Top Kyoto Day Trips - page 3

Our guide was wonderful and really made an effort to educate us as we drove between sites, so we'd know just what sites to expect and how much time we'd have - she made it fun and had a sense of humor. You really must download WhatsApp if the guides recommend it - they use it to reiterate tourism destinations and info, pin where to find the bus or parking lost, what time to be back, etc. Two members of the tour put us all in a terrible position - they were not using their phones, who knows what they were doing in Nara, but they caused us to run 20 minutes late. She did everything she could but it's Japan - everything and everyone is on time! It's just common courtesy on a tour like this and frankly you should not sign up if you can't follow simple rules. We were forced to leave them behind due to the nature of those time-specific parking lots... but it was a happy ending, as the couple just caught up to us by taking a taxi to the next site. It was unfortunate, and she clearly did everything possible - but how can you help someone who won't answer their phone? Anyway as I said they just found us again, and they obediently stuck to her side for the rest of the day. All that aside - I loved Nara; I think I would spend a half day there to really enjoy the museums, the deer, the Buddha. 90 minutes was too short! Visiting Uji was very special as I'm a green tea fan and they had some great shops. You *must* have cash for their cafes. The trip to Kyoto and the gates was satisfying to see, though by the end of the day it was extremely crowded and a little unpleasant due to the heat. I'm very glad I did this tour as it allowed me to see a lot, and I only hope that I can come back to Japan to linger in these beautiful towns. Grateful to the guide for making this a smooth trip.

We had Mairan as our tour guide and she was fantastic. Not only was she punctual, she communicated all updates either via email or WhatsApp so we were never left in the dark. Mairan was very knowledgeable about the history of the temples we saw and we enjoyed what she had to teach us. This is a great tour to get a brief overview of some of the temples in Kyoto if you have never been to this area before. We had a great time. Bring good walking shoes!

Good private tour overall. Our guide, Mizu, did a good job taking us to all the main sites. Be prepared to walk a lot and our guide at times walked a little fast. Was a very hot day, so be prepared to have a lot of water with you. Would recommend this tour for a good overview of Kyoto.

This was one of the best experiences of our trip to Kyoto. Our guide, Rhea (also known as Sarah), was wonderful—friendly, knowledgeable, and flexible. She adjusted the itinerary to match our family's interests and pace, which made the tour feel very personalized. Traveling with two teenagers can be challenging, but she kept everyone engaged and made the day enjoyable for all of us. We learned so much about Kyoto while also discovering places we would never have found on our own. Highly recommend this tour, and if you're lucky enough to get Rhea as your guide, you're in great hands!

This was my husband and I's favorite activity during our two week trip to Japan! Our guide, Sean, led us on a wonderful tour to several shrines and temples we would not have seen otherwise. He was super knowledgeable and we learned so many cool facts and history. We also loved the stop at the oldest sweets shop in the world to try traditional mochi! We did the 9am tour and the sites were all very quiet and most of the streets we biked on were empty. The bikes were very nice and made it easy to go up hills since they were electric. There was no basket on the bikes, which was fine for us, but just a heads up you will have to carry any bags you bring. Sean also gave us great recommendations for lunch after the tour. We would recommend this tour to everyone!

Alvin was a great guide and a kind human. A side note that is slightly unrelated to Alvin and this tour: if you’re on a tour bus with a large group of people, it is inappropriate and incredibly disrespectful to talk to people on speaker phone. Please do a little research on the cultural norms so you don’t make tourists look as bad as they already do. This is out of Alvin’s hands, just be mindful!

What a great time I had today, the ninja master took us through what ninja expectations were. So we dressed up as ninjas learned how to use some of the weapons the ninjas use and their escape tactics. The ninja master and staff were so great it made for a great experience by every one in the class. Highly recommend this for any one traveling solo and family’s great time will be had by all. Cheers Ralph Havard

Amanohashidate is a must do with family. It was by far the most fun we’ve had in Kyoto so far. Yes it takes 2 hours to get there and back, but there was plenty of time to explore. Jay, our guide, was both hilarious and knowledgeable. He made the trip even more memorable for us with his wit. Highly recommend this getaway to singles and to families. The chairlift ride is a must-do and the highlight of the excursion.