Journey Through Japan On The Ultimate Luxury Snowsport Adventure With Leo Trippi & Explorations Company

The leading alpine travel gurus Leo Trippi and luxury adventure specialists Explorations Company are delighted to announce the launch of a brand new journey for 2025 - a two week luxury adventure across Japan, bringing together the finest Japanese culture and world-class skiing in one show-stopping itinerary. From skiing on an active volcano, Mount Yotei, to indulging in the culinary delights of Niseko and exploring Otaru's rich cultural heritage, this is a journey that combines adventure with cultural immersion in some of the most beautiful corners of Japan

 Explorations Company is working in partnership with its sister company, luxury alpine travel guru, Leo Trippi. Available to book from January 2025 (although coinciding with sakura season in late March for some storybook sights is recommended), experience the finest Japanese culture and world-class skiing over the course of a two week adventure. From skiing on an active volcano, Mount Yotei, to indulging in the culinary delights of Niseko and exploring Otaru’s rich cultural heritage, this trip combines adventure with cultural immersion in some of the most beautiful corners of Japan.

Begin the first week of your journey in the mountains with Leo Trippi, where adrenaline junkies can enjoy world-class skiing and snowboarding in Kiroro on Hokkaido island. Blessed with the world’s best powder, Kiroro averages an impressive 21 metres of snow at its 1,180m peak (that’s more than seven times the average in much of the French alps) and is a haven for skiers craving untamed powder conditions. Activities include snow banana boating, snow shoeing, and a visit to Hanazono, famed for its open bowls and excellent tree skiing.

Those seeking the ultimate adrenaline fix will love Mount Yotei (1989m), with the longest vertical ski run in Hokkaido. Offering the ultimate backcountry challenge for skiers, a five to eight hour guided hike is the only way to reach the top since helicopters cannot access the summit. The reward, however, involves the surreal moment of skiing inside the crater of a stratovolcano before descending through some of the freshest powder on earth.

Off the slopes, experience the Japanese way of relaxation with a private onsen experience, as the warm mineral-rich waters soothe your muscles and rejuvenate your spirit. In Niseko, epicureans can enjoy the time-honoured Japanese tradition of omakase dining, tasting the region’s finest tempura, whilst learning about the country’s food and drink craftsmanship.

After a week of snowy adventures head to Tokyo with Explorations Company to immerse yourself in the magic of Japan’s buzzing megalopolis. Visit the famous old fish market, Tsukiji Outer Market, accompanied by an expert sushi master, or try your hand at a fun Taiko drumming lesson, learning the art of this majestic ceremonial instrument. From the fashion flagships of architectural nirvana Aoyama, the edgily rainbow-bright fashion tribes of trends-hub Harajuku, to the narrow lanes, old school kimono shops, and temples, Tokyo is a feast for the senses.

A visit to Japan would not be complete without taking the bullet train to Kanazawa, renowned for its exquisitely preserved samurai houses and ancient tea houses in the only living geisha quarter outside of Kyoto. Visit Kenroku-en - one of Japan’s greatest gardens, and learn about gold-leaf making craft, before sitting down to tea in an ancient tea house. Experience one of the finest traditional ryokans in the hot spring town of Kaga Onsen with a beautiful kaiseki dinner, and visit Kyoto, exploring this captivating city by bicycle and learning about its ancient crafts from sword-making and textiles to pottery and traditional umbrella making. Lastly, a morning highlight of this trip is surely the predawn visit to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine for a soul-nourishing, invigorating hike to the summit of Mount Inari and the pilgrimage circle around the shrines near the top.

This transformational journey is not just about skiing but offers the opportunity to learn about the beautiful Japanese culture and way of life. By embarking on this adventure, you will experience the charm of this nation’s history, cultural practices and longevity secrets, not to mention word-class powder and snow sports. This is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure not to be missed.

Full itinerary available upon request.

Founded by Nicola Shepherd in 1989, Explorations Company, part of Viadi Group, is an experiential travel specialist that offers bespoke safaris, adventures and expeditions to the most awe-inspiring places on the planet. Spanning four continents, Explorations Company’s expertise offers unforgettable experiences in over forty countries globally.

Explorations Company focuses on the experience and people at the heart of the holiday. For more than three decades they’ve curated once in a lifetime experiences - be it heli-skiing in Patagonia, aerial safari across the “Soul of the Sahara”, or tribal immersion in Chad - before seamlessly bringing together the accommodation and logistics. No trip is the same, but each is united in the global network of local experts that it draws from, coupled with an unparalleled black book of conservationists, ecologists, explorers, marine biologists, adventurers and, importantly, philanthropists, each bringing a wealth of knowledge in their respective fields.

From the outset, philanthropy has been a key pillar of Exploration Company’s offering. It continues to support deserving, often lesser known, ‘sharp-end’ conservation and community projects when it comes to ‘travel philanthropy’, using travel as a means to give back whilst enabling curious travellers to be a part of a positive change as they tick destinations off their bucket lists. 

Explorations Company enables individuals who are eager to reconnect and help those less fortunate than themselves the opportunity to do just that thanks to its experiences and network of charity partners on the ground. Guests are able to travel to, and experience as a part of their trip, places and projects where they can make a lasting positive impact. To date, Explorations Company has partnered with clients to raise over $5 million across 65 initiatives worldwide.

With a prestigious heritage dating back to 1882, multi-award-winning specialist travel company, Leo Trippi, proudly originates from the heart of the Swiss Alps. With access to more than 850 luxury chalets and apartments around the globe, Leo Trippi continues today as a leading authority in exceptional ski holidays and tailor-made mountain escapes.

The Journey Through Japan adventure is priced at £25,000 per person all inclusive based on a twin sharing; price includes international flights.  To book visit www.leotrippi.com