Montana Adventure Club 2014 Ski Trip to Niseko Japan with Extension to Thailand

Transcription

1 Montana Adventure Club 2014 Ski Trip to Niseko Japan with Extension to Thailand Description: Experience in one trip the planet s greatest powder skiing, Asia s most stunning cultural treasures, incredible beaches and sensational nightlife. This trip will take you to Niseko, Japan a place of ski video legend where relatively few Americans have yet made it. Niseko is ranked among the world s top ten ski areas and as having the best powder on the planet by such magazines/newspapers as Time, Outdoor, NY Times, London Guardian, Powder, and others (see quotes below). That plus Japanese service, hospitality, culture, amenities and cuisine Want to see Japan but not ski it? We offer a concurrent non skiing excursion to see Japan s most famous cultural sites and modern scenes led by Japanese professor with many years of experience as a study abroad leader. You will enjoy a pleasurable and uniquely insightful look at this enigmatic nation. And there is more Thailand! After the deep pow, comes beaches and ocean fun. And the nightlife that is Phuket And then Bangkok Temples, markets stunning people and scenery. Inclusive Dates: February (extension February), 2014, 8 days in Japan, plus 5 day extension in Thailand. Airfare are subject to change with yen rate variation. Thai land cost (not including airfare except that it does include domestic flight from Phuket to Bangkok): $ seats from Great Falls and 30 from Helena round trip to all destinations with options for your friends and family to join the trip from just about anywhere in the USA. Total estimated trip cost with air (Japan portion) Great Falls/Helena roundtrip to all destinations: $2950 PP (subject to change as 2014 rates have not been posted yet). Price includes: Hotel room, breakfast, hotel hot springs admission, provided hotel amenities All ground transportation for group events (bus; bullet train for culture excursion) Admission all group sightseeing destinations Japanese cultural presentations Farewell dinners in Niseko (ski group), Osaka (culture tour group), and Bangkok (extension group) Guide and interpreting services; presentations at sites (bilingual guides will always be available and accessible) With Thailand extension: domestic flight from Phuket to Bangkok 1

2 Amenities that are provided or discounted: Free shuttle service from Niseko hotel to Hirafu village and surrounding hot springs (runs until 1 am) Greatly discounted ski lift tickets; discounted ski rental equipment Not included: Flight airfare to and from Thailand; Services that need to be separately purchased: Lunches; dinners except for the farewell dinners (guides will be available to assist in getting you to what you want to eat and will likely join you), nightlife fun Lift tickets, rental gear (although discounted) Optional tours and activities Hot springs aside from those within hotel (about $6 7 usually) Separate required transportation (typically not needed shuttle provided in most cases) Itinerary: February 14, 2014 Leave US (Great Falls/other locales to West Coast; from there to Japan) February 15, 2014 Arrive in Tokyo (Haneda, airport, pm) Bus ride to hotel Dinner at hotel Free time evening downtown in hotel vicinity February 16, 2014 Tokyo sightseeing (river cruise, Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, Imperial Palace, Akihabara Electronic District) Free time late afternoon Dinner at Tokyo restaurant Free time evening Roppongi nightlife February 17, 2014 Leaves for Haneda airport; 1 hour 20 minute flight to Chitose Pick up at Chitose; 2 hour bus ride to Niseko Hotel check in Afternoon/evening free time and skiing, Niseko resort 2

3 Dinner at hotel Optional hot springs trip Free time evening night skiing and/or Niseko nightlife Cultural tour group: 1.0 hour bus ride to Mount Fuji/Hakone Fuji Visitor Center, Fuji 5 th Station Observatory, lunch, Hakone National Park Ropeway, Owakudani Boiling Valley, Lake Ashinoko cruise Check in to hotel Hakone free time shopping, hot springs visit Dinner at hotel Evening exploration in Hakone February 18, 2014 Skiing at Niseko (optional cat skiing; backcountry skiing; dog sledding or other adventure activity) Lunch Dinner on own in town Optional hot springs trip Free time evening night skiing and/or Niseko nightlife Cultural tour group: Leave Hakone for bullet train ride to Kyoto Check in to hotel in Kyoto Lunch at local restaurant PM Kyoto tour (To ji Pagoda, Sanjusangendo, Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto National Museum, Gion geisha area) Dinner at hotel Free time evening in Kyoto February 19, 2014 Day ski trip to Rusutsu Ski Area Lunch, Dinner at Rusutsu Bus trip return to Niseko Optional hot springs trip Free time evening night skiing and/or Niseko nightlife Cultural tour group: 3

4 Tour Kyoto (Nijo jo, Heian Shrine, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kinkaku ji Temple, Ryoanji Temple); Lunch Shopping free time Dinner in town Free time evening Kyoto nightlife (optional geisha group tour) February 20, 2014 Skiing at Niseko (optional cat skiing; backcountry skiing; dog sledding or other adventure activity) Optional day excursion to Sapporo; lunch; pm sightseeing/shopping in Sapporo; bus trip return to Niseko Dinner in Niseko Optional hot springs trip Free time evening night skiing and/or Niseko nightlife Cultural tour group: Hieizan, Lake Biwa, Lunch, Hikone castle tour Japanese cultural activities Taiko drummers/music, flower arranging, tea ceremony, martial arts, calligraphy Shopping, optional Lake Biwa hot springs Dinner at Lake Biwa Return to Kyoto February 21, 2014 Skiing at Niseko (optional cat skiing, backcountry skiing, dog sledding) PM Optional Japanese cultural activities Taiko drummers/music, flower arranging, tea ceremony, martial arts, calligraphy Dinner in town Optional hot springs trip Free time evening night skiing and/or Niseko nightlife Cultural tour group: Bus trip to Nara Tour Nara (first capital before Kyoto) Nara Park, Horyuji, Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine Lunch in Nara Shopping, further tour of Nara Dinner in Nara Bus return to Kyoto hotel Evening on town in Kyoto 4

5 February 22, 2014 Skiing at Niseko (optional cat skiing, backcountry skiing, dog sledding) Optional Otaru Seaport visit; optional ski trip to nearby Kiroro resort Farewell dinner in downtown Niseko; night on the town Cultural tour group: Bus trip to Osaka Sightseeing in Osaka (castle, electronics district, Amerika mura, Umeda) Lunch Shopping PM Dinner; nightlife in Dotombori Bus trip return to Kyoto February 23, 2014 Optional morning shopping run Check out of hotel Lunch at Sapporo Beer Garden PM bus trip to airport Flight from Chitose to Tokyo Meet other group; combined dinner at airport Return flight to US Cultural Tour Group: Check out of hotel Bus ride to train station Shinkansen bullet train ride to Tokyo; transfer ride to airport Meet other group; combined dinner at airport Return flight to US Thailand extension group flies to Phuket, Thailand (from Narita airport, pm flight) NOTE: There will also be opportunity for those who would like to stay longer in Japan or extend to another location on a case by case basis. Thailand Extension Group: February 24, 2014 Arrival in Phuket Breakfast Check in to hotel 5

6 Free time Evening dinner in town February 25, 2014 Free time Evening dinner in town February 26, 2014 Bus to airport Flight to Bangkok Bus to hotel Check in to hotel Lunch at hotel Afternoon sightseeing in Bangkok: The Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Po, Wat Arun Dinner in town: Asiatique Shopping village Night on town: Soi Cowboy February 27, 2014 Sightseeing in Bangkok: Floating market, Old City Lunch Dinner; night on the town: February 28, 2014 Bus to airport Niseko, Japan Background info on Niseko and other tour sites Niseko is a conglomerate of interconnected ski areas, located on the northernmost island of Hokkaido, Japan. Niseko is well recognized as Asia s top ski area; yet its distance from the urban centers of central Japan keep its slopes remarkably uncrowded. Niseko arguably has the world s best powder skiing, and has been well recognized for such by many major newspapers, travel magazines and ski journals, as the quotes below attest. You will also notice how relatively inexpensive skiing is at Niseko, and when its world famous night skiing is factored in, the value is unbelievable. Moreover, Niseko has over 20 amazing hot springs, where you can soak in luxurious bliss after a hard day on the slopes Japan s hot springs lifestyle must be experienced to be appreciated. Couple that with the great accommodations, variety and quality of cuisine offered by hotels and in nearby Hirafu village, and terrific nightlife, and it will be realized that Niseko is a must visit for any skier. 6

7 Hokkaido, Niseko s island location, has over 120 ski areas, and many of these are nearby, offering comparable skiing with varying contrasts of experience. The tour will visit nearby Rusutsu Resort, almost as big again as Niseko, for 1 day of skiing, and a tour option to Kiroro resort, as well as a backcountry option and other terrific adventure options are available. Niseko also enjoys the charm of Japanese culture, and planned side trips and cultural experiences will allow the group to experience this. An optional side tour is planned to the beautiful port city of Otaru, a Venice like city that is famous for its old charm and superb shopping. A serious of optional cultural experiences are also planned, to include the Japanese tea ceremony, flower arranging, taiko drummers, calligraphy, and martial arts. Further, the group will wind up the tour by visiting the Sapporo Ice Festival, which is one of the most famous festivals in all of Asia, as well as the famous Sapporo Beer Garden for a luncheon. A fully separate tour option for non skiers is also planned. Led by a professor of Japanese, this option will stay on the main island of Honshu, and will experience traditional and modern Japan at a deep level, visiting famous sites in the resort town of Hakone near Mount Fuji; Kyoto and Nara, Japan s traditional capital cities; Osaka; and the Hikone castle area of Lake Biwa. Moreover, both the skiing and non skiing groups will have a good day opportunity to explore the major sites in Tokyo. To top if off, an extension is planned to Phuket and Bangkok, Thailand. After a week in the powder and cold, the amazing beaches of Phuket will be a welcome and wonderful change, the cultural sites amazing, and the nightlife will be has you have heard of it. Excursions Non skiing Japan Cultural Excursion Option This option is for those who aren t interesting in skiing but would like to see Japan s most famous cultural and historical sites ancient and modern. It is a completely separate track from the ski portion. It will be led by a former Associate Professor of Japanese, who has over a decade of experience in leading cultural trips to Asia. The tour is designed to be fun and exciting, and to provide a brief but close up view of Japanese culture, history and modern life, from those who know it well. Following two days of sightseeing in Tokyo together with the skiing group, the excursion will travel to famous Hakone, near the base of Mount Fuji, to experience Japan s natural world. There the group will see examples of traditional village life, breathtaking scenery, terrific hot springs and Japanese cuisine. The group will then travel by the famous Japanese bullet train Shinkansen, across the country to Kyoto, Japan s ancient capital, for five days of exploration. The most famous sights and sounds of Kyoto many of which are World Heritage Sites, will be explored over the next two days, and ample opportunity will also be afforded for self exploration of this amazing place. 7

8 An additional day will be spent to the north of Kyoto, where we will explore the Lake Biwa region, to include Hieizan, an ancient Buddhist monastery at the top of a mountain, along with Hikone Castle and region. On this day, a number of Japanese cultural presentations will also be made. On our final day we will explore Nara Japan s capital city even before Kyoto, where we will see several World Heritage sites that include the world s oldest wooden structure and Japan s largest Buddhist statue. We will then head for nearby Osaka Japan s second largest city (think Chicago ), where we will plunge back into modernity and shopping heaven (many think that Osaka is more exciting and then Tokyo itself), along with a terrific final night party and night on the town. Travel and accommodations throughout this excursion will be first rate; chances for great food will be provided at every point (breakfasts included). Ski Track Excursion to Sapporo option A day trip will be offered to experience Sapporo Hokkaido s capital city of 2 million people. Sapporo offers terrific shopping, culture and excitement great break for a day to get to the big city. Sapporo s nightlife district, Susukino (target of the final night s stay also), is ranked second in Japan behind only Roppongi (which we will also hit while in Tokyo). The group will travel by bus from Niseko, spending the day in Sapporo seeing the sites, shopping, and lunch. Rusutsu Ski Resort Excursion (planned for entire group) We will take a day from Niseko to visit nearby Rusutsu Resort, which is Hokkaido s largest ski resort (3 mountains, 42km of trails, 3,000 feet vertical) and which offers similar fantastic skiing with a totally different resort ambiance (think Disneyland on snow). The skiing, which includes perhaps the best side country powder anywhere, as well as Rusutsu s amazing restaurants and shops, will be your target for a day. Kiroro Ski Resort Excursion option Kiroro is an under the radar gem of a ski area nearby powder magnet that is one of Japan s best smaller areas that will offer a great change of pace option with few folks around and untracked lines aplenty. Kiroro has 21 runs at all levels, and also offers one of the very best ski schools around. Otaru Seaport Excursion option Otaru is a beautiful seaport, famous for its beautiful architecture and unique craft culture (glassware and music boxes very famous) that is located about an hour from Niseko. Many unique museums and shops (good antiques) align the canal ways, and the food (sushi) and beer are very famous. Otaru draws tourists from all over Asia and Russia. Noboribetsu Hotsprings Excursion option 8

9 Noboribetsu, about an hour from Niseko, is one of the most famous hot springs resorts in all of Japan. A visit here will be for the purpose of pampering your tired bones amazing curative spring waters abound, and there will also be great shopping. Japanese Cultural Presentations option Right in Niseko, a few hours will be provided to introduce you to several uniquely Japanese expressions tea ceremony, flower arranging, calligraphy (Japanese characters), taiko drums/japanese music, and martial arts. These presentations will be both demonstrational and experiential, and will allow you to sense the culture close up. Thailand Trip Extension For those still up for more after their Japan experience and wanting a 180 degree change of pace from all the Hokkaido powder/cold, we are planning a 5 day extension to Phuket and Bangkok, Thailand. Leaving Japan, you will fly overnight, arriving directly in Phuket the following morning. Checking into beautiful accommodations and with terrific, amazingly inexpensive cuisine options, he next two days will be spent entirely as you wish enjoying Phuket s incredible beaches, myriad of adventure options (elephant ride, sea sports, scuba, zip line, hiking, rock climbing, bungee jumping, historic sites, and on and on..), beyond famous night scene, etc. On day three, we will then travel north to Bangkok, Thailand s metropolis, which we will tour and enjoy for the next two days. World Heritage temples/gardens, markets, astounding sights and sounds, cuisine, shopping and nightlife will all be enjoyed. Some quotes --New York Times (2011): Best way to avoid thinking about climate change [is to] ski Niseko... few areas are as insulated from global warming --New York Times Travel (2012): Niseko is Japan s own St. Moritz Niseko is buried in some of the lightest, driest powder on the planet. --National Geographic Adventure (2012): Niseko is one of the world s 25 best ski towns --UK Association of Independent Tour Operators (2008): Niseko is one of the world s top 10 ski resorts --UK Independent: You know the best powder days you've had in Europe? Well, every other day is like that in Niseko 9

10 --CNN Travel: Niseko resort ranks among the snowiest resorts in the world, and [enjoys a] boisterous nightlife Forbes Traveler: Niseko is the Second snowiest resort on the planet --Powderhounds.com: Niseko ski resort is probably the best powder skiing resort in the world --Arctic Quest.com: Niseko is #2 top ski resort in the world for fresh powder [Rusutsu, on our itinerary, is listed #3] --Breathe magazine: Niseko has the world s most snow, incredible food and wonderful people --Ski Magazine: Ancient traditions, unbeatable powder, and a healthy economy come together to form Niseko, a resort better enjoyed than contemplated --Mountainwatch.com: It would be impossible to capture the effervescent quality of Niseko's powder in an image 'Superman snow' We're all endlessly chasing that [powder] feeling, and in Niseko you can have it virtually every day Summary of Niseko annual snowfall Four interconnected ski areas skiable by a single day pass 3084 feet vertical 803 acres 38 gondolas and lifts connecting 61 ski runs World-class hotels and amenities Terrific side-country and backcountry skiing Ski lift passes and rentals cheaper than comparable US rates Full English language capabilities onsite 200+ dining options of all cuisines serving world-class food with Japanesestyle service Over 20 local hot springs 10

11 Arguably the world s best night skiing entire mountain lit up (can inexpensively ski from early morning to late pm) Full range of Japanese cultural experiences available Other terrific ski and tour options nearby Key Websites regarding Niseko: Niseko United Resort information: Niseko Wikitravel: Niseko snow report: Niseko Promotion Board (good general information): Niseko Tourism: Niseko Restaurant Guide: Niseko Hilton Hotel: Niseko hot springs guide: Statements about earthquake and radiation effects relative to Niseko: Some great videos of Niseko: Sweetgrass Productions Signatures (filmed at Niseko): Breathe Magazine Intro to Niseko (great series on Niseko): Good video: Another one: 11

12 JaPow: Food at Niseko: Hot springs at Niseko: aq9y Climate: Niseko: 590 inches of snowall/year; snowing or going to snow in 10 minutes. Niseko/Hirafu village: 5,000 Sapporo: 2 million Lift Tickets (2012 rates) Take a look at how cheap!!! For this kind of skiing!!! days adult senior yen $ $42 Senor age yen $ $ yen $ $ yen $ $ yen $ $157 12