Colours of South Korea & Namwon

Depending on your arrival at Incheon Airport, we welcome you and transfer you to your hotel – transfers may be shared with other passengers depending on flight times. You then have the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Seoul. Note: rooms are available from 3 pm.

After breakfast we meet at 9 am in the hotel lobby and set off to explore the capital by Jihachul, the local subway. We visit Gyeongbokgung Palace – the shining palace of happiness from the Joseon era – including the Folklore Museum, then continue to Jogyesa Temple, the centre of the Jogyejong Buddhist Order that emphasises Zen meditation. We enjoy a bibimbap lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon we wander through Bukchon, the North Village with more than 900 traditional houses, followed by a leisurely stroll along Insadong Street with its antique shops and galleries. In the early evening we take our seats for Cookin’ Nanta – a nonverbal comedy driven by the rhythms of kitchen utensils and a vibrant blend of traditional and modern music, mixing comedy and drama. Overnight in Seoul.

After breakfast you have the day at leisure, or you may choose an optional full day excursion to Cheorwon DMZ (not included). Overnight in Seoul.

After breakfast we are picked up and board the KTX train – about 2 hours – to Gyeongju, Korea’s spiritual and cultural capital. On arrival we discover Yangdong Village, one of the country’s largest traditional villages and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, set amid unspoilt nature beneath the four peaks of Mount Seolchangsan. With around 160 old houses, including thatched cottages about 500 years old, 54 dwellings more than 200 years old are remarkably preserved, offering an authentic insight into traditional Korean architecture. We have lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch we stroll through Tumuli Park, dotted with 23 tombs of Shilla rulers and their families, and visit the Heavenly Horse tomb. We continue to the Noseo dong tombs before a final stop at Cheomseongdae, the oldest observatory in the Far East, built in 634, where royal astronomers studied the stars and predicted eclipses. In the late afternoon we transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Gyeongju.

After breakfast, we tour this Museum without Walls – the former capital of the Shilla kingdom and a UNESCO World Heritage city. We visit Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, created in the 8th century on the slopes of Mount Toham and housing a monumental Buddha gazing out to sea – a masterpiece of Buddhist art in the Far East. We have lunch at a local restaurant.

In the late afternoon we transfer by private vehicle with our guide to Busan. Overnight in Busan.

After breakfast we visit the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, the only one of its kind managed by the United Nations since 1960, honouring 37,895 members of UN forces who fell during the Korean War of 1950 to 1953. We then browse the lively Jagalchi fish market and the International Market. We have lunch at a local restaurant.

In the early afternoon we continue to Gamcheon Cultural Village, formerly an improvised hillside settlement built by refugees that has become an artistic quarter adorned with murals and sculptures. Overnight in Busan. Note: when visiting the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, please dress respectfully – no tracksuits, no clothing that reveals too much of the body such as tank tops, no flip flops or string sandals, and no exercise gear such as hats or sun caps, masks or gloves.

After breakfast you have free time until we take the KTX train back to Seoul. On arrival our representative transfers us to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for final shopping. Overnight in Seoul.

After breakfast we are picked up and transferred to the KTX station for the train to Jeonju with a local guide. On arrival we tour the city by taxi, focusing on the celebrated Hanok Village, a showcase of traditional craftsmanship and culture. Lunch is included during the excursion, with a tasting of makgeolli, the traditional Korean rice alcohol.

In the early evening we continue by taxi to Namwon to check in at a luxurious hanok – the ultimate blend of traditional charm and modern comfort. You can also enjoy a peaceful stroll in nearby Gwanghalluwon Garden, with pavilions in the Joseon style just a few hundred metres from the hanok. Overnight in Namwon.

After breakfast we depart by taxi for the renowned Damyang Bamboo Forest, where we stroll among towering groves and savour the tranquillity, followed by a visit to the Bamboo Craft Museum. Lunch is included during the excursion. After lunch we continue to Soswaewon Garden, a classic Korean garden from the 16th century, with lush greenery, pavilions and flowing streams that embody harmony with nature.

Later in the afternoon we take a taxi to the KTX station for the train to Seoul with a local guide. On arrival we transfer to the hotel and you have the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Seoul.

After breakfast, depending on your flight time, we transfer you to Incheon Airport by private vehicle without a guide. Our services end.