Heritage Korea and Jeju
9 nights in Korea. Palaces, a hanok night in Andong, Gyeongju, Busan by the sea and two nights on Jeju island.
Itinerary ideas › Heritage Korea and Jeju
The route that overseas travellers book most often, shaped for guests who like a mix of history and landscape: three nights in Seoul, a night in a hanok at Andong, Gyeongju and Busan, and then a short flight to Jeju for the volcanic coast. It uses the KTX and one domestic flight, with a private vehicle on the days between.
The route
- Seoul3 nights
- Andong1 night
- Gyeongju1 night
- Busan2 nights
- Jeju2 nights
Day by day
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Day 1
Arrive in Seoul
Your guide meets you at Incheon Airport. An easy first evening around Gwangjang Market.
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Day 2
Palaces and old Seoul
Changdeokgung Palace and its secret garden with a guide, Jongmyo Shrine, and the hanok lanes of Bukchon. A tea house stop in Insadong.
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Day 3
Hwaseong Fortress and a Korean cooking class
Spend the day at Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and walk part of its wall. Back in Seoul, join a cooking class and eat what you make. As an alternative, the DMZ area can replace Suwon.
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Day 4
By train to Andong
Take the train to Andong (about two hours). In the afternoon visit Hahoe Folk Village with a local guide. Tonight you sleep in a traditional hanok, with a dinner of Andong jjimdak.
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Day 5
Gyeongju, the old Silla capital
Drive to Gyeongju (about two hours) and visit the royal tombs, Cheomseongdae observatory and the Gyeongju National Museum. The palace site and Anapji pond are lovely in the evening light.
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Day 6
Temples and the coast
Morning at Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, then on to Busan (about an hour). Walk through Gamcheon Culture Village in the late afternoon.
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Day 7
Busan at leisure
Jagalchi fish market, the seaside temple of Haedong Yonggungsa and a coastal walk. Time for your own plans in the evening.
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Day 8
Fly to Jeju
A short flight to Jeju (about an hour). Drive the east coast to Seongsan Ilchulbong, the tuff cone that rises from the sea, and meet the haenyeo, Jeju's women divers, over a seafood lunch where it can be arranged.
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Day 9
Jeju's south and west
The Jusangjeolli cliffs, a tea field and museum, and a section of an Olle walking trail. A black pork dinner is a Jeju classic.
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Day 10
Departure from Jeju
Transfer to Jeju Airport. Most guests fly on to Seoul (about an hour and a quarter) and then home.
Seasons
- Spring: blossom usually reaches Gyeongju in early April, and Jeju's rapeseed flowers in March and April.
- Autumn: clear, dry days and good colour in November.
- Summer brings a rainy spell, often from late June, so Jeju days stay flexible.
Make it your own
Autumn colour edition
Dates in mid-October to mid-November, with the order of stops adjusted so that Seoraksan and the southern temples fall near their usual colour peak.
Spring blossom edition
Dates from late March to mid-April, planned around the blossom as it moves north, with Gyeongju and the southern coast at their best.
Winter edition
From December to February we can swap a night in the east coast or mountains for a night at a ski resort or hot spring, and keep the heritage stops that are lovely in clear cold light.
What a proposal usually covers
- Hotels, hanok and temple-stay accommodation as listed, with breakfast
- Private vehicle and driver, or KTX and domestic flights where the route says so
- An English-speaking local guide; other languages on request, subject to availability
- Entrance fees and experiences named in the plan
- Airport transfers at the start and end
- Selected meals, as described day by day
Exact inclusions, hotels and dates are set out in your written proposal.
Hanok stays, the domestic flight and the haenyeo visit depend on availability and season. We confirm each of them when we send your proposal.
