Japan: Koya-san & Kumano Kodo Trek (6 destinations)

Stray off the tourist trail with an eight-day hiking adventure on some of the great ancient pilgrim routes in Japan. The Koya-san and Kumano Kodo treks take you deep through the wilderness and into the mountainous landscapes of Honshu, as you gain insight into the strong connection with past and present pilgrims. Along the way, stop by peaceful temples and monasteries, soak in traditional onsen and discover the cultural hubs of Kyoto and Osaka. This small-group adventure will give you both a physical and cultural workout around the best of enchanting Japan. The active nature of this trip means that the fitter you are, the more you will be able to enjoy it. It is expected that travellers joining this trip will have had some experience hiking before joining this tour. On some hikes you will need to be able to carry your overnight pack on the trail because we will forward your luggage to the next destination. Hiking distances vary from 3 to 15km per day with no more elevation change than 60 to 900 m on one hike.The hikes on the Koya-san trail and Kumano Kodo include sections rather than the whole trail, which gives you an experience of the trails without needing to commit to multiple days of strenuous trekking.When we aren't hiking on this trip, we primarily use public transport, which is efficient and convenient in Japan. Please pack light and compact as you will be expected to transport your luggage between train stations and to hotels, which can include going up and down multiple flights of stairs in crowded areas.In some destinations, you may be staying in a ryokan, which is a Japanese-style inn. It's a great taste of tradition however, not everyone finds futon mattresses on the tatami floor, tiny bathrooms and proximity to other guests as comfortable as more Western-style hotels. Read more about ryokans here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/traditional-japanese-ryokan/Double rooms in Japanese hotels can be smaller than you may be used to (e.g. 20 sqm). Every effort will be made to accommodate double room requests. However, during busy periods, there may be occasions when we are unable to offer a double room, so a twin room will be provided.