Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

Everything went as planned! The organization was excellent and Christina and her colleagues have been always available to assist us during the trip. The local operators have been super nice and professional. The only thing we did not understand was that the Safari in Senja was going to be changed with another northern lights tour during the night. However, we will choose KimKim again!

Regards,

Giulia and Stuart

Our trip to Norway was spectacular. Tricia and the KimKim team were great from start to finish, especially during the time we were actually in country. They kept us apprised of trains not running and all the quirkiness that happens in Norway during Easter Week! Our time in the Lyngen Alps specifically at Lyngen North (in our glass igloo) was a highlight along with our Dog sledding experience at Riverland Husky and seeing the northern lights while there. The entire country is beautiful and the people too. We will be back!

Just overall amazing and detail was spot on. Great job!!!

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byparken

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gudvangen Fjordtell & Apartments

Gudvangen

We had the Bryn House and it was the best little house ever!!!

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

Great Location. The room was a little small for 4 people but was still very nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tromsø Cable Car

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luggage Transfer Service

Norway

If you are doing this trip let them take your luggage, so much easier to travel

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reindeer Sledding, Northern Lights and Sami Culture

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Cruise

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dog Sledding with Alaskan Huskies

Tromsø

amazing!!! Best ever!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aurora Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

Northern lights were great. Food was ok,

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viking Day in Gudvangen

Gudvangen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fløibanen

Bergen

Make sure you go to the play ground with kids and walk down the mountain.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

2- hour Cultural Walk with a Local in Bergen

Bergen

well worth it and guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ethel and Julia were amazing! I have never used a travel agency to help book any of my trips, and I’m so glad we did. Our Norway trip took us to four different cities and each one was amazing. Our group included kids and adults and everyone just loved it. The activities and pace of the trip matched us perfectly. We were busy the whole time, but had some nice down time in the middle of the trip that allowed us to recharge. My favorite part of using KimKim was the in country planning and assistance. We had some train issues due to track repair and Julia helped us through every step and took away all our stress and uncertainty.

I highly recommend KimKim.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gudvangen Fjordtell & Apartments

Gudvangen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byparken

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tromsø Cable Car

Tromsø

Quality of Experience

Dog Sledding with Alaskan Huskies

Tromsø

Must do! The highlight of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was our first time having someone help us with planning a trip -- and it was an amazing experience! Kadri was not put off by the fact that we started planning on Wednesday night when... our flight was going to be that Saturday! She put together a fantastic draft itinerary, was very responsive to our feedback, and even turned the whole trip from "Oslo to Bergen" to "Bergen to Oslo" in the last minute, as we changed our flights. What a good sport!
The activities she chose for us were perfect, and we especially appreciated the walk with a local in Bergen (this local is a certified guide and a historian! wow!) and the food and alternative culture tour in Oslo (the food was traditional Norwegian, and our guide Katerina was fantastic -- the tour was a perfect blend of culture, city scape, art, history of the people behind the food, and urban nature). But really, everything was great. It was a 1 week trip all in all, and we loved everything we did. We also really appreciated the 24/7 help just a whatsapp message away (even in the Easter holiday) as we did have to use it once. Julia (our emergency contact) solved the problem we had with the hotel, and when we got back from dinner we had the correct room :). Amazing. We are so sold on this whole idea of locals planning our trip -- for sure we will use kimkim again in the future.

I don't remember the last time I had such a smooth vacation. Everything from Mar helping me plan things out the way I wanted it to be to in Norway to getting really quick responses to some questions that I had. I was impressed how well things moved along. I enjoyed all of the excursions we had. Everyone was nice and really tried to make us feel as comfortable as we could. In Norway it was nice really nice being able to communicate with the KimKim team with any questions I had, their response was very quick. I overall would give this vacation a 5/5. Can't complain. Also it was a nice touch with the food plate when we arrived at Thon Hotel in Bodo and being able to stay at the hostel longer than usual so we didn't have to find a way to kill time before the cruise ship. Thank you all so much for a great experience. We really enjoyed Norway.

We had a very fun and memorable trip thanks to Mathia and KimKim. The itinerary he planned for us was everything we asked for. The hotels we stayed at were really nice and in a central location so that it was easy for us to walk everywhere. Public transportation and getting between cities in a foreign country didn’t seem like such an arduous task thanks to mathia’s planning and instructions. Mathia was easy to reach if we needed anything and he was very accommodating considering we had to change our two-person trip to a three-person one last minute. Kimkim and Mathia made our vacation planning easy and painless I would use them again for planning future vacations.

Kadri arranged a thoughtfully curated itinerary. The travel arrangements were very easy to follow. Both small group tours were led by experienced guides who were very engaging and included extra details that made each experience memorable. Would definitely recommend Kadri and Kimkim to others traveling to Norway.

Hotel Reviews

Opus XVI

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

A short walk to the wharf and UNESCO site.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Flåmsbrygga Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Next door to micro brewery and central tourism area.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Continental

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance from Central train station.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Winter Snowshoe hike

Flåm

Our guide was very knowledgeable and pointed out several areas and facts of interest throughout out hike. A memorable moment was stopping at the fjord lookout and taking in the quiet and grand beauty. Our guide even brought a warm beverage and chocolate treat for us all to enjoy before we set on the return hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen: A Walk Through Past and Present

Bergen

It says a lot that in a driving rain Dane was able to keep our group engaged AND rather dry for two hours. The content covered in the Walk Through Past and Present gave a solid foundation of historical Bergen culture and how it has evolved to present day. Our guide frequently called out Bergen facts that also related to the home country of each participant. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Bergen and/or Norway for the first time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dane was an incredible guide. Very personable and made the walk and talk entertaining and fact filled. He encouraged questions and provided many insights in response.

Boat Trip and Dinner at Cornelius Seafood Restaurant

Bergen

The staff greeted out boat upon arrival and escorted each guest inside. During dinner the owner stopped by each table to greet and welcome, in addition to giving the entire restaurant a brief back story to the origin of Cornelius and the island itself. The food was a culinary treat - five courses each with unique combinations of flavors and presentation. Very extensive wine selection. A luxury to have unrushed fine dining in a unique setting only accessible via boat. (or helicopter) The staff then came out on the dock to wave goodbye - even in the pouring rain! A warm and memorable experience. Have already recommended this place to others and would definitely return.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We knew we would have a great time in Norway, but this trip still exceeded all expectations - Kristiina helped to create an itinerary that suited our wishes and needs, and it played out to near perfection. Every tour and hotel was in a nearby location and easy to attend (not to mention really enjoyable)! I found the convenience was a huge relief. Some of our highlights that she created for us include our stay at the Hanseatic in Bergen, our Hurtigruten experiences, and all the Tromso tours. All the Tromso tour guides were amazing, especially Jorges on the Coastal Safari and Mark at the husky sledding experience. We felt that the fjord tour to Hardangerfjord was not what we hoped for and perhaps could have been replaced with something else, but this seems to be a limitation of the season. Fortunately we were able to book another amazing fjord cruise further north via Hurtigruten (we would have done only this one if we knew this was an option, to save some money), and enjoyed a Sami tour via the Hurtigruten also. We didn't know we would gain so much from the Hurtigruten voyage itself, so this was a pleasant surprise. I am so glad we incorporated this to our trip. We had some travel hiccups, but nothing within KimKim's control, yet they were all so helpful when I reached out for advice about our lost luggage. Julia, Fenne, and Kristiina did everything possible to support us and keep us in the loop. Lastly, they provided great(!) local recommendations for each main city we visited, which helped to make our time even better. Also, during this trip, my partner and I got engaged - KimKim helped to make this the ideal place and time for such a special thing. Planning the trip was made so much easier by going via KimKim, and I think it went brilliantly. At times we wished we had more insight into our tour options and alternatives, pricings, etc. But would definitely do this again regardless. Thank you so much for creating a beautiful holiday for us and being so present from start to end to make sure it went well. We are so pleased!

Activity Reviews

Fjordcruise to Hardanger

Bergen

Whilst Rosendal and the natural beauty of the fjord was lovely, we didn't know most things in Rosendal would be closed at this time of year. So we arrived to a ghost town and didn't know what to do, and walked far to find closed places. It was nice but we could have skipped this in favour of another tour to save some money and time. Also the fjord cruise itself was more like a taxi service than a tour. I bet it is nicer in summer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day in Bergen - Board Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten is a great experience filled with amazing tour opportunities and some onboard fun, especially if you travel south to North- there is a big deal about crossing into the Arctic Circle. Really glad we did this.

Dog Sledding

Tromsø

Highly recommend! It was fun and we had heaps of time to play with the dogs. The tour guides are all so accommodating and eager for you to enjoy yourself. The lunch we had was delicious also!!

Coastal Scenery Safari with Local Tastings in Tromsø

Tromsø

This was way better than we imagined. It was intimate, flexible and beautiful. Our tour guide, Jorges, was passionate and helpful. He made it a great day by choosing good spots to stop for photos and helping us to spot wildlife, etc. It was a great spot for lunch at the halfway point too. I enjoyed this so much. It was quite a relaxing and worthwhile taste of the Tromso islands and coast.

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

We are already referring friends and family to Kim Kim.

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

Thank you Kim Kim and Tom for a magical experience.

Hope to see you soon.

Hotel Review

Sommarøy Arctic Hotel

Sommarøy

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

Location

Activity Reviews

Silent Oslo Fjord Cruise

Oslo

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Northern Lights Park

Sommarøy

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

Quality of Experience

Full Day Ice Dome visit with Activities and Dinner

Tromsø

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

Quality of Experience

Flight from Southern Norway to Tromsø

Norway

Had a great trip. Ethel and Fenne were responsible and attentive. The tours they booked were just what we wanted for our stay in the Lofoten Islands.

Anna and Mathia and the team helped a lot along the whole journey and enhance the trip to the best!

I hope to reach KimKim for my next trips and arrange everything through them as they ease everything in the travel.

All of our guides were very friendly, accommodating and went above and beyond in helping Paula Olsen, who had leg issues from breaking her leg 9 weeks ago. They went above and beyond for me also. Enjoyed all the excursions and enjoyed the lunches also. Amazing experiences that couldn’t have been Better!

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

Activity Review

Full Day Ice Dome visit with Activities and Dinner

Tromsø

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

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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

Activity Reviews

Scenic Boat Trip to Fjærland

Norway

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

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

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

What an amazing trip! Went with my wife for our 20 year anniversary to Norway. I didn’t know much about the country so enlisted the help of kimkim. They created an excellent itinerary and the hotel selection was top notch.

I felt at ease knowing key activities to do and where to go with the detailed descriptions they provided.

The best part for sure was the Igloo stay near Tromso and all the activities such as snowmobiling ( + ice fishing) and dog sledding. We were blessed with seeing the northern lights 3 of the 3 nights. During the trip, an issue came up and kimkim resolved it immediately so it was yet another thing not to worry about.

Thank you for your help!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

First room given was a bit small, but contacted kimkim and they upgraded us for the rest of the stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Perfect location! Great breakfast for

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Amazing location!! Great view of the attic ocean and steps away from all buses to all tours

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Oslofjord Sightseeing Cruise

Oslo

This is a cozy trip. On our itinerary, we shared the boat with about 10 other parties so it wasn't crowded at all. The boat includes a cafeteria and they give you blankets to stay warm.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oslo Pass

Oslo

Took advantage of the Oslo pass to visit the Munch museum, Fram, ride the public bus, and got a discount at a restaurant in Akker Brugge.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Cruise

Bergen

We did the Oslo cruise and the Bergen cruise. The one in Bergen was more impressive in terms of the views as you get up close and "personal" with the Fjords. It was also snowing for part of the cruise, so it felt really nice to see the views as the snow was falling. If you only had to do one, I would pick the one in Bergen.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food and culture guided walk

Bergen

We got lucky for this one and got basically a private tour. Started right next to the ferry where we got a sample of local fish... it was SOOO good. The guide then took us to a local restaurant (old baths), a local brewery, a local coffee shop. It was so nice to walk through the "hidden" paths of Bergen. Bergen overall is a BEAUTIFUL city. Got to see the smallest street and the smallest house in the city. I wish I could be there right now.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glass Igloo

Tromsø

What an amazing experience.. If I could give it more stars, I would give it more. The food prepared for breakfast/lunch/dinner was delicious. The privacy was amazing and the day activities were super fun. This definitely made the whole trip, the best trip of our life.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided snowshoeing

Tromsø

You get an arctic suit to keep you warm. The whole experience is about 2 - 2.5 hrs. There's a stop in the middle to get some hot chocolate and do some sledding. The walk is pretty easy along a mostly flat terrain. We saw a lot of Moose trails, but no Moose sighting on this one.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dog sledding

Tromsø

I did NOT expect to drive a dog sled on my own ... and WOW!! My wife rode in the sled while I was standing in the back. The dogs were super excited to get going and once we got going, it was like taking the dogs through a magical winter wonderland. The dogs were so fast that made this a super exciting ride. Halfway through, the dogs take a break while we warmed up with hot chocolate and snacks. This is a MUST do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ride is about 30 mins from hotel to dog sled, but it goes by super quick.

Return to Oslo, Explore

Oslo

We want to stay for more time!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

kimkim really made the planning and organization of our trip to Norway easy and convenient. Their local specialist like Kristiina and Fenne suggest a trip based on your initial thoughts and then offer up many options to refine it into the trip of a lifetime that you're looking for. They know the places to go, things to do, and what to see. They arrange the hotels (including breakfast), local transportation, event tickets, and dinner reservations. When things go a-rye because of bad weather, they are there to help you adjust and get to your next destination. I don't know if I would have changed much in the path of our journey but look forward to sharing with friends and family.

Hotel Reviews

Vestlia Resort

Geilo

This is a nice hotel but isn't the level you might expect for a resort at a ski area. Rooms lack washcloths, bath matts, tissue box, coffee maker, fridge, extra pillow, and safe. Bowling doesn't open until 4 pm. If skiing is closed due to wind, not much to do. We were there when a huge real estate retreat was going on and the partying was out of control. However, you can runt skis, and the cross-country track is great, even for snowshoeing around the lake. Restaurant has limited menu that would get boring after 1 night. Town has some amazing restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

a few more amenities

Location

close to town

Staff

Staff were always nice and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

everything is just a bit old and run down, a refresh, add a few room amenities like extra pillows

Clarion Hotel the Edge

Tromsø

This is so well located. You can walk to most anything in a short time. Close to the cathedral, good restaurants and shopping. Dinner cruise is just outside the front door. Breakfast is amazing.

Authenticity & Character

This is more modern, not really authentic Norwegian.

Location

near everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were really nice

Hotell Bondeheimen

Oslo

cute little boutique hotel. Rooms are small but work if you're out much of the time, which we were. Close to many attractions and bus/train routes. Breakfast good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

centrally located near lots.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Bergen

Bergen

Close to the water and historic buildings. Shopping and bay close as well as old fort for walking. Rooms small but comfortable. easy access to bus to airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Oslofjord Sightseeing Cruise

Oslo

This is an open air sail boat but they make it warm and cozy. Peaceful ride and good way to start a trip. Glogg warm drink is a must!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Northern Lights Chase

Tromsø

This tour takes you on a packed bus more than an hour outside of town for dark skies. The staff are pretty quiet. Only went to one location. No guidance on where to look, what you're looking for, or how to take photos...that would help. A bit more narrative of a history of the area would help. Others on the trip stand in front of your pictures, use their flashlights, without regard to others.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

bit more narrative and communication. Provide some "good conduct" when arriving at destination and taking pictures.

Transport

driver was very safe and good driver

Tromsø Cable Car

Tromsø

This is a must. would recommend doing it in the day time, 1 hr before sunset, to be able to see all the mountains around the area.

Quality of Experience

the views

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nothing special, they just open and close the doors

Transport

pretty smooth operation

Aurora Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

this is a nice cruise around the bay. Food was ok, not great, and meant for fish lovers. We had bad weather, so no going outside or seeing northern lights.

Quality of Experience

Food

quality you might expect for a large group; Ok if you like fish. Offer other options, warn folks that the app is cold.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Narrator was animated and seemed to enjoy what she did.

Transport

easy peeve

Our trip to Norway was amazing!! 4 cities (Oslo, Geilo, Bergen & Tromso) in 10 days - hotels, tours, transfers to/from - all ran smoothly. Thanks to Kristiina for putting together the itinerary, incorporating everything we wanted to do and see, and for her patience in addressing all of our initial questions and concerns. Many thanks to Fenne for handling all the bookings and her responsiveness in providing support and recommendations along the way. Fenne's recommendation for dinner in Bergen, Fjellskål, was one of the best dining experiences we had! Highlights of our trip were the Northern Lights Chase in Tromso and the spectacular views from the top of the cable car in Tromso. Sledding in Oslo and cross country skiing in Geilo and Tromso were a blast!! Also the delicious breakfasts included at all of our hotels! :) This was my first time using a travel agency and my experience with kimkim was great! I especially like that they partner you with a local specialist, and Kristiina and Fenne were friendly and helpful at every step!

As always kimkim and its collaborators deliver great experiences. Thank you Christina.
I do have to say that during our planning phase, I got some wrong information on my itinerary and it led to some misunderstandings, outside of that: all good.

I was not the easiest customer and asked Mathia to put together a 'slow travel' itinerary for me and my father, who has mobility issues. I asked for a train trip, a boat trip and high views of the fjords. I was not expecting him to be able to achieve all of this in 7 days. Mathia organised an incredible itinerary with multiple opportunities to experience the points that I requested. I never could have navigated the websites (which were in Norwegian) or book all of the tickets in the speed he managed to do so. The entire trip went according to plan, other than a slight change due to an avalanche which affected one part of our trip. He communicated clearly throughout and managed to convey alternative options with such prudence and cadence. The guided walks in Oslo and Bergen were brilliant and helped us to immerse ourselves in local culture quickly. I would absolutely recommend kimkim and, most importantly, Mathia, to anyone looking to book a trip of a lifetime to Norway. Thank you Mathia, for your speedy and personalised service, and for giving me a wonderful opportunity to make memories with my Dad.