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Impressions of South Korea

3.0/5 Based on 1 Reviews No Booking FeesDedicated Travel Advisor

Impressions of South Korea

3.0/5 Based on 1 Reviews No Booking FeesDedicated Travel Advisor
Fully Guided Coach Group Scenic
Our Price From 9,402 Per Person
Exclusive Savings 1,001 Per Person
 Trip Length
10 Days
 Trip Starts
Seoul
 Trip Finishes
Busan
10 Day Impressions of South Korea Itinerary (APT)
Countries Explored: South Korea
Our Price From 9,402 Per Person
Exclusive Savings 1,001 Per Person
 Trip Length
10 Days
 Trip Starts
Seoul
 Trip Finishes
Seoul
10 Day Impressions of South Korea Itinerary (APT)
Countries Explored: South Korea
Trip Operator
Trip Style
Land Journey
Departures
Accommodation
4 - 4.5 Star
Max. Group Size
30
Guide Level
Fully Guided
Trip Code
KA10
Trip Operator
Trip Style
Land Journey
Departures
Accommodation
4 - 4.5 Star
Max. Group Size
30
Guide Level
Fully Guided
Trip Code
KA10

Overview

Read reviews and enjoy exclusive savings on APT's 10 Day Impressions of South Korea. See the very best of South Korea on a 10-day holiday from Seoul to Busan. Learn how to make bibimbap and rice wine as you indulge in incredible cuisine throughout your luxury journey, and delve into the culture and history of the country at ancient palaces and temples and the demilitarised zone.
Read reviews and enjoy exclusive savings on APT's 10 Day Impressions of South Korea. See the very best of South Korea on a 10-day holiday from Seoul. Learn how to make bibimbap, Korea’s celebrated rice dish as you indulge in incredible cuisine throughout your luxury journey and delve into the culture and history of the country at ancient palaces, sacred temples and the demilitarised zone on the North Korean border.

Itinerary

Welcome to South Korea. Be met on arrival and transferred to your luxurious hotel in Seoul. Tonight, meet your tour director and fellow travellers for a Signature Experience. Stay Four Nights: Lotte Hotel Seoul (D)

Signature Experiences:
  • Savour a special welcome dinner at Seokparang where you'll experience Korean royal cuisine, and try local drinks including soju and rice wine.

Enjoy a full-day tour of South Korea's vibrant capital today. Following breakfast, head to Gyeongbok Palace, the country's largest palace and a former royal residence for five centuries. Witness the colourful changing of the guard ceremony before taking a tour of the palace. After lunch transfer to Bukchon Hanok Village for a tour and a Signature Experience. Later soak in the views at Seoul Tower atop Mount Namsan, where you'll enjoy dinner overlooking the city. (B/L/D)

Signature Experiences:
  • Try your hand at making traditional crafts Bukchon Hanok Village.

Head to the Dongdaemun Gate area today for a soft trekking tour of the grand Seoul Fortress Wall and Naksan Park Course where you can admire panoramic views of Seoul. Return to the hotel with time to refresh before heading out for your choice of dinner. (B/D)

Freedom of Choice:
  • In the afternoon, choose your activity from a visit to Changdeok Palace and its Secret Garden, a tour of the War Memorial of Korea or a Modern Seoul Tour.
  • Pick your dining experience tonight. You might like to indulge in vegetarian temple food at Balwoo Gongyang, savour traditional cuisine at Korea House or enjoy a juicy steak at Butcher's Cut.

Embark on a tour of the fascinating Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) situated on the border with North Korea. See Imjingak Park, the Third Infiltration Tunnel, Freedom Bridge, Dorasan Station and Dora Observatory, which offers views into North Korea. Transfer to a local restaurant for lunch before returning to Seoul to enjoy the afternoon and evening at your leisure. (B/L)

Transfer to the station this morning and take a KTX express train in a deluxe seat to Jeonju, a city famous for its food scene, where you'll take part in a delicious Signature Experience for lunch. Afterwards, head out on a Jeonju Hanok Village Tour, soaking in visits to the Jeonju Fan Culture Centre and Crafts Exhibition Hall, Gyeonggijeon Shrine, Jeondong Cathedral and the Jeonju Traditional Wine Museum, where you'll get the chance to taste traditional alcohol from the region. Enjoy dinner at your hotel tonight. Stay: Lahan Hotel Jeonju (B/L/D)

Signature Experiences:
  • Learn how to make bibimbap, South Korea's most popular dish, and enjoy your creation for lunch.

Journey to Gayasan National Park to visit Haeinsa Temple, which is home to the Tripitaka Koreana, a remarkable collection of Buddhist scriptures carved onto more than 80,000 wooden printing blocks. After lunch, transfer to Gayatgo Village for a Signature Experience before moving on to the historic city of Gyeongju. Check in to your new luxury accommodation and indulge in dinner at the hotel's restaurant. Stay Two Nights: Lahan Select Gyeongju (B/L/D)

Signature Experiences:
  • Enjoy a hands-on experience crafting your very own mini gayageum, a traditional stringed musical instrument.

Explore the Bulguksa Temple complex this morning, first visiting the World Heritage-listed Seokguram Grotto, a government-classified National Treasure of South Korea. Enjoy tea time with a monk at Bulguksa Temple before traversing more of Gyeongju's highlights including visits to the Gyeongju National Museum, Tumuli Park and Cheomseongdae Observatory, and a moonlight walking tour of Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. Dinner is at your hotel this evening. (B/L/D)

After breakfast, head to Ulsan. Discover Daewangam Park and Ulsandaegyo Bridge Observatory, the latter of which offers panoramic views of the Hyundai Shipyard. Continue to Busan to visit Haedong Yonggung Temple, an impressive Buddhist temple built in 1376, and take a short walking tour along the coastline. Enjoy tonight at your leisure. Stay Two Nights: Paradise Busan (B/L)

Embark on an in-depth discovery of Busan today on a full-day city tour. Head to downtown Busan for a walking tour of Gamcheon Culture Village. Marvel at the village's street art and pastel-coloured houses before taking a cable car to Songdo Island. Savour lunch at a local restaurant and then visit BIFF Square, a bustling movie district, and Jagalchi Fish Market. Enjoy panoramic views from Busan Tower before stopping at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery.

This evening, indulge in a farewell Korean BBQ dinner with your fellow guests at a local restaurant. (B/L/D)

Your luxury holiday comes to an end after breakfast this morning with a transfer to the airport. (B)

Welcome to South Korea. Be met on arrival and transferred to your luxurious hotel in Seoul. Following a welcome briefing, head out on a Signature Experience. Later, take a relaxing stroll along the Cheonggyecheon stream, a beautiful, redeveloped urban park and canal which flows through the heart of Seoul and is bursting with life throughout the year. Tonight, gather with your Tour Director and fellow travellers for another Signature Experience. Stay Three Nights: Lotte Hotel Seoul (D)

Signature Experiences:
  • Discover all things kimchi at the Museum Kimchikan and learn how to make the popular fermented dish with a hands-on class.
  • Savour a special welcome dinner where you'll experience Korean royal cuisine and try local drinks including soju and rice wine.

Enjoy a full day to explore South Korea's vibrant capital today. Following breakfast, head to Gyeongbok Palace, the country's largest palace and a former royal palace for five centuries. Witness the lively changing of the guard ceremony before taking a tour of the beautiful palace.

Following a Korean BBQ chicken lunch at a local restaurant, transfer to the lively Insadong Antique Street filled with galleries, teahouses and local restaurants, then tour Bukchon Hanok Village, a residential neighbourhood with restored traditional Korean houses. Later, head to Jijidaeak for a Signature Experience, then choose where to dine this evening. (B/L/D)

Freedom of Choice:

  • Pick your dining experience tonight. You might like to indulge in Korean BBQ at Samwon Garden, dine on traditional Korean temple food at Balwoo Gongyang or delight in a delectable meal of new American cuisine at Michael's by Haevichi.
Signature Experiences:
  • Delve into Korean culture as you delight in a private performance of traditional music and try your hand at playing the unique instruments under the guidance of the expert musicians.

Embark on a morning tour of the fascinating Korean Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) on the border with North Korea.

Following a drive to Paju, see Imjingak Park, then visit the DMZ Theatre and Exhibition Hall and walk along the Third Infiltration Tunnel. Transfer to a local restaurant for a hot pot lunch before returning to Seoul to visit the War Memorial of Korea and its extensive museum. Enjoy the late afternoon and evening at your leisure. (B/L)

Following a breakfast at your hotel, be driven to the city of Yongin for a Signature Experience. Continue to Jeonju, a city famous for its food scene, where you'll take part in a delicious Signature Experience. Stay: Lahan Hotel Jeonju (B/D)

Signature Experiences:
  • Spend time at Yongin's Korean Folk Village, the largest of its kind in Korea, and take part in a hands-on workshop. Perhaps you'll learn about traditional dyeing and dye your own handkerchief, or learn how to create traditional straw shoes.
  • Learn how to make bibimbap, South Korea's most popular dish, and enjoy your creation for dinner.

In Jeonju this morning you'll enjoy a Signature Experience before visiting Gyeonggijeon Shrine and Jeongdong Cathedral. Journey to Gayasan National Park to visit Haeinsa Temple, which is home to the Tripitaka Koreana, a remarkable collection of Buddhist scriptures carved onto more than 80,000 wooden printing blocks. Next you'll move on to the historic city of Gyeongju. Check in to your new accommodation with views of the lake and indulge in dinner featuring a selection of Western and Korean dishes at the hotel. Stay Two Nights: Lahan Select Gyeongju (B/D)

Signature Experiences:
  • Enjoy a visit to the Hanji Culture and Industry Center, dedicated to the hanji paper which has been produced in Jeonju for more than 1000 years. Delight in a crafting class, learning how to create the traditional, multi-purpose paper including imprinting patterns and the drying process.

Discover two of South Korea's most valued World Heritage sites this morning. Start with a visit to Seokguram Grotto, a government-classified National Treasure of South Korea which overlooks the East Sea and contains some of the most important Buddhist sculptures in the world. Next you'll explore Bulguksa Temple, a Buddhist temple completed in AD774 by the Silla royal court. Following the morning's sightseeing, sit down for a Korean bulgogi lunch at a local restaurant.

Later, traverse more of Gyeongju's highlights including visits to the Gyeongju National Museum, the Cheomseongdae Observatory and Tumuli Park, a fascinating area featuring a variety of burial mounds containing tombs of kings and officials of the Silla dynasty. You'll also enjoy a moonlight walking tour of Donggung Palace – once a secondary palace of the crown prince of the Silla kingdom – and the beautiful Wolji Pond, which was built in AD674. (B/L)

Head to Ulsan after breakfast and discover Daewangam Park and Ulsandaegyo Bridge Observatory, the latter of which offers panoramic views of the Hyundai Shipyard. Following lunch at a local restaurant, be transferred to your stylish hotel in Busan then visit Haedong Yonggung Temple, an impressive Buddhist temple built in 1376. Later, set off on a Signature Experience before sitting down to dinner. Stay Two Nights: Paradise Busan (B/L/D)

Signature Experiences:
  • Embark on a private, scenic cruise from Haeundae Beach, soaking in the sights at sunset including the Nurimaru APEC House, Busan Cinema Center, Marine City and Gwangan Bridge.

Embark on an in-depth discovery of Busan today. Head downtown for a walking tour of Gamcheon Culture Village. Marvel at the village's street art and pastel-coloured houses before taking a cable car to Songdo Island. Visit BIFF Square, a bustling movie district, and Jagalchi Fish Market, the largest of its kind in South Korea. Enjoy panoramic views from Busan Tower before stopping at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, which is the only one of its kind and features 22 unique burial sites designated to each nationality of the buried service members. (B)

Transfer to the station this morning and take a KTX express train back to Seoul in the luxury of a deluxe seat. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and check in before setting off on the activity of your choice. Tonight, toast your trip with an unforgettable Signature Experience. Stay: Lotte Hotel Seoul (B/D)

Freedom of Choice:
  • Today you can enjoy a stroll along the Seoul Fortress Wall before visiting the Dongdaemun Market and Dongdaemun Design Plaza. Alternatively, take a mouth-watering street food tour through Gwangjang Market, tasting local dishes, before marvelling at the NANTA show, Korea's longest-running theatre show.
Signature Experiences:
  • Savour delectable European fine dining with a magnificent farewell dinner at Walking on the Cloud, which boasts sensational views of the city from its vantage point atop a skyscraper.

Your luxury holiday comes to an end after breakfast this morning with a transfer to Incheon International Airport. (B)

Trip Inclusions

  • Savour a special welcome dinner where you'll experience Korean royal cuisine and try local drinks including soju and rice wine
  • Try your hand at making traditional crafts at Bukchon Hanok Village
  • Learn how to make bibimbap, South Korea's most popular dish, and enjoy your creation for lunch
  • Enjoy a hands-on experience crafting your very own mini gayageum, a traditional stringed musical instrument

  • Experiences in eight destinations
  • Freedom of Choice inclusions in one location
  • Prices include airport transfers and gratuities

  • 23 included meals over the course of your trip.

  • Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
  • Cherry Blossom season in South Korea usually lasts from March to mid-April, however due to changeable weather, blooms cannot be guaranteed
  • Prices are for land/rail only. International Flights are not included
  • Explore More - Why not continue your holiday in Japan? Explore the wonders of Japan and combine the two tours into one on the Cultural Wonders of Japan and South Korea trip. Refer Tour Code: JAS26

  • Savour a special welcome dinner where you'll experience Korean royal cuisine and try local drinks including soju and rice wine
  • Learn how to make bibimbap, South Korea's most popular dish, and enjoy your creation for dinner
  • Discover all things kimchi at the Museum Kimchikan and learn how to make the popular fermented dish with a hands-on class
  • Delight in a private performance of traditional music and try your hand at playing the unique instruments under the guidance of expert musicians
  • Take a crafting class, learning how to create the traditional, multi-purpose hanji paper including imprinting patterns and the drying process

  • Experiences in eight destinations
  • Freedom of Choice inclusions in two locations
  • Prices include airport transfers and gratuities.

  • 19 included meals over the course of your trip.

  • Itinerary, inclusions and pricing are subject to change
  • Cherry Blossom season in South Korea usually lasts from March to mid-April, however due to changeable weather, blooms cannot be guaranteed
  • Luggage porterage is limited, as it is not commonly available in South Korea
  • Explore More - Why not continue your holiday in Japan? Explore the wonders of Japan and combine the two tours into one on the Cultural Wonders of Japan and South Korea trip. Refer Tour Code: JAS26
  • Tickets to the DMZ are limited, and although every effort to secure these are made, should this not be possible then instead a ride on the DMZ gondola and a visit to the Odusan Unification Observatory are included
  • Flights should arrive in Seoul before 12 noon on Day 1
  • Prices are for land/rail only. International Flights are not included unless specified

Trip Reviews (1) Most Recent 'Impressions of South Korea' Reviews

3.0
AVG. RATING 3.0 / 5
1 Review
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1 Star
Impressions of South Korea 0 , VIC, Australia, Mar 2023
The tour was OK. Some activities could be excluded eg. bead stringing and making miniature sitars. There was unanimity among the 8 people who chose the temple dinner that the food was tasteless and lacking flavour. We were disappointed to find that there were more convenient ways to get from Melbourne to Korea and back than the route chosen for us. ...read more We accepted the selected flights (which involved 8-hour lay-overs in Ho Chi Min City both going and returning) because we assumed there were no better choices but we discovered from the other tour participants that this was not so.
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Japan & South Korea

APT Japan & South Korea (2024)

Captivating, diverse and multi-faceted, Japan and South Korea are a joy to discover. Here, the future and past seamlessly collide as ancient traditions live on in a modern world. Embrace cultures old and new, while visiting iconic wonders and hidden delights. From sprawling cities to quaint villages and everything in between, explore these rich regions...more in depth, traversing them by high-speed train and spacious coach, savouring sensational cuisine and indulging in luxury stays throughout your journey.

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