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Arrive in Seoul and check into the hotel. There are no planned activities until the 18:00 group meeting. Afterward, join the CEO for an orientation walk along Cheonggyecheon Stream and through Myeongdong. Group dinner is optional.

Take a private bus tour of Seoul, visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folklore Museum, Jogyesa Temple, Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong alley. Free time to explore, see a show or visit a museum.

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, take a high-speed train to Gyeongju. Stay overnight at a local temple in traditional shared Ondol rooms. Learn temple etiquette, watch a monk martial arts performance, take part in the daily prayer ritual and enjoy a temple-style dinner. An easy hike to Korea’s only stone cave temple and morning meditation are also mentioned as part of the temple stay.

Meals: Breakfast,Dinner

Enjoy morning meditation, martial arts practice, and the drum and bell ritual. Tour Gyeongju, visiting Bulguksa Temple, Yangdong Folk Village, Cheomseongdae Observatory and the Royal Tombs. Travel by private bus to Busan.

Meals: Breakfast

Explore Busan, including Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Gamcheon Culture Village, Jagalchi Fish Market, Gukjesijang Market and Yongdusan Park. The evening is free; an evening yacht experience or Coastal Monorail ride is optional.

Meals: Breakfast

Visit Haeundae Beach and Dongbaekseom Island, including APEC House, then take a high-speed train to Seoul. Visit Namdaemun Market and take the cable car to N Seoul Tower; access to the observation deck costs extra. The rest of the day is free to explore Seoul, including Banpo Bridge, the floating islands or Gangnam.

Meals: Breakfast

Visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for about 3–4 hours, then visit The War Memorial of Korea and return to Seoul. Optional activities include the Samsung Leeum Contemporary Gallery, exploring Itaewon, or a prebooked kimchi-making and Hanbok experience.

Meals: Breakfast

Depart at any time. The CEO can help arrange travel if you wish to extend your stay.

Meals: Breakfast

What’s included

Guided city tours of Seoul, Gyeongju, and Busan; visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and The War Memorial of Korea.
Overnight temple stay program in Gyeongju including meditation, martial arts performance, and daily drum and bell ritual.
Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout plus local guides at select sites; welcome meeting and orientation walks.
7 breakfasts and 1 temple-style dinner included during the Gyeongju temple stay.
6 hotel nights plus 1-night temple stay in Gyeongju (ondol, gender-segregated multi-share). Note: some 2-storey properties may not have elevators; stairs may be required.
All transport between destinations and to/from included activities by private van, high-speed train, subway, and walking (including high-speed trains Seoul–Gyeongju and Busan–Seoul).
Cultural visits and highlights including Gyeongbokgung Palace and National Folklore Museum; Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong; Bulguksa Temple (UNESCO), Cheomseongdae Observatory and Royal Tombs; Yangdong Folk Village (UNESCO); Haedong Yonggungsa Temple; Haeundae Beach and Dongbaek Island (APEC House); N Seoul Tower (visit) and Namdaemun Market.

What’s not included

Any required visas or entry permits for South Korea are the traveller’s responsibility.
Travel insurance is not included and should be arranged by the traveller.
Lunches and 6 dinners (all dinners except the temple dinner) are at your own expense.
Optional activities and entrance fees not explicitly listed as included (e.g., shows, jjimjilbang spa, karaoke).
Admission to the N Seoul Tower observatory is not included (optional upgrade).
Tips and gratuities for guides, drivers, and hotel staff are not included unless stated otherwise.
Porterage/luggage handling is not included; you will need to carry your own bags through stations and up/down stairs.
International flights to/from Seoul are not included.

Additional information

Ride the Namsan cable car through treetops to the plaza of N Seoul Tower, where couples fasten love locks and city maps point to districts far below. Wander terraces and capture city-wide views across the Han River.

Opened as a broadcasting tower in the 1960s, the landmark became a symbol of Seoul’s modern rise. Time permitting, you can add the optional observation deck for a higher vantage at additional cost, bookable on tour.

Join a guided panoramic tour of Korea’s capital to explore Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum, serene Jogyesa Temple, the alleyways of Bukchon Hanok Village, and artisan-lined Insadong. Experience Seoul’s blend of royal ritual, Buddhist calm, and contemporary creativity.

Learn how Gyeongbokgung, founded in 1395, anchors Joseon-era heritage, while Bukchon preserves tiled-roof hanok and courtyard life. Admire temple lanterns at Jogyesa and browse calligraphy, teas, and crafts in Insadong—an evocative snapshot of Seoul’s layered identity.

Experience an overnight temple stay in Gyeongju, sleeping on warm ondol floors, learning temple etiquette, and tasting simple monastic cuisine. Witness the rhythmic daily drum and bell ritual and a graceful display of Sunmudo martial arts performed by resident monks.

Discover the Seon (Zen) approach to mindfulness during guided chanting and morning meditation, with time for a gentle hillside walk to a stone grotto. The hush of pine forest and distant bell notes frame an intimate window into Korea’s living Buddhist tradition.

Explore the Silla Kingdom’s heartlands at UNESCO-listed Bulguksa Temple, home to the elegant Dabotap and Seokgatap stone pagodas and ornate bridges. Lanterns, carp ponds, and intricate woodwork reveal the spiritual artistry of 8th-century Korea.

Continue to the 7th-century Cheomseongdae Observatory and the grassy mounds of the Royal Tombs of Daereungwon. Step inside a reconstructed chamber to see gold regalia and glassware that illuminate courtly life from over 1,500 years ago.

Wander through Yangdong Folk Village, a valley of Joseon-era hanok where aristocratic clan houses and thatched cottages sit among fields and forest. Stone walls, wooden gates, and tiled eaves reveal the rhythms of rural Confucian life.

Recognized by UNESCO for its authenticity, Yangdong preserves ancestral shrines, pavilions, and traditions of scholar-official families. Gain insight into Confucian clan traditions and the social fabric that shaped Korea’s countryside for centuries.

Visit Haedong Yonggungsa, a rare clifftop sanctuary where temple roofs and stone lanterns overlook the East Sea. Follow the 108 steps down past zodiac statues and sea-spray to prayer halls set among rocks.

Founded in 1376, the temple’s setting invites contemplation and photography alike. Hear legends of answered wishes and watch worshippers light incense as waves crash below—an elemental meeting of devotion and landscape.

Dive into the sensory bustle of Jagalchi Fish Market and historic Gukje Market, where seafood auctions and refugee-era stalls shaped Busan’s character. Taste fresh eomuk and spot squid hung to dry in the sea breeze.

Ascend to Yongdusan Park for views from Busan Tower, then wander the pastel lanes and street art of Gamcheon Culture Village. From port markets to hillside creativity, this tour captures Busan’s industrious spirit and playful colour.

Stroll golden Haeundae Beach and follow the Dongbaekseom Boardwalk around rocky headlands scented with camellia and pine. Sea views, lapping waves, and gull calls set a leisurely coastal rhythm.

Pause at the sleek Nurimaru APEC House, stage of a 2005 summit, and frame photos of yachts and skyscrapers across the bay. This is the place to soak in the seaside atmosphere as daylight shimmers on Busan’s skyline.

Explore Namdaemun Market, Korea’s oldest traditional market dating to 1414, just steps from the historic South Gate. Navigate lanes packed with fabrics, kitchenware, ginseng, and late-night eateries as vendors call out daily specials.

Learn tips for bargaining and discover snack stalls where you can sample regional bites. This living marketplace offers a spirited window into Seoul’s everyday commerce and convivial street culture—perfect for those keen to shop for local crafts.

Board the KTX high-speed train and watch Korea’s landscapes blur into paddies, river valleys, and tiled-roof villages. Settle into comfortable seats, free to scan the scenery while effortlessly covering long distances.

These advanced lines knit the country together, whisking you from Seoul to the southeast coast in hours, not days. It’s an efficient, eco-minded way to travel that still feels connected to the countryside beyond the window.

Visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the buffer created by the 1953 armistice and often described as the most heavily fortified border in the world. Hear about tense standoffs and unexpected wildlife havens that emerged in this 4km-wide strip.

Continue to the War Memorial of Korea to trace conflict from ancient kingdoms to the Korean War through indoor galleries and outdoor exhibits. Aircraft, tanks, and personal stories invite you to pause for photos and reflection.

Join a hosted welcome dinner in lively Myeongdong and sample regional dishes like bibimbap, tteokbokki, and sizzling bulgogi. Neon alleys and food stalls create a celebratory first taste of Seoul.

Hear how side dishes (banchan) anchor the Korean table and learn chopstick etiquette amid the city’s dining buzz. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, offering a flavoursome introduction to Myeongdong’s culinary scene.

Unwind Korean-style as you soak in jjimjilbang baths, rotate through herb-scented pools, and sweat it out in kiln saunas. Slip into a cotton set and relax in communal lounge zones over snacks and barley tea.

Jjimjilbang culture blends wellness and social time, with optional body scrubs and nap rooms leaving you feel thoroughly refreshed. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Belt out classics in a private noraebang room with friends, tambourines, and mood lighting. Choose from international hits and K-pop anthems while ordering snacks and drinks between sets.

Karaoke in Korea is convivial and cathartic—part nightlife, part bonding ritual. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, with your CEO recommending favourite venues to match your vibe.

Roll up your sleeves to make traditional kimchi, salting napa cabbage and seasoning with gochugaru, garlic, and ginger. Learn fermentation tips and pack your own jar to take away.

Afterwards, dress in a hanbok for photos and stories about colour symbolism and courtly attire in the Joseon era—an engaging hands-on cultural workshop. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour (prebooking recommended).

Enhance your tower visit and ascend to the observation deck for sweeping 360° views of Seoul’s districts, the Han River, and far ridgelines. By day, trace city geometry; near dusk, watch sunset over Seoul ignite the skyline.

This optional ticket is at additional cost and bookable on tour, offering a higher vantage and time to linger among exhibits and photo spots atop the city’s emblematic peak.

Follow your CEO to sample street food favorites—griddled hotteok, steaming eomuk skewers, mandu dumplings, and eggy gyeran-ppang—amid Myeongdong’s neon hum. Learn how to order quickly and pay like a local.

Unpack flavour notes from sweet, spicy, and fermented traditions while you learn local etiquette and eat your way through Myeongdong. This optional tasting is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Walk beside the restored waterway and stroll Cheonggyecheon Stream past art installations, gentle cascades, and graceful bridges, feeling the city soften around you. Continue into neon-bright Myeongdong where cosmetics shops, fashion stalls, and sizzling griddles line the lanes.

Hear how a buried highway became an urban oasis in 2005 and why Myeongdong shaped contemporary K-style. Sample skewers and hotteok as you sample street food and soak in the city atmosphere amid the buzz of central Seoul.

Meet your fellow travellers and meet your CEO and group to set the tone for your South Korea journey. Get a clear overview of daily logistics, what’s included, and how to make the most of free time while you find your feet in Seoul.

Receive practical tips on transport, dining etiquette, and cashless payments so you can explore confidently. Your CEO highlights favourite neighbourhoods and helps tailor suggestions to your interests, ensuring you enjoy a free evening with local insight right from the start.

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