Shikoku Tours

Shikoku Adventure Tour

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6

days

¥258,000

starting price

8

People max.

Matsuyama

starting place

Overview
Pricing
Itinerary
Highlights
Inclusion
Gallery

Overview

Surrounded by sea, with a mountainous interior, and some of the most celebrated rivers in Japan, Shikoku is mecca for adventure travel.

This tour has it all – cycling the Shimanami Kaidō, climbing Mt. Ishizuchi, the highest peak in western Japan, canoeing the turquoise Niyodo River, and rafting the wild Yoshino River.

But it’s not all about adrenaline. You also get to explore the culture of Shikoku, with a variety of food at each stay, and visits to an iconic castle and Shintō shrine. You experience one of Shikoku’s best glamping stays, a cabin on Kuma Highland, a sleek modern hotel, and a mountainside ryokan with a very memorable open air onsen.

A private vehicle allows for a good deal of flexibility, so if the weather isn’t cooperating or you feel like a change of pace, there are always other options.

This private tour is available from mid-April to November.

Who is this tour for?

This a private tour for two or more active people who like to challenge themselves. It’s ideal for families with teenagers, or groups of friends who want to experience the great outdoors of Shikoku. The activities can be calibrated according to your ability and how you feel on that day.

Price

From

  • ¥548,000 / person with 2
  • ¥358,000 / person with 4
  • ¥298,000 / person with 6
  • ¥258,000 / person with 8
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Itinerary

  • The tour starts in Matsuyama, with a visit to Matsuyama Castle. Just climbing the stairs inside the castle is an adventure. Then you drive to the Shimanami Kaidō where you cycle over the bridges across the swirling waters of the Seto Inland Sea. Your accommodation is a glamping site on one of the islands.

    Included: Breakfast, Dinner

  • From the Shimanami Kaidō, you drive to Saijō and take the cable car midway up to Mt. Ishizuchi. The hike from here to the summit is a steep and challenging. You can opt to climb the chains up the cliffs, or take a safer route around the side of the mountain. After scrambling up to the pointed peak known as Tengudake, you descend by a different route to the Tsuchigoya station. If the weather doesn’t permit climbing Ishizuchi-san, you can hike one of the peaks along the UFO Line, or visit the tree top adventure park with zip lines. Your accommodation is a cabin in the woods at Kuma Highland.

    Included: Breakfast

  • The beautiful Niyodo River rises in Kuma Highland, and today you follow the river down from Ehime to Kōchi, canoeing on its clear waters and hiking through its dramatic gorges. After the day’s exertions, you’re ready for some great food and drink at bustling Hirome Market in Kōchi city. Tonight you stay at a modern hotel in the city.

    Included: Breakfast

  • From Kōchi, you head north into the Iya Valley. Here you walk across the swaying vine bridge and hike the Ōboke gorge and the hamlets that cling to the side of the valley in Oku-Iya. Your accommodation is a ryokan with a fantastic outdoor onsen.

    Included: Breakfast, Dinner

  • The Yoshino River is renowned worldwide for its whitewater rafting. You spend the morning riding the rapids and jumping off the cliffs into the river. The afternoon is an opportunity to relax in the onsen at your ryokan, or explore the local area.

  • Today, you leave Tokushima and cross the mountains to Kotohira in Kagawa. The many steps up to Konpira Shrine are a good workout. You make your own lunch of udon noodles, before heading to Takamatsu where the tour ends.

Highlights

Shimanami Kaidō

Shimanami Kaidō

The Shimanami Kaidō is a chain of islands across the Seto Inland Sea, joined by a series of bridges which carry an expressway and cycle paths.

Mt. Ishizuchi

Mt. Ishizuchi

Mount Ishizuchi is the highest mountain on Shikoku and also the highest mountain in western Japan.

Ishizuchi Shrine

Ishizuchi Shrine

This dramatic shrine has compounds distributed all over Mt. Ishizuchi, the highest mountain in western Japan.

Niyodo River

Niyodo River

The Niyodo River is one of the three major rivers of Shikoku. It rises in the mountains of central Shikoku, running southeastward through Kōchi and flowing into the Pacific at Tosa city.

Matsuyama

Matsuyama

The largest city in Shikoku, Matsuyama has maintained its vitality and cultural traditions across the centuries.

Matsuyama Castle

Matsuyama Castle

Matsuyama Castle is a hilltop castle standing on the summit of Mt. Katsuyama, an imposing hill in the middle of Matsuyama.

UFO Line

UFO Line

The UFO Line is a road that runs on the border between Kochi and Ehime prefectures on the Kochi side. It runs for 27 km and offers spectacular views of Mt. Ishizuchi and the summits of Higashikuromori and Nishikuromori.

Kōchi City

Kōchi City

Kochi City is the capital of Kochi Prefecture known for its castle, its historic tram system, its food and the friendliness of its inhabitants.

Iya Valley

Iya Valley

The Iya Valley is known for its dramatic mountain valleys, suspension bridges made of vines, and scenic onsen.

Ōboke Gorge

Ōboke Gorge

A beautiful, dramatic and rocky gorge near the entrance to the Iya Valley.

Lapis Ōboke

Lapis Ōboke

Goblins and ghosts, collectively called ‘yokai’ from the Oboke-Koboke region folklore.

Yoshino River

Yoshino River

The great Yoshino River rises in Kōchi and flows into the sea in Tokushima city.

Konpira Shrine

Konpira Shrine

A Shintō shrine dedicated to the patron deity of sailors and sailing.

Kotohira

Kotohira

A small town in Kagawa, the site of Shikoku’s largest Shinto shrine complex, Konpira-san.

Included

    • Accommodation
    • English speaking driver
    • Meals indicated
    • Activities
    • Transport
    • Basic insurance

Excluded

    • Transport to and from Shikoku
    • Drinks
    • Comprehensive insurance

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