South Korea: Mountains, Temples & Villages — 10 Days

You'll be met at Incheon International Airport and transferred to your hotel in central Seoul, a sprawling metropolis ringed by mountains. South Korea's capital combines old and new: glass and steel skyscrapers stand alongside centuries-old temples, while historic cobbled streets wind through neighbourhoods where contemporary art sits next to ancient architecture. Seoul transitions between daytime function and nighttime activity, with neon-lit streets, restaurants, and social spaces ranging from karaoke bars to cafés. The remainder of your day is at leisure—use it to rest after travel, or venture into the neighbourhood around your hotel. Overnight in central Seoul.

After breakfast, tour Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in 1395 as the principal royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty. Witness the changing of the guard ceremony at the main gate, performed with traditional instruments and costumes. Visit the National Folk Museum on the palace grounds, which holds over 4,000 artifacts documenting Korean domestic and cultural life. Pass the Blue House, the official residence of the South Korean President, on the way to Bukchon Hanok Village. This district, with a history spanning over 600 years, contains hundreds of traditional Korean hanok houses arranged along narrow lanes with tea houses and craft shops. In the afternoon, transfer to Geumseonsa Temple at the base of Bukhansan Mountain. Register for your temple stay and receive orientation on temple etiquette and the overnight schedule. You'll wear a simple temple uniform (vest and trousers) in a shared, gender-separated ondol room with traditional futon bedding and private bathrooms. After settling in, participate in the evening Yebul ceremony, which involves rhythmic recitation of sacred texts and prostrations in the main hall, followed by guided meditation or quiet reflection. Dinner is a silent, vegetarian Buddhist meal (Balwoo Gongyang) featuring seasonal vegetables, tofu, seaweed and soup.

Rise at 5 a.m. for the morning Yebul ceremony and meditation practice. Depending on the day's schedule, you may practice seated meditation (jwaseon) or walking meditation (haengseon), central to Buddhist mindfulness training. A simple monastic breakfast follows. Later, visit a nearby hermitage to take tea with a Buddhist monk (Dado), a traditional Korean practice offering insight into monastic life through conversation and silence. Return to the temple to clean your room and return your uniform. Depart for a 2-hour hike along Bugaksan (also called Baegak Mountain), the highest peak bordering central Seoul and part of the Seoul Fortress Wall Trail. Once a restricted military zone, the area has remained environmentally preserved. The trail passes historical markers, including a tree scarred by bullet holes from a 1968 North Korean commando incursion. Views from the ridge span the city center and surrounding peaks. After the hike, begin the 3.5-hour drive to Sokcho on Korea's eastern coast. Check into your hotel in Seorak, located 200 meters from Seoraksan National Park entrance.

After breakfast, begin a 4–5-hour hike along the Ulsan Rock Course in Seoraksan National Park. The trail winds through valleys and past temple sites, ascending steep sections and stairs that open onto views of the park's landscape. Seoraksan contains diverse flora and fauna, including musk deer and the Korea Goral, alongside more than 1,200 plant species including Edelweiss. Spring and autumn bring significant colour shifts across the mountainside. In the afternoon, travel to Andong, a city known for its Joseon-era wooden architecture and traditional wooden masks. Andong holds a reputation for its mackerel and soju, the local distilled spirit. Upon arrival, settle into your hotel. The evening is yours to wander at leisure.

Visit Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage site located on the Nakdong River and known for well-preserved Joseon Dynasty architecture. The village remains inhabited and features both tile-roofed aristocratic residences and thatched commoners' homes. Travel south to Jirisan National Park, Korea's largest national park. The Guryong Valley trail takes its name from 'Nine Dragons,' referencing nine waterfalls that cascade among forested slopes and granite peaks. Complete the valley hike, then continue to Namwon, a small city known for literary heritage and its connection to Korea's most famous historical romance, Chunhyangjeon. Check into your hotel; evening is at leisure.

Today is your longest hiking day. Mount Naejang is a destination for autumn foliage, where red maple leaves transform the mountain into colours of crimson, red and orange. Your hike spans approximately 6–7 hours, following forest paths that wind past lakes and waterfalls as you move through the landscape. The route reveals the mountain's layered ecosystems. After completing the hike, you'll travel to Gwangju and check into your hotel. Dinner is included this evening, followed by leisure time to rest.

After breakfast, travel approximately 2 hours to Jeonju, a city that preserves the legacy of the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Much of Jeonju functions as an open-air museum, where traditional architecture and customs remain part of daily life. Begin at Jeonju Hanok Village, home to over 800 traditional hanok houses distinguished by their wooden beams and curved tiled roofs. Walking through the village lanes places you among centuries-old structures, yet just beyond the village's edges, modern skyscrapers pierce the skyline. This duality is part of Jeonju's character: a city that honours its heritage while continuing to modernize. While exploring the village, sample the regional cuisine. Jeonju bibimbap, a Korean rice dish, has a distinctive local preparation that reflects the city's culinary traditions. Take time to wander and see the various food stalls and restaurants scattered throughout the village. Next, visit Jaman Mural Village, a cliffside settlement transformed into an open-air art gallery. Local artists have painted murals throughout the village, turning the natural landscape into a canvas of colour and creativity. Tonight, you will stay in a traditional hanok guest house. A hanok is designed with simplicity using natural materials—minimal furniture, futon beds, and an underfloor heating system called ondol. This ancient heating method, which once relied on heated stones from the kitchen to warm room floors, now uses hot water pipes running beneath the wooden surface. The ondol has shaped Korean domestic life for centuries. Because the floor itself provides warmth, Koreans traditionally sit, eat, and socialize on the floor rather than on chairs and furniture, and futon-style floor mattresses serve as beds to take full advantage of the radiant heat. Experiencing a night in a hanok offers insight into how this heating innovation influenced not just comfort, but the entire rhythm of Korean home life.

After breakfast at your hanok guest house, you'll return to Seoul by car, a journey of approximately 3.5 hours. The afternoon is yours to spend at your own pace. In the evening, gather with your group for a farewell dinner before settling in at your hotel.

Your South Korea tour concludes today. After breakfast, you'll have free time in Seoul before your transfer to Incheon International Airport to meet your onwards flight. Accommodation Summary: The tour includes eight nights in hotels (Myeongdong, Seorak, Andong, Namwon, Gwangju, and Jeonju), one night in Geumseonsa Temple in shared gender-separated ondol rooms with private toilets, and one night in a traditional hanok guest house. Temple uniforms are provided for the temple night. Both ondol and hanok accommodations use underfloor heating; bedding consists of thin floor mattresses and blankets rather than Western beds.