top of page
IMG_0923-2-2.jpg

RATES & SERVICES

 

Guiding, Self-Guided, & Consultation

RATES & SERVICES

Full-Service Guiding

I guide solo travelers and small groups on any and all lengths and types of itineraries on the Salt Road, in the Japanese Alps, and across other destinations throughout Nagano, ranging from half or full-day running, walking, snowshoeing, or cycling tours on a specific route or section of trail, to multi-day journeys in any single or combination of styles. 

Included Services

  • Custom itinerary consultation & creation

  • Planning & logistical support

  • Reservation assistance

  • Full-service on-trail guiding & translation

Itinerary consultation and creation, planning and logistical support, and reservation assistance are complimentary services I offer clients who have engaged me to guide them during their travels. The only thing full-service guiding clients pay is a fixed daily on-trail guiding & translation fee + guide expenses, as follows: 

Rate for Guided Groups of 1 to 6

For solo travelers and small groups I charge 36,000 Japanese yen + my expenses incurred in the course of guiding, such as food, transportation, and lodging, This is the total amount charged to each group, not per person, therefore these costs can be split equally amongst the group members as follows:

Solo Travelers: (36,000 Japanese yen) + (100% of the guide's expenses) per day

Groups of 2: (18,000 Japanese yen) + (50% of the guide's expenses) per person / per day

Groups of 3: (12,000 Japanese yen) + (33% of the guide's expenses) per person / per day

Groups of 4: (9,000 Japanese yen) + (25% of the guide's expenses) per person / per day

Groups of 5: (7,200 Japanese yen) + (20% of the guide's expenses) per person / per day

Groups of 6: (6,000 Japanese yen) + (17%* of the guide's expenses) per person / per day​

Rate for Guided Groups of 7 to 12

Because of the increase in work, risk, & responsibility, I charge an additional daily supplement of ¥14,000 for larger groups, which results in a fixed fee of 50,000 Japanese yen + my expenses. Once again, the daily guiding fee and guide's expenses can be split equally amongst the group members as follows:

Groups of 7: (7,150* Japanese yen) + (15%* of the guide's expenses) per person / per day

Groups of 8: (6,250 Japanese yen) + (13%* of the guide's expenses) per person / per day

Groups of 9: (5,555 Japanese yen) + (11%* of the guide's expenses) per person / per day

Groups of 10: (5,000 Japanese yen) + (10% of the guide's expenses) per person / per day

Groups of 11: (4,550* Japanese yen) + (9%* of the guide's expenses) per person / per day​

Groups of 12: (4,170* Japanese yen) + (8%* of the guide's expenses) per person / per day

*NOTE: Some amounts and percentages have been rounded off for simplicity.

Self-Guided Packages

In addition to full-service guiding, I offer self-guided packages and travel support for those who are comfortable with or prefer going without a guide on walks along the Shionomichi or in the Japanese Alps.

Included Services

  • Custom itinerary consultation & creation

  • Planning & logistical support

  • Accommodation recommendations & reservation assistance

  • Navigation support with maps / gpx

  • Full dossier w/ relevant historical, cultural & route information

  • 24-hour English-language emergency support

For multi-day self-guided packages, I charge a one-time, non-refundable consultation/itinerary creation fee plus a fixed daily fee for each day of the provided itinerary. As with full-service guiding, the amounts listed below are the total cost, not the per-person amount, and can be shared by the members of your group.

Rate for Self-Guided Packages

ONE-TIME FEE

​

20,000 Japanese yen

​

for consultation/itinerary creation

+

DAILY FEE

​

15,000 Japanese yen

​

for each day of the itinerary

The table below summarizes the costs for multi-day self-guided tours of various lengths for clarity:

1-day itinerary: (20,000 Japanese yen) + (15,000 Japanese yen) = ¥35,000

2-day itinerary: (20,000 Japanese yen) + (30,000 Japanese yen) = ¥50,000

3-day itinerary: (20,000 Japanese yen) + (45,000 Japanese yen) = ¥65,000

4-day itinerary: (20,000 Japanese yen) + (60,000 Japanese yen) = ¥80,000

5-day itinerary: (20,000 Japanese yen) + (75,000 Japanese yen) = ¥95,000

6-day itinerary: (20,000 Japanese yen) + (90,000 Japanese yen) = ¥110,000

7-day itinerary: (20,000 Japanese yen) + (105,000 Japanese yen) = ¥125,000

Travel Consultation

The Japanese Alps occupy a vast area crisscrossed with thousands of miles of trails ranging from easy lift-accessed nature walks to hardcore, remote technical traverses. The Shionomichi is a lesser-known trail traveling through rural areas with few facilities and little to no English information available online. If you're determined to walk either area without a guide but would like to speak to someone to 

Included Services

  • One Zoom meeting up to 1 hour

  • One detailed follow-up email

  • Advice, recommendations, information, and answers to your questions regarding trails, accommodations, travel time, transportation, etc...

Rate for Travel Consultation

Payment must be made in advance and is billed as a one-time, non-refundable fee of 20,000 Japanese yen. 

OTHER EXPENSES

I am not a travel agent and don't sell all-inclusive package tours. It will depend on the quality of accommodations, frequency & variety of optional activities, and the type of food consumed during the tour, but other costs involved typically range between 15,000 and 30,000 Japanese yen per person / per day for overnight tours, and usually less than 5,000 Japanese yen for half-day / 10,000 Japanese yen for one-day tours. These costs are paid by you directly, and I receive no commission of any kind. I can provide a much more accurate estimate once I have been able to put together a basic itinerary for you.

TIPPING

I will not ask for, and do not expect tips from my clients, but I have learned that people express their gratitude in different ways, and if you have the wherewithal and desire to express appreciation for my work with a tip, I will happily and humbly accept.

bottom of page