Kumano Kodo Trail

On most days you will be walking between 6 - 15 miles / 10 - 24km. There are 3 main days walking on the tour as well as the first day of approximately 3 miles / 4km.

Before your tour, we recommend walking regularly and incorporating some hilly terrain into your routine. Be sure to check the daily distances and elevation changes outlined in your itinerary.

The terrain can be quite tricky underfoot as wet tree roots can be quite slippery at times. There are a couple of short sections with steep drop-offs where care should be taken not to stray from the path.

This walk is graded moderate, though it does involve some days with fairly steep ascents and descents. Within the tour, individual days may vary in difficulty - some might be a bit tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests.

On the trail, accommodation is in traditional, family-run Japanese inns - a mix of ryokan and minshuku.

Ryokan are known for flawless service and beautifully prepared food, while minshuku are more simply furnished and family-run with a less formal style.

Rooms in both are Japanese style, with tatami (straw mat) floors and futons laid out for you in the evening by the Ryokan staff - whether you've booked a double or a twin room, you'll sleep on two separate futons. There are a limited number of single rooms available.

Some ryokan rooms have private bathrooms, while minshuku typically offer shared bathing facilities along the corridor, sometimes as a communal bathing suite split by gender.

Because availability is limited, we can't guarantee in advance which type of inn you'll stay in on any given night. We'll give you plenty of guidance on the etiquette of staying in these traditional Japanese inns before you travel.

If you have nights in Kyoto and Osaka, you'll stay in carefully selected 3 or 4-star western-style hotels.

If you would like additional nights in Kyoto or Osaka please inform us on booking so that we can arrange this for you.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

Please note that single rooms on this tour are limited in number, so it's worth booking early if you'd like one.

Japanese cuisine is one of the highlights of this tour, especially on the trail itself.

Breakfast is included every day, along with several evening meals during your time on the Kumano Kodo.

Most meals are Japanese cuisine, though breakfast in the western-style hotels in Kyoto and Osaka usually includes more familiar choices.

Dinner and breakfast at the ryokan and minshuku are set meals, usually a whole succession of different dishes. Alcoholic and soft drinks aren't included with meals, and tipping isn't customary at hotels and restaurants in Japan.

Because the inns prepare their meals in-house using local, seasonal produce, dietary requests such as gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan are difficult to cater for, and gluten-free in particular is still not widely understood in parts of Japan. Guests with nut allergies should also be aware that nuts, particularly walnuts, are used in many local dishes and sauces.

It is essential that all dietary requirements and allergies are communicated to us in detail at the time of booking.

Japanese Inns prepare their meals in-house and take great pride in their cuisine which showcases the best seasonal and local produce it has to offer.

Gluten-free is still poorly understood in some parts of Japan, and the base ingredients of Japanese cuisine contain a large amount of gluten or fish.

For vegetarians or vegans, whilst, in some cases you think it's easy for them just to make you vegetables and rice but this is not the case. The inns may be family-run and simply cannot make alternate meals due to resources at hand or more commonly that the meals and hot spring baths are the largest attraction to staying at an inn for domestic Japanese travellers and the innkeeper's sense of pride will cause them to simply decline these requests fearing the customer will be unsatisfied.

Guests with nut allergies should also be aware that nuts, particularly walnuts are used in many local dishes and sauces.

This means that dietary requests such as gluten-free, nut-free and strict vegetarian and vegan are very difficult to cater to – even if you are happy not to eat the provided food and bring your own substitutions.

It is essential that all dietary requirements and allergies are communicated to us in detail at the time of booking.

You may find that residents who have moved to the country have set up local businesses such as Japanese inns, cafes, and coffee roasters along the trail. These residents are more progressive in attitudes and many have opened a vegan cafe, or are willing to substitute the fish stock for mushroom or seaweed stock at their inns – these are far and few between, but we hope they will increase in numbers so that the food becomes more accessible to all.

The Kumano Kodo is available year-round, though we recommend traveling between April and November.

The region can see occasional snow from December to February, with much shorter daylight hours, so we offer a slightly adapted itinerary during the winter months.

It can get hot and humid in July and August, so keep this in mind if you're considering traveling then - overall, the best months to travel are either April to June or September to November.

The route is (rightly so) very popular, and the numbers are restricted by the amount of accommodation available – so we strongly advice you to book as far ahead as you possibly can.

Japanese holiday periods such as New Year, Golden Week and the O-bon Festival, as well as the Cherry Blossom season (late March to early May) are especially busy, and prices can sometimes be higher than advertised due to demand. If the establishments in Takahara are full you will stay in Tanabe on the first night, and the following day complete the first two sections of the walk to Chikatsuyu.

During January & February - In order to make the itinerary work during the winter months, we offer a slightly adapted version during this time.

This variation also highlights the location of Kawayu Onsen which is a hot spring town. For a limited time during winter, the thermal river is transformed into a giant open-air bath created by digging down through the rocky river bed to allow the natural hot spring waters to rise closer to the surface and bring the temperature of the natural mineral river to a soothingly warm temperature to contrast the cold winter temperatures, and locals and travellers alike can soak and relax in the hot water (around 40 degrees Celsius).

The layout for the Kumano Kodo Winter Trail is:
Day 1: Regional Farm Experience in Azikuno - overnight in Kii-Tanabe
Day 2: Hike from Takijiri to Chikatsuyu - overnight in Chikatsuyu
Day 3: Hike from Chikatsuyu to Nonaka and Hongu - overnight in Kawayu Onsen
Day 4: Hike from Ukegawa to Koguchi - overnight in Koguchi (* or Kawayu Onsen if you prefer to relax and enjoy the area)
Day 5: Hike from Koguchi to Nachi-san - overnight in Kii-Katsura
Day 6: Onward travels

Luggage transfer is not included as standard, but there are options. Whilst this is different to many of our tours, there are important reasons for this. Many of the smaller accommodations we use along the trails aren't set up to handle larger suitcases. They often have delicate tatami flooring and narrow hallways or staircases that can be easily damaged by heavy or large bags.

We would encourage you to pack light and bring only what you truly need for the walk. Accommodations provide amenities such as soap, shampoo, hairdryers, and cotton robes called yukata, which you can wear around the accommodation, so you only need to bring your hiking clothing. Additionally, many accommodations offer laundry facilities, so with just a bit of planning, it’s easy to pack a minimal amount of clothing and schedule in a washing day mid-tour.

There are two options for your luggage: Takkubin or Daily Luggage transfers. For the reasons detailed above we do highly recommend the Takkubin as the preferred option.

What is Takkubin (sometimes Takkyubin or Takuhaibin)?

You can use the Japanese Takkubin service to have access to your bag in the middle of your itinerary. Most walkers send the luggage on to the next large city (you can specify the exact date and time of delivery up to a week or two ahead) and walk with their day pack.

Takkubin is a luggage courier service which you can only book once you are in Japan. It is reliable and well-priced at approximately £15/$20 per journey (you will have 2 on this itinerary). Your bags will not be moved each day. The price is based per bag under 25kg/55lbs. You pay per bag, so it is more economical to send one larger bag rather than several smaller ones. Do not send open bags or loose items.

You need the address to which you are sending your luggage, preferably written in Japanese- someone will help you with this! Delivery normally takes a minimum of 24 hours (but a minimum of 72 hours to an airport location). You cannot receive your luggage on the same day that you send it.

Luggage option 1 - Self-Booked with Takkubin

On the Kumano Kodo Trail, you have access to your luggage only when in Yunomine Onsen. The other nights you have to carry your essentials with you. We recommend this method as you do not have to navigate the trains and buses with your main large suitcase.

With Takkubin your Kumano Kodo luggage access would be:

• You send your luggage from Kyoto (or from wherever you are before you start your hike) to Yunomine Onsen. You travel by train & bus with your overnight things (and no heavy suitcase) to Takijri and hike to Takahara. No access to main bag.
• Hike to Chikatsuyu. No access to main bag.
• Hike to Yunomine. Access to main bag.
• Day in Yunomine. Access to main bag.
• Send your main bag to the destination after your hike (Osaka). You travel/hike to Kii-Katsuura. No access to main bag.
• Kii-Katsuura. Train to Osaka (no heavy suitcase). Reunited with luggage at hotel at end of day.

Luggage option 2 - Pre-bookable through Macs Adventure

This allows you to have access to your luggage on all nights. You must pre-book with Macs (Please note - Must be booked at least 22 days before travel). You will have to take your suitcase with you on the trains and buses at the start and end of the hike, which can be difficult if cumbersome.

With daily luggage transfers, your Kumano Kodo luggage transfers and access would be:

• You need to take your own luggage with you from Kyoto (or from wherever you come from to the start of the trail) on the train and then the bus to Takijiri. You leave your bags here at the Tourist Office and walk to Takahara. Access to main bags.
• Hike to Chikatsuyu. Access to main bags.
• Hike/Travel to Yunomine Onsen. Access to main bags.
• Day Yunomine. Access to main bags.
• Hike/Travel to Kii-Katsuura. Access to main bags.
• Take your bags with you on the train to Osaka or onwards travel.

We highly recommend using Takkubin, a local luggage courier service, to move your main bag between certain points on the trail - it's reliable, well-priced, and based on a per-bag weight limit of around 25kg/55lbs. This service can only be booked once you're in Japan, and full details of how to use it are included in your final documentation. The live site for this route doesn't currently state a Macs Adventure luggage weight limit, as luggage transfer here isn't handled the same way as on our other tours.

The route is partly waymarked, in both English and Japanese, and we provide detailed route notes and topographic maps so you shouldn't have any problems following the trail.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

By air, the best airport to fly into and out of is Osaka Kansai Airport (KIX), which has flights from international destinations, or you can use Tokyo Narita (NRT) and take an internal flight or the shinkansen bullet train on to Kyoto (around 3 hours 30 minutes). West Japan Rail Company operates services between Kansai Airport and Osaka or Kyoto, and the Airport Express HARUKA on the Kansai Airport Line takes around 75 minutes to Kyoto.

Your package includes train tickets from/to Kyoto or Osaka. The public transport system in Japan is world class and the pack you receive on arrival has your train tickets and detailed information on how to use public transport easily.

The Kumano Kodo is an ancient pilgrimage located on the remote Kii Peninsula. With a history going back more than 1,000 years, the Kumano Kodō has long been a pilgrimage walked by people from all levels of society, ranging from common folk to emperors. This ancient pilgrimage is made up of several trails, including the Nakahechi, Kiiji, Iseji, Kohechi, and Ohechi.

Our 6-day Kumano Kodo follows the classic Nakahechi route, including the Ogumotorigoe Pass approach to Nachi Grand Shrine. In 2015, the Dual Pilgrim programme was developed to honor those people who have completed both the Kumano Kodo and the Way of St James (Camino de Santiago), both UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage routes.

The Dual Pilgrim Credential is a type of passport for pilgrims. It is used to collect stamps along the trail as a record of the walk. There are two sides, one for the Kumano Kodo and one for the Way of St. James. You will receive this stamp book in your documentation on arrival in Japan.

To receive Dual Pilgrim status you must walk the final 100 km / 62 miles of the Way of St James (or cycle the final 200 km / 125 miles) and travel from Takijiri-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha on foot (38 km / 24 miles) and which you do on our Kumano Kodo tour.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

Traditional accommodation along the trail provides robes and indoor shoes for evening wear, and outdoor shoes aren't worn inside, so you don't need to pack anything extra for evenings at your ryokan or minshuku.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport. Information is provided on how to do this when you arrive.

Because the accommodations along the Kumano Kodo are small and family-run, it's worth booking as far ahead as you can, especially around the Cherry Blossom season in spring - availability can change from one day to the next.

Check your visa requirements with your home country's foreign office or the Japanese embassy before you travel.

You don't need to speak Japanese to enjoy this tour. Our detailed Tour Info and a little effort on your part will get you by just fine, and most signs along the way are also in English.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation