Discover the ancient magic of Japan on our once-in-a-lifetime Kumano Kodo trekking challenge from Kyoto to Tokyo!

After a day soaking up the autumnal colours or the famous cherry blossom and the enchanting sites of Kyoto, including the Golden Pavillion and the Nijo Castle, we'll journey to the Kii Hanto Peninsula to commence our charity trek. We'll follow the footsteps of Japanese pilgrims and trek deep into the Kii Mountain Range on the steep trails of the famous Kumano Kodo pilgrimage. 

Starting at the Takijiri-oji temple on the sacred Tonda river, we'll hike on a mix of paved and unpaved trails that criss-cross the peninsula and connect the major Shinto shrines in the mountains. We'll face challenging ascents and long days on our feet, testing our strength and stamina, all the while immersed in nature.

Our pilgrimage will take us up through dense forests, across streams, past shrines and abandoned tea houses, and into remote villages hidden in the hills. We'll sleep in humble local Japanese guesthouses, climb to some of the highest and most beautiful places in Japan and look out across the sacred Kumano mountain range, boasting 3,600 mountain peaks. We'll even glimpse the Pacific Ocean, soothe our feet in natural hot springs and trek to Japan's tallest waterfall, Nachi Falls.

This unbeatable overseas challenge finishes in the mind-blowing metropolis of Tokyo, where the futuristic architecture, chic shopping streets and vibrant markets take us right back to the 21st Century! We'll use the high-speed city trains to see as much as we can in one day on an amazing guided tour of the Old Town and the new.

Join us in the autumn when the trees glow red and orange or wait till spring and see the Japanese cherry blossom in full bloom! No matter which trek you choose, you'll be entranced by expansive natural landscapes and an incredible mix of cultures and customs.

The Kumano Kodo trail is testing under foot with exposed tree roots, uneven ground and sometimes slippery steps. There is a challenging amount of elevation gain through the week with each day seeing climbs of between 400 and 800 m taken gradually over the day. We will be walking a challenging distance over the trekking days too. That said the altitude will be low and the environment very gentle on us with temperatures at highs of around 20^oC with low humidity.