DAY TOUR
Nature Watching Tour
This is one of Picchio’s signature tours, where you would get to see the forest of the Karuizawa Wild Bird Sanctuary differently every season. This tour can be enjoyed by everyone of all ages as the total walking distance is about 2km long.
Price
Nature Watching Tour
per person
| Adults | 2500Yen Binoculars rental fee (1 pair) 300 Yen Prices fluctuate during peak seasons.（The peak season is April 27~29, May 3~5, July 13~15, July 20~August 31, September 14~15, September 21~22.） |
|---|---|
| Children | 1200Yen 4 to 12 years old Binoculars rental fee (1 pair) 300 Yen Prices fluctuate during peak seasons.（The peak season is April 27~29, May 3~5, July 13~15, July 20~August 31, September 14~15, September 21~22.） |
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Plan Details
| Period |
2024/4/1(Mon)～2025/3/31(Mon) |
|---|---|
| What is included in the travel/plan price |
・Guide fee ・accident insurance premium |
| Minimum number of participants per group | 1 person/people |
| Minimum number of participants | 1 person/people |
| Maximum number of participants | 20 person/people |
| Tour Conductor | No |
| Start Time | 10am tour（Year-round） / 1:30pm tour（19th Mar to 30th Nov） |
| Tour Time | 120 minutes |
| Reservation Deadline | 9am for the 10am tour / 12:30pm for the 1:30pm tour |
| Payment Method |
Creditcard    
|
- Meeting Place -
Address is displayed when location is selected.
Picchio Visitor Center
- Important Points -
- Although it says "Payment method: Credit card", you cannot make online payments on the reservation page.
Payment will be made locally by cash or credit card. - This information may be provided to other customers
- Please wear shoes that are comfortable to walk in (e.g. sneakers, trail shoes, etc.)
- The total walking distance of the tour will be 2km long.
- You would not be able to bring along any strollers or wheelchairs as the paths are unpaved.
- Other -
- Children ages 3 and under can participate for free, but please bear in mind that you would have to carry them if they were to get tired halfway during the tour.
- Cancellation Fee -
In cases where the customer cancels the contract after the contract has been completed, 1 customer will be charged a cancellation fee from their travel fee at the following rates. In cases where multiple people are participating and a portion of the customers cancel their contracts, we will charge the remaining customers a fee based on the difference according to the change in the number of people (around 1 vehicle/1 room per person) using transport and accommodation facilities.
| 48 hours prior to tour departure | 24 hours prior to tour departure | on the day of the tour |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | 50% | 100% |
- Plan Provider Company -
Picchio
Hoshino, Karuizawa Town, Kitasaku District, Nagano Prefecture 389-0194
Sales Manager：Otsuka
Contact Phone Number：+81(0)267-45-7777
Application
※Link to an external site
Plan Contents
Course details
10:00am departure/12:00pm return (all year round)
1:30pm departure/3:30pm return (from 20 March to 30 November)
Picchio Visitor Center … Nature Watching tour inside Karuizawa Wild Bird Sanctuary (about 120 minutes) … finished
Highlights of Spring (late March to mid-May)
Spring arrives rather gradually in Karuizawa.. but after most of the snow melts away around the end of March, you can see a significant growth of life and greens taking over, making the forest appear differently every day. At this time of the year, wild birds sing their best songs to impress their potential partners and flowers start blooming one after the other, making it a very pleasant time to visit the forest.
Highlights of early summer (mid-July)
At this time of the year, the forest is covered by a fresh sheet of greenery. You would be able to hear the unique calls of a species of Cicada, Terpnosia nigricosta, as they begin to sing loudly while in search of a mate. You might also be able spot some wild birds looking for worms to feed their chicks too!
Highlights of the peak summer period (late July to August)
The bright summer flowers are in full bloom at this time of the year,
and various types of insects, such as butterflies and dragonflies, can be seen flying through the forest.
In late August, the Japanese squirrel's favorite food, the “Japanese walnut," begins to bear fruit.
If you hear small nibbling sounds from the branches above, take a quiet peek.
Highlights of Autumn (September to Early November)
At an altitude of 1000m above sea level, Autumn in Karuizawa comes a little earlier than the rest of Japan. Autumn flowers are in full bloom in early September, making the forest seem much more gorgeous than it already is. When November comes, the forest embraces the golden yellow leaves of Larch that glows under the sunlight.
Highlights of winter (mid-November to mid-March)
When the leaves have completely fallen off the trees, the forest seems brighter and clearer, making it easier to spot smaller birds that are usually harder to see. As the snow slowly piles up on the forest floors around the end of December, it’ll be the perfect time to look for animal prints and tracks.