Seoul Mountain Hike: Temples, Folklore & Traditional Meal
Description
Explore Korea’s iconic mountains on this guided hike, where history, culture, and natural beauty converge. Begin at Gupabal Station before trekking serene pine forests, crossing scenic mountain passes, and discovering hidden Buddhist temples steeped in history and shamanic traditions. Hear captivating tales of monks, spirits, and folklore, including ghostly legends said to haunt these mystical peaks. End your adventure with hasanju—Korea’s beloved hiking tradition—at a local mountainside restaurant. Enjoy a hearty chicken stew with mountain roots and fresh vegetables, or a vegetarian bibimbap, paired with makgeolli (traditional rice ale), beer, or non-alcoholic options. Highlights: Hike Seoul’s beautiful mountain trails with stunning views. Discover hidden temples and shamanic sites. Hear captivating stories of Korea’s history and folklore. Enjoy a traditional post-hike meal with drinks. ✅ Small group | ✅ Moderate difficulty | ✅ Expert guides
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Minimum age is 18 years
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Reviews(56)
Hiking with Shawn was one of the best experiences of our trip to Korea. His knowledge of the folk tales combined with love for hiking makes the trail easier (psychologically at least). 10/10 meal after the hike even for vegetarians
Shawn has a talent for distracting people from the uphill sections by casually introducing mountain spirits, old folk beliefs, and stories about what may or may not be lurking deeper in the woods. Somehow it works. And post-hike food always tastes about 30% better after earning it on a mountain trail.
This hike will be one of the experiences we'll most remember from our trip to South Korea for sure! After a week in Seoul, a day in nature was just what we needed, and the trail was challenging enough to be fun but still easy enough to be highly enjoyable even for inexperienced hikers. Apart from being a great storyteller with deep knowledge of Korean folklore, Shawn was a great guide who really took care to keep the right pace and make sure everyone in the group was safe and comfortable. We would never have found this trail away from the crowds ourselves, and even if we did, it would have been less fun and we would have missed out on so much context to understand it better! Finishing with a delicious dinner completed the experience.
Sounds like you caught the hike at just the right moment in your trip. That balance between a bit of challenge and still being enjoyable is exactly what we aim for, especially for people who don’t hike regularly. Bukhansan has plenty of quieter trails if you know where to look, and adding the folklore along the way tends to change how people experience the mountain. Good to hear the pace, the route, and the finish with a proper meal all came together.
We had a memorable time hiking Bukhansan with Shawn. The route was just challenging enough for a non-hiker while still being very doable. Heed the advice and wear good shoes since the trail is rugged! The views are worth it though, and the people you pass by on the trail are so kind. Shawn is great company and very knowledgeable. Overall it was a day well-spent and it made me want to try more hikes in the future!
A day well-spent Tripadvisor review: Seoul Mountain Hike: Temples, Folklore & Traditional Meal We had a memorable time hiking Bukhansan with Shawn. The route was just challenging enough for a non-hiker while still being very doable. Heed the advice and wear good shoes since the trail is rugged! The views are worth it though, and the people you pass by on the trail are so kind. Shawn is great company and very knowledgeable. Overall it was a day well-spent and it made me want to try more hikes in the future!
Well curated hiking trip with a very knowledgable guide (shawn). Loved it and highly recommend it to everyone who visits Seoul for dome days.
Thanks for joining the hike. Shawn’s careful pacing and mix of temples, stories, and that meal at the end make it a great way to spend a few days seeing a quieter side of Seoul.
Genuinely had so much fun! By chance it ended up just being me on the hike this day and Shawn tailored both the difficulty and sites we stopped at to my interests with an emphasis on art, temples, and my beginner hiking abilities. Was such a blast and his storytelling was a highlight of the hike, he was always willing to elaborate on my questions which really helped with my understanding both of the sites we were visiting and the history and stories behind them. Felt super safe as well and the restaurant at the end was the perfect cherry on top. Would recommend this to everyone of all ability types!
Sounds like a great match of pace and personality. Shawn’s talent for tailoring the route and stories makes each hike feel personal, and that meal at the end really is the perfect finish.
Amazing tour! Bukhansan was so beautiful, especially with the autumn foliage. Shawn was an incredible guide- so knowledgable and had lots of interesting info to share. His knowledge of folklore was very educational. The dinner afterwards was delicious and really special! Everything was great.
Sounds like a perfect autumn day on Bukhansan. Shawn’s stories fit right in with that mountain atmosphere, and ending with a warm meal after the hike makes it even better.
Amazing hiking experience. Our guide Shawn was so knowledgeable about the history and places along the trail. We visited the following places. Guknyeong-sa (temple), Yongchul-bong (“Dragon Ascending Peak”) , Muryeong-sa Seonbong-sa (2nd temple) this was all in the bukhansan National Park. A dinner was also included and visited a family owned restaurant. They made an amazing homemade noodles with vegetables and hot broth plus some Korean pancake. Highly recommend this tour if your interested in doing a hike in Seoul 😀
Shawn’s hikes are basically time travel with mountain views and homemade noodles at the end. Glad you got to soak it all in — temples, legends, and all.
Took a few extra days for sightseeing after a work trip in Seoul. Shawn did an excellent job pacing the hike and telling us the history and folklore as we went. Great views throughout! Lots of pictures. Bring water if it’s hot (as Shawn will remind you) but well worth it. The food and drinks at the end were a great way to finish. Highly recommend it!
Thanks for the review! Sounds like you nailed the perfect escape after your work trip. Shawn’s pacing is spot on—enough history and folklore between those killer viewpoints. And yes, he never misses a chance to remind you to hydrate. Wrapping up with that traditional meal and drink really ties the day together. Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely amazing trek, filled with Korea and Seoul trivia. Shawn is a knowledgeable guide with an in-depth understanding of cultures. Highly recommend!
Thanks for the review. Glad you enjoyed the hike and all the trivia Shawn shared—those hidden temples really come alive when you know the stories behind them. Wrapping up with that traditional mountain stew and a pour of makgeolli is the perfect way to cap off a day on the trails.
Scenic, beautiful, and informative hike through the mountains. I felt more connected to the land after learning about the local mythology and stories regarding the mountains and monuments. Hike provided great views of multiple prominent mountains in the Bukhansan area and we stopped at various manmade sites like the old seoul wall and Gungyeongsa temple.
Thanks for the review! Uisangbong and Wonhyobong really show off Bukhansan’s beauty, and it’s great that the mountain myths and history added that extra layer. Stopping by the old Seoul wall and Gungyeongsa temple gives you a real sense of how people have honored these peaks for centuries. Hope that traditional meal afterward hit the spot as the perfect wrap-up to your hike.
