Japan & Korea holiday
| country: | Japan, South Korea |
| departures: | 2009: 9 May |
| price: | From £3023 (16 days) including flights from the UK, from £2409 (15 days) excluding flights. Single supplement £480 |
the amazing things you'll be doing
A wonderful two-week journey through the scenic landscapes and cultures of South Korea and Japan. For thousands of years cultural and religious influences have shaped the way of life in these two East Asian countries. Although their relationship has often been turbulent, many similarities exist between the two nations.
Those who visit are rewarded with unique insights into the way of life - traditional religions and new technologies, exceptional cuisine and spectacular scenery. We travel from the metropolis of Seoul to the de-militarised zone between North and South Korea, before heading south to Korea's cultural heart of Gyeongju, and the coastal town of Busan.
Next to Japan, and the beautiful island of Kyushu. After exploring the rural landscapes and relaxing in the healing warm mountain springs at Kurokawa, we travel by bullet train to the contrasting cities of Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo. Travel is by private bus, high-speed ferry and train. Group size is 8-16 people, plus leader and appropriate local guides. Accommodation is 12 nights hotel, 1 night homestay, 1 night ryokan. 7 breakfasts and 1 dinner are included.
Those who visit are rewarded with unique insights into the way of life - traditional religions and new technologies, exceptional cuisine and spectacular scenery. We travel from the metropolis of Seoul to the de-militarised zone between North and South Korea, before heading south to Korea's cultural heart of Gyeongju, and the coastal town of Busan.
Next to Japan, and the beautiful island of Kyushu. After exploring the rural landscapes and relaxing in the healing warm mountain springs at Kurokawa, we travel by bullet train to the contrasting cities of Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo. Travel is by private bus, high-speed ferry and train. Group size is 8-16 people, plus leader and appropriate local guides. Accommodation is 12 nights hotel, 1 night homestay, 1 night ryokan. 7 breakfasts and 1 dinner are included.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London. |
| Day 2: | Arrive Seoul. |
| Day 3: | Morning orientation tour; free afternoon. |
| Day 4: | Full day excursion to the de-militarized zone. |
| Day 5: | Transfer to Andong; afternoon tour of Mask village and Bongjeongsa Temple. |
| Day 6: | Train to Gyeongju. |
| Day 7: | Full day city tour visiting the remnants of the ancient Silla Dynasty, including secluded temples, ancient ruins, burial mounds, and National Museum. |
| Day 8: | Early morning visit to Jagalchi Fish Market; high-speed ferry to Fukuoka, Japan. Transfer to Kumamoto. |
| Day 9: | Full day visit to volcanic Mt Aso; transfer to Kurokawa hot springs. Overnight at a traditional Japanesse ryokan. |
| Day 10: | Travel through beautiful mountains to Beppu; train to Hiroshima. |
| Day 11: | Full day to visit Hiroshima Peace Park and Miyajima. |
| Day 12: | To Nara, one of Japan's ancient capitals; afternoon transfer to Kyoto. |
| Day 13: | Full day to explore the temples, shrines and Zen gardens. |
| Day 14: | Transfer by shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo. Free afternoon to explore. |
| Day 15: | Full day city tour, including the Imperial Palace Gardens and Senso-ji Temple. |
| Day 16: | Fly to London. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
 Our local partners in Japan and Korea are both locally owned and run and are committed to low-impact policies. We use small local food outlets which provide income to local communities and (where possible) private accommodation that employ local staff as a matter of policy. All local entrance fees go towards the preservation and conservation of the local museums and parks we visit. For example when in Mt Aso National Park – a sensitive volcanic area – clients are briefed to stay on marked paths. Although the main leader is UK based to provide continuity throughout the tour, our commitment to the local employment and expertise ensures we use local guides as well in both Korea and Japan. In Japan a mixture of professional and goodwill guides are employed. Maximum group size is 16, this is a good size as it is easily manageable in busy areas allowing safe and informative briefings, and is not a number that could be threatening to the rural communities we visit.  We have at our offices worked to reduce our carbon footprint through a reduction of energy use and energy conservation measures. We also actively reduce the waste produced by having active reduction and recycling policies in place. We run annual staff workshops on responsible tourism. Global warming is a reality and to help you make a difference by reducing the carbon dioxide that is produced when you travel we offer a chance to carbon balance your flights. We encourage all our clients to do this and do so for all our staff travel. Go on do your bit! |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |