Kimkim Trip Reviews for Norway

Trip was great. Andre was very responsive to our questions. We had a tour guide cancelation on the first day and he quickly found us another. He also quickly helped verify our kayaking trip when the company had questions about a voucher #.

A few thoughts about the locations:
We didn't know what to expect at each location, and relied on the local experts for that. That being said, Bergan was a nice jumping off point. Flam was probably our favorite mainly because of the bike ride and kayaking. 3 days there was just right because we had activities planned for each day. Had there not been any activities, there is nothing to do there as it's a cruise ship port with nothing but tourist shops. The hotel was nice in Bergan and Flam.
The visit to Bordund on our way to Skei was great. Skei didn't have much to do as it seemed like a midpoint between driving destinations. The hotel there was just ok.
The next stop was Gerainger. The location of the hotel was amazing. This was another tourist/cruise ship stop. We never went down into town as there wasn't much to see there. instead we went on some nice hikes up to the waterfall and up to the viewpoint of the fjord above the hotel. That was very nice. The last stop was Alesund. I read a lot about this town and everything written said it was an amazing town, lots to see and do. We had 3 nights there which was 2 nights too many. Walking around the town, it was nice, but it looked like any other mid size European town. There also wasn't a whole lot to see. When looking at activities to do in town, almost every one was something that we had already done (day trip to Gerainger, Stave Churches, kayaking....). There really didn't seem like a whole lot to do there. The day long road trip to Trollstigen was really nice. I found a few other stops along the way which made it more interesting (Andalsnes and Valldalen didn't offer much to see).

Overall, the countryside was incredibly beautiful and we wouldn't have been able to see it had we not rented a car and drove through the smaller villages and towns. Kimkim was very helpful in arranging the tip, but some of the locations didn't offer much to see.

Thanks again!

Ingrid was fabulous. She planned our trip perfectly and was always quickly available and pleasant to work with when I had questions. I would highly recommend kim kim and Ingrid.

Linda planed our Norway trip with not very much notice and the trip was absolutely amazing!!! It was exactly what we want and even with one minor issue which Linda dealt with immediately even though it was not her fault. Would highly recommend Linda for organizing a trip again.

Our trip to Norway was wonderful! Bergen with Vilde was perfect! Fjaerland with Jennie also! And Oslo with Stig awesome! Tks KimKim for doing such a good job!

We had a great trip to Norway and wholeheartedly recommend KimKim. Everything was taken care of for us perfectly. We had so much fun. Truly, it was the trip of a lifetime, and having everything planned and booked for us made the experience so easy and stress-free. We loved it and recommend the service so much. Ingrid was a delight to work with, and so responsive. Thank you!

We had a wonderful trip. All the upfront organization and communication by Ingrid was excellent. The itinerary was perfect. The hotels, ship accommodations and transportation options were great. We loved the mix of the cities and the natural beauty of Norway. Thanks.

My adult daughter and I just returned from a seven day Norway Fjord and Viking Adventure (June 17 through June 23, 2019) and could not have been more satisfied with our journey that was handcrafted for our special interests by Linda.

Linda collaborated with us every step of the planning. She was accessible and responsive, listening to our "wants" list and devising an itinerary that included well known sites of interest as well as our own unique jaunts. The end result surpassed our wildest expectations. Linda had to preplan multiple modes of transportation, tour events and guides. Everything went smoothly and she selected well appointed hotels that were so conveniently located as our bases of exploration in Oslo, Flam and Bergen.

We made a special stop at Viking Town with Nick, a fabulous private guide who was very knowledgeable and passionate about Viking life, lore and history. We also felt so fortunate to get a tour in Bergen with a local, Ingrid, who was simply delightful and eager to share her love of Bergen, highlighting what it is like to live in this beautiful and interesting city.

We could not have been more satisfied and will always remember being only 2 of 7 people cruising a fjord in the early morning as the mists hung upon the cliffs and we were humbled by the sheer beauty before us and the sounds of the roaring waterfalls we seemed to encounter at each turn.

We would recommend kim kim and, in particular, Linda's selections and guides without reservation for anyone considering a trip to Norway.

Cheryl and Samantha Steindel-Cymer

It was a great trip and exactly what we discussed. Could not be happier.

Thanks again,
Jake

I can't thank Julia enough for all her recommendations of where to go in Northern Norway. I started out trying to organise the trip myself, as I would usually do, and Norway had me perplexed with exactly where to go and how much time we would need. Julia was spot on with her advice and location choices. Particular highlights were the Sea Cabins in Reine, the stunning house and surrounding areas in Senja and the gorgeous accommodation approximately 30 minutes outside Tromso. Active Tromso and our midnight kayak was also a massive highlight. I can not recommend their adventure experiences more highly and we will be back to do some mountain climbing and husky adventures soon. Thank you again Julia! Our experience was so memorable and you took all the angst out of the decision making process guiding us through ferry crossings and pointing out not to miss spots along the journey.

Ingrid was great and the experiences were truly amazing. We had a great trip with wonderful memories from activities that would have been very difficult to find or book on our own. I highly recommend!

I enjoy planning and booking trips on my own, however for this last minute vacation I felt pressured. We would be meeting family in Europe then travelling on together for just 5 full days in Norway. The itinerary (Norway in a Nutshell based) involved several connections by train and ferry at the beginning of tourist season, and I was worried that by the time I did my research the tickets we wanted would be unavailable. So I decided to let kimkim expert Andre handle everything. Good move; no worries and everything went smoothly. Andre sent a detailed plan that included the tickets for the Norway in a Nutshell trains/ferries; information for the hotel bookings for two nights in Oslo, two in Balestrand and two in Bergen; directions and options for transportation from the airport to the hotel in Oslo, and how to get to the airport in Bergen. He tailored activites and sight-seeing according to our interests and offered hotel options to fit our preferences. The communication was excellent, and Andre had great suggestions and lots of patience with my many questions as the plans were tweaked. We enjoyed the Bergen and Flam trains and the ferry to the glaciers in Fjaerland, and a highlight was the quiet time we spent in Balestrand. Jon at the Midtnes Hotel was a very thoughful and accomodating host (picking us up unexpectedly at the dock, and offering earlier breakfast times around our ferry trips) and our room had million dollar views. I would highly recommend Andre and kimkim.

Ingrid was wonderful. I'm so grateful for her expertise and excellent communication. Because of Ingrid, I'll definitely return to KimKim for future trip planning.

We just finished a two week trip, starting with the western fjords of Norway and ending in the stunning Lofoten Islands. Linda at KimKim helped organize the entire trip, including hotels, transportation and activities.
Norway is a stunningly beautiful country and the fjords did not disappoint. We drove the coastal roads as opposed to taking a cruise, the only downside of which is that you go very slowly so be sure to include that in your planning. We found the hotels lovely--very Scandinavian chic in some cases- the people were friendly and the food excellent! A large breakfast buffet is always included in the hotel stay.
We did have to do some rescheduling of flights and hotels due to cancelled flights by the airlines and then one of us getting a terrible head cold. Linda was terrific--staying in touch with suggestions on flight and hotel alternatives right through the weekend until we got the new itinerary in place. She even found the name and address for a local Norwegian medical clinical! I can't tell you how much we appreciated knowing she was thinking of us and wanted our trip to go well. It was a real comfort.
We found KimKim online so there is always a bit of hesitancy with just blindly pressing "send"! We could not have been happier. Linda and KimKim were outstanding and Norway was fabulous.

The itinerary that Ingrid and KimKim put together for us was amazing! We spent 5 nights moving from Oslo, to Balestrand then finishing in Bergen. As we did not really know too much about Norway and really did not have the time to plan our own trip, Ingrid put together a trip we will never forget! The hotels she recommended were all exceptional and we really enjoyed the contrast of seeing a large city like Oslo but then experiencing the natural wonders of Norway as we made our way to the small village of Balestrand via the Flam train (which is not to be missed) then an unforgettable ferry ride through the fjords. All of the connections went smoothly and Ingrid's attention to detail as we made our way through each town and city was greatly appreciated. Each of the hotels had friendly staff, amazing breakfasts and Stig, our tour guide in Oslo was a wealth of knowledge, history and just plain fun to hang around with for a few hours. In short, Norway was a trip we will never forget and we would not hesitate recommending Ingrid, Stig and KimKIm to plan your Norwegian vacation!

Jim and Barbara Gordon--Calgary, Alberta, Canada

I want to specifically thank Ingrid for planning our family vacation. I chose to book lodging ourselves and left activities and local transportation in Norway to Ingrid. She gave us an itinerary which covers all places and activities on our wish list. She planned for our local transportation and transfers so we could focus on the pristine sceneries and fun activities without worrying about many logistics on self tours while not being in restricted times while traveling in a group tour. Ingrid was also reachable in case we had any glitches during our journey. Really best of both worlds.

For places/activities which Ingrid planned for us, the most memorable are:
1) Geiranger Kayaking tour (with the Geiranger Kayak Center at Homlong. The tour guide was knowledgeable in many aspects in how the fjords were formed, local legends/myths, geopolitical facts, economics, etc. And most of all, top places to visit in Geiranger in our two days of stay.

2) The Fjordcruise from Flam to Gudvangen (on the Naeroyfjord) was also spectacular. Before the ship entered the Naeroyfjord, the captain offered us a private tour to the engine room which featured the totally electrical engine. We were truly impressed by Norwegians effort in preserving the environment.

3) Dragsvik Fjord Hotel: although I found this hotel myself. However, Ingrid approved of it. We wanted to bike around the neighbor. Ingrid managed to find out for us that the hotel actually has a few bicycles for hotel guests to borrow (helmets included). That was SO nice because, with Ingrid's arrangement, we did not have to worry about transportation from Dragsvik to the Balestrand town!

I list the following most memorable places we visited (some are suggested by Ingrid and others by our Kayak tour guide):
1) Dragsvik hotel - My family loved our stay there. It was situated in a ideally situated vantage point of the fjord and the mountains. Also, we really appreciate the hotel manager Magnar (?). Although he does not speak much, but we felt that he really tried his best to accommodate our family's needs. We were rather troublesome during our stay: borrow bicycles, laundry machine, etc.
2) Geiranger: a) Westeras Gard - farm and restaurant
b) hike to behind the Storsæterfossen waterfall
c) Ørnesvingen
d) Geirangerfjordsenter - great cabin lodging for family or small group
e) of course, our kayak tour
3) Bergen Budget Hotel: I booked this hotel myself and I want to express it so that your future customer could avoid it. It is poorly equipped, old, and rather unfriendly. Finally, it has no luggage storage, even for a few hours because the reception is UN-manned.

J.

Ingrid is the best! She customized a perfect itinerary for travels to Norway. There were several transfers and she scheduled everything seamlessly. Especially enjoyed the lodges she booked for us as they were quaint with kind hosts and good breakfasts (vathnalhasen and midntes to name a few). The Flåm railway was also a highlight of our trip. Everything from renting a car through Kjetil to detailed itineraries and directions was exceptional. During the trip we had questions and Ingrid addresses everything in a timely and friendly manner. Highly recommend Ingrid for all your Norway travel needs.

Ingrid did a fabulous job helping me plan a 3 week trip to Norway.There are so many positives to share. Ingrid did a fabulous job communicating with me in the planning and was very receptive to all my questions and quick to respond.The hotels chosen were all good. The itinerary with the maps was absolutely wonderful to have and and really made going from location to location very easy. She also was great in an in an emergency situation when my husband’s airline went on strike and he was stranded in Spain and Ingrid helped me find other airlines to get him to Oslo.
I feel very lucky having gone to the Lofoton Islands I would put their beauty in the top three places that I’ve seen in the world.
From a learning and planning perspective one of the things I learned is many things are closed on Sundays (especially in small towns ) and sometimes it was hard to even find restaurants open ( in the small towns) so Sundays would be good travel days if possible.
Overall working with Ingrid was a very positive experience and I thank her for all her work in making this trip so memorable for us.

My family and I just got back from Norway few days back and we're currently nursing on our severe jet lag. But despite the lack of sleep, we all had an amazing time there. The itinerary planned by Ingrid was so much fun and many of her suggestions outside of our initial itinerary were even better!

We really want to thank Kimkim and Ingrid for this lovely and well planned trip. The hotels provided were comfortable and surpassed our expectations. Other than a minor issue with the train tickets (train station updated the schedule but didn't inform us), everything else went swimmingly well.

Would definitely use kimkim again for my future travels.

We have just returned from our two week tour of Norway arranged by Linda. It was wonderful!! Our lodgings were perfect and all transportation went smoothly. We had great personal tours in both Oslo and Bergen and especially enjoyed our stay in quiet Aurland combined with a sea safari out of Flam. Thank you for a Very memorable trip!

Let me start by saying this was by far one of the most amazing trips I’ve had. KimKim is an excellent place for customizable tours and for those looking to travel independently with just hotels and transportation pre-booked. I was in Norway for 8 days in April and Ingrid helped me plan and organize my stay, and accommodated several itinerary changes from my side 😊. She gave me multiple suggestions for hiking and sightseeing (including maps and distances) in the cities I visited. The whole booking process was extremely easy, and Ingrid was reachable at all times and very responsive.
Norway is an incredible destination, and I was extremely fortunate the weather was perfect throughout my stay. The fjords, mountains and just the landscapes in general are absolutely breathtaking! There was also far fewer tourists around this time of year! I visited Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Tromso, and every city was unique and picturesque in its own way with a lot to offer. The Pulpit rock hike was definitely the highlight of my trip - relatively easy to do and very rewarding. Ingrid also arranged local tour guides for me in Oslo (Stig) and Bergen (John) who were both extremely knowledgeable and helpful!
Needless to say, I had a great time in Norway and definitely recommend KimKim for travel planning. Many many thank you to Ingrid, Stig, John and Andre who made my stay very memorable!