Profile photo for Halldor Bjarkason
4705 messages

Halldor Bjarkason

I am Icelandic and have always enjoyed travelling around my strikingly beautiful country. I have also lived in a few different parts of the world and travelled a fair amount internationally, and at some point realised that I had started to identify entirely with foreigners who visit Iceland - Icelandic nature is incredibly powerful especially when you are not used to it everyday. My approach is all about helping people get the most out of their holiday, everyone has their own reason to visit Iceland and understands the experience they want - my job is to make it work in practice and hopefully add a little bit more as well.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialise in customised holidays all over Iceland, and small group tours in the Westfjords region. We plan a lot of sightseeing road trips (self drive and private guided), multi-day northern lights hunts in the countryside, hiking trips, day tours and shore excursions."

How did you get involved in travel?

"In 2011 I moved back to my home town of Ísafjörður and started a travel agency specialised in customised Iceland holidays and Westfjords travel, and have been doing this ever since. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"There are too many things to see in Iceland for any one experience to stand out! It is unique enough to visit Iceland. If you want to be the most unique, visit the Westfjords :)"

Halldor is part of the following groups: Iceland Travel Agents
Skogafoss waterfall, Iceland
How Kimkim Trips Works in Iceland

Travelers love Iceland for its wild landscapes, Reykjavik's cultural charms, and the seasonal magic of the Northern Lights. Work with a kimkim travel specialist to experience it all (while escaping the crowds): discover glaciers and waterfalls, stay in remote farmhouses, hike breathtaking trails, and do Reykjavik like a local. Read on to learn what it's like to plan a trip with kimkim, starting with customizing the perfect itinerary.

The incredible skies of Iceland reflected in the crystal water
Laugavegur Hut-to-Hut Trek - 5 Days

Hike Iceland's best-known trail from the geothermal valley of Landmannalaugar, through the Þórsmörk valley, and along the base of the famous Eyjafjallajökull volcano. On the 35-mile-long Laugavegur trail, you'll see colorful rhyolite mountains, cross black sand deserts, venture into canyons, and hike between birch tree groves. After each long day of exploring, stay the night in cozy, rustic mountain huts.

Iceland
2 Weeks in Iceland - 2 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Glaciers, waterfalls, and wildlife like you've never seen: fourteen days is plenty of time to experience Iceland beyond what you'll find in any guidebook—both on and off the beaten path. Here are two itineraries that make the most of two weeks in the Land of Fire and Ice.

Traveler Interview: Christmas Homestay in Iceland
Traveler Interview: Christmas Homestay in Iceland

Ted Walsh and his family were accustomed to spending the holiday season in sunny Australia, and wanted to switch things up with a real White Christmas somewhere beautiful. And what better place than Iceland? They went all-in with an immersive cultural experience: a homestay in a remote fishing village, complete with authentic Icelandic traditions and, of course, plenty of snow.

A view over Glymur Falls
Guide to Hiking Glymur Falls

The trail to the majestic Glymur Waterfall offers all kinds of challenges - but the stunning views from the top are well worth the adventure. Get to the trailhead prepared for your exhilarating day of hiking with this detailed trail description and other helpful tips.

The colorful volcanic mountains at Landmannalaugar.
Hiking in the Highlands: Iceland's Volcanic Trails

Get off the beaten track and discover Iceland’s otherworldly volcanic landscape on a multi-day hike in the country’s less traveled Highlands region. Choose one of these 3 trekking itineraries and experience everything the storied Volcanic Trails have to offer: lava fields, mountains, and so much more.

Recent trip reviews for Halldor

Our trip to Iceland was truly memorable-highly recommend Kimkim and Halldor
Iceland | Aug 19 - Sep 5, 2021

Mike
Mike S.
Mt. Pleasant, SC | Reviewed on Sep 19, 2021

Our trip to Iceland was truly memorable! Halldor from Kimkim organized a trip tailored for our requests which included lots of hiking and experiencing the more remote, less crowded areas of Iceland. The trip he arranged was a perfect fit for us. We really appreciated his recommendation to head to the Westfjords and include a 3 day "glamping" trip in the Hornstrandir National Park-spectacular scenery and families of arctic foxes who are not shy and came right up to our feet to play. We also... read more

Our trip to Iceland was truly memorable! Halldor from Kimkim organized a trip tailored for our requests which included lots of hiking and experiencing the more remote, less crowded areas of Iceland. The trip he arranged was a perfect fit for us. We really appreciated his recommendation to head to the Westfjords and include a 3 day "glamping" trip in the Hornstrandir National Park-spectacular scenery and families of arctic foxes who are not shy and came right up to our feet to play. We also really enjoyed Stefan, our guide on a one day hike in the Westfjords. He was a wealth of information and we learned so much about the culture, language and history of Iceland. We loved the 6 day Laugavegur hut to hut hike across stunning scenery. We made great friends from around the world in the huts every night. We will never forget the brilliant green of the moss against the contrast of the black lava mountains and the spectacular color palette of the scenery. We even thought the water everywhere, from every tap, was the best we had ever tasted!

In addition to Halldor accurately selecting just the right places for us and an itinerary that went smoothly, he even made last minute changes to our plans while in Iceland due to some unexpected circumstances. We would highly recommend our trip to Iceland, Kimkim and our local specialist Halldor!

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason
Halldor
Halldor Bjarkason
Local specialist in Isafjordur, Iceland | Reviewed on Sep 29, 2021

Thanks a lot for the review, and all the great photos from your trip!

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Jul 22 - Aug 2, 2019

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Saralu E.
Kansas City, MO | Reviewed on Aug 16, 2019

What an experience! Our family thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Iceland. No one, from the youngest to the oldest (ages 4 to 77), has had any negative comment.
We were there almost twelve days and really needed more time. Well, I suppose that will have to happen in a subsequent trip. We were pretty much seeing the southwest quadrant of the island, doing all the activities requested and then some. Halldor was an excellent tourist agent. It must have been quite a feat to pull together such... read more

What an experience! Our family thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Iceland. No one, from the youngest to the oldest (ages 4 to 77), has had any negative comment.
We were there almost twelve days and really needed more time. Well, I suppose that will have to happen in a subsequent trip. We were pretty much seeing the southwest quadrant of the island, doing all the activities requested and then some. Halldor was an excellent tourist agent. It must have been quite a feat to pull together such a nice trip following our (probably strange) requests that included the interests of every individual in this family. He succeeded in doing so. He even made certain that the vehicle in which we would be traveling would be booster seat compliant for the children. Kimkim, your organization has a real treasure in this local specialist!
The lodging was very nice, family-friendly, with nice dining facilities and delightful breakfasts. I was particularly impressed by the fact that most places had an area for young children to entertain themselves while still in sight of their parents.
Our guide, Mr. S, was most accommodating to the various members of our family. He was a good choice! I never heard one complaint, even from the four-year old. Mr. S came up with activities to supplement our experiences, from the requests and questions we asked. There was plenty of participation from the oldest to the youngest. If a question arose concerning our reservations at any previously-scheduled part of our trip, Mr. S got it straightened out. He directed us when, mid-trip, we needed to have our laundry done, locate a postal facility or a bank, etc.

One person had a birthday during the trip. Mr. S oversaw the request of the two children to pick berries, and he prepared a cake to celebrate using those berries. It was delicious! He also recommended museums, eateries, woolen/gift/souvenir shops, and all of the things that one likes to become acquainted with when traveling. I thought that perhaps there would be too much time allotted to rest in the afternoons, but that was definitely not the case.
Everything we did was memorable because of the planning and direction of Halldor and the suggestions of Mr. S. We chased sheep, pointed out "dead" horses, climber a crater, fed retired horses, rode horses, took a sled-on-wheels ride pulled by huskies, counted seals, relaxed in various geothermally heated pools, watched geysers, identified birds, hiked lava fields into a lava cave, saw mushroom production before eating probably the best mushroom soup any of us had ever had, ate hot dogs and more hot dogs, walked to a waterfall, straddled a rift in the tectonic plates of North America and Eurasia, visited a museum a day I think, trolls, history of this country, Vikings, and the list goes on . This is not a trip any of us will ever forget, nor do we wish to do so; therefore, Get ready Kimkim, Halldor, and Mr. S. It may take awhile, but this family will probably be back! Thank you for everything you did to make our trip memorable.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Jun 23 - Jul 6, 2019

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Barbara S.
Great Falls, VA | Reviewed on Jul 13, 2019

Herbert was fantastic. The only reason I didn’t give this a 5 star was because we initially had another specialist Herbert who was extremely difficult to get a response from. I understand he’s not with the company anymore and Halldor was awesome. We spent 14 days around Iceland and saw many out of the way things that we never would have found on our own. The accommodations were all quite nice and the day excursions were great as was the scheduling. And in fact after we were in Iceland and... read more

Herbert was fantastic. The only reason I didn’t give this a 5 star was because we initially had another specialist Herbert who was extremely difficult to get a response from. I understand he’s not with the company anymore and Halldor was awesome. We spent 14 days around Iceland and saw many out of the way things that we never would have found on our own. The accommodations were all quite nice and the day excursions were great as was the scheduling. And in fact after we were in Iceland and decided the fimmvorduhals 2 day trek was going to be too strenuous he helped us adjust the plan. Highlights were the Silfra Iceland explore snorkeling tour. We were so glad that Halldor chose this company. There were many to choose from and I know this was the best from what we saw. The glacier hike was also great as were many of the hot springs. All told it was a great trip we couldn’t have done it without kimkim and Herbert and Halldor!

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Top 12 Family Activities in Iceland
Iceland | Jun 29 - Jul 7, 2019

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Terry M.
Murfreesboro, TN | Reviewed on Jul 08, 2019

Halldoor and Kim Kim were great at creating plan for our ten day trip to Iceland. Everything was high quality, interesting and enjoyable. I would recommend their services highly.

Regarding improvement I would appreciated a little more transparency with respect to price itemization .

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Dec 19 - Dec 26, 2018

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Madelaine L.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Dec 28, 2018

Everything planned worked out perfectly without a single glitch. Our guide and transportations all showed up and were timely and professional. I highly recommend staying at the Bubble and experience it at least for a night. It was one of the highlights of the trip. When we visited the South Coast's glacier tongue, lagoon and Diamond Beach, glacier caves and is when we truly felt we were in Iceland. Tip: Go to the glacier lagoon at sunset, order your beer or hot cocoa and watch the sun set. Beautiful. Thank you for putting together a wonderful itinerary for us. Takk!

Madelaine and family!

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Iceland - 2018
Iceland | Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2018

Armando
Armando N.
Redondo Beach, CA | Reviewed on Nov 03, 2018

We would like to thank Halldor for the last minute planning on our Iceland Vacation.

While searching for the Northern lights, he did a great job at moving us around for our best chances.
Our Itinerary also include some amazing scenic sites and recommendations.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Iceland
Iceland | Aug 18 - Aug 25, 2018

T
Toby R.
Allston, MA | Reviewed on Aug 27, 2018

Halldor did a great job organizing our vacation. We especially liked the first 2 days north of Reykjavík (the Snaefellus area) as there were very few tourists. We liked the hotels except the one in Reykjavik. The Blue Lagoon was fun and we liked the horse back riding. Thanks for the restaurant recommendations they were very good. We enjoyed the black sand beaches and all of the water falls.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Hiking in the Highlands: Iceland's Volcanic Trails
Iceland | Jul 28 - Aug 2, 2018

E
Eugenia L.
Mexico | Reviewed on Aug 21, 2018

Our experience in Iceland was amazing!
We loved all the activities that Halldor planed for us. The place that we liked the most was Landmannalaugar, and Halldor made us a great recommendation of hiking the blue mountain, great views!! Also it was a very beautifull and clear day.
The lodging were pretty good, we loved that they all included breakfast and were clean.
The car rental service gave us a car that wasn't exactly 4x4, it was a good car in general, just on the river crossing part on... read more

Our experience in Iceland was amazing!
We loved all the activities that Halldor planed for us. The place that we liked the most was Landmannalaugar, and Halldor made us a great recommendation of hiking the blue mountain, great views!! Also it was a very beautifull and clear day.
The lodging were pretty good, we loved that they all included breakfast and were clean.
The car rental service gave us a car that wasn't exactly 4x4, it was a good car in general, just on the river crossing part on our way to Thorsmork it was a bit stressfull with that car, but we manage the situation and we did it!
We are very greatfull to Halldor and the people from Kimkim that we came across, they were all very helpfull and kind, and gave us very good advices. We´re looking forward to return back soon!

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Iceland
Iceland | Jul 20 - Jul 25, 2018

Jo
Jo Z.
New Zealand | Reviewed on Aug 02, 2018

The Westfjords were recommended first by Preeti and this was a highlight of the trip. Halldor took over after the initial contact.

Our main complaint is the vehicle. We were assigned a Renault delivery truck that had been converted to carry passengers. We experienced the following problems. The seats were to close together, the van was noisy, but worst of all, the leaf spring suspension made the vehicle very uncomfortable to ride in not only on some of the rough backcountry roads, but even on the well paved roads.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Iceland 2018
Iceland | Jun 29 - Jul 12, 2018

D
Debbie W.
| Reviewed on Jul 14, 2018

We booked a 14 day ring road trip. Planned it a year in advance. Everything went smoothly for the most part, but the hiccups made it more of an adventure.I loved the West Fjords the most the scenery was beautiful and it was the only time sun was shining so that helped. When we had any issues or questions during the trip they emailed us in a timely manner. I would not hesitate to use this service again.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

3-generation adventure to see the soul of Iceland
Iceland | Jun 25 - Jul 1, 2018

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Elizabeth R.
Ithaca, NY | Reviewed on Jul 03, 2018

We had a terrific trip. Visiting Landmannalaugar was probably my favorite - the landscape is incredible and hard to even describe. We hiked through an obsidian lava field to a bunch of fumaroles, and then up to the closest peak for an amazing view. The whole family really enjoyed our trip to Heimaey as well (although as the family member with motion sickness isssues, I had a few complaints!). We climbed up Eldfell and found an active hot air vent, which was very exciting, saw the puffins... read more

We had a terrific trip. Visiting Landmannalaugar was probably my favorite - the landscape is incredible and hard to even describe. We hiked through an obsidian lava field to a bunch of fumaroles, and then up to the closest peak for an amazing view. The whole family really enjoyed our trip to Heimaey as well (although as the family member with motion sickness isssues, I had a few complaints!). We climbed up Eldfell and found an active hot air vent, which was very exciting, saw the puffins and other seabirds, and even had an unexpected whale sighting. Early in the trip, we did some of the more standard visits - Seljalandsfoss, Skokafoss, the glacier at Skaftafell, the glacial lagoon, and other nice stops on the ring road. The first couple were crowded but still lovely to see, and that's saying something given that we come from a town famous for its waterfalls. We also really enjoyed our visit to Snaefellsnes Peninsula - there were extreme winds on our first day there (a steady 50-60 mph with higher gusts), which was wild. We couldn't even make it to the top of Saxholar Crater because I was literally blown off my feet! The next day the winds were milder and we hiked from one village to another through a lava field, along sea cliffs. We also took an F road up to the edge of the glacier. In Reykjavik, we enjoyed seeing Hallgrimskirkja, we had a LOVELY visit to one of the local geothermal pools, and we walked around in the rain. Oh, and we stopped at Thingvellir to see the continental rift, and we couldn't miss seeing the geysir!

We stayed in guesthouses - shared bathroom facilities, and breakfast provided. All but one of them had kitchens, which worked out great because we only ate 2 restaurant meals during our whole trip to save money.

Halldor did a great job coming up with hike suggestions that worked for the whole family (3 generations, ages 4-64). We took a substantial hike every day of our trip, sometimes two, and found his suggestions really solid. It was chilly (48F and raining) pretty much the entire time but we were well prepared and the weather wasn't an issue.

If I had to do it again, I would spend less time in Reykjavik and more time in Snaefellsnes. Reykjavik was just so very expensive - we couldn't afford to visit all the museums (just the animal park, for the 4yo), and although the shops are lovely and I wish I could have bought a sweater, there was no way I could pay $200 for a sweater or even $30 for a single meal. We spent at least half of our last day watching Norwegian cooking shows on the guesthouse's television and eating Icelandic cheese sandwiches. It wasn't unpleasant, but we could have been poking around Snaefellsnes instead. The thermal pool visit, however, was SO WORTH IT.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Iceland
Iceland | Jun 18 - Jun 23, 2018

P
Peggy K.
Tucson, AZ | Reviewed on Jul 01, 2018

All of our guides were very good. The part of the trip we enjoyed the most was the hike in Hornstrandir. The hike was very challenging for us. The elevation gain and distance were just what we expected. We didn't expect the rocks to move around so much as we walked on them. The food at the farm house was great.

The Isafjordur Cultural walk was very informative and enjoyable.

The kayaking was similar to what we experienced in other places. The clothing provided was much better than we... read more

All of our guides were very good. The part of the trip we enjoyed the most was the hike in Hornstrandir. The hike was very challenging for us. The elevation gain and distance were just what we expected. We didn't expect the rocks to move around so much as we walked on them. The food at the farm house was great.

The Isafjordur Cultural walk was very informative and enjoyable.

The kayaking was similar to what we experienced in other places. The clothing provided was much better than we had at other places. I was confident that we wouldn't end up in the water, but it was good to know that if we did we were well protected from extreme cold.

Our guide on the 2 day van ride was knowledgeable and really looked out for us. The weather impeded our enjoyment of the Latrabjarg Cliffs, but our guide to took us back again on the second day and the weather was better. I(but not Peggy) got tired of being in the van so long each day and not being out and walking more. The weather again was a part of the problem. We of course don't fault anyone for that. We were well aware that the weather we saw was about average and could have been much worse.
Overall, Iceland was a new and very different experience. We would have had difficulty planning and navigating such an experience without of expertise of Kim Kim.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Outdoor / Adventure Trip
Iceland | Jun 8 - Jun 16, 2018

Matt
Matt M.
Chattanooga, TN | Reviewed on Jun 18, 2018

Trip was fantastic - I never could have planned this without Halldor / Wild Westfjords. I have no idea what premium I paid to have this trip planned but it doesn't matter - I could never have put something like this together on my own.

I would definitely refer Halldor - and KimKim - to anyone looking to visit Iceland.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

2-Week Ring Road Self-Drive Itinerary: Highlights of Iceland and the Remote Westfjords
Iceland | May 25 - Jun 7, 2018

L
Linley V.
Australia | Reviewed on Jun 10, 2018

We were very happy with the itinerary for our 14 day "package" self-drive trip to Iceland. Included in our package price was: car hire, accommodation at 2/3 star level (including breakfasts), car ferry to the western fjords, entry to Blue Lagoon and Myvatn Nature Baths, and a boat ride at the Glacier Lagoon. Also included was the peace of mind that we could call on Halldor or Preeti in case anything went wrong. We took up the dining suggestion at Tjoruhusid and were not disappointed! It... read more

We were very happy with the itinerary for our 14 day "package" self-drive trip to Iceland. Included in our package price was: car hire, accommodation at 2/3 star level (including breakfasts), car ferry to the western fjords, entry to Blue Lagoon and Myvatn Nature Baths, and a boat ride at the Glacier Lagoon. Also included was the peace of mind that we could call on Halldor or Preeti in case anything went wrong. We took up the dining suggestion at Tjoruhusid and were not disappointed! It was great to have everything pre-booked and to simply hand over a voucher to get the required service.

The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 for the overall booking experience was because some weeks after we had agreed on the itinerary and paid our deposit for the package as quoted, we were told they had made a mistake with the accommodation prices and wanted to charge us more! We refused, based on the fact that the inclusions in the package were very clear right from the start (note: we only ever got one price per person, not an itemised price list for each inclusion in the package so had no idea what each component was worth anyway), had been checked and confirmed by both parties (as evidenced by the email chain) AND we had already paid a third of the total package amount as a deposit, which to us meant we had a contract that was not open to change. The matter was let drop, but I feel it should never have been brought up in the first place - we are not the Iceland experts and so how were we to know the package was "too cheap"?

We were then a bit concerned that the changes made to our accommodation might mean we got something sub-standard, but happily this was not the case and our holiday went very smoothly.

If you want a hassle-free self-drive holiday in Iceland, then planning and booking through kimkim is certainly the way to go!

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Explore Iceland in 5 days - Seven Optimized Itineraries to help you make the most of your Short Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Apr 7 - Apr 13, 2018

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Brette H.
Philadelphia, PA | Reviewed on Apr 15, 2018

Hálldor and Preeti did a phenomenal job in picking the hotels, locations and excursion companies. Everything worked out perfectly, the hotels were perfect and the excursions were private with personable, knowledgeable and great guides.

When I go back to Iceland, I intend on using Hálldor and Preeti again. They’re fantastic and I’m very happy with the experience.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Extream Honeymoon
Iceland | Mar 3 - Mar 15, 2018

Ricther
Ricther T.
the Bahamas | Reviewed on Mar 17, 2018

Halldor was a treat to work with. He was very professional and took into consideration all the aspects we discussed with him. We booked a 2 week extensive trip all around Iceland.

I cannot look back onto our trip and think of a single thing we missed out on aside for some roads being inaccessible due to weather. With Halldor's help we experienced the best Iceland had to offer for the money.

We will definitely use Halldor's assistance again.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

5 days excursion
Iceland | Nov 25 - Nov 29, 2017

Pink
Pink B.
Lovettsville, VA | Reviewed on Nov 30, 2017

Thank you Halldor for a perfect Iceland trip itinerary. The accommodations, car rental and the lay out of places to visit were easy to follow. We feel that we have seen the South Coast and Reykjavík to its fullest. Thank you for being so flexible and patience during the planning stage.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Ring Road
Iceland | Sep 28 - Oct 5, 2017

A
Angelica F.
Tucson, AZ | Reviewed on Oct 11, 2017

The overall trip was awesome and exactly what we wanted. We couldn't be happier with what we did and saw and the experience we had with kimkim.com. We would recommend the website to anyone.

Halldor was great to work with. He brought our vision to life and gave us exactly what we wanted. He kept our itinerary packed and got us to the most amazing, rarely seen places in Iceland. Thank you!

There was miscommunication on the ferry ride we were scheduled to take which resulted in us... read more

The overall trip was awesome and exactly what we wanted. We couldn't be happier with what we did and saw and the experience we had with kimkim.com. We would recommend the website to anyone.

Halldor was great to work with. He brought our vision to life and gave us exactly what we wanted. He kept our itinerary packed and got us to the most amazing, rarely seen places in Iceland. Thank you!

There was miscommunication on the ferry ride we were scheduled to take which resulted in us having to drive an additional 4 1/2 hours to get to our destination. However, because we drove, we got to see the Northern Lights which we may have missed had we been on the ferry, so in the end, we did not mind the drive.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

10 day circle trip of Iceland
Iceland | Aug 30 - Sep 8, 2017

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Gordon M.
Canada | Reviewed on Sep 17, 2017

First, the positive comments. Iceland was a beautiful country to visit and our accommodations were very comfortable.
However, we were quite disappointed in the effort put out by your sub-contractor, Wild Westfjords for a number of reasons. We had expected the same level of service as provided to our friend, Susan Turner.
The itinerary that Susan was given showed a choice of accommodation at each location and specified the cost at each. We were given one choice with the note that if that... read more

First, the positive comments. Iceland was a beautiful country to visit and our accommodations were very comfortable.
However, we were quite disappointed in the effort put out by your sub-contractor, Wild Westfjords for a number of reasons. We had expected the same level of service as provided to our friend, Susan Turner.
The itinerary that Susan was given showed a choice of accommodation at each location and specified the cost at each. We were given one choice with the note that if that wasn't OK, we could be offered some thing else.

Upon arrival at the Hotel Fron on Day 1, we were asked to pay for the room and that there had been no request for a gluten-free breakfast. It took a couple of phone calls to clarify both issues.

The itinerary put together for us seemed to rely a lot on "cut and paste" with little attention to detail. Some examples are:
We learned from the Hotel Fron that the bus stop designated for pick-up for the Golden Circle Tour no longer existed.

Our voucher for the Dimmurborgir Guest house did not state that breakfast was included so we bought supplies only to find out that breakfast was included.

Our Day 6 itinerary stated 466 km on well paved roads. It was somewhat disconcerting to find ourselves on a long stetch of extremely potholed road. Consulting the map we had bought confirmed we hadn't gone astray and that the road section was identified as gravel.

As a volunteer at a conservation area, I was looking forward to visiting the Arctic Fox Center. I was upset when arriving there at 4:15 to learn they had switched to a 4PM closing as of Sept 1st.

Day 8 suggested viewing the teeming bird life near the Svortuloft Lighthouse. The info sign at the lighthouse indicated that all the birds depart before the end of August. Our bird count - zero.

On Day 9, the instructions to visit the Landbrotalaug hot spring near Eldborg were useless to someone who did not have a GPS. A simple instruction such as"Within 200 metres of the turnoff to the Gerouberg Basaly columns, turn on a road marked Stora Hraun and travel 1.5 km on a terrible road to the hot spring" would have been more appropriate.

We were somewhat dismayed to learn that we had a 8AM reservation at the Blue Lagoon although we realized that this was the only morning time available on that day. However the staff at the Hotel Geo kindly informed us that this only meant we could not enter BEFORE 8 AM and that a 9:30 arrival would be perfectly OK.

Our conclusion was that not a great deal of thought had been put into preparation of our itinerary by Wild Westfjords.

Our major concern, however was the lack of financial accountability and the refusal by Wild Westfjords to give us an accounting of the costs of our accommodation, car rental, etc. I do not buy their contention that these are confidential between WW and their suppliers and that we bought a "package". We were advised at the Hotel Fron that the booking there had been made through Booking.com. All the bookings could have been made through Booking.com and those rates are known to the public. Further Booking.com has a 24 hour cancellation policy in most cases so there was no reason why we could not have paid for accommodation upon arrival rather than paying for the whole trip in advance.

The bottom line for Kimkim is whether we would recommend your services to friends planning to visit Iceland. At this point our response would have to be NO if you were to subcontract the service to Wild Westfjord and no financial accountability was provided.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

10-12 day driving tour of Iceland
Iceland | Sep 2 - Sep 13, 2017

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Lee W.
Livingston, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 16, 2017

The trip was close to perfect. Great choices on destinations and activities. One day was overplanned: it would have been too much to get off the ferry at 17:30 in Brjanslaekur, then drive to the cliffs of Latrabjarg, then drive back to Patreksfjordur. So we skipped Latrabjarg.
It was fun to stumble on the Wild Westfjords office in Isafjordur and meet Halldor, Preeti, and the kids. The next day we got to spend a good bit of time with the family. We drove up above town to a ski area to... read more

The trip was close to perfect. Great choices on destinations and activities. One day was overplanned: it would have been too much to get off the ferry at 17:30 in Brjanslaekur, then drive to the cliffs of Latrabjarg, then drive back to Patreksfjordur. So we skipped Latrabjarg.
It was fun to stumble on the Wild Westfjords office in Isafjordur and meet Halldor, Preeti, and the kids. The next day we got to spend a good bit of time with the family. We drove up above town to a ski area to take a lovely hike. When we got back to the car, it had a flat tire (our second of the trip). When we were having trouble getting the tire off, I called the office. Halldor and family actually drove up to help us, made an appointment at a garage to get a new tire, and arranged for a reimbursement from Enterprise. We felt very well cared for.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Fire, Ice and Adventure
Iceland | Sep 2 - Sep 10, 2017

Amanda
Amanda F.
Princeton, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 12, 2017

The driving plan didn't include GPS coordinates or addresses for each location which made navigating hard at times. Some of the hiking trails that were mentioned and sites to see the written directions weren't sufficient enough to easily locate trails/site.

Halldor was very responsive during planning however the driving plan lacked the addressed/GPS coordinates needed to easily navigate the island from place to place.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Honeymoon in July
Iceland | Aug 5 - Aug 14, 2017

M
Michael C.
Canada | Reviewed on Aug 15, 2017

Halldor did a great job at answering all our questions. He was prompt and always gave us options. The advice was well received and everything worked out great. He delivered on every request we had. Great job!

Halldor did a great job and gave us an itinerary that was very well balanced. We visited some of the most popular spots, but there were also special places that had very few people and just as beautiful.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Jul 1 - Jul 13, 2017

S
Shawna B.
| Reviewed on Jul 20, 2017

Kimkim and Halldor provided a great service for us.

I have planned fairly long international travel before and found it exhausting. It was great to just say what we wanted to do and have it taken care of. Everything worked out great in terms of having the vouchers we needed to do all the excursions we wanted.

Iceland is an incredibly beautiful country. Laugevegur deserves its position as one of the top hikes in the world! It is also totally doable in 2 days (but painful). This was by far the highlight of our trip.

Would definitely use this service again.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

8-Day Ring Road Itinerary: Explore Iceland’s Top Places Along Its Most Famous Road
Iceland | Jun 28 - Jul 10, 2017

E
eric d.
Huntsville, AL | Reviewed on Jul 19, 2017

The team was able to work in my added side trips to the schedule in a very efficient way.

Halldor and the team were great, answering all my "silly" questions about how things work in Iceland.
The communication initiated by the team did stop abruptly once my balance was paid though. It would have been better to at least drop me a line a week or so before my departure to verify everything was arranged.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

8-Day Ring Road Itinerary: Explore Iceland’s Top Places Along Its Most Famous Road
Iceland | Jun 28 - Jul 7, 2017

S
Stephen K.
Wayne, PA | Reviewed on Jul 18, 2017

Probably open by saying that nothing is ever perfect so that's my standard. Overall was very good! Was a little concerned about getting the confirmation that things were booked, etc. until ~60 hours before leaving. That said, the arrangements were 99% there (first night accommodation apparently sent email with instructions - Golden Circle Apartments (a code to access key box for identified apartment) - that I didn't have). Apart from that, the bookings were on the money. The google maps and... read more

Probably open by saying that nothing is ever perfect so that's my standard. Overall was very good! Was a little concerned about getting the confirmation that things were booked, etc. until ~60 hours before leaving. That said, the arrangements were 99% there (first night accommodation apparently sent email with instructions - Golden Circle Apartments (a code to access key box for identified apartment) - that I didn't have). Apart from that, the bookings were on the money. The google maps and itineraries were extremely helpful - the pacing seemed right on the money - and the things we discussed were all good additions. A couple of places the roads were unexpectedly bad (from Dettifoss to Horseshoe Canyon on north coast - which threw off our timings - but all other dirt roads were fine. The details for restaurant reservations were good. No, overall is was a good "A" - and I tend to think that nothing is "perfect".

Again, good - trip was good; see earlier page for comments about being a little late with getting confirmations. I would have been happy even if i got just more of an update and a bit of dialogue to provide reassurance. I would suggest a little more proactive communication. BUT, the trip was very good; the pacing was right; the content was right; the accomodations all worked; and the day to day itineraries were very good to follow. Evidenced by "when we tried to add things - that's when we started to push timings, etc. I think some general remarks could help at the beginning - e.g. "you might be tempted to try and drive around some of the early fjords for a view but given them a pass - we've got some great ones to see later" - the itinerary was very good and covered all of the bases. It is easy to try and add - and we tried - and usually we saw something better later that was on the itinerary already..

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Ring Road' or 'Snæfellsnes Peninsula...' 7-9 day Itinerary
Iceland | Jul 7 - Jul 15, 2017

I
Ilona S.
Canada | Reviewed on Jul 17, 2017

The written itinerary and maps didn't match exactly which caused us some confusion a couple of times - nothing too major but when you can't understand the place names, it added some challenges.

Same as above - but by and large everything went really smoothly. For those days where we needed to arrive somewhere at a specific time (ie to catch a ferry), it would have helped if the itinerary had said we would need to leave our hotel by a certain time to view the suggested stop along the way -... read more

The written itinerary and maps didn't match exactly which caused us some confusion a couple of times - nothing too major but when you can't understand the place names, it added some challenges.

Same as above - but by and large everything went really smoothly. For those days where we needed to arrive somewhere at a specific time (ie to catch a ferry), it would have helped if the itinerary had said we would need to leave our hotel by a certain time to view the suggested stop along the way - it was only when we plugged the map in that morning that we realized we wouldn't have time to go to one of the stops we would have liked to make. All the reservations and vouchers worked well so we really appreciated that.

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Where To Go in Iceland: the Best Sights and Activities Region by Region
Iceland | May 25 - Jun 5, 2017

J
Julie D.
Raleigh, NC | Reviewed on Jun 13, 2017

Thank you so much to the KimKim team for putting together such an amazing vacation for us. Everything was customized to exactly what we wanted. An extra special thanks for working with us through our 2-day flight cancellation/travel delay issues!

Halldor was great!

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason

Iceland trip
Iceland | May 9 - May 14, 2017

Mitchell
Mitchell H.
San Francisco, CA | Reviewed on May 15, 2017

Small hiccup that was weather related. Could have been more responsive during the planning period. Itinerary was outstanding and the way that it was adjusted when the weather threw a monkey wrench was great. Otherwise, we loved it.

Timing of responses could have been better. When I started directly emailing him and calling while in Iceland, communication was much better

Local specialist: Halldor Bjarkason