South Korea with Jeju Island
10D 9N
Day 1: Seoul - Gongju - Daejeon (L/D)
Stop At: Gongju, Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do
This morning you will be picked up from your accommodation in Seoul and transferred to Gongju, the ancient capital of the Baekje Kingdom. Travel back in time as you visit the Magoksa Temple, where you will experience tea ceremony with a Buddhist monk, the tomb of King Muryeong, and the Gongsanseong Fortress. Your next stop will be Tomb of Muryeong King with wall painting. After, move on to Gongsanseong Fortress, mountain castle where you can try your hand at archery! After this experience you will head to your accommodation in Daejeon, here you can spend the evening at your leisure and give a try to the indoor spa.
Lunch: A set menu with steamed rice wrapped in a Lotus Leaf.
Dinner: Chopped noodle dish 'Kalguksu' and Dumplings.
Duration: 18 hours
Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Daejeon - 4-5 star hotel.
Day 2: Daejeon - Jeonju - Jinan - Gwangju (B/L/D)
Stop At: Jeonju, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do
Enjoy breakfast at your accommodation before leaving for Jeonju, home of Korean Culture and tradition, where you will visit a Jeonju Hanok (Korean Traditional House) Village. Here you get the chance to dress up in Korean National costume to create a special memory for yourself. Next, explore Gyenggjeon Shrine, built in 1410, here you can find a portrait of King Tae-jo. Next, head for a lunch, try out Jeonju Bibimbab lunch and taste Kakkolli (Korean Traditional Wine) at a local restaurant. Before heading to the accommodation you will visit Tapsa Temple, built by Lee Gapyong and famous for over 80 stone pagodas.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Gwangju - 4-5 star hotel.
Day 3: Gwangju - Boseong - Suncheon - Yeosu (B/L/D)
Stop At: Boseong-gun, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do
After breakfast, you’ll head out for a stunning day of sightseeing, with visits to a Green Tea Plantation in Boseong, a local village in Naganeupseong, the reed marshes of Suncheonman Bay, and finally the Yongsan Observatory and Eco-Museum in Suncheon. Along the way we’ll stop for a Korean-style set menu lunch in a local restaurant. After an action-packed day, we’ll transfer to to Yeosu for overnight.
Lunch: Korean Set Menu with Dried Corvina Set meal and Vegetable pancake
Dinner: Grilled, smoked duck and Grilled seafood (or pizza and pasta)
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Yeosu - 4-5 star hotel.
Day 4: Yeosu - Jinju - Busan (B/L/D)
Stop At: Yeosu, Yeosu, Jeollanam-do
Today, you will hop into the Yeosu Marine Cable Car, which offers you a safe, but thrilling experience in gondola over seawater. Enjoy the scenery of downtown Yeosu and the archipelago around the old seaport. After, visit Jinjuseong Fortress which is historically linked to the Japanese invasion in 1592. These are the tours for today, and now you will transfer to Busan to enjoy the rest of the day on your own.
Lunch: Bulgoggi stew
Dinner: Korean style BBQ
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Busan - 4-5 star hotels.
Day 5: Busan - Ulsan - Gyeongju (B/L/D)
Stop At: Gyeongju, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do
After breakfast, you will visit Nurimaru APEC House, where summits gather for APEC meetings. It is located on the beautiful Dongbaekseom Island. After this trip, head to Gyeongju and explore Bulguksa Temple a UNESCO world heritage site. Next, visit Gyeongju National Museum, where you can find relocs of the Silla kingdom, of which Gyeongju was the capital. Further, visit Daereungwon Tomb Complex, it consists of 20 large and small toms from the Shilla period. Last stop of the day will be Cheomseongdae Observatory which is the oldest existing astronomical observatory in Asia. Evening is at your own disposal, enjoy a walk around the Bomun lake or relax in your room.
Lunch: Vegetarian set menu
Dinner: Casual Buffet
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Gyeongju - 4-5 star hotel.
Day 6: Gyeongju - Andong - Wonju - Pyeongchang (B/L/D)
Stop At: Andong, Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do
This morning leave for Andong and visit the charming Andong Hahoe Village, home to descendants of the Ryu clan of Pungsan and well-known for its traditional houses. Hahoe Village was added to UNESCO World Heritage list in 2010. After lunch of braised chicken, vegetables, and roasted fish at local restaurant, transfer to Wonju. Here we’ll head to the Hanji Theme Park where you will learn to make Hanji (traditional Korean paper). Next transfer to Pyeongchang, where you’ll enjoy Korean style Pork belly, Samgyeopsal. Overnight in Pyeongchan.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Pyeongchan - 4-5 star hotels.
Day 7: Pyeongchang - Gangneung - Mt.Seorak - Seoul (B/L)
Stop At: Gangneung, Gangneung, Gangwon-do
This morning, after breakfast, visit Ski Jump Tower Observatory where you can enjoy the view from Sky Lounge and have some time for a coffee or tea. After, travel to Yangyang for a short hiking at Jujeongol of Mt. Seorak and enjoy the nature!
Return to Seoul around 6 PM.
Lunch: Set Menu with Seasoned Wild Vegetables
Duration: 18 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.
StartsSeoul
Jeju is around an hour’s flight from Seoul. You’ll pick up a rental car at the airport, from which it’s rarely much more than an hour’s drive to anywhere on the island. Jeju's roads are all well connected, and typically do not see much in the way of heavy traffic.
Day 1-2
Jeju Island
Day one's all about picking up your rental car and checking into your hotel – but day two is when your island exploration will begin in earnest, with a private guided tour of the island’s amazing natural wonders. Yongduam, or “Dragon’s Head Rock”, forms a morning appetiser in Jeju City, though far more spectacular is the “Sunrise Peak” near Samseong. It’s like a steep-walled castle built by nature alone, and the sea and crater views from the top (yep, there’s a volcanic crater up here!) are breath-taking. Then, it’s down to the south coast to relax by a parkside waterfall, see a seaside clutch of honeycomb-like basalt pillars, and hike the dramatic cliffside pathway of the Yongmeori Coast.
Day 3-4
Jeju Island
The rest of your Jeju stay will be at leisure. We’ll be happy to give you some suggestions of where to venture to in your rental car – and with a walking trail going right around the island, and a volcano to climb in the middle of it, you may want to take your hiking shoes along, too. Alternatively, if you’ve been firing around the sights on the mainland, you might want to head to one of the many beaches to kick back and gaze at the seas in front of you, and the mountains behind.
Breakfast every day
One full-day experience: private guided tour of Natural Jeju
All entrance fees to sites included in guided experiences
Accommodation
Rental car for the duration of stay
Domestic flight from Seoul or Busan
International flights
Meals not mentioned
Entrance fees to any sites not included in guided experiences
Tips for guides & porters