PLEASE NOTE (April 2/24): This listing remains valid overall, but has not been updated since February, so recent tweaks are not included here. Those going on the tour should refer to their Travefy app for an up-to-date agenda.
Barry & Ursula consider Korea their second home, as they have lived there twice. The first time was in 1996 when they were in Busan. Then, after 20 years back in Canada, they moved to Seoul in 2016 with two teenagers while Barry was an Associate Professor of Public Administration and Politics at Sejong University.
For any first time visitor to Korea, Seoul is a real eye opener. That's because it has become one of the most exciting cities in Asia, especially for young people. Korean cuisine is the rage, and Korean fashion, television and music are huge around the world. As a result, the youthful energy of Seoul is palpable, and there's little chance anybody would ever be bored.
While everyone expects the big city energy they get in Seoul, there's also a lot more to South Korea than its capital city. We will experience this during our tour along the East Coast to see the Demilitarized Zone East and Seoraksan Mountain. before heading to the UNESCO World Heritage site in Gyeongju.
To complete our tour, we will spend our final couple of days in Busan on the south coast. One highlight of any visit to Busan is the massive Jagalchi Fish Market. We will also visit some of Busan's beautiful beaches and explore the downtown.
This tour offers a unique mix of Asian culture, Cold War history, great cities, challenging mountains and lots of opportunity to experience nature. Join us if you've always wanted to see what South Korea has to offer!
PLEASE NOTE: It is the nature of travel in Korea that there is a lot of walking and many stairs to climb. We will also use public transit (trains, subways & buses) to get around most of the time. If you cannot walk 10,000+ steps a day and climb multiple flights of stairs, you should ask Barry or Ursula if this tour will be right for you.
LAND PACKAGE: C$3,580 (US$2,685)
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: C$1,320 (US$990)
PACE: Moderate (lots of walking)
LENGTH: 12 days (10 hotel nights)
GROUP SIZE: max 20 guests
DATES:
Departs Toronto: May 12, 2024
Begins in Seoul: May 13, 2024
Ends in Busan: May 23, 2024
LAND PACKAGE INCLUDES:
Nine Tree Hotel Insadong, Seoul (6 nts)
Tops 10 Hotel, Gangneung (1 nt)
Asti Hotel, Busan (3 nts)
Breakfasts (9)
Lunches (5)
Dinners (6)
Various Seoul neighbourhood tours
Lotte Tower visit
Dongdaemun Markets tour
Gwanghwamung Palace tour
Insadong & Ikseongdong tour
Myeongdong touring
Bukchon Hanok Village tour
DMZ East tour
Seoraksan Mountain visit
Gyeongju day tour
Songdo Beach cable car
Entrance to all group attractions
Tour Concierges (Barry & Ursula)
All ground transportation & taxes
This tour is guaranteed to depart. The Land Package price is in Canadian dollars, based on double occupancy, and space is only guaranteed after a 20% deposit is received.
Day 1 (Sun May 12) Depart Toronto
There are two direct flights from Toronto to Seoul each day with Air Canada and Korean Airlines, as well as many other options with stopovers.
Day 2 (Mon May 13) Arrive in Seoul; Insadong Cultural Street
Most flights from North America arrive late afternoon. Regardless of arrival time, Barry or Ursula will meet guests at Incheon International Airport and bring them to Nine Tree Hotel Insadong. Depending on timing, guests may have time to explore the Insadong Cultural Street right outside our hotel.
Day 3 (Tue May 14) Namsan Mountain tour, Lotte Tower (B,L)
We will begin our day with a bus ride up Namsan Mountain for a great overview of the city. Afterwards, we will return to the hotel for some free time before departing for Lotte World for dinner and a trip up Lotte Tower to see the sunset.
Day 4 (Wed May 15) Historic Heart of Seoul (B,D)
On this day we will walk through the most historic parts of Seoul. Stops will include the Gyeongbokgung Palace, trendy Iksadong and Insadong cultural district. After a break at the hotel, we will go to nearby Bukchon Hanok Village.
Day 5 (Thu May 16) Dongdaemun, Gwangjang Food Market, Dongdaemun Design Centre (B, D)
After breakfast, we will go to Dongdaemun Gate, then walk through the Gwangjang Food Market. After a short walk along the Cheonggyecheon Stream, lunch will be in a modern Korean food court before walking through the Dongdaemun Design Center.
Day 6 (Fri May 17) Han River Cruise & Lunch, Korean War Museum (B,L)
We'll make a later start before heading to the Han River for a river cruise and lunch. After lunch, we'll visit the outstanding Korean War Museum. Afterwards, Barry will take those interested to nearby Itaewon for a beer and light dinner, while Ursula will bring others back to the hotel.
Day 7 (Sat May 18) FREE DAY in Seoul (B,D)
Guests have a free day to do whatever they like. Barry and Ursula will identify options, and help make plans. At dinner, we'll be able to share stories of our day's adventures.
Day 8 (Sun May 19) DMZ East, Seoraksan Mountain (B,L,D)
We will depart Seoul early and transfer by private coach to the East Coast to see the DMZ East (and peer into North Korea) and visit Seoraksan Mountain before overnighting at the TOPS 10 Hotel on the coast.
Day 9 (Mon May 20) Gyeongju UNESCO Highlights, arrive in Busan (B,L)
After breakfast, we will head to the southerly part of the country to visit Gyeongju, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Afterwards, we will continue to Korea's second city and major port, Busan.
Day 10 (Tue May 21) Chagalchi Fish Market, Songdo Cable Car, Uzbek dinner (B, L,D)
This day will feature a morning visit to Jagalchi Fish Market, followed by a trip by cable car across Songdo Beach bay to look out at the ships moored in the harbour. In the evening, we will walk through Texas Town, where sailors have been blowing off steam for generations, including dinner at a unique Uzbek dinner.
Day 11 (Wed May 22) Haeundae Beach Blue Train & Farewell Dinner (B,D)
On our final day in South Korea, we will begin with a visit to beautiful Haeundae Beach. After some free time in the afternoon, we will end our Korean adventure with a Farewell Dinner.
Day 12 (Thu May 23) Flight to Singapore (B)
After a very early check-out, we will head to the airport to catch our 8 am flight to Singapore.
01/13