Explore-Share logo and link to home

Powder Ski Trip in the Niseko and Sapporo Area

12-day freeride ski trip in Niseko
Niseko
DSCF9396
Powder Ski Trip in the Niseko and Sapporo Area
12747264_1733051476930242_7296162047322379586_o

Discover the best freeride skiing in Niseko and Sapporo on this amazing 10-day tour through Hokkaido's best pow spots!

Group

10 Days

Jan, Feb, Mar

Fit

Intermediate


Highlights

  • Kokusai resort's long powder lines
  • Mount Yotei backcountry tour
  • Rusutsu resort hidden gems
  • Shirebetsu fun
  • Moiwa's amazing powder runs

Description

On this comprehensive 10-day tour through Niseko and Sapporo, you will discover the best freeride skiing in Hokkaido, all while enjoying a full-on Japan experience too!

The famous dry powder of southwest Hokkaido has the island its reputation as one of the best ski destinations in the world. We will prove Hokkaido's fame to be true on an adventure-packed 10 days in which we will enjoy 7 to 8 off-piste skiing days with lift access to the best pow, and 1 to 2 days of intensive backcountry skiing, if you are up for it. Although we have an outlined itinerary, we will be flexible to ski on the best snow each day.

Of course, the tour will not only be limited to skiing. We will have the chance to eat delicious Japanese cuisine and to recover at different onset (hot springs).

In terms of the vertical, we will ski around 10,000 downhill vertical meters each day, with a 500 to 900m vertical drop. As for uphill efforts, the hardest will be the day we climb Mt. Yotei, which will take a total of 4 to 6 hours (1500 m vertical) between ascent and descent. We will spend around 3 hours on each of the rest of the tours and the pace will take the needs of the group into consideration.

This trip is open for both skiers and snowboarders to join. Different levels are also welcome, we will find the right group for you. Each group has a maximum size of 6 people. Keep in mind that safety is the priority for us. If the conditions are not right, our guides will pursue more conservative options for each day.

We'll be based in Kutchan, a small village with easy access to Niseko and Sapporo areas. We'll rent a house for the whole group, in a friendly and unique atmosphere. If you want to travel around Japan after this trip, we can help you with some local tips and flight arrangements.

Please get in touch with us if you want to join this freeriding trip in Japan! It will be our pleasure to guide you.

And in case you're looking for a similar trip with more ski touring and less freeriding, you should consider this road trip and backcountry ski touring in Hokkaido.

Price includes

- Guiding fee

- Accommodation included

- Lift tickets

- Transport during the trip

- Avalanche equipment

- Skis

Price details

INCLUDES:

Guiding

Ski Passes

10 Nights of Accommodation

Breakfasts

Transportation in Japan

Avalanche Training Session

Ski Technique Coaching (optional)

Free Avalanche Equipment (Backpack, Beacon, Probe, Shovel)

Free rental of Skis and Boards (Kaestle freetouring skis, Nitro boards, Gara splitboards)

DOES NOT INCLUDE:

Lunch and dinner

Flight ticket (Europe-Sapporo is approx. 600 EUR)

Travel and Cancellation Insurance (approx. 100 EUR)

Optional Cat Skiing


Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival + transfer to the house

Day 2: Rusutsu

We will enjoy some great tree-skiing.

Evening: Avalanche Safety Presentation.

Day 3: Moiwa + Avalanche rescue practice

We will enjoy some great powder skiing and beacon search skills after.

Evening: Onsen

Day 4: Niseko Backbowls

We will visit the best ski spots in Niseko (Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village, and Annupurri).

Evening: Night Powder Skiing

Day 5: Kiroro

We will enjoy the less crowded Kiroro and work on our ski technique.

Evening: Karaoke Night (optional)

Day 6: Day off

Enjoy skiing on your own, visiting a Whisky distillery, going to Otaru, or planning your own fun.

Day 7: Mount Yotei

Enjoy a thrilling day in the backcountry on a Mount Yotei climb that will allow you to ski in the crater and then ski down Yotei!

Evening: Onsen

Day 8: Sapporo Kokusai

Enjoy the amazing off-piste and access to the backcountry that Kokusai offers.

Day 9: Sapporo Teine

Ocean views and the steepest terrain in Hokkaido!

Day 10: Last Day!

We have several options including ski touring in a secret Southwest Hokkaido spot, take the van, or ski all the way to the ocean.

Evening: Good Bye Party

Day 11: Flight back home OR Optional stay in Japan for more days.

Flights from/to Japan-Europe take 2 days. If you need help with your flights, send us a message.

 

Details

Accommodation

Rental house in Kutchan (Niseko area) within walking distance to all local izakayas, restaurants, bars, and grocery stores. Breakfast is prepared by our chef. It is possible to cook in the house. The house fits 12 people. It has 6 rooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 kitchens,and a dining room.

Equipment you will need to bring

Other gear: We INCLUDE the following: SKIS: Kastle BMX and FX (115mm and 105mm underfoot), Scott Scrapper (120mm underfoot) and Punisher (105mm - 110mm underfoot), Armada JJ (117mm underfoot) in various lengths for men and women. SNOWBOARDS:Nitro Slash (powder specific), Gara Splitboards BINDINGS:Fritschi Tecton (tech binding) and Tyrolia Adrenalin (frame binding, classic binding with hiking option) AVALANCHE EQUIMENT: Shovel, probe, beacon from Pieps, Non-Avalanche backpacks from Pieps PLUS telescopic poles and snowshoes for short hikes for snowboarders and cartridges for ABS backpacks. Please do bring your backpack. NOT INCLUDED: ski boots, helmets, snowboard boots or snowboard bindings.


Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need my avalanche bag in Japan?

Where do the participants usually come from?

What is the budget for your camps?

Can i send my luggage via post and travel light to Tokyo, Kyoto etc.?

Should I bring my own equipment?

What's the average age of the participants joining?

What are the requirements related to the VISA?

Where will you pick me up when I arrive in Japan?

What insurance should I take?

Do you get skiers, snowboarders or both?

What should I bring with me? Do you have a check list?

What ski, snowboard and other equipment you have to use for free?

How does the last night in Sapporo work?

Do you have travel tips for Tokyo?

What level for the participants usually have?

What is the difference between freeride camp and the hokkaido roadtrip?

How do you split the groups?

When do we have to arrive and leave?

Should I take care or credit card?

What ski boots should I take?

About the guide

Hi, I’m Vojta, welcome to our profile! We are a small and specialized guiding company based out of the Czech Republic, dedicated to offering freeriding and ski-touring trips mainly to Japan and Norway. We run powder camps and tours across the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu in Japan. In March every year, we move to arctic Norway and run Ski and Sail expeditions around Lyngen Alps.  We started as a group of friends guiding in Japan in 2013 and we still beleive you should feel like you are riding with friends on our trips. The tours are flexible with the single purpose of skiing in the best snow and finding the best lines possible. We have strong area knowledge of the terrain and go the extra mile to provide you with an unforgettable experience. Our trips not only include skiing, but also delicious food and local culture as you improve your skills as a backcountry skier or snowboarder.


On our trips, you will be guided by Czech and Slovak UIAGM Mountain guides & Ski Guides (Robert Vrlák, Peter Koteles, Daniel Menšík, Vojta Lím, or Tomáš Prajzler)


If you don't find what you are looking for, get in touch, we will be happy to help and welcome you on board!

Languages

English | Czech


What people are saying about this trip

Daniel Lorimer

5.00

March, 2023

Good trip guides had great knowledge of the area pick the right spot for the days condition did halve touring halve at resorts side county our guide Honza was awesome went out his of way to help even took us ice skating The breakfast was great and paw The Cook's a legend

Petr girard

5.00

March, 2023

Great trip with nice guides, who are dedicated to find everyday the best possible powder. All staff from Sherpas Ride has been very nice a open to anything we wanted. If there is no pow in the resort, they´ll take to the backcountry trip to find fresh lines. I really appreciate their approach and efford to meet our requirments and to secure best possible riding during our trip.

John Wainwright

5.00

February, 2023

Overall a good ski experience. Seemed a little disorganised at times house sharing with changing and different ski groups, and had 3 different ski guides in our short time their which wouldn't have been my preference.

Tim Arts

5.00

January, 2023

I've experienced a lot of guides and Vojta was clearly one of the best, and probably the best guide and organization to ski with. he can bring you places where normal guiding company's do not know the existence of. he is extremely trustworthy on knowledge and experience.

Bastien Adrien

5.00

July, 2019

I recently did the Freeride Camp with Sherpas Ride and it was amazing. First of all the staff is not only very competent but also highly motivated to provide a great experience on and off the mountain every single day. The provided equipment (Skis, Poles & avalanche equipment) was new and worked well. Breakfast was freshly made every day and the guys did a good job creating a relaxed and fun atmosphere throughout the trip. I'll definitely try to come back for another trip!

Manuel Wildtgrube

5.00

July, 2019

Definitely provided one of the best sports experiences I've ever had. Organization and support was great, staff very competent and ambitious. Skis and boards provided, guides were able to find the best powder lines on the mountains. Big thumbs up!

Martin Vana

5.00

July, 2019

What an experience! Vojta, Tomas, Cyril and Kuba run a great camp with good balance of ski touring and lift access to get to the best lines of the day. I liked the idea of not having daily program set in stone but rather wait for morning weather report to decide on the best option for the day. I highly recommend Sherpas ride for Japow experience.

Alex

5.00

April, 2017

(Travelled Feb 2017) Josef's colleagues Vojta, Cyril, Kuba and Thomas run a top notch guiding company. They led my group on an amazing 8 day trip in Hokkaido during the second half of February 2017. They prayed to the snow gods and we were rewarded with 6 feet (~150 CM) of light delicious JaPow over the 8 days, surfing snow all over the region. It was beyond epic. Great bunch of dudes, highly competent guides, I would ride with them any day! Highly recommend for anyone considering hitting up Japan or any of their other awesome trips.

Paul Gelbin

5.00

March, 2017

No words can describe the amazing experience I had with Sherpasride! They are going above and beyond to find places with the best conditions every day and are providing a very professional guiding. The trip was an unforgettable experience which I definitely want to do again and I can highly recommend Sherpasride, you will enjoy the time with Sherpasride to the fullest! Thank you Vojta, Kuba,Cyril and Thomas for everything!!

Guillaume

4.00

February, 2017

Obviously after a trip like that it goes very well! It was a great trip, the group was great and the guides too !! Very competent and they knew their subject! I found the trip checking on the internet and discovered explore-share.com. I was looking for a freeride ski trip in Japan, that only ! We had heard so much about this famous snow … We choose to hire Sherpa guides for 2 reasons : It was the best price for 9 days of ride, and the stay included very little hiking. Knowing that we were looking for freeride and not ski touring, the choice was quickly made. In addition, all equipment was provided (skiing, safety equipment). It was the first time we made such a trip, and frankly speaking, to be repeated! Great snow. The only downside is that we missed some more steep ski runs. But we are not disappointed as we went there for the snow and it was excellent. The fact of having the guide is useful when you do not know the area, the resort. If I had to go back, I would go without a guide because there is no use for me. Once you know a little bit the area, it is impossible to get lost .. We simply followed the 'freeride doors' that everyone takes. I would recommend this trip as it was a very good experience, well organized stay, competent guide, and top destination! No regrets!!

Ivan Schellhorn

5.00

January, 2017

Best Backcountry tours in JAPOW, awesome spirit, fantastic guiding, good food and excellent local knowledge. Our group has had a blast with Thomas and Vojta. Highly recommend to go with these guys

Claudio Anthamatten

5.00

January, 2017

I had a great week with good snow, a good choice of resorts and restaurants. With Thomas and Vojta you will get in a short time a perfect glance of hokkaido...

Christian Gottwald

5.00

August, 2016

Best ski guiding in the World..... Awesome Japanese trips. Very good organization... Nice people.... All in all perfect..... Looking forward to book the next trip.

David Urie

5.00

August, 2016

I was not backcountry skier before. Thank to Vojta and Tomas it was my experience with powder outstanding. I would recommend Japan trip to any skiing fan. Thank you guys for gr8 adventure.

Jacqui Benson Ellett

5.00

May, 2016

Thanks guys for running a great trip.. 2017, see u there!


 

 

Find more off piste skiing trips in Japan

 

Join our newsletter!

Stay up-to-date on the best adventures.