Tour Itinerary – subject to change

Day 1
Depart from the US.

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Day 2
Participants arrive at Narita or Haneda airports, are met and assisted with the transfer to our comfortable Tokyo city center hotel. We meet for a Japanese welcome dinner. (D)

 

Day 3

We transfer to Haneda Airport for our flight to Kushiro on the northern island of Hokkaido. Our private bus and driver will accompany us throughout our Hokkaido exploration. Our first afternoon of photography at the Tsurui Mura Crane Reserve yields extraordinary shots of courting Japanese (red-crowned) cranes, white-tailed eagles and black-eared kites that are fed in the afternoon. Though some of the cranes here are local nesters, many of the birds we see here are migrants from Siberia and Kamchatka. (BLD)

 

Day 4
We expect snow to be on the ground (and hopefully also falling) during our visit to Hokkaido. Today we rise early to photograph Japanese cranes from a famous bridge where views of the birds roosting in the river can yield extraordinary images of frost, fog and early pastel light. Following breakfast (and warm up) we shoot cranes and white-tailed eagles at Tsurui Mura as well as other crane feeding areas. Red foxes and sika deer often appear. Flight shots of cranes as they head to roost tops our day. (BLD)

 

Day 5
Morning crane shoot followed by a drive to Lake Mashuko for snowy landscapes of its massive volcanic caldera. We arrive at Kawayu for lunch, followed by whooper swan photography. (BLD)

 

Days 6 - 7

As early morning steam from the geothermal hot spots rises from the lake, throngs of whooper swans arrive for their morning feeding. Wonderful flight shots of their arrival are possible, followed by extraordinary photo opportunities of them landing on the ice—their large black feet spread behind them, acting as brakes to control air speed. For many participants, the swan photos become their most "artistic" shots created on this trip. We also photograph several species of ducks that share in this food bounty, as well as numerous species of songbirds and woodpeckers that frequent bird feeders in the area. (BLD)

 

Day 8
Explore the Shiretoko Peninsula, passing through snowy national parklands en route to Rausu. We pause on the way to photograph sika deer, red fox, swans and rugged snowy mountain scenery. (BLD)

 

Day 9
Photograph white-tailed and Steller's sea eagles on the pack ice on a two-hour morning photo cruise out of the fishing village of Rausu. From the harbor we are accompanied by a throng of slaty-backed, glaucous and herring gulls. Once we reach the ice, tubs of fish are emptied onto the larger floating ice chunks. Now larger figures appear in the air. More than 100 immense Steller's eagles and their smaller white-tailed cousins—waiting on the ice since first light—come from all directions and provide spectacular shots. We capture their exciting images in flight, on ice and fighting for fish—just a few feet from the boat. Weather permitting, we provide a second two-hour eagle trip later this morning, or if shooting conditions deteriorate due to snow or fog we try again on the morning of Day 10. (BLD)

 

Day 10

Today is a shoot and travel day. If the weather cooperates and we have completed our two boat trips, we will return to Kushiro with photo stops at locations that we will select this morning. They include a beach and marshland where sika deer and red fox are common or we may return to one of the Japanese crane sanctuaries. If we have not completed our boat trips, and the weather is suitable, we will photograph eagles from the boat and head back to Kushiro in the afternoon with a photo stop or two along the way. (BLD)

 

Day 11
We fly to Tokyo and then drive into the Japanese Alps by private chartered bus to our hotel. Private transportation allows us to avoid the hassles of transferring baggage and camera gear through Japan's inconvenient (for travelers with luggage) train stations—none of which have porters for assistance. Tonight we reside in a delightful traditional inn. (BLD)

 

Days 12 - 14

In the morning of Day 12, we walk (about one mile) to our traditional inn and acquaint ourselves with its backcountry charm. The inn is the only one in the snow monkey park and many monkeys sleep on its roof at night. We enjoy three days of shooting monkeys and return nightly to this remote mountain inn at Jigokudani (Hell Valley). The snow monkeys are fed three times daily and 100 or more of them may be in the feeding area at the same time. Following the meal many of them retire to the comfort of their geothermal hot pool for a comforting soak. We photograph these hot-tubbing monkeys, as well as babies clutching their mother's fur, dominant males as they argue over territory, old matriarchs, and juveniles playing with "snowballs." Occasionally we see stealthy Japanese serows (mountain goats) foraging high on the canyon slopes. (BLD) (Due to the short length of good light in this steep canyon, many people keep snack food in their rooms and skip lunch to maximize shooting time.)

 

Day 15
Following morning photography of the snow monkeys, we return to our Tokyo hotel for a farewell dinner. (BLD)

 

Day 16 (February 8, 2026)
We provide your transfer to Narita or Haneda airport. You depart for home this evening, arriving the same day. (B)

What To Take (These are only suggestions; they are NOT required!)

Our list of Recommended Gear for your Photo Tour

·       2 camera bodies—the same manufacturer that will fit all your lenses

·       Camera batteries, chargers, and cords

·       Bring as much memory as possible

·       Card Reader for file transfer

·       External hard drives for back up (we recommend a minimum of a 1TB)

·       Black Rapid camera strap

·       Extra batteries as needed

·       Lenses Medium telephoto & Wide-angle lens that gives you 10mm to 200+mm

·       Travel size tripod and head

·       Flash

·       Photo backpack

·       Lens cloth and cleaning fluid

·       Blower ball for dust

·       Circular polarizing filter

·       Grad ND filters

·       Rain sleeve for camera and lens

·       Cable or electronic shutter release

·       Laptop computer

·       International power adapters

·       Sensor cleaning supplies

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GUESTS SHOULD PACK LIGHT.  YOU ARE EXPECTED TO CARRY, ROLL, SCHLEP, AND/OR OTHERWISE TRANSPORT YOUR OWN BAGS AT ALL TIMES AND IN ALL PLACES ON THIS TRIP.  PACKING LIGHT WILL MAKE YOUR TRIP MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE.

LAUNDRY SERVICES ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

M&M RULE OF THUMB IS ONE BAG FOR CAMERA GEAR AND ONE 20-22"" ROLLER FOR YOUR CLOTHES AND TOILETRIES.

INVEST IN A TRAVEL TRIPOD - BENRO HAS MANY OPTIONS AVAILABLE. MEDICAL DEVICES SUCH AS CPAP MACHINES ARE EXCLUDED FROM THIS RECOMMENDATION.

 

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Tour Difficulty = Moderate

Easy = less than 2 miles walking/day and little climbing.

Moderate = up to 5 miles walking per day with some climbing.

Strenuous = more than 5 miles/day of walking and several climbing/hills/rough terrains expected.

You should know your health and ability to carry your gear in hot, cold, humid, and dry conditions and be able to walk 5 miles or more per day and make climbs in elevation of up to 1000 feet in gain and be OK climbing many steps or steep terrain.

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Cancellation Policy

Pursuant to Clause 2 under Enrollment: If you need to cancel within a stated refund period, M&M Photo Tours, Inc. may allow you to apply all monies paid to a future trip, within 12 months.  We must receive written notification (E-mail is accepted) of your cancellation and your desire to apply the funds to a future trip.

 

We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance as this policy is strongly adhered to. The purchase of travel insurance covering baggage, accident/life and trip cancellation is highly recommended.  M&M Photo Tours, Inc. reserves the right to cancel any trip/tour/group due to insufficient registration at any time.  In the event of such cancellation, those with reservations shall be notified as soon as possible and a full refund of trip payment will be given.  It is agreed by registering for any M&M Photo Tours, Inc. tour that M&M Photo Tours, Inc. assumes no responsibility for refund or additional expenses incurred in preparation for a trip.

 

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance is suggested. We recommend www.insuremytrip.com

 

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Booking Terms & Conditions