Lake Chuzenji

Hi there!

Can be Lake Chuzenji area be explored by bus in an afternoon?
Is it easy to be done by myself, or should I book a half day tour?

When you say "Lake Chuzenji area," exactly where do you want to visit, and where are you starting from (and returning to)?

If you start from Tokyo, you are looking at two hours to get to Nikko, then you take the bus up to the lake area (one hour), look at the lake and the Kegon Waterfalls, then you come down toward central Nikko to look at some shrines, then you have another two hours to return to Tokyo, so that would be a full-day visit (from Tokyo).

That would be the idea.
Depart early morning from Tokyo, visit the shrines by morning, and visit the Lake at afternoon.
Is this visit tô the Lake easily done by myself, or should I book a half day tour?

No need to join a tour for that, in my opinion. After you have seen the shrine area, you can easily get on a Lake Chuzenji bound bus at a bus stop on the main road near the shrines. There is a very helpful information office in the Tobu Nikko station where they can explain everything to you.