Kyoto Highlights Guided Tour

This guided tour of Kyoto begins next to the city’s main station, from where you’ll travel by bus to some of its best-known attractions. The first stop will be the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, whose paths, lined with tall bamboo, create one of Japan’s most photographed landscapes.

The route continues to the Golden Pavilion or Kinkaku-ji, famous for its gold-leaf-covered facades and its reflection in the pond. Next, you’ll visit Nijo Castle, the former residence of the shoguns, with its manicured gardens, tatami-mat-covered rooms and the characteristic floors known as ‘nightingales’. Access to both monuments depends on the option you’ve booked.

You’ll also visit the area around Kiyomizu-dera, a temple renowned for its large wooden platform and its views over Kyoto. With the option that includes admission tickets, you’ll be able to enter the temple grounds; with the basic option, you’ll have time to explore the nearby traditional streets, brimming with shops, sweets and handcrafted goods.

The day ends at Fushimi Inari, where you’ll walk amongst the endless rows of red torii gates that wind their way up the mountainside. After around 11 hours, you’ll have discovered the historical, spiritual and scenic essence of Kyoto without having to organise separate journeys between its main attractions.