KYUSHU-based tour operator Walk Japan has launched a self-guided walking tour along the ancient Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route, one of only two in the world with UNESCO World Heritage status.
The 7D6N self-guided Kumano Wayfarer tour begins from Kyoto’s Nakahechi trail, taking participants on a hilly, winding path through forests to get to the sacred Kumano Sanzan shrines.
Participants will also pass oji sub-shrines, carved deities and local villages, with opportunities to catch scenic views of tea fields and the Pacific Ocean along the way.
Accommodation will mostly be in family-run inns offering home-cooked cuisine and onsen baths, with a resort stay rounding up the tour.
Priced from 180,000 yen (US$1,752), the Kumano Wayfarer tour includes accommodation, six breakfasts, two lunches and train transfers departing and returning from Kyoto. Flights are not included in the package.
Walk Japan tags the route a level 4 on its scale of difficulty, implying it is “suitable for anyone who can (comfortably) walk at a gentle pace for four to six hours”. Participants are given the option to lengthen or shorten the daily itinerary to suit their energy levels.
