Korea Ultra 5 days, 4 nights

Explore the best of Provincial Korea—from mask dances to majestic national parks, get the most without worrying about complex logistics, even if you're extremely limited on time!

Multi-Day Tour (Private)
Starting at: $1,367.00
per personmore
Full
Day 1

Departure from Seoul. The meeting point with the guide is negotiated in advance when ordering; we usually leave from one of the hotels in the center of Seoul.

On the way to Hahoe village, we will visit a factory for the production of traditional hanji paper, get acquainted with its production technology, raw materials and finished hanji designer products.

lunch (Korean style)
12:00
Hahwe village, confusian educational institution BYEONGSAN SEOWON
13:00
duration, hours: approximately 6

A village with rather elderly population. So, what is so special about it? It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage! Not only, the late Queen Elizabeth II had her birthday celebrated in this very village! So, let's see, what is so special about it!

Andong Hanji (Traditional Korean Paper Factory)

On the way to the village of Hahoe, there is a small factory that produces traditional Korean hanji paper. The plant is open to the general public: you can walk through the workshops and get acquainted with the process of making paper, raw materials.

Hahoe Folk Village

Hahoe - a village surrounded on three sides by the Naktong River, as if located in a loop of this river; from this geographical feature comes the name of the village - literally "fifth of the river".

Hahoe is famous for its old houses that have been preserved and are still used by the owners - both peasant and aristocratic houses; the famous dance with masks "Thalchhum", as well as the oldest surviving set of these same wooden masks for dancing. In 1999, Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain celebrated her birthday in the village.

A regular masked dance performance will be a nice live addition to the tour (the performance may not take place on a given day, depending on the season and day of the week).

Byeongsan Seowon (Confusian Educational Institution)

A typical private educational institution (now a museum), in which representatives of the ruling elite of Joseon - the yangban - received a decent Confucian education in order to pass state exams in the future and enter the service.

The name, which includes the word "sowon", was given to this place in memory of the famous Prime Minister of Joseon, Ryu Seongnyeon, who moved to Andong in the 16th century. The official name "Pyeongsang Sowon" was established in 1614, the 6th year of the reign of King Gwanghaegun.

Ah, what a view of the romantic mountains and river from Byeonsan Seowon!

Andong
North Gyeongsang
night at
Day 2

Chuvansan National Park; the shooting site of "Spring, summer, autumn, winter and spring again"
08:00
duration, hours: approximately 4

It was there, on this lake, where the cult film director Kim Ki-Duk filmed his "Spring, summer, autumn, winter and spring again."

A walk through the valley of Chuwansan Park will leave an indelible impression, because it is considered one of the most beautiful in Korea.

Chusanji

Chusanchzhi - a small reservoir located in theChuvansan National Park. Chusanchzhi was built in 1720-1721 gg. For nearly 300 years, this artificial lake has provided water for drinking and irrigation for the residents of the village down in the valley. Chusanchzhi length reaches 100m, width - 50m, and depth - about 7-8m, but it has never, no matter what the drought in the country were, shown its bed not, it does not show its bed.

The dense forest surrounding the reservoir, and around thirty 150-year-old willows growing in the middle of the lake, combine perfectly, creating a unique picture. The reservoir becomes all the more mysterious and picturesque when it is covered with a blanket of the morning mist.

The best time to travel to the reservoir - spring and autumn.

It was there, on this lake, where the cult film director Kim Ki-Duk filmed his "Spring, summer, autumn, winter and spring again."

Dragon Tail Falls

One of the most picturesque waterfalls in the Chuwangsan national park.

lunch (Korean style)
13:00
Ancient capital of Korea Gyeongju city tour
14:00
duration, hours: approximately 8

The city of Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Korean state of Silla, is famous for its monuments included in the UNESCO world heritage: burial mounds, ancient Buddhist monasteries, and the artificial grotto Seokguram.

Gyeongju is also a unique national park. Korea's only historical national park!

Attention! If the tour ends before dusk, we visit the National Museum of Gyungju instead of the Eastern Palace.

Seokkuram

The Buddha statue in this small temple in an artificial grotto is considered the most elegant in All of Korea! The grotto is located on the slope of Mount Tkhohamsan, where the winding serpentine of the mountain road leads.


The walk to the temple through the mountain forest from the parking lot takes about 15-20 minutes; depending on the weather, either a mysterious foggy landscape awaits us (fogs are not uncommon on this mountain), or breathtaking bird's-eye views of the thousand-year-old Gyeongju.


In the grotto, which is formally the hermitage of the Bulguksa temple, located below the slope, the dominant position is occupied by the above-mentioned statue of Buddha, sitting in a lotus position on a pedestal in the shape of a lotus. Around it at different heights are bas-reliefs and statues of bodhisattvas, arhats, Indra and Brahma, the Four Heavenly Kings.


If the group agrees, we can go down the mountainside to the temple of Bulguksa.

Bulguksa

The main Buddhist temple of United Silla, it is now a place of pilgrimage for many guests of Korea.

The temple was built in 774 under the leadership of the premier of the state of Silla, Kim Taesong. Legend has it that Bulguksa was dedicated to the parents of the current, so to speak, Kim Taesong. While Seokguram, the temple-hermitage under Bulguksa, was intended for Kim Taesung's parents from his previous incarnations.

In 1995, Bulguksa and Seokguram were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Cheomseongdae Ancient Observatory

Cheomseongdae is one of the oldest observatories in the world (7th century). The tower of the observatory is full of symbolism: the total number of hewn stones from which it is built; the number of rows of these stones before and above the small window, the shape of the stones... Reasonable Silakians paid attention to everything.

Cheomseongdae was built under the reigning Queen Seondok - one of three in the history of Silla. The queen ended up in a drama that, of course, was filmed in Gyeongju.

Heavenly Horse Mound

The only mound which inner parts are open to the public (though filled with replicas, it shows the inner construction of a Shilla mound)

Bunhwangsa

The main state Gyeongju temple from the Silla period, the "Temple of the Yellow Dragon", Hwanyeongsa, has not survived; however, we still have a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the pagoda of a hermitage temple of Hwanyeongsa. The hermitage temple is called Punghwansa.

The peculiarity of the pagoda of Punghwansa is that it is built of stones, hewn in such a way that they resemble bricks in shape. What can you not do if you are not familiar with the technology (brick production, in this case)!

Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond

Though made anew, it is a nice and quite picturesque place, especially at night.

transfer to Busan, check-in at the hotel

Busan
night at
Day 3

Busan city tour
09:30
duration, hours: approximately 5

Busan has long been one of the main ports of Korea. Currently, it is its largest port and the second largest city in the country. The rich history of this picturesque and dynamic metropolis has left its traces in its appearance: here you will also find artifacts related to the Korean War of 1950-1953 - the UN Memorial Cemetery, etc. "International market"; and Buddhist monasteries, ancient and modern, but surprisingly colorful; and landscaped seaside parks; and beautiful beaches.

This sightseeing tour includes the following objects:

The picturesque beaches of Haeundae and Gwanalli
The famous Chagalchi fish market
Haedongyonggungsa Buddhist Temple, located right on the rocky shore of the East Sea
External inspection of the world's largest department store (listed in the Guinness Book of Records)
the world's largest cantilever roof Busan Cinema Center
Camellius Island, a picturesque meeting place of APEC presidents in 2005 with a magnificent view of the Diamond Bridge (Gwanan Daegyo)

Unforgettable impressions of fresh, forever young Busan - the largest port of Korea and the second largest city in the country.

Options (depending on the route, the agreement of the entire group may be required):

  • For an additional fee ($20 per person), you can visit the observation deck located in the tallest building in Busan (2nd tallest in Korea) - Busan X the Sky.
  • Cable car over the sea Songdo Cable Car: $20/person
  • Yacht trip (50 minutes) by sea: $35 per person (price may vary depending on the season)
Haedong Yonggungsa Buddhist Temple

The name of the temple literally translates to "Dragon Palace Temple of the Country East of the Sea", 해동용궁사 海東龍宮寺.

The construction of the temple was completed in the 2nd year of Wu-wang's reign in 1376.

The temple was built by the sea thanks to the prophetic dream of the founder of the temple, the teacher [king - van] Hegyn. In a dream, a Dragon appeared to him (whose responsibility includes the seas and oceans) and "advised" to build a temple on the seashore, devote himself entirely to prayers - and then the great drought that Korea suffered from would pass ... Initially, the temple was called Pomunsa.

The current name of the temple was given in the 1970s. The abbot responsible for the restoration of the temple named it so after the Bodhisattva of Mercy appeared to him in a dream.

Haeundae Beach; Camellia Island

Most popular beach in Busan and a vivid resort district.

Gwangan Bridge

A picturesque 2-storey bridge over the sea in Busan is one of its most exquiste landmarks.

Jagalchi Fish Market

The largest seafood market in Korea, where you can see all kinds of marine creatures, both from the plant and animal worlds (and from the border worlds too!).

You can also eat deliciously at the market: fried or raw fish, as well as seafood, is served at the table in numerous restaurants in the market.

If you prefer something less exotic, we recommend the food court at the Lotte department store next door. The observation deck at the department store offers a magnificent view of Busan from a bird's eye view.

Busan
night at
Day 4

Private park on the island of Wedo
08:00
duration, hours: approximately 10

A beautiful private park on an island in the South Sea of Korea.

Oedo Island

The Island of Geojedo connected to Busan by an amazing under-sea tunnel is the original capital of the Korean shipbuilding industry. However, we are interested in a small island Wedo, which can be reached by a local ferry boat. The island is situated at a distance of four kilometers from the "big" Kochzhe-up.
Wedo Island is part of the first Marine National Park of Korea Hallyo Haesang. Mr. Lee Hanh and his wife turned Wedo into a beautiful private botanical garden in which you will find both Korean, and quite a lot of exotic species.

and now we are leaving for the city of Korean military glory...

lunch (Korean style)
13:00
Fortress of Jinju
14:00
duration, hours: approximately 2

This fortress was the key stronghold on the way of the Japanese invaders during the Imjin War (1592-1598) 

Jinjuseong Fortress

In 1592, the Japanese army attacked Korea and for 6 years the Korean people bravely fought for their independence. Jinjuseong Fortress, towering over the Namgang River, was a key stronghold in southern Korea. Since 1963, the fortress has been a Historical National Treasure No. 118.

The National Museum of Jinju, located on the territory of the fortress, boasts authentic treasures of Korean culture, such as painting, sculpture, graphics; The exposition of the museum will also present us the history of the defense of the fortress during the Imjin War.

By the way, let's talk about kisaeng.

If the word “sonsen”, known to the world in the Japanese transcription “sensei”, means literally “born to”, then “kisen” - see, the second syllable is the same? - should mean “born “ki”. What is "ki"?

The hieroglyph 妓 (ki) has 2 parts - “woman” and “support”. Kinyo (lit. “woman 妓”) or kisaeng (“born 妓”) are a special class of personally unfree women who belonged to the state, whose task was to entertain guests. Guests of the state, it turns out.

But this is a formal definition. To understand who kisaeng are, we will have to delve into the social relations and culture of Korea during the heyday of the kisaeng institution.

Why is this a fortress? One of the legendary heroines of the defense of the Jinju fortress was just kisaeng!

Jinju
South Gyeongsang
night at
Day 5

Jirisan National Park
08:00
duration, hours: approximately 6

South Korea's first national park (1967).

The main peak of the Cheongwangbong massif ("Top of the Heavenly King") - 1915 m - is the highest mountain in the continent of South Korea (only Mount Hallasan on the island of Jeju-do is higher).

There are 10 famous Buddhist temples on the territory of the Jirisan Mountains National Park, including Ssangesa, one of the main temples of the Chogye school, about 20 peaks and gorges, which make up the 10 Wonders of the Jirisan Mountains. In addition, in these mountains you can see the virgin forest and wild animals, thanks to which, Jirisan is considered the holy mountains. In addition to numerous species of animals and plants, tea and medicinal herbs are grown here.

(route: Surak Waterfall, observation platform on one of the 3 main peaks of the mountain - Nogodan, Ssangesa Buddhist monastery; the route involves movement by car and small pedestrian crossings not related to trekking)

Ssangyesa Temple

Located in the Hadong province of South Gyeongsang, on the slopes of the Jirisan Mountains - the most majestic mountains of the mainland of South Korea, the largest national park.

The monastery was founded in 722 by two students of master Yisan - Sambop and Tebi. They say that the place of construction of the temple was suggested to them by a mountain spirit in the form of a tiger. Unfortunately, during the Japanese invasion in the late 16th century, the monastery was completely destroyed; most of the modern buildings and structures of the monastery belong to the 17th century.

Not far from the temple is the famous historical Hwagye Changtho market, where we can get acquainted and enjoy, if desired, the products of two provinces - Gyeongsang and Jeolla.

lunch (Korean style)
13:00
Sunchon Bay Garden
15:00
duration, hours: approximately 3

Despite the name, which implies a small area, this "garden" is, in fact, a huge park, consisting of several zones that are completely different from each other.

The ecological park, located about 15 minutes by transport from the Garden, allows you to enjoy nature and, in the winter season, an extraordinary variety of migratory birds.

The ecological park is included in the excursion during the winter months (December-February). Please note that due to quarantine it is sometimes closed to the public!

Suncheon Bay National Garden

The garden, which hosted the 2013 World Gardens Exhibition, impresses with its variety of landscapes, abundance of plant species and modern garden design.

The zones of the countries participating in Expo 2014 have been preserved, as well as separate zones created by excellent Korean gardeners.

From April to October 2023, the World Garden Expo 2023 will be held again at the Suncheon National Garden!

Suncheon Bay Ecological Park

Ecopark is famous for its thickets of reeds, reaching heights higher than human height. This is the densest reed thickets in all of Korea. In addition, this place is known for the fact that cranes, storks, spoonbills and other rare birds fly here. There are about 140 different species of birds throughout the park.

The transfer to Seoul will take about 4-5 hours.

You can also order tickets for the high-speed train - it will comfortably take you to the center of Seoul in about 3 hours.