Tour London To Tokyo Overland Group Tour | Visit United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Japan

Meals

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s health and well-being so we always strive to provide healthy, wholesome and plentiful meals. We will be cooking a lot of meals ourselves using our kitchen on the truck. When we are camping we usually eat breakfast and the evening meal from the truck. For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare too. Lunches are at your own expense. Occasionally we may prepare lunch on the truck when we are in remote areas. When we are staying in hotels, guest houses & hostels (usually in cities) it is often impractical to cook on the truck so during these times we will provide you with an average of one meal per day, usually breakfast at the hotel. Lunches & evening meals are usually not provided while staying in hotels so they are at your own expense. Local food is generally very cheap so if you are on a budget then eat what the locals eat. Western restaurants tend to be more expensive. North Korea is an exception and all meals will be provided during our week there. When it comes to shopping and cooking for the times when we are camping we will divide ourselves up into groups of 3 or 4 people (depending on group size) who will shop for and prepare the day’s meals and clean up at the end. This will work out that you roughly get to cook once a week (depending on numbers). Fresh food is generally available daily so we try and eat meat and vegetables for every main evening meal. We do also cater for vegetarians but we cannot cater for fussiness. In these group situations everybody must appreciate we cannot cater for individual likes and dislikes. Don’t worry if you are not a gourmet cook as your crew are also always there to give advice. All our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook groups food only. For personal food & drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Cleanliness plays an important role throughout this expedition and your crew will make sure an acceptable level of general hygiene is maintained throughout your journey to ensure the wellbeing of the group.

Guide

A Madventure tour leader/driver is provided during this tour. In China & North Korea we have local guides who accompany us during our stay.

Transport

We will be travelling in a purpose-built Madventure overland vehicle approximately 75% of the time on this expedition. A standard bus simply wouldn’t be able to tackle many of the roads we travel on. For the other 25% of the time (from Beijing to Tokyo) we will be travelling on local trains, buses and ferries. The overland vehicle we use is a custom-built expedition truck which can accommodate up to 36 people although most of our expeditions travel with approximately 25 people. Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery. Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your gear safe. Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to. There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board. We spend a lot of nights around the campfire so we take along good axes and saws for the times when we have to replenish our wood supply. We usually carry 500 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots and pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, etc. All our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook groups food only. For personal food & drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use. Fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days. Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet and head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment when we stay at campsites and hotels. We carry solar showers and a toilet tent with us for those times when we are bush camping without amenities. We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we do recommend you bring your own for general use.

Accommodation

You will spend 40% of your time on this expedition in your tent camping and 60% of your time staying in local hotels, guest houses and hostels. Quite often we will camp by ourselves out in the bush or in the desert and other times we will use designated campsites with amenities. The majority of our bush camp locations are usually very scenic and we always strive to find the perfect spot on the banks of a river, overlooking a canyon, behind a dune in the desert, etc. but sometimes we just have to camp wherever we can find a spot. From past experience on expeditions of this length and nature we have found that people prefer to supply their own tents as they are then not forced to share and they can pick a tent that suits their needs. As a general rule, try and choose a good quality lightweight and waterproof free-standing tent that is easy to erect, take down and carry. When we are not camping (usually in cities) we always try to use decent, clean budget hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get – good or bad. When staying in hotels, guest houses and hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of both sexes. There is no camping on the Beijing to Tokyo section of this tour so you can send your tents home from Beijing if you like.

Others

Services of your expedition leader/driver Local guides in China & North Korea Use of our own custom-built expedition vehicle and equipment Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to the vehicle Local transport costs from Beijing to Tokyo An average of 2 meals per day while camping An average of 1 meal per day (usually breakfast) when staying in hotels All meals when in North Korea All accommodation costs (40% camping, 60% hotels, guest houses & hostels) National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle

Not included:

Others

Personal travel insurance Personal spending money (£110 - £130 per week recommended) Visas & Letters of Invitation (approximately £600 depending on nationality) Lunches when camping Lunches & evening meals when in hotels (except in North Korea) Accommodation upgrades Entrance fees to optional sites and national parks Any optional activities Any flights (no flights expected during this tour) Tent, roll mat, sleeping bag & pillow

Optional

Europe Dachau concentration camp, Germany Free Hangar 7 (Red Bull Museum), Salzburg Free Mozart’s House, Salzburg £8 Hop-on-hop-off bus tour & Danube River cruise, Budapest £20 Dracula’s Castle, Transylvania £6 Bucharest walking tour Free Tsarevets Fortress, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria £2 Turkey Blue Mosque, Istanbul Free 3 day Istanbul Museums pass £20 Underground Cistern, Istanbul £5 Bosphorus boat cruise, Istanbul £12 Gallipoli museum £4 Gallipoli sites tour Free Troy Ruins £5 Ephesus Ruins, Selcuk £8 Pamukkale calcium pools £6 Ilhara Valley Walk, Cappadocia £5 Ballooning, Cappadocia £100 Zelve open air museum, Goreme £5 Underground city, Cappadocia £5 Belly-dancing evening, Cappadocia £20 Sumela monastery, Black Sea Coast £5 Georgia Gonio Fortress, Batumi £1 Sataplia National park £2 Bagrati Cathedral, Kutaisi Free Vardzia cave Monastery complex £1 Narikala Fortress, Tbilisi Free Ananuri Fortress Free Kazbegi day hike Free Armenia Genocide Museum, Yerevan Free Erebuni Fortress & Museum, Yerevan £2 Cascade Museum, Yerevan Free Khor Virap Monastery, Mt. Ararat Free Haghpat Monastery, Debed Canyon £2 Azerbaijan Sheki Caravanserai Free Khan’s Palace, Sheki £2 Palace of the Shiranshas, Baku £2 Carpet museum, Baku £3 Gobustan petroglyphs, Caspian Sea £3 Mud volcanoes, Caspian Sea Free Turkmenistan Saparmurat Hajji Mosque, Ashgabat Free Hike to Darvaza Gas Crater Free Jeep to Darvaza Gas Crater £10 Konye Urgench ruins £5 Uzbekistan Khiva highlights pass £12 Bukhara walking tour Free Registan, Samarkand £7 Tajikistan Hike round lake Iskander Kul Free Pamir Highway Free Kyrgyzstan Yurt stay, Lake Song Kol Free Horse riding (per hour), Lake Song Kol £3 Jeti Oghuz hike Free Kazakhstan Tamgaly petroglyphs £10 Cable Car, Almaty £3 China Uighur Old Village, Turpan £4 Jiaohe ruins, Turpan £4 Mogao caves, Dunhuang £25 Rainbow mountain day trip £20 West end of Great Wall, Jiayuguan £6 Bingling Si caves £5 Terracotta Warriors, Xian £15 Pingyao city pass £15 Forbidden City, Beijing £6 Great Wall, Beijing £5 Great Wall, Dandong £7 North Korea Mt. Myohang Free DMZ border tour Free Pyongyang day tour Free Kumsunsan Memorial Palace Free Circus £15 Kumgang National Park Free South Korea Seoul half day tour £30 Bukhansan NP Free Seoraksan NP £3 Gyeongju full day tour by hop on hop off bus £15 Busan full day tour £30 Japan Fukuoka Tower £6 Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Museum £2 Nara ancient town Free Hida Folk Village £6 Matsumoto-jo Castle £5 Jigokudani Monkey Park £6 Mt. Fuji day tour £50 Shinjuku robot restaurant £60

Flights

No flights are included or expected during this tour.

Insurance

It is compulsory that every person who travels with Madventure obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour. You may be covered under your credit card’s travel insurance so it might be worth checking with your credit card provider first. There are various travel insurance companies to choose from and a Google search will bring up a vast selection but for a comprehensive reliable policy that includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation we recommend a London based company named Campbell Irvine, Telephone: +44 20 7938 1734, https://microsite.campbellirvinedirect.com/madventure/. They are familiar with what we do so if you mention Madventure and the tour you are travelling on they should be able to provide excellent cover for you. For people based in North America a company called Allianz offers good cover – Telephone: +1 866 884 3556, www.allianztravelinsurance.com If you choose to obtain your travel insurance through another company please ensure you read the small-print and make sure your policy includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation.

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Day 1 Day 1-12: Europe
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1-12: Europe

Our expedition begins in Hammersmith, London, and after a short ferry crossing over the English Channel we are in France and on the European continent. Our first 2 days are spent driving through France, Belgium and Luxembourg before arriving in Germany where we visit the sobering WWII concentration camp of Dachau.

We continue on to Salzburg in Austria, birthplace of Mozart, where you have a day to explore this beautiful city or take a cable-car up a nearby mountain affording stunning views over the Austrian Alps.

In Hungary we start to notice a change as Western Europe begins to fade. A goulash in Budapest is a tasty treat on a day out exploring the city’s wonderful architecture and a boat trip on the Danube River is a great way to take it all in.

In Romania we visit Dracula’s Castle, perched high in the Transylvanian mountains before heading down to the capital Bucharest where you can visit the world’s second largest building - the Romanian Parliament House.

In Bulgaria we camp near the stunning town of Veliko Tarnovo where you can visit the impressive Tsaravets Fortress before we cross over the rolling green foothills of the Balkans heading for Turkey.
Day 2 Day 13-25: Turkey
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 13-25: Turkey

Istanbul, the city that separates Europe from Asia has it all, and you will revel in the history and culture it offers. Take a boat trip up the Bosphorus, marvel at the Aya Sofya and explore the opulent Topkapi Palace. At the end of the day soak your aches away in the Turkish baths and tantalise your taste buds with Turkish delights!

The battlefields of Gallipoli are our next destination where we pay tribute to the thousands of Aussies, Kiwis, Brits and Turks who lost their lives here in 1915. A truly moving experience.

Historic Troy is an interesting stop on our way down the Turquoise coast to the great Roman ruins of Ephesus. Here we camp on the beach and have a day to explore the ruins and enjoy the sunshine.

Pamukkale presents us with a dazzling white mountainside of natural terrace pools where we get to spend the afternoon soaking ourselves or exploring the ancient Byzantine city of Hierapolis.

Inland on the plateau we reach the fairy-tale wonderland of Cappadocia with spectacular canyons, ancient caves and underground cities carved into the geologically diverse land. Start your day with an amazing hot-air balloon ride and finish it off at a raucous night of belly dancing!

Close to the Black Sea we visit the awe-inspiring Sumela Monastery and marvel at the Byzantine frescoes in an amazing cliff-face setting before continuing along the coast towards Georgia.
Day 3 Day 26-39: Georgia & Armenia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 26-39: Georgia & Armenia

Our first stop in Georgia is at the almost completely intact Roman fortress of Gonio with its 18 magnificent towers and ancient bath-house.

Kutaisi is Georgia’s second city and one of the world’s most ancient. Here you can explore the Bagrati Cathedral, the History Museum and the Old Jewish district.

Close by and well worth a few hours is Sataplia Nature Reserve, home to magnificent caves and the world’s largest collection of dinosaur tracks.

Vardzia is a beautiful cliff-side cave monastery site that we visit for a step back in time and a delicious trout lunch next to the river.

We now head for Armenia and their capital city Yerevan where you have a couple of days to explore the museums, churches, markets and restaurants that make Armenia such a delight.

On our journey towards the mountains dotted with ancient caravanserais we visit the monastery of Khor Virap with it’s wonderful location beneath Mt. Ararat before heading to the turquoise waters of Lake Sevan where we wild-camp on the lakeshore.

Winding our way north through the breathtaking Debed Gorge our last stop in Armenia is at the fabulously located Haghpat Monastery.

Back in Georgia we arrive at Tbilisi, the beating heart of the country where we have a day or two to wander the cobbled streets of the old town, visit the numerous historical churches, museums and fortresses and of course indulge in fine Georgian cuisine.

A trip to Georgia would not be complete without a trip up the Military Highway to the beautifully located town of Kazbegi situated within a stunning mountain range close to the Russian border. Hiking is the most popular activity here and the hour long trek up to the spectacular monastery is well worth the effort as too is the overnight trek to the glacier.
Day 4 Day 40-44: Azerbaijan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 40-44: Azerbaijan

Our first stop is at Sheki, a lovely town nestled into a beautifully forested valley. The town was an important stop on the ancient Silk Route and is also home to the beautiful Khan Palace and a wonderful old caravanserai.

On the shores of the Caspian Sea, one of the world’s largest bodies of fresh-water, we visit bizarre mud volcanoes and the ancient Gobustan petroglyphs.

The cosmopolitan capital of Baku is an oil rich city and exploring the city’s old town filled with mosques, museums, galleries and palaces is a great day out.

From Baku we now take a ferry across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenistan. Please note that this ferry has no schedule so we can not fix dates for this journey, the ferry arrives when it arrives, usually every 3 or 4 days, so we may end up departing Baku earlier or later than originally planned.
Day 5 Day 45-50: Turkmenistan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 45-50: Turkmenistan

From the port of Turkmenbashi we head east and spend our first night at Kow Ata where you can bathe in the warm waters of an underground lake.

Close by and worth a visit is Geok-Depe, site of the Turkmen’s last stand against the Russians, and today home to the futuristic Saparmurat Hajji Mosque which also contains the mausoleum of the eccentric ex-president Niyazov.

We continue to the capital city Ashgabat where it seems the current president is using the country’s wealth to build an entire city out of white marble – you have to see it to believe it! Bring your sunglasses as exploring the city’s monuments and palaces is a brilliant experience.

Heading north into the blistering heat of the Karakum (black sand) desert we camp in the dunes and have the opportunity to take a 2 hour walk to the unusual Darvaza Gas Craters. More commonly referred to as the ‘Gates of Hell’ this burning crater makes for a surreal desert experience and is best viewed at night.

Leaving the harsh desert behind our last stop is at Konye-Urgench, beautiful ancient ruins that were once the centre of the Islamic world.
Day 6 Day 51-59: Uzbekistan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 51-59: Uzbekistan

The perfectly preserved world heritage town of Khiva is our first stop here where we have time to explore the blue-tiled Mosques, ancient mausoleums, glorious palaces, sky-high minarets and thriving bazaars that make this town a firm favourite.

We continue to Bukhara, Central Asia’s holiest city where it is possible to get a glimpse into the past by viewing the architectural preserve of the royal fortress and vast market complex.

Our journey now takes us through the Kyzylkum (red sand) desert where we have a chance of spotting the Uzbek nomads before arriving at the Silk Route city of Samarkand. This city of domes and minarets has some fantastic attractions including the beautiful Registan, Guri Amir Mausoleum and Bibi-Khanym Mosque.
Day 7 Day 60-69: Tajikistan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 60-69: Tajikistan

Our first couple of days in this mountainous country are spent at the beautiful lake Iskandar Kul where you have the chance to enjoy some of Central Asia’s most beautiful scenery.

With a cool backdrop of mountains, lazy tree-lined avenues and pastel-hued neoclassical buildings, we move on to Dushanbe, Central Asia’s best-looking capital.

Our journey east now takes us to an area that has been off-limits to travellers until recently – the Pamir Highway. Regarded as one of the world’s most scenic drives we now wind our way along this extremely remote high-altitude road and take in the mountain scenery of a region populated by yurts and yaks and studded with deep-blue lakes.
Day 8 Day 70-79: Kyrgyzstan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 70-79: Kyrgyzstan

This is a land of magnificent mountains and ice-blue lakes and we spend our first couple of days making our way through fantastic scenery and camping in the valleys.

A winding dirt track takes us up to the alpine lake Song-Kol where we get our first experience of staying in a yurt with a nomadic tribe who set up camp here every summer on the green pastures surrounding the lake. Horse riding, hiking and fishing are popular activities in this remote area.

We now head for the beautiful lake Issyk-Kol, the world’s second largest alpine lake. Working our way around the lake we spend a couple of days at Jeti Oguz where you have the option of trekking into the lush surrounding mountains to explore the area’s natural beauty.

Bizarre Bishkek is the capital where you can sing Karaoke at a street stall, beat yourself with a birch branch at the local baths and do vodka shots at the expats bar.
Day 9 Day 80-83: Kazakhstan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 80-83: Kazakhstan

Our first day here is spent visiting bronze-age petroglyphs in a lushly vegetated canyon at Tamgaly.

Our next stop is the economic hub of the country - Almaty, a modern city with great museums and wonderful restaurants, but should you wish to escape the rat-race then take the popular cable-car up to the top of a nearby hill for a fantastic view over the region.

The desert terrain of eastern Kazakhstan opens up into the beautiful fairy-tale rock formations of the Charyn Canyon National Park and it is here we spend our last day enjoying nature and taking advantage of the canyon hiking and rafting options on offer.
Day 10 Day 84-108: China
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 84-108: China

We enter China via a remote western border and spend our first few days camping on the fringes of the Taklamakan and Gobi Deserts studded with the odd emerald lake.

Officially the hottest place in China, the oasis town of Turpan is a welcome break where you have the chance to visit a traditional Uyghur Village as well as the crumbling remains of the ancient city Jiaohe.

In Dunhuang we find the amazing Buddhist caves of Mogao where a few hours can be enjoyed marveling at hundreds of giant statues of Buddha, vibrant murals and multi-tiered temples.

We continue into the Gobi Desert and visit the western end of the Great Wall in Jiayuguan as well as a few amazing natural sites such as the fabulous Rainbow Mountains.

At Bingling Si we discover a series of Buddhist sculptures carved into caves within a canyon along the Yellow River where a precarious wooden walkway allows you to get close to some of the hidden cliff-face caves and the giant Maitreya Buddha.

In Tianshui we visit the Maiji caves where thousands of statues and frescoes remain within the grotto.

Xian gives you the opportunity to visit the famous Terracotta Warriors and see the archaeologists at work uncovering new finds.

We continue to the well-preserved ancient walled city of Pingyao where we spend a day exploring the atmospheric cobbled streets of this typically Chinese town.

On our way to Beijing we visit the iconic Great Wall of China before spending a couple of days in the capital exploring Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the amazing museums.

Please note: from Beijing we say goodbye to our Madventure expedition vehicle and we will be continuing to Tokyo via local trains, buses and ferries.

The high speed bullet train now takes us east to the city of Dandong where we spend a night in a hotel before departing for North Korea the following morning.
Day 11 Day 109-116: North Korea
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 109-116: North Korea

Today is the start of our journey into one of the world’s most secretive states where you will get to enjoy a weeklong adventure few people in the world ever experience.

Our first day in North Korea is spent on a train travelling through the countryside before arriving into Pyongyang where we check into our hotel and enjoy a Korean dinner before having drinks in the hotel’s top floor revolving bar offering great views over the capital.

Pyongyang will be our base for the next 3 days from where we will make day excursions to some of the country’s highlights including the beautiful Mt. Myohang where the International Friendship Exhibition Hall displays over 100,000 gifts given to North Korean leaders by various leading world figures. Close by we also visit the 11th century Pohyon Temple, one of the country’s few remaining Buddhist temples.

Another excursion takes us to the North/South Korea border where military personnel give us a tour of the area including a visit to the Armistice Hall where the truce was signed at the end of the Korean War. Nearby at Kaesong we will enjoy a traditional Korean lunch and also visit the Koryo History Museum and the Tomb of King Wang Gwon.

We now take a full day to explore Pyongyang and visit sites such as the Arch of Triumph, Tower of Juche Idea, giant bronze statues of the Dear Leaders and the Korean War Museum, but the highlight here is surely the Kumsunsan Memorial Palace where the bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il lie in state. An optional visit to the Pyongyang circus is highly recommended before we end our day at the famous Duck BBQ restaurant.

We now venture to the east coast and along the way visit the tomb of King Tongmyong before arriving at the resort town of Wonsan where you will be able to enjoy the beach with local holidaymakers.

At Kumgang National Park you will have the opportunity to climb the country’s 2nd highest peak as well as explore the numerous walking trails and waterfalls that make the park so scenic.

Our final night is spent back in Pyongyang where you are free to sample a few beers from the hotel’s microbrewery, share a farewell dinner with our Korean guides and peruse the hotel’s gift shop which sells classic propaganda posters and an array of very unusual souvenirs.

From Pyongyang we now catch a train back to Dandong in China where we have time to visit the most easterly part of the Great Wall before catching an overnight ferry to South Korea.
Day 12 Day 117-126: South Korea
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 117-126: South Korea

We arrive into South Korea by ferry and head straight to the capital Seoul where we will have 3 days to explore this vibrant city’s highlights. By day you can visit the city’s 5 Palaces and witness the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony, wander the alleys of the 600 year old Bukchon Hanok Village and explore the trails of Bukhansan National Park. By night you can feast on a traditional Korean BBQ, indulge in a few cocktails unique to Korea and then head to the bright lights of Gangnam where you will find the country’s best nightclubs!

A few hours away on the east coast we reach the waterfront city of Sokcho which is well-known for its fresh seafood restaurants. From here you also have a full day to explore the iconic Seoraksan National Park, probably the most beautiful park on the Korean peninsula, not only famous for its awesome peaks but also for its 2 stately Buddhist temples.

Travelling south we reach the historic town of Gyeongju known locally as ‘the museum without walls’. Here we have 2 full days to explore a Korean gem packed with traditional architecture, tombs, temples, rock carvings and crumbling palaces.

Our final destination is Busan, a bustling port city home to the country’s largest seafood market, scenic coastal walkways, magnificent inner-city temples and the colourful Gamcheon Cultural Village.

From Busan we now take a ferry to Japan.
Day 13 Day 127-143: Japan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 127-143: Japan

We arrive in Japan by ferry from South Korea and our first couple of nights are spent in Fukuoka, a welcoming city boasting the 234m tall Fukuoka Tower, Buddhist temples, castle ruins and art galleries, but the absolute must-do here is to enjoy a meal at one of the city’s ramen (noodle) restaurants for a taste sensation like no other!

We continue to Hiroshima, the target of the world’s first atomic bomb. Far from being a depressing place, present-day Hiroshima is a vibrant city and the Peace Memorial Park & Museum will definitely move you with its powerful message of peace.

Osaka is a modern city of dazzling neon billboards, craft beer pubs, sushi restaurants and izakayas (informal pub eateries) but should you wish to take a step back in time you can visit the nearby ancient town of Nara, Japan’s first capital crammed full of Buddhist temples, shrines and museums with the highlight being the awe-inspiring Daibutsu, an 8th century statue of the Great Buddha made from 437 tonnes of bronze and 130kg of gold!

Kyoto is the spiritual heart of Japan, home to great masterpieces of religious architecture where robed monks still wander through Zen gardens and prayer chants float through air heavy with incense. Take the time to visit a traditional teahouse, wander the historic streets filled with artisans stores and be sure to try the delicate tempura as this is a town of culture and cuisine.

Takayama is a delightful 17th century town perched high in the Japanese Alps best explored on foot to appreciate the fine wooden architecture and friendly feel of the centre. The nearby Hida Folk Village is worth a few hours to see what rural Japanese life was like centuries ago and a drink at the atmospheric Desolation Row rock bar is a good way to end the day.

Matsumoto is a cosmopolitan town with great views of the Alps and pretty streets filled with cafes and galleries but the highlight here is Matsumoto-jo, Japan’s oldest wooden castle dating back to 1595. The castle is a designated National Treasure so be sure to visit and climb the steep stairs all the way up to the top floor for great views of the surrounding area.

Yudanaka Onsen is a hot spring resort which we visit not only to soak ourselves in these natural pools but also to visit the nearby Jigokudani Monkey Park where you have the chance to see the wild Japanese Snow Monkeys bathing in the hot springs.

Our final destination on this tour is Tokyo where we base ourselves in the dazzling Shinjuku district, the nightlife hub of the city famous for bizarre robot restaurants, giant Godzilla statues, fantastic cosplay parks and all-night karaoke parlors. This is also a good place to take an optional day trip to Mt Fuji. The Golden Gai labyrinth of rickety wooden bars is a perfect place for us to have our farewell night and say goodbye to our fellow adventurers who have travelled with us from London to Tokyo Overland!

This tour ends in Tokyo after breakfast on the final morning of the trip.

+10

143 days tour

London To Tokyo Overland Group Tour

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip London To Tokyo Overland Group Tour

Day 1-12: Europe

Day 13-25: Turkey

Day 26-39: Georgia & Armenia

Day 40-44: Azerbaijan

Day 45-50: Turkmenistan

Day 51-59: Uzbekistan

Day 60-69: Tajikistan

Day 70-79: Kyrgyzstan

Day 80-83: Kazakhstan

Day 84-108: China

Day 109-116: North Korea

Day 117-126: South Korea

Day 127-143: Japan

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