Start Location: Sapporo, Japan; End Location: Sapporo, Japan
Duration: 4 Days
Travel Season: January to mid-March (Best: January to early February)
Accommodation: Setsu Niseko
Ascend above Hokkaido's legendary powder paradise on an elite heli-skiing expedition, where untouched winter peaks meet the pinnacle of Japanese alpine luxury. Drop onto untracked slopes guided by mountaineering experts, then return to mineral hot springs and Michelin-calibre dining while snow blankets the landscape outside.
Highlights at a Glance
• The snow: Around fifteen metres a season - among the most reliable powder on earth.
• The mountain: Four interconnected resorts on Niseko United - night skiing on floodlit runs, which almost nowhere else offers at this scale - deep birch glades that stay.
• The hotel: Ski-in ski-out in Hirafu with an onsen, and a private hot spring in some residences.
Itinerary
42.5°N42.75°N43°N43.25°N140.5°E141°E141.5°ESapporoTomakomaiEbetsuOtaruIwamizawaEniwaNisekoNew ChitoseShiribetsu-dake12325 km
1 New Chitose · 2 Niseko · 3 Shiribetsu-dake
Day 1Arrive Hokkaido — Transfer to Setsu Niseko, Upper Hirafu
Arrive at New Chitose Airport and transfer by private car, limousine or train-and-transfer to Setsu Niseko in Upper Hirafu; the transfer is arranged by the hotel at additional cost. Check-in is from 15:00 into your residence, and skis and boards go straight into your private locker in the ground-floor Ski Centre. Settle in with the onsen bathing pools and sauna, then dinner in-house at méli mélo -Yuki No Koe-, Tempura Araki, AFURI or Luke's Alpine Club.
Day 2Niseko United — Grand Hirafu and the Four Resorts
The complimentary private shuttle runs to and from the main Grand Hirafu lifts while the slopes are open; the Grand Hirafu gondola is about 750m from the hotel, under ten minutes on foot or two minutes by shuttle. A Niseko United lift pass opens roughly 2,000 acres of linked terrain across Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, Annupuri and Hanazono, with rental equipment available through Rhythm Adventure Sports. Finish with night skiing under the Hirafu floodlights, or come back for the onsen and a treatment at Rikka Spa.
Day 3Heli-Ski Day — Shiribetsu-Dake, Kimobetsu
Setsu Niseko's heli-ski programme is exclusive to in-house guests and flies to the Shiribetsu-Dake volcano above the town of Kimobetsu, a 360-degree summit of fresh powder lines and steep ridges running down through birch forest. The published running order is a 07:00 pickup from the hotel, 08:00 arrival at the helipad for briefing, skiing from 09:00 to between 15:00 and 16:30 with lunch on the mountain, and a return transfer arriving 16:00–17:30. The standard 6 Run Big Mountain package includes lunch, transport, professional guiding, safety instruction and snow safety equipment — backpack, avalanche beacon, shovel and probe; a private charter takes up to 12.
Day 4Final Turns and Departure
Take a last morning on Niseko United using the complimentary lift shuttle, or spend it between the onsen, the private onsen rooms, Rikka Spa and Studio En. Check-out is at 11:00, with luggage held and the departure transfer to New Chitose Airport arranged by the concierge at additional cost. Park90 is the place for a final drink before the drive.
Accommodation
Setsu Niseko. Setsu Niseko Studio (41-66 sqm); Setsu Niseko One Bedroom Suite (78-89 sqm); Setsu Niseko Two Bedroom Suite (92-135 sqm); Setsu Niseko Three Bedroom Suite (141-172 sqm); Setsu Niseko Four Bedroom Suite (171-258 sqm); Setsu Niseko Three Bedroom Penthouse (183 sqm); Setsu Niseko Four Bedroom Penthouse (324 sqm); méli mélo -Yuki No Koe- - main restaurant; AFURI - ramen; Tempura Araki - omakase tempura counter; Luke's Alpine Club - chop house; Park90 - lounge bar; Setsu Niseko onsen - bathing pools and sauna; Setsu Niseko private onsen rooms.
Included
• Gathering and dismissal city: Sapporo / New Chitose Airport (CTS), Hokkaido, Japan
• Accommodation at Setsu Niseko in Upper Hirafu, in the residence category booked
• Room-only or room-with-breakfast basis as booked - breakfast is not part of the standard base rate
• Complimentary private shuttle to and from the main ski lifts in Grand Hirafu while the slopes are open
• Access to the Setsu Niseko onsen bathing pools and sauna
• Private ski locker in the ground-floor Ski Centre, accessible with your room key
• Complimentary WiFi throughout the hotel
• Access to the Gymnasium and to Studio En yoga and pilates
• Heli-ski package (where booked): 6 Run Big Mountain on Shiribetsu-Dake, including lunch, transport to and from the helipad, professional guiding and safety briefing
• Heli-ski snow safety equipment: backpack, avalanche beacon, shovel and probe
• Heli-skiing is exclusive to in-house Setsu Niseko guests; private charter available for up to 12 people
• Heli-ski pricing is per person including 10% consumption tax
Not Included
• International and domestic flights, and Japanese visa where required
• Airport transfers to and from New Chitose Airport - arranged by the hotel at additional cost
• Niseko United lift pass and ski or snowboard rental (available through Rhythm Adventure Sports)
• Heli-ski charges where not booked as part of the package, and private charter at JPY 2,420,000 for up to 12 people
• Meals other than any booked breakfast, private onsen room bookings, Rikka Spa treatments, private lessons and guiding, and travel insurance
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