13 days 12 nights
Specific Tour
14 people
English
Quick answer
A 13-day private tour of Japan and South Korea: Tokyo, a ryokan night in Hakone, Kyoto with Nara, Osaka, then Seoul's palaces and markets, Gyeongju by KTX and Busan by the sea.
From US$1,820 per person for the whole tour, as an indicative price for a small private group in 4★ hotels. It changes with group size, hotel level and season, and is confirmed in your tailor-made quote.
| Day | Route and highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Tokyo | Tokyo |
| 2 | Asakusa, the Imperial Palace and Meiji Shrine | Tokyo |
| 3 | Tsukiji, a river cruise and a free afternoon | Tokyo |
| 4 | To Hakone: lake, ropeway and a ryokan night | Hakone |
| 5 | Bullet train to Kyoto and Fushimi Inari | Kyoto |
| 6 | Kyoto: Golden Pavilion, Arashiyama and Kiyomizu-dera | Kyoto |
| 7 | Day trip to Nara | Kyoto |
| 8 | To Osaka: castle and Dotonbori | Osaka |
| 9 | Fly to Seoul | Seoul |
| 10 | Seoul's palaces and Bukchon | Seoul |
| 11 | Markets, Namsan and a free afternoon | Seoul |
| 12 | KTX to Gyeongju and on to Busan | Busan |
| 13 | Busan and departure | — |
Private tour with your own English-speaking guide · 13 days / 12 nights · Tokyo – Hakone – Kyoto – Nara – Osaka – Seoul – Gyeongju – Busan
This Japan and South Korea tour pairs two neighbors that are easy to combine and very different to experience. In Japan you see Tokyo's temples and neighborhoods, spend a night in a hot-spring inn in Hakone with views toward Mount Fuji, and take the bullet train to Kyoto for its shrines, gardens and old streets, with a day in Nara and an evening in Osaka.
A flight of under two hours takes you to Seoul. You explore royal palaces and hanok lanes, eat your way through a traditional market, then ride the KTX high-speed train to Gyeongju, the capital of the old Silla kingdom, and on to Busan by the sea.
Hotels are 4-star with one night in a ryokan. Private guides accompany you on sightseeing days, while the trains between cities are simple to use and we prepare every ticket in advance.
Easy to moderate. Expect a fair amount of walking in cities, temples and stations, usually 10,000 to 15,000 steps a day, with high-speed trains between cities. Luggage can be sent ahead between hotels in Japan. Suitable for couples, active older travelers and families with children over 10.
4-star hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Seoul and Busan, and one night in a ryokan in Hakone with dinner and breakfast, or similar. 5-star hotels are available on request; we confirm the names in your quote.
Spring (late March to May) and autumn (October to November) are the most beautiful seasons in both countries, with cherry blossom or autumn leaves and comfortable temperatures. Summer is hot and humid with a rainy season in June and July; winter is cold but clear and quieter.
Your guide and driver are yours alone for the whole trip, so the pace, the stops and the start time each morning follow you. The standard version has an English-speaking guide; guides who speak French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese or Vietnamese can be arranged on request (subject to availability).
More ideas: All multi-country private tours · Japan's Golden Route in 10 Days · Classic Korea in 10 Days · China Essentials in 8 Days
Photos: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Craig Wyzik, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Kentagon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; ONO Masanobu, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons; Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; kallerna This photo was taken with Fujifilm X-T30, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Japan and South Korea in 13 Days: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Seoul and Busan is a starting point. Our Hanoi travel designers adjust every day to your pace, interests and hotel style, then run the trip with your own guide and driver.
Your guide meets you at Narita or Haneda airport and accompanies you to your hotel by private transfer. In the evening, take a first walk through the lights of Shinjuku.
Overnight: Tokyo
Start at Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple, and the shops of Nakamise street. Walk through the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, then visit the Meiji Shrine in its forest and finish at the famous Shibuya crossing.
Overnight: Tokyo · Meals: B
Browse the Tsukiji outer market with your guide and taste fresh seafood and sweets. Stroll through Hamarikyu garden and take a water bus on the Sumida River. The afternoon is yours for shopping or a museum.
Overnight: Tokyo · Meals: B
Travel by train to Hakone. Cruise across Lake Ashi, ride the ropeway over the volcanic valley of Owakudani and, on clear days, see Mount Fuji. Check in to your ryokan for a hot-spring bath and a multi-course kaiseki dinner.
Overnight: Hakone · Meals: B, D
Take the shinkansen to Kyoto, about two hours. In the afternoon, walk through the thousands of vermilion torii gates of Fushimi Inari, then explore the old streets of Gion at dusk.
Overnight: Kyoto · Meals: B
Visit Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion reflected in its pond, then the bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji garden in Arashiyama. In the afternoon, climb to Kiyomizu-dera and its wooden terrace above the city.
Overnight: Kyoto · Meals: B
Travel to Nara, Japan's first permanent capital. See the giant bronze Buddha of Todai-ji, walk through the park where deer roam freely, and visit Kasuga Taisha with its hundreds of lanterns.
Overnight: Kyoto · Meals: B
Move to Osaka and visit Osaka Castle and its gardens. In the evening, your guide takes you to Dotonbori, the city's neon-lit food street, to taste takoyaki and okonomiyaki.
Overnight: Osaka · Meals: B
Fly from Osaka to Seoul, under two hours. Your Korean guide meets you and takes you to your hotel. In the evening, walk along the Cheonggyecheon stream in the heart of the city.
Overnight: Seoul · Meals: B
Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace and watch the changing of the guard, then walk through the hanok houses of Bukchon. In the afternoon, explore Changdeokgung and its Secret Garden, a UNESCO site, and the craft shops of Insadong.
Overnight: Seoul · Meals: B
Taste Korean street food at Gwangjang Market, one of the city's oldest, then ride up Namsan to N Seoul Tower for the view. The afternoon is free for shopping or a Korean spa.
Overnight: Seoul · Meals: B, L
Take the KTX train to Gyeongju, the old Silla capital. Visit Bulguksa Temple, a UNESCO site, and the royal ponds of Donggung and Wolji, then continue by car to Busan.
Overnight: Busan · Meals: B
Visit the seaside temple of Haedong Yonggungsa and the colorful hillside lanes of Gamcheon Culture Village, then transfer to Gimhae airport for your flight home.
Meals: B
Your guide accompanies you on all sightseeing days and on the main train journeys. Free afternoons are left for you to explore on your own, and we give you simple notes and tickets for anything you choose to do.
By a direct flight from Osaka to Seoul, under two hours. There are many departures a day; we book a convenient time with your quote.
Ideally six to nine months ahead. Hotels and ryokan fill early in late March, early April and November, and prices are higher; we confirm the best dates for your year in the quote.
Yes. This is a private tour with your own English-speaking guide. We also arrange private guides who speak French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese or Vietnamese (subject to availability): tell us when you enquire and we confirm your guide in the quote. Book early for the busiest seasons, such as spring and autumn.
Nothing is payable until you approve your written quote. We then ask for a 30% deposit to confirm, and the balance 45 days before arrival, by bank transfer or card. Bank details come with your booking confirmation; always confirm them with us by phone or WhatsApp (+84 812 247 572) before any transfer.
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