Luxury Tailor Made Journeys depart on the dates that work for you and feature expert local guides throughout your journey. The itinerary below can be customized to your interests.
Arrive Seoul, South Korea
Arrive in Seoul, South Korea’s iconic capital, where you are met and transferred to your hotel.
Seoul | Dazzling Capital
Help prepare up to three traditional Korean dishes — perhaps gimbap, sundubu-jjigae and bulgogi — during a hands-on morning cooking class. Then, set out to explore the city, seeing 14th-century Gyeongbokgung Palace and the National Folk Museum. Explore the Insadong neighborhood with its narrow alleys, modern galleries and tea shops. Continue to historic Bukchon Hanok Village with its hanoks, traditional Korean houses, dating back to the Joseon Dynasty. Then, observe the N Seoul Tower, a communication and observation tower located on Namsan Mountain. Later, learn to dance like a K-pop star during an optional dance class with professional dancers.
Seoul | The World’s Most Fortified Border
Begin the day with a fascinating tour of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the heavily fortified no-man’s-land separating free South Korea and communist North Korea. See where the armistice between the countries was signed, establishing a ceasefire line at the end of the Korean War. Drive along National Road No. 1, observing remnants of the Korean War, including the Gyeongui Line — a line of the Chosen Government Railway, running from Gyeongseong to Sinuiju. Continue to Freedom Bridge, used by repatriated POWs and soldiers returning from the north. Then, descend by elevator into the Third Tunnel. Discovered in 1978, it was dug by North Korea with the intention of invading South Korea. Next, view North Korean territory through binoculars at Dora Observatory. This afternoon, unwind with a medicinal tea experience at a local tea house, savoring a cup selected just for you. Then, rest and recharge with a facial massage at South Korea’s premier beauty spa — an experience that fuses of traditional herbal ingredients like ginseng with modern skin care technology for a holistic and authentically South Korean evening.
Busan | Picturesque Port City
Transfer to the railway station and travel by high speed train to Busan, a port city known for its beaches, mountains and temples. Upon arrival, set out to explore the city, visiting bustling Jagalchi Fish Market; Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Square, a renowned movie district; and Gamcheon Culture Village, with its colorful homes, painted murals, shops and cafes. Finish the day at urban Haeundae Beach, where cultural events and festivals are held throughout the year. Then, check in to your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.
Gyeongju & Busan | Korea’s Dynastic History Revealed
Enjoy a day trip to historic Gyeongju the former capital of the Silla Kingdom. Upon arrival, visit sixth-century Bulguksa Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the slopes of Mount Toham. Continue to UNESCO-listed Seokguram Grotto, an artificial granite grotto that enshrines a monumental statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha looking out to sea. Next, visit the Daereungwon Tomb Complex, where the Silla Dynasty tombs of kings and noblemen rise in rounded mounds from the earth. End the day at Anapji Pond in Gyeongju National Park, erected as a pleasure garden to commemorate the unification of the Korean Peninsula under Silla. In the afternoon, return to Busan for a soak at a traditional Korean spa, where you can experience the rejuvenating properties of South Korea’s all-natural spring-fed water and pamper yourself in the self-proclaimed beauty capital of the world.
Depart Seoul
After breakfast, transfer to Seoul by train. Continue to the airport and board your homebound flight.
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