Shikotsu-Toya 5 Day Hiking Tour

We meet in central Otaru, a historic canal city near Sapporo. Our first hike takes us along the Otamoi-Akaiwa Nature Trail, a beautiful coastal walk through Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park.

This popular 5.6 km trail is perfect for warming up. We hike through lowland forest to clifftops offering magnificent views of the Sea of Japan and Hokkaido's rugged coastline.

After our hike, we travel to Niseko where we spend the evening. We enjoy dinner featuring fresh local produce from Niseko's surrounding farmland.

After breakfast, we hike to the stunning Kagami Pond (4.2 km). "Kagami" means "mirror" in Japanese, and on still days, Mt. Annupuri is beautifully reflected in its surface. This well-maintained trail offers a gentle walk through Niseko's summer landscape.

After a local lunch, we travel to Lake Toya, a caldera lake formed by volcanic activity. We explore the Konpira & Nishiyama routes (4.9 km), witnessing the dramatic effects of Mt. Usu's 2000 eruption. We see damaged housing, a buried highway, and volcanic craters, following a cracked road that shows nature's raw power.

Our day ends at our accommodation where we enjoy a relaxing soak in natural hot springs before dinner.

We catch a ferry to Nakajima Island in Lake Toya, a wildlife oasis untouched by humans except for walking trails, a museum and dock. During our 3-hour loop hike (8.4 km), we enjoy a picnic lunch and walk through the beautiful Daiheigen, with possible views of Mt. Yotei on clear days.

In the afternoon, we explore Noboribetsu Hell Valley on a 3.2 km wooden walkway built atop a volcanic crater. We then visit Oyunuma, a volcanic lake with temperatures reaching 130°C at its bottom and 50°C at the surface. The lake feeds into Oyunuma River where we can enjoy a natural foot bath. We end our day with dinner and a relaxing soak in Noboribetsu's famous hot springs.

We visit Shiraoi, home to prominent Ainu sites and the Upopoy National Ainu Museum - Japan's first national museum dedicated to the Ainu indigenous people. Our morning hike takes us around Lake Poroto through a lush recreational forest, once a tree nursery. The forest showcases Hokkaido's native trees including fir, spruce, oak and elm, and is home to various wildlife.

After the hike, we explore the Upopoy National Ainu Museum to learn about Hokkaido's indigenous people and their rich cultural heritage. We then travel to Lake Shikotsu, a stunning caldera lake surrounded by active volcanoes, where we enjoy dinner and a relaxing soak in natural hot springs at our accommodation.

On our final day, we tackle the challenge of Mt. Tarumae (1,041 m). This active volcano offers incredible unobstructed views thanks to its harsh, volcanic landscape. The 3.2 km trail climbs 360 m over rocky terrain to reach the summit, where we're rewarded with panoramic vistas of Lake Shikotsu, surrounding peaks and the Pacific Ocean.

At the top, we enjoy a picnic lunch amongst sulphur vents and an impressive lava dome. If weather conditions are poor, we'll explore alternative trails nearby, such as a dramatic moss-lined gully at the mountain's base.

Our tour concludes with drop-offs at either Chitose Station for connections to Sapporo or New Chitose Airport.