Premium South Korea

On this nine-day Premium adventure, you’ll explore the culture and cuisine of South Korea from unique perspectives with a local leader who has all the insights. Start in Seoul with a bowl of steaming hot pot and meet with a North Korean defector to learn their fascinating story. Wander through Gyeongbukgung Palace before heading to a local home for a private food lecture. Enjoy a bibimbap in Jeonju and learn about the town’s rich art culture. Walk through bamboo forests before heading for Mt Gaya’s Hainesa Temple, where you’ll stay overnight, meditate like the monks, and chat with a local monk over tea. Visit iconic sites in Mokpo and then explore Purple Island at your own pace – before ending it all on Jeju Island – where you’ll chat with a local Haenyno woman and visit UNESCO’s Seongsan Ilchulbong for the most scenic views in Korea!

Activities

• Seoul - Orientation Walk
• Seoul - Gyeongbukgung Palace
• Seoul - Korean Food Lecture and Homemade Lunch
• Seoul - Bukchon Hanok Village
• Seoul - North Korean Defector meeting
• Seoul - DMZ Tour and Imjingak Peace Park
• Damyang - Bamboo Forest Walk
• Jeonju - Hanok Village
• Jeonju - Brassware Workshop
• Haeinsa - Tea with a monk
• Haeinsa - Temple Tour and Dinner
• Haeinsa - Evening Meditation
• Shinan - Purple Island Visit
• Mokpo - Dinner with a local family
• Mokpo - Ferry to Jeju
• Jeju - Orange Farm
• Jeju - Jeju Folk Village
• Jeju - Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) Visit
• Jeju - Osulloc Teahouse
• Jeju - Sanbang-san Mountain
• Jeju - Haenyno Meeting
• Jeju - Farewell Dinner

Highlights

• Visit the home of Daniel Gray, a food expert and food tour pioneer who worked on Netflix’s Steet Food Asia Seoul, for a fascinating lecture on local cuisine, food history and a homemade meal.
• Immerse yourself in the local way of life for Korean monks at your Premium Feature Stay in Hainesa Temple on Mt Gaya – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Three Jewels Temples representing Dharma.
• Visit Jeju Island, where you’ll visit Seongsan Ilchulbong or Jeju Seongsan Sunrise Mountain/Castle – a volcanic peak nicknamed Sunrise Peak with sweeping panoramic views that earned Korea its first ever UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Enjoy the vibrancy of Purple Island near Mokpo, where the colours of lilac and lavender fields have spread to the entire town.
• Meet a local Haenyno – one of the local women divers who go diving for shellfish 10 m under the sea on Jeju Island. Learn about the local fishing culture and why these women, some in their 80s, still practice diving.
• By travelling on this trip, you’ll learn about our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.