My KimKim team to Norway was comprised of Tay...
Norway
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Jul 19 - Aug 1, 2026
My KimKim team to Norway was comprised of Taylor (my initial contact and overall trip designer) and Maria and Nick (who promptly addressed my questions, my issues and any changes I needed). It was comforting to know I had such an efficient team.
It's hard for me to say which aspect of the trip was most memorable. Was it seeing in person the World Heritage fjords (something I had on my bucket list) or was it the experience of driving Lofoten where I had no prior vision of how spectacular that actually was. Or, was it the architecture of Alesund and their 148 steps vista. Norway is just one visual gift after another.
Hotel Reviews
Ideally located within walking distance of everything you want to see.
Of all the hotels I stayed in during this trip, I was least impressed by this guesthouse.
At this point I had a rental car; however, the hotel did not provide parking nor any assistance in explaining how to pay for parking. I managed to figure it out, but that fact tainted my feeling about the hotel.
This hotel was a little confusing, as I was assigned a cabin instead of a room. Finding this cabin was not clearly explained, but eventually I did. But this was after a day's drive, so it added a level of frustration to what was an amazing area. The cabin was ok, but I didn't need a kitchenette as I was not planning on making my own meals. I would have requested a change if I had known this was the choice KimKim made. Would recommend KimKim explain the options before booking.
I loved everything about Alesund including this hotel. The rooms were uniquely laid out. Their restaurant was full service. Their staff was both knowledgeable and helpful.
For someone needing to catch an early morning flight, you couldn't have chosen a better hotel.
Activity Reviews
See my earlier comments re Alesund. I loved it.
There's a wonderful walking/biking path that leads you along the fjord.
The guide was genuine, knowledgeable and flexible. I felt like I was walking around with a friend.
For me, architecture is important, so this visit may be more personal than necessary for most. However, getting to the church required a short ferry ride which added a pleasant element to the experience.
Lofoten is one amazing site after another. Even with the summer traffic that gave me more reasons to stop and take in the views.
This is not a hike for the faint of heart. The steps are huge chunks of rock requiring much effort everytime. The climb is very vertical, so if you have any fear of heights, you might want to reconsider this choice. There is no railing (and there are sections where a misstep could be serious). The climb up is the climb down, so crowds going both ways can be a challenge. In retrospect, I wondered if I had made a bad choice (but the view WAS spectacular and no point in crying over spilt milk!) Although my 78 year old body had a very different point of view.
Since the drive from Solvaer to Reine is relatively short, I enjoyed getting off the main road and visiting as many of the towns along the way (Henningsvaer being one). Each is uniquely placed, so each offers a different view. What I also found, is this helped slow me down vs racing to Reine.
The boat ride took special care to slow down (and in some instances, stop altogether) to explain what we were seeing and provide anecdotal stories related to the series of waterfalls. Time at the end of the fjord was just long enough to let you refresh, eat lunch or just walk around. It was an extremely pleasant day.
The speed boat ride was the experience, but the stop to taste the local cheese was a nice touch.
Enjoyed learning more about Munch than just his 'The Scream". That said, the museum has a dedicated room for the 3 versions of The Scream.
Solvaer is the great place to start the Lofoten experience. While stunningly beautiful, it just keeps getting better as you drive away from it.
