AVAILABILITY
This walk is available all year round, but you may encounter some snow from December to February. Many people prefer to walk in spring to see the cherry blossoms and in autumn because of the change of seasons and the good weather.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
On this walk, you will have to catch at least 3 buses; most of the rides are very short. These cannot be pre-booked and are by far the best way to get around the mountains. These bus fares are at your own cost.
ACCESS
Travelling to the start of the walk
The walks starts in Kii Tanabe and ends with a stay in Nachi-san or Kii-Katsuura. You will need to get yourself to and from the start and end of your walk. i.e. you will need to organise your travel to the start of the walk in Kii Tanabe. To make it easy we have collated some useful information that will assist you in making arrangements for your travel. Travelling in Japan on trains is a seamless experience and it is not necessary to always pre-purchase tickets. There’s plenty of Rail staff that speak English well enough to direct you the right way and to converse with you about how to buy your ticket.
By plane (and rail): The easiest option is to fly into Osaka and then catch the train to Kii Tanabe. There are many airlines that fly to Osaka, below are possible websites that provide several different carriers to choose from.
https://www.kayak.com/flights
www.google.com/flights
By rail: Japan has one of the best train systems in the world so it’s very easy to catch a train to any destination in the country. We can provide more comprehensive information if you wish, so please ask one of our destination consultants.
Hyperdia is a great website resource to figure out when and where your train departs. It might be best to buy your train ticket on the JR train network when you first arrive in Japan so you can relax. However, the trains run often and are so efficient that you shouldn’t have any trouble just arriving 15 minutes beforehand and buying a ticket. The journey from Osaka takes about 1hour and 30minutes and costs about $40.
Travelling from the end of the walk
By rail: The train from Kii-Katsuura back to Osaka takes about 4hours and costs about $50
By plane: See above
WALKING
The walk is moderate to moderate to challenging with some long days if you wish. Full day walks average about 17 km with 5 –9 hours walking each day, however, they can be as long as 24kms (You can shorten most days). The walking is over well-maintained paths but expect each day to start with some reasonable elevation gains. All good though as the tracks do flatten out.
This is a historic route with stacks of small temples (Oji) and statues to admire along the way. For much of the time you are walking under forest canopy which makes for mild conditions other than the height of summer.
For what to bring please refer to Gear Advice on our FAQ section.
WEATHER
From the end of March, the temperature begins to increase. In summer it’s quite warm and humid but still good for walking, particularly if you enjoy warmer temperatures and taking a dip in a stream.
The walk is offered in winter but bring some warm clothes and good rain gear. The area is just as beautiful if not more and is not busy at all. Soaking in outside onsens in the cool of the night is one of those real authentic Japanese experiences that you can look forward to after a big day on the track.
As walkers, we believe spring and autumn to be the best time as the weather is perfect for walking.
See the weather information about Osaka’s average weather at different times of the year.
INSURANCE
We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance for all of our trips. We require that you purchase a travel insurance policy for all travel overseas, as we charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your walking holiday after we have confirmed it. It is also important in the event of an accident or loss of property. See FAQ’s for more information.
INFORMATION PACK
For nearly 30 years we have taken pride in providing seamlessly organised walking holidays, but we know, even with that in mind, that you’ll have many more questions. You will receive a very detailed information pack and itinerary approximately 6 weeks out from departure outlining all the fine detail and much more.
CONTACT
If you have any questions, feel free to ask one of our destination consultants or if you have specific track related questions ask Magnus, Brett or Tash who have all walked the track. You can get in touch with us via our contact form, email us at info@auswalk.com.au, or call us on +61 3 9597 9767.
SELF GUIDED
8 DAYS
Moderate to Challenging 
