Tour Detail
Immerse yourself in the choose-your-own adventure atmosphere of South Korean food, from bibimbap to street food markets you could get lost in (if it weren’t for your leader guiding you to the best stalls). South Korea’s food scene is often delightfully informal and meals in South Korea are all about finding your flavours. Chow down on meals served with dozens of toppings, light and crispy Korean fried chicken washed down with a small-batch craft beer, silky glass noodles stirred with colourful salad and the various delightful iterations of kimchi. Discover the flavourful diversity and heritage of this rich culinary scene.
Itinerary
Day 1: Seoul
Welcome to Seoul, South Korea’s vibrant capital of high-tech gadgetry, glittering skyscrapers and scrumptious eats. Your adventure officially kicks off with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight at your accommodation, where you’ll meet your leader and fellow travellers. With the formalities out of the way, it’s time to dive into South Korea’s food scene! First, you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner of Korean Fried Chicken and beer for a ‘chimaek’ experience. Then, head to the Gwangjang Market for an immersive introduction to the sights, smells and, of course, tastes of South Korean street food. Go deep into the gargantuan market featured in the Netflix series ‘Street Food’, following your leader to the best vendors for dinner and cultural experience like no other.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Dinner
Included activities
Seoul – Korean Fried Chicken Welcome Dinner
Special information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Day 2: Jeonju
This morning take the metro to Yongsan Station. Set off for Jeonju, a city that’s all about doing things slowly and doing them well – both in food and in life. You’ll arrive just in time for lunch at a renowned local noodle restaurant which started as a food stall, but it’s tantalising noodles have made it a hallmark of the city. In the afternoon, spend some time exploring the historical Hanok Village, wandering cobblestone streets between hundreds of traditional homes and further embracing the relaxed pace of the city. Later, learn the art of making kimchi – a Korean slow food poster dish – during a cooking class. You’ll also learn how to make a delicious kimchi pancake. If you’re keen for one more ‘real food’ experience you can opt to join your leader for locally brewed, cloudy rice beer called ‘makgeolli’. Accompanied by a parade of inventive side dishes, this singular drink is enjoyed in ritual fashion, served in special brass bowls from the coveted makgeoli kettle.
Accommodation
Hanok (1 night)
Meals
Lunch
Included activities
Jeonju – Kimchi Cooking Class
Jeonju – Hanok Village Visit
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 2.5 hours.
The Jeonju Bibimbap Festival takes place in early October every year. Departures that coincide with this event will have the cooking class replaced by a visit to the festival.
Tonight’s accommodation will be in a hanok guesthouse. The bedding in a hanok is a futon mattress on the floor with a light covering. The floor of your room is heated and provides a comfortable and cosy nights’ sleep.
Day 3: Jeonju
This morning you’ll move from the hanok to a hotel for your second night in Jeonju. From here, travel by bus to Sunchang Gochujang, a village famous for the production of gochujang (a traditional red chilli paste), for a tasting and demo on how it gets made. Grab lunch at a restaurant that specialises in fermented bean soup. Later, take a stroll around the base of Mt Gangcheon, and choose whether to work up your appetite by walking a little further to a nearby waterfall. For dinner tonight, visit the most famous bibimbap restaurant in Jeonju. The bibimbap here is so good it’s been declared an intangible cultural asset because of its iconic chef. Seriously. Scoff down some of the classic rice dish topped with, well, lots of great stuff. Wash it down with a couple of beers at a craft brewery. South Korea’s craft beer scene is exploding all across the country after a rise to popularity in Seoul, and tonight your belly will reap the benefits.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Sunchang – Gochujang (traditional chilli paste) Cooking Demonstration
Jeonju – Craft Brewery Tour
Sunchang – Mount Gangcheon Hike
Day 4: Temple Stay
This morning you’ll have the opportunity to start your day with a breakfast of kongnamul gukbap – a hot soup of soybean and sprouts. Today, you’ll be traveling from the west coast to the east coast for your temple stay. The east coast is an area rich with temples, tombs and palace ruins (many of which are World Heritage sites). Stop on the way to sample some of Korea’s favourite driving snacks, including hotteok (red bean walnut bread), kimbap and jjajangmyeon. At the temple you’ll be introduced to the life and meditation routines of a monk. Dinner will be plant-based, in line with monastic custom. In the evening, relax with a chanting and meditation service, then choose to be guided through a monastic training session or simply settle in for an early night’s sleep.
Accommodation
Temple Stay (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Gyeongju – Temple Stay program including meditation
Special information
For your stay at the temple you will be given trousers and a tunic to wear. Please remember to bring socks, as bare feet are not allowed in the temple. You will also need to bring a towel.
Accommodation at the temple is multi-share and you may be required to share with up to three other travellers of the same gender. Couples of opposite genders are unable to share a room, as this is against the rules of the temple. You will be sleeping on traditional futons on a heated floor. Blankets and sheets are provided. Alcohol and smoking are prohibited at the monastery.
The monastery is located on a hill which requires a moderate level of fitness to ascend. All activities at the monastery are optional and you can stop at any time if you feel the activity level is too strenuous.
Day 5: Busan
Your life as a monk continues today with a 4 am wake-up for a memorable morning meditation (you can opt out of it if early mornings are not your thing, but we highly recommend you partake in this unique experience). Following breakfast, learn about the spiritual values and beliefs of Korean Buddhism over tea with a resident monk. Leaving the tranquil life behind, stop at the Royal Tombs of Silla, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Discover the story of the ancient Silla dynasty and view their tombs from inside and out. Travel onwards to Busan to visit the beautiful Haedong Temple, built into the rocks by the sea. After checking into your hotel in downtown Busan for the next two nights, enjoy free time to explore this seaside city. You might like to join an optional dinner of Korean lamb skewers with eggplant, dumplings and other side dishes.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Included activities
Gyeongju – Morning meditation and tea with a monk
Busan – Haeundae Beach
Busan – Haedong Temple
Gyeongju – Silla Heritage site
Special information
Drinking tea with a monk will depend on their schedule and availability. In the case of bad weather the farm visit will be replaced by an alternate activity.
Day 6: Busan
Today you’ll be welcomed into the apartment home of a local resident to learn about their life and food culture. Enjoy Korean favourites like kimbap, japchae and banchan (the exact menu will vary with the seasons). Sip fragrant tea and chat with your host about Busan and what it’s like to live there. Stop at a local supermarket and get a broader view of the contemporary food habits of modern Koreans. Here, you’ll get an everyday-life insight into the culture, and your leader will pick up some local popular snacks for the group to enjoy. Visit Jagalchi Market, an enormous seafood market situated by Busan port. Wrap up your day at a restaurant overlooking the ocean for a clam bake with a view. Return to central Busan to relax or hit the town and take in the local nightlife in the Seomyeon Entertainment District.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Included activities
Busan – Jagalchi Seafood Market Tour
Busan – Seafood BBQ by the sea
Busan – Supermarket stop
Busan – Home-cooked meal
Day 7: Seoul
After breakfast at the hotel, travel by Korea Train Express back to Seoul where you’ll have a free afternoon to explore. Perhaps wander around Gyeongbok Palace, marvel at the views from Namsan Tower or check out Seoul’s most eclectic neighbourhoods of Sinsadong and Gangnam. For your final meal, youll head to the youthful district of Hongik University for the most traditional Korean BBQ experience to celebrate your time together.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Included activities
Seoul – Celebratory Korean BBQ Dinner
Day 8: Seoul
Your South Korea Food Adventure comes to an end this morning after breakfast. If you wish to extend your stay and explore more of Seoul, contact your booking agent for further information.
Meals
There are no meals included on this day.
Special information
If you would like to arrange a visit to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), a tour can be pre-booked (depending on the political atmosphere) at http://www.tourdmz.com. Alternatively, you can speak with your tour leader who will be able to assist with making a reservation. We are unable to pre-book this service for you.
