Kyoto · NARA TOURS

The 15 Best Nara Tours & Day Trips

118 tours  ·  from $22 a head

Nara is forty-five minutes from Kyoto by train and holds the Great Buddha at Todai-ji and the bowing deer of the park. These 15 compare guided walks, coach days and early starts, with prices and departure points.

World Heritage Kyoto & Nara Uji Authentic Matcha Experience - Kasuga Taisha: lanterns and a quick first stop
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World Heritage Kyoto & Nara Uji Authentic Matcha Experience

1.World Heritage Kyoto & Nara Uji Authentic Matcha Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,573 reviews · from $129Our pick

Leave Kyoto at 7:50 am with an English-speaking guide for a full-day trip to Nara and Uji. See Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Nara’s deer, then visit Byodoin Temple and a historic tea shop to whisk your own matcha. Lunch is optional, and the day includes plenty of walking.

“This tour was well planned and executed. Our guide had the perfect balance of info with exploring time. Something for everyone to enjoy. Great photo ops and just an overall fun experience”

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Kyoto/Osaka: Nara, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bus Tour - Nara Park and its deer
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Kyoto/Osaka: Nara, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bus Tour

2.Nara, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,275 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $52Best value

Travel by air-conditioned bus from Osaka or Kyoto to Nara Park, Fushimi Inari Taisha and Arashiyama. An English- or Chinese-speaking guide handles the route and timing, while you explore each stop on foot. Expect deer, shrine gates, bamboo, temples and free time for food or extra sights. Tenryu-ji admission costs extra.

“Fiona was an amazing guide and made sure we had all the information prior and during the activity, which made the experience smooth! 100% would recommend”

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Nara Half Day Trip Walking Tour (Private Option Available) - Todaiji and the Great Buddha
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Nara Half Day Trip Walking Tour (Private Option Available)

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

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

Spend about five hours walking Nara with a local guide, visiting Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Nara Park, and the old merchant district of Naramachi. Temple admissions and a traditional Japanese lunch are included. Groups are capped at eight, and a private option is available. Guides including Shin, Yuki, Miyabi, and Eri have led tours.

“Everything was perfect. First, a big thank you to Shin, our guidé who taught us many things about Nara and japanese culture altogether. We visited Nara and learned of all the riches the town has, not just the famous bowing deer. Shin even Read more”

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Osaka/Kyoto: Arashiyama, Nara & Fushimi Inari Shrine w/Lunch - Arashiyama’s bamboo grove
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Osaka/Kyoto: Arashiyama, Nara & Fushimi Inari Shrine w/Lunch

4.Arashiyama, Nara & Fushimi Inari Shrine w/Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 754 reviews · from $61

Visit Arashiyama’s bamboo grove, Nara Park and Fushimi Inari on a roughly nine-hour bus tour from Osaka or Kyoto. Lunch at the 120-year-old Kyoto Wasabi townhouse includes Kobe beef, pork or vegetarian curry. Your guide speaks English or Chinese, and free time at each stop lets you explore at your own pace.

“Gary's kindness and attentiveness were highly appreciated. The itinerary was consistently adhered to, and the destinations were exceptional, with Gary's recommendations proving valuable.”

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Nara Early Morning Tour (Kyoto or Osaka Departure Available) - Kasuga Grand Shrine’s lantern-lined setting
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Nara Early Morning Tour (Kyoto or Osaka Departure Available)

5.Nara Early Morning Tour (Kyoto or Osaka Departure Available)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 676 reviews · from $61

Walk Nara with an English-speaking guide in a group capped at 12, visiting Kofuku-ji, Kasuga Grand Shrine, Nara Park, and Todaiji’s Great Buddha. The early start helps you enjoy quieter shrine paths before the crowds build. Kyoto or Osaka transport is available as an option, but the return trip and Todaiji entry fee are extra.

“The family (2 adults and 2 children) had a great morning learning about the beautiful shrines and temples. The kids loved the deer park and Natsuho was really knowledgeable and fun to be with as our guide.”

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Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Kyoto - Kinkaku-ji: gold leaf beside a quiet pond
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Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Kyoto

6.Kyoto and Nara Day Trip from Kyoto

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

Spend a full day touring Kyoto and Nara by air-conditioned bus, with an English-speaking licensed guide. Visit Nijo Castle, Kinkaku-ji and the Imperial Palace, then see Todai-ji, Kasuga Shrine and Nara’s free-roaming deer. Lunch is optional. Guides on past tours have included KC, Momo and Yuki.

“More free time at Nara would have been good. Long walk at the end of the day from and to the bus station”

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Full Day Guided Tour to Kyoto and Nara from Osaka by Van - Gion: old streets, lunch and a short wander
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Full Day Guided Tour to Kyoto and Nara from Osaka by Van

7.Full Day Guided Tour to Kyoto and Nara from Osaka by Van

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 420 reviews · from $106

Leave Osaka at 9:45 am with an English-speaking guide and visit Fushimi Inari, Gion and Nara Park by air-conditioned van. The group is capped at 11, with Wi-Fi and bottled water on board. Guides vary, with Taka, Woody and Jin among those who have led the tour. Lunch is on your own.

“Our guide, Taka, is very easy going and speaks english well. He steered us away from crowds whenever possible and gave us some great lunch recommendations! Tip: being bug spray for the trip to the shinto shrine, especially if you wish to hike through the bamboo forest! We stopped briefly in Gion for lunch. Not much time if you decide to grab lunch, so we were unable to do the geisha exhibit. Overall Highly recommended.”

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Nara Afternoon Tour from Kyoto or Osaka - Nara Park’s deer, with time to spare only if the schedule allows
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Nara Afternoon Tour from Kyoto or Osaka

8.Nara Afternoon Tour from Kyoto or Osaka

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 390 reviews · from $102

Ride from Kyoto to Nara for an afternoon at Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Grand Shrine, and Nara Park, where more than 1,000 deer roam. Admission, transport, and an English-speaking guide are included. Expect a substantial walk to Todaiji and a brisk schedule; guides such as Yuki and KC have led past tours.

“This tour was well organized and moved in a good pace. The guide Yuki was very informative and knowledgable. The bus was very comfortable. We really enjoyed this tour and would definitely recommend it. .”

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From Kyoto: Nara Guided Morning Tour - Kasuga Taisha and its stone lanterns
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From Kyoto: Nara Guided Morning Tour

9.Nara Guided Morning Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 335 reviews · 4 hours · from $77

This four-hour morning tour takes you from Kyoto to Nara by air-conditioned coach, then on foot to Kasuga Taisha, Nara Park, and Todaiji Temple. An English-speaking guide leads the visit, with audio headsets in six additional languages. Expect stone lanterns, the Great Buddha, and deer that may crowd close if you have crackers. The tour ends at Kintetsu Nara Station, not Kyoto.

“I went with my family and 3 kids on this tour and we really enjoyed our experience. Harry, our guide, made it special by explaining everything very well. It was a good value.”

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Osaka: Nara and Uji Day Trip with Deer Park and Hot Spring - Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha
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Osaka: Nara and Uji Day Trip with Deer Park and Hot Spring

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

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

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Osaka to Nara and Uji, with a multilingual guide, deer crackers, temple visits, matcha stops and time at Genji no Yu hot spring. You’ll have roughly two hours in Nara and 90 minutes in Uji, plus an hour for bathing. Temple and onsen admissions, meals and drinks cost extra, and the guide varies by departure.

“Didn’t get to do the hot springs, so was a little disappointed”

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Kyoto/Osaka: Kinkakuji, Bamboo Forest, and Nara Deer Park - Arashiyama’s bamboo path and river views
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Kyoto/Osaka: Kinkakuji, Bamboo Forest, and Nara Deer Park

11.Kinkakuji, Bamboo Forest, and Nara Deer Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 265 reviews · from $69

This full-day outing links Arashiyama’s bamboo path, Kyoto’s gold-covered Kinkaku-ji, and Nara Park with its free-roaming deer and Todaiji’s Great Buddha. An English-speaking guide handles the route and shares local context. Guides vary by date; past groups have been led by Eiko, Yuki, Lydia, and Hama. Lunch and temple tickets depend on the option you book.

“Good example of a perfect guided day trip. Entertaining, informative, beautiful scenery, not too packed schedule. Eiko is an amazing and very knowledgeable guide, she provided us with background information on all the sites while traveling + a detailed plan in case anyone got lost and needed to find their way back. On top of that, she was able to get the whole group deer crackers in Nara at 4pm when all the stores had already been sold out. Thanks so much for the unforgettable experience!”

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Kyoto/Osaka: Kyoto and Nara Customized Private Guided Tour - Arashiyama’s bamboo, then Kinkaku-ji’s gold
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Kyoto/Osaka: Kyoto and Nara Customized Private Guided Tour

12.Kyoto and Nara Customized Private Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 258 reviews · 10 hours

Plan a 10-hour private tour of Kyoto and Nara for up to six people, with hotel pickup in Kyoto, Osaka or Nara. An English-speaking driver-guide helps you shape the day around temples, shrines, markets and bamboo groves. Recent trips have been led by guides including Abdullah, Usama and Ali. Transport, tolls, gas and a Wi-Fi hotspot are included; tickets and lunch are extra.

“I had a great Kyoto and Nara tour with Abdullah. He made everything easy, flexible, and personalized to what I wanted to see. He shared helpful stories, guided me through the key spots, and never made the day feel rushed. If you want a friendly and knowledgeable guide, he’s an excellent choice.”

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Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide - Todaiji: a powerful first stop
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Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

13.Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 219 reviews · from $155

Meet a licensed English-speaking guide at Nara Station for a six-hour private walking tour. Choose three or four stops, from Todaiji and its Great Buddha to Kasuga Taisha, Naramachi, or Isuien Garden. Guides such as Junichi, Ken, Rie, and Toshi have led tours, but your assigned guide may vary. Admission, meals, and transport costs are extra.

“Loved our tour and in particular our tour guide Junichi. As a former English professor and teacher his English was fantastic. And he had such an energy about him. Super knowledgeable about history and culture, took me to a small sale tasting bar and my son to a sword museum where he got to meet a master and hold one.. overall awesome. Request Junichi!”

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Nara Park, Osaka & Kobe from Kyoto Full Day tour - Dotonbori’s signs, food, and limited time
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Nara Park, Osaka & Kobe from Kyoto Full Day tour

14.Nara Park, Osaka & Kobe from Kyoto Full Day tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 207 reviews · from $90

Start at Hotel Keihan Kyoto Grande at 7:30 am and travel by bus from Kyoto to Nara, Osaka, and Kobe. You’ll have time for Tōdaiji Temple and Nara Park, Dotonbori, Osaka Castle, and a short Kobe stop. The guide speaks English and Spanish; guides on past departures have included Paula, Ele, Heli, and Montse, but your guide may differ.

“Great way to see multiple locations in one day. Heli was a wonderful guide. Everything ran smooth and on time”

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E-Bike Nara Highlights - Todaiji, Knives, Deer, Shrine - Cycling through Nara Park and meeting the deer
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E-Bike Nara Highlights – Todaiji, Knives, Deer, Shrine

15.E-Bike Nara Highlights – Todaiji, Knives, Deer, Shrine

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 186 reviews · 3h 30m · from $90

Ride an e-bike through Nara Park with a local guide, stopping at Tōdai-ji, Kasuga-taisha, Ukimido, and a historic cutlery shop. The $90 tour includes temple admission, deer crackers, and a Japanese snack. Guides have included Chris, Remi, Robert, and Melody. Meet near Kintetsu Nara Station.

“Remi is an excellent guide. Informative and fun tour. Nara e-bike tour exceeded all my expectations. Cycling allows one to see more than a walking tour in a limited time. The e-bikes were in great condition (which if often not the case). Very pleased I did this tour.”

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New in Nara Tours

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★ 4.5Nara World Heritage PRIVATE TOURFrom $9615 reviews
★ 5.0Nara Private Tour: Flexible Pickup from Kyoto, Osaka, or NaraFrom $13117 reviews
★ 5.0Nara Sake Tasting Tour at Local Brewerie(tasting fee included)From $10412 reviews
★ 5.0Nara：Private Tea Ceremony(Max 5 ppl) -Master Matcha Making-From $503 reviews
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