What‘s Included

What To Expect

Reviews

• Read carefully

  JulieS,

  Oct 25, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  1.00

  Careful, make sure you read everything that is and isn’t included. We were under the impression that because it said it was a private tour, the transportation was already included. I knew we had to pay extra to buy the tickets to Kyoto but I wasn’t expecting to have to pay for someone to pick us up from the hotel and walk us to the train station to buy the train tickets 60k yen and then to have to pay 100k yen for a private car. So, the tour costs $550 for what exactly?????? I still don’t know what the $550 covers because it clearly doesn’t cover the tour. To make matters worse, my phone number was given to the tour operator and he started contacting me about the 160k yen just after the 24 hour cancellation deadline. He kept pressing me to confirm, I reached to Viator as I did not feel comfortable with the approach and Viator said that unfortunately there was nothing they could do. I asked for a refund and about 20 minutes later I received a WhatsApp message from the tour operator directly asking me why I had cancelled the tour. I felt harassed, I didn’t appreciate the fact the Viator gave my direct phone number to the company, I feel that if the tour operator needs to reach out they should be able to only do it through Viator. We have been traveling overseas for sometime now and have always used Viator, but after this incident, I will no longer be using them. Sad to say, but I feel 100% unsupported

  

• Weigh the Pros and Cons before Booking

  Rebecca T,

  Oct 25, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  2.00

  Our 9-hour private guided tour in Kyoto offered a deep dive into the city's cultural highlights, but it came with some unexpected costs and inconsistencies that future travelers should note. What We Loved: - The itinerary was comprehensive, allowing us to visit far more sites than we could have on public transportation. Standout spots included the unique Sanjūsangendō Temple with its impressive collection of statues and the charming Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, known for its whimsical stone statues. These made the experience memorable despite temple overload. - Our guide, Yuki (a male guide), was very kind and added many stops that weren’t on our original plan, which added a personal touch to the day. Areas for Improvement: - Communication Challenges: Yuki's English was understandable but struggled with detailed explanations, making it hard to fully appreciate the historical context of the sites. For the price paid, we expected smoother communication. Note: This Yuki seems different from the highly rated female guide named Yuka mentioned in other reviews—double-check guide details when booking. - Hidden Costs and Booking Issues: We were initially quoted $500, but an extra $650 was added for private transportation, which wasn't clearly communicated upfront. It appears Ahmed, likely the owner based on our interactions, handled the bookings and I thought was going to be our guide, may have switched us to Yuki due to our concerns about the charge. This left us feeling the experience didn't match the promises made. Overall Verdict: While the tour let us see Kyoto's best in a single day, the extra fees and guide mismatch were disappointing.

• Kyoto Day Trip

  MaryAnn A,

  Oct 1, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  This excursion is an excellent option to see the highlights of Kyoto. Our guide, Kazz, did a phenomenal job getting us to so many incredible sites and also has extensive knowledge of the cultural importance of each area we visited. He provided a wonderful overview of this amazing city. Highly recommend this tour!

• Pricey but worth it!

  Tim P,

  Aug 9, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  4.00

  Kyoto in 1 day is not ideal, but if that is all you have, this will ensure you get to see all the big highlights. It ends up being very expensive if you are traveling from Tokyo (like we were) and you hire a private car service (like we did), but it was still worth it! We would have liked another day in Kyoto but at least we can say we saw the beautiful city!

• Over priced! Not not a...

  Matea S,

  Aug 7, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  2.00

  Over priced! Not not a friendly informative guide. Not too willing to show us around or give us more information. Not fun, no fun, no fun

• Great Kyoto private tour

  Prashanth A,

  Jul 22, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Very professionally run private tour. It is not cheap , but worth the money . The tour guide was excellent! I would highly recommend this private tour if you want to see all the must see places in Kyoto in a day !

• Ahmed was an excellent...

  Trina P,

  Jun 2, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Ahmed was an excellent guide. He provided detailed history of the sites. The places we visited were great choices.

• Don’t do this tour !!

  Toni R,

  Jun 1, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  1.00

  Ever. Ever do this tour. Supplier is not reliable trustworthy or open and honest with communication. Worst experience

• Five stars for Ahmed!

  MarjorieM,

  May 4, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  There's nothing like having the owner of a tour company be your private guide! The morning didn't start out that way; our tour guide from another company never showed up for our 8 am appointment and it seemed that the company's phone was disconnected. I frantically started contacting other companies, unwilling to lose a precious day exploring Kyoto with an expert. I finally heard back from Ahmed. All his guides and vans were already booked but he would be glad to accommodate John and me - on what was supposed to be his day off. What a relief. And what a fabulous day exploring Kyoto and learning about her history and culture. AND what great sushi we ate for lunch!! Thanks from Margey and John

• Great experience!

  Koeli P,

  Apr 21, 2025

  - Review from Viator

  5.00

  Overall we had an Amazing experience! A trip to Kyoto was on my bucket list for long time and our guide Mini fulfilled that wish. Our guide Mini was very friendly, polite & knowledgeable, and passionate about Kyoto. She shared interesting facts and stories about Kyoto and making the trip informative and enjoyable. She took us to all the hidden gems and highlights around Kyoto. The places we visited were simply breathtaking. I am so happy that I made some memorable memories. The itinerary was very well-planned, allowing us to experience the beauty of Kyoto and help us to understand the history & culture of Japan. The ride was very comfortable driver was skilled and navigated the roads safely, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable journey and stopped at various spots to take pictures. There were plenty of opportunities to purchase souvenirs and mementos of our trip and enjoy the local foods. Highly recommend this day trip! The trip is expensive but If you're looking for an unforgettable experience and a chance to witness the beauty of Kyoto! It's a perfect way to explore the iconic landmark and create ever lasting memories. Would love to revisit Kyoto again!

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