Nagano Snow Monkey & Snowshoe Hiking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (3 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/10

Duration9h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · JA

PickupAt your hotel

Monkeys in a hot spring, then a forest only winter opens up

A 9-hour winter tour in Nagano combines wild monkey observation at Snow Monkey Park with snowshoe hiking through Togakushi Shrine's snow-covered forest. A licensed guide leads both halves of the day, providing snowshoes and poles; you choose between morning or afternoon departure times, and the monkey park admission fee is optional at checkout. Moderate fitness required.

The Experience

The morning starts at Snow Monkey Park, where you watch Japanese macaques soak in an outdoor hot spring. Each monkey has its own behavior—some stay in the water for long stretches, others climb nearby rocks or groom each other—and you get close enough to see the details. The park sits in a mountain valley, and the contrast between the snow and the steaming water is the draw most visitors come for. Your guide, a licensed mountain trekking guide, points out the individual personalities and explains what you're seeing.

After the monkey park, you head to Togakushi Shrine in the afternoon. The shrine and its surrounding forest are buried under heavy snow in winter, and that's when snowshoeing becomes the only way to reach the undisturbed areas deeper in. The beech forest is dense and quiet. Frozen streams and snow-covered terrain that would be impassable on foot become walkable with snowshoes. You'll see animal tracks in the snow—deer, birds, smaller creatures—and the shrine itself emerges through the trees, its wooden structures framed by snow-laden branches. The guide leads you to spots most visitors never reach because they come when the ground is clear.

Snowshoes and poles are included, so you don't need to rent or buy them. The tour runs 9 hours total. You'll need warm clothes, a beanie, gloves, sunglasses and insulated winter boots—the guide will tell you what to bring when you book. Public transportation options are available near the meeting point. The tour is not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health; moderate fitness is the baseline.

What’s included

Guide fee and insurance.
snowshoes and poles.
a licensed English or Japanese-speaking guide who is a certified mountain trekking guide.
pickup is included.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by しなのディスカバリー / SHINANO DISCOVERY

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to combine monkey watching and shrine exploration in one day—the 9-hour pace works for travelers ready for a full active outing, and snowshoeing lets you access forest areas unreachable in other seasons.