Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

Our Kimkim Norway Trip!
Amazing job by Christina - couldn't have asked for anything more. She took us all over the country, we were able to see and do so much more than we had just booked a cruise. We were able to experience different parts of that wonderful country to know where we want to go back and visit next time! Hotel selections were great, all of the details were worked out for us. Kimkim and Christina made our trip very easy to follow and stress free for us. I have told everyone about Kimkim and will use them again!

Hotel Reviews

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

Very convenient in Oslo if you are taking the train to the central station. Many restaurant options to walk to and great starting point for a walking tour of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Fabulous building - rooms were comfortable

Location

Walk across the street from Oslo Central train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice clean rooms and comfortable bedding - great black out shades

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

Great location - close walk when getting off the ferry. Right in the city center, close walking distance to shopping, dining choices.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tyssedal Hotel

Tyssedal

This is the closest hotel to starting point of Trolltunga hike. The room was comfortable, not fancy. It is little noisy, probably due to the building and that most are hikers leaving early in the morning. The restaurant is not fancy, I would choose to go pick someplace in town for dinner options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nordis Apartments

Svolvær

We actually had a huge 2 bedroom apartment with kitchen. The view is great, you are on the water, it was nice to sit and watch the people and boats. Its a little confusing to get to when you come into town. Because its on the end of the block, you don't drive up to the front door, but we were able to figure it out. Parking underground. Nordis restaurant was good and breakfast included there also.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the water

Staff

All communication was via text, a little confusion about parking spot.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eliassen Rorbuer

Moskenes

Exactly what I asked for, a little cabin on the water. If you want water facing, you need to book early. We stayed in a new build cabin, facing the water. Very clean, comfortable. There are three restaurant choices in town, so read the menus and make a reservation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Great little cabin on the waterfront!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

Tour guide was great - we had a nice 5 mile walk around the city and learned more than we would have on our own with a guidebook.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Met us in the lobby

Transfer from Flåm to Aurland

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Waterfall Hike Overlooking Aurland

Aurland

This was a great hike to a hidden waterfall we wouldn't have seen on our own. Our guide was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

The perfect way to go up the fjord!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Another 5 mile walk in a couple hours around the city. History of the city and local improvements we wouldn't have found on our own - well worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trollfjord & Eagle Boat Tour

Svolvær

Nice way to get back to the Trollfjord and get pictures of Sea Eagles.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Norway is a spectacular country and the itinerary Anna came up with enabled us to experience the some of the highlights of its Southern region. The hotels were mostly of a high quality and the planned activities and were fun and varied. During our time there, Norway experience its heaviest rain in 25 years, effectively shutting down the Southern road and transport network. Kim Kim checked in on us regularly during this time, suggesting options to us and sourcing a local hotel when we were unable to continue with our journey due to road closures. They promptly refunded the payment for the hotel that had to be cancelled.

From the start, Ethel and Fenne did a great job working out the details of our trip, translating our wishlist of activities into a great itinerary; it was easy to work with them and make revisions during the planning process. Before we committed by making a deposit we did some comparative pricing of other packages and felt we were getting good value for the cost of the trip. Plus, this was a trip customized to what we wanted to do, and when we wanted to do it. Just before the trip, Meree joined the team and sent us all of our confirmations and instructions.

It was easy to work with them by email, and we did have one zoom call with Ethel early on to review the plan for the trip before we put a deposit on it.

We spent 3 nights in Oslo, 1 in Ballestrand, 2 in Bergen, 2 on Hurtigruten, and 2 in Trondheim. We had a great time, seeing and experiencing much in our 11 or so days. The hotels the Kim Kim team chose were perfect for us logistically, located near what we wanted to see and experience, and well located for making connections to get to our next stop. There is much more to see and do in Norway than time permitted and perhaps some day we will enlist Kim Kim to help us return to Norway. But as a result of this trip we will not hesitate to consider Kim Kim for future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Charming hotel in a fjord village. Clean. Small but usable shower. Friendly staff. Room was too warm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Byporten

Oslo

Clean. Small but usable shower. Friendly staff. Room was too warm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Bergen city

Bergen

Clean. Small but usable shower. Friendly staff. Room was too warm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon hotel Nidaros

Trondheim

Clean. Small but usable shower. Friendly staff. Room was too warm. Good location for getting from Trondheim to airport. Of all the hotels we stayed at - probably the best breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hurtigruten

Bergen

Not a hotel, but a small cruise ship. Clean. Staff VERY friendly and helpful. Small but usable shower. Cabin was generally too warm. The two single beds were VERY uncomfortable however. One bed had a railing for safety(?) which was VERY inconvenient. Hurtigruten needs to have more cabins configured for queen sized beds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bergen: A Walk Through Past and Present

Bergen

Nice walking tour; good guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Oslofjord Sightseeing Cruise

Oslo

Good overview of Oslo.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking in Sognefjord

Balestrand

Lots of prep for this activity. In the end it was worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mountain Bike at Mount Fløyen - Bergen

Bergen

If you are an experienced mountain biker, this would likely be fun. However, the gravel trails were rather steep and crowded with families walking around, enjoying the scenery. This made it impossible to safely bike the trails, and somewhat dangerous. The person who was staffing the mountain biking concession thought we might not want to do it. Fortunately, we were able to get a refund. Again, if you like mountain biking, steep gravel trails, etc., this is an activity for you.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I planned this trip VERY last minute, and Maria was very responsive and helpful with a nice itinerary that took into account somewhat limited availability due to high-season. The final itinerary was terrific. But, alas, the day before we arrived there were torrential rains and flooding that knocked our bridges and highways, so our journey to Bergen on the railroad was cancelled. Flights were already fully booked, but Maria offered the option of renting a car, or staying in Oslo for a longer period. As a Californian, driving was not appealing, so we opted to stay in Oslo for a full week. What a great choice! We had an absolutely wonderful time, and while we hope to come back to see Bergen and points north, this really couldn't have been a more splendid trip. While in-country Fenne and Meree provided amazing on the ground support, responding almost instantly to our questions and helping us roll with the punches. Also, having missed the Bergen portion of our trip, Meree was able to refund us the costs associated with that component. Above and beyond!

Overall the trip was great, and good activity suggestions from our KimKim specialist. Going to, and staying in Odda was a highlight. The one thing I would change was the itinerary for Bergen: there were 2 cable car / funicular rides up the mountains above the town with activities suggested for the top. I believe it should have been 1 such activity, and let us choose during the trip design phase. One was a bike ride at the top (Floibanen), the other would have been hikes/ walks at the top (Ulriken).

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Kristiansand Bystranda

Kristiansand

Nice room and great breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Stavanger Park

Stavanger

Good location and good breakfast. Our room itself was nice but was on the 3rd floor which had a pedestrian walkway just outside so window curtains had to be closed most of the time. Also, room temperature was a little too warm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Trolltunga Hotel

Odda

Good hotel, great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Torget

Bergen

Great location, very busy in the lobby but it was peak tourist season.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was a little small, but comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Fjord cruise Lysefjorden and Preikestolen - Waterfalls, Caves and Rock Tour from Stavanger

Stavanger

Great hike, fantastic views at the top. Very crowded. We went at around 2 pm and I think that was one of the best times to go from a crowd standpoint.

Quality of Experience

Glacier Kayaking Excursion

Norway

Good guide and experience. The 1 hour of self driving up the mountain to get to the kayaking was long and unexpected.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Have the tour company provide transport. We had to drive up th mountain ourselves.

Mountain Bike at Mount Fløyen - Bergen

Bergen

Could have been good but it rained so we did not bike.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Ride the Ulriken Cable Car

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time in Norway! Thanks to Anna from Kimkim team, the planning was meticulous and the team was helpful in making some changes to our itinerary when we wanted to during the trip. We were able to cover Pulpit Rock, Bergen, Flam and the bike ride from Myrdal to Flam (best part of the trip!) and of course the stunning beauty of the fjords and Norway in general. We couldn’t take our eyes off the fantastic scenery during the train ride from Bergen to Oslo. The Kimkim team also had backups during the weekend when our main planner was on vacation and that interaction was very pleasant and easy.
Norway is a great destination to travel not only because of its natural beauty but also because of the people! Will be planning Lofoten Islands soon :) The only thing that did not go according to plan was the walking tour of Oslo when there was historic rain one day that disrupted train schedules and the guide couldn’t make it on time. We were promised the refund for that. All in all, great experience and a definite bucket list for those who love nature!

Activity Reviews

Flåm Railway and Cycling Adventure

Norway

This was the best part of the trip! If there was heaven on earth, this would be it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pulpit Rock Classic Summer Hike

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There was a local guide provided but was unnecessary in my opinion.

Transport

Fjord Safari Taste

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Meeting 23 relatives that I had never meet was special.
haveing the lodging near the transit helped a lot.
Thank you

Activity Review

Fjordcruise on UNESCO Nærøyfjord

Norway

Our guide Matthia was incredible. The itinerary he proposed was amazing but even more outstanding was his assistance during the trip. He was available during the trip, rapidly providing any change to itinerary that was needed. He went above and beyond making our holiday a Nordic dream.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Aurlandsfjord

Aurland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Silent Oslo Fjord Cruise

Oslo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fjordsafari Extended

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim and Christina were wonderful to work with. Five of us traveled to Norway to meet relatives and see the places where my husband's grandparents were raised. Christina worked out every detail including hiring a boat to take us from Molde to the small island of Tautra. The boat driver was very nice and waited 4 hours to take us back. The Thon Hotels were very nice and had great buffet breakfasts. I have trouble walking very far, so we were able to stay within 2 blocks of the train station in Oslo. Sometimes we hired a cab to get around, which was quick and easy. We especially enjoyed the 5 hour train trip between Bergen and Oslo; the scenery in Norway is beautiful! The 2 teenagers enjoyed the zipline and bike ride. We liked the ferry ride in Flam and the Hurtigruten cruise. It was a trip of a lifetime! We were in Norway 12 days and met 23 relatives! Thank you , Christina, and KimKim!

Kim Kim's execution was flawless. Every thing happened as it was supposed to. Steve our Oslo guide was particularly good. Captain Tor was very good. Fjord cruise to Viking village and tour there excellent. Hotels were all good. Christina responded to a change request we had and it was excellent. If I had one criticism it would be that we might have had a bit more scheduled activities. Perhaps a bit too much down time. That said, you were trying to avoid too much hotel movement, and in fairness we didn't suggest much by way of activity to be included. We had a wonderful time and I was very impressed by how well it all went off. Thank you.

Mathia and team were very easy to work with, flexible, and always attentive.
We enjoyed his many suggestions. Also we hadn’t used KimKim before, and it was great to have the support of KimKim’s team.

Hotel Review

The Thief

Oslo

Sleek, modern rooms, great service and staff, great breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to major sights, but at the end of the quay, so it was quiet. Only minor it drawback is that it might seem a little far from a wider choice of restaurants and non tourist neighborhoods.

Staff

Very helpful concierge, etc.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Explore Oslo's Hidden Gems with a Local Expert

Oslo

You can’t really beat a 3 hr walk with a local.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise from Bergen

Bergen

A little less interesting than other fjord tours, given the length of it( 3+ hrs). Canned commentary on the boat. The outdoor deck was small compared to the number of people jockeying to take picture, get close but the boat was only about 75% full.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fjordsafari Extended

Norway

Despite consistent rain, the equipment keeps you dry, though one can feel overheated from the various layers. Guide / driver had lots of personality. Nice balance of humor and information. Concerned with our comfort, etc.

Quality of Experience

See above

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Balestrand Orchard Walk & Cider Tasting

Balestrand

Didn’t expect to enjoy this much — expected it to be more sales pitchy/ “exit through the gift shop” experience, but was pleasantly surprised. Guide is the 3rd generation cider-master so there’s of wealth of knowledge and familiarity that he brings that’s beyond that given by a guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a wonderful time in Norway and it all worked as planned! Thanks to Eliise that managed to plan a child friendly trip for us and our 3 years old daughter!!

Anna was wonderful. All the bookings were great. We loved all the hotels and activities we did. Thanks so much for a wonderful vacation!

Activity Review

Private Husky Camp

Odda

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Anna was fabulous for us! She planned an amazing trip for our larger family to Norway, and we made some great memories! Thanks for all your help!

The knowledge, helpfulness, responsiveness and flexibility the team showed was extraordinary. We had to reschedule and redesign our trip a year late. At the last minute we made changes due to a sick member of our group. They took it all in stride. Highly recommend.

We had a great trip. Saw lots of beautiful scenery and enjoyed the planned activities, the fjord sauna in Flom being a highlight for our family - jumping off the sauna into the fjord and warming up again in our private sauna was a real treat. Kirsta did a great job planning this and she and her team were helpful and very responsive with questions along the way.

My one complaint was the way KimKim addresses the pricing of the trip. There was no itemization, so it was hard to figure out how much the trip cost vs. the added cost of the service provided by KimKim. It was a very expensive trip, and I think if I had been able to plan it myself, I could have saved about half the cost (though, again, it is difficult to confirm that since I did not receive any itemization).

We had a fantastic time. Very much appreciate the help, notes, and all the arrangements that you made. Thanks so much!

Everything went great. It was so well organized. Easy access to all of our confirmation numbers and passes for the planned activities. The recommended activities were all amazing. The weather prevented our helicopter experience in Ålesund which was unfortunate, but the team was great in getting us a refund. The same with switching hotels. We are so grateful for the help planning. It saved us a bunch of time upfront and gave is peace of mind throughout the trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Continental

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tyssedal Hotel

Tyssedal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Voss

Voss

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clarion Collection Hotel Havnekontoret

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ms Nordkapp

Tromsø

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Union Geiranger Bad & Spa

Geiranger

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Bellevue

ÅNDALSNES

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre Oslo Airport

Gardermoen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whitewater Rafting in Raundal River

Voss

Beautiful river with great guides

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to Trolltunga

Odda

An adventure worth doing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

E-Mountain Bike Guided Tour

Voss

More advanced downhill than expected but beautiful and way fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hot Tubs at Voss Rafting

Norway

Nice place but not overly special. Hot tubs in a beautiful area but water temperature not hot enough.

Quality of Experience

Romsdalsstigen Via Ferrata - West Wall

Åndalsnes

Such a great experience. Recommended highly if you have the physical strength to do it. Safe. Beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Naturpark (Via Ferrata & Zipline) Geiranger

Geiranger

So pretty. Straight forward. Not overly challenging. Great to self guide most of it and control your own pace.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I could not recommend Mathia more highly! From the first contact he was knowledgeable, professional, supportive, and flexible. He went over several options for our trip, giving great advice for transport and other considerations. The booking process was easy and transparent. Once we were travelling it became apparent what a phenomenal job Mathia did for us. Every hotel was brilliantly selected for comfort, location, ease of arrival, uniqueness, everything. Each place was better than the last. Mathia also went out of his way to secure a hotel we originally didn't get a booking for as well. All the travel details were clear and easy to follow, he even made sure to book us seats on the best side of the train for the journey! And on the road he was kind enough to check in with us daily to make sure all was going well, helping with extra bookings for events and providing great recommendations for activities. Overall, 10 out of 10 experience with Mathia, would encourage anyone to travel with him and his team. Thank you Mathia, we had a great time in Norway thanks to you!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Brosundet

Ålesund

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Union Geiranger Bad & Spa

Geiranger

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Bellevue

ÅNDALSNES

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Fjord Safari Taste

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christina is exceptional!!!! We are thrilled with our Norway experience. I’d work with both Christina and KimKim in a heartbeat. Thank you.