02 Apr 2027
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£5,039pp
Flights from UK airports
Escorted tour
Highlights of South Korea with Flights – 13 Days
Seoul, the DMZ, Seoraksan, Hahoe, Gyeongju and Busan, with flights and a tour director.
13 days
From £4,409 incl. flights
Tour overview
This 13-day escorted tour travels the length of South Korea, from the palaces and markets of Seoul and the tense border of the DMZ to mountain temples, ancient royal tombs and the seaside city of Busan. A tour director accompanies you throughout, and return flights, transfers and checked luggage are included. You stay eleven nights in comfortable three- and four-star hotels, with breakfast daily, a cooking-class lunch and two dinners, Andong's spicy jjimdak chicken and a Korean barbecue in Busan, plus a soju tasting.
In Seoul you watch the changing of the guard at Gyeongbok Palace, the grandest of the city's royal palaces, and visit the National Folk Museum before lunch at Gwangjang Market, with its sizzling mung bean pancakes. An afternoon in Insa-dong and a walk along the Cheonggyecheon stream are followed by a free day. A guided tour of the Demilitarised Zone takes you into the Third Tunnel and up to the Dora Observatory to look across into North Korea, and in the evening you taste soju at a family distillery.
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Heading east through the mountains of Gangwon-do, you visit the Goseong DMZ Museum and cross to Abai Village in Sokcho on a hand-pulled barge. Seoraksan National Park, Korea's first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, offers waterfalls, the Great Bronze Buddha and an optional cable car ride. Travelling south, you visit the Confucian academy of Dosan Seowon and Hahoe Folk Village, a living 15th-century clan village famous for its masks.
Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla kingdom, is often called a museum without walls. You learn to cook bulgogi, explore the grassy royal tombs and the oldest observatory in East Asia, see palaces lit up at night and visit the UNESCO-listed Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple. In Busan you walk Haeundae Beach, visit the UN Memorial Cemetery, the colourful Gamcheon Culture Village and Jagalchi Fish Market, before riding the KTX high-speed train in first class back to Seoul.
The physical rating is low, with city walking and an easy park walk. This tour suits travellers who want to see the best of South Korea in comfort.
Trip highlights
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Gyeongbok Palace and Gwangjang Market (Day 3)
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The DMZ and Dora Observatory (Day 5)
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Seoraksan National Park (Day 7)
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Hahoe Folk Village (Day 8)
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Gyeongju by night (Day 9)
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The KTX train in first class (Day 12)
Your route
10 stops from Seoul to Busan
- Seoul Days 1–5 & 12–13
- Korean Demilitarized Zone Day 4
- Goseong Day 6
- Sokcho Days 6–7
- Seoraksan National Park Day 7
- Hahoe Folk Village Day 8
- Andong Day 8
- Gyeongju Days 9–10
- Bulguksa Temple Day 10
- Busan Day 11
Why choose this tour
South Korea from Seoul to Busan, with flights included. A soju tasting, a cooking class and two local dinners.
Best suited to
- First-time visitors to Korea
- History and culture lovers
- Travellers who value comfort
- Couples and solo travellers
Day-by-day itinerary
13 days from United Kingdom to United Kingdom
-
Day 1 · United Kingdom Fly to Seoul
Depart for South Korea.
- Hotel
- Overnight flight
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Day 2 · Seoul Seoul
Arrive in the capital.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 3 · Gyeongbok Palace, Gwangjang Market, Insa-dong Seoul
A palace, a market and a stream walk.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 4 · Seoul Seoul
A free day.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 5 · Third Tunnel, Dora Observatory, Imjingak DMZ
The DMZ and a soju tasting.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 6 · Goseong DMZ Museum, Abai Village Sokcho
East to the coast.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 7 · Seoraksan National Park Seoraksan
Waterfalls and a great Buddha.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 8 · Dosan Seowon, Hahoe Folk Village Andong
A Confucian academy and a clan village.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 9 · Daereungwon, Cheomseongdae Gyeongju
Royal tombs and a night tour.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 10 · Seokguram Grotto, Bulguksa Gyeongju
Temples and a cooking class.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 11 · Haeundae, Gamcheon, Jagalchi Busan
Beach, art village and a barbecue.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 12 · Busan, Seoul Seoul
A free morning, then the KTX.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
-
Day 13 · Seoul Fly home
Return to the UK.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Seoul (4 nights) Hotel
- Sokcho (2 nights) Hotel
- Andong (1 night) Hotel
- Gyeongju (2 nights) Hotel
- Busan (1 night) Hotel
- Seoul (1 night) Hotel
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Return flights, transfers and checked luggage
- Accommodation 11 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels
- Meals 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 2 dinners
- First-class KTX train from Busan to Seoul
- DMZ tour with the Third Tunnel and Dora Observatory
- Seoraksan, Hahoe, Gyeongju and Busan visits
- Soju tasting, cooking class and night tour
- Tour director throughout
Not included
- Meals not included 10 lunches and 9 dinners
- Optional activities such as cable cars
- Tips
- Travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You want an active holiday
- You want a small group
- You want most meals included
- You want to stay in one place
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–13 · Lunch: Day 10 · Dinner: Days 8 and 11
FCDO advice
UK FCDO travel advice for South Korea
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £4,409 per person, including flights. 9 upcoming departures.
Flights from UK airports.
28 May 2027
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£5,099pp
Flights from UK airports
17 Sep 2027
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£4,409pp
Flights from UK airports
22 Oct 2027
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£5,149pp
Flights from UK airports
05 Nov 2027
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£4,409pp
Flights from UK airports
31 Mar 2028
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£5,159pp
Flights from UK airports
26 May 2028
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£5,259pp
Flights from UK airports
01 Sep 2028
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£5,259pp
Flights from UK airports
20 Oct 2028
Twin share
Incl. flights
Not sold tour only on this date
£5,259pp
Flights from UK airports
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
Are flights included?
Yes, return flights with transfers and checked luggage are included.
Do we visit the DMZ?
Yes, with the Third Tunnel, Dora Observatory and Imjingak Park.
How active is the tour?
Mostly city walking, with an easy guided walk in Seoraksan or a cable car alternative.
Do I need a visa?
UK citizens don't need a visa for South Korea but may need a K-ETA. Check the latest advice before travel.
What is the KTX?
Korea's high-speed train, which takes just over two hours from Busan to Seoul.
Who leads the tour?
A tour director travels with you throughout.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary