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Hokkaido Powder Tour

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Price p/p Price is per person based on twin or triple-share rooms for 2025 season
Base/invoice currency is CAD
Displayed price may vary slightly to actual due to exchange rate fluctuations
USD 3,100

GUIDED BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURE
7 Nights | 8 Days | 6 Days Skiing/Riding

Location: Japan | Tour Focus: Guided | Terrain Focus: Backcountry, Sidecountry
Ability: Strong Intermediate to Expert
Price p/p Price is per person based on twin or triple-share rooms for 2025 season
Base/invoice currency is CAD
Displayed price may vary slightly to actual due to exchange rate fluctuations
USD 3,100
Ski waist deep powder, summit volcanoes, take a soak in the natural hot springs and enjoy great food; these are just some of the highlights of this tour. This is a backcountry road trip for those who have an appetite for a real adventure...and are fit.
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Fixed Date(s)
Days
Price
Availability
Fixed Date(s): Jan 26 - Feb 02, 2025
Days: 8
Price: USD 3,100
Availability: Sold Out
Fixed Date(s): Feb 02 - Feb 09, 2025
Days: 8
Price: USD 3,100
Availability: Sold Out
Fixed Date(s): Feb 09 - Feb 16, 2025
Days: 8
Price: USD 3,100
Availability: Sold Out
Fixed Date(s): Feb 16 - Feb 23, 2025
Days: 8
Price: USD 3,100
Availability: Sold Out
Future rates & dates are currently not yet available for this operator. Click here to enquire.
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Hokkaido Powder Tour

Ski waist deep powder, summit volcanoes, take a soak in the natural hot springs and enjoy great food; these are just some of the highlights of this tour.

Don’t expect to be in one place for the entire trip. This is a road trip to the absolute best locations throughout Hokkaido, away from the crowds to explore areas of the backcountry where even locals rarely go. With more than 10 seasons experience guiding in Hokkaido’s Backcountry, you can be certain you will be skiing the best and deepest Japan has to offer.

These tours operate in February for the longer days and more stable weather. This gives you more daylight to ski bigger objectives while experiencing the same quality of Hokkaido's famous powder snow.

Ideally these tours are suited to PRIVATE GROUPS who all have similar fitness & ability. However you may apply as a SOLO TRAVELLER or SMALL GROUP to see if you can be matched with an existing group.

Ability & Fitness

This tour is suited to high-intermediate to advanced skiers & snowboarders (in powder, not on-piste) who are happy to earn their turns. Whilst lifts will be used in some cases to gain elevation, this is primarily a backcountry tour.

Participants should have a very good level of fitness and be able to achieve 1,500m of vertical ascent per day and ideally have some backcountry experience.

All participants must have their own equipment and know how to use it.

Backcountry Equipment Required

Aurora Backcountry strongly encourage you to bring as little as possible. During travel days all the luggage has to be able to fit into the vans, so if you have too much stuff this can be difficult and very uncomfortable with 6 people. Here is a list of what touring equipment the guides recommend that you bring:

Equipment

  • Touring skis
  • Skins
  • Poles
  • Boots

Backpack Stuff

  • Transceiver
  • Probe
  • Shovel
  • A proper day touring backpack - 20-30 litres
  • Camera
  • Headlamp
  • Ski straps

Sample Itinerary

The following itinerary is a sample only. This tour is designed to be flexible to chase the best possible conditions each day.

DAY 1

  • Arrive in Sapporo (New Chitose International Airport)
  • Meet your guide and get on the road towards Niseko
  • Arrive at accommodation, get settled, eat dinner
  • Game plan for next day. Early bed... jet lag recovery

DAY 2

  • Safety first! A detailed safety briefing and thorough rescue training session will prepare you for the week and make you much more skilled in the backcountry.
  • Easy ski tour. The first day will not be strenuous at all and will most likely entail a tour off the ski hill followed by a soak in a natural hot spring called an Onsen.

DAY 3

  • Today we will be skiing and making an attempt on Mount Yotei. This volcano is such a beautiful mountain; some call it the Mount Fuji of Hokkaido. It rises 1,500m and offers the longest runs in the area. Weather is not an issue for the day. On clear days we summit, on storm days we ski in the shelter of the trees.
  • If you summit Yotei, you get to take part in the tradition of eating at the Yotei Sushi bar in the nearby town of Kutchan.... If you don’t summit, well, we go there anyway.

DAY 4

  • The Kiroro Traverse. We travel about an hour away to the ski resort called Kiroro. Kiroro consistently get some of the deepest snow packs of all the ski hills. We take advantage of the gondola that brings us to the foot of the mountain Yoichi Dake. From here we ski a total of 1500m making our way back to the Van. We finish this day at the local Onsen before driving back to the Niseko area.

DAY 5

  • Today we head out on a short drive to Mount Shiribetsu for a ski tour up yet another volcano.
  • After a solid tour on Shiribetsu we relax in a small local Onsen and head out for yet another amazing dinner.

DAY 6

  • Today we pack up and ski the backcountry on our way to Sapporo. Most people and other groups tend to drive straight to Sapporo and miss out on some underrated terrain that rarely gets skied. We spend the night in Sapporo.

DAY 7

  • The last day of skiing is based out of Sapporo. There are a number of options that all offer something different. Teine and Kokusai are the best bets. We will go where the best snow is.
  • Party night in Sapporo!! Always good to finish with a party :)

DAY 8

  • Airport transfer day. Sleep in, eat a late breakfast, organize your gear and get dropped off at the airport. There are a few places to visit in the city if your flights are later in the day.

Lodging Options

Mt Yotei

When staying in the Mt Yotei area, you will stay at Goose Berry BnB.

This lovely little log cabin is operated by a local Japanese family. The group might choose to eat there once or twice during the stay.

The lodge has 3 bedrooms for 2 - 3 guests / room.

Breakfast is included and the lodge has a couple of nice friendly dogs, so be aware of this if you have any allergies to dogs.

Staying at Goose Berry is a real highlight of the trip.


Goose Berry Lodge

Dining area

Triple room

In Sapporo

For the Sapporo component of the trip, you will stay in a 4 - 5 star hotel in downtown Susukino.

Your guide will take you out for dinner each night (lunch & dinners are not included in the tour price).

If Weather Permits

If the timing is right with the weather and snow conditions, you will be treated to a super special night in a hut on the top of Mt Yotei. Goose Berry Lodge has sleeping bags and Aurora have a supply of goods to stoke the fire. If this happens, you will have the opportunity to ski into the crater in the moonlight and then get fresh tracks in the morning from the summit after a couple more laps of the crater. Just be aware that this can only be done under the right conditions....you may just be one of the very lucky few who have had the opportunity to experience this!

Rates, Inclusions & Add-Ons

Rates 2025

CAD 4,390

  • Price is based on a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 people
  • Canadian's are subject to paying tax
  • Base/invoice currency is CAD
Inclusions
  • 8 days exploring and skiing the island of Hokkaido with an ACMG Certified guide
  • Transportation (excluding flight)
  • 7 nights accomodation around the island of Hokkaido
  • Daily breakfast
  • Lift tickets if required at Kokusai & Teine
Add-ons
No optional extras to display
Not Included

Booking and Cancellation Policy

 
All trips must be secured by deposit or full payment. Full payment is due 10 weeks before the trip start date. If your initial booking is less than 10 weeks before your start date then full payment is required to secure your booking.

All payments are conditionally non-refundable. We highly recommend purchasing trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment.

All cancellations must be received in writing by email.

If you need to cancel your trip more than 10 weeks before the start date your deposit becomes forfeit. However, here are 2 scenarios where you many not lose your deposit.

1. We can transfer your trip to a later date within the season, if it is available.

2. If your trip gets sold to another person at full price...

a) Your deposit may be refunded back to you minus a 10% admin fee. 10% of the deposit.

b) 100% of your deposit may be used to book another trip with Aurora Backcountry for the following season. Deposits will become forfeit if not used within 1 year.

If notice is received less than 10 weeks prior to the starting date, no money will be refunded.

There is no refund for leaving early or arriving late.