Best of Kumano Kodo Mountain to Sea Walk & Cruise 5D4N, Self Guided

The departure point is Kii-Tanabe.

By train from Kyoto
Kyoto > Kii-Tanabe (2 hrs 35min)

By train from Osaka
Shin-Osaka > Kii-Tanabe (2 hrs)

Day 1: Approximately 4 km
Day 2: Approximately 10 km
Day 3: Approximately 7 - 9 km
Day 4: Traditional boat trip to Shingu
Day 5: Approximately 2.5 km

A "Dual Pilgrim" is someone who has walked both the Kumano Kodo and the Way of St.James (Camino de Santiago).

This program was developed to celebrate, honor, and share the stories of those who have completed both of these UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage routes.

Dual Pilgrims receive a limited edition "DUAL PILGRIM" pin badge and are featured on the Dual Pilgrim. (Inclusion on the website is optional).

To receive the Dual Pilgrim status, pilgrims must complete one of the options for the Way of St. James, and one of the options for the Kumano Kodo, then register at a designated site.

Way of St James Options
- at least the last 100 km on foot or by horse, or
- at least the last 200 km by bicycle

Kumano Kodo Options
- Takijiri-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha on foot (~38 km) or
- Kumano Nachi Taisha to/from Kumano Hongu Taisha on foot (~30 km) or
- Hosshinmon-oji to Kumano Hongu Taisha on foot (~7 km) plus a visit to Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Kumano Nachi Taisha or
- Koyasan to Kumano Hongu Taisha on foot (~70 km)

Only walking is allowed on the Kumano Kodo. No bicycles or horses.

You can register for "Dual Pilgrim" status after you have completed the second route in either Santiago de Compostela or Tanabe City.

The Kumano Kodo can be walked year round but the weather can change rapidly in the Kumano mountain environment.

The best time to walk the Kumano Kodo really depends on what you are looking for.

March - April is spring season and an extremely popular time as it is cherry blossom season in Japan. October - November is also a popular time to visit as it is autumn and the colours throughout the forest are stunning. In spring and autumn, you can expect daytime temperatures of around 10-15°C. May and September are also lovely months to visit with warmer and longer days - daytime temperatures range between 18-24°C.

June - August is summer season so you can expect much more humidity and higher rainfall but on the other hand scenery is beautifully green and verdant. During summer you can expect up to 25-30°C in temperature.

December - February is winter season and there is a small chance of snow on the Nakahechi route. Trails are open year round but due to the cool weather and reduced hours of daylight we recommend this time of year for experienced trekkers only.

Most accommodation close during the Christmas and New Year's holiday period.

Kii-Peninsula is one of the wettest areas of mainland Japan and you should be prepared with adequate rain gear.

Please note that the period when you are most likely to experience Typhoons is during August - early October period. If a Typhoon makes landfall on the mainland then there is often disruption to travel plans as all transport shuts down during a Typhoon and people stay indoors. Depending on the damage caused there may also be temporary trail closures - though usually things return to normal fairly quickly.

Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.

Payment Detail
All pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.

A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 60 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 60 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.

Single Supplement
All accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.

General Cancellation Policies
- Outside of 60 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee
- Within 60 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited
- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption
- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurance

Please Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.

Liability
The participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.

Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.

Child Policy
Please consult travel consultant on age limit.

Changes to Itineraries
Local conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.

Changes in Prices
While we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.

Cancellation by The Tour Operator
The walks take place in very special wilderness settings. The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a walk with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the walk has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any walk up to 60 days prior to departure if a minimum of 4 walkers are unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the walk or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.

Force Majeure
'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.

Evacuations
In rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.

For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.

Travel Insurance
In view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.