A fuller journey.
A wider Korea.
Seoul to Seoul · 9 days / 8 nights
Western heritage towns, the gardens of the southern coast and Jeju’s island landscapes form the opening chapters. Continue through Busan and the eastern heartlands before returning to Seoul—a nine-day route that brings Korea’s regional contrasts into focus. Land only: both required domestic flights are additional.
Tea fields at O’sulloc, JejuNine days.
Korea, in perspective.
Two four-star mainland nights and six five-star nights in the listed hotels or similar. Eight breakfasts are included; both required domestic flights are additional.
Regional Korea, from the beginning.
Gongju’s royal heritage and Jeonju’s traditional streets lead to the garden landscapes of Suncheon and the southern harbour city of Yeosu.
A distinct chapter on Jeju.
Tea culture, garden landscapes, women-diver traditions and Seongsan Ilchulbong bring a very different perspective to the mainland journey. Two nights on the island let the route unfold over several days.
Culture, with depth and variety.
Busan’s coast leads to Gyeongju’s heritage, Haeinsa and Hahoe Village, before a mountain finale at Seoraksan. Eight nights in listed hotels or similar connect the journey.
A story that unfolds
one place at a time.
See the actual route, overnight arrangements and included meals. Hotels are the listed property or similar, not a guaranteed named hotel.
Royal history,
traditional streets.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot in front of Donghwa Duty Free, Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Your first discoveries are in Gongju: the Tomb of King Muryeong and Gongsanseong Fortress introduce the royal heritage of this former capital.
Continue to Jeonju Hanok Village, where tiled roofs and traditional lanes change the scale of the journey. The night is spent in Jeonju, rather than returning to Seoul.
MEALS No meals included
Arrive at the Seoul meeting point independently before 8:00 a.m.
Reflection, gardens
and a southern harbour.
After breakfast, visit the May 18th National Cemetery in Gwangju, a place of remembrance within the day’s regional journey. Continue to Suncheon Bay National Garden, where landscaped spaces offer a different pace and perspective.
Finish the touring day at Yeosu’s Yi Sun-sin Plaza before your overnight stay. On the garden’s last-Monday closure, the itinerary substitutes Naganeupseong Folk Village or Suncheon Drama Film Set.
MEALS Breakfast included
Garden flowers are seasonal. The last-Monday closure changes the visit.
Across to
a different Korea.
After breakfast, travel to Busan’s Gimhae Airport for the required domestic flight to Jeju. This flight is essential to the route but is not included in the land price; the operator must approve its timing before booking.
Meet your driver on arrival at Jeju Airport for the hotel transfer. The rest of the day is at leisure, with no scheduled island sightseeing today. Settle in before two days of guided discovery.
MEALS Breakfast included
Tea, gardens
and a coastline of contrasts.
Begin after breakfast with Hyupjae Beach and Spirited Garden. Bonsai trees, stone sculptures and tranquil ponds make the garden a close-up counterpoint to the island’s open coast.
At O’sulloc Tea Museum, the focus turns to Korean tea culture. Continue with the Sanbang Mountain Cruise and Cheonjeyeon Falls before returning to your resort. The variety is the pleasure: cultivated gardens, tea heritage and water-shaped scenery in one island day.
MEALS Breakfast included
Cruise and routing remain subject to weather and local operating conditions.
Island stories,
then a mainland chapter.
Explore Jeolmul Natural Recreation Forest, then visit the Haenyeo Museum and a live women-diver performance. Continue to Seongsan Ilchulbong’s volcanic scenery and Jeju Stone Park, where the island’s traditions are represented through stone.
Transfer to Jeju Airport for the required Jeju–Busan flight, purchased separately. A hotel transfer follows arrival in Busan. The flight is necessary to complete the itinerary but is not included in the land-tour price; confirm timings, taxes and baggage with Gala before booking.
MEALS Breakfast included; lunch and dinner extra
Required Jeju–Busan flight is additional. Operator approval of timing is needed before booking.
Sea air, hillside colour,
royal reflections.
Explore Haeundae Beach and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, then discover the layered hillside streets of Gamcheon Culture Village. Jagalchi Fish Market and BIFF Square introduce another side of Busan’s urban character.
Rice-cake making is offered only when there are at least eight participants. Continue to Gyeongju for a night visit to Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. During peak season, if accommodation is substituted in Ulsan, this night visit may be omitted.
MEALS Breakfast included; lunch and dinner extra
Rice-cake making requires at least eight participants. Wolji night visit may be omitted with an Ulsan hotel substitution.
The many layers
of Silla heritage.
After breakfast, meet the guide at 8:30 a.m. Visit Gyeongju National Museum and Cheomseongdae Observatory, beginning a day devoted to the cultural legacy of the Silla kingdom.
Continue to Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple. The combination of collections, monuments and temple architecture gives the day its depth before the journey continues to Daegu for the night.
MEALS Breakfast included; lunch and dinner extra
Sacred texts,
living village traditions.
After breakfast, visit Haeinsa Temple in Gayasan National Park, home to the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks. The temple setting offers a distinct contrast to the royal heritage encountered in Gyeongju.
Continue to Andong Hahoe Village, where preserved traditional houses bring the journey into a different cultural landscape. Travel onward to Pyeongchang for your final overnight stay.
MEALS Breakfast included; lunch and dinner extra
Temple traditions,
mountain perspectives.
The Woljeongsa temple programme and monastic meal require at least eight participants and are not available below that number. When the group requirement is met, the programme may include temple etiquette, a temple tour, walking meditation or conversation with a monk, together with a monastic meal.
Continue to Seoraksan National Park and Sinheungsa Temple. The Gwongeumseong cable car is an optional extra. Finish at Donghwa Duty Free, Gwanghwamun, Seoul, at approximately 6:00 p.m.; onward travel is at your own arrangement. Read the October walking and access advisory before booking.
Woljeongsa programme and monastic meal unavailable below eight participants. Cable car optional US$20.
What’s included.
- ✓ Eight hotel nights in listed properties or similar, twin sharing
- ✓ Eight breakfasts
- ✓ Scheduled ground transportation and stated airport/hotel transfers
- ✓ Bilingual English–Korean guiding
- ✓ Admissions specified in the itinerary
What’s additional.
- — All airfare, including REQUIRED Busan–Jeju day 3 and Jeju–Busan day 5 flights
- — Lunches and dinners except the conditional monastic meal
- — Guide/driver gratuities, travel insurance and personal expenses
- — Optional activities including the Seoraksan cable car
- — Single-room supplement, if requested
2027 dates.
Clear pricing.
Choose your tour start date
Dates are local tour start dates. Select a date to add it to your inquiry. All departures and fares remain subject to confirmation.
| USD per person | General | High season |
|---|---|---|
| Twin-share land tour | $2,899 | $3,199 |
| Single supplement | $920 | $1,220 |
Per person, twin sharing, land only. Add the applicable supplement for a single room. Child prices on request; all rooms and departures subject to confirmation.
High-season starts
4 Jul · 11 Jul · 15 Aug · 22 Aug · 19 Dec · 26 Dec, 2027
No departures
31 Jan · 7 Feb · 18 Jul · 25 Jul · 1 Aug · 8 Aug · 12 Sep, 2027
Other scheduled Sunday starts are general season. No availability guarantee is implied.
Good to know.
Required domestic flights — additional
Busan (Gimhae)–Jeju on day three and Jeju–Busan on day five are both required for this route and excluded from the land price. Confirm timings and a full quote including taxes and baggage with Gala before booking; do not book independent connections before operator approval.
Minimum participants for experiences
Minimum two guests for scheduled departure is not the threshold for the rice-cake or Woljeongsa experiences: those require at least eight participants. The Woljeongsa experience and monastic meal are not available below eight.
Wolji Pond visit
During peak season, an Ulsan hotel substitution may mean Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond are omitted.
October mountain access
In October, bus restrictions may require an approximately 3.6 km walk from C District Square to the Seoraksan park entrance. Traffic may prevent the park visit. Discuss mobility requirements before booking.
Hotels and substitutions
All named hotels are examples; the listed hotel or similar may be used. The InterContinental property is subject to confirmation and may be replaced by similar accommodation.
Optional cable car
Seoraksan cable car: US$20 per person, additional and subject to operation. This optional activity is separate from the required but excluded Jeju–Busan flight.
Garden closure and seasonal conditions
Suncheon Bay National Garden is replaced by Naganeupseong Folk Village or Suncheon Drama Film Set on the last Monday of the month. Seasonal flowers and coastal operating conditions vary; photographs illustrate the places rather than guarantee particular flowers or weather.
Joining and finishing
Join at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot in front of Donghwa Duty Free,Gwanghwamun, Seoul. No pre-tour airport transfer is listed. Finish at the same Gwanghwamun area around 6:00 p.m. on day nine; onward travel independently arranged.
Reservations and changes
Book at least seven Korean working days before departure. Changes require at least 14 Korean working days. Korean Standard Time applies; Korean weekends and public holidays are excluded. Hotels and routing may change for weather, traffic, local conditions or major events.
Gala Holidays cancellation terms
Cancel in writing to bill@galaholiday.com. At 60 or more days before departure, the deposit is forfeited; at 30–59 days, 50% of the total package price; at 15–29 days, 75%; and less than 15 days, 100% (no refund). Deposit amount varies by package. Unused services are non-refundable. Full Gala Holidays terms and conditions apply.
Photography credits
Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service · Seongsan Ilchulbong, Jeju · CC BY-SA 2.0
lumoplank · Tea fields at O’sulloc, Jeju · CC0 1.0
Bernard Gagnon · Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan · CC0 1.0
Basile Morin · Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bernard Gagnon · Andong Hahoe Folk Village · CC0 1.0
Bernard Gagnon · Seoraksan mountain landscape · CC0 1.0
lumoplank · Suncheon Bay National Garden — seasonal flowers vary · CC0 1.0
Bernard Gagnon · Jeonju Hanok Village · CC0 1.0
Bernard Gagnon · Haeinsa Temple in Gayasan National Park · CC0 1.0. Images cropped for layout; seasonal appearance varies. Adapted CC BY-SA images retain their respective original licenses.
Let the journey begin.
Gala Holidays · galaholiday.com · 1-888-666-1888