8 hours
E-voucher
English
Overview
Following hotel pickup in the morning by private vehicle, your personal guide accompanies you to Gyeongbokgung Palace. At the palace entrance you'll see an impressive reenactment of the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony, performed at Gwanghwamun Gate during the Joseon Dynasty.
Gain admission to Gyeongbokgung, considered the most beautiful of the Five Grand Palaces in Seoul. Wander the pavilions and ponds with your guide and learn about its architectural features. (When the palace is closed on Tuesdays, you will visit Changdeokgung Palace instead.)
Next up is Bukchon Hanok Village, a traditional Korean village built nearby. Stroll among hundreds of homes called hanok, most dating to the Joseon Dynasty. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue into the heart of the capital and browse among the alleys of Insadong. You'll find antique items on display amid the galleries, eateries, traditional teahouses, and cafes.
Then pay a visit to Jogyesa, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Located within the city, the stately complex is a religious site for practitioners of Seon (Zen) Buddhism.
N Seoul Tower (Namsan Tower) is the final stop on your full-day itinerary. After a cable car ride or walk to the top of Namsan Mountain, you'll have unobstructed views of the city from this prominent landmark (entrance fees and cable car ride are your own expense). Afterward, you’re dropped off at your hotel.
Operated by
OnedayKorea
Ratings & Reviews
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An wonderful day in Seoul Korea
Roving816036, Apr 2025
Our tour on April 15 started with a marathon race that was blocking the road to our hotel. The race did not stop, but Brian our intrepid guide managed to find a way around the race. He informed us he would be a little late, and made it to our hotel just a couple minutes after our scheduled time. He greeted us with a smile and we four travelers climbed into a nice van. Did I mention it was raining like crazy. Yes it rained, the wind blew, we even had freezing sleet. And even moments of sunshine in between. None of that stopped us. Brian took us to the big Palace it was amazing. A couple of times we waited under arched doorways for the weather to calm. Brian always stayed upbeat and his knowledge and sense of humor made the weather just another part of our story. I loved the part where we climbed a hill and walked through a village where we were able to have an amazing view of the city above all the rooftops. We also went to a shopping district. Brian helped me find a Korean Seal shop, the only thing my daughter asked me to bring back. Thanks Brian. The last part was the Korean War museum. I learned so much from that experience. This was a trip of a Life time. Brian’s knowledge and English language skills are amazing. It was the last day of our trip and despite rain it was perfect.
Brian our tour guide...
Anonymous, Apr 2025
Brian our tour guide taught us interesting information about history, the country, and Korean culture. He was kind and ask our input on what was important for us to see.
Sophia Kim made out tour the BEST!
Stephanie_Q, Apr 2025
Sophia Kim was an outstanding tour guide. Her communication was excellent, she was prompt, very gracious, extremely knowledgeable about Korean history and culture. She spent the time to answer all our questions, took us to an authentic restaurant, walked the streets and helped us shop and visited a wonderful tea house. Also, she is an excellent driver! Seoul traffic requires astute navigation and she did it very well! Her personality is warm and gracious.
The trip covered key...
Thomas_T, Apr 2025
The trip covered key highlights of Seoul in a very personal manner. Our guide Janet was fantastic and very flexible with the itinerary. She was very informative on the history as well as cultural aspects of South Korea. Her English was great and she was very easy to understand. But even more than that she was fun to be with!
Itinerary
Gwanghwamun Gate
The southern gate of Gyeongbokgung
Gyeongbokgung Palace
See the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony and then visit the palace, this palace is filled with the smell of spring flowers, fresh phytoncide of green trees, yellow and orange autumn foliage and white snow depending on the season.
(On Tuesday, we visit Changdeokgung Palace instead.)
2 hoursAdmission IncludedBukchon Hanok Village
Walk down following Korean traditional architecture and the curves and straight lines of the roofs and walls from shuffled houses.
45 minutesInsadong
After lunch, free time in Insadong, the art valley of Seoul
1 hourJogyesa Temple
A small temple located at the central of Seoul city. This is the headquarter of over 2000 local temples in Korea.
30 minutesN Seoul Tower
Standing 479.7m high, at the top of the Namsan mountain, you will be able to enjoy a fantastic panorama of Seoul.
45 minutes
Experience
Highlights
Inclusions
- Lunch (Korean food)
- Private transport with hotel pick up & drop off
- English speaking driver guide
Exclusions
- Fee for observatory of N Seoul tower (optional)
- Cable car for N Seoul tower (optional)
- Gratuities
Additional Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Additional costs may apply for gluten-free, vegan, or halal food requests.
- Pick-up is only available in central Seoul, and additional charges may apply for distant areas such as Gangnam.
- The tour is conducted by a driver-guide and requires a certain level of physical fitness due to extensive walking.
- For groups of 8 or more, if a larger vehicle is needed, a dedicated driver will be assigned, which may result in an increase in the price. Please contact us for more details.
- If you require VIP options, need a larger vehicle for groups of 5 or more, or prefer minimal walking, please contact us to discuss an upgrade. Please note that these options may incur additional costs.
- Gyeongbokgung Palace and Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is closed on every Tuesday. Instead, you will visit Changdeokgung Palace
- Royal Guard Changing Ceremony may not available during rainy days or typhoons (Bad weather)
- Tour duration can be adjust depends on weather, traffic or personal reasons
Guide Languages
English
Cancellation Policy
A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.