Highlights
- Make your own "dojang," a Korean name stamp, at a class in Seoul
- See relics of royal tombs at the National Museum of Gongju
- Spend a night with Buddhist monks at the UNESCO-listed Beopjusa Temple
- Walk the ancient streets of Yangdong Village near Gyeongju
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Seoul, Gwangjang Market Food Experience | Seoul |
| Day 2 | Explore Seoul's Cultural Heritage Sites, Traditional Stamp-Making | Seoul |
| Day 3 | Traditional Korean Cooking Class, Transfer to Daejeon | Daejeon |
| Day 4 | Explore Gongju's Fortresses, Tombs & Temples | Daejeon |
| Day 5 | Discover the Ancient Baekje Kingdom in Buyeo | Daejeon |
| Day 6 | Transfer to Songnisan National Park, Beopjusa Temple Stay | Songnisan |
| Day 7 | Beopjusa Temple Stay, Transfer to Gyeongju, Bulguksa & Seokguram Tour | Gyeongju |
| Day 8 | Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Discovery | Gyeongju |
| Day 9 | Transfer to Seoul via Namhansanseong | Seoul |
| Day 10 | Depart Seoul |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Seoul, Gwangjang Market Food Experience
Welcome to South Korea! Touch down in the dizzying capital, Seoul, where your driver will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Get your first glimpse of this futuristic metropolis, a sprawling mass of towering skyscrapers set against decorative Buddhist temples, landscaped sculpture parks, and mazelike street markets. Fashion, tech, and karaoke loom large in Seoul, alongside historical palaces and museums.
Settle in and then spend the rest of the day resting at your hotel or exploring the neon streets of the city. Enjoy a cozy afternoon in one of the many themed cafés, which range from board game venues to cat cafés, wander around the artistic Mural Village, or visit a jjimjilbang (bathhouse) to soak in hot pools.
Later in the day, discover South Korea's culinary roots with a two-hour street food tour of the renowned Gwangjang Market. This century-old market sells everything from textiles to authentic Korean dishes. Wander along the narrow walkways, snacking on dishes such as bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), tteokbokki (rice cakes), and eomukguk (fish cake soup). End the night with skyline views at Seoul Sky, an observation deck with a glass floor high above the city.Day 2: Explore Seoul's Cultural Heritage Sites, Traditional Stamp-Making
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Meet your local guide in the morning for a city tour through Seoul. Your first stop is the palace of Changdeokgung, 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 the 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 Confucian symbolism in the space still used today for ceremonies.
Absorb the Korean cultural heritage as you explore palaces and shrines, then continue your tour at Insadong, where you'll browse antique stores, craft galleries, and quaint teahouses. After enjoying a break for a cup of tea, head with your guide to the National Museum of Korea. Explore the six permanent exhibition galleries and special exhibition halls, where some of the museum's 220,000 art objects are on display.
Later, you'll join an expert for a Korean dojang-making class. A dojang is a personalized Korean seal or stamp, usually made from stone or wood, which South Koreans have used to sign official documents for hundreds of years. With the help of your instructor, you'll design your own stamp and carve it into the stone as you learn more about the culture and history of this ancient art form. At the end of the class, you'll have a one-of-a-kind souvenir to take home with you.
Day 3: Traditional Korean Cooking Class, Transfer to Daejeon
While in the nation's capital, a Korean cooking class is a must. With your chef host, visit a local market to taste typical flavors used in Korean cuisine and purchase the necessary ingredients to kick off your half-day workshop. Then, learn to prepare some traditional Korean dishes like bibimbap (rice with mixed vegetables and meat), samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), kimchi, and yachaejeon (savory pancakes). Afterward, sit down to enjoy the delicious fruits of your labor.
In the afternoon, meet your driver for a 2.5-hour transfer from Seoul to Daejeon. Enjoy the passing scenery before arriving in South Korea's fifth-largest city, known as "Asia's Silicon Valley."
Day 4: Explore Gongju's Fortresses, Tombs & Temples
After breakfast, meet your driver for a 30-minute transfer to the ancient Gongju, where you'll spend the day exploring this ancient city, once one of the capitals of the Baekeje Kingdom (18 BCE to 660 CE) and now home to several UNESCO-listed cultural treasures. Start your discovery at the Gongsanseong Fortress, sitting on the peak of Gongsan. Take in the sweeping views of the Geum River as you wander the fortress walls and explore the beautiful architecture of halls, pavilions, and temples within the fortress.
Next, explore the Songsan-ri Tombs, including the bricked Tomb No. 7, the Royal Tomb of King Muryeong, remains one of South Korea's most significant archaeological discoveries after it was found completely intact. See the relics from the tombs at your next stop, the National Museum of Gongju. The museum has over 10,000 artifacts, from golden crowns to the famous gilt-bronze "Standing Bodhisattva."
Rejoin your driver for a 30-minute ride to another UNESCO-listed site, the Magoksa Temple, on the slopes of Taehwasan. Roam the grounds of this seventh-century treasure, much of which was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt in the 14th century, soaking up the serene vibe and learning the history from your guide. At the end of your tour, you'll be transferred back to your hotel in Daejeon.
Day 5: Discover the Ancient Baekje Kingdom in Buyeo
Today, you'll make a day trip from Daejeon to Buyeo, the last capital of the Baekeje Kingdom, then known as "Sabi." After a one-hour transfer, you'll begin your guided tour at the fortress of Busosanseong, which once provided the city's outermost defense fortifications.
Roam the inner grounds with your guide, then head to the city center to explore the 1,500-year-old Jeongnimsa Temple Site, where the eponymous temple once stood. Now mostly an archaeological dig, the beautiful Five-Story Stone Pagoda still stands in the center of the site. To discover more of the mysteries of the Baekje empire, visit the National Museum of Buyeo, where you can see over 1,000 relics on display, both inside and outside. At the end of the day, you'll return to Daejeon.
Day 6: Transfer to Songnisan National Park, Beopjusa Temple Stay
This morning, rejoin your driver for a one-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.
Take in views, then join the monks of Beopjusa for an overnight temple stay. After a quick orientation and tour, enjoy tea time with a monk (where you can ask questions and gain insight into the Buddhist way of life), participate in guided meditations, and observe sacred rituals. Throughout your stay, you'll savor vegetarian meals prepared using fresh, local ingredients and relish the peace of the temple grounds. Before an early bedtime, join a Yebul Buddhist ceremony, a solemn service held twice daily to praise Buddha.
Day 7: Beopjusa Temple Stay, Transfer to Gyeongju, Bulguksa & Seokguram Tour
Wake up before dawn today for the chance to join the residential monks for the morning Yebul Buddhist ceremony. Listen to four traditional instruments, said to express the Buddha's teaching through sound: the dharma drum, temple bell, wooden fish, and cloud gong. After a simple breakfast, explore more of the temple before checking out.
Then, meet your driver and transfer for two hours to Gyeongju, the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom (57 BCE to 935 CE). Today, it's nicknamed the "museum without walls." Immerse yourself in history by beginning your tour at the beautiful Bulguksa temple, an eighth-century architectural wonder housing six national treasures, including the Dabotap and Seokgatap stone pagodas.
Continue to the Seokguram Grotto on Mount Toham, home to a monumental Buddha statue facing the sea. This UNESCO-listed landmark was an engineering feat when constructed in the eighth century, with mammoth granite blocks transported along a mountain path. Take in views of the city and countryside below before heading to your hotel in Gyeongju.
Day 8: Gyeongju Cultural Heritage Discovery
Today is devoted to exploring more of Gyeongju's cultural heritage, beginning with a short transfer north to the UNESCO-listed, 500-year-old Yangdong Village. Set in a picturesque valley, the village is one of the best preserved of its kind in the country, as well as the largest. See the contrast between the tile-roofed homes of the ruling class compared to the thatched-roof houses of the lower class. From here, continue to the 14th-century Oksanseowon Confucian Academy. Roam the lecture hall, the beautiful grounds, and the shrine dedicated to famous neo-Confucian scholar Yi Eon-jeok.
In the afternoon, you'll continue your guided tour of Gyeongju, now exploring archaeological sites, temples, and royal tombs. You'll begin at the Gyeongju National Museum, which houses relics from the ancient Silla kingdom, including a fourth-century golden crown. Next, you'll tour 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 9: Transfer to Seoul via Namhansanseong
Today, you'll return to Seoul, a transfer that takes around 3.5 hours and includes several scenic stops. Enjoy the countryside as your driver takes you first to the UNESCO-listed fortress, Namhansanseong, on the mountainous slopes of Namhansan.
In addition to its picturesque location, which is beautiful year-round, the fortress is steeped in history. Originally dating back to the seventh century, the walls of the fortress run along the ridge for over 7 miles (12 km). Inside the walls, you can visit the Emergency Palace, designated for the royal family, the ancient Hyeonjeolsa Temple, and the Jwajeon Royal Ancestral Shrine. At the end of your tour, meet your driver for a 20-minute drive into Seoul.
Day 10: Depart Seoul
Your South Korea adventure ends today, and you'll be transferred to the airport in time for your homebound flight. Safe travels!
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