Mount Aso tours

The place is very beautiful. The car is a van. Traveling to each place is far from each other, giving us little time to walk around. But I can understand. Received early in the morning, delivered late at night, total approximately 12 hours.

Great experience! A perfect day of the wonders of Aso Volcano and Kurokawa Onsen, meet the treasure tour guide Zheng Weijun! Today I participated in a one-day tour covering Aso Crater, Kusasenri, Aso Shrine and Kurokawa Onsen. The experience far exceeded my expectations and I have to give it a full five-star rating! If the full score is five stars, then the service of tour guide Zheng Weijun is definitely worthy of "seven stars"! **Highlights of the trip:** 1. **Aso Crater:** The shock of seeing one of the largest calderas in the world is indescribable! Although weather and volcanic activity will affect whether you can see the smoke from the Nakadake crater up close, just standing on the observation deck and feeling the vast volcanic landscape and the smell of sulfur in the air is enough to marvel at the wonders of nature. The safety instructions are explained clearly and reassuringly. 2. **Thousand Miles of Grass:** Switching from the spectacular crater to this vast alpine grassland wetland is instantly refreshing. The green grass, dotted with leisurely horses (and sometimes cows!), and the volcanic mountains in the distance make for a beautiful picture. It is very suitable for walking, taking pictures, and enjoying the peaceful pastoral scenery. 3. **Aso Shrine:** This solemn and ancient shrine is a good place to learn about local beliefs and spiritual sustenance. The unique gate (it is under restoration, but its grandeur can still be felt) and the approach to the shrine convey a sense of long history. Praying here adds a sense of tranquility and peace to the journey. 4. **Kurokawa Onsen:** The perfect end to the trip! This secret hot spring town deep in the mountains has a great atmosphere and a strong traditional Japanese style. Although the one-day tour time is limited, it is enough to stroll in the charming hot spring street and feel its unique charm (if time permits, it will be even more pleasant to soak in a foot bath). The air is fresh and the environment is quiet, making it an ideal place to relax. **Core highlight: tour guide Mr. Zheng Weijun! **The biggest surprise and plus point of this trip was definitely our tour guide Mr. Zheng Weijun! ** * **Standard and fluent Chinese:** Guide Zheng's Chinese is standard, fluent and clear, making all Chinese tourists (no matter where they come from) feel extremely friendly and convenient. There are zero communication barriers throughout the process, information is conveyed accurately, and there is no need to worry about language problems. * **Humorous and witty, creating a great atmosphere:** Director Zheng is definitely a master of humor! His explanations were never boring, and his witty remarks, well-placed jokes and vivid stories filled the entire drive and sightseeing tour with laughter. The long journey became easy and pleasant, and the group members had a great time. * **Very knowledgeable and detailed explanations:** He has a thorough knowledge of the geography, history, culture, and volcanoes of the Aso area. The explanations are profound and fascinating, not only introducing the surface of the attractions, but also allowing us to understand the stories and causes behind them. At the crater, shrine, and hot spring town, his explanations greatly enriched our tour experience and I felt like I learned a lot.

The excellent tour guide and excellent driving made the whole trip smooth and safe. The journey took about 2 and a half hours. We stopped at a rest stop on the way to use the toilet. When we arrived at Kusasenri, we took some photos and bought souvenirs. I recommend that you must drink Aso fresh milk or rich yogurt! Along the way, the tour guide checked whether the crater could be viewed up close. Unfortunately, we were unable to go there due to the wind direction that day, but we could still enjoy it from the observation deck. Finally, we arranged some time to take a bath in Kurokawa Onsen. Many open-air hot springs recommended by the tour guide were closed that day, but in the end we still found one to experience the local beauty hot spring. We ended the journey with a bath and caught up on some sleep in the car. We arrived at Fukuoka Station just in time for dinner. Everything was the best arrangement.

Well planned itinerary with adequate time at each stop. Bus was comfortable. Guide Zhao gave detailed explanation and food recommendations in three languages - Mandarin, English and Japanese, although visitors who only understand English might be at the losing end. Lunch was better than expected. We thoroughly enjoyed our day.

The tour is super complete, too many things to do in 1 day, in the lunch time order the premium beef, not the normal one, it worths much more. Dasy the guide is very kind, she will help you with any concern you have. in the onsen you will feel you have plenty time but you really have to enter the onsens, so do it as soon as you arrive so you don't have to hurry later, is super cheap and healthy.

This trip allowed us to stay in Osaka Castle for just the right amount of time, but if we had to go to the Kumamon office at our own expense, it would have been too rushed. We were unable to go to the Aso crater that day due to heavy fog, but we did book the Aso Boys Train for an experience trip, and the seats we booked on the train were also very good, which added a lot to the trip! (PS The tour guide abides by the company's rules and will not wait for latecomers.)

It is difficult to visit the scenic spots. It is more cost-effective than chartering a car. I like small groups and better quality. The small van is stable and easy to sleep in. It is clean and comfortable. The tour guide is also very enthusiastic to introduce the scenic spots, tell stories, and teach the steps to visit the shrine, etc. Although the travel companions in this car are very I, they will not give more introductions because they don't get a response. The only thing I feel sorry about is that the visiting time of Kumamoto Castle (including meal time) is not enough. The buffet is rich and delicious. We are lucky to go up to Aso Volcano. It is very beautiful. Remember to bring a mask. The volcanic gas has a strong odor and contains sulfur dioxide. It is very dangerous for people with asthma or heart disease. There are commemorative badges in the visitor center. You can bring a piece of white paper. Finally, the Kumamoto Shrine requires physical strength. It is steep but also beautiful. On the way back, I found that there are wooden crutches in the parking lot that can be borrowed, but I don’t know if it is charged. This is a great itinerary for small-scale tourism. You can get multiple popular attractions in one day.

I enjoyed this tour. it is convenient for those who wants to travel from Kumamoto. and one get to go to 2 main attractions. time is allocated sufficiently for both. the lunch provided is good too. tour guides are great! if anyone want to take the boat ride pls book on your own. there was sufficient time for an hr boat ride. they even gave us a 15-20mins stop over for a toilet break before heading back. there is a supermarket where we get to buy some local stuff.