Day Trips in Nara: 11 Sorted by What They Cost

1.Nara Half Day Trip Walking Tour (Private Option Available)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 937 reviews · from $105Our pick

Spend about five hours exploring Nara with a local guide, visiting Kofuku-ji, Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Nara Park, and Naramachi. Admission tickets and lunch are included. Expect plenty of walking, friendly deer, temple stories, a traditional merchant’s house, and a group capped at eight people. Guides have included Shin, Yuki, Miyabi, Nao, Mari, and others.

“This was a fantastic way to spend our day in Nara. Yuki was a wonderful guide, very friendly and knowledgeable about each place we went. We loved getting to see all of the temples and feeding the deer! And we never would have found the delicious lunch spot without this tour.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

2.Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Kyoto

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 445 reviews · from $194

This 10 to 11-hour JTB tour links Kyoto’s top historic sites with Nara’s Todai-ji, Kasuga Shrine, and deer park. An English-speaking guide such as KC, Momo, Yuki, or Etsuko leads the day, while air-conditioned transport handles the long gaps between sites. Choose a lunch option or eat independently near Kyoto Station.

“I highly recommend this experience! It was a great way to see a lot of key historical sites (and pet and feed some mostly friendly important deer) in Kyoto and Nara. Miyuki really brings the meaning of her name. Happy beauty! She was an excellent guide and had a lot of information that she could provide and was happy to answer any and all questions and take a few pictures as well. Mr. Kawabata was an incredible driver and also incredibly polite! We had a great time, learned a lot, and saw incredible sites. Definitely recommend if you're an English speaker visiting Japan for the first time! Arigatou gozaimasu!!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

3.Nara and Uji Day Trip with Deer Park and Hot Spring

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 302 reviews · 10 hours · from $57Best value

Travel from Osaka to Nara and Uji with an English, Japanese, or Traditional Chinese-speaking guide. Feed deer at Nara Park, see Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha, sample Uji matcha, visit Byodo-in or the Tale of Genji Museum, then bathe at Genji no Yu. The trip costs $57, but entrance fees and meals are extra.

“Thank you so much for trip. Very good tour guy Liao. He explained very clear and easy to communicated.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

4.From Kyoto / Osaka: Kyoto Must-see Spots & Nara Park One Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 169 reviews · from $60

Spend about nine hours visiting Nara Park, Fushimi Inari, and Arashiyama’s Bamboo Forest, shrines, Kimono Forest, Tenryu-ji, tea house, and Togetsukyo Bridge. Guides such as Mia, Fiona, Amy, Laura, and Tina have led this route. It is a fast, practical choice for first-time visitors, but Tenryu-ji admission, lunch, and much walking are extra.

“Our guide Tina was great. She was very informative and attentive, giving out clear coordinating instructions along the way. On the night before and on the morning itself, Tina constantly texted us to ensure we on the right way to meeting point. Tina commentary was lively and highly information. She give good descriptions of the place and places to eat. To ensure we would not get lost,she also WhatsApp and attach a map on the group. Overall the itinerary was just right, not too many and enough time for each place. We enjoyed the tour and happy to spend the last day of 2025 with Tina . Thanks Tina”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

5.Nara, Osaka & Kobe Day Trip – 3 Cities in 1 Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 160 reviews · 10h 30m · from $129

Travel from Kyoto to Nara, Osaka, and Kobe in 10.5 hours with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. Feed deer in Nara Park, explore Dotonbori, visit Osaka Castle, and finish in Kobe’s Chinatown and harbor area. Guides such as Alex, Paula, Angeles, and Cesar are praised for clear explanations and careful timekeeping.

“definitely one of the best tours I joined during my stay in Japan! Absolutely reccomended!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

6.From Osaka or Kyoto: Kyoto and Nara 1-Day Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 141 reviews · from $64

This 9 to 10-hour bus tour links Nara Park, Todaiji, Arashiyama, Kinkakuji, and Fushimi Inari from Kyoto or Osaka. You get an English or Chinese guide, air-conditioned transport, and Kinkakuji admission. Guides such as Mike, Garry, Harry, Nick, and Eric have earned strong praise, but the schedule can feel rushed and Arashiyama may be removed.

“We had high hopes for this tour. We arrived at the VIP Lounge on time and were given no information from the women at the desk other than to wait for Bus #2. Very disorganized. The bus was late so we already lost 30 minutes from the tour. Several days prior to the tour I received an email that due to government restrictions on how long bus drivers can work, the tour was cutting out one of the stops (the bamboo forest). This was extremely disappointing as it was a major highlight that we wanted to see. The tour was very rushed and we had little time to spend at…”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

7.From Osaka/Kyoto: Private Kyoto & Nara Day Trip with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 122 reviews · 10 hours

Travel by private air-conditioned vehicle from Osaka, Kyoto, or Kobe to Nara and Kyoto. Your English or Tagalog-speaking driver-host takes you to Nara Park, Todaiji, Fushimi Inari, Kinkaku-ji, and Arashiyama. Guides such as Steven, Christine, Aiko, and John have helped guests with photos, lunch ideas, translation, and flexible routing.

“Excellent experience with our driver Bong Yamaguchi. He was knowledgeable and even provided some guiding as we saw the sights. He helped with Japanese translation and we enjoyed ramen lunch thanks to his recommendation. Highly recommend.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

8.Osaka & Nara in 1-Day by Private Van with Local Expert Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews

Let local guide Daiki Fukashi take you from Kyoto, Osaka, or Nara to the deer of Nara Park, Todaiji Temple, Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, and lively shopping streets. You can focus on one city or combine both, with private transport, flexible stops, photo help, and local restaurant advice.

“Daiki is such a great tour guide. He is full of energy and has a lot of knowledge to share from Japanese history and culture. He was also a very safe driver and it was very helpful that he is so resourceful with anything we ask for including dinner requests. He took us to a really nice local spot that served amazing food. He did a great job of showing us the places in the right order —- I would definitely come back to Osaka to see more of it and hopefully have Daiki to show us around again!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

9.Luxury Kyoto 1-Day Private Car Tour with Nara & Osaka Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 61 reviews · from $185

Spend 8 to 9 hours touring Kyoto by private air-conditioned car with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, bottled water, and professional photos. Visit Kinkaku-ji, Arashiyama, Tenryu-ji, Gion, and Fushimi Inari. You can also request a Kyoto, Nara, or Osaka-based plan, with meals and admission fees paid separately.

“Ryu is a very professional tour guide who showed as the best places in Kyoto and we truly enjoyed it, he is very passionate about his work, he was able to accommodate all our needs, made our day special We have taken lots of photos ( despite of the rain they are perfect memories ) We highly recommend his services”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

10.Osaka/Kyoto: Private Kyoto and Nara Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 49 reviews · 10 hours

You’ll spend up to 10 hours in a private air-conditioned van with hotel pickup in Osaka or Kyoto. Choose Kyoto, Nara, or both. Sample stops include Fushimi Inari, Arashiyama, Nara Park, Tōdai-ji, and Kasuga-taisha. Drivers such as Ali, Asfand, Abdullah, and Ibrahim have earned praise for punctual, helpful service.

“We had really nice day tour with Ali and we really satisfied and happy with our tour we love to book again infinity tour and must ask for Ali , Ali is super professional and know about all everything we are happy with our activities,Thanks Ali”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

11.Kyoto and Nara Private Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 15 reviews · 10 hours

Travel from Osaka with a private English-speaking driver for a packed day in Nara and Kyoto. You’ll see Nara Park, Tōdai-ji, Arashiyama, Kinkaku-ji, Nishiki Market, Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, and Fushimi Inari. Drivers such as Nomi and Musa can adjust the day, take family photos, and suggest lunch stops. Expect substantial walking and extra entrance fees.

“We had an extremely good time with Nomi. Myself, my wife and two kids (10 and 5) were well looked after and cared for.He is extremely knowledgeable and great with simply explaining. Took some great family photos for us. 10 out of 5 rating from us with the highest possible recommendation.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →