ESSENTIAL JAPAN: KUMANO KODO

RATES

• Rates valid from March to November 2027
• PRICES IN US DOLLARS PER PERSON
• SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE AND DEPENDENT ON AVAILABILITY AT THE TIME OF BOOKING
• The program and itinerary rates have been calculated based on the Japanese Yen to US Dollar exchange rate. Consequently, prices may fluctuate at any time due to currency exchange rate movements. Travelers or travel agencies will be notified of any price changes in writing or via other means, as the traveler is responsible for covering any resulting cost differences.
• Twin room (two beds) at the listed hotels or hotels of a similar category.
• Hotel accommodations are twin rooms (two beds); requests for a double bed (one large bed) cannot be guaranteed. As double beds (king-size) are uncommon in Japan, some hotels do not offer this room type.
• Passengers may request a double bed in Kyoto and Tokyo at no extra cost; however, this cannot be guaranteed as it depends on hotel availability.
• Single-occupancy rooms may be smaller than twin rooms.
• Triple rooms consist of a twin room with an extra bed. The third bed may be smaller than the two main beds or a sofa bed, and can be quite narrow. We do not recommend triple rooms for adults. Triple room availability is not guaranteed until confirmed by the hotels.
• At the *shukubo* (temple lodging) in Koyasan, rooms do not have private bathrooms; walls are thin, and doors are sliding.
• Dinner and breakfast are served on the tatami (Japanese flooring).
• The rate for children aged 0 to 5 does not include any of the following: crib, bed, meals, or train and bus seats. If any of these services are required, the child rate applies, even if the child is under 6 years of age. Tours coinciding with dates expected to have heavy traffic and large tourist crowds.

Japanese Golden Week: April 29 to May 5.

• Obon Festival: August 11 to 15.

Tours featuring special excursions courtesy of Ibero Japan:

Cherry Blossoms

• Cherry blossom viewing tour 2027: first week of April
• Cherry blossom viewing tour 2028: last week of March

Autumn Foliage

• Autumn foliage viewing tour: November
• All these tours are subject to change depending on cherry blossom timing, the changing of leaf colors, and weather conditions.

Notes for departures featuring festivals: July 14–16 and 21–23: Gion Festival, Kyoto.

HOTELS

• This is a list of the hotels most frequently used on this tour. It is provided for reference only; passengers may be accommodated in similar or alternative establishments of the same category.
• The tour is sold as a package; therefore, it is not possible to stay in different hotels or switch to a room category other than the one assigned for each departure.*
• Hotel assignments are currently provisional and subject to change.
• The tour is sold as a package; therefore, it is not possible to stay in different hotels or switch to a room category other than the one assigned for each departure.*

TRIP NOTES

• Travel documents are issued 8 days prior to departure.
• This itinerary is subject to change due to road conditions, weather, unforeseen circumstances, or availability at the time of booking.
• No discounts or refunds will be provided if passengers do not use part of the services included in the program (e.g., due to an arrival flight delay). We will spend one night at a *shukubo* (Buddhist temple lodging) in Koyasan.
• We will walk for approximately 50 minutes (about 2 km) along the Kumano Kodo (Kumano Path)—a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the sister route to the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
• The trail runs through the forest and includes sections with elevation changes and steps; therefore, it may be challenging for children and individuals with limited mobility.
• Please bring long-sleeved clothing, footwear suitable for dirt paths, a towel, and an umbrella and/or raincoat.
• If a passenger is unable to undertake the Kumano Kodo walk due to physical condition or other factors (subject to the guide's discretion), they will be asked not to participate. In such cases, the client will wait inside the bus, at Kumano Hongu Taisha, or at a location designated by the guide.
• Meals do not include beverages.

(1) Breakfasts: Japanese-style breakfast at the *shukubo* (Koyasan) and the *ryokan* (Kawayu Onsen).

(2) Dinners: Vegetarian Buddhist cuisine in Koyasan; traditional Japanese cuisine in Kawayu Onsen.

FOOD ALLERGIES AND INTOLERANCES: Please provide the most detailed information possible regarding food intolerances (allergies, celiac disease, vegetarian requirements, etc.) prior to arrival in Japan; please note that we cannot guarantee any specific diet or special menu. Please note that Japan is not generally set up to accommodate such requirements. If there is a risk of severe reactions or if you are unwilling to accept the risk of cross-contamination prevalent in the country, we cannot provide meals. In such cases, we offer a refund/discount of JPY 40,000.

For flights departing from Tokyo (NRT/HND) before 11:30 AM, there may not be time for breakfast. ** Neither a boxed breakfast nor a refund can be provided.

TRANSFERS (ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE):

• Arrival transfer (Kansai / Itami Airport – tour hotel in Kyoto): Scheduled service with a Spanish-speaking assistant. In some cases, the transfer is not direct.
• Departure transfer (Tour hotel in Tokyo – Narita / Haneda Airport): Scheduled service with a Spanish-speaking assistant. In some cases, the transfer is not direct.
• For additional nights (pre-tour in Kyoto and/or post-tour in Tokyo), the transfer is included provided it is to/from the same tour hotel.
• Any errors in flight information or requests to change the transfer time/date will incur a surcharge of JPY 15,000 NET per booking. Even then, the change cannot be guaranteed due to time constraints or availability. Furthermore, if passengers arrive on a flight other than the one reported without prior notification, the transfer is automatically cancelled. Transfers between the tour hotel and a different hotel are not included but can be arranged at an additional cost upon request.
• No surcharge applies for arrival and departure transfers to hotels other than the tour hotel, provided they are located within the city of Kyoto or Tokyo. For flights arriving at KIX between 22:00 and 06:00, a surcharge of JPY 15,000 NET per booking applies to the arrival transfer. ** For flights arriving at KIX between 06:00 and 06:29, this surcharge is waived provided clients agree to wait for the assistant's arrival starting at 06:30. Otherwise, please request pickup at the flight's arrival time, subject to the JPY 15,000 NET surcharge per booking.
• For departing flights between 01:00 and 10:30 from NRT, and between 01:00 and 09:30 from HND, a surcharge of JPY 15,000 NET per booking applies to the departure transfer.

SIGHTSEEING: For groups of 10 or more, the tour operates using a taxi, private car, minibus, or coach with a Spanish-speaking guide as per the itinerary, including admission to monuments marked with an asterisk (*) in the itinerary. *For groups of fewer than 10 people, public transport is used.

TRAIN: Reserved seats in economy class. First class is not available for this program.

GUIDE/ASSISTANT: Spanish-speaking guide/assistant throughout the tour, except on free days.

LUGGAGE: One standard-sized suitcase (up to 23 kg) per person included. A surcharge applies for the second suitcase onwards per person/shipment (payable directly in Japan). Luggage will be transferred directly between Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, and Tokyo. Clients will travel without their main luggage during stays in Hiroshima (1 night), Koyasan and Kawayu Onsen (2 nights), and Kanazawa and Takayama (2 nights).

Please prepare a piece of hand luggage (up to 10 kg) for these nights.

OTHER:

(1) Applicable taxes, highway tolls, and parking fees are included.

Tips for guides and drivers are voluntary.

(2) For layovers in Japan, please allow at least 3 hours between international and domestic flights if using the same airport, to minimize the risk of missing the connecting flight.

If different airports are involved, please allow at least 5 hours between flights.

In all cases, passengers must clear immigration, collect their luggage, clear customs, and re-check in for the domestic flight (please verify this with your travel agency and/or the airline). We also recommend providing a contact number for the clients in case of any irregularities.

(3) If a passenger's behavior endangers tour operations and/or causes disturbance to the rest of the group, they will be required to leave the tour without any discount or refund for the services they are unable to use.

(4) NOT INCLUDED: personal expenses, passport or visa application fees.

OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

The suggested tours listed in the program will be offered by our local operator and may be purchased either in advance or directly at the destination. However, if passengers choose to participate in these activities, they should not book them through a different operator, as the tour schedules may be subject to change. The guide has full authority to modify the order of scheduled visits for logistical, operational, or weather-related reasons, while still honoring the contracted services.

We accept no responsibility for services booked with other companies.

PAYMENT TERMS

• Initial deposit: $500.00 per passenger or the full cost of the airfare
• 120 days prior to trip departure: 50% payment of the contracted program cost
• 90 days prior to trip departure: 80% payment of the contracted program cost
• 60 days prior to trip departure: 100% payment of the contracted program cost