Highlights
- Visit the Joseon dynasty's palace complex, Gyeongbokgung, in Seoul
- Try on a traditional Hahoe mask at the Andong Hahoe Folk Village's mask museum
- See the "Tripitaka Koreana's" 80,000 woodblocks in Gayasan's Haeinsa Temple
- Indulge in a medicinal foot bath at the Daegu Museum of Oriental Medicine
- Sample specialty Busan rice cakes on a market street food tour in BIFF Square
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive at Incheon, Transfer to Seoul, Explore Insadong | Seoul |
| Day 2 | Highlights of Seoul City Tour | Seoul |
| Day 3 | Transfer to Cheongju via Hwaseong Fortress & Songnisan National Park | Cheongju |
| Day 4 | Visit Cheongju Printing Museum, Transfer to Andong, Explore Ancient Andong | Andong |
| Day 5 | Transfer to Daegu via Haeinsa Temple, Daegu Cultural Discovery | Daegu |
| Day 6 | Transfer to Gyeongju, Gyeongju National Museum & Tumuli Park Tour | Gyeongju |
| Day 7 | Tour Bulguksa & Seokguram, Transfer to Busan, Gwangalli Food Tour | Busan |
| Day 8 | See Beomeosa Temple & Gamcheon, Busan Market Food Tour, Train to Seoul | Seoul |
| Day 9 | Korean Demilitarized Zone Tour | Seoul |
| Day 10 | Transfer to Incheon, Depart |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive at Incheon, Transfer to Seoul, Explore Insadong
Welcome to Seoul, the dynamic capital of South Korea! Your driver will meet you at Incheon International Airport to transfer you to your hotel. After checking in, relax in your hotel room after your journey, then head out on a self-guided exploration of the buzzing neighborhood, Insadong. Discover the tea houses, shops, and restaurants as you walk along cobblestone streets lined with ginkgo trees. Then, learn about some of South Korea's traditional handicrafts as you browse porcelain, wood, metal, and earthenware pieces in Insadong Antique Art Street's art galleries and antique shops.
For lunch or dinner, head to Gwangjang Market to taste some of the city's iconic street food while moving among the crowd of locals. Take your pick from dishes such as dak gangjeong (fried chicken), mandu (dumplings), and kkochi (skewers). End the night admiring impressive skyline views at Seoul Sky, an observation deck with a glass floor high above the city.
Day 2: Highlights of Seoul City Tour
Meet your guide this morning for a full-day city tour. Step back in time at the palace, Gyeongbokgung, a complex built in 1395 CE and restored in the 19th century. Considered among the most beautiful of Seoul's five grand palaces, you'll tour some of its grounds, including 50 buildings, 7,700 rooms, and over 90 acres (40 ha), uncovering the history of South Korea and its former rulers. Learn more about this history at the National Folk Museum and National Palace Museum, and get your camera ready for a guard-changing ceremony reenacting royal traditions.
Follow up with a visit to the historic Bukchon Hanok Village just outside the palace. Explore narrow streets where more than 900 restored, traditional hanoks (houses) now function as guesthouses, tea houses, and restaurants. Then, enjoy authentic Korean street food such as bibimbap (a rice-based dish) for lunch before visiting the colorful Jogyesa Temple, the center of Korean Buddhism. Admire its exterior, decorated with scenes from Buddha's life, and enjoy the lovely courtyard, filled with lanterns and 500-year-old trees.
Next, stroll along the tranquil stream, Cheonggyecheon, before ending your day with a tour of Myeongdong, home to the best street food in Seoul. It's hard to go wrong with the tasty bites along Myeongdong. A must-try is kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), which is especially delicious when paired with garlicky kimchi (fermented and salted vegetables).
Day 3: Transfer to Cheongju via Hwaseong Fortress & Songnisan National Park
Travel to Cheongju today, with stops along the way to see some of the area's sights. You'll arrive first at Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, 18 miles (30 km) south of Seoul, which stretches for 3.5 miles (5.7 km). Check out its gates, command posts, pavilions, observation towers, and fire-beacon platforms with your guide. 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.
After exploring the fortress, rejoin your driver for a two-hour transfer to Songnisan National Park, known for its wildlife, imposing cliffs, sprawling forests, beautiful valleys, and historical monuments. On the slopes of Mount Songnisan, head to the temple grounds of Beopjusa to see the 400-year-old Palsangjeon, the oldest (and tallest) wooden pagoda in the country. After you exit the park, you'll be transferred for one more hour to the city of Cheongju and your hotel for the night.
Day 4: Visit Cheongju Printing Museum, Transfer to Andong, Explore Ancient Andong
Step back in time this morning at the Cheongju Early Printing Museum to learn about the history of Korean printing technologies and culture. Explore the 600 artifacts, including moving metal types, ancient printing tools, wood print books, and the world's oldest extant book printed with movable metal type, the Jikji, printed in 1377 CE during the Goryeo Dynasty. Then, meet your driver for a two-hour transfer to historic Andong, known as "the capital of Korean spirit." On arrival, you'll begin a half-day tour, starting with a visit to the UNESCO-listed Andong Hahoe Folk Village.
Explore the 600-year-old village's narrow alleyways and the Hahoe Mask Museum, which displays the traditional Hahoe mask and others from around the world. Try on a mask and participate in some of the museum's activities. For lunch, sample an Andong specialty, heotjesabap, a traditional dish of grilled fish and veggies mixed in a rice bowl with Korean pancakes and ganjang (soy sauce). Then, hop on a boat along the Nakdong River to climb up Buyongdae Cliff for a sweeping view of the lotus-shaped village below, before returning to your hotel in Andong for the evening.
Day 5: Transfer to Daegu via Haeinsa Temple, Daegu Cultural Discovery
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Meet your driver this morning for a two-hour trip to the spectacular Gayasan National Park, known for its waterfalls, forested valleys, and abundant wildlife. It's also an important sacred site in South Korea. Walking through the forest with your guide, you'll come upon Haeinsa Temple on Mount Gayasan. Wander the temple's grounds and woodland, following the sounds of chanting, drums, and temple bells. At the 15th-century Janggyeong Panjeon, learn how a 500-year-old ventilation technique preserves the "Tripitaka Koreana," a collection of 13th-century writings engraved onto 80,000 woodblocks.
Afterward, rejoin your driver for your transfer to Daegu, about an hour away. Once you arrive, check into your hotel and then head out for a half-day cultural discovery tour of this charming city. Start at the UNESCO-listed Dodong Seowon Confucian Academy. Step back in time as you explore the complex, discovering the ancient walls, the views from Suwollu Pavilion, and Jungjeongdang, the main hall. Then, continue to one of South Korea's best medicinal herb wholesale markets, Daegu Yangnyeongsi, to purchase traditional herbs, such as ginseng, goji, and ginkgo.
Once you've explored the bustling stalls, visit the Daegu Yangnyeongsi Museum of Oriental Medicine next door to learn more about the history of Korean medicine and even take part in traditional methods, such as an herbal medicine foot bath, herbal soap and lip balm making, and drinking medicinal tea.
Day 6: Transfer to Gyeongju, Gyeongju National Museum & Tumuli Park Tour
Transfer for about 1.5 hours east this morning to Gyeongju, a UNESCO-listed area recognized for its temples, palaces, pagodas, and sculptures from the Silla Kingdom. Today, it's nicknamed the "museum without walls." After checking into your hotel, you'll set off on a full-day guided tour to explore archaeological sites, temples, and royal tombs, beginning at the Gyeongju National Museum, which houses relics from the ancient kingdom. Follow this with a tour of Tumuli Park, the resting place of 23 royal tombs.
See the historic fifth-century Cheonmachong tomb, offering a glimpse into the lavish lifestyle of a Silla king. Continue your visit to the seventh-century Cheomseongdae Observatory, the oldest in Asia. Then, take a relaxing break at the palace of Donggung and Wolji Pond, where you can walk among trees, small hills, and pavilions once used for state festivals and banquets. Enjoy a stroll across the two-story Woljeonggyo Bridge, as seen in the popular K-drama "The King: Eternal Monarch, " before heading to your Gyeongju hotel to rest for tomorrow's adventures.
Day 7: Tour Bulguksa & Seokguram, Transfer to Busan, Gwangalli Food Tour
Continue your explorations of historic Gyeongju today on a half-day tour, starting at the city's UNESCO-listed Bulguksa temple, regarded as a masterpiece of Buddhist art. The temple houses six national treasures, including the Dabotap and Seokgatap stone pagodas. Next, head to the enchanting Seokguram Grotto on Mount Toham, famed for its monumental Buddha statue surrounded by depictions of gods and disciples. Constructed in the eighth century, this landmark was an engineering feat, with mammoth granite blocks transported along a mountain path.
Take in views of the city and countryside, then join your driver for your transfer to Busan, South Korea's second-largest city, nestled among mountain ranges by the sea. The port town is loved for its nearby beaches, International Film Festival, trendy cafés, and extensive fish markets. Before you arrive, you'll make a stop at the UNESCO-listed Tongdosa Temple, one of the "Three Jewel Temples of Korea." Wander the historic, beautifully preserved complex, which is said to contain relics of Buddha, and then continue to Busan.
Refresh at your hotel, then meet your guide for a night food tour of Gwangalli. Feast on authentic Busan cuisine, like jangeo-gui (grilled eel) or bibim dangmyeon (boiled glass noodles with fish cakes), at a busy Korean restaurant. Afterward, take a walk on Gwangalli Beach to experience the bustling nightlife and appreciate the spectacular night view of Busan with the dazzling Gwangan Bridge stretching across the water.Day 8: See Beomeosa Temple & Gamcheon, Busan Market Food Tour, Train to Seoul
Get ready for a jam-packed day exploring the best of Busan, starting at the ancient Beomeosa Temple from the Silla Kingdom. Discover the intricate gateways, pagodas, and halls, then follow your guide to the Gamcheon Culture Village, with its colorful houses built up the sides of a coastal mountain. Admire vibrant street art and indulge in the local treat, ssiat hotteok (pancake filled with brown sugar). Continue to BIFF Square, one of the best places in Busan to sample the street food. The streets are lined with food stalls and vendors selling specialties like tteokbokki (simmered rice cake).
End your time in Busan with a guided visit to Jagalchi Fish Market, the largest fish market in South Korea. Trawl through its treasures, split between indoor and outdoor areas, from dried sea products to freshly caught seafood. Sample a range of fish, prawns, shellfish, lobster, and squid before bidding farewell to your guide and catching a three-hour bullet train back to Seoul, where your driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel.
Day 9: Korean Demilitarized Zone Tour
This morning, join your guide for a full-day tour beginning with a 30-mile (44 km) drive up to the border between South and North Korea, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Delve into the complex history and tensions between the "two Koreas" that characterize the area to this day and highlight the importance of peace. Your tour starts with a shuttle bus trip to the Third Infiltration Tunnel, an invasion tool dug by North Korea and discovered by South Korea in 1978 CE.
Next, you'll visit the Dora Observatory, where you can look through telescopes at North Korea and see sites including the spooky Propaganda Village, People School, Mount Songak in Gaeseong, a statue of Kim Il Sung, and Geummamgol, a local cooperative farm. Be aware that clothing and camera regulations exist for this tour. Finally, visit the Imjingak Resort Unification Park to gain insight into the history of the Korean War. Afterward, return with your guide to Seoul and spend the evening relaxing at your hotel.
Day 10: Transfer to Incheon, Depart
Today, your South Korea adventure ends, and you'll be transferred to the airport in time for your homebound flight. Safe travels!
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