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Anna Grindevoll Strønstad

I love adventuring, whether that be hiking in the forest with my dog or traveling to a new country. This passion led me to get a bachelor's degree in tourism management, and now I am lucky enough to use my knowledge and experience to custom-make trips to the scenic destination of Norway.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialize in travels to Norway, with my main area being the west coast.
Love finding authentic places and adventures with the "wow" factor leading to memories for life.
"

How did you get involved in travel?

"All through my childhood we traveled to different countries. This opened my eyes to the beauty of the world and led to my passion for discovering and exploring new places, both in Norway and around the world. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"A few years ago, I was on a group trip to Thailand. During the 14 days I was there we spent a few nights in the jungle. We got to hike through the untouched nature and paddle on bamboo. The nature was breathtaking! An experience I will forever cherish."

Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Road trip itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Anna

Loving Norway and Finland
Norway | Dec 6 - Dec 15, 2024

Brett
Brett F.
Australia | Reviewed on Dec 16, 2024
We absolutely loved this short trip through Northern Norway and Lapland and Estonia. Mathias was a pleasure to deal with and got back to us with any of our queries immediately. All the day tours were fantastic and I would recommend (as always) kimkim to organise further trips. Read more

We absolutely loved this short trip through Northern Norway and Lapland and Estonia. Mathias was a pleasure to deal with and got back to us with any of our queries immediately. All the day tours were fantastic and I would recommend (as always) kimkim to organise further trips.

Hotel Reviews
Santa's Igloos Arctic Circle
Rovaniemi

The hot tub room was sublime. We spied the northern lights and a colourful meteor shower after being notified by alarm through the hotel to the room. The staff at reception were extremely helpful and polite and I would recommend staying here to anyone if in the Santa Claus Village area.

Authenticity & Character
We’ll set out rooms for viewing the sky and the hot tub was amazing in the cold snow.
Location
Located quietly away from the main village area making it feel more intimate.
Staff
Staff were extremely polite helpful and professional.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The rooms are exceptionally well kept and set out.
Hotel Fabian
Helsinki

The hotel is close to everything and our room was excellent. The staff were amazing and prepared early breakfasts for us on 2 days which was exceptional, considering our early schedules. I would recommend this place to anyone staying in Helsinki.

Authenticity & Character
The hotel felt extremely comfortable and homely.
Location
It was close to everything even the Xmas Market.
Staff
Everybztaff member we dealt with was extremely helpful and polite with their advice on things to do and see and in making our stay feel very personal.
Cleanliness & Comfort
The rooms were very clean and tidy and well set out.
Santa Claus Holiday Village
Rovaniemi

The hotel seemed central for most tours outside the village and is placed in a good location. The staff seem respectful but not overly helpful or knowledgeable. The rooms are adequate but lack heating, which was definitely felt in the Rovaniemi winter. We used the sauna with the door open to help heat the room. The restaurants provide plain fare with a five star price. Everything closes way too early making a rushed feeling to get around if excursions are organised during the day.

Authenticity & Character
Certainly delivers on its marketed character
Location
Excellent central location
Staff
A lot needed to exhibit more enthusiasm and knowledge of the area and facilities.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Our room definitely needed better heating as the floors and room temperature were too cold to walk around comfortably and relaxed inside without keeping socks and warm clothing on.
Scandic Ishavshotel
Tromsø

The hotel is in an excellent location with most things nearby. It is well kept and the rooms were comfortable.

Activity Reviews
Historical City Walk
Historical City Walk
Tromsø

Astrid was a brilliant guide with a pleasant and knowledgable character. Her stories were captivating and we loved the tour she provided.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Astrid was a wonderful guide for this tour.
Dog Sledding
Dog Sledding
Tromsø

This was our favourite tour. It was great fun and really interactive. The staff were all fantastic and made it feel really authentic and not touristy. The dogs looked well cared for and it was great to be able to interact with them before and after the sledding without feeling pressured to move on.

Quality of Experience
Something very different and fun.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
All the staff we met were really enthusiastic about the dogs.
Transport
On time, comfortable and our driver was pleasant.
Day Trip To Tallinn
Helsinki

This is a great day trip and old Tallinn is a beautiful area to spend the day.

Reindeer Safari & Farm Visit
Rovaniemi

It feels very touristy which it is, but we had great fun and the staff were all lovely.

Guides, Drivers and Staff
If you took the time to talk with the staff and ask them all about the reindeer, they were fantastic and really informative about how they look after them.
Transport
Northern Lights Hunting in Santas Village
Rovaniemi

We only just saw lights far in the distance through the camera for a second, however the overall experience out in the quiet with the staff made for an exceptional night.

Quality of Experience
The staff made the night really enjoyable.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
They kept us entertained all through the night when we had a distinct lack of Aurora watching to help fill in the time. The staff really were great company.
Transport
Silent eSnowmobile Safari
Rovaniemi

This was great fun and went for a really good amount of time. Loved the countryside and the overall experience.

Quality of Experience
What a great bit of fun
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide was really enjoyable to be around and made everything seem easy, smooth and relaxing.
Transport
Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad

Dream winter vacation to Norway
Norway | Nov 20 - Nov 30, 2024

Michelle
Michelle C.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Dec 07, 2024
We had the most fantastic trip to Norway! Anna made the planning process so easy and when it came time to travel, everything was seamless with all of our booking information in one place. Anna gave great suggestions and advice for our trip! Oslo was such a neat city and we loved everything we did there! We visited Stavanger which was such a unique and cozy city. The fjord cruise was absolutely beautiful. In Bergen, we did a walking tour with a local, John, who was phenomenal. He was... Read more

We had the most fantastic trip to Norway! Anna made the planning process so easy and when it came time to travel, everything was seamless with all of our booking information in one place. Anna gave great suggestions and advice for our trip!

Oslo was such a neat city and we loved everything we did there! We visited Stavanger which was such a unique and cozy city. The fjord cruise was absolutely beautiful.

In Bergen, we did a walking tour with a local, John, who was phenomenal. He was informative and continually checked that we were okay to keep going. John asked about our interests and gave us suggestions of places to visit. This walking tour was easily the most memorable part of the trip!

Our train ride to Flåm and our fjord cruise to the Viking Valley were breathtakingly beautiful! We enjoyed the Viking Valley, however due to being the off season, there was a 3 hour gap between the closing time of the valley and the shuttle ride back to Flåm.

We created memories to last a lifetime and I’ve already recommended KimKim to numerous friends and family! Thank you!!

Activity Reviews
Explore Bergen with a Local
Explore Bergen with a Local
Bergen

This was easily the most memorable part of our trip. John was informative and knowledgeable about the city and gave us great suggestions based on our interests. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with John!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Nærøyfjord Cruise & Viking Valley Tour
Nærøyfjord Cruise & Viking Valley Tour
Norway

The fjord cruise was absolutely breathtaking. The Viking Valley was interesting and I’m glad we visited.

Quality of Experience
Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
A shuttle near closing time of the valley
Transport
Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad

Norwegian Honeymoon - Trip of a lifetime!
Norway | Nov 8 - Nov 15, 2024

Gabrielle
Gabrielle W.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Nov 22, 2024
I am a very type A person who likes to be in control so I was hesitant to use an agency to plan a trip for me. I have to say Kimkim far exceeded my expectations! Ana helped plan and then fine-tune the trip based on our interests and was very knowledgeable with her recommendations. We went from Oslo to Bergen to Tromso. When she was out for vacation someone else stepped in to make sure I knew they were here to help me and everyone as so communicative and transparent (shoutout to Tom and... Read more

I am a very type A person who likes to be in control so I was hesitant to use an agency to plan a trip for me. I have to say Kimkim far exceeded my expectations! Ana helped plan and then fine-tune the trip based on our interests and was very knowledgeable with her recommendations. We went from Oslo to Bergen to Tromso. When she was out for vacation someone else stepped in to make sure I knew they were here to help me and everyone as so communicative and transparent (shoutout to Tom and Tricia). They were on top of things even when it was too early to book something they had alarms on when new dates were released to make sure we got to do everything we wanted to do. The way the itinerary , booking confirmations, and tickets were delivered to us was so organized. it came with a lot of extras like how to use public transportation and an ethical travel guide. One thing I didn't realize before the trip that all of the excursions that were booked were with ethical and sustainable agencies and a few run by the indigenous Sami people of Norway. I really liked that aspect!

During the trip we did have one part of an excursion get canceled because of the lack of snow and Tom messaged us 2 days before to let us know and gave us options to rectify the situation. There was another time where there was an issue with one of our excursions when we got there and we messaged and Tom jumped on it right away and figured out the issue so we didn't have to waste any time of our trip figuring out logistics.

Overall I would definitely recommend Kimkim's services!

Hotel Reviews
Amerikalinjen
Oslo

This hotel was so easy to get to from the train station and was super cute! The architecture and décor was great and the breakfast had a lot of variety and was very good. Of the 3 hotels we stayed in on our trip this was our favorite one. It was the nicest as well. This was the only hotel of the 3 that acknowledged our honeymoon and had laid out a cute fruit and chocolate plate with a very nice note!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
the bathroom was great and the bed was nice.
Hotel Norge by Scandic
Bergen

This hotel was centrally located and walkable from the train station which was a big plus! Staff was helpful with our questions and the breakfast was very good with lots of variety. The room itself I would describe as fine. It wasn't bad by any means but it was also nothing to write home about. It was comfortable for our 2 night stay.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Scandic Ishavshotel
Tromsø

The location of this hotel is the selling point for me. The bus to and from the airport stops right in front of it and multiple excursions use this hotel as a meeting point. If you have a room facing the correct side you would have a great view. We unfortunately did not have a nice view in our room. The staff were very nice and helpful but the room left a little something to be desired. I liked that they are sustainable so there was little notes around about how to conserve water, and you need to use keycard to work the electricity so you aren't wasting it while you aren't in the room. They also don't clean your room unless you sign up for it which I think is a good system. However, our room didn't seem like it was cleaned well before we got there because we found numerous pieces of trash around the room including a candy wrapper and empty water bottle. The first time I tried to shower the drain was so clogged the water immediately started overflowing. I had to get re-dressed and go downstairs. To their credit someone came immediately up and cleaned the drain out but it was an inconvenience. This hotel was the only one of 3 that we stayed in that didn't provide body lotion and had only a 2in1 shampoo/conditioner combo which is terrible for my hair. This hotel is located in a place that had the harshest weather so not having lotion was horrible on my skin. I didn't pack any because I was traveling from out of the country trying to pack light with little liquids. It didn't seem worth it to go out any buy lotion either since we stayed here at the tail end of our trip and would have had to throw it aw which would have been wasteful. Of the 3 hotels we stayed at this was my least favorite. Maybe I wouldn't have been so critical if I didn't have the other two recent comparisons because it was a fine stay but that is my honest review. This hotel did have the biggest breakfast of any of the 3 and it was good!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Brunch on the Fjord
Brunch on the Fjord
Oslo

This was our favorite thing we did in Oslo. Views were amazing! The food was good and the bar on board was nice as well. It was nice to relax in a warm boat while still because able to see the scenery.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Experience Bergen from the Fjord
Experience Bergen from the Fjord
Bergen

We showed up early and the captain never showed up so we wasted about an hour of time just standing around in the rain. That being said, when we got in touch with the captain he was very apologetic and said our booking had slipped through the cracks and offered to immediately rig up the boat but we declined because by then we had already ventured on to do something else. We got a full refund for this excursion. We did see the boat and it looked nice and like it would be afun time.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Silent Whale Watching
Silent Whale Watching
Tromsø

This was our favorite excursion of the whole trip. Not only was it incredible to travel next to a pod of orcas for a little over and hour but the views to and from port are incredible! The staff are very knowledgeable about the sea life and they even put on some presentation via slide shows on the tvs and verbal audio over the loudspeaker about whales, orcas, birds, etc. That was a fun extra. The snacks on board were great too. Boat was warm and comfortable.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Reindeer Sledding & Northern Lights Experience
Reindeer Sledding & Northern Lights Experience
Tromsø

Unfortunately we didn't get to do the sledding part of this activity because of a lack of snow but the rest of it was great! Feeding the reindeer was so fun and I loved learning about the Sami culture. The transportation was great and so easy with clear meeting points in town.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Northern Lights Adventure in Tromsø
Northern Lights Adventure in Tromsø
Tromsø

The owner/tour guide really went above and beyond driving all the way to Finland to find clear skies to see the northern lights! The excursion went longer than expected to make sure we all got a chance to see the lights and take pictures with them. Guide was very knowledgeable and a talent photographer. Bus was brand new and cozy as well. The guide also shared cultural stories on the ride too and is a Sami indigenous person herself. She was very funny and entertaining as well. Meeting place was easy and convenient.

Quality of Experience
Transport
Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad

Norway Discovery.
Norway | Sep 25 - Oct 12, 2024

Mike
Mike H.
Australia | Reviewed on Oct 19, 2024
We really appreciated how Anna and Tom were quick to respond to all our inquiries.
Having all the accommodation and travel requirements in place on the App made registration at hotels really easy. Where showing tickets for journeys was required the ease of their retrieval through the App made that simple.
Anna and Tom were super responsive to all our queries and requested adjustments, so a big thank you to them.
Accommodation was varied in style which we loved. Just bear in mind that some...
Read more

We really appreciated how Anna and Tom were quick to respond to all our inquiries.
Having all the accommodation and travel requirements in place on the App made registration at hotels really easy. Where showing tickets for journeys was required the ease of their retrieval through the App made that simple.
Anna and Tom were super responsive to all our queries and requested adjustments, so a big thank you to them.
Accommodation was varied in style which we loved. Just bear in mind that some accommodation may not suit oldies like the four of us. Any issues were quickly resolved.
Norway is a treasure and magnificent in its awe inspiring land and seascape.
It is a place that lived up to all my expectations and more. The suggestions on things to do and places to go were brilliantly thought out by Anna. Her suggestions made our self guided tour as good as we could hope for. We saw almost every aspect of Norway’s wonderful people and landscape over 18 days.
Thank you Tom and Anna.
Anna, we hope motherhood is treating you well.
With thanks,
Mike, Elizabeth, Carol, and Tom

Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad

The trip to Denmark and Norway was incredible...
Norway | Oct 2 - Oct 11, 2024

C
Carl V.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 12, 2024
The trip to Denmark and Norway was incredible. The Kim Kim team did a great job organizing the hotels, tours and transfers. They were very responsive to any issues that came up. Tour guides Stig and John in Oslo and Bergen were wonderful. Read more

The trip to Denmark and Norway was incredible. The Kim Kim team did a great job organizing the hotels, tours and transfers. They were very responsive to any issues that came up. Tour guides Stig and John in Oslo and Bergen were wonderful.

Hotel Reviews
Scandic Copenhagen
København
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
DFDS overnight cruise
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Thon Hotel Terminus
Oslo
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Fretheim Hotel
Flåm
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad

The Naeroyfjord and the Geiranger Fjord were...
Norway | Jun 15 - Jun 23, 2024

P
Paul A.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Aug 03, 2024

The Naeroyfjord and the Geiranger Fjord were the highlights for us. The geography is so unusual.

Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad

Anna created an amazing Trip for us
Norway | Jun 9 - Jun 15, 2024

J
jeffery d.
Australia | Reviewed on Jun 19, 2024

Anna created an amazing Trip for us. She listened to what we liked and put together a trip that met all my requirements. She was super flexible, and had many great ideas. She thought of everything - trains, buses and even taxis. All the hotels were close to transport so we didn't have to carry bags too far.

Tricia took over just before the trip and was super helpful - she responded quickly to all my questions on the trip.

The trip itself was everything we could have asked for - some great walks and plenty of fjords!

Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad
Anna
Anna Grindevoll Strønstad
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Jul 15, 2024

Thank you for visiting Norway, Jeffery! So lovely to view your photos and all of the wonderful memories you created along the way. We are happy to take any stresses of travel off your shoulder so you can just sit back and enjoy gorgeous Norway. You're always welcome back :)

Sincerely,
Anna & Tricia

First time but won't be the last..
Norway | May 26 - May 31, 2024

Joan
Joan S.
Canada | Reviewed on Jun 07, 2024
This is my first time using KimKim and they were amazing! Anna began planning our trip (then went on maternity leave) so Christina took over. Even on a weekend there was an on-call person Mathia that responded to our questions in a timely fashion. AND not just questions about what they had planned for us, other questions regarding our trip..."How much to do think it would cost to take a taxi from A to B? Should I tip and how much?" You never felt alone and it was awesome to have a... Read more

This is my first time using KimKim and they were amazing! Anna began planning our trip (then went on maternity leave) so Christina took over. Even on a weekend there was an on-call person Mathia that responded to our questions in a timely fashion. AND not just questions about what they had planned for us, other questions regarding our trip..."How much to do think it would cost to take a taxi from A to B? Should I tip and how much?" You never felt alone and it was awesome to have a resource at your fingertips that lived and knew the country you were visiting. I would highly recommend them if you want your trip customized and at a reasonable cost. 6/5 STARS!

Hotel Reviews
Hotell Bondeheimen
Oslo

Wonderful hotel and excellent staff. The breakfast was amazing! It is very central to everything and close to the main train station.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was clean and as comfortable as it could be. I only say that as we arrived during a heat wave and they (and most hotels in Europe ) didn't have air-conditioning. They did supply a fan to our room., but with upcoming global warming they may wish to consider it, but I'm sure this happens only 3-4 days of the year and I just happen to hit the 'heat wave' they were having.
Fretheim Hotel
Flåm

This is THE PLACE to stay in Flam. It was amazing and so beautifully decorated. Their breakfast buffet was absolutely amazing! I'm sure their dinner buffet (675K is about $67US p/p or $100CAN) which is a stiff price to pay if you're not that hungry, but I will say we could see lobster and a plethora of other seafood as a choice among many other food stations at the buffet, so I'm sure it was amazing. All of Flam seems to 'roll up their sidewalks" at 6pm, so I wish the hotel could have offered a less expensive meal option. (Perhaps they did and I just didn't know about it). It is definitely and nicest and best place to stay in Flam and I would do it again, no problem.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was just perfect!
Sogn Hotel
Vadheim

This hotel is a bit scary (for us older folks) as it appears at first glance there is graffiti everywhere! There were pictures in the lobby and each door had graffiti art done by a well known Oslo artist. Upon entering the room it was clean and nicely maintained with THE MOST amazing view looking down a fjord. Since we arrived around dinner time and everything was closed they did offer us dinner, which was pizza or pizza. Very nicely made. Included breakfast was yogourt + cereal but we were offered bacon and eggs which we did not realize was not part of the 'included breakfast'. (our mistake). I was looking for fresh fruit with breakfast and there was none, as was explained to me that there are supply chain issues being in Vadheim (aka, the middle of nowhere). It's owned by a lovely couple who are in the midst of trying to upgrade the hotel (new carpeting was coming and they were planning a complete re-do in the coming years). The bus depot is also right outside their front door, so that couldn't have been easier to continue our trip.

Authenticity & Character
The character came from the graffiti
Location
It's central, near the bus and their is a grocery store a 1/2 block away.
Staff
Lovely couple, Ruth and Mark
Cleanliness & Comfort
The room was spotless as was the bathroom. I did have to request a hairdryer which Ruth brought to me.
Activity Reviews
Visit Stegastein Viewpoint
Visit Stegastein Viewpoint
Norway

This was ok, but it took 1.5 hrs. It was 0 .5hr to get there and 0.5hr to get back to you only get to spend 0.5hrs there. Buses are clean and comfortable. The bus driver simply drove and did not include any commentary along the way.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Give a commentary as you're driving...
Transport
The buses were clean and comfortable
Fjord Safari Taste
Fjord Safari Taste
Norway

This would be top of my list to do in Flam! You got right down into the fjord and up close and personal with the waterfalls. It was just awesome. They fit you out with proper gear, including googles. The guide was so entertaining and informative too!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Very helpful in getting the gear on and the tour guide was very informative and funny
Transport
It got you up close and personal with the fjord and waterfalls.
Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad

Bergen Trip
Norway | May 10 - May 14, 2024

M
Martin W.
Australia | Reviewed on May 15, 2024
Every thing went smoothly.
Our hotels were excellent, and the transportation was the same.
Had a great time and the weather was superb.
We loved our time in Norway and would definitely use Kimkim again
Thanks to Anna and the team Martin & Kathy Woodward
Tasmania
Read more

Every thing went smoothly.
Our hotels were excellent, and the transportation was the same.
Had a great time and the weather was superb.
We loved our time in Norway and would definitely use Kimkim again

Thanks to Anna and the team

Martin & Kathy Woodward
Tasmania

Hotel Reviews
Kviknes Hotel
Balestrand

Beautiful old building with stunning views Friendly, helpful staff Great food We loved this hotel

Authenticity & Character
We stayed in the old wing which was such an authentic experience
Location
Superb location with wonderful scenery
Staff
All staff were excellent
Cleanliness & Comfort
Comfy bed, clean hygienic facilities and a well maintained property
The Hanseatic Hotel
Bergen

Good breakfast, good location a little bit tired decor but very authentic to the area Nice staff

Authenticity & Character
Character building
Location
Close to the historical wharf area
Staff
Friendly and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Just remember that you are staying in a old building and all that goes with it
Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad
Anna
Anna Grindevoll Strønstad
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Jul 15, 2024

Thank you for trusting us with your travels! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed the journey... and grateful that the weather worked with you, too!

Sincerely,
Anna & Tricia

amazing team and well arranged schedule
Norway | Feb 22 - Mar 7, 2024

J
J A.
Qatar | Reviewed on Mar 08, 2024

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.

Local specialist: Anna Grindevoll Strønstad
Anna
Anna Grindevoll Strønstad
Local specialist in Norway | Replied on Mar 16, 2024

Thank you so much for your review and travelling with us! It was a pleasure to work with you, and together work out your dream holiday in Norway. Hope to see you back in Norway another time, maybe to explore the Summer! :-)