Tour guiado de um dia ao Monte Aso e ao desfiladeiro de Takachiho

The main reason for joining this tour was the helicopter experience. One hour at Kumamoto Castle is definitely not enough time to explore; it's best to just take some photos of the main keep from a distance and then eat and buy souvenirs at the surrounding Josaien. The horse sashimi was quite unique, two pieces for ¥600. The helicopter ticket price is as shown in the picture, but remember, you also need to purchase a separate zoo admission ticket for ¥2000 per person. The animals' living spaces in the zoo are very cramped... it seems most of their income comes from the helicopter rides... many of the black bears exhibit stereotypical behaviors. On the day of our visit, strong winds caused volcanic smoke to spread, so we couldn't complete a full loop. However, because there's a timer, the pilot still stayed in the air for the allotted time, so we got to see other areas. The staff were all helpful with taking photos. The helicopter can only accommodate 4 people (pilot + passengers). The caldera of Aso was emerald green, a magnificent sight. Afterwards, the minibus drove directly up to Mount Nakadake, allowing us to experience the crater up close. Be careful of the pungent smoke; it's advisable not to stay too long. Everyone in our group was coughing after leaving. Next, we went to buy Aso milk and soft-serve ice cream, which were rich and delicious. The soft-serve with a cone was ¥550, and the milk was ¥280. Kusasenri was bare and yellow in winter, so we didn't take many photos, and the stopover times at each location were very short, mostly just a quick look. Tour guide Ms. Wang will contact you via WhatsApp before the trip, so if you provided your phone number, remember to check it. The minibus has 12 seats, and the space is quite small, but the driver was steady. If you get motion sickness, remember to take medicine beforehand. Ms. Wang primarily served as a timekeeper, reminding us of stopover and meeting times. Everyone in the car was sleeping. If you just want to visit Kumamoto Castle and the volcano + experience a helicopter ride in one day, you can consider this tour. I personally feel there isn't much difference in guides, whether they speak Chinese, Japanese, or English, and most Chinese guides are of Chinese descent... This group consisted of people from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Well, it's up to you to decide.

导游李华女士人非常好，照顾到了每一位客人。每个景点的时间都控制得很好。李华女士密切关注阿苏火山火山口的情况。当她看到所有区域都完全开放供公众参观火山口时，她调整了行程，先前往阿苏火山而不是草千里。她还主动提出在景点拍照，我非常感谢！当我们到达草千里时，正好是下午3点马匹在草原上奔跑的时候。景色令人着迷。我希望我们能在火山口和草千里多待些时间！感谢导游李石女士和司机白石先生的辛勤工作。

It's difficult to get to the attractions, so a chartered car is more cost-effective. I prefer small groups for better quality. The small van driver drove smoothly, making it easy to sleep, and it was clean and comfortable. The tour guide was also very enthusiastic, introducing attractions, telling stories, and teaching us how to worship at the shrine, etc. Although the travel companions in this car were all introverts, the guide didn't stop introducing things just because there was no response. The only regret was that the visiting time for Kumamoto Castle (including meal time) was not enough. The all-you-can-eat buffet had a rich and delicious selection of food. We were very lucky to go up Mount Aso; it was beautiful. Remember to bring a mask, as the volcanic gas has a strong, pungent odor and contains sulfur dioxide, which is very dangerous for people with asthma or heart disease. The visitor center has souvenir stamps, so you can bring a blank piece of paper. Finally, Kumanoza Shrine requires some physical effort as it's quite steep, but it's also very beautiful. On the way back, we found out that there were wooden walking sticks available for rent at the parking lot, but we don't know if there's a fee. This is a great itinerary for budget travelers, allowing you to visit multiple popular attractions in one day.

Ms Shi is a very experienced guide. It was a nice small group, which meant the bus was able to access the top parking area of the crater observation area. We were very lucky to be able to look into the caldera. Kumamoto Castle is a long-term reconstruction project, but it's still impressive and interesting to observe the damage from the 2016 earthquake. The little shrine was a nice interlude after lunch to walk off the lovely buffet, which offered quite a variety. We're glad we took this trip and had a wonderful time.

Joining the one-day tour was truly much more comfortable; I didn't have to navigate suburban traffic myself, and the whole day flowed smoothly as we were guided along. The most unforgettable part was seeing the volcano crater from a helicopter; the awe of that aerial view felt like pressing pause on everyday life. The tour guide handled all communications, ticket purchases, and coordination for everyone, taking care of every small detail perfectly. The driver was also very steady, safely taking us to each location. I just hope everyone on the tour can gather on time, and this journey will be as smooth and beautiful as the scenery itself.

This tour offers excellent value for money. If you're visiting, I highly recommend taking a helicopter tour, especially the 15-minute option. The helicopter flies over both sides, unlike what some online sources suggest about it only flying over one side. This time, we flew with ARIair. Due to the long holiday weekend, there was a lot of traffic, and we couldn't make our original scheduled time. Not only did our guide, Xiao Chen, work hard to help us communicate, but the other party was also very accommodating and allowed us to proceed as planned! Thank you 🙏. The food and activities recommended by the guide were very practical, and the explanations were detailed. I will definitely choose their activities again if I have the chance.

Highly recommended, this one-day tour exceeded our expectations! The attractions were quite spread out, so having a bus for the entire journey was very convenient. The tour guide provided explanations in Chinese. Lunch was a buffet next to Kumamoto Castle, with a good variety and delicious food. We were very lucky that day and could go up to the volcano crater, although it was a bit cold due to the previous day's snowfall. The shrine was relatively small, and since it wasn't summer yet, the grass was still a bit yellow and not as beautiful as in the online photos. We arrived back at Hakata Station promptly at 6 PM, just in time for dinner.

Although the itinerary was tight, we were able to visit all the places we wanted to see in one go, saving a lot on transportation costs. While the one-hour visit to Kumamoto Castle felt a bit rushed, it was acceptable as my main focus was on the helicopter experience and Mount Aso, with Kumamoto Castle being just a convenient stop along the way. Our guide, Ms. Wang Qi, was friendly and kind, constantly checking the opening status of the volcano for us. We are very grateful to her for helping us reach the crater smoothly and witness the magnificent volcano.

This itinerary offers incredible value for money. The helicopter experience allows group bookings to skip the queue, so there's no need to wait in line at the site. The zoo also has bears, penguins, and other small animals to see. The only downside is that the legroom on the mini-bus is too short; at 178cm tall, my knees were pressed against the seat in front, making long journeys quite uncomfortable.

Kumamoto Castle is one of Japan's three most famous castles and a must-visit. The Aso Volcano area offers beautiful scenery, and seeing the crater up close is truly breathtaking. Kusasenri's lush green plains are wonderfully relaxing. Coupled with the meticulous arrangements and detailed explanations from our tour leader, Mr. Chen Xi, and the safe driving of our driver, the group had a fun and worry-free trip. A 5-star itinerary, highly recommended.