- 4.9/5 512 Latest reviews
- Destination: South Korea
- Duration: 10 Days
- Tour Type: Private & Bespoke
- Tour Style: Classic
About This Trip
South Korea Tour with Jeju Island — this immersive 10-day private journey takes you through South Korea's greatest cities, ancient UNESCO heritage sites, and volcanic island landscapes in one perfectly balanced adventure.
Explore Seoul's magnificent Gyeongbokgung Palace, traditional Bukchon Hanok Village, and the historically significant DMZ border. This South Korea Tour with Jeju Island then continues to Andong's living UNESCO folk village, Gyeongju's remarkable Silla Dynasty temples, and Busan's dramatic clifftop ocean temples before concluding on Jeju Island — Korea's volcanic paradise and UNESCO Triple Crown destination — with Seongsan Ilchulbong Sunrise Peak, Hallasan Mountain trails, the O'Sulloc Tea Fields, and the serene beaches of Udo Island. Ideal for first-time visitors seeking a complete and unforgettable South Korea Tour with Jeju Island experience — private, bespoke, and expertly guided throughout.
Summary
DAY
PLACE
HIGHLIGHTS
1 - 3
Seoul
Gyeongbokgung Palace, National Folk Museum, Bukchon Hanok Village, DMZ
4
Andong
Andong Hahoe Folk Village, Byeongsan Seowon, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond
5
Gyeongju
Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Gyeongju National Museum
6
Busan
Haedong Yonggungsa, Gamcheon Village, Jagalchi Market
7 - 9
Jeju Island
Seongsan Ilchulbong, Seopjikoji, Seongeup Folk Village, Woljeongri Beach, Hallasan, Daepo Jusangjeolli Cliff, O'Sulloc Tea Museum, Green Tea Fields
10
Seoul
Departure
Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival in Seoul
Your South Korea Tour with Jeju Island begins at Incheon International Airport — one of the world’s finest airports and the gateway to 10 extraordinary days of Korean culture, history, and natural beauty. Your private driver meets you at arrivals and transfers you comfortably to your hotel in the heart of Seoul.
Spend your first evening gently acclimatizing to the city. Take a short walk along Cheonggyecheon Stream — a beautifully restored urban waterway winding through central Seoul — explore the striking Dongdaemun Design Plaza, or simply enjoy your first taste of Korean cuisine: bibimbap, Korean BBQ, or a steaming bowl of doenjang jjigae at a local restaurant.
Highlights: Incheon Airport arrival, private transfer, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, first Korean dinner
- Seoul
- Day 2: Seoul City Highlights — Palaces & Traditional Culture
Begin your South Korea Tour with Jeju Island in earnest with a guided exploration of Seoul’s most iconic landmarks. Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace — the magnificent royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty — and witness the colorful Guard Changing Ceremony, a vivid theatrical spectacle of traditional Korean royal heritage. Continue to the National Folk Museum of Korea for beautifully curated exhibits revealing 5,000 years of Korean daily life, crafts, and traditions.
Walk through Bukchon Hanok Village — where hundreds of beautifully preserved traditional hanok houses line narrow hillside lanes between two royal palaces — then explore Insadong, Seoul’s most charming cultural district of art galleries, antique shops, and traditional tea houses. End the day at Gwangjang Market, sampling bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), tteokbokki, and yukhoe among the lively market stalls.
Highlights: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Guard Changing Ceremony, National Folk Museum, Bukchon Hanok Village, Insadong, Gwangjang Market
- B
- Seoul
- Day 3: Korean DMZ Experience
The most historically significant day of your South Korea Tour with Jeju Island — a guided visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the heavily fortified 4-kilometre buffer separating North and South Korea. Visit Imjingak Park and walk across the symbolic Freedom Bridge — the crossing used by returning Korean War POWs in 1953 — then descend into the Third Tunnel, one of four infiltration tunnels secretly dug by North Korea beneath the border.
From Odusan Observatory, enjoy panoramic views northward into North Korean territory across the Imjin River confluence — a powerful and sobering perspective on the ongoing division of the Korean Peninsula. Return to Seoul in the evening and explore vibrant neighborhoods like Myeongdong for shopping and street food, or Hongdae for live music, street performances, and K-pop culture.
Highlights: DMZ, Imjingak Park, Freedom Bridge, Third Tunnel, Odusan Observatory, Myeongdong or Hongdae evening
- B
- Seoul
- Day 4: Seoul – Andong – Gyeongju
Drive south to Andong — the cultural heartland of traditional Korea and home to one of this South Korea Tour with Jeju Island’s most remarkable UNESCO stops. Explore Hahoe Folk Village — a living UNESCO World Heritage community of Joseon-era thatched and tiled houses where descendants of the original Ryu clan families still live — and watch a Talchum — traditional Mask Dance performance, one of Korea’s most ancient and expressive art forms.
Visit Byeongsan Seowon — a beautifully preserved Confucian academy blending historic architecture with extraordinary natural riverside scenery — then continue to Gyeongju and end the evening at the magical Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, where the restored royal pleasure garden reflects beautifully in still water under evening illuminations.
Highlights: Hahoe Folk Village UNESCO, Traditional Mask Dance, Byeongsan Seowon, Donggung Palace, Wolji Pond evening lights
- B
- Gyeongyu
- Day 5: Gyeongju Heritage & Travel to Busan
Discover Gyeongju’s extraordinary Silla Dynasty heritage — the UNESCO highlight of this South Korea Tour with Jeju Island. Visit Bulguksa Temple — a masterpiece of Korean Buddhist architecture built in 751 AD featuring two iconic stone pagodas, ornate wooden halls, and beautifully landscaped temple gardens recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ascend through pine forest to the sacred Seokguram Grotto, where a sublime granite Buddha gazes serenely over the East Sea.
Continue to the Gyeongju National Museum to admire royal treasures, golden crowns, and remarkable Silla Dynasty artefacts before traveling south to Busan — South Korea’s vibrant coastal metropolis. Spend the evening at Haeundae Beach, stroll along the Bay 101 waterfront marina, and enjoy fresh seafood at a local restaurant overlooking the harbor.
Highlights: Bulguksa Temple UNESCO, Seokguram Grotto, Gyeongju National Museum, Busan arrival, Haeundae Beach
- B
- Busan
- Day 6: Busan Coastal Wonders & Flight to Jeju Island
Begin the morning at Haedong Yonggungsa Temple — one of the most dramatically situated Buddhist temples in Korea, perched directly on a rocky cliff above the crashing East Sea with colorful lanterns and stone pagodas framing extraordinary ocean views. This clifftop temple is one of the most photographed locations of the entire South Korea Tour with Jeju Island.
Explore the colorful alleys of Gamcheon Culture Village — a brilliant hillside arts neighborhood of vivid murals, narrow stairways, and the beloved Little Prince Statue — then experience local life at Jagalchi Fish Market, South Korea’s largest seafood market. In the afternoon, fly to Jeju Island and transfer to your hotel. Relax on a nearby beach or enjoy the sunset as the volcanic island reveals itself.
Highlights: Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Gamcheon Culture Village, Jagalchi Fish Market, flight to Jeju Island
- B
- Jeju Island
- Day 7: Jeju Island East Coast Exploration
The natural wonders of Jeju begin in earnest on your South Korea Tour with Jeju Island — start with an early hike up Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak), a dramatic UNESCO-listed volcanic tuff cone rising directly from the sea on Jeju’s eastern tip. The view from the crater rim across the Pacific at sunrise is one of the most iconic images in all of South Korea.
Visit Seopjikoji — a breathtaking coastal area of dramatic sea cliffs, a red lighthouse, and winding seaside trails perfect for photography — then explore Seongeup Folk Village, where traditional Jeju stone houses, thatched roofs, and centuries-old community life are preserved in a living heritage village. End the day at the beautiful Woljeongri Beach, known for its brilliant turquoise water, white sand, and charming beachside cafés.
Highlights: Seongsan Ilchulbong UNESCO, Seopjikoji coastal trails, Seongeup Folk Village, Woljeongri Beach sunset
- B
- Jeju Island
- Day 8: Jeju Island – Hallasan & Tea Experience
Hike a scenic trail on Hallasan Mountain — the highest peak in South Korea at 1,950 metres and the centerpiece of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — through extraordinary volcanic landscapes of ancient lava formations, dense forest, and panoramic highland views. The mountain’s unique ecosystem contains species found nowhere else on Earth.
Visit the stunning Daepo Jusangjeolli Cliff — where thousands of perfectly formed hexagonal basalt columns rise dramatically from the sea, shaped by volcanic activity thousands of years ago. In the afternoon, explore the O’Sulloc Tea Museum and Green Tea Fields — where rolling hills of vivid green tea plants stretch across the landscape — and enjoy a traditional Korean tea tasting session complete with green tea ice cream.
Highlights: Hallasan Mountain UNESCO, Daepo Jusangjeolli Cliff, O’Sulloc Tea Museum, green tea fields, tea tasting
- B
- Jeju Island
- Day 9: Free Day in Jeju Island
A completely free day to explore Jeju at your own pace — the most relaxed day of your South Korea Tour with Jeju Island. Take a short ferry to Udo Island — a small volcanic island of white coral beaches, lava fields, and extraordinary ocean views — and explore by bicycle or electric buggy at your own leisure.
Alternatively, browse the lively Dongmun Market for fresh Jeju tangerines, black pork snacks, and local souvenirs, relax at one of Jeju’s scenic beaches, try optional water sports such as kayaking or snorkeling, or discover hidden waterfalls and volcanic craters in the island’s quieter interior. Jeju rewards slow exploration — and today is yours entirely.
Highlights: Optional Udo Island ferry, Dongmun Market, scenic beaches, water sports, volcanic interior exploration
- B
- Jeju Island
- Day 10: Jeju to Seoul — Departure
Your South Korea Tour with Jeju Island draws to a close this morning after a final Jeju breakfast. Fly back to Seoul and transfer to Incheon International Airport for your international departure flight.
Reflect on 10 extraordinary days — the gilded rooftops of Gyeongbokgung, the solemn Freedom Bridge of the DMZ, the ancient temples of Gyeongju, the clifftop wonders of Haedong Yonggungsa, and the volcanic sunrise of Seongsan Ilchulbong over the Pacific. South Korea and Jeju Island will call you back.
Highlights: Jeju to Seoul flight, Incheon International Airport departure, farewell to Korea
- B
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