The Best of South Korea

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Day 1 – Arrive Seoul
Receive a warm welcome from your guide after arrival at Seoul Incheon International Airport. Private transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at your leisure.

Day 2 – Seoul City Tour (B)
Explore Seoul including the Changdeokgung Palace & Secret Garden, a UNESCO Heritage Site and Gwangjang Market known for its alley of food vendors. Visit the National Museum of Korea with its fine Korean arts and relic collection. Visit Seoul Tower on Mt.Namsan for a bird’s eye view of metropolitan Seoul. Return to the hotel.
Note: On Mondays, Gyeongbokgung Palace and National Folk Museum will be visited instead of Changdeokgung Palace & Secret Garden.

Day 3 – Seoul / Korean Folk Village – Mt. Songnisan National Park / Daegu (B)
In the morning visit a countryside Korean Folk Village where residents still practice traditions and the lifestyle of the 18th/19th century. Proceed to Mt.Songnisan National Park to visit Beopjusa Temple, a UNESCO Heritage Site which features many beautiful and important Buddhist relics and artwork. Then drive to Daegu (2 hours) and Check into the hotel.

Day 4 – Daegu / Gyeongju Tour (B)
After breakfast, visit the Daegu Yangnyeongsi Museum of Oriental Medicine to learn about the traditions of oriental medicine and experience an herbal foot bath. Then visit Seomun Market, the largest traditional market in Daegu.
Drive to Gyeongju, the city known as the Museum without Walls and the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom (57BC – 935AD). Visit Cheomseongdae Astronomical Observatory, Royal Tumuli Park and enter one of the excavated tombs to see the construction process behind the royal king’s burial chambers. Check into your hotel.
Note: On Mondays, Daegu Dalseong Park will be visited instead of Yangnyeongsi Museum of Oriental Medicine.

Day 5 – Full Day Gyeongju (B)
In the morning, visit UNESCO Heritage Sites in Gyeongju. The first stop is Bulguksa Temple, and the 8th-century Seokguram Grotto on Mt. Toham which contains monumental masterpieces of Buddhist art and sculpture. In the afternoon, you will visit the 4-faced Buddha at the Gulbulsaji Temple site and the tomb of King Wonseong (Gwaeneung Royal Tomb). Then take a scenic coastal drive to Guryongpo Port before returning to the hotel.

Day 6 – Gyeongju / Busan (B)
After breakfast, check out and take a one hour drive to Unmunsa Temple, the largest Buddhist nunnery in Korea. Continue to Busan (1.5hr drive) the second largest city in South Korea. Enjoy a tour of Busan’s Jagalchi Fish Market, Nampodong Shopping Street and Busan Tower.
Check into hotel and the rest of the evening is free at leisure.

Day 7 – Busan / Haeinsa Temple / Andong / Chungju (B)
In the morning take a 2.5 hour drive to Mt Gayasan National Park and visit the UNESCO Cultural Heritage site, The Temple of Haeinsa, which is home to the Tripitaka Koreana, the most complete collection of Buddhist texts, engraved on 80,000 woodblocks between 1237 and 1248. Continue driving for 2 hours to Andon, famous for its mask dances. Visit Hahoe Village, a well-preserved village with traditional-style noble houses. Continue to Chungju Lake. Check into the hotel.

Day 8 – Chungju / Experience of Temple stay (B/D)
After breakfast check out from the hotel. Enjoy a scenic lake boat ride. Note: This may be replaced with another activity depending on the local weather conditions.
Drive about 2.5 hours from Chungju to experience a unique temple stay at one of the following: Woljeongsa Temple or Samhwasa Temple or Shinheungsa Temple depending on the private room availability at the time of booking.
Upon arrival, you will change your clothes to temple apparel as provided. Enjoy a brief orientation for your stay at the temple. A simple temple vegetarian dinner will be served. Attend an evening Buddhist ceremony and temple tour. The rooms are traditional Korean temple style with no phone or TV. The bedding consists of a thin mattress and blanket on the floor. The private rooms are facilitated with a toilet. No alcohol is allowed at the temple.
Note: Private Korean traditional style can be arranged depending on the corresponding temple’s condition at that time of booking.
If clients stay at a hotel instead of the temple guests will have breakfast at the hotel instead of attending the Morning Buddhist ceremony.

Day 9 – Templestay / Gangnenung / DMZ / Mt Seorak National Park Tour (B)
Wake up at 3 am for Morning Worship (optional).
After breakfast, leave the temple and transfer to Gangneung.
Visit Chamsori Gramophone & Audio Museum which boasts an incredible collection of 19thy Century gramophones and 1st generation audio systems. Drive 2 hours to Goseong DMZ Unification Observatory, the nearest spot to view Geumgangsan Mountain in North Korea. The
DMZ museum within the observatory allows visitors to learn about the DMZ from its historic background and the area’s ecological importance. Note: DMZ Unification Observatory visit may be replaced with another activity due to local circumstances.
Transfer to Mt. Seorak overnight. Check into the hotel.

Day 10 – Mt Seorak National Park / Seoul (B)
After breakfast check out from the hotel. Visit Mt. Seorak National Park, Shinheungsa Temple and take a cable car ride to Gwongeumseong Fortress.
Continue 2.5 hour drive to Gapyeong through the mountain valley to the Garden of Morning Calm Park which displays unique Korean wildflowers and trees. Transfer back to Seoul.

Day 11 – Seoul (B)
Breakfast at the hotel and check out
Private transfer to Incheon Airport for departure.