Japan Expedition: Okinawa

9 days
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Small Group Tour
Embark on an ultimate Okinawa journey – a special group of islands that lie to the southwest of Japan. Being so far away from the main islands of Japan, Okinawa has always been considered an exotic destination even in Japan. With its distinct culture inherited from the Ryukyu Kingdom, yours will be a journey full of adventures both culturally and physically. ...

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Full schedule

Highlights

    • Need a bit of something more than lying on the beach in Okinawa? This trip offers a great variety of different experiences unique to Okinawa.
    • Visit the underground Former Navy Headquarters in Naha and learn about a battle that left a deep scar on the island's history.
    • Learn a few karate moves from a local master, a form of martial art that's believed to have originated in Okinawa.
    • Taste-test your way through healthy and delicious Okinawan cuisine, one of the reasons behind the longevity of the Okinawan people.
    • Ride on a glass-bottom boat in emerald-green Kabira Bay.
    • Snorkel with manta rays off Ishigaki Island and watch these graceful creatures glide effortlessly by.
    • Hop on a bike (or a buffalo-cart) and cycle through charming old villages on sleepy Taketomi Island.
    • Enjoy the lush green nature of Iriomote – get active and hike through virgin jungle forests and canoe the mangrove-lined Urauchi River.
    • Still yearning for some beach time? Enjoy a full free day on Iriomote Island for some well-deserved down time.

What's this trip about?

    Embark on an ultimate Okinawa journey – a special group of islands that lie to the southwest of Japan. Being so far away from the main islands of Japan, Okinawa has always been considered an exotic destination even in Japan. With its distinct culture inherited from the Ryukyu Kingdom, yours will be a journey full of adventures both culturally and physically. Walk through the lively Makishi Market, visit the former underground headquarters of the Japanese Navy and learn a few karate moves in Naha. Travel to Ishigaki, part of the remote Yaeyema Islands at the southwestern point of Japan. Ride on a glass-bottom boat, snorkel with manta rays and cycle around charming Taketomi Island. Hike through dense virgin jungles and canoe mangrove-lined rivers in Iriomote. This is an expedition that doesn't disappoint!

Details

Itinerary focusActive and Outdoor Sports
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityOperator does not provide
End CityOperator does not provide

Travel Themes

  • High Adventure
  • Local Immersion & Homestays
  • Trekking & Expeditions

Destinations

  • Asia
  • Japan

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Naha

Naha, Okinawa’s prefectural capital. You can arrive at any time during the day, as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. Please check with hotel reception or look on the reception noticeboard for where and when the meeting will take place. If y...

Day 2 Naha

As World War II drew to a close, Okinawa’s main island (where Naha is located) became the site of one of Japan’s bloodiest wartime conflicts. In the Battle of Okinawa, the island was used as defence against the advancing Allied Forces. Today, you'll learn about this s...

Day 3 Ishigaki

Get ready for an early flight to remote Ishigaki (1 hour). Ishigaki is the main island of the far-flung Yaeyama group of islands, located at the most southwestern point of Okinawa and the Japanese archipelago. Famed for its beautiful white beaches, Ishigaki is a liter...

Day 4 Ishigaki

Today enjoy a snorkelling trip to Manta Point, one of the best spots in Japan to see schools of manta rays in their natural habitat. You travel to the northern part of the island, where you’ll be trained in the basics of snorkelling before heading out by boat to the p...

Day 5 Taketomi - Ishigaki

A mere 15-minute ferry ride away is Taketomi Island, a tiny island located off the western point of Ishigaki. A living museum of traditional Ryukyu culture, local residents have banned signs of modern culture such as the ubiquitous convenience store. You’ll walk narro...

Day 6 Iriomote

In the morning, you’ll depart Ishigaki by ferry for the island of Iriomote (about 1 hour). Iriomote is famous for its intact subtropical jungles and mangrove swamps – unfortunately, some of Japan’s last. Around 90 percent of the island is covered by virgin jungle and ...

Day 7 Iriomote

Enjoy a well-deserved free day on beautiful Iriomote Island. Relax, explore or join one of the many eco-tourism activities - today is yours to spend as you like. You might like to take a trip to Yubu Island. Easily accessed from Iriomote by a water buffalo-drawn cart,...

Day 8 Ishigaki

Return to Ishigaki and enjoy your last free time in town. Maybe get together for a final optional dinner with your fellow travellers. Perhaps try the traditional dish of Okinawa-soba, made from thick wheat noodles and served in a pork broth, or the many other varietie...

Day 9 Ishigaki

There are no activities planned today and you can depart at any time.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $3,795
Price per day$422
Last Updated: 12/2/2021

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Intrepid Travel.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
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  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
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Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

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On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

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Why we love this operator
They’re very committed to sustainable and responsible tourism and contribute to important initiatives like climate action.
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Small group tours for active and adventurous travelers at a range of different price points and service levels.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (8 nights),

Transportation & Flights

Plane,Public Bus,Ferry,Boat,Bike,Canoe,

Transportation & flights

Plane,Public Bus,Ferry,Boat,Bike,Canoe
Guides
All Intrepid group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. Due to the rapid increase in tourism in Japan and in the lead up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics it has been necessary to go outside our traditional tour leader sources. As a result our passionate, professional and trained tour leaders may be local Japanese or long term foreign residents in Japan.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. When travelling on a trip, you won't be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24 hour emergency contact number has been seen by your leader. If you have credit card insurance your group leader will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. http://www.intrepidtravel.com/insurance.php
Visa requirements
Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important that you check for the latest information. Please visit the relevant consular website of the country or countries you’re visiting for detailed and up-to-date visa information specific to your nationality. Your consultant will also be happy to point you in the right direction with acquiring visas. Visas can take several weeks to process, so familiarise yourself with any requirements as soon as you have booked your trip to allow for processing time. JAPAN VISA Citizens of the USA, Australia and New Zealand are granted 90-day temporary visitor visas, while stays of up to three months are permitted for citizens of Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and a number of other countries. Stays of up to six months are permitted for citizens of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Switzerland and the UK. Citizens of these countries will almost always be given a 90-day temporary visitor visa upon arrival, which can usually be extended for another 90 days at immigration bureaux inside Japan.
Health & Safety
Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trip. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your leader will accompany you on all included activities, however during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your leader will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your Leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. For more details on the type of conditions and safety standards you can expect on your trip, please refer to Intrepid's operational safety policy on our website. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how well it's being implemented in the field: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us/safety JAPAN Crime levels are low. It is generally safe to walk about at night and to travel on public transport, but you should maintain the same level of vigilance as you would at home and take sensible precautions. Reports of inappropriate touching or ‘chikan’ of female passengers on commuter trains are fairly common. The police advise that you shout at the perpetrator to attract attention and ask a fellow passenger to call the train staff. The Roppongi entertainment district of Tokyo is considered a higher risk area for crime.
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Hotel East China Sea ホテルイーストチャイナシー
  • 2-8, Misakicho 〒907-0012 沖縄県石垣市美崎町2-8
  • Ishigaki
  • JAPAN
  • Phone: +81 98 088 115
Trip ID
intrepid-CJSI

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