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Seoul / Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon / DMZ & 3rd Tunnel / Beopjusa Temple / Mt. Songnisan / Andong / Gyeongju / Haeinsa Temple / Mt. Gayasan / Haeinsa Temple Village / Busan / Tongyeong Harbor-Hallyeo Maritime National Park / Boseong / Gwangju / Gochang / Gwangju / Mt. Naejangsan National Park / Daejeon / Seoul |
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13 Days / 12 Nights |
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Day 1 ¡ª Arrive in Seoul
Arrive in Seoul at Incheon International Airport, where you will be met and transferred to your downtown hotel. After check-in the balance of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Seoul. Accommodations at Hotel.
Day 2 ¡ª Seoul / Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon / Seoul
Enjoy a morning tour of Metropolitan city of Seoul, where old meets new in modern Korea, including Geyongbokgung Palace (Palace of Shining Happiness)-the main palace during the Joseon Dynasty-passing by Blue House (Presidential Residence)£»the National Museum of Korea which displays rich and priceless artifacts from prehistoric Korea to the end of the Joseon Dynasty£»and N Seoul Tower on Mt. Namsan for a bird's-eye view of Metropolitan city of Seoul. This afternoon travel to Suwon walled city, where was planned as capital city of Joseon Dynasty in the 18th century with the intention of moving the national capital from Seoul to Suwon and Hwaseong fortress wall was constructed. Enjoy tour of Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon-over 5 km in length, the fortress wall averages 9 m high and its bulwark of stone and brick is considered the masterpiece of Korean fortress construction. The fortress wall was designated as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1997. Overnight in Seoul. Accommodations at Hotel.
Day 3 ¡ª Seoul / DMZ & 3rd Tunnel / Seoul
Today tour includes North Korea¡¯s 3rd Infiltration Tunnel-this is located within DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) area and is 44 km away from Seoul and found in October, 1978, and 30,000 armed military forces with field artillery may permeate through this tunnel per one hour£»Dora Observation Platform-located at a western front line and from here you can get a view of the North Korean territory including Propaganda Village, People's School and Gaeseong city which was a capital of Goryeo Dynasty through telescope£»and Dorasan Railroad Station- recently opened in DMZ by South Korea according to the agreement between South and North Korea to connect the broken railroad. Afterwards, proceed to Imjingak-this spot located at 40 km northwest of Seoul was dedicated for 5 million people who lost home in North Korea and its major facilities include North Hall where you can get a view of lifestyle of North Korea and Exhibition Hall having old tanks and planes used for Korean War. Return to Seoul. Overnight in Seoul. Accommodations at Hotel.
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Day 4 ¡ª Seoul / Beopjusa Temple / Mt. Songnisan (1,058m) - 5 hours Trekking / Beopjusa Temple Village |
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This morning travel to Beopjusa Temple set at the foot of Mt. Songnisan National Park. Beopjusa Temple was established in 553 A.D.during the Silla Dynasty. The temple has the largest Buddha statue in the world with 108-foot-high. With its numerous treasures and National Monuments, Beopjusa Temple is the best place in which to experience the brilliant history of Buddist civilization.Afterwards, hiking Mt. Songnisan National Park. Mt. Songnisan National Park is composed of Mt. Songnisan and Hwayang, Seonyu, and |
Ssanggok Valleys. Situated in the middle of the Sobaeksanmaek Mountains, which is the southwest branch of the Taebaeksanmaek Mountains, Mt. Songnisan is one of Korea¡¯s most beautiful sites. The sharp grantie peaks of Mt. Songnisan and the deep valleys of sedimentary rocks make magnificent sceneries. Therefore, Mt. Songnisan is also called Mt. Sokumgangsan (means small version of Mt. Kumgangsan (Diamond Mountain) in North Korea). Mt. Songnisan's deep valleys and the many Natural Monuments attract countless mountaineers and tourists. The cherry blossoms in the spring, green pine forest in the summer, and the lovely autumn leaves in the fall make this place beautiful all the year round. Lunch is on your own (You can prepare a carrying lunch such as sandwich, etc. at bakery in advance). Overnight in the temple village. Accommodations at Yeogwan. |
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Day 5 ¡ª Beopjusa Temple Village / Andong
Drive to Andong, one of the last living vestiges of old Korea, where still is very conservative and traditional, a stronghold of Confucianism, which has deeply influenced all aspects of the lives of its people. A tour of Andong includes Dosanseowon Confucian Academy-founded by Korea's foremost Confucian scholar, Yi Toe-gye during the Joseon Dynasty and was the hub of Korea Confucianism which ruled all Koreans in their ethical-moral way and still conduct the ethical behavior in Korean society£»Bongjeongsa Temple - Andong County's most historic temple is Bongjeongsa temple (Phoenix Bower temple). Founded by monk Uisang in 672 during Silla Dynasty, part of this compound miraculously escaped destruction by the Japanese army during the Imjin War. The hall Geugnakjeon (National Treasure 15) is the oldest wooden structure in Korea£»Korean Traditional Paper making Factory£»and Hahoe Village-the best preserved traditional village of the Joseon Dynasty, where residents still live in traditional thatched and tile-roofed houses and one of the few remaining examples of a classical Joseon Dynasty Confucian village layout. Continue to Jirye Artists' Colony (Jirye Art Village) for Home Stay Program in Andong for accommodations - Jirye Artists' Colony is located near Imhaho Lake and a great place to have a unique experience of traditional Korean culture. Every month there are events such as traditional Korean ancestral rites, making rice cake or Kimchi and you can stay in traditional Korean houses. The village is 350 years old and there are houses with rooms of Ondol, Korea's unique system of floor heating with wood. The colony has lavatories, bathrooms with hot water. Because the village has preserved the old customs with small details, it is a great place to experience and understand Korean traditional culture. Jirye Artists' Colony is a cultural inquiry spot for foreigners and a creative space for the artists to work. It is also used as a traditional life study site and as Confucianism institute. Recently, many Koreans and foreign visitors have been gathering in Andong to spend a night in the traditional Korean way in old traditional Korean houses, known as ¡®Hanok¡¯. Dinner at the colony restaurant to taste typical regional food. Overnight at the houses of the Colony in Andong.
Day 6 ¡ª Andong / Gyeongju
Travel to Gyeongju, where was the capital of the Silla Dynasty from 57 B.C. to 935 A.D. and designated by UNESCO as one of the world's ten most historically significant sites with numerous relics of that era, and is called the "Museum Without Walls". A tour of Gyeongju includes Bunhwangsa Pagoda-erected in 634, is the oldest datable pagoda in the country, and along with Cheomseongdae, one of the country's oldest stone structures, and originally 9 stories high, only 3 remain today£»Gyeongju National Museum, which has the best collection of Silla Dynasty artifacts with more than 100,000 pieces£»Anapji Pond - constructed in 674 A.D. as a pleasure garden to commemorate the unification of the peninsula by the Silla forces, used the recreational area for the Silla royal family and banquet garden to entertain royal important guests£»Cheomseongdae Astronomical Observatory-built in 634 A.D., is considered the world's earliest known existing observatory and admired by archaeologists worldwide£»Royal Tumuli Park-a collection of royal Silla tombs located in the middle of Gyeongju with 20 tombs, of which Cheonmachong (Flying Horse Tomb) is the most famous with its excavation which yielded more than 10,000 treasure-artifacts£»and the 15th century built Family Choi's House.Overnight in Gyeongju.Accommodations at Yeogwan.
Day 7 ¡ª Gyeongju / Haeinsa Temple / Mt. Gayasan (1,430m) - 6 hours Trekking / Haeinsa
Temple Village
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Drive to Haeinsa Temple which is situated at the foot of Mt. Gayasan National Park and is one of the three greatest temples of Korea, established in 803 A.D., chiefly known today as the repository of the Tripitaka Koreana, set of over 80,000 wooden printing blocks engraved with one of the most comprehensive compilations of the Buddhist scriptures in all of Asia, and the Depositories and the Tripitaka Koreana Wooden Printing Blocks were added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List in 1995. After sightseeing of the |
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temple, hiking Mt. Gayasan featuring the highest peak, Sanghwangbong (1,430m), is composed of many peaks each over 1,000m connected together like a scroll painting. It was one of the eight most beautiful sceneries for the people of the Joseon Dynasty. Gayasan shows magnificent landscapes every season with the cherry blossoms, azaleas and royal azaleas lined up on the road to Haeinsa Temple in Spring, the clean water and green trees in Summer, the glorious tints of its autumn foliage along the rock ridges in Autumn and a snowy landscape in Winter. In 1972, it was designated as a national park due to its spectacular features. Lunch is on your own (You can prepare a carrying lunch such as sandwich, etc. at bakery in advance). Overnight in the temple village. Accommodations at Yeogwan. |
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Day 8 ¡ª Haeinsa Temple Village / Busan
This morning travel to Busan. Tour of Beomeosa Temple which is located at the edge of a famous Geumjeongsan mountain in Busan. Busan's greatest temple, Beomeosa translates as "Fish of the Buddhist Scripture Temple". Beomeosa Temple was founded in 678 AD by monk Uisang during the reign of King Munmu of Silla Dynasty and most of the present buildings date from reconstructions of the 17th and 18th centuries, representative of mid Joseon Dynasty temple architecture£»Daeungjeon Main Building of the Beomeosa Temple which was rebuilt during Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and is one of the most delicate and luxurious architectures of Joseon Dynasty£»Iljumun of the Beomeosa Temple- the three story pagoda with four pillars, built in the 9th century, and seven royal palace wings, pavilions, three gates, and eleven hermitages (natural monument)£»and Mt. Geumjeongsan Fortress is located on the peak of Mt. Geumjeongsan (801.5m) in Busan. Its original name was Dongrae Mountain Fortress, but it was changed because of its location. Its length is 17,377m, and 1.5m~3m high; it is the largest fortress in Korea. But now there is only a 4 km section remaining from the original. Overnight in Busan. Accommodations at Yeogwan.
Day 9 ¡ª Busan / Tongyeong Harbor-Hallyeo Maritime National Park / Busan
A morning tour of Busan includes Yongdusan Park, where provides a pleasant touch of greenery on a hill in the heart of the city and a very popular public park with Busan Tower£»Busan Tower-
Yongdusan Park crowned with the tower, 120-m-high tower observatory dominates the most of the area of the city, and the sea and harbor views spreading below the tower are spectacular£»and Jagalchi Fish Market-Busan's most active fish-dealers' cooperative, the colorful spectacle is also a great attraction for tourists and camera buffs. Drive to Tongyeong Harbor, where has the most extensive ferry network between Busan and Yeosu, and is home port for one of the largest concentrations of fishing and sightseeing boats on the southern coast. Take a sightseeing boat at Tongyeong Harbor and a full-day tour of Hallyeo Maritime National Park - stretches across 400 islands along the southern coast, and it is a 93-mile-long waterway running from Hansando Island where Admiral Yi Sun-sin defeated Japanese invaders by his own invented Turtle Boat, south of Busan, to Yeosu in the west, where, with islands dotted here and there, is sometimes mistaken for a lake and it is divided into six sections and has both stunning natural scenery and many sites of historical interest. Overnight in Busan. Accommodations at Yeogwan.* Sightseeing boat tour of Hallyeo Maritime National Park is subject to cancel according to the bad weather. This afternoon will be left for leisure or an improvised trip which you may arrange.
Day 10 ¡ª Busan / Boseong / Gwangju / Gochang / Gwangju
Travel to Boseong where the largest tea-growing area in Korea is. Known as the birthplace of Korea¡¯s tea industry, it accounts for around 40% of domestic tea production. Visit beautiful Tea Terraces in Boseong. Drive to Gwangju, where is the capital of Jeollanam-do Province and the sixth largest city in the Republic of Korea, with a population of 1.2 million. Visit Gwangju National Museum, which was built to house the precious Chinese porcelains that were salvaged in 1976 from a Chinese trading ship wrecked at Sinan 600 years ago, and the museum also displays relics and paintings from the Baekje and Unified Silla Dynasties and the Joseon Dynasty.Continue to Gochang Dolmen Site. Sightseeing of Gochang Dolmen Site- a neatly arranged, highly-raised dolmen is placed beside the jar stand lying behind Kim Yeong-in¡¯s home in Jidong, Dosan-ri which is 4km away from Gochang-eup. 3km toward Seonunsa, a 2km range of dolmens lie at Sanggap-ri, Asan-myeon, Jungrim-ri, Gochang-eup, Maesan-ri and Songam-ri. Beginning with the 5m length, 4.5m wide, 4m high and 150 ton dolmen, all 477 dolmens are numbered with white paint. Archaeologists date the Gochang dolmens back to the Bronze Age. Drive back to Gwangju.
Overnight in Gwangju. Accommodations at Yeogwan.
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Day 11 ¡ª Gwangju / Mt. Naejangsan National Park (763m) - 4 hours Trekking / Daejeon |
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Drive to Mt. Naejangsan National Park (763m). Arrive at the foot of Mt. Naejangsan National Park and hiking the Mountain. Mt. Naejangsan National Park is a famous mountain in Jeolla-do, and the best mountain in Korea to view autumn crimson leaves. Inside the park, there are famous waterfalls, such as Dodeok Falls and Geumseon Falls, and Temples such as Baekyangsa and Naejangsa temples. The Park is beautiful not only in the fall, but also in the spring when the azaleas and cherry blossoms bloom, in the |
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summer when the green mountain turns even greener, and the winter when the rock cliffs cover themselves with snow. All throughout the year, different kinds of wild flowers bloom here.Drive to Daejeon , the fifth largest city. We take a few minutes' drive from Daejeon to Yuseong, one of the country's most famous hot spring resorts. Lunch is on your own (You can prepare a carrying lunch such as sandwich, etc. at bakery in advance). Overnight in Yuseong. Accommodations at Yeogwan. |
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Day 12 ¡ª Daejeon / Gongju / Seoul
Travel to Gongju, the capital of the ancient Baekje Dynasty, still many of Baekje's treasures in evidence. Visit King Muryeong's Tomb (A.D.501-524)-Korea's greatest discoveries of the twentieth century, and Gongju National Museum which displays hundreds of artifacts uncovered from King Muryeong's Tomb. Drive back to Seoul. Overnight in Seoul. Accommodations at Hotel.
Day 13 ¡ª Seoul / Depart Korea
Transfer to Incheon International Airport for departure.
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