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Private Kyoto Tour: Explore the Most Iconic Sights

Kyoto, Japan
  • 8 to 10 hours (approx.)
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Overview

    What's Included

    • Private transportation
      We will use taxi and public transportation if needed.
    • Air-conditioned vehicle
    • Parking Fees
    • Entrance fee - Bamboo forest
    • Entrance fee - Fushimi Inari Taisha
    • Lunch
      Lunch is not included.
    • Temple Entrance fee - 8USD to 10USD

    Meeting and Pickup

    You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

    Pickup points

    Select a pickup point

    Pickup details

    We typically offer complimentary pickups in Osaka and Kyoto. We’re always happy to discuss any details, so if you’d like to request specific arrangements or talk about pricing, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you!

    or

    Meeting point

    • Kyoto, Japan

      We will go to your hotel or the place where you are staying, or you can go directly to the Kyoto train station. We will hold a sign with your name on it.

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    Itinerary

    1

    Kinkakuji Temple

    2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

    2

    Kiyomizu-dera Temple

    2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

    3

    Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine

    2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

    4

    Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

    2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 5 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    • Infants must sit on laps
    • Most travelers can participate
    • Travel Time was included on the total duration of the tour.
    • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
    Supplied by

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Reviews

    4.3
    based on 16 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
    We perform checks on reviews

    Visit to Kyoto

    lesley_g, Apr 2026
    Great tour of Kyoto. Lots of sites visited in a day. Our guide Ann was amazing and very knowledgeable

    To start with our guide...

    Marty_L, Apr 2026
    To start with our guide was wonderful. He was on time. And his English was wonderful. He made us feel very safe while traveling.

    The guide Riku was...

    Elizabeth_F, Jun 2025
    The guide Riku was awesome and very knowledgeable. Answered all questions and he was so pleasant to be around

    Response from Host, Jun 2025

    Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re happy to know you had a great time on the tour!

    Good tour in busy, busy Kyoto

    Kerrie_G, Mar 2025
    Our tour guide was so much fun! His English was excellent. He showed us all of the sites we wished to see. He was very accommodating and a careful driver. The car was clean and reliable. I would highly recommend this tour.

    Response from Host, Jun 2025

    Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re happy to know you had a great time on the tour!

    Definitely SKIP!

    NICOLE_M, Jan 2025
    I booked this tour three days before via a call with a live Viator agent. I needed their assistance to accommodate a party of 10 (vs 9 on the tour description.) I also requested we be seated together in one vehicle. The agent assured me- after contacting the tour operator- 10 would be no problem and in one vehicle. On the morning of the tour, we were picked up by two vehicles, one of which was a dirty car (which we found out was the tour operator’s personal vehicle). The other vehicle was his friend -who she revealed-called him the night before to assist. Ten of us were crowded into these vehicles. They had very very little knowledge of the areas we were visiting and nothing interesting to share that we could not have gotten out of a guidebook or Internet.The female driver in the other vehicle was not from the area and had no information to share to the riders in that vehicle. Also, as she was unfamiliar with the area, she was a nervous driver and got lost a few times, not inspiring confidence in the group. In the end, we all agreed if we could give zero stars we would. The only reason I’m giving one star is because they were amenable to us switching out one location for another. Even that however, should not have presented very much problem given that it was a private tour for which we paid a lot of money and got very little out of. We would’ve been better off just hopping on a public bus and gotten the same experience because in the end they turned out to just be private drivers. We will be requesting a full refund for this experience and urge Viator to reassess their tour operators in the Kyoto region

    Definitely SKIP!

    NICOLE_M, Jan 2025
    I booked this tour three days before via a call with a live Viator agent. I needed their assistance to accommodate a party of 10 (vs 9 on the tour description.) I also requested we be seated together in one vehicle. The agent assured me- after contacting the tour operator- 10 would be no problem and in one vehicle. On the morning of the tour, we were picked up by two vehicles, one of which was a dirty car (which we found out was the tour operator’s personal vehicle). The other vehicle was his friend -who she revealed-called him the night before to assist. Ten of us were crowded into these vehicles. They had very very little knowledge of the areas we were visiting and nothing interesting to share that we could not have gotten out of a guidebook or Internet.The female driver in the other vehicle was not from the area and had no information to share to the riders in that vehicle. Also, as she was unfamiliar with the area, she was a nervous driver and got lost a few times, not inspiring confidence in the group. In the end, we all agreed if we could give zero stars we would. The only reason I’m giving one star is because they were amenable to us switching out one location for another. Even that however, should not have presented very much problem given that it was a private tour for which we paid a lot of money and got very little out of. We would’ve been better off just hopping on a public bus and gotten the same experience because in the end they turned out to just be private drivers. We will be requesting a full refund for this experience and urge Viator to reassess their tour operators in the Kyoto region.

    From $200.00

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 38 days in advance.

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