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View all Kyoto toursArashiyama Bamboo Forest Morning Tour by Bike in Kyoto
Half-day tour in Kyoto, including Native English-speaking guide and Bicycle. Run by Kyoto Bike Tours, booked direct rather than through a reseller.
Highlights
- Runs 3.5 hours
- Native English-speaking guide
- Bicycle
- Helmet
- Bottled water
- Admission fees
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest Morning Tour by Bike: Key Facts
| Price | From $142 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3.5 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
This is a 3.5-hour experience in Kyoto. It is run by Kyoto Bike Tours, an operator we book with directly rather than through a reseller, which is why we can hold your place with them before we treat your booking as final.
Arashiyama, on Kyoto's western edge, is the bamboo grove, the Togetsukyo bridge over the Katsura river, the gardens of Tenryu-ji and the monkey park on the hill above. The bamboo path is about 500 metres and is photographed empty in every guidebook because those photographs are taken before 7:30; by mid-morning it is a procession. Rickshaw runs, the Sagano scenic railway along the gorge, and boat rides down the Hozu rapids all start here. Autumn colour peaks in the second half of November and cherry blossom around the first week of April.
The price covers Native English-speaking guide, Bicycle, Helmet, Bottled water and Admission fees. It does not cover Hotel pickup and drop-off, Food and drinks and Tips, so budget for those separately. Everything included is listed in full on this page; if something is not on that list, assume it is not in the price.
Kyoto Bike Tours sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed. We need at least one day's notice, and we confirm the date with Kyoto Bike Tours before treating your booking as final. If they cannot take your date we tell you and refund you rather than leave you waiting.
Includes
- Native English-speaking guide
- Bicycle
- Helmet
- Bottled water
- Admission fees
Excludes
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Tips
Important information
Meeting point
Kyoto Bike Tours sends the meeting point and time by email as soon as the booking is confirmed.
Weather
This runs outdoors, so the operator can call it off for rain, wind or sea conditions, and that decision is usually made on the day. If they cancel, you choose: another date, or your money back in full. We do not keep a booking fee on a tour that did not run.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
We had a fantastic 4 hours with Don. Everything ran smoothly he made sure we were comfortable with the bikes, and provided water and snacks. He was so friendly and nice and as we were a small group it felt like we were out with friends. The bamboo forest was incredible and all the temples we visited were made more interesting as Don gave us the history behind them. Also he took lots of photos which he sent on to us. All in all a wonderful morning would definitely recommend this tour as you can do alone but would not get any of the back ground information
Don was an outstanding tour guide. He was incredibly friendly and kind throughout the entire experience, and his knowledge of Japan and its culture was nothing short of phenomenal — he clearly has a real passion for the country. Every aspect of the tour was top-notch thanks to him. Highly recommend!
We had an amazing time! Our guide, Rob, is incredibly knowledgeable and shares his passion so enthusiastically. Definitely worth it. Thanks, Rob!
Dan was our guide and he was excellent! Funny and interesting. The bikes were great and the tour was fun and we learned a lot. Great experience
Our guide Rob was very experienced. He gave us great insight into Japanese culture and history. His easy going manner allowed us to enjoy the bike ride at a leisurely pace while learning about nature, art and religion. He insured the group was safe the whole time and took us on an unexpected, remarkable and insightful journey.
We had a fantastic morning with Cass. The bikes were good and the the ride was predominantly flat at a leisurely pace. Got to the bamboo forest early so crowds hadn’t built up too much and then enjoyed riding through streets and countryside, stopping at beautiful gardens and shrines along the way. Really enjoyed our calligraphy session! Cass was a great guide, very friendly and knowledgeable.
I thoroughly enjoyed doing this bike ride and getting to understand more about Japanese traditions
Fantastic, I would recommend to all. Our guide , Ray, was excellent, very knowledgeable and friendly.
What a great place to ride a bike and see so much beauty and history, and with Ray, an excellent guide who kept us informed on all things Kyoto, Forrest farming and temples and family life, Shinto and Buddhist traditions, the Japanese language- BIG thanks to Ray for a fantastic morning ride - highly recommended!!!
Our morning bike tour of Arashiyama was an absolute highlight of our trip! The biking route was easy and a perfect way to beat the crowds. Our guide, Yuki, was the star of the experience—he was so knowledgeable, explaining the history of each site and sharing fascinating insights into Japanese society. We had a wonderful time and saw hidden spots we never would have found on our own. Highly recommended!
Rob our guide was incredible. Spent time making sure we learned and understood the meaning and history of many different aspects of the Japanese culture and beliefs. Also best views of the bamboo forest and major temples. Would 100% recommend this tour in the morning and Rob as your guide
Don was our guide and he was wonderful! Not only was he very knowledgeable but he was also very police, nice and fun. In addition, our guide took some amazing pictures of our tour and he sent them to us after the tour. This has been one of our favorite tours in Japan and we highly recommend it. Thank you, Don!