Journey Through Korea and Japan's Heritage - 15 Days

Arrival in Seoul – welcome to Korea. We’ll arrange your transfer to the hotel, after which you’ll have free time to settle in or take a short stroll nearby. In the afternoon, we’ll provide information about the start of your tour. Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.

We begin with a visit to Aegibong Observatory in Gimpo, close to the border with North Korea, where we can clearly see across the frontier. We then transfer to the Paju Demilitarised Zone (DMZ Imjingang) for an included lunch before visiting the National Memorial and Mangbaedan Altar, and the Imjingak Pavilion temple, a symbol of peace. An included cable car ride gives us elevated views towards the Military Demarcation Line, and we finish at the Freedom Bridge, long associated with hope and reunion. Please bring your passport – it is mandatory. The DMZ is a military area and may close without notice; if this happens, we will provide an alternative tour.

Later, with our guide, we head to the square by City Hall to view the building’s distinctive design inspired by waves. Across the way, we see Deoksugung Palace illuminated, a striking meeting of tradition and modernity, before walking on to Myeongdong, the largest commercial and entertainment district in Korea, whose name translates as bright tunnel. Dinner is included at a local restaurant, and we return by Seoul’s modern subway – ticket included. Overnight in Seoul.

We set out on a guided tour of Seoul lasting around five hours, beginning at Changdeokgung Palace – a UNESCO World Heritage Site set within an expansive landscaped park – before strolling through Bukchon Hanok Village, a historic neighbourhood of well-preserved traditional homes. We then visit the War Memorial of Korea – entry included – which presents the country’s military history with a particular focus on the Korean War, in which soldiers from many nations served under the United Nations.

Lunch is included at a local restaurant. We continue to the Gangnam district, one of the city’s most dynamic areas with extensive shopping and entertainment. To round off the day, we stop at Lotte World Tower, an impressive skyscraper standing 550 metres tall, where you have free time to go up to the observation deck – admission not included – or to wander the park and luxury shopping centres at its base. We return to the hotel – free time.

Morning visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace – entrance included – Seoul’s grand complex with more than 600 years of history. If the ceremonial changing of the guard is taking place during our time there, we will stop to watch. We then leave Seoul and travel south to Suwon – the former capital – renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage fortress walls. We will view these impressive fortifications and visit Hwaseong Haenggung, the summer palace – entrance included. Lunch is included. We continue to Jeonju to explore its historic centre, Hanok Village, with its small traditional houses, craft shops and art galleries.

We depart Jeonju for Sunchang Gochujang Village at the foot of Mount Amisan, a hanok neighbourhood where courtyards are lined with clay hang‑a‑ri jars. Here, master artisans produce gochujang – Korea’s signature chilli paste – using traditional methods, and we’ll take part in a hands‑on session to make it ourselves.

We then continue to Damyang to wander the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest – entrance included – and visit the Bamboo Museum – entrance included. Lunch is included today, featuring a local speciality of rice cooked and served inside a bamboo stalk.

Surrounded by mountain scenery, we travel on to Haeinsa Temple – entrance included – a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in 802 and home to the Tripitaka Koreana, over 80,000 wooden tablets of Buddhist scriptures. After our visit, we continue to Busan, Korea’s second‑largest city, for our overnight stay.

In the morning we leave Busan to visit Haedong Yonggung, a 14th century Buddhist temple set by the sea. We return to Busan to visit the United Nations Memorial Cemetery (entrance included), the resting place of service personnel from many countries. We then explore the country’s largest fish market by Nampo port – lunch is included. From here we walk to Yongdusan Park to see its 120 metres pagoda. In the afternoon we head to Songdo Beach for a ride on Korea’s first maritime cable car (included, weather permitting) with sweeping views of the bay, before continuing to the Gamcheon Cultural Village with its brightly coloured houses, labyrinthine lanes, galleries, pottery workshops and cafés. We return to the hotel in Busan for the night.

We arrange your transfer to the airport for your included flight to Tokyo. On arrival in Japan – after completing border formalities – our assistant, usually Spanish speaking though sometimes English speaking, will meet you and guide you to a shared shuttle bus for the transfer to your hotel. You’ll then have free time.

We leave Tokyo for Kamakura, a former capital of Japan for two centuries known for its temples and gardens. At Hokoku-ji Zen Temple we wander its serene bamboo grove – admission and a cup of green tea included – before continuing to Sugimoto-dera, founded in 734 and regarded as the city’s oldest temple. You then have free time in the compact city centre before we visit the Great Buddha (Daibutsu) – admission included.

We follow a scenic coastal road along the Pacific to Enoshima, a small island linked to the mainland by a bridge, where you have free time for lunch and a stroll. Later we travel on to Odawara to visit its castle – admission included – a prominent Edo-period fortress restored in the 20th century. Overnight stay.

From Odawara, we travel into the Hakone region – a landscape of lakes and mountains near Mount Fuji. We begin with an ascent to Owakudani, a volcanic crater known for its steam vents, bubbling mud and sulphur gases. Please note – access can be closed due to volcanic activity; if so, we visit Arakurayama Sengen Park instead. We continue to Oshino Hakkai, a small village with eight clear ponds offering fine views of Mount Fuji, before heading to Kawaguchiko, a peaceful lakeside town where we enjoy a scenic boat ride on Lake Kawaguchiko. Later, we drive up Mount Fuji to the Fifth Station at 2,305 metres, taking in the forested slopes and broad views along the way. In winter, the road is often closed due to weather – in that case, we go as far as permitted. We return to Tokyo at the end of the day.

We spend around seven hours exploring Tokyo, where vibrant neighbourhoods sit alongside tranquil spaces. We begin with a short stop at Zojoji Temple for a classic view of Tokyo Tower, noticing the rows of Jizo statues adorned with knitted hats and pinwheels. From here, we see the famous Shibuya Crossing from the bus before visiting Meiji Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife. We then head to Tokyo Skytree – admission included up to the Tembo Deck at 350 metres – for far‑reaching city views. Our tour ends in Asakusa as we explore Sensoji Temple and stroll along Nakamise Street. On the drive back to the hotel we pass Akihabara – the Electric City, known for manga and anime culture – and the Ginza district.

At 6.30 pm we meet our guide in the hotel lobby and take the subway – tickets included – to Shinjuku for a guided walk through this lively area, followed by dinner at a local restaurant – included. We return to the hotel by subway with our guide. Note that the order of visits may change depending on our timed entry to Tokyo Skytree, and in case of bad weather or other exceptional circumstances an alternative viewpoint will be offered.

We travel by bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto, departing early – the journey covers nearly 500 km in just over two hours. On arrival, we spend the day exploring Kyoto, Japan’s former capital from 794 to 1868 and home to the Imperial Court. Remarkably, it was the only major Japanese city spared from bombing during the Second World War, preserving its rich artistic heritage – and it gave its name to the Kyoto Protocol signed in 1997.

Our visit covers key highlights: we admire the Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Imperial Palace, and Kinkakuji Temple – known as the Golden Pavilion – surrounded by magnificent gardens. Later, we stroll through Gion, Kyoto’s traditional district celebrated for its geishas and lively atmosphere. You’ll then have free time to continue exploring at your own pace.

We leave Kyoto for Nara to visit Todaiji, founded in 752 and home to a giant Buddha statue. In the surrounding park we’ll have time to see and photograph the deer that roam freely. Lunch is included. We then continue to the Horyuji Buddhist temple – a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising a seminary, monasteries and temples – where the central pagoda is among the oldest wooden structures in the world and the complex is regarded as Japan’s oldest Buddhist temple. We travel on to Osaka, arriving in the evening for an overnight stay in this dynamic city, Japan’s second largest urban area, and later we visit Dotonbori, a lively, colourful district renowned for its bustling nightlife.

We leave Osaka for Himeji, where we include entry to its vast castle complex – an outstanding example of Japanese castle architecture. After lunch at a local restaurant – included – we continue to Okayama to visit Korakuen, regarded as one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens, with lakes, waterfalls and traditional teahouses. From here you can cross the pedestrian bridge over the river to see Okayama Castle, a sixteenth-century fortification rebuilt in 1966 after destruction during the Second World War – visiting the interior is not included. Afterwards, you’ll have free time to explore the city, a lively provincial capital of just over 700,000 people. Note: On some dates we may stay in Fukuyama or Kurashiki, and the visit to Kurashiki may take place this afternoon.

We leave Okayama for Kurashiki, renowned for its beautifully preserved historic centre – you’ll have time to wander its charming streets. We then continue to Hiroshima, a city marked by the atomic bombing of 1945, where we visit Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Peace Memorial Museum. After these reflections, we take the ferry to the island known as the place where men and gods live together – we visit the famous Itsukushima Shrine, dedicated to the guardian of the seas and built in part over the water. You’ll have time to explore the shrine and the picturesque town centre and to have lunch. We return to our hotel in Hiroshima – dinner is included. The order of visits in Hiroshima may be adjusted without altering the overall itinerary.

After breakfast, we conclude our journey in Hiroshima. You are free to arrange your onward travel and depart at a time that suits you.