Private Snow Monkey Tour - Conveniently Resort Hop and Sightsee
Description
Starting from Nagano City or any of the Nagano's 5 main ski resorts (Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Myoko Kogen, Madarao Kogen) , we will pick your party up in our private vehicle to take you on your private tour and drop you off back at the pick up location or in Nagano City. On this tour, you will visit the famous Jigokudani Monkey Park and learn all about what makes the resident monkeys so unique, and enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant and experience Nagano’s renowned food culture. Guests will also have a chance to stroll the charming streets of the historic town of Obuse, and enjoy viewing its remaining Edo period buildings, as well as explore Zenko-ji, one of Japan’s oldest and most important Buddhist temples, and home to the first known Buddhist statue to be brought to Japan. A Sake tasting experience with detailed explanations from your guide is also included(non-alcoholic options available).
Tour Options
Itinerary
Once your tour begins, you will board our private tour vehicle and leave the city behind as you are transported to the Snow Monkey Park, located in the onsen town Yudanaka at the foot of the mountains. Your guide will take you along the forest trail which leads to the park and into Jigokudani - rather dramatically translating to 'Hell's Valley'. Home to the only troop of monkeys in the entire world known to bathe in hot springs, there are no barriers separating you from the wild monkeys, making this a unique and memorable experience. Your guide will introduce these truly curious creatures and provide you time to enjoy the unique experience of observing them in close proximity. Make sure to bring your camera as you`re going to need it!
Your guide will then accompany you back along the trail to nearby Hotarutei for a well-deserved lunch and you will enjoy "nabe," meaning "hot pot" in Japanese. Nabe is a classic winter food in Japan and a perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day. To suit individual preferences, you may choose between beef, seafood, or vegetarian nabe. In addition, your meal will include assorted tempura, miso soup, sushi, and tea/coffee. This beautifully prepared, filling lunch is designed to match the season and highlight the best of Nagano's renowned food culture.
Well-fed and content, it's time to head-out of Yudanaka to explore the picturesque town of Obuse, and its remaining Edo-style buildings. Known for its historic character, chestnut delicacies and sake breweries, walking the streets of Obuse provides an incredible opportunity to sample some local specialties and appreciate the local culture of Nagano and Japan as a whole in this stroll through time. After spending some time in Obuse, you will once more board the private vehicle bound for Nagano City
Zenko-ji Temple, as a registered National Treasure, the temple is the most important cultural site in Nagano and one of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in the entire country! A place of true historic importance, full of legends and myths, you will be guided around the temple before your guide will give you the opportunity to explore the surrounding precinct of smaller temples, shops, and food by yourself. As Japan’s second largest producer of sake, Nagano is synonymous with sake and no visit to the region is complete without delving into Japan’s most famous beverage. Your guide with lead your party to a local producer of sake, and introduce how to differentiate one brew from another as you taste a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The information provided by your guide will allow you to continue to enjoy sake in a meaningful way even after the tour concludes.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your tour guide and driver will meet you at the lobby of your accommodation
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All listed events, activities, and experiences are subject to availability. Please note that while certain tour options may appear bookable through our platforms, this does not guarantee that every experience can be carried out as scheduled in the tour itinerary. Many activities require direct confirmation with our partner venues, and availability may vary based on the date and other factors. Should any part of your ordered itinerary require adjustment or deviation from the original schedule, or if a specific experience is unavailable, we will contact you promptly to discuss suitable alternatives or amendments.
Reviews(56)
Fantastic! We saw the monkeys coming in from the mountain. The guide was very good and flexible. We changed plans to see the Olympic museum which was no problem. The story of the temple was explained very well.
Dillon was an awesome guide. We had a great day. Snow Monkeys were a blast and saw 100s of them. Lunch was amazing, and Zenko-ji Temple was super interesting and beautiful. Dillon was fun and informative and made this a great private family excursion
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear that your excursion was such a success. Dillon is fantastic at tailoring the experience to each group, and he’ll be so happy to hear he helped make the day fun and informative for your whole family. Seeing hundreds of monkeys is quite the sight, as it sounds like you caught them on a very active day! We’re also glad you enjoyed the beauty of Zenkoji and that lunch was satisfactory. We hope these memories stay with your family for years to come! Best wishes, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Our first time to Nagano. It was a great trip with our guide Jake. We saw many snow monkeys along with many different sites. The hot pot lunch was great too. We would recommend people take this tour.
We were staying in Hakuba and wanted a day off skiing so booked the tour which was a great day out. Our guide Hana was super lovely and friendly. The monkeys were out in good numbers, the lunch superb and the temple great to see.
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for the review! We love being the go-to choice for a day off the skis in Hakuba. It’s the perfect way to rest the legs while still seeing the best of Nagano! We’re thrilled the monkeys decided to show up in great numbers for you and that the lunch hit the spot. We hope that day of rest gave you all the energy you needed to get back on the powder! We hope to see you all again on your next trip to Japan! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Great experience. The driver arrived on time and all the tour went smooth. Lunch provided was also excelent.
Dear Guest, Thank you for your review! We are so pleased to hear that your private tour was a prime experience. We know that when you're on holiday, every minute counts, so we’re glad to hear our driver was prompt and the day flowed smoothly for you. We take great pride in our lunch selections as well, so it’s wonderful to know you found it excellent! Thank you for choosing us for your private outing in Nagano, and we hope the rest of your journies are just as seamless. We hope to see you all again if you come back to Japan! Best regards, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
We had a really wonderful day! It was varied and gave everyone something to enjoy. The snow monkey visit was adorable and watching them play was fantastic. Our kids all enjoyed the chance to stretch their legs and hike a little too. Then on to the most beautiful lunch we have had so far in Japan. We felt like royalty. The shrine visit was interesting and the Sake tasting even included the kids- they have non-alcoholic varieties! Our guide, Hiroshi, engaged with all of us, the kids included. (For context, our kids are 10, 12, and 14.) It was a great way to see a very beautiful part of Japan.
Dear Guest, What a wonderful review! We are so happy to hear that your family had such a royal experience with us. We’re so glad the non-alcoholic sake options were a hit with your 10, 12, and 14-year-olds; we believe everyone should get to join in on the local traditions! Thank you for choosing us to show your family this beautiful part of Japan. We hope to welcome you all again in Nagano, or in the greater Japan area, soon! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Snow Monkeys were alot of fun and very cute. Its worth seeing them - especially the babies. The walk in is a bit trecherous - very icy but our 87 and 81 year old patriarch and matriarch made it fine. Lunch was the best meal of the whole trip and the best tour lunch we have ever had anywhere in the world. It is a bit expensive but worth it in the end. Kei, our guide, was amazing. She was very knowledgable and helpful for our large group of 11
Dear Guest, What an absolute inspiration to hear about your 81 and 87-year-old family members tackling the icy trail! We are so impressed and glad that they made it to see the monkeys safely. Kei was so happy to hear your feedback, as managing a group of 11 is no small feat, but she truly enjoyed helping your family navigate the day. To hear that our lunch was the best you've had anywhere in the world is the ultimate compliment for our team; we take great pride in that meal, and we're thrilled it was a highlight of your trip. We hope your family has many more wonderful adventures ahead! Please join us again in Nagano or explore our other experiences across Japan whenever you return. Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
I cannot recommend this tour enough! My wife and I booked a private tour with Endo who took us, our three small children, and father-in-law on a wonderful tour of Osaka and to see the snow monkeys. It will end up being the highlight of our Japan trip for our two boys who we had to drag out of the park because they did not want to leave. Endo taught us so much about the culture of Osaka and really cared about us and our kids. Our oldest son was glued to his side and he made us feel like part of his family. Highly recommend to anyone especially families. We’ll never forget this incredible experience! Thank you Endo-San!!!
Dear Trevor, What a beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Endo-san was incredibly touched to hear your feedback! We love hearing that your boys enjoyed the monkeys so much that you had to drag them away; that is exactly the kind of highlight we strive for. It was our pleasure to help your family navigate between Osaka and Nagano seamlessly. We hope you'll come back and visit us again for another family adventure, whether in Nagano or exploring new corners of Japan from now on! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
We booked a private tour, and it was fantastic! Hiroshi, our guide, was knowledgeable and accommodating. The monkey park was incredible, and the lunch felt authentic and tasted delicious. We stopped at a beautiful little town and enjoyed learning about the Zenkoji temple and sake tasting after (there was even NA sake for the kids). After the tour ended, the driver took us to our ski resort. It was all enjoyable and pleasant. Highly recommend this tour!
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We are thrilled that your private tour with Hiroshi was such a success. We especially love that you mentioned the non-alcoholic sake, as we want the brewery experience to be fun for the whole family, so it’s great to hear the kids enjoyed the tasting! It’s also a pleasure to know that the transition to your ski resort was smooth and pleasant. We hope those memories of the incredible monkeys stay with you for a long time. We would love to welcome you and your family back to Nagano or show you around other parts of Japan through our various experiences from now on! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Nadine and her driver where fabulous.Nadine was warm friendly and very informative, her enthusiasm for Japanese culture made for a wonderful experience filled with interesting facts.We highly recommend this tour it was a fantastic day.
Dear Lindy, Thank you so much for your kind words! We are thrilled that you had such a fantastic day with us. Nadine was absolutely delighted to hear your feedback, and she'll be so happy to know her enthusiasm was contagious! We will also be sure to pass your thanks along to her driver, as they take great pride in making the journey smooth and comfortable for our guests. We hope your time in Nagano was a highlight of your trip! We would love to welcome you back or introduce you to more of our experiences across Japan from now on. Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
