Original
Explorer
South Korea Highlights
9 days • 4.8
5
Excellent
170 reviews
9 days
Start
Seoul, South Korea
Finish
Seoul, South Korea
Trip Code
CJSK
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 12
Physical Rating
Meals
1 breakfast, 4 dinners
Transport
Private Vehicle, Public Bus, Metro, Taxi, Boat, High Speed Train
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Hanok (1 night)
From £2,182(9 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Spend a fascinating day exploring the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) on a guided tour. Discover why this intriguing place has been awash with tension and political pressure since the Korean War.
Take a street food tour of the renowned Gwangjang markets in Seoul, feasting on bite-sized delights, and indulge in an authentic all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ experience for your final night.
Explore the seaside Sokcho and discover the island village of Abai, home to hundreds of North Korean refugees, and learn about their experience in a sobering talk with the community before enjoying a delicious home-cooked dinner.
Spend a night in a traditional Hanok house in the Andong Hahoe folk village, walking past the traditional homes to imagine the country in its past life.
Visit coastal Haedong Temple, explore the colourful Gamcheong Culture Village, then meet a Haeyno diver in Busan for an insider’s view of this predominantly female profession.
Is this trip right for you?
A good degree of fitness is recommended for this trip as a lot of walking is involved. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. You will need to be able to handle your luggage on metro and in busy transport hubs, so we advise packing light.
This trip doesn't spend much time in Seoul so we recommend extending your trip to enjoy this city to its fullest. Please speak to your booking agent about adding additional nights of accommodation to your booking.
Itinerary
Feel the Seoul of South Korea on this adventure that hits all the highlights
A destination of natural wonder, culinary delights and cityscapes, South Korea is a rewarding trip for any traveller. On this nine-day exploration, you’ll discover Korea’s Demilitarised Zone, tuck into a feast at an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ restaurant, hike through the amazing scenery of Seoraksan Mountain, wander through the colourful Gamcheong Culture Village, spend a night in a traditional Hanok house and discover the charisma of Busan, from seaside Haedong Temple to the stories of Haeyno divers.
Inclusions
Meals
1 breakfast, 4 dinners
Transport
Private Vehicle, Public Bus, Metro, Taxi, Boat, High Speed Train
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Hanok (1 night)
Included activities
Seoul - Gwangjang market
Seoul - Naksan night view over the city
Seoul - Gyeongbukgung Palace
Seoul - Demilitarized Zone (DMZ/South Korea)
Seoul - Bukchon Hanok Village
Sokcho - Local market visit
Sokcho – Community cooking & dinner in village of Abai
Sokcho - Island village of Abai
Sokcho - North Korea refugee family visit
Sokcho - Seoraksan Mountain Hike
Andong - Andong folk village
Andong – Village Traditional Dance Performance (except for Monday)
Busan - Haedong Temple
Busan - Gamcheon Art Village
Busan - Haenyeo (female diver) visit
Busan – Local ‘Smart Farm’ visit
Busan - Coastal walk
Optional activities
Sokcho - Yeoung Geum Jung Pagoda - Free
Sokcho – Bike Ride around Yeongrang Lake - USD25
Busan - Night cruise - USD40
Dates and availability
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Important notes
1. This trip starts in Seoul on Day 1 at 4pm. This allows time after the welcome meeting for your first included activities.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 5 where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
Reviews (166)
5 stars
145
4 stars
19
3 stars
1
1 star
1
Ayanna
May 09, 2025
This tour was absolutely fantastic! Our guide, Jinny Kim was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about South Korea. She was happy to answer all of our questions and even offered some great recommendations for other things to do in the area. The pace of the tour was comfortable. We particularly enjoyed the Mt Seorak and the fantastic views from the top. Thank you for a memorable day!
Claire
May 03, 2025
This is a really fabulous trip. You need to trust the itinerary in each location as there are great hidden sites that reveal themselves. The hike in Sokcho and the boat in Busan were real highlights. Our guide yongsu made everything easy, as he was so patient and kind and introduced us to some great food!
Tomais
May 03, 2025
I had a great time on the South Korea highlights tour. It was very helpful to have a Korean tour guide to explain the historical and cultural significance of all the places we visited. We did a lot of fun activities - my personal favourite place was Sokcho because we visited Abai Village (where North Korean refugees settled during the Korean War), and did a hike at Seoraksan Mountain which was amazing.
Anne
Apr 29, 2025
A fabulous way to discover the history and culture of South Korea. Lots of wonderful interactions with locals. Our guide made everything easy especially since there is not much written English
Mike
Apr 29, 2025
The South Korea Highlights tour was a great introduction to South Korea. The interactions with the local people made this tour much more insight on Korean history & culture.
Clive
Apr 22, 2025
An excellent trip as a first introduction to Korea with an excellent blend of history, culture, country traditions, modern cities, good quality and good value hotels, good food and an awesome guide who was a joy to be with and who worked incredibly hard to make it a wonderful experience.
Michael
Apr 22, 2025
Our trip was amazing from the food to the sights. There were so many experiences we’d never have been able to have without the expertise of our guide Jinny. Her enthusiasm and organisational skills made everything comfortable, fun and memorable.
Helena
Apr 22, 2025
Our Highlights tour of South Korea with Jinny was a wonderful adventure full of many memorable experiences . Jinny went above and beyond to accommodate all members of the group and to enthusiastically share her love of her country. Intrepid’s small- group tours are always terrific and this tour was no exception. Jinny helped us to explore places and meet people we never would have encountered if travelling on our own. Visiting North Korean refugees in their home village was a highlight I won’t forget.
Fabienne
Apr 19, 2025
The South Korea Highlights trip was fantastic! The cities and sights were very interesting. Our guide was amazing, knew and explanied a lot, fun and full of cultural insights. The balance between activities and free time was just right. A truly memorable experience!
pam
Apr 15, 2025
A throughly enjoyable trip on all levels. Our accommodation was clean and comfortable. The food was a excellent example of Korean cuisine with multiple choices. Travel between destinations was efficient and represented the different forms of transport available. Korean culture was well covered with excellent answers provided to the questions asked. Our health and safety was well covered. We were provided with an achievable timetable, timings were explained so we were never late.
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