Korea Grand Circuit
9 nights in Korea. Seoul, the DMZ area, the east coast, hanok nights and the southern cities in one unhurried loop.
Itinerary ideas › Korea Grand Circuit
The classic loop of the country: Seoul and the DMZ area, the mountains and fishing ports of the east coast, a night in a hanok in Andong and another in Jeonju, the royal heritage of Gyeongju, and two nights in Busan by the sea. It is a full programme with some long drives, which we pace with a private vehicle and the KTX.
The route
- Seoul2 nights
- Sokcho1 night
- Andong1 night
- Gyeongju1 night
- Busan2 nights
- Jeonju1 night
- Seoul1 night
Day by day
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Day 1
Arrive in Seoul
Your guide meets you at Incheon Airport. After checking in, a gentle evening walk and dinner around Gwangjang Market to taste the street food of Seoul.
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Day 2
The DMZ area and royal Seoul
A morning tour of the DMZ area, with the observation points and a tunnel, followed by Gyeongbokgung Palace and the hanok lanes of Bukchon in the afternoon. If the DMZ is not open on your date, we replace it with Changdeokgung Palace and its secret garden.
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Day 3
Over the hills to the east coast
A scenic drive of around two and a half hours to Sokcho on the East Sea. Visit the fish market and the old refugee village of Abai, and enjoy fresh seafood by the harbour.
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Day 4
Seoraksan and on to Andong
Spend the morning in Seoraksan National Park: an easy riverside walk, or the cable car for views over the granite peaks. After lunch, drive inland to Andong (about four hours) and settle into a traditional hanok for the night. Dinner is Andong jjimdak, the town's braised chicken.
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Day 5
Hahoe Village and Gyeongju
Walk through Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where families have lived for centuries, with a local guide. Drive on to Gyeongju (about two hours) and see Anapji pond and the palace site lit up in the evening.
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Day 6
Silla heritage to the sea at Busan
Morning at Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, then the royal tombs and Cheomseongdae observatory. Continue to Busan (about an hour) and enjoy the evening on the coast at Haeundae or Gwangalli.
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Day 7
Busan at leisure
Gamcheon Culture Village in the morning, a seafood lunch at Jagalchi Market, and the seaside temple of Haedong Yonggungsa in the afternoon. The evening is yours.
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Day 8
To Jeonju, the home of bibimbap
Drive to Jeonju (about three hours, with a lunch stop). Walk through the hanok village and the Gyeonggijeon shrine, then explore Nambu Night Market or a makgeolli lane, for guests of legal drinking age.
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Day 9
Back to Seoul
A bibimbap cooking class in the morning, then the KTX to Seoul (about two hours). Free time in the afternoon and a farewell dinner.
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Day 10
Departure
Transfer to Incheon Airport for your flight home.
Seasons
- Autumn: Seoraksan is usually at its best in mid to late October, and the southern cities colour in early November.
- Spring: blossom usually reaches Gyeongju and Busan in early April.
- Winter: the east coast is cold and clear. Roads and mountain paths can close, so we plan a flexible Day 4.
Make it your own
Jeju extension, 2 to 3 nights
Add Jeju at the end: a short flight from Busan or Seoul, then the volcanic coast, haenyeo culture, tea fields and Olle trail sections.
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 DMZ-area tour and the Seoraksan cable car depend on availability and on the day. We confirm each of them when we send your proposal.
