Mountains, mists and monasteries - 10 days and 9
nights
Korea is proud of an ancient history. Her myths and
legends are embedded and enshrined in a spectacularly
beautiful land of rugged mountains, dense forests, rugged
coasts and traditional villages. This trip will take you
to the heart of Korea's culture, spiritual identity and
most venerated holy places, while providing an active,
interpreted experience of everyday life in Korea. You
will be there for the spectacular seasonal color and festivals.
Spend nights in a yogwan(Inn), minbak(homestay) and
a famous Buddhist monastery respectively. Explore mountain
national parks, caves of wisdom, bird sanctuaries and
a 500 year old Confucian school. Savor a variety of Korean
delicacies. Meditate with Buddhist monks. Learn about
Koryo Hand Therapy, a uniquely Korean healing technique.
You will travel by a charter vehicle with a fluent your
language-speaking professional Korean guide, while there
will be opportunities of day hikes. Darlin Tour invites
you to this exploratory trip to Korea and join in the
discovery.
Schedule
DAY 01 (Arrive in Seoul)
Arrive at Incheon international airport, where you
will meet your language-speaking guide. Transfer
to Seoul and check in at your hotel for 2 nights.
Afternoon at leisure.
DAY 02 (Seoul)
Spend a full day touring the capital city of Seoul.
Nestled around the Han River, Seoul is a city of
old and new.
With thousands of years of history, it is a showcase
of well preserved royal palaces, historical relics,
and cultural treasures, yet Seoul possesses state-of-the-art
facilities and infrastructure as well.
Included in your tour are visits to the following
attractions:
National Folklore museum of Korea: the museum is
a showcase of the lifestyle of the Korean people
from the prehistoric age to the Joseon Dynasty,
displaying items of everyday use, funerary objects
and major works of art.
Changdeok-gung Palace and Huwon: used as the main
palace by many Joseon kings, this palace is the
best preserved among the five royal Joseon palaces.
It is best known for its beautiful garden for the
royal family, Huwon, or Biwon (Secret garden), with
its superb landscape of pavilions, ponds, and wooded
areas.
Insadong antique street: frequented by local and
foreign visitors all year round, it is the most
renowned area for tons of Korean antiques and fine
arts.
After lunch, you'll have a chance to try "SooJiChim,"
a hand therapy experience based on the theory that
'the hands are a miniature of human body'. Also
called KHT (Koryo Hand Therapy), this therapy posits
that the hand is a micro-universe of the human body.
According to Koryo Hand Therapy, there are 14 micro-meridians
and 345 acupuncture points on our hands. By stimulating
these points, the physiological function of whole
body can be regulated. KHT was first developed in
Korea by Dr. Tae Woo Yoo. You'll learn the basic
theory of KHT and see a demonstration of the technique
(about 3~4 hours class). Then, take in the Tongdaemun
market for a little night shopping before returning
to the hotel.
DAY 03 (Mt. Seorak)
After breakfast at the hotel, you'll depart for
Mt. Seorak (about 4~5 hour drive). Along the way
to Mt. Seorak you'll see several mountain passes.
The combination of mountains and fields and river
makes the eastern area quite scenic. Upon arrival,
there will be an opportunity for a bit of mountain
trekking PaekdamsaTemple/Heukseondong Valley/Daeseungryong
Ridge/Jangsoodae Observatory: 5 hours/10 km.) Then
follow the Mishi-ryong Pass to reach Seorakdong
village, where you'll spend the night in an authentic
Yogwan.
Yogwans are Korean style inns which are located
in every city, town and tourist resort throughout
Korea. Although Yogwans are not as luxurious as
tourist hotels, the facilities are comparable with
budget-standard hotels. A Yogwan provides Korean
bedding on the floor including a mattress (Yo),
a quilt (Ibul), and a pillow (Pegae). In chilly
weather, the room is warmed by the Ondol, Korea's
unique system of floor heating. Today Yogwans (also
called jang, motel, hotel, park, etc.) have bedrooms
that are furnished with private bathrooms with hot
water and color TVs.
DAY 04 (Mt. Seorak)
Before breakfast, visit the Gyeongpodae Pavilion,
which is built on the hillside along the north coast
of Gangneung (about 30 minutes drive). This wooden
structure clearly shows the architecture of the
late Joseon dynasty. From here, you can see the
brilliance of the early morning sunrise and appreciate
the clear moonlight on the lake at night.
After breakfast at a local cafeteria, you'll spend
the morning at Ojukheon. Ojukheon is the home of
Yi Yul-gok, a great statesman and Confucian scholar
during the Joseon Dynasty, who lived here with his
mother, Shin Saimdang. No woman of the Joseon Dynasty
is more famous than Shin Saimdang!
Nearby Naksan Beach and the fishing port of Sokcho
are especially noteworthy; Naksan Beach is famous
for its clear water and nearby Naksansa Temple.
Naksansa temple, along the eastern coast of the
Korean peninsula, was built during the Silla Kingdom
and has a very old temple bell and a seven-story
stone pagoda. Uisangdae Pavilion sits at the top
of a sheer cliff near the entrance to the temple
observatory. Return to the Seorak-dong village and
the rest of the day is spent at leisure.
DAY 05 (Seorak-dong - Andong)
After breakfast, head to Hwanseongul Cave (2 hours
drive), surrounded by scenic mountains. At 6.2 km,
this is one of the largest limestone caverns in
Asia. Only 1.2 km is open to the public, yet that
section alone will create unforgettable memories.
It has 10 pools, 6 waterfalls, a huge main chamber,
and dozens of amazing formations such as stalactite
cascades. Continue on to Andong, one of the last
living vestiges of old Korea and a treasure trove
of Confucian tradition. First you visit the Dosan
Confucian School, founded by the Scholar Yi Toeye
in the 16th century. You'll overnight in a traditional
Korean house in Hahoe Village, a delightful blend
of thatched-roof peasant houses and tiled-roof Yangban
(aristocratic) villas.
DAY 06 (Andong-Gyeongju)
After breakfast, drive to Gyeongju, formerly the
capital of the Silla Kingdom for a thousand years,
which has a great concentration of historical buildings,
temples and artifacts. First visit the well-known
Bulguksa Temple, a testimony to both the skill of
Silla architects and the depth of Buddhist faith
at the time.
While most of the wooden buildings have been rebuilt
over the centuries, all the stone bridges, stairways
and pagodas are the original structures. The Temple,
originally built in 535 A.D, was enlarged in 752
A.D. Continue on to Seokguram Grotto, one of the
world's finest Buddha shrines, dating back to the
same period as Bulguksa Temple. Surrounded by Bodhisattvas
and guardian deities, the serene central statue
of Buddha gazes out over the forested hills and
across the East Sea to the horizon. Tumulus Park
located in downtown is a collection of royal Silla
tombs from the Pre-Unification Era. Take in the
National Museum, where much of the Silla heritage
has been preserved, including magnificent gold crowns,
pottery, Buddhist artifacts, and stone sculptures.
Finish with the Cheomseongdae Observatory, the world's
earliest known existing observatory. This 7th century
bottle-shaped stone structure is admired by archeologists
worldwide. Check in for your home-stay.
DAY 07 (Gyeongju-Haeinsa Temple (Temple Stay))
Perhaps Korea's best known temple, Haeinsa temple
is situated in beautiful Kaya-san National Park.
Established in 802 A.D, it has a number of art treasures
in its more than 90 buildings (shrines, hermitages
and subtemples). But what really distinguishes this
temple is its collection of more than 80,000 wooden
printing blocks which compose the Koreana Tripitaka,
the most complete collection of the Buddhist canon
ever found in East Asia. Completed in 1251 as a
plea to the Buddha in an effort to ward off a Mongolian
invasion, the blocks remain in excellent condition
and are the basis of the most authoritative editions
of Buddhist scripture. In 1995, Haeinsa Temple's
Changgyeong Panjeon, the depositories for the Koreana
Tripitaka woodblocks, were listed as a UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage site. Settle in for a unique,
authentic Temple experience, including a Monk-style
meal (rice and vegetables only without any additives),
a tea ceremony with the head monks, and early morning
meditation (around 4:00). Other activities or opportunities
may present themselves.
DAY 08 (Haeinsa - Seosan)
Perhaps Korea's best known temple, Haeinsa temple
is situated in beautiful Kaya-san National Park.
Established in 802 A.D, it has a number of art treasures
in its more than 90 buildings (shrines, hermitages
and subtemples). But what really distinguishes this
temple is its collection of more than 80,000 wooden
printing blocks which compose the Koreana Tripitaka,
the most complete collection of the Buddhist canon
ever found in East Asia. Completed in 1251 as a
plea to the Buddha in an effort to ward off a Mongolian
invasion, the blocks remain in excellent condition
and are the basis of the most authoritative editions
of Buddhist scripture. In 1995, Haeinsa Temple's
Changgyeong Panjeon, the depositories for the Koreana
Tripitaka woodblocks, were listed as a UNESCO World
Cultural Heritage site. Settle in for a unique,
authentic Temple experience, including a Monk-style
meal (rice and vegetables only without any additives),
a tea ceremony with the head monks, and early morning
meditation (around 4:00). Other activities or opportunities
may present themselves.
DAY 09 (Seosan - Seoul)
Birding in the morning followed by breakfast in
a local restaurant. Then, transfer to Seoul following
the western coast express. Check-in at a hotel in
Seoul. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
DAY 10 (Seoul/Onward)
Transfer to Incheon airport for your onward flight
Included
Services
Remark
triCAPS Tours
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Tel. +82-2-754-2252 / Fax. +82-2-779-8142 / bbbridge@bridge-tour.com or bbbridge@naver.com
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