Reindeers, gold dust, and great marshlands!
Action-packed 4 Day Tour in uncharted Wakkanai Arrive at and depart from Wakkanai Airport

Without further ado, let’s begin our trip. Heading south by car from Wakkanai Airport, our first destination is the Horonobe Reindeer Ranch. This is the only ranch in Japan where you get to feed tame reindeers and take selfies with them. During May–June, you may even get to see adorable baby reindeers.

Our next stop is Japan’s best high-altitude marshland, the Sarobetsu Marsh Center, which is listed in the Ramsar Convention. Take a stroll through the well-maintained wooden path and indulge in the wide sky and horizon as well as the various species of flowers and wild birds that number in the hundreds. The sunset over the immense sea is impressive while the Ororon Line that snakes around the edges of the Sarobetsu Marsh on the coast is a scenic driveway. At night, enjoy delicious food made with select fresh produce and the natural hot spring bath that has one of the rarest mineral compositions in the world including natural oils at Japan’s northernmost hot spring district, Toyotomi Onsen.

On the second day, you will be heading to Nakatonbetsu Town, the site of the gold rush during the Meiji era. On the way to the destination, Souya Nature School, stop by supermarkets or food stores (*1) in Nakatonbetsu Town to secure food for the camping activity at night. Once you reach the Souya Nature School, join the nature tour (booking required) and revel in the green season of the uncharted Soya region to your heart’s content.

Try your luck at gold dust mining at a secret spot deep in the wilderness only known to local guides and enjoy nature trekking inside the Nakatonbetsu Limestone Cave to observe the Earth’s history and forest’s breath firsthand. Other than that, the wide variety of trip plans include canoe tours and torrent river canyoneering during August–September. At night, stay at the Auto Campsite Michinoeki Pinneshiri, which is also where the tour starts and ends. You can rent a tent and other camping equipment here, so you can camp safely and comfortably. There is also a hot spring within the facility grounds, so enjoy the hot bath to rejuvenate your body after the long day.

（*1） Other than the A-COOP Nakatonbetsu branch about 20 minutes' drive from the Nature School, there is also a store inside Michinoeki Pinneshiri (open 9:00–17:00) where you can buy local vegetables and other food items.

Start off the third day by heading off to the expansive Lake Kutcharo—the largest lake in Northern Hokkaido—in the neighboring town of Hamatonbetsu. During the spring and fall season, migratory birds like the endangered white-tailed eagle, thousands of tundra swans, and tens of thousands of ducks of all species flock to this sanctuary. You can also find the ancient remains of pit dwellings at the archeological site near the lake. After enjoying the serenity of the lake, drive along the coastline to reach Esashi Town. After learning about the culture and history of the Okhotsk at the Okhotsk Museum Esashi, purchase your camp food at the adjacent food stores (*1) before setting off to the Usutaibe Senjoiwa Camp Site (*2).

Camping while gazing at the majestic Okhotsk Sea is truly liberating. The peculiar scenery of rocks that look like tatami mats laid on the ground is also eye-opening.

（*1）Many food stores like the DZ Mart Esashi branch and the Oroshiuri Supermarket Koshin Esashi branch are located around 5 minutes by car from Okhotsk Museum Esashi.
（*2） While the Usutaibe Senjoiwa Camp Site requires no bookings and can be used for free, they do not rent out camping equipment, so you will need to come prepared with your own.

Start off your last day by watching the sun rise over the horizon. Spend this blissful moment to appreciate the magnificence of the sea, sky, and sun with all your senses. After having a leisurely breakfast and packing up your tent, drive on the Okhotsk Line along the coastline.

Head to the “Rolling Soya Hills”, the northernmost hill ranges of Japan, where you get a 360-degree panoramic view of the scenic landscape.

Take a memorable photo at the romantic White Road, a 3 kilometer path paved with pure white scallop shells before heading back to Wakkanai Airport. After grabbing some souvenirs at the airport and hopping onto your flight, you will surely be overwhelmed by all the fun memories you had during this trip.