MonMon Travel

We did several things during our time in Finland. Just enough to keep busy but not burn out First, our trip organizer, Emerson is 10 stars. His attention to detail and organization ensured a stress free trip. THANK YOU!!

Of the 4 organized tours, two really stood out: the northern lights tour and visiting Tallinn. The northern lights tour with Beyond Arctic in Rovaniemi was excellent. Our guide (Leevi) was great and the gear provided was very much needed for the cold elements of the arctic. We were fortunate to see a great show!
The tour of old town in Tallinn with guide, Christopher, was AMAZING! Full of knowledge and funny! We did a day trip to Tallinn, but it deserves a couple of days to explore both old town and the new town! We grabbed a quick bite from The Third Dragon Medieval Tavern that is located in the old courtroom of Tallinn Town Hall. It was fun, the staff in character and the Elk soup broth was the perfect belly warmer on a cold day. Be sure to wonder off on side streets to find crafts off the beaten path. We visited Puupank. They have beautiful wood crafts.
I highly recommend using KimKim and will again in the future. Thank you!

What an incredible adventure we had in Lapland with kimkim! From the start, dealing with kimkim was responsive, pleasant, informative and uncomplicated. We were grateful to have Emerson assigned to us for our Aurora Borealis adventure. We wanted luxury accommodations, private transfers, private/small group activities, and plenty of opportunities for daily exercise, including swimming, gyms, and lots of cross-country skiing. The website portal made it simple to stay in touch with chats and virtual calls. Emerson went above and beyond to provide support and was always available for insights or to smooth out any snags throughout the trip.

While Hotel Kamp was under renovation, they put us in an incredible suite! The hotel is terrifically located, and we loved the access to the community outdoor pool which was just a few blocks away. Our tour guides in Helsinki and Tallinn were great!

The overnight train to Rovaniemi was less than ideal but certainly memorable. We suggest future guests consider renting an extra cabin for personal belongings, as carrying baggage up to the crowded second floor was very difficult and room very cramped. Quite unexpectedly, all the bathrooms in our train car were malfunctioning for the entire train ride, which was very unfortunate. We believe it was just that the train company provided us with a 50% refund.

Emerson’s excellent transfers once again were on time and super friendly once off in Rovaniemi. We met our tour guide with Johka who picked us up at the station and brought us straight to Jaakkola Reindeer Farm. We had such a delightful, unique, and private experience! The third-generation farm and its history added a fascinating charm for us. Our story – Jaakkolan Porotila

Next, the Arctic Treehouse provided superior and truly breathtaking accommodations, kind staff and great restaurant. Tired from the day, we pushed on. Quickly we were jump started by witnessing a rare red Aurora during our Arctic Tree Float. It was truly spectacular and a once in a lifetime experience!

The next day, we had a playful adventure with the huskies. We returned to the Arctic Treehouse for another fabulous dinner with the entire restaurant lit by candles for Earth Day, creating a magical atmosphere.

Emerson again book us the top igloo at the Levin Iglut Glass Igloos. Our snow house offered spectacular vistas and the restaurant had fantastic and truly artistic food. All the staff there are so lovely and kind!

Kinos Safaris provided us a great snowmobiling experience, but what was memorable was the rest stop for salmon soup and possibly the best blueberry dessert that I have ever had at this small outpost with the most delightful overseer.
That evening, James from Green Track Wooden Shoe Adventures led a special and private hike on fresh snow,. He is well versed and delightful sharing his vast knowledge for nature and the environment.

Next day we spent an afternoon in town, exploring the Sami Cultural Heritage Museum, petting reindeer, and dining at the King Crab Restaurant - all that we recommend highly.

Switching gears as our witnessing no more auroras, but amazing snowfall that night allowed for a wonderful hike at Saana the next day, and Cahkal Hotel was really super; staff and guide great and has a terrific restaurant!

Our journey then took us to Tromsø. Emerson, once again research extensively to find us this time accommodations that had a pool and found Saint Elizabeth Suites. Unfortunately, access to the pool wasn't always available (and not even open before 9AM?!?), but they did have a well-equipped health club. Please note that the front desk staff were not very accommodating or friendly. (Our Wondering Owl guide mentioned that the tourism industry in Norway isn't particularly welcoming, and we found this to be true, especially when compared to the more hospitable atmosphere in Finland.)

BTW, there was a mix-up with Wandering Owl's booking communication. We were picked up at 9:10 AM and dropped off at the Scandic Ishavshotel. At 9:30, we received a call from Wondering Owl informing us that due to recent flooding, they would be delayed picking us up at Brescia Harbor. We clarified that we were not at the harbor, but at the hotel. Thankfully, the tour did not begin till 10AM and they then confirmed that we would then be picked up on schedule at 9:50AM as there are other guests there waiting there. The tour went well, and the fresh snow made it beautiful.

Overall, our trip was brimming with unique experiences and unforgettable moments! We are deeply grateful for the adventure Emerson crafted for us – he is truly a tremendous asset to kimkim!

With appreciation and regards,
J & J

Our KimKim Guide, Emerson did a great our vacation plans. We gave him the general guidelines, and he put it all together. The people he selected were all top-notch. The drivers for the various events all arrived on time and were unfailingly professional. The Aurora Hunting guide from Beyond Artic did a wonderful job and found what seemed to be the only clear patch of sky in Levi, allowing us to see a wonderful view of the Aurora and take many wonderful pictures that will last a lifetime. Highest Recommendations

I plan many of my trips on my own. But to get the experience that I wanted in Finland, I used the services of Kimkim. I could not have been happier!! I was able to express what I wanted and they put a package together that surpassed my expectations. The resort and excursions were top notch. Moonika checked in with me along the way and had excellent communication. I will definitely use this service again. Thanks for being a part of this once in a lifetime trip!

Hotel Review

Northern Lights Ranch

Köngäs

If you are looking for a Northen Lights experience, this is the place! The cabins were perfect for seeing the lights. The food was excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

15 min outside of Levi with limited light pollution

Staff

The staff were super friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Levi Fell Snowmobile Adventure

Levi

Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Reindeer Adventure

Levi

Janita is a 2nd generation reindeer rancher and she cares about these animals. This was a genuine experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Husky Safari (10km)

Levi

This was a magical ride through the Finland Forest. I could not have been happier with this experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was my 1st trip booked through KimKim and I could not recommend it more highly ! Our local specialist, Emerson (based in Estonia) was extremely knowledgeable about Finnish Lapland, and incredibly helpful. He listened to our every concern and adjusted the itinerary accordingly - and he even anticipated things like late night trips which meant avoiding early morning tours the next day. He was unbelievably responsive, always getting back to me within 24 hrs of my every question. When our flight on a Saturday was cancelled, he immediately stepped in to rearranged transport, even though it was a weekend. And then he kept checking in on us to see if everything was OK. My travel companions joked that we are going to miss his friendly messages now that we are home! I honestly can't think of a single thing I would change about the final itinerary - it was perfect. The local companies he booked were all fantastic - on our 2 snowshoe trips we even had just the 3 of us plus a guide, which made it SO personal. And Emerson was clearly genuinely pleased to hear that we were having such a good time.
I am going to recommend both Finnish Lapland and KimKim to all my friends! My only complaint? Typing this review on the App doesn't allow me to go to the top and check for any spelling mistakes, so forgive me if there are any!🤣

Moonika planned an amazing trip that my family will never forget. She knew our overall goal was to try and see the northern lights so she selected locations and experiences that would help give us the best chances and we did see it!!! My parents bucket list item was fulfilled. All the other experiences just further enhanced the trip. My dad’s favorite experience was arctic crabbing in Norway. My sisters favorite was husky sleigh ride. My mom’s favorite was of course the northern lights. While my favorite experience was the reindeer farm and Sami experience.

All the accommodations were perfect. My mom didn’t want to leave the boutique hotel. I love that Moonika chose local guides and experiences. They were all fantastic. I’ve already recommended Moonika to several extended family members!

Hotel Reviews

Holiday Village Inari

Inari

The place is beautiful and cozy. The breakfast spread was delicious. We loved the ceiling view. The one suggestion we have is if there’s an option to be alerted to the northern lights.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Haawe Boutique Apart Hotel

Rovaniemi

One of the best hotel experiences! The room is beautiful and luxurious. The breakfast food provided was perfect. My parents never wanted to leave the hotel. The location is also in a perfect location, close to many things.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Reindeer Park Visit

Inari

Such a fun experience feeding the reindeer! Our Sami guide was very knowledgeable and open to sharing her experiences.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Emerson arranged the trip and everything went as planned. Every detail was as described. The drivers arrived on time, the activities were varied and wonderful. Specifically: cross country skiing in Akaslompolo was spectacular...there is nothing like the vast network of trails here, in the USA. We went on a daytime snowshoe trip and two Northern Lights van trips with Beyond Artic. On the first Northern Lights trip, the driver drove an hour and and half trying to get the group to a good viewing area...we saw the Lights, but the sky was cloudy. The next night was beyond spectacular. Standing on a frozen lake, we saw the Aurora 360 degrees around us and above.
Two other trips were wonderful: a nighttime snow shoe trek on wood skis with a nature guide. James from Green Trek showed us animal tracks, vegetation and trees. The trip to the Reindeer Farm was alot of fun. We spent alot of time feeding the reindeer, learning about them and each of us got in a sled alone to "drive" a reindeer on a short trip.
Oh--the Northern Lights Ranch in Levi was also outstanding. Alk three of us were thrilled with the whole trip.

Moonika did a wonderful job planning this trip for us. Hotels were perfectly located and all the tour operators were friendly and courteous. Tours were fabulous. Overall great experience.

My husband and I had an amazing honeymoon! Emerson had everything planned perfectly, and we never ran into any issues. Emerson was also very responsive throughout the trip and more than willing to help out when needed. Our tour guides were very kind, knowledgeable, and fun to be around. Thanks to Kimkim we had the honeymoon of our dreams! We’re already looking forward to our next trip coordinated by them. We highly recommend kimkim!!!