Nara Early Morning Tour (Kyoto or Osaka Departure Available)
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Nara, Japan
- 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Nara is one of Japan's most-visited destinations, which means it gets crowded during the day. Dodge the biggest crowds and enjoy a more intimate experience of the ancient Japanese capital on this early-morning, small-group tour. Admire landmarks including Kofuku-ji Temple and Nara Park, home to free-roaming deer, while learning about the long history of this sacred place.
- Explore Nara at its best, before the biggest crowds get there
- Option to include pickup at Kyoto Station
- Small-group tour (maximum 12 people): A more personal experience
- Learn about the ancient capital of Nara from your guide
What's Included
- English-Speaking guide
- Transportation Fee from Kyoto/Osaka to Nara (Only if you select the option)
- Food and Drinks
- Transportation Fee for returning from Nara to Kyoto/Osaka
- Entrance fee - Todai-ji Temple¥800.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
End point
- Nara ParkNara, Japan
Itinerary
1
Kofuku-ji Temple
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Kasuga Grand Shrine
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Nara Park
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Todai-ji Temple
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- We will walk about 10,000 steps during this tour.
- Not recommended for guests over 75.
- Guests under the age of 6 cannot join.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 939 reviews
Michael_B, May 2026
Fantastic day out in Nara. Be prepared for lots of walking,
The tour was led by Haruka, whose local knowledge of local history, culture, and hidden details elevated the entire experience. Rather than just pointing out landmarks, she brought context, stories, and personality that made each stop feel meaningful. Her explanations around the temples, shrines, and Nara’s role in Japan’s early history added real depth to the day.
Con_M, May 2026
Fun, very informative, Josh was a great tour guide! He was very patient and very knowledgeable on the history of Nara and the sites. We also loved feeding the cute deer!
SUSAN_L, May 2026
Had a great tour with our guide, Nana. She was an amazing guide, very kind and knowledgeable. There are SO many deer in the park and there are stands where you can buy crackers to feed them. Most of the deer will bow at you to ask for crackers which is just the most amazing thing. Can’t wait to go back again!
LISA_D, May 2026
Great tour lead by Aki who had great knowledge and our tour was amazing and relaxed answered all our questions and gave us recommendations for food and things to see
Jennifer_P, May 2026
I highly recommend the early morning tour. Nana was a great leader with so much knowledge to share! She was patient but also kept us moving along, answering questions as we we t.
mariapaula_g, May 2026
Nana was our tour guide she was very kind and helpful. She was very knowledgeable on the history behind the shrines in Nara. Would definitely recommend :)
ZiElad, May 2026
Our tour guide was Josh, He was very knowledgable and always had intersting things to say.
My wife and I had a great time, feeding the deers was awesome.
Marissa_M, May 2026
Aki was a fantastic guide. She’s incredibly knowledgeable and fun. The Nara tour was definitely one for the memory books. So worth it!
Sara_M, May 2026
We had a lovely time with our guide, Airi.
It was quite fun interacting with the Nara deer and learning about the history of the former capital.
Julian_B, May 2026
Our first time in Nara, so we chose a short easy tour to see the sights. This was perfect, to the see temples and deer! Josh our guide was very knowledgable and made the tour really interesting. Definitely a great choice if you have limited time and want to see the main sights. Josh was so helpful by recommending a Katsu restaurant near Nara station, the food was amazing!
Lee_P, May 2026
My wife and I were incredibly lucky to have our wonderful guide, Ayame, just to ourselves.
She was knowledgeable, very friendly, and welcoming, and made the tour such a pleasant experience for us.
I'm guessing, like many, I mainly booked the tour for the dear experience, yet we were blown away by what we saw, the park and temples were so serene and beautiful. The statues are truly magnificent!
Well worth the money and a fabulous experience!
Abby_G, May 2026
Tyki was a great tour guide! We learned so much from him. He was so helpful with navigating the train station in the beginning. The whole tour he gave us new facts and we learned a lot about the history of each spot. He was very personable and easy to talk to. His English was phenomenal. This was one of our favorite tours so far in Japan! He really made the day enjoyable and we would highly recommend the tour with him.
Karni_B, May 2026
We had an amazing Nara tour with Itsuki! She gave a lot of personalized attention and truly made the tour worthwhile and fun. Provided a lot of interesting background information- we learned a lot!
Douglas_C, May 2026
We loved this tour. You get to see all the key sights in the Nara area and there is plenty of time to feed and interact with the deer along the way. It was Golden Week and Emperor’s Day so we expected more people overall and while there were a lot of people around, our guide, Tyki, knew how to weave us through, find little pockets of space, and point out all the important points along the way. My partner and I really appreciated Tyki’s style. He seemed to know exactly how much we wanted to hear and how quickly or slowly we wanted to move through a space. We got to see everything we wanted in a few hours. Tyki was very knowledgeable and able to answer all our questions. He had a really relaxed but confident vibe and offered honest insight that made the whole thing enjoyable. We would highly recommend this tour.
Mark_D, May 2026
Be prepared to walk and bring cash. This for the food for the deer and entrance fee to get into the temple.
Mei was a great tour guide.
Abbie_O, May 2026
Great tour. Josh was a great tour guide. Really knowledgeable, friendly and set a good pace. Would definitely recommend this tour.
Daryanaz_D, May 2026
Ko was an absolutely amazing guide, we couldn’t have asked for a better experience in Nara. He is incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much fascinating history and context that really brought everything to life. At the same time, he was very friendly and easy to talk to, which made the whole tour feel relaxed and enjoyable.
He went above and beyond to make sure we had a fantastic time; showing us hidden gems around Nara, taking great photos of us, and making sure we didn’t miss anything special. We also really appreciated how organized everything was; the night before, he sent detailed and clear instructions on where and when to meet, which made the whole experience smooth and stress-free.
Ko was fantastic, and this was easily one of the highlights of our trip. Highly, highly recommend!!
Dean_C, May 2026
Best tour we’ve been on in Japan. Ko was extremely knowledgeable and easy going. There was more history to the Nara area and sights than we expected. Would highly recommend this tour and you will be lucky if Ko is your host!
Kameshini_P, Apr 2026
Our tour guide Genki was exceptional on this tour. He was both informative and fun. The highlight was feeding the deer. Bring some cash along to buy some biscuits. The visit to the temple was insightful. Hs knowledge of the temple allowed him fill in the rich history that we truly enjoyed.
Stephanie_K, Apr 2026
We had a great time with this excursion! This was a great mix of history and interaction with the deer. Hina was our guide and she was incredibly knowledgeable about both the tour and Kyoto as a whole. She had great anecdotes within the tour as well that made it more personable and fun! Also made sure we were all safely back to our modes of transportation. Would definitely recommend!
Cynthia_W, Apr 2026
Hinano is really nice, she explained everything so well. She really knows a lot about the places. And she even gave me recommendations for other cities. And made sure I made it back fine. If you want to visit nara you should chose this experience.
Angie_B, Apr 2026
Ryuya was great!! Timely and friendly! I would highly recommend this service if you need to get around more efficiently
Surpreet_K, Apr 2026
Tyki was a great tour guide, and very knowledgeable! Very friendly, and answered all our questions. Small group size meant we were properly looked after and beating the rush was a massive plus!
David_P, Apr 2026
We had a fantastic time exploring Nara on this tour. Our guide, Aki, was excellent and provided a very smooth, well-paced experience. Seeing the deer in Nara Park was a highlight, but Aki also provided great historical context at Todai-ji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine that we wouldn't have known on our own. Having a private guide made the logistics and navigation between sites effortless. Strongly recommend this tour for anyone wanting a comprehensive and stress-free visit to Nara.
Andrea_R, Apr 2026
Ryuya was a fantastic tour guide - helpful, knowledgeable, and kind. The organization of the tour was a perfect use of our time in Nara!
Teresa_S, Apr 2026
What a great way to visit Nara - stunning temples and Nara park with all of those deer! Our guide Hina was lovely, and so knowledgeable about Japanese history and culture. It was so worth going on this early- morning tour!!
Alessndra_B, Apr 2026
Great 4 hours in the nature, very fun to interact with the dears, the temple really amazing, Tikie our guide was great.
William_P, Apr 2026
Good walking and moderate exercise. Very good overview of Japanese culture and heritage. Guide was exceptional
Julia_B, Apr 2026
Mei was a good guide. She met us in Kyoto and rode with us to Nara. Mei expertly guided us to all of the sites. This saved a lot of time on a crowded day in Nara. Mei shared historical information and fun facts about each of the places we visited. This was much better than doing it on our own. I would recommend this tour with Mei.
Judy_B, Apr 2026
Mei was a brilliant guide and it was great seeing and hearing about the shrine and temples of Nara. The big Buddha was impressive and the dear very cute. The early morning tour worked well.
From $80.45
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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