ItineraryThis tour starts in Niseko and ends in Furano.
Day 1
From Sapporo’s Chitose Airport you will get a schedule bus
transfer to Niseko.
Day 2
The first day you will be utilizing the
lifts to access the ski resort boundaries to sample some of Niseko’s famous powder. Niseko averages approximately 16 meters of snowfall per season. From the tops of the cone shaped mountains there are stunning views of the Sea of Japan. You will ski to the '5 Colors' hot spring at the end of the day.
Day 3
Ski
Niseko's volcanic mountains amidst fumaroles and boiling ponds. You will ski back to the hot springs in the area with a volcanic mud-bath.
Day 4
Today you will travel to an
isolated backcountry destination which sits closer to the ocean than Niseko and gets even more accumulations of snow. Once again you will finish in the area’s hot spring that has a luxurious falling water bath.
Day 5
The last day’s plan for this area is to climb
Mt Yotei, the ‘Fuji San of Hokkaido,’ the first of our volcanoes. It is a huge cone shaped mountain that rises from just above sea level to 1,898 meters and is 9th on the list of ‘Hyakumeizan,’ or
Japan’s 100 most famous mountains. If you are lucky and have a fine day you will be able to climb to the rim of the crater before descending the longest vertical in Hokkaido.
Day 6
You travel to
Daisetsuzan National Park for the next three days. Along the way you will stop at some
historical sight-seeing spots. Your base will be a
hot springs mountain lodge. The indigenous people of Hokkaido refer to these mountains as ‘Kamui Mintara,’ or the ‘Playground of the Gods.’ There is amazing backcountry skiing right outside the front door.
Day 7
Today’s
backcountry tour is to some of the finest tree skiing in Hokkaido and a favourite for Central Hokkaido’s backcountry community. It is an area that has been immortalized in magazines with pictures of skiers and snowboarders all trying to keep their heads above the snow.
Day 8
You will ski the front side of the
Daisetsuzan Volcano and if you are brave enough, a highlight is to touch the volcanic steam that billows out of its great vent. The day will finish with a soak in a forest hot spring which is reputed to have healing qualities.
Day 9
Your last day you travel to the
third of the volcanoes which is
Asahidake in the northern part of Daisetsuzan National Park.
It is the highest mountain in Hokkaido at 2,290m and another member of the Hyakumeizan. On clear days you can see plumes of white smoke billowing from its many vents. A cable-car gives lift access to the tree line providing for 600 meters and then a 700 vertical meter ascent to the roof of Hokkaido. Transfer to Furano to celebrate the last night.
Day 10
Airport transfer from Furano to either Asahikawa airport or Chitose Airport or continue on with your Japan adventure.
Oh and don't forget to
write a review of your tour on Powderhounds.com.
Stay in traditional Japanese rooms |
..eat superb Japanese cuisine.. |
..and soak in natural hotsprings |