The 2024 season turtle tour season is closed.
The tour must be booked at least one day in advance as we must register all participants. In order to minimize the disturbance to the turtles there is a limit on the number of people who can attend this tour each night (50 people). To avoid disappointment then please book as early as you can.
Watching a loggerhead turtle up close as she lays her eggs is an unforgettable and moving experience.
A YES guide will pick you up from your accommodation (between Anbo – Nagata) and take you to the Inakahama beach in Nagata. Guests staying in accommodation south of Anbo will be asked to meet the YES guide at the Yakushima Airport and at the end of the tour they will be returned to the Yakushima Airport. Upon arrival at the beach the YES guide will register you onto the tour and once registered onto the tour, the YES guide will give you a very detailed account of the loggerhead turtles, as well as explaining the conservation project at the Inakahama Beach.
Guides from the NPO patrol the beach and once a turtle has begun to lay her eggs the NPO guides call the tour participants onto the beach. Guests enter the beach with the YES guide and watch the turtle at close range as she lays her eggs. You will see the turtle lay 100 – 120 eggs and then fastidiously cover the eggs so that there are no traces of her nest. At this point the loggerhead then heads back to the sea. The time schedule for the turtle tour is dependent upon what time `your` turtle turns up on the beach, but the latest you will leave the turtle beach is 10:30 pm. There are occasions during the season when a turtle fails to come upon the beach.
Turtles are sensitive to light and so there is a strict ban on any photography or filming during the tour.
Yakushima Turtle Viewing Tour fee
Options & Prices Open Tour - Guide with English ability Private Tour - Guide with English ability Open Tour - Native English Guide Private Tour - Native English Guide 1 person unavailable unavailable 28,000 yen 48,000 yen 2 people unavailable unavailable 30,000 yen 50,000 yen 3 people unavailable unavailable 39,000 yen 57,000 yen 4 people unavailable unavailable 48,000 yen 64,000 yen More the 4 guests - contact YES
included in the price: / NPO beach entrance fee / transportation
BOOK THIS TOUR and/or ask YES for more details.
Find out more about the sea turtles that visit Yakushima here.
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Cancellation Policy
A cancellation charge will be wavered only if adverse weather prevents the guest from arriving to Yakushima, or adverse weather forces us to cancel the tour. Under all other circumstances if a the guest cancels a tour then cancellation charges apply.
| 15 days in advance | Free |
| 14ー8 days in advance | 30％ |
| 7 – 2 days in advance | 50％ |
| 1 day or on the day | 100％ |
