Create an account sign-up-diamond

Start your adventure today.

Already a member? Login

Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour

Chat with us on our contact page or fill out the form below!

Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour
From $2,650USDBook Now
Your itineraryDates & pricesReviews
6 days from $2,650USD
Easy quote
Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour
Lifetime deposit
Never lose your deposit if you have to cancel your trip.
Personalized Service
Let our experienced travel advisors plan your perfect adventure

On the Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour, you’ll enjoy the wonderful natural scenery of Kyushu through hiking and cycling. Here, locals live by utilizing nature, and you’ll experience their way of life by cooking together and following their trails. The setting for your trip is Mount Aso, one of the world's largest active volcanoes and a dominating peak in central Kyushu. A large eruption in ancient times created a caldera 18 km east to west and 25 km north to south. The eruption reached Takachiho at the foot of the central Kyushu mountain range, where a deep valley was created. Still active to this day, this volcano makes us keenly aware of the overwhelming power of mother earth. In this tour, you will experience both the lives of the people of Aso, who cultivate the volcanic caldera, and the lives of people in Takachiho, who carry on Japanese myths as they live in harmony with the deep mountains and valleys.

The ideal blend of activity and cultural discovery, the Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour is a must-do!

Japan, Asia
Happiness promise

Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour

Hike and bike your way through the island of Kyushu
5.00
(1 reviews)
6 days from $2,650USD
Easy quote
Duration
6 days
Season
Sep
Standard Biking
Type
Guided, Private
Accommodation
Hotel
Difficulty
Moderate (3/5)
From $2,650USD (see prices for this tour)
Get a quote
Got any questions?
Ask a question
National Geographic
Guardian
FodorsTravel
Time
Backpacker
National Geographic
Guardian
Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour
Personalized Service
Let our experienced travel advisors plan your perfect adventure

On the Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour, you’ll enjoy the wonderful natural scenery of Kyushu through hiking and cycling. Here, locals live by utilizing nature, and you’ll experience their way of life by cooking together and following their trails. The setting for your trip is Mount Aso, one of the world's largest active volcanoes and a dominating peak in central Kyushu. A large eruption in ancient times created a caldera 18 km east to west and 25 km north to south. The eruption reached Takachiho at the foot of the central Kyushu mountain range, where a deep valley was created. Still active to this day, this volcano makes us keenly aware of the overwhelming power of mother earth. In this tour, you will experience both the lives of the people of Aso, who cultivate the volcanic caldera, and the lives of people in Takachiho, who carry on Japanese myths as they live in harmony with the deep mountains and valleys.

The ideal blend of activity and cultural discovery, the Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour is a must-do!

rating
Read about our scale for Tour Difficulty Ratings.
Trip highlights

Enjoy outdoor activities in Takachiho, where people live in a deep valley carved by the powers of nature.

Hiking along Kiritachigoe, an ancient path in the central mountains of Kyushu used by locals for many years.

Cycle around Mount Aso, a daunting active volcano with palpable energy.

Explore Satoyama, where you can see how people live connected to nature in a mountain area surrounding a caldera.

We are Australian
We know Adventure
10Adventures only does Hiking, Cycling and Adventure Holidays. Its our mission to help you explore the world!

Trip map

Travellers love 10Adventures

View all
Day by day itinerary
Expand all days
Day 1
See more
Arrival and Briefing in Takachiho
Meet at Kumamoto Airport and drive to Takachiho by minibus. During the drive, you will stop at a spot overlooking Mount Aso. If you need outdoor gear, you can buy or rent it at specialty stores. In addition to the beauty of the deep gorge created by lava from Mount Aso, Takachiho is also famous as a mythological place. It is where the ancestors of the Japanese emperor supposedly descended from heaven, and Takachiho is often mentioned in many surviving Japanese myths. You’ll check in to the hotel early in the evening, so you’re free to visit the mythological sites if you wish.
Distance None
Overnight Location Hotel in Takachiho
Included Meals Dinner
Day 2
See more
Guided Walk Tour in Takachiho Gorge & Bamboo Chicken
On this day, you’ll see the deep Takachiho Gorge and how people live there. You’ll walk along a nature trail in the deep valley and then enjoy outdoor cooking. You’ll be making “chicken cooked in green bamboo,” a Takachiho specialty. After lunch, head for the goal while looking at the terraced rice paddies and tea fields that efficiently use the land of shrines and narrow valleys, which are the heart and soul of local residents. Once the tour ends, it’s dinnertime. You’ll see the Yokagura, a song and dance passed down from antiquity.
Distance 8km, 7 hours, 505 ft of ascent
Overnight Location Hotel in Takachiho
Included Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3
See more
Guided Hiking along the Kiritachigoe Long Trail
On this day, you’ll walk an ancient path that kept people living deep in the mountains alive. With a legendary local guide, you’ll walk about 16 km (9.9 miles) on the mountain path for 8 hours. You’ll leave the hotel before dawn and see the headwaters of the river that carved the Takachiho Gorge, which you saw yesterday, and head to the starting point. On a sunny day, you can see many high peaks in Kyushu in the distance from the starting point. As you see a natural forest thick with massive beech trees and rare plants particular to this limestone area, you’ll hear anecdotes regarding this “pack horse” path on which goods were transported on horseback long ago. A highlight is Mount Ogi at a height of 1,661m (5,450 feet) above sea level, which you’ll see near the end of the hike. After descending the mountain and leaving Takachiho, you’ll finally enter the caldera. Relieve your fatigue in the hot springs and rest.
Distance 16km, 8 hours, 1,085 ft of ascent
Overnight Location Hotel in Aso
Included Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4
See more
Cycling Journey of Minamioguni Satoyama
On this day, you will experience how people live in the exceptional back hills created by Mount Aso’s caldera. The starting point is a high plateau at a height of 900m (2,952 feet) above sea level atop the outer rim of Mount Aso overlooking the mountain. From here, Mount Aso looks like the sleeping Buddha, which is why it is known as “Sleeping Buddha.” Enjoy today’s cycling since it is downhill. Watch the cows graze as you enjoy traveling through the grasslands and back hills. In a place the owner carved out from the back hills himself, you’ll enjoy the blessings of nature by harvesting fresh vegetables with locals and cooking on a kitchen furnace. Afterward, cycle through the quiet town, leave the bicycles, and visit a shiitake farmer who uses nature’s bounty to cultivate shiitake mushrooms on logs. After you hear about unique, traditional methods of production from an enthusiastic young business owner, you’ll harvest and sample flavorful shiitake mushrooms.
Distance 16km, 6 hours, 1,476 ft of ascent
Overnight Location Hotel in Aso
Included Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5
See more
Adventure Cycling in Aso & the Volcanic Cone
This day will be an important day to experience the power of Mount Aso, which continues to spew smoke. Start at Aso Station, which is at a height of 523m (1,715 feet) above sea level and which is the gateway to Mount Aso. You will take e-bikes all the way up to Nakadake Crater at a height of 1,258m (4,127 feet) above sea level. Cycling the grassland trail is a special cycling experience since it is normally closed. Still spewing smoke, Nakadake Crater is a sight to behold. Cycling will continue after lunch. Near Komekura, a small volcanic cone, you will explore the lava tunnels that were naturally formed when lava flowed long ago while looking out over verdant grasslands. Conclude the tour with a cycle of 32 km (19.9 miles) in 7 hours, reaching a height of 780m (2,559 feet). The final dinner will be a barbecue in the hotel garden, which is a famed site of spiritual energy.
Distance 32km, 7 hours, 2,559 ft of ascent
Overnight Location Hotel in Aso
Included Meals Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6
See more
Farewell Breakfast & Transfer to airport
After a goodby breakfast, you’ll drive to Kumamoto Airport. Have a safe journey home!
Distance None
Overnight Location None
Included Meals Breakfast

Why book with 10 Adventures?

We know adventure

Founded by experienced travellers, active and adventure vacations are all we do.

Experience the trip of a lifetime organized by a team of travel specialists who combine knowledge and passion for adventure travel.

Self-guided specialists

With over 600 tours across 30+ countries, we specialize in self-guided tours.

Combine the freedom of travelling on your own with the confidence that all of your logistics are taken care of.

Packed with value

Get everything you need for your next vacation with one easy booking.

We take care of accommodations, luggage transfers, gear rentals, and more - so you can focus on making memories.

World Class support

Get unbeatable support at every step of your journey.

Whether you are planning or travelling, no matter what your question, a real human is always a call or click away.

Hassle free bookings

Have peace of mind for when travel plans change.

Explore our flexible booking, payment, and cancellation options, as well as our Lifetime Deposits program.

Reviews
5
1
4
3
2
1
5.00 (1 reviews)
Sort by: Newest
Dates and prices

This guided tour in Kyushu is always run as a private tour for your group only and the price depends on the type of the room that you choose.

The prices below are per person. Please note that the pricing below is valid till the end of March 2024.

  • Guided groups of 4+: $2,650USD per person
What’s included

Meals

5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners, and snacks are included.

Accommodations

Accommodations for 5 nights are included.

Transportation during the Tour

Transport for you and your luggage is included in the tour. This does not include your flights but you will be picked up from the airport and transferred to Sapporo at no additional cost.

Also Included

  • English-speaking guide
  • All activity fees as described in the itinerary
  • Snacks and refreshments
  • First aid kit
  • Safety equipment and maps
  • A helmet and gloves when cycling

Not included

  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Personal expense
  • All transport not described in the itinerary
  • Flights
  • Visas
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals not previously mentioned
  • Anything not mentioned as included

Optional Extras

  • Additional nights before or after the tour
  • Single occupancy upgrades where available

Accommodation for Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour

This tour is based in hotels. Hotels on this trip are 2 and 3-star and offer modern conveniences that can make this trip more pleasant. Rooms may have access to amenities such as hot tubs, pools, or private decks to lounge on.

In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.

Single Rooms and Solo Travelers
Rooms are double occupancy. You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel where possible. Solo travellers may be required to pay a supplement.

Frequently asked questions

How hard is the Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour?

We rate this tour as a 3/5. You will be cycling and hiking 6-8 hours some days, but most of the terrain is relaxed and there are breaks and non-active days mixed in. A good level of fitness is recommended.

Do I need a visa to travel to Japan?

Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.

Are meals included on the Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour?

5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners, and snacks are included.

Do I need insurance?

Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip, and your insurance should cover hiking and cycling. Get your Travel Insurance.

How do I get to Kumamoto to start this tour?

Fly into Kumamoto Airport (KMJ) where you will be greeted and from where you’ll be transferred to the starting point of the tour.

Is the Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour in English?

Yes, the tour guide is English-speaking.

Where does the Kyushu Hiking and Cycling Tour end?

The tour ends with a transfer to Sapporo, where you can depart from.

Do I need to bring cash?

It is essential to bring cash in Japanese yen. Small restaurants and shops in rural parts of Japan do not accept credit cards. You can withdraw cash from an ATM at the post office.

Do I need special vaccines to travel to Japan?

Check with your family doctor.

Are there any travel restrictions for Japan?

Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.

Back to top
Why travellers choose this tour
At 10Adventures, it’s easy to make memories with the following six optional inclusions on this tour:
We're Canadian
Book with a Canadian company whose mission is to help you travel the world.

Get travel inspiration and discounts

Join our weekly travel newsletter