Colours of South Korea & Jeju - 11 Days

On arrival at Incheon, we welcome you and arrange your transfer to the hotel – depending on your flight schedule the transfer may be shared with other passengers. The rest of the day is at leisure, so you can settle in and explore at your own pace. Overnight in Seoul. Please note that rooms are available from 3 pm.

After breakfast, we meet at 9 am in the hotel lobby and set off to explore the capital by Jihachul – the local subway. We visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, one of five palaces from the Joseon Dynasty, along with the Folklore Museum showcasing traditional Korean life, then continue to Jogyesa Temple, centre of the Jogyejong Buddhist Order and a key place for Zen meditation.

We enjoy a tasty bibimbap for lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we wander through Bukchon, often called the North Village and home to more than 900 traditional houses, before strolling Insadong, renowned for antique shops and art galleries. In the early evening, we take our seats for Cookin’ Nanta – a lively nonverbal comedy driven by the beat of kitchen utensils and a blend of traditional and modern music. Overnight in Seoul.

After breakfast, you have the day at leisure, or you can choose an optional full day excursion to Cheorwon DMZ (not included). Overnight in Seoul.

After breakfast, we depart by KTX train – about 2 hours – to Gyeongju, Korea’s spiritual and cultural capital. On arrival, we devote the day to Yangdong village, one of the country’s largest traditional villages and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, set amid unspoilt nature with the four peaks of Mount Seolchangsan as a backdrop. With around 160 old houses, including thatched cottages around 500 years old, and 54 dwellings more than 200 years old that are remarkably preserved, it offers an authentic immersion in architecture from the Joseon era.

We pause for lunch in a local restaurant. Afterwards, we stroll through Tumuli Park, dotted with the 23 tombs of Shilla rulers and their families, and visit the tomb of the Heavenly Horse. We continue to the Noseo dong area, then make a final stop at Cheomseongdae Tower, the Far East’s oldest observatory, built in 634, where royal astronomers studied the stars and predicted eclipses. In the late afternoon, we transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Gyeongju.

After breakfast, we set out to discover this city nicknamed the Museum without Walls – former capital of the Shilla kingdom and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. We visit the Bulkugsa Temple (UNESCO), followed by the Seokguram Grotto (UNESCO), built in the 8th century on the slopes of Mount Toham and home to a monumental statue of Buddha gazing towards the sea – a masterpiece of Buddhist art. We have lunch in a local restaurant. In the late afternoon, we travel by private vehicle with our guide to Busan. Overnight in Busan.

After breakfast, we pause at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery – the only one of its kind in the world, managed by the United Nations since 1960 – honouring the 37,895 members of UN forces who fell during the Korean War between 1950 and 1953. We then stroll through Jagalchi fish market and the International Market. We have lunch in a local restaurant.

Early in the afternoon, we continue to Gamcheon Cultural Village, a former hilltop district whose houses were built by refugees of the Korean War and which today is an artistic neighbourhood adorned with murals and sculptures. Overnight in Busan. For the visit to the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, please respect the dress code: no tracksuits; no clothing that exposes too much of the body such as tank tops; no flip flops or string sandals; no clothing designed for physical exercise such as hats or sun caps, masks or gloves.

You have free time until we take the KTX train to Seoul. On arrival, we transfer you to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for final shopping. Overnight in Seoul.

After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for the flight to Jeju Island (not included). On arrival, we transfer to the hotel and you have the day at leisure.

You might admire the views from Sungsan Peak, formed by a volcanic eruption around 100,000 years ago with a crater nearly 600 metres in diameter and 90 metres high, or visit Jeongbang Waterfall, noted as the only one in Asia that falls directly into the ocean. The island also offers typical small villages such as Jeju Folk. Overnight in Jeju.

After breakfast, you have the day at leisure. Overnight in Jeju.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Seoul (not included). On arrival, we welcome you and transfer you to the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Seoul.

After breakfast, depending on your flight schedule, we transfer you to Incheon airport by private vehicle without a guide. End of services.