Kyoto&Nara Private Highlights Tour with English driver
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
On a private car tour, visit Kyoto and Nara, two of Japan's most historic destinations. Ideal for avoiding trains or large bus tours. See temples, shrines, traditional streets, and Nara's deer park.
Start in Kyoto, then visit highlights like Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera, Arashiyama, Gion, Nishiki Market, Nara Park, and Todai-ji. Kyoto offers classic scenery and old streets; Nara has open parkland, free-roaming deer, and a major Buddhist temple.
The 5-hour option has fewer stops; the 10-hour option covers both cities at a relaxed pace. We recommend 2–3 stops for 5 hours, 4–5 for 10 hours. Visiting all listed sites in one day is unlikely.
Customize: contact us 24 hours before start. Send stops, pickup, group size, luggage, special requests. Without 24-hour notice, the default route applies.
For 14+ guests, advance vehicle arrangements are required. Cancellations within 72 hours are non-refundable.
Additional Info
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The total duration includes the travel time.
The duration for every attraction is the recommend time.
If you want shorten or extend single attraction duration, you can communicate with driver or guide.
What To Expect
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
The Arashiyama Bamboo Forest is one of Kyoto’s most iconic natural sights. A short walking path winds through towering bamboo stalks, creating a calm and atmospheric experience. The gentle sound of the wind through the bamboo makes it a peaceful escape from the city.
Kinkakuji Temple
Kinkakuji Temple, a three-storey pavilion covered in gold leaf that is one of the most famous and recognizable of all the historic buildings in Kyoto and has been selected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will see the golden reflection of the temple in the still mirror water surface. And try to pray in front of those statues for fortune and luck.
Options
KYOTO NARA 10H TOUR MAX13
10H PRIVATE CAR ONLY: 10-hour Kyoto-Nara private car service for up to 13 guests. No guide or English driver included. 10H KYOTO NARA ROUTE: Visit selected Kyoto and Nara stops within 10 hours; route must fit traffic and parking rules. MAX13 / NO ENGLISH DRIVER: Vehicle and driver only. No guide, no English driver. Up to 13 large suitcases. Pickup included
KYOTO NARA 10H BUS TOUR MAX44
10H PRIVATE BUS ONLY: 10-hour Kyoto-Nara private bus service for up to 44 guests. No guide or English driver included. 10H KYOTO NARA ROUTE: Visit selected Kyoto and Nara stops within 10 hours; route must fit traffic and parking rules. BUS MAX44 / 72H CANCEL RULE: Up to 44 guests and 44 suitcases. No guide or English driver. Non-refundable within 72h before tour. Pickup included
KYOTO NARA 10H TOUR MAX9
10H ENGLISH DRIVER-GUIDE: 10-hour Kyoto-Nara car tour for up to 9 guests with English driver-guide and basic support. 10H KYOTO NARA ROUTE: Visit more Kyoto and Nara highlights within 10 hours; route depends on traffic and pace. MAX9 / BASIC GUIDE SUPPORT: Driver-guide drives and offers basic English sightseeing support. Up to 10 large suitcases. Pickup included
KYOTO NARA 5H TOUR MAX9
5H ENGLISH DRIVER-GUIDE: 5-hour Kyoto-Nara car tour for up to 9 guests with English driver-guide and basic support. 5H KYOTO NARA ROUTE: Visit more Kyoto and Nara highlights within 5 hours; route depends on traffic and pace. MAX9 / BASIC GUIDE SUPPORT: Driver-guide drives and offers basic English sightseeing support. Up to 10 large suitcases. Pickup included
KYOTO NARA 10H TOUR MAX18
10H PRIVATE CAR ONLY: 10-hour Kyoto-Nara private vehicle service for up to 18 guests. No guide or English driver. 10H KYOTO NARA ROUTE: Visit selected Kyoto and Nara stops within 10 hours; route must fit traffic and parking rules. MAX18 / 72H CANCEL RULE: Up to 18 guests and 18 suitcases. No guide or English driver. Non-refundable within 72h before tour. Pickup included
KYOTO NARA GUIDE ADD-ON 5-10H
GUIDE ADD-ON SERVICE: Private guide add-on for Kyoto-Nara tours. Must be booked with a vehicle option; no car included. 5-10H IN-CAR GUIDE SERVICE: Guide joins the booked Kyoto-Nara car tour route; duration follows the selected vehicle option. DO NOT BOOK ALONE: Do not book alone. No vehicle, driver, fuel, tolls, parking, tickets, or meals included. Pickup included
KYOTO NARA 10H TOUR MAX6
10H ENGLISH DRIVER-GUIDE: 10-hour Kyoto-Nara car tour for up to 6 guests with English driver-guide and basic support. 10H KYOTO NARA ROUTE: Visit more Kyoto and Nara highlights within 10 hours; route depends on traffic and pace. MAX6 / BASIC GUIDE SUPPORT: Driver-guide drives and offers basic English sightseeing support. Up to 4 large suitcases. Pickup included
KYOTO NARA 5H TOUR MAX6
5H ENGLISH DRIVER-GUIDE: 5-hour Kyoto-Nara car tour for up to 6 guests with English driver-guide and basic support. 5H KYOTO NARA ROUTE: Visit selected Kyoto or Nara highlights within 5 hours; route depends on traffic and pace. MAX6 / BASIC GUIDE SUPPORT: Driver-guide drives and offers basic English sightseeing support. Up to 4 large suitcases. Pickup included
What‘s Included
Air-conditioned vehicle for vehicle options.
Custom route based on selected duration, traffic, parking rules, and guest pace.
Parking fees for the arranged route.
One free baby seat upon request.
English-speaking driver-guide only for MAX6 and MAX9 options.
Fuel fees for the arranged vehicle route.
Highway tolls for the arranged route.
30 minutes of free waiting time from the scheduled pickup time.
Admission tickets.
Meals and drinks.
Deer crackers or animal-feeding expenses in Nara Park.
Personal expenses.
Extra time beyond the selected duration.
Extra stops not confirmed in advance.
Out-of-area pickup or drop-off.
Waiting time beyond the free 30 minutes.
Overtime fee for vehicles up to 13 seats: JPY 5,000 per hour.
Overtime fee for 18-seat vehicles: JPY 10,000 per hour.
Overtime fee for 44-seat buses: JPY 15,000 per hour.
Additional baby seats: JPY 2,000 per seat. Please contact us in advance to arrange them.
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
15 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Kyoto nara
844balajik,May 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our driver timely came and shown all the places
Very nice Tour
Roam62366131487,May 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a very nice Tour. Roy did a really good Job and was really friendly. Thank you
Accommodating. Perfect for families
yolibelg2026,Apr 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very accommodating. We had to adjust the itinerary as it was raining and wanted to spend more time at the market but skip other places. Highly recommended if you don't like guided tours, like to travel in comfort, and want to adjust.
Kyoto in one day
FarAway06819445761,Apr 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Super Guide Thank you Ally Kyoto, the day, remains unforgettable. He took us everywhere. Always helpful Responding to our wishes. Always happy Thank you
Top day trip
gerdk942,Apr 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ali was A top guide all entertaining and informative . Top places selected always parked in front row and responded to our wishes . That's all it could have been that day. Thank you Ali 👍👍👌👌💥💥
Perfect Day on a Private Tour
Kristin147,Apr 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Once again Kansai Holiday and our driver Ally provided excellent service and a picture perfect day. Ally planned a perfect day trip from Kobe to Osaka. He was courteous and professional from start to finish. I really appreciate that he walked with us from Kema Sakuranomiya Park to Osaka Castle, ensuring we passed all the perfect spots for Sakura views.
Ally - Osaka Review
530asherk,Apr 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Ally was great top to bottom. He was inquisitive about who we were and tailored our experience to what he felt we would like. He hit the nail on the head and it was a perfect experience. The amount of time we would spend at each location was timed with a perfect balance of appreciating the experience without spending too much time at each place. Can’t recommend Ally enough
Great choice
jessica r,Mar 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Excellent, very interesting everything! It's very worth this tour, everyone should do it. The very good guide.
Cherry blossom and kyoto nara trip…
Sightseer36005768578,Mar 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Best travel company to book your trips in Japan withis Kansai Holidays. YU(the guide) deserves 10star rating out of 5. Extremely pleasant and funny kept the atmosphere lively for 10 hrs. Started with cherry blossom which was not in our plan. Inspite of us spending almost hour and a half he made sure that he covered all the spots that were in plan in the scheduled time. Made our day worthwhile. .Review on behaf of Ketul Shah
A wonderful and perfect day
King M,Oct 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an incredible day exploring Kyoto and Nara with this private car service! Our driver spoke excellent English, was super friendly, and made the whole trip easy and comfortable. The car was clean, spacious, and perfect for our family. We visited the Bamboo Forest, Kinkaku-ji, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nara Park, and Todai-ji — every spot was beautiful and peaceful. The driver even shared interesting stories about each place and helped us take great photos! It was one of the best days of our Japan trip. Highly recommend this service to anyone visiting Kyoto or Nara totally worth it!
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Operated by kansai holiday