Excursão de um dia ao Vale do Inferno de Noboribetsu em Hokkaido, Monte Showa Shinzan e Lago Toya (partindo de Sapporo e Lago Toya)

That was the highlight of my trip to Japan. Our guide Tetsu was very helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. The hotels we stayed at were amazing. The itinerary was well thought out, and every single spot was breathtaking.

If you're staying at Tokyu Rei, meeting the guide is very convenient. The guide waited in the lobby as per the program. Ken-san took great care of us, explaining things in English, Japanese, and Chinese, and always letting us know when to board the bus. This program was quite packed, with frequent getting on and off the bus and a lot of walking, but we got to visit many places. We went during the rainy season and encountered rain and overcast skies, which was a shame. Restrooms were available everywhere at the tourist attractions.

The tour guide, Ken, did an excellent job. He explained the scenery in great detail, vividly, and with a good sense of humor. He was proficient in explaining in English, Chinese, and Japanese. It's just a shame that the weather wasn't good in spring; it rained all day.

It was my first time going, and I loved it! The guide spoke both English and Chinese, and took great care of us. There were no issues. We stopped at each place for 20 minutes to 1 hour, and it was fun to stop and take photos often. You could also ask the guide to help take pictures. We didn't have much time to eat, so it's a good idea to bring some snacks. I think if I had gone by private car, I wouldn't have been able to visit as many places. Going with a tour like this was really enjoyable.

We participated in the April 23rd tour, and our guide Andy was extremely professional. Besides introducing the attractions, he also shared shopping tips to help us avoid pitfalls, and his time management was excellent, making the entire trip very smooth! We were lucky to have clear weather, so we enjoyed many beautiful sights. It was truly great value to visit so many attractions in one day. Although the time spent at each spot wasn't long, it's really suitable for first-time visitors to Hokkaido who aren't driving. Highly recommended! The only minor drawback was that the seats in the minibus were incredibly small, much smaller than budget airline seats. My knees were constantly pressed against the seat in front, and sitting for a whole day was quite uncomfortable...

I chose this trip after comparing reviews; it was the right call as it covered every spot on the itinerary. We left Sapporo TV Station at 8:02 AM for Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley. Our guide, Oscar, was friendly and offered to take photos at Cape Chikyu. Next was the Silo Observation Deck. We chose Option B for the Mt. Usu Ropeway despite the short dining time. The ride takes 5-6 min, and visiting the Usu 360 observatory takes about 20 min. Advice: turn left after the Ropeway center to see Mt. Usu first, then go right for Lake Toya photos and grab a quick snack last. The Ropeway runs every 15 min (2:15, 2:30, etc.). We also visited the Bear Ranch. Option B includes the Ropeway with less eating time, while Option A skips it. We ended at Lake Shikotsu with the "Hokkaido number one" ice cream. It felt a bit rushed due to travel time between stops, but it’s the best way to see everything in one day. Advice for Oscar: Do mention travel times between stops so guests can plan better.

🌋 April 21, 2026: This time, I joined the Klook Noboribetsu and Lake Toya Day Tour. 🚩 Meet at Sapporo Tokyu REI Hotel before 7:25 AM. ✨️✨️ Departure at 7:40 AM ✨️✨️ 1. Noboribetsu Hell Valley Onsen: (35 minutes) 2. Cape Chikyu Observatory: (25 minutes) 3. Silo Observatory: (30 minutes) 4. Lake Toya Onsen: (70 minutes) 5. Showa Shinzan & Bear Park: (40 minutes) 6. Lake Shikotsu: (35 minutes) → Return to Sapporo. After a full day of touring, I truly felt it was very worthwhile. 🔥 Noboribetsu Hell Valley Upon arrival, I was struck by the strong smell of sulfur. White smoke continuously billowed from the ground, making the entire valley seem to breathe. It was very unique. Although the smell was distinct, the geothermal landscape was truly spectacular, giving a feeling of stepping inside the Earth. It was a truly impressive stop. Our guide told us that the smell we were experiencing was sulfur dioxide. 🌊 Cape Chikyu Next, we went to Cape Chikyu, where the scenery instantly switched from volcanic to coastal. The view from the cape was incredibly vast, with the sea stretching all the way to the horizon, truly giving one the feeling that "the Earth is round." The wind was strong but very comfortable. It was a very healing and relaxing place. Being there felt like encountering a typhoon, but it was absolutely perfect. 🐻 Showa Shinzan (Midway Stop) Here, you can shop for souvenirs or visit the bear park. The pace was relaxed, making it a good place to rest and recharge. We even bought biscuits to feed the bears in the park, and they were incredibly smart. They would sit and watch us, and when we threw the bear biscuits, they would catch them with their mouths. It was truly amazing. They also sell horse oil here, which is very effective and worth buying. 🌅 Lake Toya: Finally, we arrived at the Lake Toya Observatory and spent 70 minutes at Lake Toya Onsen for dinner and to admire the black 7-Eleven. Watching the lake in person, the entire atmosphere became completely serene. The lake surface was very calm, complemented by the distant mountains and volcanic terrain. The scene was very clean and healing, making it a perfect place for a leisurely stroll and photography. This stop provided a very pleasant conclusion to the day's itinerary. 🧭 The most special aspect of this trip was seeing three completely different natural landscapes in one day: Volcanic geothermal, coastal cape, and lake scenery. From awe-inspiring to relaxing, and then to healing, the pace was well-arranged. Although a bit packed, it was very worthwhile for first-time visitors to Hokkaido. 👨‍🏫 Guide's Review (Shao-san) What I particularly want to mention this time is our guide. Shao-san (I'm a bit unsure how to spell his English name) was very friendly and patient. Throughout the journey, he not only led the way but also carefully reminded us of meeting times, explained the features of each attraction, and paid attention to everyone's well-being, making the entire trip very reassuring. Although it was only a short one-day trip, his guidance added a lot of warmth to the entire journey. I am truly grateful to have met such a wonderful guide this time. If I have the chance to visit Hokkaido again, I would very much hope to join his tour again. ⭐ Summary Overall, this was a very worthwhile trip. The attractions were richly arranged, the guide was dedicated, and transportation was convenient. It was a day tour experience that will leave you with wonderful memories.

It was an excellent tour—we visited five beautiful places. Our guide gave us great recommendations about everything and helped us take photos. I highly recommend this tour if you want to discover unique and unconventional places in Japan.

The trip was super chill, with beautiful scenery all the way, just a bit windy at times. Andy was incredibly friendly and made everyone feel welcome. He also shared lots of helpful suggestions and advice on gifts, which we really appreciated. Overall, it was such a pleasant and relaxing experience. Hope to visit Hokkaido again in the future.

Went to all locations as specified on the itinerary. Enough time was provided at each. Only downside was the place we stopped and could have lunch at - all the restaurants were either full, out of our budget, or closed due to having sold out of their ingredients for the day. Guide suggested us to go to the Seico Mart convenience store if we couldn't find a restaurant, which quite a few groups ended up doing. There was enough food at the convenience store so that wasn't an issue. The highlight was definitely the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival which we had to pay an extra ¥1,000 per person for when we arrived (purchased tickets there). It was a great experience. If you are taking lots of photos, then the time there may not be enough. Overall, the other spots were a little underwhelming. The bear ranch was not cheap to enter and was a lot smaller than expected...