DAY 1: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
You are met on arrival and taken to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to relax or explore this fascinating city.
►Some suggested Seoul hotels (in alphabetical order):
Park Hyatt Seoul   (V)
Seoul Grand Hyatt
►Together, we will find the best choice for you!

DAY 2: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
This morning enjoy a full day tour of Seoul, the heart of Korea’s culture filled with more than 600 years of history. Visit some of the capital’s most impressive sights, starting with the extensive Gyeongbok Palace (the Northern Palace), originally built in 1395 at the start of the Chosun dynasty. Explore the National Folk Museum located on the palace grounds. See the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony in front of the Palace, and drive by the “Blue House,” the Presidential residence noted for its decorative blue tiles. Enjoy a traditional Korean lunch at a local restaurant before visiting the Bukchon Hanok Village and Bukchon Cultural Center with its traditional atmosphere, displays and cultural programs. Explore the sites and unique architecture along Samcheongdong Street. The street is lined with famous art galleries, the Lee Rhee-za Korean Costume Exhibition Hall, the French Cultural Center, as well as traditional tea houses and craft shops. Visit Seoul’s famed Namdaemun Market with its colorful variety of Korean-made goods and souvenirs.
►For Seoul hotel suggestions, see above.

DAY 3: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Today is at your leisure to relax, explore more of Seoul or perhaps do some shopping.
►For Seoul hotel suggestions, see above.

DAY 4: Daegu, SOUTH KOREA
This morning board the Korean Express Train to Daequ, then travel by private car to explore Mt. Gaya National Park. Established in 802, it is home to a plethora of art treasures within its more than 90 shrines, hermitages and temples. Visit Hainsa Temple, a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site and one of Korea’s Three Jewel Temples. It houses ‘Tripitaka Koreana’—a collection of 80,000 wooden printing blocks dating back to 1251. This is considered the most authoritative edition of Buddhist scripture (Dharma) in East Asia. Drive back to Daegu and visit the medicinal Herbal Market before arriving at your hotel.
►Suggested hotel:
Daegu Grand

DAY 5: Gyeongju, SOUTH KOREA
It is a short drive to Gyeongju (Kyongju) for a full day tour of this historic “museum without walls” city full of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Visit Bulkuksa Temple; built in 528, it is a monument to both the skill of its Shilla architects and the depth of their Buddhist faith. The wooden buildings have been rebuilt, but all the stone bridges, stairways and pagodas are original. See one of Asia’s finest Buddhist shrines, Sugguram Grotto, where surrounded by Bodhisattvas and guardian deities, a statue of Buddha gazes out over the forested hills and across the East Sea to the horizon. Continue to the Gyeongju National Museum for a display of the Shilla Kingdom’s magnificent gold crowns, pottery, Buddhist artifacts and stone sculptures. Explore Royal Tumuli Park, and its collection of more than 20 royal Shilla tombs, including the famous Chonmachong (Flying Horse Tomb) before arriving at your hotel.
►Suggested hotel:
Gyeongju Hyundai

DAY 6: Busan & Jeju, SOUTH KOREA
This morning drive south to Busan, stopping en route to visit Tongdosa Temple, one of the largest temples in Korea, with buildings dispersed throughout the surrounding mountainside. Continue your drive along Haeundae Beach to reach Busan. Enjoy a tour of the city including the vibrant Jagalchi Fish Market, and the maze-like Gukje Market with its wide variety of cloth wares. In the afternoon, take an hour flight south to the island of Jeju, where you are met and taken to your hotel.
►Suggested hotel:
Jeju Shilla

DAY 7: Jeju, SOUTH KOREA
This island has much to offer and explore. Today’s sightseeing begins with Sunsan Sunrise Peak, an ancient volcanic land mass, with a 1,970-foot wide crater that is surrounded by 99 sharp rocks appearing like a giant crown above the cauldron. Visit the unique Women Diver’s Museum, with exhibits on the lifestyle and traditional homes of Jejudo’s haenyeo female divers. Next tour through the Seongup Folk Village, to see traditional Jeju thatched houses, a Confucian temple as well as a mill and fortress. Here you can get a true taste of ancient Korean culture and foods.
►Suggested hotel:
Jeju Shilla

DAY 8: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Enjoy another day exploring this unique island. Drive along the Dragon Head coast to Mt. Sanbangsan to see its Sanbanggulsa Temple. A 16-foot high rock cave on the cliff of the mountain, this cave-turned temple was home to monks during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) and offers wonderful views of the coast and Marado Island. Next, see the unusual volcanic rock formation of Jusangjeoli, and the Cheonjeyeon Waterfall. Visit the O’Sulloc Green Tea Museum and stroll along the Olle Walking Paths to experience the true serenity of this region. Late this afternoon return to the Jeju airport for your flight back to Seoul for your last night in Korea.
►For Seoul hotel suggestions, see above.

DAY 9: Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Today you are taken to the airport for your flight home or on to your next destination.