Guide
All Intrepid cycling group trips are accompanied by one of our cycling leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Our cycling leaders are all passionate cyclists, as youโd expect, but they also go through some pretty rigorous cycle-trip specific training. Each one has undergone on-road training and supervision and knows how to do safety checks, basic repairs and emergency first-aid. And at the end of the day theyโre still regular Intrepid leaders, which means they will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. On this trip we have a single leader that rides with the group, and another that drives the support vehicle (acting as a back marker where needed) There may be times when a client is asked to be the back marker, ensuring no one else rides behind them, if the vehicle cannot travel directly behind the group. Your leader will discuss this at the initial group meeting.
Meals
10 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners
Others
9 days guided & vehicle-supported cycling 9 Days Included Bicycle Hire Kyoto - Gion District walk Kyoto - Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Nara - Todaiji Temple Omi Hachiman historic village visit Gassho Village open air museum Takayama morning market visit Gifu Castle visit Tokyo - Sensoji Temple Tokyo - Tsukiji Fish Market
Accommodation
All accommodation at traditional Japanese Ryoken has shared bathroom facilities. RYOKANS : & MINSHUKUS: Japanese-style accommodation - ryokans or minshukus (traditional inn/guesthouse) involve sleeping on futons or matresses on tatami mat floors, with bedding often packed away during the day. Attached bathrooms/toilets will usually be very small and many will only have shared bathing facilities with certain hours, or times available for booking at reception. Your leader will explain etiquette involved in using the shared facilities. As this style of accommodation will often not have furniture (ie. chairs or beds) in the rooms, please consider choosing a different trip style in Japan if you have difficulty getting up from the floor or have knee, hip or back issues. Some establishments may have a curfew when travellers need to be back in the accommodation - this is usually around midnight. Please also be aware that you would normally be required to change to slippers when entering into your room in such properties. Extra fees will be charged if dirty marks are left on their beddings or towels that require professional cleaning. OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS: Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on a different Intrepid trip than your own. CHECK-IN TIME: Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if weโre arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isnโt always possible which means we wonโt be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION: If youโve purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights. Accommodation in Japan can be difficult to secure at short notice. If you are travelling in Japan before or after your trip, we recommend booking accommodation at least 1 month in advance of travel, especially in high season (March to May, September to November). Hotel (8 nights), Ryokan (2 nights)
Transport
While there are occasions we use local public transport such as trains, buses or taxis to cover long distances or attend non-cycling activities we predominantly use the bicycle as our main form of transport. On most of our trips we also have a support vehicle as secondary transport for travelling longer distances, avoiding hazardous areas to cycle, as a backup should we have any incidents and of course an option for those that would prefer not to cycle for an hour or a day. These vehicles range from a minivan in most regions up to a full sized coach or overland vehicle in others. Your main luggage is transported in the support vehicle BRINGING YOUR OWN BIKE: Please note that due to operational restrictions clients are unable to bring their own bikes on this trip. Bike bag/box restrictions on Trains From May 2020 there will be size restrictions for luggage on Shinkansen trains. Luggage over 160-250cm may require an additional 1000 JPY : oversize luggage fee per train journey. Luggage over 251cm will NOT be permitted on the Shinkansen trains at all. Please note a Japan Rail Pass is not incuded as part of this trip. All train sections indicated as included on the itinerary are prebooked and prepaid as a group and cannot be used individually. INCLUDED BIKES: We use Giant Escape RX3 bikes on our Cycle Japan trip - it is an aluminium frame hybrid style bikes with 27 gears, rigid fork, rim brakes and flat bars and 28mm tyres. For full specs and geometry please see http://www.giant.co.jp/giant16/bike_datail.php?p_id=00000051#specifications An e-bike option (at additional cost) may be available on this trip. We have limited numbers of these bikes available and they are an โon requestโ basis only. A request does not guarantee an e-bike, only a confirmed booking. Please ask your agent for more details at the time of booking. INCLUDED OR HIRE BIKES: CONDITIONS OF USE: You must not mistreat the bicycle and must return it in the same condition as when you received it (excepting ordinary wear and tear). You should immediately inform the supplier in the case of breakdown or loss. The provider is entitled to charge for any damage caused to the bicycle during the period of hire. You must also make sure that the bicycle is secured when not in use. If the equipment is lost or stolen you may be liable for the replacement value of the bicycle. The bicycle remains the property of the supplier and you may not sell, rent out or part possession with the bicycle. You must not use the bicycle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. SUPPORT VEHICLE: While we always aim to ride to our next accommodation, outside of the main cities a support vehicle will also be with you at all times. Please note that the maximum number of cyclists we can fit in the support vehicle is 4. The support vehicle is not with us in Kyoto and Tokyo. Bicycle (e-bike option available , subject to availability) , Support vehicle , Train
Not included:
Others
Other activities and services not included
Optional
Other activities and services not included
Insurance
Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).
Flights
International flights not included.
Start planning your experience
Itinerary of your trip Cycle Japan
- Day 1 Day 1: Kyoto
Day 1: Kyoto
- Day 2 Day 2: Kyoto
Day 2: Kyoto
- Day 3 Day 3: Nara & Kyoto
Day 3: Nara & Kyoto
Experience Style
Mixed
There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but youโre also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.
Accomodation level
Medium
This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.
Experience Type
Small Group
Youโll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.
Physical Rating
Average
There are several physical activities that last from 2 to 6 hours in easy terrains, low altitude flats, or water experiences. Please ask if youโre not sure this applies to you.
Age range
Min: 14 / Max: 99
Age range allowed for this experience.
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