Highlights
- Cruise the Han River for your introduction to South Korea's lively capital
- Sample Seoul's street food delights at the buzzing Gwangjang Market
- Explore manicured gardens and vast rooms at Seoul's Changdeokgung palace
- Learn about Confucianism at 14th-century Byeongsan Seowon Academy in Andong
- Marvel at the more than 80,000 woodblocks from the 13th century at Haeinsa
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Seoul, Optional River Cruise | Seoul |
| Day 2 | Guided City Tour, Changdeokgung Palace, Insadong & Korea National Museum | Seoul |
| Day 3 | Transfer to Andong via Hwaseong Fortress & Yeongneung Royal Tomb | Andong |
| Day 4 | Transfer to Gyeongju via Hahoe Village, Byeongsan Seowon & Hanji Paper Factory | Gyeongju |
| Day 5 | Visit Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto & Gyeongju National Museum | Gyeongju |
| Day 6 | Transfer to Hapcheon & Haeinsa Temple, Return Train to Seoul | Seoul |
| Day 7 | Depart Seoul |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Seoul, Optional River Cruise
Welcome to Seoul, the dynamic South Korean capital with more than nine million residents. Meet your driver at Incheon International Airport to transfer directly to your hotel during an approximately one-hour drive. Depending on your arrival time, explore the city for the rest of the day.
The Han River flows through Seoul, and you can take an afternoon or early evening walk along the river or ride a boat on a city cruise, spotting local landmarks and passing under some of Seoul's 27 bridges. For skyline views, head to the Jung-gu neighborhood, where you can ride the Namsan Cable Car to the top of Namsan Mountain. For lunch or dinner, head to Gwangjang Market to taste some of the city's best street food alongside locals. Return to your hotel and get ready for a day exploring the city with your guide tomorrow.
Day 2: Guided City Tour, Changdeokgung Palace, Insadong & Korea National Museum
Meet your local guide in the morning for a city tour through Seoul. Your first stop is Changdeokgung palace, one of Seoul's major historical sites, which was built as a secondary palace for the main Gyeongbokgung palace complex. Walk through gardens and pavilions at the 600-year-old royal home until you come to a Secret Garden, and there, look for the two-story Juhamnu Pavilion, a reading room and a library. At the nearby Chongmyo Royal Shrine, learn how the design reflects Confucianism symbolism in the space still used today for ceremonies.
With a glimpse of Korean heritage as you explore palaces and shrines, continue your tour to browse art objects in Insadong through antique stores, craft galleries, and quaint teahouses. Notice the similarities you've seen throughout the day in the more than 220,000 art objects in the National Museum of Korea. In the evening, taste Seoul's street food on your own with a recommendation from your guide.
Day 3: Transfer to Andong via Hwaseong Fortress & Yeongneung Royal Tomb
Today, travel to Andong with stops during the 2.5-hour drive to see some of South Korea's Joseon period architecture. You'll first arrive at Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, 18 miles (30 km) south of Seoul, which stretches for 3.5 miles (5.7 km), to check out its gates, command posts, pavilions, observation towers, and fire-beacon platforms. Learn the history of why the fortress was built for King Jeongjo, the functions it served during the Joseon period, and the significance of its directional gates. See how royals lived at Hwaseong Haenggung palace to end your tour in Suwon, and from there, travel about 50 minutes east to Yeoju.
In Yeoju, King Sejong, the fourth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, is known for spreading Confucian learning and founding the Hangul writing system. At the Yeongneung Royal Tomb, see his resting place alongside his wife, Queen Soheon, and then visit a museum explaining his role in South Korea's history. From Yeoju, continue to Andong, where you'll spend one night.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 4: Transfer to Gyeongju via Hahoe Village, Byeongsan Seowon & Hanji Paper Factory
In the morning, see another side of Andong's past at Andong Hahoe Folk Village, organized around Korean feng shui in a lotus flower shape. Watch a Hahoe Byeolsingut mask performance with dancing, drums, and costumes that date from 800 years ago, and north of the village, walk to Buyongdae Cliff at the end of the Taebaeksan Mountain Range. For an overhead view of the village, climb to Buyongdae's summit.
After lunch, continue to Byeongsan Seowon, a Confucian academy established in the 1300s by scholars in honor of Joseon Dynasty era scholar and official, Yu Seong-ryong. The academy's location near mountains and water was chosen to help students cultivate a connection between their minds and bodies, and Yu's mortuary tablet is enshrined at the academy. Make your last stop in Andong at Hanji Factory to learn about the ancient art of papermaking. Then travel about 1.5 hours northwest to Gyeongju, where you'll spend the next two nights.
Day 5: Visit Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto & Gyeongju National Museum
Gyeongju is a UNESCO World Heritage designated area for its temples, palaces, pagodas, and sculptures from the Silla Kingdom. At Bulguksa Temple, see Buddhist art, including statues, stone pagodas, and wooden shrines. At nearby Seokguram Grotto, see Seokguram, an approximately 1,300-year-old stone temple. Spend some time at Daereungwon Tomb Complex and Cheonmachong, one of the largest among the Silla Kingdom tombs open to the public. Inside Cheonmachong, learn about the discovery of 11,526 kingdom artifacts, and at the nearby tower Cheomseongdae (an astronomical observatory), discover how stars were used to forecast the weather.
Take a relaxing break at the Donggung palace and Wolji Pond, also known as Anapji Pond, where you can walk among trees, small hills, and pavilions that were once used for state festivals and banquets. Then see objects from the kingdom's daily life at Gyeongju National Museum, including jewelry, weaponry, and ceremonial items such as a fifth-century gold crown. Return to your hotel for the night and get ready for a full day traveling to Hapcheon and Seoul tomorrow.
Day 6: Transfer to Hapcheon & Haeinsa Temple, Return Train to Seoul
Travel with your guide in the morning about 1.5 hours west from Gyeongju to Hapcheon. Walking through a forest, you'll come upon Haeinsa Temple on Mount Gayasan. Wander through the woods following the sounds of chanting, drums, and temple bells. When you arrive at 15th-century Janggyeong Panjeon, learn how a 500-year-old ventilation technique in the building preserves the "Tripitaka Koreana," a collection of 13th-century writings engraved on 80,000 woodblocks. Peer through wooden slats in the building to glimpse these treasures.
After a complete immersion in the wonders of Haeinsa Temple, catch a KTX train to ride two hours north back to Seoul for your final night. Get another taste of dishes like bibimbap or samgyetang, a ginseng chicken soup with dried jujubes, chestnuts, and garlic. Enjoy your last moments in Seoul, soaking up its nightlife, and prepare for tomorrow's departure.
Day 7: Depart Seoul
Spend your last morning and afternoon in Seoul, depending on your flight time, and then transfer to the airport to go on to your next destination.
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