Ethical Travel Portal

Ingrid was perfect! From start to finish she provided so much information, advice and support. She put together a perfect itinerary for Norway which ran super smoothly. I fit so much in to 5 days and had an incredible experience. Absolutely everything was organised and if I had Abby questions Ingrid responded pretty much immediately. I would highly recommend Kim Kim and I would definitely use again.

Disappointed... although the communication was excellent but the plan is improper. We ended up paying extra cost for accumedation and transportation, and they didn’t take any responsibility to refund the missed up situation

This trip was fantastic. I had some ideas as to what I wanted to do in Norway, but Ingrid put together the itinerary to accomplish it in a really unique trip.

We flew from Minneapolis to Amsterdam, then to Oslo, and finally to Tromso, before transferring to the Malangen Resort. Delicious dinner at the resort. We stayed in one of the deluxe cabins. The next day we went dogsledding and saw the Northern lights. We were allowed to mush our own team of dogs and were given a snack (reindeer... read more

This trip was fantastic. I had some ideas as to what I wanted to do in Norway, but Ingrid put together the itinerary to accomplish it in a really unique trip.

We flew from Minneapolis to Amsterdam, then to Oslo, and finally to Tromso, before transferring to the Malangen Resort. Delicious dinner at the resort. We stayed in one of the deluxe cabins. The next day we went dogsledding and saw the Northern lights. We were allowed to mush our own team of dogs and were given a snack (reindeer sandwich and coffee/tea afterwards).

The next day we flew to Oslo and explored on our own. The next morning we had a 3-hour walking tour around Oslo with Stig, a knowledgeable local guide. That afternoon we saw several museums including the Viking ship museum and the modern art museum.

Then on to Geilo where we stayed at the Dr. Holms hotel for several days. One day we went cross country skiing with Hilde and Jorgen from vinternatt.no. Then for the next two days of snowkiting in Haugastol, I rented a car so that I could drive there, yet my wife could stay in Geilo and be close to the spas, etc.

Following this we took the train to Flam, fjordcruise to Gudvangen, then on to Bergen. The next morning in Bergen, we met David a local musician and guide. Following Bergen, we took a train back to Oslo and then flew home.

I had never been to Norway previously and contact KimKim with only basic requests as to the activities I wanted to do. Ingrid put together a great itinerary that was easy to follow. We felt like we saw a great amount of Norway but it also left us wanting to return. We look farward to working with KimKim for future trips.

Overall working with kimkim was a great experience. Norway in winter was beautiful. The best was wisely saved for last. Or experience at Trasti & Trine was magical. Hannah, or dogsled guide was terrific and Johnny's food was an event every meal. We will definitely be back and will use kimkim again.

We had an amazing trip to tromso and senja. All the activities were perfectly planned.
And luckily we have seen the northern lights twice! 😊
We would definitively book here again!

Having never visited Norway before, we are so glad we found KimKim, and more specifically our specialist, Linda. With her knowledge of the area, we were able to collaborate and design the perfect itinerary. She was always prompt in responding to my (many) questions and a pleasure to work with.

We were also impressed and appreciative that Linda, or her co-worker Ingrid, were so available to us during this trip. Linda checked in with us periodically throughout the trip to make sure... read more

Having never visited Norway before, we are so glad we found KimKim, and more specifically our specialist, Linda. With her knowledge of the area, we were able to collaborate and design the perfect itinerary. She was always prompt in responding to my (many) questions and a pleasure to work with.

We were also impressed and appreciative that Linda, or her co-worker Ingrid, were so available to us during this trip. Linda checked in with us periodically throughout the trip to make sure everything was going smoothly and when we had weather-related transportation issues, they were readily available to help us out. Most companies we have worked with send you on your merry way with documents and a “have a good trip” and then you never hear another word from them. Linda's "customer service" is excellent and the best we have dealt with in our many travels.

Our trip to Senja and Lofoten was an amazing adventure and many thanks for this goes to Linda.

We had the time of our lives on this trip. From start to finish, Ingrid and KimKim was amazing. Ingrid Skyped and emailed with my husband to plan the perfect trip. She worked hard to get the things we wanted, the places we wanted to visit, and then made wonderful suggestions. We were able to travel from south to north with ease and see so much of Norway and the different cities and towns. Ingrid even took us on a personal tour in Bergen which was a perfect way to start our trip.

We... read more

We had the time of our lives on this trip. From start to finish, Ingrid and KimKim was amazing. Ingrid Skyped and emailed with my husband to plan the perfect trip. She worked hard to get the things we wanted, the places we wanted to visit, and then made wonderful suggestions. We were able to travel from south to north with ease and see so much of Norway and the different cities and towns. Ingrid even took us on a personal tour in Bergen which was a perfect way to start our trip.

We visited Bergen, Flam, Oslo, Tromso, Svolvaer, and Alta. We did a beer tour (wonderful!), snowmobiling, dog sledding, took the Hurtigruten ship, a fjord tour, a northern lights chase and basic sight seeing on our own in each city. The favorite thing was the dog sledding with TrastiogTrine. Wonderful time and the highlight of the trip (for me). My husband loved the snowmobiling best. The majesty of the country cannot be described!

We highly recommend KimKim and will definitely be using them again. They made the whole process easy and stress free. And Ingrid was amazing! Thanks guys!

Graham Hyder

We contacted KimKim literally a few days before we wanted to embark on an 11 day trip through Norway. We were lucky to be connected with Linda, who put together a fun yet relaxing itinerary for us. After a few days in Oslo, we spent Christmas in Flam which was a true highlight, topped off with a fjord cruise on Christmas Day. Then we journeyed to Bergen for sightseeing and wonderful seafood. The Floibanen funicular was really fun and after the clouds parted we got some amazing views of the... read more

We contacted KimKim literally a few days before we wanted to embark on an 11 day trip through Norway. We were lucky to be connected with Linda, who put together a fun yet relaxing itinerary for us. After a few days in Oslo, we spent Christmas in Flam which was a true highlight, topped off with a fjord cruise on Christmas Day. Then we journeyed to Bergen for sightseeing and wonderful seafood. The Floibanen funicular was really fun and after the clouds parted we got some amazing views of the city. After an overnight cruise we disembarked in Alesund to enjoy the art deco architecture, before returning to Oslo. Linda planned everything for us and was a joy to work with. I can't recommend Linda and KimKim highly enough. We can't wait to go back to Norway (in the summer) to see more of this amazing country. We will use KimKim for every major trip from now on. Thank you for the incredible memories!

We traveled to Norway this past summer. Ingrid was great helping us plan our trip. She spent the day with us in Bergen and we loved her walking tour of her city. We loved the cabin in Loen that we never would have found without Ingrid’s advice. Our boys loved the hike we took in Geilo.

My wife and I has visited Norway from 30th October, 2018 to 10th November, 2018. In short, this was one of the best trips of our lives, all the credit goes to Ingrid.

Our plan was a 12 day plan, more on the road and outside than on tours and hotels. Our itinerary was planned in a great way along with the maps provided to us by ingrid was very helpful. We got to see many things, mountains, Fjords, Northern lights, whales, beautiful clean roads, scenery, sunrise, sunsets etc.

We visited the... read more

My wife and I has visited Norway from 30th October, 2018 to 10th November, 2018. In short, this was one of the best trips of our lives, all the credit goes to Ingrid.

Our plan was a 12 day plan, more on the road and outside than on tours and hotels. Our itinerary was planned in a great way along with the maps provided to us by ingrid was very helpful. We got to see many things, mountains, Fjords, Northern lights, whales, beautiful clean roads, scenery, sunrise, sunsets etc.

We visited the places, Bergen, Eidfjord, Flam, aurland, Geiranger, Kristiansund, Trondheim, Bodo, lofoten Islands, Andenes. Sounds like a lot, but it was just right.

We met lot of people, ate lot of local food, enjoyed the hotels we stayed in.

Everything went very smooth, from renting cars in airports, to the different hotels arranged by ingrid in each place each day. And we used to get messages from ingrid regarding our updates, seemed loving and caring, which i really don't see with any other travel agents.

We had also purchased an item but were unable to arrange delivery precisely as were in different locations each day, Ingrid really supported us through that ordeal.

Rest Assured, If you are planning anything with Ingrid and her travel agency, then know, that they are with you all the way literally, from planning the trip, to arrival in the country, through the country, and till you depart the country to return.

I once again thank Ingrid for the beautiful vacation, and if i have a chance to work with her again in any scenario i would'nt think twice!

We loved the convenience, prompt reply and local insights. The local walking tours were fun and informative. The hotel in Aurland was really charming, and the fjord ferry cruise from Aurland was fantastic.

Ingrid and Vilde were helpful in offering local tips, packing tips, and so on.

I've recommended Kimkim.com's service to many friends already and many are keen to try out!

We are so pleased to have used this service when booking our trip. Ingrid and the team delivered an excellent program that perfectly suited our travel plans. It was a seamless process and took all of the guesswork out of the holiday. Very reasonable pricing as well. Thanks so much for all your help
And support.

Ingrid was very helpful fight throughout the trip with additional requests we had. The planning and ticketing went like clockwork and was thus very easy to complete the journey. No problems were encounted.

Planning a trip with an in-country advisor just makes sense. Ingrid Thornes, our trip consultant for a two week trip in Norway, met and exceeded our expectations. Being from Bergen, she was able to give good first-hand advice and proved more reliable than a guide book.

We outlined our preferences for types of hotels, modes of transport, and places we wanted to include on our visit. Ingrid evaluated our ideas, made suggestions and then delivered an itinerary that we collaborated on for... read more

Planning a trip with an in-country advisor just makes sense. Ingrid Thornes, our trip consultant for a two week trip in Norway, met and exceeded our expectations. Being from Bergen, she was able to give good first-hand advice and proved more reliable than a guide book.

We outlined our preferences for types of hotels, modes of transport, and places we wanted to include on our visit. Ingrid evaluated our ideas, made suggestions and then delivered an itinerary that we collaborated on for weeks. That required a lot of patience from her!

Honestly, this trip met ALL of our expectations because Ingrid took the time to listen and help us make good choices. All tickets were emailed, all connections made, paving the way for a knockout time in Norway. Well done KimKim. We will book another amazing excursion with your u again.

Linda and Peter Fenton, Massachusetts USA

Our whole trip was carefully curated to meet our particular interests including our daughter joining for the last three days. She was equally appreciative of Linda’s efforts on her behalf. The whole itinerary unfolded seamlessly and we can’t recommend Linda highly enough. Our guides, David and Stig in Bergen and Oslo also were focused on what we wanted to experience and gave us an interesting insight into contemporary Norwegian life.

It was a great trip. Ingrid was so thorough and available to us via email at any time. She was very prompt in responding to any inquiries we made and changes we requested.

We thoroughly enjoyed the tour with her in Bergen as we were able to see areas we never would have discovered on our own. The hotels were lovely and centrally located which was so helpful to us. We are still raving about the wonderful breakfasts we enjoyed. Bergen was certainly a favorite.

Balestrand was a real treat... read more

It was a great trip. Ingrid was so thorough and available to us via email at any time. She was very prompt in responding to any inquiries we made and changes we requested.

We thoroughly enjoyed the tour with her in Bergen as we were able to see areas we never would have discovered on our own. The hotels were lovely and centrally located which was so helpful to us. We are still raving about the wonderful breakfasts we enjoyed. Bergen was certainly a favorite.

Balestrand was a real treat because of its size and location. We loved the kayaking and the trip up the fjord. It was a beautiful ferry ride up the Geiranger Fjord but it was spoiled a bit by the town, the cruise ships and the crowds. Of course, we were tourists just like all those people but we liked Balestrand better. Such a pretty town.

Alesund was another favorite. The architecture, the small size of the city, the food, the hotel. All of it was great.

Lofoten was unbelievable from start to finish. The looming wall as we arrived, the fisherman's cottages, the Viking Longhouse, the beaches. I think it was our favorite place. The Hurtigruten gave us a chance to relax for a couple of days but cruising is not really our thing. We preferred the ferries. But it was worth it to get to Lofoten.

Even though we'd been warned, we had a little bit of a hard time getting adjusted to the prices in Norway. Overall, a wonderful trip and Ingrid was wonderful to work with.

Karen and Bill Berkeley

This was a trip of a lifetime!! Linda was amazing in planning and coordinating for our group of 6 in all differing age ranges. She was great in getting everything on our wish and things to do and see and most of all giving us the opportunity to stay at the family farm. Staying at the farm was the most memorable part of the trip for all of us and getting to meet some new family. We had great tour guides in both Bergen and Oslo! They were super friendly, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable and made... read more

This was a trip of a lifetime!! Linda was amazing in planning and coordinating for our group of 6 in all differing age ranges. She was great in getting everything on our wish and things to do and see and most of all giving us the opportunity to stay at the family farm. Staying at the farm was the most memorable part of the trip for all of us and getting to meet some new family. We had great tour guides in both Bergen and Oslo! They were super friendly, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable and made us feel welcomed in a strange new place.

Valde our guide in Bergen was amazing and super friendly. She had our updated itinerary ready for us when we arrived and tons of great recommendations of places to eat and things to see and do in Bergen! Thank you Valde!!

Miriam was our guide in Oslo and truly gave us a local insight to Oslo. She was very accommodating to our group and my 77 year old mother who kept right up with our 3 hr tour. Thank you Miriam!!

All of our transports from trains, ferries, buses and rental cars were flawless and made it easy to get to all of our destinations. I would highly recommend Linda and Kimkim to anyone for their next adventure and will be booking with them again in the furture.

It feels like my wife, Roxanne, and I have developed a personal relationship with Ingrid. Her "front end" or "pre-trip" communication with me was excellent and incredibly responsive (timely). We communicated back & forth so she could understand what we liked, which enabled Ingrid to tailor a trip to our desires.
Once the trip began, I was shocked how she was monitoring our trip daily and checking in on us to ensure we were fine and that the trip was going well. She even sent me her cell... read more

It feels like my wife, Roxanne, and I have developed a personal relationship with Ingrid. Her "front end" or "pre-trip" communication with me was excellent and incredibly responsive (timely). We communicated back & forth so she could understand what we liked, which enabled Ingrid to tailor a trip to our desires.
Once the trip began, I was shocked how she was monitoring our trip daily and checking in on us to ensure we were fine and that the trip was going well. She even sent me her cell phone #, in the event, we needed anything and I did have to call her once for clarity on a hotel billing item. She was all over it. We texted each other and again.......she was all over it. I love this girl!
I believe KimKim does work in other countries and, if all of your agents are even 1/2 as effective as Ingrid, I will be using KimKim again. Our next scheduled trip in most likely Italy next year (2019) and I could use local help again.

Ingrid.........you are outstanding "young lady" and you deserve and have earned our felt heart accolades. We hope to return to Norway for a tour of the North someday!

Thank you KimKim but all praise goes to Ingrid!

Dave Amrhein

Ingrid was incredible! We had a short time to visit the Bergen-Egersund portion of Norway and Ingrid arranged all our hotels (fantastic breakfasts!), train trips (schedules, tickets, maps from hotel to station), fjord boat trip, bus trip, etc. She was unfailingly patient responding to my numerous detailed questions promptly. She even went out of her way to deliver some tickets to our hotel and met us there at the start of our trip to make sure we had all our questions answered. She paid... read more

Ingrid was incredible! We had a short time to visit the Bergen-Egersund portion of Norway and Ingrid arranged all our hotels (fantastic breakfasts!), train trips (schedules, tickets, maps from hotel to station), fjord boat trip, bus trip, etc. She was unfailingly patient responding to my numerous detailed questions promptly. She even went out of her way to deliver some tickets to our hotel and met us there at the start of our trip to make sure we had all our questions answered. She paid particular attention to our special needs with regards to limited walking ability and tracking down relatives. We had a busy week but I feel that with Ingrid's guidance, we saw everything we hoped to in the least stressful way. I would never plan another trip without using kimkim's local experienced travel team!

Ingrid was such a great helped for us, literally I just gave the name of the hikes I was interesteda at and she suggested a full itinerary. Everytime I needed support she was so responsive.
The holidays were great, was a busy and active holiday and managed to spend some time, enjoying the city as well. I will totally recommend to my friends and family to visit Norway and connect via kimkim, for sure I'm planning to come back.
The Hikes I did were: Kjerag, Pulpit rock and Trolltunga, hard to choose a favorite one

Thank You Ingrid for all your help, you rock!

My wife and I traveled the Fjord region of Norway Aug. 31- Sept. 7, 2018. Our weather was perfect every day, we were so lucky! We began in Bergen and used a combination of public transport including ferries and buses to travel to Rosendal, Odda, Aurland, Flam, Bergen, and then used the Hurtigruten ship to travel north to Alesund for a couple of days. The whole trip was fantastic and surpassed our expectations. We enjoyed the natural scenery of the mountains and the fjords, and enjoyed some... read more

My wife and I traveled the Fjord region of Norway Aug. 31- Sept. 7, 2018. Our weather was perfect every day, we were so lucky! We began in Bergen and used a combination of public transport including ferries and buses to travel to Rosendal, Odda, Aurland, Flam, Bergen, and then used the Hurtigruten ship to travel north to Alesund for a couple of days. The whole trip was fantastic and surpassed our expectations. We enjoyed the natural scenery of the mountains and the fjords, and enjoyed some hiking as well. We hiked Trolltunga in a small guided tour group; the hike was long and difficult but the experience of doing it and the views were well worth it! We also had a great guide and met a funny guy (from Australia) in our group which made the day a lot fun too! Although it was a tough 12 miles and 12 hours, it was probably the highlight of the trip. We also did an awesome hike in Alesund that was about a half-day and much easier than TrollsTongue! It was called Sukkartoppen (SugarTop) and the views of the ocean and Alesund were perfect on a sunny, blue-skied day! We enjoyed the views of both Bergen and Alesund after walking/hiking up the hills to the lookout points. The Bergen Beer Festival was going on and we checked that out too. We enjoyed a scenic fjord cruise to Rosendal and also on the Naerofjord to Aurland as well. Kayaking the fjord in Flam was enjoyable (The weather was so nice that day we even took a quick dip in the fjord at Flam Beach!) The Flam Railway to Myrdal was very scenic and relaxing too. Our hotel accommodations were great and in great locations to make walking to things easy; they also all offered a great breakfast to start the day off. Our travel agent via KimKim Travel was Ingrid and she did an excellent job of organizing and setting the trip up. She was very thorough and detail-oriented. She was quick to respond to messages and questions in the trip planning stage. We would highly recommend her in planning travel in Norway. She will customize a trip to your interests. We have some other European destinations we would like to see, but would love to come back to Norway one day!

Normally, I like to plan my own trips, but decided to try KimKim because I was too busy with work to research everything myself. Thanks to Ingrid, my boyfriend and I had the most wonderful and memorable 7-day whirlwind trip to Norway. As an active couple, we requested hiking, biking, kayaking and city sight-seeing (via train and ferry) all in just 1 week. Somehow, she was able to make it all happen.

I am so grateful to Ingrid for suggesting activities I might not have found on my own, like... read more

Normally, I like to plan my own trips, but decided to try KimKim because I was too busy with work to research everything myself. Thanks to Ingrid, my boyfriend and I had the most wonderful and memorable 7-day whirlwind trip to Norway. As an active couple, we requested hiking, biking, kayaking and city sight-seeing (via train and ferry) all in just 1 week. Somehow, she was able to make it all happen.

I am so grateful to Ingrid for suggesting activities I might not have found on my own, like the 12-mile hike through the "Grand Canyon of Norway" in Aurland. It was the best hike of my life! The 33-mile bike ride from Finse glaciers to Flåm fjords was simply incredible as well. Leading up to the trip, she had worked with me patiently in revising our itinerary until I was happy with it, and it ended up being perfect for us.

Most notably, our initial flight to Norway was canceled and we had to book another flight the next day. Ingrid was amazingly quick to respond, very sympathetic to our situation, and messaged back and forth with me to make sure that we made it back on track with our itinerary. I am so grateful for her support and patience throughout our trip! I would 100% recommend using KimKim, and especially booking a trip to Norway with Ingrid.

Amazing coordination, Ingrid is top notch guide and trip organizer. Would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone traveling to Norway!!!!

I am SO happy that I stumbled upon KimKim and, more importantly, Ingrid! I was feeling very overwhelmed at planning a trip to Norway, as it is such a beautiful country with so much to do and see. Ingrid shared her expertise and worked with us to plan a custom trip that fit in everything we wanted to do! We kayaked, hiked, boated, and explored our way through the country and couldn't have done it without the guidance of Ingrid. She was very patient with us in the planning process, making... read more

I am SO happy that I stumbled upon KimKim and, more importantly, Ingrid! I was feeling very overwhelmed at planning a trip to Norway, as it is such a beautiful country with so much to do and see. Ingrid shared her expertise and worked with us to plan a custom trip that fit in everything we wanted to do! We kayaked, hiked, boated, and explored our way through the country and couldn't have done it without the guidance of Ingrid. She was very patient with us in the planning process, making multiple itineraries for us to choose from. And it was so comforting to have her contact info on hand while we were travelling, because we did have a few minor questions throughout the trip (i.e. where to buy the best/coziest Norweigan sweater!? or, what time are we supposed to be at the boat terminal again?!) Her attention to detail was amazing. She booked the major bus and boat trips for us, sent us tickets, and even sent us maps with walking directions. I highly recommend Ingrid to anyone traveling to Norway, I've already told all my friends/family/coworkers about her!

One word to describe this whole experience and adventure: AMAZING! Linda has gone above and beyond in making sure the trip was curated to accommodate my needs and requirements. Searching for the best prices/affordable trips always takes time and energy, however kimkim made it seem effortless, and the best part is that they offered a great price value relationship. If I had to do it again there would be no hesitation in working with kimkim again. Hands down made the experience memorable and... read more

One word to describe this whole experience and adventure: AMAZING! Linda has gone above and beyond in making sure the trip was curated to accommodate my needs and requirements. Searching for the best prices/affordable trips always takes time and energy, however kimkim made it seem effortless, and the best part is that they offered a great price value relationship. If I had to do it again there would be no hesitation in working with kimkim again. Hands down made the experience memorable and rewarding, which is what it’s all about. Thank you for being phenomenal Linda, and thanks kimkim for making my first time experience with you special.

Ingrid and Vilde were very responsive and kind in the trip planning and I enjoyed the KimKim platform. I was hoping the itinerary would help my group make the most of our time in Norway- but unfortunately the itinerary didn’t achieve that. Our first full day in a location put us in Ålesund on a Sunday when everything was closed. A few museums were open from 12-4 but it made for a long day waiting for the Hurtigruten in our hotel lobby until 1am. I would have expected recommendations on... read more

Ingrid and Vilde were very responsive and kind in the trip planning and I enjoyed the KimKim platform. I was hoping the itinerary would help my group make the most of our time in Norway- but unfortunately the itinerary didn’t achieve that. Our first full day in a location put us in Ålesund on a Sunday when everything was closed. A few museums were open from 12-4 but it made for a long day waiting for the Hurtigruten in our hotel lobby until 1am. I would have expected recommendations on tours to book in advance or thoughtfulness to what is open. I was really looking forward to the Hurtigruten- but found that the view wasn’t very good and our ticket didn’t include lunch. Stranding us as bored captives until 2pm. We didn’t accommodate any fjord cruises or boat trips thinking this would be a cool experience and I feel like we really missed out. This itinerary was a big splurge for us and I thought it would be worth it and we would get local insight to the best things to see in country. We would have been better off just flying into Bergen and booking ourselves a few days in the fjords.

Overall, we would rate Linda & Ingrid's trip planning and travel services for our trip to Norway as 5 Star. They did a lot of work behind the scenes to make our vacation a smooth, seamless event. We made a very customized travel plan and they demonstrated considerable patience and much effort to accomplish our goals. Without their help and inside knowledge of Norway, we would surely have experienced a great deal of trouble, especially with the transportation.

The most memorable portion of... read more

Overall, we would rate Linda & Ingrid's trip planning and travel services for our trip to Norway as 5 Star. They did a lot of work behind the scenes to make our vacation a smooth, seamless event. We made a very customized travel plan and they demonstrated considerable patience and much effort to accomplish our goals. Without their help and inside knowledge of Norway, we would surely have experienced a great deal of trouble, especially with the transportation.

The most memorable portion of our trip was our visit to Alesund and the Hjorundfjord & Grirangerfjord fjords. The Sagafjord Hotel in Saebo was outstanding.

My husband and I returned from the Norwegian Highlights trip which was organized by Ingrid. Everything was perfect. Ingrid took the time to talk me thru the entire trip before we left which was great since I was a little nervous. Also, every stop we made, we were expected at. What I mean is everyone knew the Johansen's were due to arrive and welcomed us. All reservations Ingrid made went smoothly. It was very nice to have all that done and not have any problems. I would highly recommend Ingrid for anyone planning a trip to Norway.

Hello! Thank you to Ingrid and Vilde from Ethical Travel for arranging everything to my taste and my budget. I also had a great time with Nikola from Gone Paddling in Balestrand and Flemmet, my walking tour guide in Bergen. I feel I had the chance to explore lots of things that Norway has to offer in few days . I definitely recommend visiting Balestrand, a unique gem on the fjord and their new museum of Travel and Tourism in Norway (Norsk Reiselivsmuseum ). Thank you for helping me realizing one of my traveling destination dream

Greetings! Everyone I interacted with during this process was kind and as helpful as possible. There are a few things I think you might find helpful for the next time.

Generally speaking, the logistics of having to figure out our own transportation was not smooth. Having someone meeting us at both airport and train stations, and generally ensuring those things go well, was missing. Case in point is arriving at the Oslo train station with limited instructions about finding our hotel on site... read more

Greetings! Everyone I interacted with during this process was kind and as helpful as possible. There are a few things I think you might find helpful for the next time.

Generally speaking, the logistics of having to figure out our own transportation was not smooth. Having someone meeting us at both airport and train stations, and generally ensuring those things go well, was missing. Case in point is arriving at the Oslo train station with limited instructions about finding our hotel on site at the mall, and not seeing a sign anywhere, nor was the hotel name on the mall directory. Finally after spending considerable time, with suitcases in hand, looking for the hotel in the dark (roughly 10:30 pm), I found the phone number to the hotel and they led us to a door which was locked and which they had to buzz us in through. This door was poorly marked, and again, in the dark this was a problem.

Another issue was the cost of the cab to get us to the airport when leaving. It was not our desire to use the tram or bus with luggage. It cost us $150 US for a 35 minute cab ride. At minimum, the overall trip cost should have included airport transfers. At certain points during the trip I began to wonder what we had really paid for.

Another issue is that we were not instructed to arrive early (as was the case with several other items in the itinerary), and we arrived 2 minutes past the time indicated on the itinerary for the boat to Rosendal. The boat had already left when we arrived. While I do believe there is some culpability on both ends of this one, the least you could do was reimburse us for the alternative trip we took which cost $138. I was told this was not an option.

When I asked for "City Tours", I did not mean "Walking Tours", and while our walking tours were both fine and enjoyable (David and Stig), they did not properly take the place of a more comprehensive day tour via bus, motor coach, etc., where you see the whole city. We saw very small parts of the cities, especially in Oslo. Luckily we found the beautiful buildings and harbor on our own or we would have missed a lot! Also, the harbor boat tour in Bergen was rather miserable. It was held in an open sailboat (sans sail), and it was pouring rain. It was very difficult to see anything, and while we enjoyed the guide, the type of boat was a poor choice for the frequency of rain there.

We did have an error on the itinerary at Balestrand which indicated we were staying at the Kvikness vs. where we ended up which was at the Midtnes. I did appreciate the view from the room, and Jon taking us via van to and from the harbor with our suticases, as well as the included dinners at the hotel, the amenities were quite lacking comparatively speaking. We had planned to use the gym at the Kvikness, and also there was no TV in the room, and the pillows were poor at the Midtnes. We also ended up spending evenings at the Kvikness since there was no restaurant/bar at the Midtnes. It just felt to me like we stayed in the cheaper hotel to keep your costs down.

In the end we accomplished the goal of experiencing the Fjords and cities of Norway, and that was really great. I think if you could implement a bit more 'service orientation' into the program, it would make it even better.

Many thanks for the opportunity to provide this feedback!

We had the best guide in Oslo, Erlend Oyan. He was knowledgeable, engaging and connected well with the kids. My teenagers loved white water rafting with Serious Fun near Geilo. The staff at the Geilo Hotel was also fantastic. They happily helped us plan our short stay to the fullest. Our other favorite activity was the hike to the goat farm with Sam from FjordSafari, great day!

Linda and her team were terrific. They put together a custom itinerary that took into account the varied interests of a family with teenagers and made everything easy. The trip was very fun and educational and, coming from someone that hasn't used a travel agent in years, it wouldn't have been possible without their help. I highly recommend Linda and her team for a Norway adventure.

Excellent service provided by my KimKim representative Ingrid. She let me know everything down to bus times and numbers, and even went above and beyond finding me a ride home one night after I missed the last bus and the only taxi company in Aurland was fully booked. Really great help overall!

Just returned from a totally epic trip to Norway, planned with great care by our awesome specialist Linda. Linda service was nothing short of perfect. She listened to what we wanted to do during our visit, understood and respected our budget and planned a trip for us that maximized our dollars and used our travel days very efficiently. Without Linda's help I am certain that we would not have been able to see so much of the country in such a smooth and logical manner and would never have... read more

Just returned from a totally epic trip to Norway, planned with great care by our awesome specialist Linda. Linda service was nothing short of perfect. She listened to what we wanted to do during our visit, understood and respected our budget and planned a trip for us that maximized our dollars and used our travel days very efficiently. Without Linda's help I am certain that we would not have been able to see so much of the country in such a smooth and logical manner and would never have found the interesting, charming and cost efficient accommodations that she did. In addition that tours she planned were spot-on and unique to our family. I was really impressed with Linda's ability really get a sense of what we truly wanted out of the trip (i.e. to experience the "real" Norway, not a tourist version). We had so many wonderful experiences, but I would say the best was probably our stay in Aurland. Our accommodations were amazing (cabin overlooking the fjord) and our tour of the area with Mathilda was just amazing, and included a hike to a beautiful lookout and glassblowing with a local artist. Our tour through Bergen with David was equally awesome. He gave us a local's view of the "scene" in Bergen and had so many great recommendations for restaurants, kafe's, shop's etc. that were off the tourist-path. I think the best part of the tours were that both guides were lovely and engaging and happy to chat and share about what life is like in Norway. We also took the Hurtigurten which was really interesting and fun and ended our trip in Trondheim which is a simply beautiful, young, fun city. I think it is worth mentioning two very important things: 1) Linda really did a great job ensuring all of our booking and travel transitions were smooth and easy to follow, including arranging taxis and pick/ drop off and being considerate of train/boat/travel times to ensure we were not wasting time waiting or were stuck in one place with hours to kill and nowhere to go. 2) When there were a couple of (very minor) hiccups with hotel bookings, Linda was accessible, available to help and dealt with the issues immediately. It was very comforting to know that she was available to help during our travel. Well done Linda! Truly was a trip of a lifetime and my mother was so impressed and happy. Best, Katie

We had a fabulous trip to Norway, orchestrated by Ingrid.
She was patient, kind, responsive and so extremely helpful!
We would definitely do this again!

Our trip to Norway was great - helped in great measure by Ingrid, our travel advisor.

She helped us a lot in planning our itinerary - listened to what we were interested in and followed through with thoughtful suggestions. Once we decided on a trip plan, Ingrid made accommodation suggestions and then made the reservations. It was so helpful to have an agent from Norway who knows the country and helped us make excellent choices.

As to the trip itself, it was wonderful. The accomodations... read more

Our trip to Norway was great - helped in great measure by Ingrid, our travel advisor.

She helped us a lot in planning our itinerary - listened to what we were interested in and followed through with thoughtful suggestions. Once we decided on a trip plan, Ingrid made accommodation suggestions and then made the reservations. It was so helpful to have an agent from Norway who knows the country and helped us make excellent choices.

As to the trip itself, it was wonderful. The accomodations were excellent - we stayed the right amount of time at each place and the trip went without a hitch.

We started out in Oslo - what a wonderful city. We then went to the mountains around Lom. We stayed in an old wonderfully maintained hotel full of history. It was a great launching point for our hikes in the Jotunheimen national park.

Next, we went to the charming city of Alesund - stayed in another charming hotel and enjoyed the sites of the of the city including an amazing walk up to a lookout over the city - 500 plus steps and well worth it - suggested by the TI near our hotel.

Geiranger was our next stop - a beautiful location. Ingrid suggested we stay away from the bustle of the tourist town at a great hotel in Nordal - Petrines - probably our favorite of the trip. Geiranger fjord is beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Following Geiranger, we travelled to Aurland in stayed in the Aurland Fjord Hotel - another excellent accomodation. The Aurland area was our favorite fjord region. Ingrid lined up a Nærøyfjord cruise from Flam to Gudvangen which showed off the beauty of the fjord. We also took the train from Flam to Myrdal - also enjoyable.

Then it was back to Oslo - sad to end a great trip - met lots of interesting people - some travelers, some native to Norway and others who emigrated to the beautiful land.

The whole trip was wonderful - thanks Ingrid and kimkim.

Our wonderful trip to Norway went off without a hitch. Linda was knowledgeable, cooperative and flexible during the planning process. She was willing to Skype with us as well as communicate by E-mail. All the arrangements she made -- hotels, cruise ship, and other transport tickets -- were fine. She did as she was asked when we wanted to be near an airport or a train station. She was also very pleasant personally.

The only thing that might have been better is that a couple of the rooms... read more

Our wonderful trip to Norway went off without a hitch. Linda was knowledgeable, cooperative and flexible during the planning process. She was willing to Skype with us as well as communicate by E-mail. All the arrangements she made -- hotels, cruise ship, and other transport tickets -- were fine. She did as she was asked when we wanted to be near an airport or a train station. She was also very pleasant personally.

The only thing that might have been better is that a couple of the rooms were a bit below our usual standard (at 1 Scandic in Oslo, e.g., room was extremely tiny and there was no closet and -- amazingly -- no place to lay out clothing flat, as in a bureau or on shelves; our cruise cabin was directly behind a lifeboat, hence had no view). However, I suspect she was trying to minimize our cost (and cost was very reasonable). The lesson I have learned is that I should make clear if I want higher-grade accommodations.

All is all, a memorable vacation! I would recommend to other that they plan such a trip with Kimkim/Linda.

Vivian Berger

My Oslo tour experience was a great one. Thank you very much Ingrid for booking this at such short notice. I really enjoyed the long walk along the river because it was beautiful and quiet especially in the middle of a very busy city.

My guide, Stig, was very helpful in explaining the history behind the tiger for example close to the train station. Stig also shared facts about other things we saw and was of tremendous help in showing us around other places we needed to visit before we left for home. You guys are the best! Thank you:)

All of Ingrid's recommendations were terrific. We had a great experience! She even went above and beyond to give us directions at each site. The glacier hike at Folgefonna was amazing! But the highlight of our trip was a sunrise hike to Priekestolen. Driving around on our own was a great way to explore and see the "real" countryside... it's beautiful!
Thank you Ingrid!

It was pretty good but I had to check some details. Flemmet at Bergen did a good job too. We had a good time in Norway over all. Thank you for the arrangement.

Our guides in both Bergen & Tromso were excellent!
When we arrived into Bergen off our cruise ship Vilde was there with a huge smile and waving! She called up Ben who was waiting with the van and our luggage was taken care of with out any fuss.
Our walking tour was just right... We saw so much but at a leisurely pace. Enjoyed sharing the lovely City with a local.
Our guide arrived at our hotel in Tromso (sorry I cannot find the notes with her name ) and gave us an excellent over view of... read more

Our guides in both Bergen & Tromso were excellent!
When we arrived into Bergen off our cruise ship Vilde was there with a huge smile and waving! She called up Ben who was waiting with the van and our luggage was taken care of with out any fuss.
Our walking tour was just right... We saw so much but at a leisurely pace. Enjoyed sharing the lovely City with a local.
Our guide arrived at our hotel in Tromso (sorry I cannot find the notes with her name ) and gave us an excellent over view of Tromso and then tailored our walk to suit or interests. We enjoyed it all very much
Thank you to both guides and to Linda for the arrangements!

Wonderful trip, Ingrid was fantastic with all details, hotels, and guiding us to make a schedule that made sense for our various driving trips. Highlights were definitely the driving trips to Geiranger - Trollstigen and the Gamle - Strynefjellsevegen roads.

Ingrid did a phenomenal job helping to plan and book our trip. Even when we changed our plans multiple times, she was able to quickly adapt to our changes and come up with constructive solutions.
She knows her country very well, so was able to advise us on the best travel plans, since we were traveling with a child and elderly parents.

Ingrid did an amazing job helping us plan our trip. She was very responsive to all our questions and always made sure she was available.
Even during our trip she provided us suggestions for restaurants and axtivities to do

Thanks you Ingrid

Linda, Vilde, and Julie collaborated to create a wonderful experience for me in Norway for 5 days on a budget of $1000. I managed to see the sights without being overwhelmed by a packed schedule. I love relaxing for an afternoon in Flam and the ferry ride from there to Bergen was probably the highlight of my trip. The only downside to my trip was that the timing of transportation somewhat limited what I could do in terms of activities in each city. I would get to a city with limited time to... read more

Linda, Vilde, and Julie collaborated to create a wonderful experience for me in Norway for 5 days on a budget of $1000. I managed to see the sights without being overwhelmed by a packed schedule. I love relaxing for an afternoon in Flam and the ferry ride from there to Bergen was probably the highlight of my trip. The only downside to my trip was that the timing of transportation somewhat limited what I could do in terms of activities in each city. I would get to a city with limited time to explore in the evening and only have a little time in the morning before I had to be at a train station. That said, the amount I got in given that I only had 5 days was definitely enough. It also left me spending less than I expected on activities leaving me with a bigger-than-expected food budget, which was great, because I could spend more exploring all the great food in Norway!
Overall, my experience booking through KimKim took almost ALL the stress out of planning the trip. My guides were extremely helpful in providing detailed information, even helping me track down which buses to take, maps of routes to/from train stations, etc. All I had to do was show up in a city and find something fun to do! Next time I plan a trip I will probably be coming back to KimKim, and will just keep an eye to arrival/departure times (maybe see if I can't do overnight trains and such)

Our recent trip to Scandinavia was wonderful! Ingrid, from Ethical Travel Portal, did a great job of helping us find the right balance between city and rural travel in our trip to Norway, Sweden and Finland. Before we found kimkim, all the options we were provided by travel agents were "canned tours" which were really just packages to save money on air/hotel travel with bus-type sight-seeing tours. In comparison, Ingrid helped us figure out a plan of cities and villages that let us explore... read more

Our recent trip to Scandinavia was wonderful! Ingrid, from Ethical Travel Portal, did a great job of helping us find the right balance between city and rural travel in our trip to Norway, Sweden and Finland. Before we found kimkim, all the options we were provided by travel agents were "canned tours" which were really just packages to save money on air/hotel travel with bus-type sight-seeing tours. In comparison, Ingrid helped us figure out a plan of cities and villages that let us explore a few countries in Scandinavia over 17 days without feeling rushed.

She was clear up front that her expertise was mostly in Norway, but she still helped us find well-located hotels in Helsinki and Stockholm. We were happy with both choices in those cities.

We typically don't like tours in cities, preferring to explore on our own. However, we had such a great morning tour in Bergen with Ingrid herself, that we arranged one with Stig in Oslo that we enjoyed very much. These tours were informal discussions while we walked around parts of the city we'd never find on our own.

I also really liked the process with kimkim, where we could chat on the site as we honed in our schedule and different choices for each place. Ingrid was very patient with all our changes as we made our plans and helped us while we were in Norway to make some last-minute adjustments.

We couldn't have been happier with kimkim and Ingrid at Ethical Travel Portal and would use both for future vacations, if they serve the country we'll be visiting.

I just got back from Bergen, Norway. Ingrid Thornes arranged my excursions. She was knowledgeable and kept in constant contact as we were planning the trip. She guided my hike and city tour. The kayaking tour was very easy to do. Don't miss it. Also recommend the Fjords boat rips.
I had a very pleasant stay in Bergen.
Kimkim is a reliable company. I felt safe and relaxed, especially since I was travelling solo.
I will definitely use them again.

From start to finish, Ingrid provided exceptional service. She carefully listened to my list of criteria and dutifully created an itinerary that suited all my needs. We worked collaboratively to refine the trip as my interests shifted, and I ended up with the trip of a lifetime: 4 days of kayaking and camping in the Lofoten Islands of Norway. For anyone looking for travel guidance in Norway, I highly recommend Ingrid.

Lofoten Aktiv -- the company that led the kayaking trip -- was equally... read more

From start to finish, Ingrid provided exceptional service. She carefully listened to my list of criteria and dutifully created an itinerary that suited all my needs. We worked collaboratively to refine the trip as my interests shifted, and I ended up with the trip of a lifetime: 4 days of kayaking and camping in the Lofoten Islands of Norway. For anyone looking for travel guidance in Norway, I highly recommend Ingrid.

Lofoten Aktiv -- the company that led the kayaking trip -- was equally outstanding. My guide, Christian, was absolutely phenomenal. His passion and skill for outdoor tripping were immediately apparent as he showed us the local area. He thoughtfully took the group's goals into consideration when planning the trip to make it a resounding success. Jann, who owns the company, has been a pioneer in this industry and takes pride in providing high quality experiences for all his quests. He is a native of the Lofoten Islands and possesses a deep knowledge of the area. For those adventurers looking for a rustic experience in the most beautiful environment, I highly recommend booking with Christian, Jann, and Lofoten Aktiv.

We had a large family group of 12 people that traveled to Norway on a custom trip to see both north and south Norway. Out trip included trains, buses, ferries and flying. Some of the travel logistics were complicated but it all worked out great. Ingrid at Ethical Travel Portal was very responsive and designed a great trip for us.

Ingrid was amazing to work with! She created an amazing trip for my son and I and planned fun activities for us to engage in. I, personally, loved kayaking on the fjord and would highly recommend this activity for others. My son hiked Trolltunga, and although a very difficult hike, if you are physically prepared for this hike it is a must! Ingrid did a great job of organizing travel, hotels and activities for us and provided all itineraries, ticket, and maps to get us to where we needed to... read more

Ingrid was amazing to work with! She created an amazing trip for my son and I and planned fun activities for us to engage in. I, personally, loved kayaking on the fjord and would highly recommend this activity for others. My son hiked Trolltunga, and although a very difficult hike, if you are physically prepared for this hike it is a must! Ingrid did a great job of organizing travel, hotels and activities for us and provided all itineraries, ticket, and maps to get us to where we needed to go.

One additional note, our luggage was lost at the airport and Ingrid went out of her way to help us with the airport to help us reunite! Ingrid was a blessing :)

Thank you so much for creating such a memorable trip for us!