Tour info
About This Tour
Shikoku is Japan’s fourth-largest island, home to some of the country’s most spectacular and undeveloped scenery. The island is also the setting for an ancient walking trail, the challenging Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage. The trail connects 88 Buddhist temples and the full walk covers more than a thousand kilometers. For our Shikoku Pilgrim Trail itinerary we have selected the best walks and accommodations, including Shukubo pilgrims lodgings and fine inns in appealing cities such as Tokushima and Dogo Onsen near Matsuyama, which offer convenient transport to the trailheads.
Highlights
- Accommodation in hotels, Japanese-style inns (ryokan, minshuku). Japanese-style accommodation will generally be in tatami-mat rooms
- 7 breakfasts and 6 dinners
- Individual return train tickets from Kyoto/Osaka to Shikoku
- Individual train tickets for intermediate train journeys along the Shikoku 88 trail
- A pre-booked and pre-paid taxi on Day 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8
- Detailed day-to-day itinerary and walking directions along with Topographical maps
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Itinerary
After breakfast, you are transferred to Glengoyne Distillery for a tour and tasting session. You are then transferred to Drymen to begin your walk on the West Highland Way, taking in views over Loch Lomond from the top of Conic Hill before descending into Balmaha for your evening stay.
Accommodation: Hotel Selamat datang! Welcome to Malaysia. Your adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you have any free time beforehand, why not get out and explore this intriguing city that was born between the Borneo jungle and the South China Sea.
Your walk today takes you along the east side of Loch Lomond, clinging to the water’s edge along much of the way. This is a lovely, low level and relaxed stage as it meanders past pebbly beaches and giving you plenty of time to take in the surrounding scenery and wildlife.
From Rowardennan, the path heads into thick woodland. There are two options here: the easier being the wide forest track which follows the contours up and down the hill; or the more time consuming, narrow path which skirts over rocks and exposed tree roots along the banks of the loch. The rocky and uneven path continues along the loch, hugging the water’s edge amidst ancient oak forest. The loch becomes noticeably narrower as the path approaches Inverarnan.
Soon after leaving Inverarnan, the path runs alongside the picturesque, fast-flowing River Falloch before a long stretch on an old military road. The route here closely follows the West Highland Line railway and eventually passes underneath the tracks as the path nears a coniferous forest. The route continues through the forest along a winding, undulating path, eventually crossing the road and River Fillin. Views of the surrounding mountains are wonderful. A well-maintained path follows the River Cononish before reaching Tyndrum.
