) were closed or on very limited hours due to the fact that it was “late” in the season. Additionally, we feel Ingrid should have shared the fact that our ferry back from Flam was 5 hours long and part it after the sun went down. Our group was left with dead phones and nothing to do for about 2 hours. She did a great job purchasing the tickets but then didn’t always give clear instructions for which port or which platform to go to- creating some confusion for us.

We absolutely LOVED our tour guide Jon who lead our hike in Bergen. His energy and friendly attitude were perfect for our steep incline hike.

Overall, we felt the service provided by KimKim was very friendly but maybe not worth the price because we didn’t receive any extra information or guidance from the team (other than navigating and purchasing tickets for transportation). The companies they used for both the ferries were very welcoming!

We had an excellent experience with Kimkim in planning our trip. We gave Vilde the general outline of where we wanted to begin and end and she planned it all, hotels and excursions. We drove over 650 miles during our stay and thoroughly enjoyed the drive and landscapes. We loved the Dragsvik Fjordhotel , Bergens Bors hotel, the Fjord Cruise and walking tour of Bergen. Our guide, ( forgotten his name) during our walking tour was great. We were a bit more vigorous than his typical clients, so... read more

We had an excellent experience with Kimkim in planning our trip. We gave Vilde the general outline of where we wanted to begin and end and she planned it all, hotels and excursions. We drove over 650 miles during our stay and thoroughly enjoyed the drive and landscapes. We loved the Dragsvik Fjordhotel , Bergens Bors hotel, the Fjord Cruise and walking tour of Bergen. Our guide, ( forgotten his name) during our walking tour was great. We were a bit more vigorous than his typical clients, so we finished his usual tour in 2hrs rather than 3. No problem we still enjoyed it!! We realized that we prefer a la carte dining rather than the dinner buffets offered in two of the hotels we stayed, for the tour bus crowd. During our trip we needed to adjust our travel and Andre easily took care of cancelling and rebooking our hotel. The Viking Village was a major tourist destination, not our type of thing but the drive there was beautiful! we will most definitely use Kimkim again on our next visit to Norway, when we plan to venture further north!!

My two sons (19 & 21) and I wanted to visit Norway but due to my work schedule I left everything to the last minute. I found Kim Kim per chance on the Internet and decided based on their excellent reviews for Norway to give them a try. I completed the questionnaire and Fridur quickly contacted me. She was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and patient in helping us to plan our Itinerary. She focused on basing it on our own special requests - active with multiple hiking days in Bergen and... read more

My two sons (19 & 21) and I wanted to visit Norway but due to my work schedule I left everything to the last minute. I found Kim Kim per chance on the Internet and decided based on their excellent reviews for Norway to give them a try. I completed the questionnaire and Fridur quickly contacted me. She was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and patient in helping us to plan our Itinerary. She focused on basing it on our own special requests - active with multiple hiking days in Bergen and Balestrand plus white water rafting near Geilo. We even squeezed in visits and morning tours of both Bergen and Oslo. The local guides, Fartein in Bergen and Stig in Oslo, were informative and fun to discuss the history of their cities and country. I had never been on a personal local guided tour before and they have convinced me that this is the way to go. We saw so much and learned a great deal in our three hours together.
Fridur sent details on how to travel to the airports and tips on saving money by purchasing the day passes, etc. She responded to all of my 1,000 questions. I also must comment that I had braced myself for sticker shock but was pleasantly surprised that Fridur kept the cost down in our price range while booking us into comfortable 4 star hotels that were well located.
There is so much to see in beautiful Norway, I hope that we are able to return soon. I definitely would love to work with Fridur again.

Ingrid was great, the whole process made easy.
All hotel bookings and transport bookings ran smoothly.
Always available and ready to help
Will definitely refer and use KimKim again
Highly recommended

We were so happy with our kimkim experience! André was responsive and very nice to deal with. He set up an itinerary that reflected our interests. All transportation, information, transfers, hotels were nicely chosen and there were no problems or glitches. André gave us great recommendations for restaurants, as did our guides in Bergen, David and Vilde. These two were so important in terms of our overall experience in Scandinavia. They were knowledgeable and fun; it was like going around... read more

We were so happy with our kimkim experience! André was responsive and very nice to deal with. He set up an itinerary that reflected our interests. All transportation, information, transfers, hotels were nicely chosen and there were no problems or glitches. André gave us great recommendations for restaurants, as did our guides in Bergen, David and Vilde. These two were so important in terms of our overall experience in Scandinavia. They were knowledgeable and fun; it was like going around town and on a hike with friends. David's tour was personalized and quirky while encompassing the city's history and significant places. We got a real sense of contemporary Bergen from him, deeper and more interesting than on a typical tour. Vilde took us on a rigorous, enjoyable hike. We learned more about Norway while talking to her about her life.

Outstanding service from Ingrid and the KimKim team before and during my trip - including helping me though an unplanned hiccup in my itinerary!

I absolutely loved my stay in the Lofoten Islands and especially Reine. I'll definitely head back there some day to explore some hikes I had to cancel due to the inclement weather I experienced on my trip.

Bergen was a ton of fun too - great charm, cool vibe along with tons of great shops and restaurants / pubs!

Transportation throughout the country - airfare, buses, trains and taxis - were all super easy and convenient too.

We had a wonderful time in Norway thanks to the Kim Kim team!
To everybody who got involved during our vacation.I would definitely recommend the Kim Kim crew to anyone.

Ingrid did an excellent job putting our busy trip together.We only had 6 days in that beautiful country and we got the most out of it !Even on that rainy day we had in Rosendale. Thanks for Sjur and Laila.
Ingrid booked everything (train and ferry tickets,glacier tour, hotels) for us so we did not have to worry about those... read more

We had a wonderful time in Norway thanks to the Kim Kim team!
To everybody who got involved during our vacation.I would definitely recommend the Kim Kim crew to anyone.

Ingrid did an excellent job putting our busy trip together.We only had 6 days in that beautiful country and we got the most out of it !Even on that rainy day we had in Rosendale. Thanks for Sjur and Laila.
Ingrid booked everything (train and ferry tickets,glacier tour, hotels) for us so we did not have to worry about those and everything went perfectly well.Ingrid even helped us during the days we were there with the transportation in Oslo.Very helpful staff in the Kvikness and Thon hotels as well.
Many thanks Ingrid!!!

We had a fantastic holiday in Norway. Our 11 day trip was planned and booked last minute and the KimKim service in designing the itinerary and booking hotels was definitely something we could not have done at such short notice.

All the hotels had distinctive character - we particularly liked the Steens Hotel in Bergen, the Knutholmen in Kalvåg, and the Eplet in Solvorn.

Ingrid did an amazing job of organizing our trip, keeping us informed, sending appropriate materials and tickets in a timely manner, and answering our questions with helpful answers. Both of our city guides, Stig and Flemmet, gave us unique perspectives of their cities, an off the beaten path stroll through the city and excellent recommdations of where to eat. Hiking through the hills around Kalvag was enjoyable, even in the light rain. The ride on the ferry from Bergen to Aurland was... read more

Ingrid did an amazing job of organizing our trip, keeping us informed, sending appropriate materials and tickets in a timely manner, and answering our questions with helpful answers. Both of our city guides, Stig and Flemmet, gave us unique perspectives of their cities, an off the beaten path stroll through the city and excellent recommdations of where to eat. Hiking through the hills around Kalvag was enjoyable, even in the light rain. The ride on the ferry from Bergen to Aurland was memorable. The beautiful sunshine made it even more impressive. The 2.6 km hike up to Stegastein viewpoint in Aurland was exhilarating and fun. We ate at a variety of different local restaurants and had some very delicious dishes.
When we first started looking at how we wanted to see Norway, we were looking for something, where the transportation and lodging were taken care of, but where we could do the things we wanted to at the different places. Kimkim's tour offerings and flexibility to add things seemed to offer this. Our 12 day tour, as you described it, is exactly what we wanted and what we got. If anything it exceeded our expectations.
Thank you again to all, who were involved with planning our trip. We are very appreciative of your efforts. We will highly recommend you to anyone, who is considering seeing Norway.
Tusen takk,
John and Sharon Nichols

Ingrid and all the supporting specialists were very helpful to make sure our Norway trip was amazing. All of our activity requirements were executed, which made for a VERY active vacation. We expressed that we wanted to do a lot of hiking, kayaking, eating and fly fishing. They were very much able to piece together a trip that made for a lot of memories and epic photos.

I will definitely use Kim Kim again, as having a specialist select your hotels, itinerary, book train/bus tickets,... read more

Ingrid and all the supporting specialists were very helpful to make sure our Norway trip was amazing. All of our activity requirements were executed, which made for a VERY active vacation. We expressed that we wanted to do a lot of hiking, kayaking, eating and fly fishing. They were very much able to piece together a trip that made for a lot of memories and epic photos.

I will definitely use Kim Kim again, as having a specialist select your hotels, itinerary, book train/bus tickets, find a fly fishing guide, etc is extremely worth the money. Ingrid was more than communicative when planning, asking if we preferred one thing over another, sticking within our budget, giving us weather updates, recommending restaurants and mostly being available when we were in Norway for any questions.

Thank you, Ingrid for all your help!

When we were planning our trip to Norway, we had two goals in mind - to see as much of this beautiful country as possible and to discover my family roots. With Linda Verasdal's help, we were able to do both. I presented her with a wishlist and she made it all happen. We like to travel on our own and not with a tour group but Linda took care of all of our hotel reservations, train tickets, domestic plane flights and great suggestions for excursions. We also LOVED our local guides -Stig in... read more

When we were planning our trip to Norway, we had two goals in mind - to see as much of this beautiful country as possible and to discover my family roots. With Linda Verasdal's help, we were able to do both. I presented her with a wishlist and she made it all happen. We like to travel on our own and not with a tour group but Linda took care of all of our hotel reservations, train tickets, domestic plane flights and great suggestions for excursions. We also LOVED our local guides -Stig in Oslo and Vilde in Bergen. With their help, we got an inside look of Norwegian culture - touring neighborhoods, having coffee at an "non-touristy" restaurant and a true feel of Norwegian hospitality. We are seasoned travelers and have used many different travel agents but Linda, in our opinion, is the best. We even had a chance to meet her for lunch. Please check her out if you want a fantastic Norwegian experience. And yes, I discovered my grandfather's family - uncles, aunts, the house he was born in (year 1884) and even his school records. Just awesome.

We had a GREAT trip! everything went smoothly and we had a fantastic time! Highlights were the Trolltunga hike, the Oslo-to-Myrdal train (and the Flam train), and Fjærland, but everything was fantastic.

One thing that would be helpful is including a short overview of how to see schedules / pay for public transportation. It wasn't hard for us to figure out, but would be good to have folks download things like the Skyss app if they are taking a lot of buses and light trains.

The itinerary that Fridur provided was just perfect for us (lots of activities and sightseeing).

Thanx Ingrid. Norway was great. So friendly, clean and beautiful. Kelvag was very special.

I have used the tour services for the first time and my interactions with Ingrid were simply outstanding. She was always prompt with her responses and provided not just the relevant information, but something extra as well. She took on the recommendations positively and was a life saver when we had to make a last minute change in the fjord cruise. Over all we had an amazing experience and I will be using kimkim for my future travels!

Bergen is a beautiful place to be and walk
We had a guide John great person
Who took us through the little streets
We were very lucky we had great weather
Than we took the ferry to balestrand
Just so beautiful and looks like a postcard!
Time to relax ,walk and bike
After two days We took the ferry to Flåm stayed few hours(rainy) but still beautiful
And from Flåm we took the train to Myrdal (must do) and back to rainy Bergen
But still beautiful
Must do climb the 722stairs and walk till the funicular we enjoyed the view ,the place
Was fun
Thank you Ingrid

We had a very great experience in Norway thanks to Ingrid's advices! We planned our trip taking inspiration from "Nordic Road Trip for Nature Lovers - 14 Days", we've been put in contact with Ingrid, who did a great job by adapting the tour to our requests. We've had 16 fantastic days hiking and exploring the most scenic views in southern Norway!
We highly recommend this service, as we're totally satisfied with it.

Our travel guide Fridur helped me plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Norway for me and my family. She quickly assessed what types of activities we were interested in and proposed an itinerary that perfectly met our needs. We're adventurous outdoor enthusiasts, so she tailored the Nordic Adventure for Outdoor Lovers to allow us to spend extra time in the beautiful Hardangerfjord area and to change the Trolltunga hike to the Via Ferrata + Sunset/Sunrise Combo. We had an amazing experience and... read more

Our travel guide Fridur helped me plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Norway for me and my family. She quickly assessed what types of activities we were interested in and proposed an itinerary that perfectly met our needs. We're adventurous outdoor enthusiasts, so she tailored the Nordic Adventure for Outdoor Lovers to allow us to spend extra time in the beautiful Hardangerfjord area and to change the Trolltunga hike to the Via Ferrata + Sunset/Sunrise Combo. We had an amazing experience and look forward to going back to Norway to explore more someday. Having the kimkim team provide local expertise takes a lot of pressure off in planning travel to a new country. Definitely recommend working with them!

My wife and I visited Norway in August 2019 and Ingrid has been a key part of planning and executing our itinerary. We visited Bergen, Balestrand, Tromso, Lofoten Island and Oslo. Ingrid arranged our local travel visiting fords, Balestrand and then the most beautiful train ride via Myrdal. Ingrid also came to meet us personally at Bergen and walked to the city centre. She is a great asset to her company and I found her extremely helpful. Highly recommend Ingrid and Kimkim,

The trip was very well organised by Andre. I found him to be responsive, friendly and helpful all the way through the process. We needed a change of bike (to an e-bike) at the last minute and he organised it for us. The places we stayed varied in quality. The hotel in Oslo was not bad - the rooms and feel of the place was that it was a little pokey but clean. Reception was frequently overloaded when more than a couple of guests arrived. The hotel in Gielo was pretty good. It was crowded with... read more

The trip was very well organised by Andre. I found him to be responsive, friendly and helpful all the way through the process. We needed a change of bike (to an e-bike) at the last minute and he organised it for us. The places we stayed varied in quality. The hotel in Oslo was not bad - the rooms and feel of the place was that it was a little pokey but clean. Reception was frequently overloaded when more than a couple of guests arrived. The hotel in Gielo was pretty good. It was crowded with a bus load of tourists and the hotel had a bit of difficulty handling the numbers. The absolutely loved Balestrand and the Midtnes Hotel. The owner of the hotel really took pride in the place and could not do enough for us. We are glad we had two nights there. Bergen is a beautiful little city and we also enjoyed that. The hotel had a lot of difficulty dealing with crowds from bus loads. The staff were very friendly and worked hard but they were unable to deal with the peak periods and the place was bedlam. Our guide David was hilarious. I liked David and his tour because he didn’t really seem to know any detailed history about Bergen but gave us a good idea of the society and life of the Bergen people. It felt like a stroll around the city with a nice guy who knew a bit about the city from living there for many years. His recommendations for a good coffee shop and restaurants were spot on. The restaurant he recommended was Naboen. We loved it. Reasonable prices and very nice food and service. So his tour suited me but would not be for someone really interested in the history of Bergen. My kids thought it hilarious that outside the oldest church he read out a few points straight from the sign next to the church. Thanks again Andre for organising our tour so we’ll.

I consider that one of my luckiest "finds" to be when I ran across a personal travel posting that mentioned kimkim. I had already spent many unsuccessful & frustrating hours on my computer trying to plan a week long trip to Norway with our son, daughter-in-law, 6 yr old grandson and 2 year old granddaughter. It had become abundantly clear that I was out of my depth. Linda answered my initial inquiry at kimkim and we began planning an agenda that included the areas we wanted to see, bolstered... read more

I consider that one of my luckiest "finds" to be when I ran across a personal travel posting that mentioned kimkim. I had already spent many unsuccessful & frustrating hours on my computer trying to plan a week long trip to Norway with our son, daughter-in-law, 6 yr old grandson and 2 year old granddaughter. It had become abundantly clear that I was out of my depth. Linda answered my initial inquiry at kimkim and we began planning an agenda that included the areas we wanted to see, bolstered by what sites and activities she recommended in each of those areas. Through efficient and prompt emailing, she helped build a travel schedule with the 6 yr and 2 yr children in mind. At no time, however, did I feel that she was pushing us in any particular direction. She was happy to adjust, consider, re-arrange, explain why something might not work, suggest alternatives --- all with the goal of reaching an agenda that met our varied personal needs. Once the final agenda was set, I was SO impressed when everything we needed was emailed to us about 2 weeks before departure: a very detailed trip agenda; hotel reservations; pre-paid train & ferry tickets; timed taxi reservations; individual maps to use once we arrived at each destination; pre-paid entrance tickets to Viking Valley; names of guides, their contact information, time & place to meet; even a dinner reservation at a popular restaurant -- plus her contact number if we needed anything during the trip. In addition, she double-checked each reservation right before we arrived. I realized how carefully we were being "shadowed" during the trip when I received an email from Linda, just "checking in" to see how we were doing, and a text another day advising me that a guide had become ill, and giving me the name & contact information of the new guide. That was when I clearly realized the most valuable difference in kimkim and the "brick & mortar" travel agencies I have used in past years: a travel agency here in the U.S. would have been finished with us once we paid, and certainly once we had departed on the trip. Linda and our guides (Matilda & Vilde --- both delightful, by the way) were there for us throughout the trip. We knew intuitively that we could count on Linda and her colleagues to help us in any situation that might arise, or even to just answer a question.

I consider myself a walking kimkim advertisement now. I am spreading the word to everyone I know, as this business model offers a level of excellence & stress-free travel that is completely unique in today's world of limited, impersonal customer service. Thank you, Linda! We LOVED your gorgeous Norway! We hope to use kimkim again!

Norway - Road trip scenic landscape (17 days)

This was my first trip booking through KimKim. Our local agent in Norway (Linda) was fantastic! She did a great job fitting in all our requests of things we wanted to see while in Norway as well as including destinations that were "must sees" for our time in this beautiful country! The hotels were terrific (safe, clean, in nice central locations) and our guides for Oslo and Bergen were fun, knowledgeable, and personable. Linda was also very... read more

Norway - Road trip scenic landscape (17 days)

This was my first trip booking through KimKim. Our local agent in Norway (Linda) was fantastic! She did a great job fitting in all our requests of things we wanted to see while in Norway as well as including destinations that were "must sees" for our time in this beautiful country! The hotels were terrific (safe, clean, in nice central locations) and our guides for Oslo and Bergen were fun, knowledgeable, and personable. Linda was also very responsive to any questions we had while we were on our trip. The price we paid for this service was well worth the money given the time it saved us in researching recommended places to visit as well as to book hotels and transportation. I highly recommend using KimKim and plan to use them again for our next overseas trip!

Kimkim was easy to use and my agent, Fridur, was fantastic. Super easy to work with and planned a trip that was spot on what I wanted. Everything was communicated clearly. All the places he chose were excellent. Top notch hotels, great local tours, wonderful all around.

The help we received made the trip perfect fir us. We had a few snafus along the way but they managed them through with us. The private tour we had in Oslo was great, the one in Bergen not as knowledgeable. Could have had some more knowledge on how to get on and off the cruise on check in times for luggage when we need to be out of cabin.

More guidance on good side of the bus for views, more detail on how the nutshell bus works. That sort of thing.

We were disappointed with the service from Kim Kim. The Nærøyfjord fjord itinerary that Ingrid chose for us routed us through the same fjord three times: Flam to Balestrand, then Balestrand to Flam, and then the first hour of the Nærøyfjord “tour” was through the same area for the third time. You called it a tour, but it wasn’t: there was no commentary or information given during the Nærøyfjord trip. On the Norled boats between Flam and Balestrand, there were announcements about towns we were... read more

We were disappointed with the service from Kim Kim. The Nærøyfjord fjord itinerary that Ingrid chose for us routed us through the same fjord three times: Flam to Balestrand, then Balestrand to Flam, and then the first hour of the Nærøyfjord “tour” was through the same area for the third time. You called it a tour, but it wasn’t: there was no commentary or information given during the Nærøyfjord trip. On the Norled boats between Flam and Balestrand, there were announcements about towns we were passing, and they steered the boat close to various waterfalls along the way so we could get a view. On the Nærøyfjord boat there was nothing like that- we just passed scenery we had already seen (twice), then went around the corner, then got dropped off.

Then came the stop in Gudvangen. In the itinerary it says, “Map of bus stop will be provided,” but you did not provide a map. The instructions said to catch the NX450 bus and pay the driver. There was a sign near the boat dock that said “public buses,” but a man in the ticket office said we needed to go to the main road. In the pouring rain, I went to the bus stop on the street, but it didn’t have the Skyss logo or the NX450 schedule on it, so I walked back to the dock area. Worried that we would miss the bus on the main road if it came by, we took our bags to the road, in the rain. Then the bus came, and many people had advance tickets and got on (why didn’t you book us advance tickets?). The bus driver told us the bus was full, so we dragged our bags back to the dock area- still in the rain- and waited there. The next bus came well before its departure time, so we were able to talk to the driver. We finally knew for certain when we would be leaving, so we could relax and have some dinner.

When I mentioned this to Ingrid, she said, "I was honestly not aware that there would be a chance that it would be fully booked on the bus. " Of course there's a chance: if enough people show up.

The whole reason we booked through your service was because we didn’t want to book things ourselves and end up standing in the rain, not knowing where to go next. And yet, that’s exactly where we found ourselves, after paying Kim Kim a large sum of money. It was frustrating to go through that, when it could have been avoided through advance bus tickets or putting us on different transport.

We have a note for you regarding the Gone Paddling tour in Balestrand, as well. The weather was predicted to be rainy and cold the morning of our kayaking trip, and I called them about switching to their 3pm tour, but it wasn’t running that day. We went ahead and took the morning tour, and Gone Paddling had dry suits for protection against the rain. However, they didn’t offer any sort of gloves or headwear, like a hat or hood. You didn’t mention that we should bring a hood and gloves, and neither does their website. The dry suit kept us dry at first, but as we continued paddling in the rain, my wife in particular got very cold and needed to return to shore. I recommend mentioning to future clients that they need to bring their own gear in case of rain, besides the dry suit, and we’ve mentioned it to Gone Paddling, too.

Overall, we booked with you to make the logistics of our trip go smoothly. In the end, there were more bumps than we expected.

Our trip to the Norwegian Fjords was wonderful.
Until Oslo, our hotels were owned and staffed by local people who provided excellent and friendly service. Our rooms were all different, a good size, clean and colourful with interesting art works on the walls. Our rooms at the Augustin in Bergen and the Kviknes in Balestrand also had lovely views. All hotels were well sited for making the local area easy to explore. In Oslo, the Scandic Byporten was well sited but our room was very... read more

Our trip to the Norwegian Fjords was wonderful.
Until Oslo, our hotels were owned and staffed by local people who provided excellent and friendly service. Our rooms were all different, a good size, clean and colourful with interesting art works on the walls. Our rooms at the Augustin in Bergen and the Kviknes in Balestrand also had lovely views. All hotels were well sited for making the local area easy to explore. In Oslo, the Scandic Byporten was well sited but our room was very noisy all night and the hotel was a little grubby.
Our 2 guides, John in Bergen and Yunelene? [that will not be the spelling of her name!] in Fjaerland for the Mundal Valley hike were a highlight for us. They were each knowledgeable about their area and shared their knowledge and something of themselves as we walked these 2 very different places together.
Balestrand and Fjaerland were our favourite places to be. The scenery, the friendliness of the people and the peacefulness made it such a special time. When we arrived from there to Flam with its rushing crowds of people we were reminded of how lucky we had been to stay in Balestrand.

This trip was absolutely magical! Ingrid listened to our interests and constructed a trip that allowed us to see a good spectrum of Norway and participate in activities we enjoyed. Ingrid is a great communicator and answered all questions in a timely and straightforward manner. She also gave us suggestions on places to consider for meals and activities during our free time in Norway. We felt like we had a good balance of free time and activities during our vacation. We could not be more pleased with our KimKim experience!

Booking our trip with KimKim was a breeze. André and Ingrid from the Ethical Travel team were extremely responsive and helpful with questions we had as we prepared for our trip. The itinerary they created for us was great and we thoroughly enjoyed the trip and Norway in general.

They also provided many great recommendations and options of what to do or see in each location, which we really appreciated. They helped take the hassle out of figuring out the best route, hotels to stay at things to see, etc.

Overall a positive experience with the team and reccomend to others.

Incredibly, 5 months have passed since our trip to Norway and we still haven´t entered our review.
Maybe unconsciously we don't want to end it! But the truth is we´ve been talking about Norway and remembering it since we´ve arrived. 

It was a trip of a lifetime, so good that we´ve made a promise to go back, in summer to see the country's other season and in winter again because we truly loved it. 

The knowledge and understanding kimkim, and our local specialist Linda, provided along the... read more

Incredibly, 5 months have passed since our trip to Norway and we still haven´t entered our review.
Maybe unconsciously we don't want to end it! But the truth is we´ve been talking about Norway and remembering it since we´ve arrived. 

It was a trip of a lifetime, so good that we´ve made a promise to go back, in summer to see the country's other season and in winter again because we truly loved it. 

The knowledge and understanding kimkim, and our local specialist Linda, provided along the way was invaluable and made the experience of planning the trip a wonderful thing. Since the beginning, Linda understood what we were looking for and most important she understood the way we like to travel. The going back and forward between the three of us with ideas and suggestions made the trip feel very much like our creation. It was a tailored made trip done by us, it was very special.

We arrived in Bodø then traveled to Lofoten, drove to Andenes, sailed to Tromsø and finally, we flew to the wild and fantastic Svalbard. We did see the Northen lights, the reason of our trip (5 times in 14 days), but it was much more than that. The road trip through the Islands, kayaking, horseback riding on the beaches, the snowmobile adventure in Svalbard, everything was memorable.

Thank you kimkim! Thank you Linda!

Rita and Eche

We can't thank Vilde enough for her great work on pretty short notice. She arranged the perfect trip starting in Bergen, migrating to the heart of the fjords/Balestrand, and wrapping up in Oslo at the perfect hotel for our last day. Some highlights include our fun and fantastic tour of Bergen, our ferry rides to Balestrand and Flam, our scenic hotel just outside Balestrand in Dragsvik, and our Flamsbana train ride.

We really wished we would’ve gotten to see what we thought we were going to see. On our itinerary, it showed pictures of beautiful places, but that was not what we got to see. One place in particular was over an hour away from where we were, but we were led to believe that is what we would see in the town we were staying in. We also were told that one of our train rides would go through waterfalls, which it did not. All of our accommodations were great.