4 Winter Activities to Build an Afternoon Around

1.1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,020 reviews · from $151Our pick

Spend eight hours in Nagano with an English-speaking guide such as Tom, Kieran, or Nadine, visiting Zenko-ji Temple, tasting local sake, enjoying lunch, and walking the forest trail to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Transport, lunch, tasting, and monkey park entry are included.

“This excursion surpassed our expectations and added cultural experiences to our day. We were leaving Japan the next day so it really enhanced our trip.”

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2.Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 833 reviews · 8 - 12 hours · from $135

Meet your English-speaking guide in Nagano or join the winter shuttle from Hakuba. Visit Zenkoji Temple, explore a local sake tasting, enjoy a generous regional lunch, then walk 1.6 km through the forest to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Guides such as Tom, Dylan, Brent, and Hiroshi add local stories and practical help.

“It was the highlight of our trip. Our guide Endo was amazing. Each of the stops was engaging and interesting and even the meal turned out to be a delicious multi-course surprise. High marks.”

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3.Niagara Falls: Winter Niagara Wine Tour with Transportation

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 54 reviews · 6 hours · from $69

Spend six hours in Niagara-on-the-Lake wine country with Niagara Fun Tours, tasting at three wineries and browsing Wayne Gretzky and Trius. Guides such as Tyler and Tina add local insight, while round-trip transport lets you sample without driving. Lunch and extra purchases cost more.

“It was wonderful! Very fun and informative, and the venues were great.”

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4.Lake Como Boat tour share- prosecco and winter cover

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 53 reviews · 1 hour · from $51Best value

Join a small group of up to 10 on the Protagon 25 from Como’s Sant’Agostino pier. Your English-speaking skipper points out lakeside villas, including Villa d’Este, Villa Oleandra, and Mandarin Oriental, while you enjoy Prosecco, music, and lake views.

“Excellent trip around lake como with some buildings of interest pointed out, our guide was very friendly and informative. Ideal for those short on time as it’s only an hour.”

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