Discover Ancient Nara: Private Car Tour from Kyoto or Osaka
Description
After enjoying sightseeing in Kyoto or Osaka, why not visit Nara? This ancient city, rich in nature and history, offers a unique kind of charm. For a smooth and comfortable tour, you’ll be accompanied by two staff members: a dedicated driver and a friendly guide. Depart from your hotel in Kyoto or Osaka ↓ Visit Todai-ji Temple to see the Great Buddha ↓ Stroll through Nara Park, feed the deer, and take photos ↓ Enjoy lunch at a lovely local Japanese restaurant Other dining options available on request ↓ Explore the Naramachi area Walk through traditional townhouses and browse local shops ↓ Visit Kasuga Taisha Shrine A historic shrine set in a sacred forest preserved for over 1,000 years ↓ Drive to Mount Wakakusa summit Enjoy panoramic views and photos with the deer ↓ Return to your hotel in Kyoto or Osaka ★ Optional experiences if time allows: Afternoon tea at the historic Nara Hotel Casual matcha experience Local Nara sake tasting Seasonal activities like strawberry picking
Tour Options
Itinerary
You can take commemorative photos with the deer and feed them to build a friendly connection.
When visiting Nara, you’ll definitely want to see the Great Buddha. Our guide will provide an explanation of the history of Todai-ji Temple.
Naramachi is a historic district in Nara. You can enjoy lunch, shopping, and even watch mochi-pounding at Nakatanidou. At Nigiwa-i-no-ie, you can explore the interior of a traditional townhouse.
Kasuga Taisha is the most famous shrine in Nara, attracting many visitors from all over Japan. A guide will accompany you during your visit.
Wakakusa Mountain offers a panoramic view of the cities of Nara and Osaka. It’s a perfect spot to capture stunning photos, especially with the deer and the breathtaking sunset. This is definitely a must-visit location, and you can even drive all the way to the top.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Let's meet at the hotel front desk. We will send the guide's WhatsApp contact before the tour day, so please feel free to reach out if you have trouble finding the guide.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(64)
This is a must book trip while in Kyoto. Sho was great. Family loved it. Would do again. Great day!!
Great trip. Sho Sakura was a great guide to take us all over the city. We saw many dear and he guided us as to how to feed them and not attract too much attention. Saw some beautiful temples and great sites. Strongly recommend.
A very enjoyable tour! Learned a lot about the history of the shrines we visited and some great photo opportunities around Nara! The perfect balance of an informative and a relaxed tour. Thanks again!
Our day in Nara with Towa was one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. We happened to visit on an incredibly hot day, and our youngest was really struggling with the heat. Towa was so patient, understanding, and flexible throughout the day. He knew exactly where to take us to make the most of our time while keeping everyone as comfortable as possible. He also introduced us to an amazing spot for lunch and some delicious ice cream, which was a perfect break from the heat. Because we were able to stay on schedule, we even had extra time at the end of the tour, and Towa generously offered to take us to Fushimi Inari, even though it wasn't part of the original itinerary. That unexpected bonus made an already fantastic day even more special. Towa's knowledge, kindness, and genuine care for our family made all the difference. We never felt rushed, and he adapted the day to fit our needs perfectly. If you're considering a tour of Nara, we can't recommend Towa highly enough. Thank you for an unforgettable experience!
Our guide Ami was great. She had lots of energy and knew her stuff. She had excellent communication before, during and after the trip. She took amazing pictures of us. She took us to some out of the way places which we loved including a great place for lunch. We really enjoyed our time with her. She was very flexible to what we wanted out of the experience. We would definitely recommend this tour. We have travelled a lot and use Viator often, with varying experience. This one was great. Just as advertised. 5 stars all the way.
Hi Jason, Thank you so much for your heartwarming review. I also had a truly wonderful time with both of you. I am absolutely thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the tour. I sincerely look forward to seeing you again in Japan! Ami
Ami was a great guide, very professional and knowledgeable. She knew all the best tips to manage the deer :) and took us to some amazing stops. We really enjoyed the shrine, the Nara townhouse tour and the special local souvenir shops she showed us. Our shabu shabu lunch was also the most amazing. Thank you, Ami!
Hi Jennifer, Thank you so much for your incredibly encouraging review! I am so happy that you enjoyed some of my absolute favorite places. It was truly wonderful meeting such a lovely group of people like yourselves. I hope we can see each other again in Japan someday! Ami
We had a great time with Sho our tour guide. It was a very laid back and comfortable experience. Nara gets crowded with tourists but having a private experience helps with understanding more of the area and what locations we are seeing. Sho was fun to talk with and kept things moving for us at a good and relaxed pace. We had a nice lunch at a favorite restaurant of his that we really enjoyed. Appreciated the view from the mountain top overlooking Nara to finish the day. Deer were up there too and the experience was more intimate compared to at deer park. Thank you Sho!!
Sho was the best tour guide! Very kind and knowledgeable about Japan. He was easy to talk to and showed us the best spots in Nara. It was so beautiful! Thank you so much for the amazing adventure
This was our 7th Viator tour and like all the others I have only good things to say. Our guide Sho was very accommodating, and professional. We loved our tour to Nara and had a wonderful lunch there. Thank you Viator for making our trip outstanding.
Tour guide Ami was a fantastic guide. She had such knowledge and expertise in getting us in and out of the sights so efficiently. She picked an amazing lunch spot out for us and was genuine with her interactions. Was the best guide we had in Japan.
