Linda Veråsdal
I live part time in Norway and Gambia, and in-between I travel. The passion for exploring new places at the same time as doing it in a good and honest way, led me to the role I have to day. Providing custom-made extraordinary travel experiences, while using tourism as a tool for development.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"I specialize in travels to Norway and various places in the country. The experiences varies from outdoor adventures to more culture-based activities. Norway has a wide range of different activities you can do, and many small hidden gems and hamlets you can visit. Tailor-made off beaten travels and travel as a local. "
How did you get involved in travel?
"I have always been curious about people and places, which led me to the realization that my life would consist of traveling... in one form or another! Early in life I traveled mostly in Norway and worked various places from south to the North-cape, east to west and in between! From there onwards, I started to travel abroad.
Combined with my interest of social welfare, using tourism as a tool for development has been my call. This slowly led into establishing Ethical Travel Portal."
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"There are many... Most of them connect the sense of a place and the wish of time standing still to be able to absorb the experience. Add-on experiences that is difficult to plan for! It can be through exploring Norway, my own country, or as in my latest travel to Romania.
We stayed at a traditional house when the neighbor asked us over to see his vegetable garden. I have never seen so many different types of tomatoes! In less than ten minutes, he filled his basket and invited us in for a drink. Chopped the veggies and served it with ovens baked bread and home made juice! This happened at the same time as he was telling his interesting story. He then excused himself as he drove off to pick up his wife and daughter, leaving us in the kitchen enjoying the food! That is digging deep into the local culture.
Another experience happened recently in The Gambia, during a trip where we were looking for cotton farmers. When we finally found the village, we had been traveling to the opposite side of the country, far in and far East. There, the most pristine village popped up from nowhere. Very local and traditional, no electricity or running water, but so beautiful and the sense of a community feeling with great hospitality."
Linda's favorite itineraries and travel advice
Top itineraries and travel advice
This two-week adventure from late September to late March covers a great deal of Norwegian ground for an unforgettable winter trip. You'll experience snow-covered scenery as you...
Sample some of Norway’s infinite charms on this short 6-day jaunt through the country’s biggest cities and most dramatic landscapes. Sail through fjords, ride one of the world’s...
Check off a number of stunning summer gems in southern and northern Norway with this 12-day adventure. After kicking off in Oslo, you'll take a train and ferry to Balestrand to...
Family itineraries
For families seeking adventure and wildlife amid the beauty of Norway's fjords and northern shores, look no further than this perfectly curated 10-day trip. Journey through...
From dramatic fjords to landscapes that inspired the Disney movie "Frozen," this relaxed, seven-day family trip to Norway covers the country's highlights as you journey from the...
For a trip to inspire adults and kids alike, spend a week in Norway's wintry north. Starting in historic Tromsø, you'll travel to a Sámi camp and then to the small coastal...
Luxury itineraries
Road trip itineraries
This 13-day trip covers some of Norway's best fjords, mountains, villages, and cities in under two weeks. Start in Oslo and check out the capital's new architecture and...
Get ready to hit the open road on this self-drive adventure down Norway's stunning west coast. Starting in Bergen, you'll hike, bike, and take one of the world's steepest train...
Experience the best of Norway's spectacular fjords on this active self-drive tour. The trip starts in Norway's second-largest city (Bergen), where you'll pick up a rental car...
Recent trip reviews for Linda
Beautiful Norway
Norway
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Jan 4 - Jan 9, 2023
The whole process of planning our trip to Norway was so simple with the support of the wonderful team at kimkim. We started off with Andre, who came up with the initial plan based on my requests. When Andre moved on to another area, Linda took over, everything was seamless. We spent an incredible 6 days in Norway with the excitement of a RIB boat tour to watch the sea eagles and an amazing northern lights tour. An overnight trip on the Hurtigruten took us to our next adventure of reindeer... read more
Hi Pauline, thank you so much for this lovely review and insight to your trip! Am so glad you finally got to experience Norway! Hop to see you in Norway another time :-) Best, Linda
Norway is such a magical place, and this trip...
Norway
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Sep 8 - Sep 18, 2022
Norway is such a magical place, and this trip allowed us to burrow in further than our previous trip. Our trip had a nice flow, and our accommodations were excellent. We stayed in both an incredible boutique style hotel suite, and a fishing cabin in the Lofotens. Our overnight on the Hurtigruten Ferry gave us a taste of cruising and allowed us to take a RIB trip to the Saltstraumen Strait. We liked having 2 nights at our hotels so we could get there, explore and relax. Linda was attentive to... read more
Hi Sharon, thank you so much for your review and sharing the wonderful pictures! They are just amazing and I can see you had a nice trip! Am glad the flow worked out and that you got so many great experiences! Hope to see you both back in Norway again! :-) Best wishes, Linda
Unforgettable trip in Norway!
Norway
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Aug 28 - Sep 6, 2022
We had an absolutely amazing time in Norway thanks to our trip planner Linda. Every place we visited was more magical than the last, and the lesser known towns she sent us to were our favorites. We never could have had this trip without her. My only regret is that we didn't have more time to explore these magical places.
We only had to reach out to KimKim once while we were away to get some advice on timing with the ferries. Linda was off that day, but her team member figured out... read more
Hei Emily, such a pleasure to read your feedback! I am happy that everything went as planned, and they you enjoyed the route we had put together for you. Hope to see you back in Norway another time to explore! :-) Best, Linda
A memorable trip I had been to Norway t...
Norway
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Aug 8 - Aug 24, 2022
A memorable trip
I had been to Norway twice before so one may think I had done it all - far from it. Despite my age of 76 I had planned a hiking trip w
trip with Kim-Kim tours. It was an independent tour with Kim-Kim making most of the itinerary, booking guides, gondolas etc and making helpful suggestions
The result being, that despite
a couple problems, that this was an awesome trip and experience. The first 6 days of the 3 week trip I relived past experiences in Oslo, ... read more
Hi Jerry, thank you so much for your wonderful review! I am really to read that you had a great experience and enjoyed our suggestions and planning. I hope to see you in Norway again another time. Still things to explore! :-) Best wishes, Linda
Our trip to Norway was amazing!
Norway
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Aug 1 - Aug 12, 2022
Our trip to Norway was amazing! We loved the summer farm in Innerdalen. Our guides were knowledgeable and friendly. The hike to Romsdalseggen was worth the effort because of the views! Our planner, Linda did a fantastic job incorporating our ideas to create a fun and beautiful trip. read more
Hi Sybil & All, thank you for visiting us in Norway and for the lovely review. :-) I really enjoyed planning your trip with you, and think you got to see a lot while you were here. Thank you for sharing your photos! Hope to see you back in Norway another time. Greetings to your family. Best, Linda
The highlight of the trip was no question 1) ...
Norway
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Jul 28 - Aug 4, 2022
The highlight of the trip was no question 1) our stay and visit in Auckland and 2) the private tours provided both in Oslo and Bergen!!!....both Stig and Vilda were amazing!....and of course Linda was the best travel planner ever. Thank you all so so much!
Hi Philip, thank you for your feedback! Very happy to hear that your enjoyed your trip, and that it worked out! Hope to see you in Norway another time!
The. Trip you PLAN and the trip you TAKE…..
Norway
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Jun 22 - Jul 4, 2022
They say that there are always two trips you take “the trip that you plan and the trip that you take”.
This certainly was the case for our trip to Norway. Plans were initially made in 2020 with KimKim. However, as happened to so many people, our trip was postponed for two years due to Covid. The long awaited trip finally took place this year. KimKim did a great job in making all of our reservations for us in Oslo, Flamm, Bergen and on our Hurtigruten cruise ending in Kirkenes, Norway. All of... read more
Hi Jean, thank you for your feedback. It is such a shame that your trip ended with the SAS flight strike, and made it impossible for you to go back home in time. It is nice to read that before this, you had a very nice journey - after two years wait due to covid. It was a pleasure to help you plan and organise it. I hope the good memories from the trip (and not the strike (!)) is what will remain with you. Thank you so much for traveling with us. Best, Linda
We loved having Thomas and Emmy as our guides...
Norway
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Jul 14 - Jul 17, 2022
We loved having Thomas and Emmy as our guides. read more
Hi Billie, thank you very much for your review. I am sorry it was not quite as expected and a bit packed over the three days, and you also had some cold weather on your overnight hike Your feedback will certainly help us in the planning process onwards. Greetings to your family! - Linda
Wonderful Norway Memories
Norway
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Jul 9 - Jul 18, 2022
Linda did an absolutely wonderful job planning and organizing our Norway trip. She always promptly and pleasantly responded to the logistical questions we had prior to the trip. Our Bergen city tour guide did a wonderful job giving us a great overview of the city. Our water taxi captain Tor gave us a fun s as fun informative ride to our hotel. Our Fjaerland hiking guide took us on a beautiful hike to a secluded overlook over the fjord. Elin on Vaerlandet was so kind and a wonderful host for... read more
Hi Ryan, thank you for your lovely review. I am very happy the logistics worked out and that you had such a memorable journey. I hope to see you and your family back in Norway at some point, maybe to discover the north of the country! Greetings to your family!
An Epic trip with Epic service!
Norway
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Jun 16 - Jul 3, 2022
We are so incredibly grateful to Linda for planning us an AMAZING 18 day itinerary through Norway.
She really gave us incredible diversity along our travels- allowing us to see the country from so many points of view!
We came home with so many memories we will cherish forever- and it was so thoughtful how Linda checked in with us along our journey.
Since we went North to South through the country, I thought I would share my favourite stops along the way:
- Honningsvag and Nordkapp:... read more
Hi Natalie, wow - am so happy to read your review and hear about the amazing places that you were visiting and how it all fitted together! You had a really nice journey from top of Norway to the southern part and indeed visited some real gems. Really pleased that you enjoyed and thank you for sharing your experience with us and other travellers. Looking forward to see you again another time! :-)
Norway in summer
Norway
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Jun 22 - Jul 4, 2022
Our trip to Norway was very nice. We had several surprises along the way, from the initial
planning (pre-covid) to the actual trip. At the end of the trip, we were dumbfounded to be
affected by the SAS Airline strike, which resulted in our being stranded in Norway.
I really compliment our Kimkim consultant, Linda, for doing her best to help us. She never
failed to respond to our emails and also helped to research options for us to get out of
Norway. It was very comforting knowing she was... read more
Hi Pat, thank you so much for your review. You had a nice experience traveling from Oslo to Bergen via Sognefjord and then up the coast with Hurtigruten and really got to see a lot of our country. Unfortunately it did not end well with the SAS flight strike and having to spend extra time in Kirkenes and alternative route back home! I hope, looking back at the trip - it is the good memories of the journey itself you will remember! After long time planning due to covid! Take care both.
A Fabulous 13 day trip to Norway
Norway
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Jun 14 - Jun 26, 2022
We had great guides. Stig was incredible in Oslo. Torstein was great in Aurland. John was superb in Bergen and went out of his way to help. Linda was the best - responsive, courteous, helpful - even got us refund from hotel due to difficulty leaving US. Linda was creative in planning the trip and with me all the time, thru kimkim, very fast responses. Our 13 days in Norway was everything we could have imagined. Even the weather cooperated!!
Hi Howard, thank you so much for your review! It was a pleasure to plan your holiday together, and keep following as you were travelling. I am very happy that the itinerary was as expected and you enjoyed the different places! Wish you a nice trip onwards, and hope to see you in Norway another time!
Exceptional experience and attitude through the adversity of covid!
Norway
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Jun 10 - Jun 19, 2022
We had an amazing experience planning and coordinating the trip with Linda and the team. Despite Covid19 trying hard to cancel our trip (and after 2 years of postponing it) we managed to take the trip and have an incredible time. The team was super helpful throughout all the different changes, adjustments and was very accommodating and always with a smile. We thank them for that!
Beyond the great selection of hotels and options along the journey the team also picked an incredible guide in... read more
Hi Chrys, happy to read you had a nice journey and finally got to do it! After covid years in planning :-) Thank you very much for your review, so glad to hear - despite some rainy days - it was a great experience. Hope to see you back in Norway another time! All the best to you both.
Worth the Wait
Norway
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May 30 - Jun 8, 2022
Linda had to plan our trip not once but three times thanks to COVID. It was well worth the wait! The best part for us was the local touch. While other folks walked around in groups of 20 struggling to hear one guide tell stories, our family had one guide all to ourselves. They provided great insight and a personal touch I don't think we would have had with another company. read more
Hi Jen, thank you so much for your review. It was a pleasure to have you in Norway and plan the trip, through pandemic to finally be able to travel! Love your photos, and to get an insight to your experiences while here. Greetings to the rest of the family and hope to see you in Norway another time! Linda
Wonderful trip!!!!
Norway
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May 21 - Jun 4, 2022
My husband and I recently returned from a trip which included Bergen, Vaerlandet, Fjaerland and Lofoten . It's hard for me to express with words how wonderful our trip was. The credit for this goes to our wonderful specialist Linda. We started planning this trip about 3 years ago . We had to cancel our plans twice due to covid. This involved a lot of work on Linda's part but she was always gracious and happy to help. In addition to planning our route she also recommended and scheduled... read more
Hi Susan, thank you so much for this amazing review! It is really nice to read that thing went as plan (after planning for three years! :-) )and you enjoyed the activities and route we had set up for you and Greg. It was a pleasure working with you and planning the journey and I am really thrilled that you finally were able to travel! :-) I hope to see you in Norway another time, and we can plan again! All the best to you both!
Unbelievably Amazing Family Trip to Norway
Norway
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Apr 15 - Apr 23, 2022
Unbelievably Amazing Family Trip to Norway
Linda very patiently worked with me to plan what ended up being a twice-postponed (due to the pandemic) family trip to Norway. Family travel can be challenging, especially with teenagers-- but Linda's arrangements were spectacular! She really took into account our interests and helped us plan a trip full of adventure. Our guides-- especially our hiking guide, Heidi and our kayaking guide, Craig-- were amazing! The excursions were well-planned,... read more
Hi Jodi,
Thank you so much for this amazing review! I am so happy that you finally manage to come to norway and that you had such a good time! :-) It was really nice working with you, planning this journey - three times! :-) and it truly made my day to hear the trip became trip so "spectacular and memorable" as you put it. Thank you for visiting us in Norway! All the best to you and your family!
I thought Linda did a great job arranging our trip.
Norway
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Dec 20 - Dec 29, 2021
I thought Linda did a great job arranging our trip to Norway.
Unfortunately outside influences affected the trip. SAS changed our flights 6 times which had a knock on affect to our itinerary but Linda was very patient reorganising it multiple times. SAS also lost one of our bags which was returned to us a day later thankfully. We returned to the UK with Norwegian Airlines who seem a great deal more reliable.
I would not recommend travelling to the islands over Christmas when many of the... read more
Dear Karen, thank you for your review and feedback. You had some really bad luck with your trip... I was so sorry to hear when you tested positive early on the trip, and that it finished off your experience way too early and during Christmas. You are right, the reason why many facilities were closed was due to covid and the latest wave of omicron. This is normally one of the peak season for Lofoten Islands... Hope to see you back in Norway another time for a better experience!
Take care, and greetings to your family.
Amazing trip!
Norway
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Aug 24 - Aug 29, 2021
Linda planned our trip to Norway and although we had to wait a whole year to get there, due to the pandemic it was better than we could have imagined! The accomodations were really nice and it was quite easy to locate them. Breakfast was delicious and we could even get a lunch package for on the road. Sorting out transportation wasn't always easy because unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, the trains going from the aiport to the city center were cancelled and information was hard... read more
Hi Jessica, thank you so much for your visit and review! This is very helpful. Am so glad you had such a nice experience in Norway. It is really good to read that despite the pandemic your trip was joyful. Lovely photos, thanks for sharing and so lucky with the weather! I am sorry about the shuttle, will check up what happened here. Hope to see you back in Norway at some point!! :-) Take care
Our 14 day trip to Norway
Norway
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Nov 28 - Dec 10, 2019
Our 14 day trip to Norway was phenomenal! Linda did an amazing job curating our trip with a special overnight at a farm to table dogsledding adventure with Kjell. It was the highlight of our trip! Linda also arranged Sami reindeer sledding, northern lights chasing, private walking tour, fjord cruise, flam railway, another private tour and more. We went from Tromso and worked our way down to Oslo. Linda and kimkim created an awesome experience and also booked fabulous hotels, all with views... read more
Hi Anita, Thank you so much for your feedback! It was a pleasure to plan your trip together. So happy it turned out great!! :) Thank you for sharing your photos, really nice to get a glimpse into your experience. hope to see you back in Norway one day!
Thank you Linda and the Kimkim team for a wonderful, well planned holiday!
Norway
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Oct 4 - Oct 11, 2019
Thank you Linda and the Kimkim team for a wonderful, well planned holiday!
You are very welcome! Great to read you had a wonderful holiday! :-)