Japan & Taiwan Private Tour

71 Reviews

13 days 12 nights

fromUSD $6298.00

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Upon arrival, proceed through customs and meet your driver just outside the exit gate, they will be holding an “All Japan Tours” sign for easy visibility. Proceed to your hotel by private car. Upon arrival at the hotel, you will be free for leisure.

Hotel Century Southern Tower or similar class

Meet your guide in the morning and traverse through Tokyo’s pristine public transportation system. Firstly, you can visit Asakusa Kannon Temple, an active place of worship where you can see the largest paper lantern in Japan. You can also explore the Nakamise Market, which is located just after the temple's outer gates. This is a traditional-style shopping street with several centuries of history. Afterward, you may visit the Edo Tokyo Museum which exhibits life size replicas as well as miniature models of structures as they were during Japan’s Edo period. You can then enjoy the natural atmosphere of the Meiji Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Stroll through the Takeshita district of Harajuku and surround yourself with fascinating shops and the latest fashion trends. Harajuku is especially known for its more eccentric fashions, but cute and conventional items can be purchased here as well. Not in the mood for shopping? Not to worry – Harajuku also is a great place for people watching!

Breakfast

Hotel Century Southern Tower or similar class

Travel with your guide from Tokyo Shinjuku station to Hakone by way of Japan’s famously efficient transit system. You will travel on the Romancecar limited Express. In Hakone, you will have many opportunities to view Mt. Fuji, if the weather is in your favor. Upon arrival, you may board a Lake Ashi Cruise where you can enjoy and appreciate Hakone’s natural scenery. Take a 20-minute ropeway ride from Togendai to Owakudani. Along the ropeway, weather permitting, there will be great views of Mt. Fuji in the distance. While in Owakudani, visitors will have the chance to experience hot springs and sulfurous fumes along the trails of an active volcanic zone. After your tour, you will arrive at your Japanese-style hotel, known as a Ryokan. Here, you can experience a traditional Kaiseki dinner and enjoy the Onsen hot spring bath.

Breakfast / Dinner

Hakone Yunohana Prince Hotel or similar class

Note: We will ship your large luggage from Tokyo to your hotel in Kyoto. Please pack your essentials for 1 night in a small bag to carry with you to Hakone.

From Hakone, make your own way to Odawara station by shuttle bus and board a bullet train to Kyoto. Bullet train tickets will be included and directions will be provided beforehand. Upon arrival at Kyoto station, you will be free for leisure. If you prefer, you may also add items to your itinerary such as a visit to a traditional wooden townhouse to learn about Kimono, Green Tea Ceremony, Origami, Calligraphy, or the art of Ikebana.

Breakfast

Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo or similar class

Meet your guide in the hotel lobby and tour the ancient city of Kyoto which served as the capital of Japan for nearly 1,000 years. One popular site is the Golden Pavilion which is covered in 18 carat gold leaf. This three-story structure was originally built by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397. You can then visit Nijo Castle, a designated UNESCO world heritage site and a perfect architectural example of castles from the feudal era of Japan. Tour Kiyomizu-dera, a famous temple in Japan that is best known for its large wooden stage that overlooks a hillside of natural scenery. End your day in the Gion Geisha District, where the streets are lined with ochaya (teahouses), exclusive establishments where guests are entertained by Geisha and Maiko. As you have the freedom of a private tour, you may choose to add extra activities to your itinerary such as Zen meditation in a temple with local monks or a Kaiseki dinner with a Geisha performance.

Breakfast

Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo or similar class

Note: Depending on the number of additions made to the itinerary, extra days may be added to accommodate your wishes.

This morning, you may see Fushimi Inari Shrine, renowned for its trail of thousands of torii gates leading up the mountain. Hop onto the local trains once again with your guide as you make your way to Nara to visit Isuien Garden. This is a traditional Japanese Garden with a scenic view structured using “shakkei” or borrowed scenery, fusing the background with the trees within the area. You can then visit one of Japan’s most famous temples and a landmark of Nara, Todaiji Temple. Just outside the temple, interact with the wild deer of Nara Deer Park. There are special deer crackers available at every corner of the area. You may also want to add a Bamboo Chasen (tea whisk) making experience to this day to further your understanding of traditional Japanese culture and crafts.

Breakfast

Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo or similar class

After breakfast, free for leisure until your transfer to Osaka Kansai Airport for your flight to Taiwan. Upon arrival Taipei, an AJT representative will meet you at the arrival gate holding an "All Japan Tours" sign.

Breakfast

Amba Taipei Zhongshan Hotel or similar class

Begin the day with breakfast at your hotel, then take a drive to Taroko National Park. On the way, we will drive along Qingshui Cliffs, a Taiwan natural wonder stretching along the gorgeous Pacific coastline. Then we will take time to explore the Taroko National Park, taking in its incredible features. The star attraction is breathtaking Taroko Gorge, a beautiful gorge lined in marble stone, with a river rushing through a tree-lined canyon. Another must- see is the shrine of the Eternal Spring, one of the park's most stunning locations, where a charming shrine building sits prettily atop a waterfall, making for a picturesque scene.

Breakfast / Lunch

Taroko Liiko Hotels or similar class

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then we depart Hualien and travel to majestic Sun Moon Lake. Taiwan's largest lake, Sun Moon Lake is so-called for its shape, which has a rounded eastern shore like the sun, and a curved crescent western shore like the moon. Lunch will be on your way. Upon arrival, embark on a shuttle boat tour around the lake, which includes views of Lalu Island. The lake's only island is reserved for special religious practices and so cannot be visited, but the panoramic views of the lake are wonderful to behold. If the weather is clear, look out for the elegant spire of Ci En Pagoda. After, you will stay overnight at our lakeside accommodation for a relaxing evening.

Breakfast / Lunch

Hotel Del Lago Sun Moon Lake or similar class

Today, enjoy breakfast at the hotel before departing Sun Moon Lake for Chiayi. Today, our focus turns to Taiwan's astounding natural beauty as we are heading to Alishan Mountain nestled in the ancient cypress forest. Hike through the verdant Alishan National Forest, an exhilarating walk that features breathtaking mountain scenery. Then we enjoy a relaxing ride through the mountains on the Alishan Forest Railway before heading to our hotel in Chiayi and a relaxing evening.

Breakfast / Lunch

Yuh Tong Hotel or similar class

Start off with breakfast at the hotel before we depart Chiayi and head to Taichung. We visit the Wufeng Lin Family Mansion and Garden. Built in the 1800s, this palatial mansion was home to one of Taiwan's most influential families, and included such buildings as a Tower of Prospective Fragrance, a Great Flower Hall, and a Hibiscus-Mirror Studio. Nearby is the Lin Family Garden, which is one of the island's prettiest, with a number of little picturesque features to search for while on your relaxing stroll. Enjoy a delightful lunch before we discover the beautiful Rainbow Village - a little town of surprising street art, with houses painted in a colorful, psychedelic style. From there we visit the National Taichung Theater, built in an ultra-modern architectural style which the architect envisioned as a grand whirlpool, where the construction acts as artistic complement to the galleries on display. After, we explore Fengjia Night Market, Taiwan's largest night market, before a relaxing night at the hotel.

Breakfast / Lunch

In Sky Hotel Taichung or similar class

After breakfast, we continue our route back to Taipei. Our first stop is the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, which is one of Taiwan's major monuments. Considered a Founding Father of the modern state of Taiwan, Chiang Kai-Shek was a famed military general and president of China who administered his government from Taiwan. Many Taiwanese people hold him in especially high regard, and his memorial is a grand reflection of his legacy, with a large bronze statue seated under an opulent pagoda. After lunch, we visit the National Palace Museum, a magnificent museum complex boasting an expansive collection peering back through 8,000 years of Chinese art. Finally, the tour proceeds to the Taipei 101 shopping mall, which is located in the tallest tower in the city and at one time tallest in the world. The shopping mall on the lower levels offers a perfect chance at finding that perfect memento from your vacation. After, we return to the hotel for a last relaxing night in Taipei.

Breakfast / Lunch

Amba Taipei Zhongshan Hotel or similar class

After breakfast, our tour officially ends. Checkout time is 11 am and transfer to Taiwan Taoyuan Airport for departure.