This 11-day classic tour will take you into the country's picturesque mountain area, where tradition is maintained in streets, houses, gardens, and crafts the region produces skilled woodwork and gold-leaf items.
Surrounded by mountains, Takayama is home to Edo-period (1603-1868) streets lined with tiny shops, merchant's houses, taverns, museums and eating places, many of which have been preserved unspoiled, in nearly the same state as 200 or 300 years ago.
The small village of Shirakawa-go is known for its gashho-zukuri thatched houses, shaped like praying hands. Exploring slowly on foot, visitors will have enough time to soak in the traditional rural lifestyles.
Also visit Kanazawa, Kyoto and Tokyo, three cities with strong cultural identities and vibrant views.
Journey Route

Highlights
Enjoy steaming matcha on a small island in the lake at Hamarikyu Garden.

Gain insights on the Japanese enthusiasm for food at a local home.


Meander around the beautifully preserved old town of Takayama.

Explore Shirakawa-go with its renowned 'praying hands' houses and learn about architectural details.


Enjoy the breathtaking views in Kenroku-en garden, one of the top three gardens in Japan.

Walk around Higashi District and see a variety of gold-leaf products, a specialty of Kanazawa.

Experience hands-on in Kyoto a few crafts such as pot-making and Yuzen-dying.


Take a walk through Arashiyama's famous bamboo groves and visit a great Zen temple, Tenryuji temple, one of Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Knead and dry tea leaves in Uji, sample tea and sweets from local shops.






98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+
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Wonderful 10 day trip in Japan!!!
Well planned trip by Alisa . Everything was well scheduled, guides and drivers were excellent!! The cars were extremely comfortable and the hotel she chose for us was beautiful!! Enjoyed planning with her she was very professional and always offered other choices. More
Lianne Stone,
May 2023
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11 days trip to Japan
I am planning my trip to Japan in November with Sharon's help and she has provided amazing customer service.She is very responsive and put together very quickly an incredible plan for 11 days in Japan. She provided recommendations and made changes based on our interests and budget. She also provided information about visa restrictions and the best way to get tickets for transportation services. Thanks so much Sharon, looking forward to this trip! More
LE,
May 2023
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Japan trip
Hi Cathy! I just want to thank you for making our Japan trip so much fun & memorable! We loved everything that you had scheduled for us! All the guides and drivers were great & punctual! We love Japan so much that we’re planning to go back next year to different part of Japan! We’ll definitely contact Asia Highlights for our trip again! Serene More
Serene Storslett,
May 2023
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Quick, easy and detailed service
Alisa was our advisor from Asia highlights and she prepared for us a wonderful 28 day trip to Japan, taking into consideration our needs and desire not to be traveling everyday and to have a mixture of slow and busy days. We've not yet taken our trip, but very much looking forward to it Thank you Alisa for the quick response and wonderful itinerary More
Lynette Whittle,
Apr 2023
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Japan Tour
Sharon Huang did an excellent job in planningour 15 day Cherry Blossom Japan tour. Shewas available during our trip to answer our questions and readily agreed to the itinerary changes.Everything was arranged - accommodation,breakfast, guide, car, entrance fees and train tickets. The guides were knowledgeable, and managed the tour very efficiently. The drivers were punctual and very patient. We visited must see places in and near Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. We also got to experience Japanese Tea ceremony, Sushi making, Sake tasting, shopping etc.We highly recommend Asia Highlights for your travel needs. More
Madhu,
Apr 2023
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I organized a trip to Japan for my
I organized a trip to Japan for my parents who don’t speak English and Alisa was so amazing helping make an itinerary for them. They needed a Spanish guide and she coordinated everything so they wouldn’t have any trouble when they got there. She was so patient changing and adjusting the itinerary to their needs and wants, it’s been a total pleasure working with her and she always responds promptly to any question I have. I definitely recommend this company and if you can ask to work with Alisa. More
Luisa,
Apr 2023
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Trip to Japan. I have had the pleasure to book with…
For the reasons above, I decided to book again with Asia highlights for our trip to Japan this year in September. Until now it’s been a pleasure dealing with Albee Ning. She was so efficient and pleasant in adjusting our itinerary. Whenever I had any questions I could count on her to answer promptly. I am very lucky to have her as our organiser for our future trip to Japan. I have had the pleasure to book with Asia Highlights when we went to China in 2018. We were extremely satisfied with the exceptional services rendered by our organiser, Robert Hui and private guide William. More
Mrs Cristina Hidalgo Loris,
Apr 2023
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Albee Ning and Asia Highlights - wonderful to work with.
I and my daughter planned a trip to China and Japan. We worked with Albee Ning who was fantastic in developing a itinerary based on our desires and needs. She was extremely responsive, taking into account all of our requests and worked closely with us, it wasn't just selecting from one of several pre-developed itineraries. We decided to postpone the trip until next year and received the guaranteed refund, minus a small deposit on next years trip. We look forward to working with her again on next years trip and trips in the future. We highly recommend Asia Highlights and Albee Ning More
Nancy K,
Apr 2023
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Handcrafted tour of Japan by Asia Highlights
My initial inquiry to this company (based in China) was answered in under 10 hours by an amazing travel consultant, named Alisa. She is such a professional in the ways she conducts herself and serves her clients. Alisa is a great communicator and listener. She is very open to requests for additional experiences which require research on her part to arrange. Alisa also provides very detailed information about each experience, location, guides, private car transfers, trains, hotels. This approach is very appealing since detailed communication is so useful and important to me. Alisa also makes the process simple and easy to follow. Answered tons of questions and created the perfect tour for us. We are looking forward to this once in a lifetime visit to Japan and are so grateful we have had the chance to work with Alisa at Asia Highlights! More
Laurie Lee,
Feb 2023
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Great Overall Experience
Our guide in Tokyo, Fuki, was outstanding. We saw things we would never have otherwise seen, if Fuki had not been there. More
Todd Hankinson,
Dec 2022
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Plenty of options and personalized tours as needed
Monica Mo was very helpful from the beginning after I enquired about my travel plans to Japan. She listened with understanding and took careful notes and clarified things to make sure she got everything. More
Ginybel Belgira,
Sep 2022
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Asia Highlights especially Ms. Kanae Chida superb
Asia Highlights and particularly our Tokyo guide, Ms. Kanae Chida, were the best. When Kanae met us, she asked for details of what we wished to see and she constructed an outstanding combination of visits for the day. More
Geoff Rayner-Canham,
May 2019
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I have arranged a 27 day tour of China, Japan and Hong Kong China
Peggie's English is impeccable and she uses lots of nuances which usually only a native English speaker would know. I have found her very prompt in responding to emails and her knowledge is terrific. More
Ailsa West,
Jul 2018
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Very professional, great customer service
We travelled to Japan this May (2018). We had contacted Asia Highlights to organise our trip for us. Miss Peggie Lyoo was very helpful, super-friendly, very professional and very prompt with all her replies! More
Tibor Marton,
May 2018
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Great job!
Great job!! We had an amazing vacation to Japan. We will use Asian highlights for all of our trips to Asia More
Joe,
May 2018
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Trip-of-a-lifetime
In addition, I want to specifically mention the guides provided in certain locations. Rum, in Siem Reap, made the most memorable experience possible. His positivity was contagious - even when it felt like 1000 degrees and we were tired. He brought it all to life, and created a couple days of Ankor Wat, etc. that we will never forget! He heard my daughter's request for specific Cambodian food, and changed our itinerary to go to a village and eat at a locally known shop. He brought the dessert she asked about to us in the car! Overall, he and his driver "Lucky" were a reason to go to Siem Reap. In addition, the other guides (minus one which was switched out immediately) were stupendous. Mon in Bangkok was friendly and provided a great day there; Eak in Chiang Mai gave us a world-class food-tour and day touring the city and its surrounding temples with lots of laughs; Tommy in Hanoi kept us from getting killed in the traffic and gave a stupendous food and architecture/history tour - so very friendly and funny; the fishing village tour in Hoi An, as well as the side-car tour in Saigon, were both unforgettable! Thank you Sharon, and Asia Highlights. Would definitely use again for future trips! More
Teri Simpson,
Apr 2023
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Cambodia and Vietnam adventure!
Our guide in Cambodia, Meas Darapolaith (Pol), was absolutely amazing. He was knowledgeable, friendly and so helpful. His English was excellent and he shared important insights about history and the magnificent sites we visited. We highly recommend him! More
Jennifer Roth Krieger,
Apr 2023
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My daughter and I wanted to discover SE…
My daughter and I wanted to discover SE Asia. Being the first in that region, we wanted to use a tour service company. We ended up using Asia Highlights. From the beginning we were impressed with their services. We left home with of mind because all the pre-travel arrangements were taking care and communicate to us efficiently. All our questions were answered promptly. Once in the countries, we were welcome by our excellent tour guides. Everything was taking care for us. We did not have one issue. They selected the right tours guides for us, they were highly knowledgeable and so much attentive to our needs. We had Dhat in Vietnam and Borin in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I came back home so much rested, and with plenty of wonderful pictures and memories. I will definitely use Asia Highlights again for my next trip to Asia. More
Isabelle Dessaux,
Apr 2023
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Fabulous tour and guide in Cambodia
We have been touring Cambodia, guided by Borin ( and driver 007) for the last 2 days. What a fabulous experience! Borin has been a wonderful guide, the best so far in Southeast Asia, explaining the history and culture of Cambodia through his tours of the temples in and around Angkor, as well as the Landmine museum. He has answered all our questions, made sure we were comfortable, and that we have had great food. 007 made sure we always had enough water and cool towels for our face/neck.We highly recommend Borin as a tour guide for Cambodia!! More
Monica,
Mar 2023
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Best Travel Service for Asia Travel
Alisa Liu was in charge of making the arrangements and she helped us from the start to make all of the arrangements and also helped us when we had questions and requested some adjustments. Her service is of the highest professional level. We are 100% confident that our trip will be perfect. We’re also 100% confident that, if anything comes up during our trip, that Alisa will be there to guide us through and take care of us. We won’t even consider using another agency for travel around Asia and we would like to have Alisa work for us again. More
Leo Pospichal,
Mar 2023
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Itinerary in Detail
We arrange plenty of hands-on experiences to help you understand local culture.
These include learning to wrap up and roll sushi at a local home; visiting a region that specializes in pottery and making a pot by yourself; visiting a Yuzen Gallery and trying out Yuzen dying, for dying kimonos; and learning how to knead and dry tea leaves and how to brew tea with boiling water.
Also, you will have plenty of opportunities to help you feel more connected with Japan.
These will include enjoying a cup of steaming matcha on a small island in a lake; visiting local markets with a colorful range of food stalls, selling fresh and prepared food; having a cup of sake at a sake brewery and learning how to judge sake on five distinct qualities; and walking around the old district with well-preserved Edo-period merchant's houses, specialty shops and tea houses.
Welcome to Tokyo, one of the world's most exciting and energizing cities, where Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, reminders of a more contemplative time, stand next to skyscrapers.
You will be met on arrival at Narita International Airport and share a transfer to your accommodation. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at your leisure.

A late-afternoon stroll as the neon starts to light up will take in both sides of this fascinating, bustling area. Shinjuku has several huge department stores, music stores, and electronics stores, along with hundreds of bars and restaurants catering to every taste.
Enjoy a day-tour of this fascinating city, with a local guide.
The day begins with a visit to Meiji Shrine, the most important Shinto shrine in Tokyo, dedicated to the deified spirit of Emperor Meiji. During the New Year holidays, it is the most heavily visited place in Japan, with crowds of people worshiping here and buying good-luck charms for the year ahead.

Walk along Omotesando shopping street, a wide tree-shaded sidewalk, home to dozens of boutiques showcasing top fashion brands.
Head across town to Asakusa and visit Tokyo's most sacred temple, Sensoji Temple. Watch worshipers burning incense and paying respects by throwing coins, lighting candles, and worshipping.

Wander down Nakamise, a shopping alley providing a variety of traditional wares, including obi sashes, fans and hair combs. All make good souvenirs.
End your day by enjoying a cup of steaming matcha and Japanese sweets in a tea house, on a small island in the lake at Hamarikyu garden.
Receive Your JR Pass
Turn in your Exchange Order (with your passport) to receive your Japan Rail Pass at a Japan Rail Pass exchange office in a major JR station. Your guide will help you validate your rail pass and make any necessary seat reservations.
The tour starts in the early morning.
Take your time as you explore the lively outer market, where you will see many unusual varieties of freshly caught fish, and some of the freshest sushi and seafood. Shops and stalls lining the streets and alleys sell everything from raw fish slices to fresh wasabi plants.

You will then visit a typical Japanese home. Your guide will answer all your questions about Japanese culture and everyday life in Tokyo during the transfer by public transport.
In someone's home, learn to prepare maki sushi (rolled sushi), gunkan maki (sushi rice wrapped with a strip of seaweed and topped with soft ingredients), and nigiri sushi (sushi rice topped with a slice of raw fish).

Enjoy your homemade sushi for lunch. The tour ends in central Tokyo.
Recommended Free Time Activities
The tour ends at the closest station to your Japanese host's home. Save the rest of the day for casual exploring, since Tokyo's dazzling streets and prosperous commercial centers are attractions in themselves.
If you are looking for an unrivaled shopping experience, go to Ginza and Nihonbashi, which offer a mix of huge department stores and affluent side-street boutiques; or Akihabara, for discount electronics and software.
To get a glimpse of the Imperial Palace, go to the Kokyo Gaien, the large plaza in front of the palace, where you can see the Nijubashi, a double-arched stone bridge, the most famous landmark there.
This morning, make your way to Shinjuku station. Use your JR pass together with your reserved seat ticket to board the shinkansen (fast train) to Takayama. Bring a light bag for the next three days in Takayama and Kanazawa, as your other luggage will be delivered to Tokyo directly via Japan's luggage porter system.
A five-hour journey is enhanced by the softly changing landscape of Japan's countryside. On arrival at Takayama station, make your own way to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at your leisure.

Stay in the Heart of Takayama
Just a 5-minute walk from Takayama Station, Hida Hotel Plaza features a rooftop spa with mountain views, a heated swimming pool and various dining options
Treat yourself to a hot-spring bath and a selection of well-prepared dishes.
Today you will take a guided tour with a local guide to the beautifully preserved old town of Takayama and the UNESCO site, Shirakawa-go village.
Start the day with a visit to the local Miyagawa Market along Miyagawa River in the old town. Most stands sell local crafts, or farm products such as vegetables, pickles and flowers.
Take a walk in the San-machi Suji district, the traditional home of Takayama merchants and sake brewers, which has been preserved in nearly the same state as 200 or 300 years ago. It is home to inns, shops and taverns, which trace their history back many generations.
Visit the Takayama Jinya. In 1692, because of its valuable timber resources, the Hida Region around Takayama was put under direct control of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Takayama Jinya served as the local government office, headed by officials dispatched from Edo.

The present building complex includes rooms for administrative purposes, offices, kitchens, toilets, bathrooms, residential space, a court room and storehouses. It was in official use until 1969, and is now open to the public as a museum.
End the morning by stopping at a sake brewery, where you can enjoy sampling Japan's national brew. Takayama's sake is renowned nation-wide, thanks to the clear water in the surroundings.
By afternoon, reach the Shirakawa-go region. Your guide will show you around the village, famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old.

Gassho-zukuri translates as 'praying hands', as the farmhouses' steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer, and are designed to withstand the heavy snows which fall in the region.

After the visit, you will separate from your guide and continue on your own to Kanazawa (transport is included, but you will be unaccompanied). On arrival at Kanazawa, make your own way from Kanazawa station bus stop to your hotel.
Stay in the Heart of Kanazawa
Located near the tourist area, Kanazawa Tokyu Hotel provides easy access to most attractions, which are within walking distance. Nagamachi Samurai District is just a 2-minute walk from the hotel, while Kenroku-en Garden is less than a 10-minute walk. JR Kanazawa Station is 10-minutes away by bus and 6-minutes away by taxi.
Today you will take a tour with a local guide to explore Kanazawa.
The highlight of any visit to Kanazawa is Kenroku-en garden. Ranked one of the top three gardens in Japan, its breathtaking beauty shines through in any season.

You will also visit the imposing Kanazawa castle, next to the garden. Nearby Kagayuzen Kaikan offers demonstrations of the centuries-old Yuzen silk painting technique.

Head on to visit the Nagamachi Samurai district, where you can enter Nomura Samurai House, a traditional Japanese home with a tea-ceremony room, an interior courtyard garden and artifacts from the Edo period (1603-1868).
The Higashi Chaya District is the largest and by far the most interesting of Kanazawa's Geisha Districts. Many of the buildings along the central street now house cafes and shops.

One of the shops, Hakuza, sells gold-leaf products, a specialty of Kanazawa, and displays a kura warehouse-style room which is completely covered in gold leaf; you will also have an opportunity to visit the Shima teahouse, a functional tea house, which opens its doors to the public. To finish the day, you can enjoy a cup of green tea there.
This morning, make your way to Kanazawa station, and use your JR pass together with your reserved seat ticket to board the shinkansen to Kyoto.
On arrival at Kyoto station, make your own way to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at leisure.

Hotels in Kyoto
We have selected hotels with different styles and for different budgets. Let us know your preferences and we will help you find the right one.
For experiencing traditional Kyoto, we recommend boutique hotels, located in the heart of the Gion district, with amenities providing the best of Kyoto atmosphere and allowing guests to visit conveniently the city's best-known geisha quarter.
For those wishing to travel the city by public transport or to be just a short walk away from some famous sites, we recommend hotels near subway stations or near the Kawaramachi area.
For easy access to all city attractions as well as to Nara, Osaka and beyond, we recommend business hotels conveniently located right in front of Kyoto Station, a major hub in Kyoto where the bullet trains stop.
On this fascinating one-day tour in Kyoto, you will experience hands-on a few of the crafts that make the city famous.
First, journey to the eastern part of Kyoto, which is a famous pottery district. Here you will have an opportunity to make a pot by yourself. The pottery laboratory will then bake it and send it directly to your home in your country!
Next, visit a Yuzen gallery. Yuzen is the method for dying kimonos. At the gallery, you will be able to try your hand at Yuzen dying as well, and keep your work of art as a souvenir.

After a traditional lunch, you will visit Nijo Castle, a 17th century ornamental castle built for a shogun, and currently a UNESCO World Heritage site.
To conclude the day, you will walk through Nishiki Food Market, which will mesmerize you with many stands for traditional ingredients of Japanese food.
Finally, visit Gion, the famous geisha district, where if lucky you will be able to see geisha as they hurry to their first appointment of the evening.

Arashiyama is a pleasant district in the western outskirts of Kyoto. The area has been a popular destination since the Heian Period (794-1185), when nobles would enjoy its natural setting.
Okochi Mountain Villa is the former villa of the popular samurai film star Okochi Denjiro (1896-1962), and consists of several beautiful gardens and buildings, including living quarters, tea houses and a Zen meditation hall. Here you will enjoy some matcha green tea with a snack.
Next, take a walk through Arashiyama's famous bamboo groves, which are particularly attractive when there is a light wind and the tall bamboo stalks sway gently back and forth. The bamboo has been used for centuries in local workshops to manufacture various products, such as baskets, cups, boxes and mats.

Nonomiya shrine is a Shinto shrine where in ancient times, unmarried imperial princesses stayed for a year or more to purify themselves.
Ranked among Kyoto's five great Zen temples, Tenryuji is the largest and most impressive temple in Arashiyama. Founded in 1339 at the beginning of the Muromachi period (1338-1573), the temple is one of Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition to its temple buildings, it has attractive gardens with walking paths.

In a traditional building inside the temple grounds overlooking the beautifully landscaped garden, enjoy a beautiful vegetarian shojin-ryori (traditional Buddhist cuisine) lunch built around yuba, tofu and seasonal vegetables.
Recommended Free Time Activities
The tour ends in the Arashiyama area. You may spend the rest of the day exploring Arashiyama by yourself.
Take a ride on the Sagano Scenic Railway. This is a sightseeing railway line that runs along the Hozugawa River between Arashiyama and Kameoka. Its charming, old fashioned trains wind their way through the mountains at a relatively slow pace, taking about 25 minutes to make the seven-kilometer journey and giving passengers a pleasant view of the scenery.

Enjoy a half-day tour to Uji, a traditional town near Kyoto famous for its superior quality green tea. While Kozanji Temple in Kyoto is believed to be the original site of tea cultivation in Japan, in the 1100s Uji's tea became better known for its superior quality.

After a 20-minute train ride taking you directly from Kyoto into Uji, you will first have your tea-making experience.
In a group of no more than 5 people, your guide will translate so you can learn from local Uji residents about the kneading and drying of tea leaves in this 1.5-hour experience.
Afterwards, stroll through the picturesque town sampling tea from local store sellers. You need not feel under any pressure to purchase, but if you like green tea, this would be a great place for you to purchase some while you are in Japan.
Recommended Free Time Activities
The tour ends at Kyoto Station.
You may walk around the station the rest of the day, as the station itself offers a vast array of shopping and dining options. Isetan Department Store occupies 10 stories on the west side, selling clothing, local souvenirs, stationery and fresh food. The Cube Shopping More, in the basement of the station building, offers a variety of local souvenirs, cosmetics, fashion accessories and restaurants.
If you would like to visit the Fushimi Inarai Shrine, the most famous of the many thousands of shrines, ask your guide to help you buy a ticket. Boarding the train, continue on your own to Fushimi. You will arrive within 10 minutes.
If you feel like walking the Philosopher's Path, a pleasant stone path through the northern part of Kyoto's Higashiyama district, ask your guide to take you to the right bus stop, where you can board a public sightseeing bus. After a 40-minute ride, you will arrive at Ginkakuji, the starting point of the path.
Hand-Picked Hotels
We have selected hotels with different styles and for different budgets. Let us know your preferences and we will help you find the right one.
![]() Hotel in Tokyo with great location
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![]() Ryokan close to the JR station in Takayama
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![]() Hotel with excellent location in Kanazawa
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![]() Quiet hotel with fine location in Kyoto
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Our Service Includes:
- Public transport and personal English-speaking tour guide
- All guided sightseeing as detailed in the itinerary
- Hotel accommodation mentioned in the itinerary
- Breakfasts at hotels
- Governmental taxes
Tour code: ah-33
Start planning your tailor-made tour now. Your 1:1 travel consultant will reply within 1 working day.
Why Travel with Asia Highlights (98.8% positive customer reviews among 10,000+)
- Unique experiences tailored to your interests: Enjoy a premium trip that goes beyond the typical tourist attractions.
- Hassle-free travel and peace of mind: Every aspect of your trip will be carefully planned and organized by your 1:1 travel consultant.
- Experienced and knowledgeable guides: Your guides will be local and love to work for travelers' smiles.
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