Kyoto Beach, Romance, Getaways and Relaxation Tours 2023/2024

“If ever you wanted proof that cycling is a great way to get to know a country then this is it. And what a country. So different in every respect to the UK. The upside of travelling in November is the glorious colours to be seen all around you, enhanced if you're lucky by blue skies. The downside, and this was outside anyone's control even our meticulous leader 'Tea', is that the weather can be changeable and quite cold at times.We had some challenging days cycling against a very determined headwind. If you're a hardy northerner this will be no problem, but if you're a southern softie bring plenty of layers. Having said that most of the rain fell at night and we were only caught out once and that was at the end of a ride, so you could say that luck was on our side.For the most part the cycling was on quiet back roads with plenty of interesting stop-offs along the way, where our knowledgeable guides shared their knowledge and passion for their country. Hotels were a mix of western and traditional japanese inns which were generally of a higher standard than you might experience on many holidays with the tour operator. The traditional inns were very special and allowed you to immerse yourself, sometimes literally, into this unique culture. The food was excellent, but you do have to be prepared to experiment with a cuisine that is distinctly different from ours. The phrase 'holiday of a lifetime' is probably overused, but if you're prepared to soak up the culture, be experimental and are relatively fit then this holiday will probably come very close to matching that description.And of course the toilets - you're going to be very disappointed when you return to the UK or anywhere else for that matter!!”

“This trip was an excellent intro to Japan! It covered a huge variety from highlights of sprawling Tokyo to rural seaside and mountain villages as well as offering insight into Japanese culture through the eyes of our wonderful local guides, Tea and TaiChi. Despite the weather being colder and wetter than expected ( trust me, bring full waterproofs especially hands and feet as temps were also near zero in places), the sheer adventure of cycling along a beach, up some challenging climbs to our local ryokan and wonderfully exquisite prepared dinners, the photos relect is all smiling through the weather! The rides were punctuated with well thought out cultural stops and a wonderful selection of lunch spots. I would highly recommend this trip!”

“My husband and I called this tour operator just a short month out from our departure. We wanted to add a trip on to an existing trip we already had planned to go visit family. This company was fabulous!! They ask what you wanted to see, your interests and then custom make an itinerary to fit your needs. Ours was a short trip of 5 nights but was packed with things to do. The hotel choices were great. Very nice a fairly roomy for Japan and the locations were outstanding. They provide an excellent restaurant recommendation list, the ones we tried were excellent. The best part was when we got lost or took the wrong train all we had to do was text them and they would get us right back on track, their response time was always immediate. Only thing I would recommend is if the temple, shrine, or castles you visit has a guided tour it is well worth the expense to do it, you learn so much more about the place and its history.”