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None of them are really necessary. I have walked the Nakahechi and Kohechi routes just using the leaflet guides that the Kumano Travel website offer as pdf files and which you can pick up in print versions for free in Kii-Tanabe or Koyasan. Between those and the Kumano Travel website there is all the practical information that I needed.
Complete map booklet links for 3 of the routes on this page. And a gpx track for the Nakahechi which is the most popular route.
Kumano Kodo Maps|Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau
NAKAHECHI Maps Nakahechi Overview Maps are available onsite at the TANABE Tourist Information Center (next to the Kii-Tanabe station), Kumano Kodo Kan Pilgrimage Center (near Takijiri-oij), and the Kumano Hongu Heritage Center (near Kumano Hongu Taisha). Maps can also be ordered online with the...www.tb-kumano.jp
Find Kat Davis’ blog page or search for her on this forum. She wrote a very complete guidebook to that pilgrimage published by Cicerone publishers.I am starting to plan one of the Kumano Kodo routes (1 week approx.) for maybe the northern autumn this year or spring in 2021. I have found the following guides and would like some help making a choice.
Hans Beumer guide
Kat Davis guide
Official guide
Best wishes
Bob M
I have Kat's guidebook. I'm not an 'app' traveller/walker & still like a good ol' fashioned book. I use the paper version at home during planning & have the 'e' version on my phone for the trail.I am starting to plan one of the Kumano Kodo routes (1 week approx.) for maybe the northern autumn this year or spring in 2021. I have found the following guides and would like some help making a choice.
Hans Beumer guide
Kat Davis guide
Official guide
Best wishes
Bob M
Well, darn. I have to chose between reaction emojis for this post, when I just want to do this:Complete map booklet links for 3 of the routes on this page. And a gpx track for the Nakahechi which is the most popular route.
I too was hoping to go at least somewhere but current indications are the Australian Government won't open our international border for general travel this year. Apart from health issues, the idea being to encourage us to holiday (& spend...) at home to assist our economy to bounce back.Well, I have raised my face mask to find out if it is safe to leave my bedroom, which has been my survival ark for many days now. It looks promising! The white dove has returned safely with a worm in its mouth, so the world must be getting okay again and I can start to plan to see more of it. The Schengen Zone is reopening.
The KK maybe next year for me, alas, but Europe or even Israel is not so crazy for late this year, even if it is in late autumn or winter. I will start to work on it in a couple of weeks. The only drama for me is when the Australian government will relax mandatory quarantine requirements for incoming travellers.
Anyway, I hope you have all coped with the situation and can start to resume your own travels ASAP.
Best wishes
Bob
Yep...I hear you...I too am concerned about shunting everything back a year; so many trails, so much world, so little time...& even less time taking capability into consideration.If the Aus/NZ bubble comes about, have a look at the Te Araroa trail. I found out about it by chance when sitting next to a Dutch guy on a flight from NZ a couple of years ago. He was a thin as a rake with a straggly beard and somewhat weather-beaten; and mentioned in passing that he had just finished the Te Araroa trail and was going home.
I had never heard of it, so we chatted and (not to be outdone) I casually mentioned that I had walked the Via Francigena as if it was the simplest stroll in my local park. His eyes lit up and he said "Me too!" So that flight passed in the blink of an eye as we talked about the VF as well.
For Australians, there are lots of long hikes in our country, but (unlike Europe) there are not villages every 10 km, nor cafes on every doorstep, so these hikes almost invariably involve long stages, probably with camping or organised transfers.
I am definitely suffering from cabin fever - and, no longer being a downy faced youth, it is a big deal for me if I miss one of my remaining years of big walks.
Bob M
Based in Australia and having postponed this years VdlP walk to probably 2022 with the current travel restrictions and the lack of travel insurance, I'm looking for alternatives this year or next within AUS or maybe NZ if the "travel bubble" eventuates. I agree with @kazrobbo that there is a lack of long multi-day walks that equate to the experience of a camino in our part of the world. Often you can be the only group on multi-day walks and there is certainly no vino tinto and new connections at the end of the day!For me, walking in 'Straya doesn't have anywhere near the appeal; I like/need the additional levels of complexity language, culture, unknown scenery, etc brings.
Obviously there may be issues with Victoria's current Covid 19 situation, state border closures, quarantine requirements, etc but a suggestion for an Aussie multi-day thru-hike could be the 'Great Ocean Walk' in Victoria. Trail length is 104km taking about 8 days. There are different options for accommodation; camping in designated spots each night or arranging pick-up/drop-off at various points for hotels or B&B's near the trail. I haven't undertaken it myself yet but I have done the research & it's another for My List.I'm looking for alternatives this year or next within AUS or maybe NZ if the "travel bubble" eventuates. I agree with @kazrobbo that there is a lack of long multi-day walks that equate to the experience of a camino in our part of the world.
Any ideas for thru hikes in AUS/NZ would be much appreciated. Top option at he moment for 2021 is two weeks on the Larapinta Trail in Central Australia. Te Araraoa is probably too big a commitment.
Oh my...another cautionary tale!Just a tip re the accommodation on the Kumano Kodo. A friend and I walked the Nakahechi route, and planned to walk the Kohechi route, last year. Someone here in Adelaide recommended the Tanabe Tourist office to book each night's accommodation. It is not like the Camino - accommodation needs to be booked for each night beforehand (well before!) and I can recommend them: -
https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/
We decided to use them as that meant we were supporting the locals - very similar to the goal of the Camino! The only difference is the price! The Nakahechi route is quite straightforward to book. It doesn't matter if you book over a period of days / weeks. However the Kohechi route is not so simple. When I booked that route I planned to wait till a cheaper option was available for one particular place, but they refused to book the three nights until I had the fourth one as well - the reason is for safety in the mountains. Compared to what the Camino was like (pre Covid) the Kumano Kodo is quiet, with many Australians on it. Accommodation is very limited which is why it needs to be booked in advance.
The Nakahechi route is hard, but doable. The Kohechi is much harder, very steep. Indeed you will note that I said earlier in this post that we PLANNED to walk the Kohechi. Unfortunately we didn't. I had a sore knee and decided not to walk the first day, and Neil walked on his own. I was just about to go out and photograph him crossing the swing bridge when there was a knock on the door - is was the police. Neil was a kilometre from the end when he slipped and fell down the mountain and was rescued by these people - the firies took him out to the road, the ambulance and police to the hotel. We were then flown out (25 mins) by helicopter to the hospital minus our luggage. After managing to reunite with our packs, flights were changed, and we came home a few days later - Neil with 6 stitches in his head, 4 cracked ribs, and 4 cracked vertebrae, and feeling very sore.
We did achieve what we set out to do, we registered as a a dual pilgrims.
If you PM me I can let you know the places we stayed in. I am more than happy to chat on the phone too.
Yes he has recovered well, and no - as the treasurer of the Australian Friends of the Camino, he, like me would find it hard to give such journeys up!I trust (& hope...) Neil fully recovered
I tried to order the information pack & guide some months ago. Not being able to travel, I thought I'd at least research/plan/dream but no such luck! I received an email saying the Japanese government had banned international mail packages to some countries (incl Australia) for the duration of the pandemic. Tanabe/Kumano Travel will notify me once the ban is lifted so I can re-order.I walked in March 2018.
I ordered the guide from https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/ and found it most useful.
I arranged my accommodations and bag transport along the route through the same website.
It was somewhat confusing back then, but the website now looks much easier to negotiate and it seems there are many more accommodation options available.
The route maps from the Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau are extremely comprehensive (32 A5 pages). I think this is sent to you as part of booking accommodation, meals and transfers. There is some more detail provided in the Official Guide covering specific temples and spots along the trail. Mainly we used the route map and read ahead from the Guide each night.How much use did you get from your guidebook?
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