- About £260/day across 9 days
- ~£2,623 all-in with a typical £284 flight from London (£291/day)
- Our tracked low is £2,084
- We only rate a price against this trip's own history once we've tracked it for 21 days — no guessing before that.
- Pricier per day than most similar trips (median ~£210/day)
- 4.9★ from 7 traveller reviews
Price movement, fill and the all-in cost come from our own daily tracking— not the operator’s feed. You book on TourRadar; the live price always applies there.
About this trip
Nine days across South Korea taking in Seoul's edges, the DMZ, mountain trails and the port city of Busan, with a proper mix of nature, food and history along the way.
You'll get a night in a traditional Hanok house, a hike through Seoraksan's scenery, and a wander through Busan's Gamcheong Culture Village before finishing with the coastal charm of Haedong Temple and the stories of the Haenyo divers.
This is a fully guided, group trip built for covering ground rather than settling into one city, so pack light and be ready to move.
What you'll do
- Visit the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)
- Eat your fill at an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ restaurant
- Hike through Seoraksan Mountain
- Stay overnight in a traditional Hanok house
- Explore Busan's Gamcheong Culture Village
- Learn about Haenyo divers at seaside Haedong Temple
- Expect a fair amount of walking, so bring comfortable shoes and a reasonable level of fitness
- You'll be handling your own luggage on metros and through busy transport hubs, so pack light
- The trip doesn't linger in Seoul, so consider adding extra nights there if you want to explore it properly
Day by day
Exactly what you do each day, where you sleep, and how it flows — written by us, from the real itinerary.
What's included
- Guide: All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
- Meals: 1 breakfast, 4 dinners
- Activities: Seoul - Gwangjang market Seoul - Naksan night view over the city Seoul - Gyeongbukgung Palace Seoul - Demilitarized Zone (DMZ/South Korea) Seoul - Bukchon Hanok Village Sokcho - Local market visit Sokcho – Community cooking & dinner in village of Abai Sokcho - Island village of Abai Sokcho - North Korea refugee family visit Sokcho - Seoraksan Mountain Hike Andong - Andong folk village Andong – Village Traditional Dance Performance (except for Monday) Busan - Haedong Temple Busan - Gamcheon Art Village Busan - Haenyeo (female diver) visit Busan – Local ‘Smart Farm’ visit Busan - Coastal walk
- Transport: If you are spending additional time before or after your tour, you will find that the transport in South Korea is reasonably priced, quick and efficient. Public buses don't always have the signage in English so is is recommended that you write your destination in hangeul (Korean phonetic alphabet) letters on a piece of paper. Bus drivers don't speak English. Local tourist centres usually have English-speaking staff and are the best places to find out about local buses. Private Vehicle, Public Bus, Metro, Taxi, Boat, High Speed Train
- Accommodation: Hotel rooms: Many South Korean hotels have a limited supply of double rooms. If you are a couple travelling, please advise at the time of booking if you would like double bedding (subject to availability). Double bed in South Korea also tends to be smaller than normal western standard, closer to a queen size bed. It may be possible to book twin share rooms where you may push the beds together into one bigger bed, but this can't be guaranteed. Air-conditioning & Heating: Air-conditioning is not usually turned on until the warmer season. The traditional housing has floor heating. Hanok Stay: Your mattress will be on the floor. If you find that the surface is too hard, you can stack the bedding or ask for an extra mattress. Hotel (7 nights), Hanok (1 night)
- Activities: Other activities and services are not included.
- Flights: International flights are not included.
- Optional: Sokcho – Electric Bike Ride around Yeongrang Lake - USD25 Sokcho – Community dinner in village of Abai - USD20 Busan - Night cruise - USD25
- Insurance: Insurance is not included.
How travellers rate it
Cheapest live departure per day, in £, recorded by our tracker since 18 Jul. Never a brochure “was” price.
Your free day in Seoul
Landing early, staying on, or filling free time? The best-rated day experiences in Seoul — you book on Viator (we may earn a commission).
The same-vibe trips, side by side — price, value per day, and how each is moving. Only we can lay two operators' trips out honestly.
Sorted by fit — never by who paid. Price moves and availability come from our own daily tracking.
Departing in Sep is cheapest — from £2,340, about 14% below the priciest month (Mar).
Getting there
One-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown on Trip.com.
Hotels in Seoul
View more accommodationLive prices via Booking.com & partners, booked on their site — separate from your tour. We may earn a commission; it never changes your price.
On a budget?
Hostels in Seoul for the night before your tour · 7 Sept – 8 Sept
Booked on Hostelworld, separate from your tour. We may earn a commission — it never changes your price.
Common questions
How long is South Korea Highlights?
It's a 9-day trip. It starts and ends in Seoul.
How much does South Korea Highlights cost?
The land price starts from £2,339 per person for the 9-day trip. You book on TourRadar, where the live price always applies.
What will South Korea Highlights really cost me all-in?
On top of the £2,339 land price, budget roughly £284 for a return flight from the UK — about £2,623 all-in before spending money. Most day-to-day meals out and optional activities are extra.
What's included in the price?
The price covers all your accommodation, 5 meals (1 breakfast, 4 dinners), transport during the trip, a group leader/guide. Anything the operator lists as optional or not included — see the full breakdown on this page.
What's not included?
international flights and travel insurance (required) are not included, so factor them into your budget. We show typical flight costs and can point you to insurance on this page.
How big is the group?
Groups are capped at around 12 travellers — a small-group trip, mostly solo 18–35s travelling to meet people, not a coach tour.
When does South Korea Highlights run?
It runs across roughly 23 months of the year, so there's usually a departure to fit your dates. Check live availability and prices in the dates section above.
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