Itinerary
- Day 1
Seoul
You'll arrive in Seoul and get transferred to your hotel. The afternoon gives you time to settle in and receive information about tomorrow's activities, so you know what to expect when the tour officially begins.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mercure Ambassador Hongdae)
- Day 2
Seoul - DMZ Cheorwon
Early start heading to the DMZ region near Cheorwon to see this heavily militarized border area. You'll walk through the Second Tunnel, which North Korea dug and was discovered back in 1975, then move to the Cheorwon Peace Observatory for views of the DMZ and North Korean villages. After that, check out the abandoned Woljeong-ri railway station and the Baek Ma Battle Memorial honoring French UN forces. In the afternoon, stop at a local makgeolli producer before heading back to Seoul. That evening includes City Hall, Deoksugung Palace, and the Myeongdong shopping district, then metro back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner (Local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mercure Ambassador Hongdae)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Second Tunnel in DMZ Cheorwon
- Cheorwon Peace Observatory visit with museum
- Abandoned Woljeong-ri railway station visit
- Baek Ma Battle Memorial visit
- Traditional makgeolli producer visit
- City Hall visit
- Deoksugung Palace viewing
- Myeongdong district walk
Landmarks Second Tunnel of the DMZ Cheorwon Peace Observatory Woljeong-ri Railway Station Baek Ma Battle Memorial City Hall Deoksugung Palace Myeongdong 
- Day 3
Seoul
You'll spend about five hours on a guided tour covering Seoul's major palaces and cultural spots. Start at Changdeokgung Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in a large park. Pass through Bukchon Hanok Village with its traditional historic homes. The tour includes the War Memorial of Korea, which focuses on Korea's conflicts and the Korean War. Later, explore Gangnam District, one of the city's busiest areas for shopping and entertainment. You'll finish at Lotte World Tower, a 550-meter skyscraper where you can go up for extra cost or check out the park and shopping malls.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mercure Ambassador Hongdae)
Included Activities
- Five-hour guided tour of Seoul
- Changdeokgung Palace visit
- Bukchon Hanok Village pass-by
- War Memorial of Korea visit
- Gangnam District visit
- Lotte World Tower area exploration
Optional Activities
- Lotte World Tower entry (ticket not included)
Landmarks Changdeokgung Palace Bukchon Hanok Village War Memorial of Korea Gangnam District Lotte World Tower - Day 4
Seoul - Suwon - Jeonju
Begin at Gyeongbokgung Palace to catch the ceremonial changing of the guard if it's happening. Then travel south to Suwon, Korea's former capital, to explore its UNESCO World Heritage walls and fortifications. You'll visit Hwaseong Haenggung summer palace. From there, continue to Jeonju to discover its historic Hanok Village with traditional houses, shops, and art galleries.
- Meals
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Best Western Plus Jeonju)
Included Activities
- Gyeongbokgung Palace visit
- Ceremony of changing of the guard (if scheduled)
- Suwon fortifications visit
- Hwaseong Haenggung summer palace visit
- Jeonju Hanok Village exploration
Landmarks Gyeongbokgung Palace Suwon Hwaseong Fortress Hwaseong Haenggung Jeonju Hanok Village 
- Day 5
Jeonju - Sunchang - Damyang - Haeinsa - Busan
Head out for Sunchang Gochujang Village at Mount Amisan's base to make traditional Korean chili paste with master artisans. Move on to Damyang to walk through the Juknokwon Bamboo Forest and visit the Bamboo Museum, then have lunch with rice cooked in a bamboo stalk. Travel through mountain landscapes to Haeinsa, one of Korea's most important Buddhist temples from 802, with the Tripitaka carved on 80,000 wooden tablets. You'll arrive in Busan for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local specialty rice cooked and served inside a bamboo stalk)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Ramada Encore Busan Station)
Included Activities
- Sunchang Gochujang Village hands-on experience making Korean chili paste
- Juknokwon Bamboo Forest walk
- Bamboo Museum visit
- Haeinsa Buddhist Temple visit
Landmarks Sunchang Gochujang Village Juknokwon Bamboo Forest Bamboo Museum Haeinsa 
- Day 6
Busan
Visit Haedong Yonggung, a 14th-century Buddhist temple by the sea. Check out the UN Memorial Cemetery honoring people from many nations. Head to the country's largest fish market near Nampo Port. Stroll through Yongdusan Park with its 120-meter pagoda. Later go to Songdo Beach to ride the country's first marine cable car and take in the bay views. End at Gamcheon Culture Village with colorful buildings, maze-like alleyways, art galleries, and pottery workshops, then return to Busan for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Ramada Encore Busan Station)
Included Activities
- Haedong Yonggung Buddhist Temple visit
- UN Memorial Cemetery visit
- Largest fish market visit by Nampo Port
- Yongdusan Park visit
- Songdo Beach marine cable car ride
- Gamcheon Culture Village visit
Landmarks Haedong Yonggung UN Memorial Cemetery Nampo Port Fish Market Yongdusan Park Songdo Beach Gamcheon Culture Village - Day 7
Busan - Seokguram - Bulguksa - Gyeongju - Daegu
Travel to the Seokguram Buddhist Grotto, an 8th-century site on Tohamsan's slopes. Visit Bulguksa Temple, considered one of the country's most beautiful temples. Arrive in Gyeongju, Korea's longest-reigning capital with 992 years under 56 kings, to photograph the wooden Woljeonggyo Bridge. Explore Tumuli Park with 1,500-year-old royal burial mounds and visit one tomb. See the Cheomsongdae Astronomical Observatory, the oldest in East Asia. Continue to Daegu, the fourth most populous city, to see Dongsan Cheongna Hill and the lively Dongseong-ro commercial street.
- Meals
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Daegu Prince Hotel)
Included Activities
- Seokguram Buddhist Grotto visit
- Bulguksa Temple visit
- Woljeonggyo Bridge photography
- Tumuli Park visit
- Royal tomb visit
- Cheomsongdae Astronomical Observatory visit
- Dongsan Cheongna Hill viewing
- Dongseong-ro street exploration
Landmarks Seokguram Buddhist Grotto Bulguksa Temple Woljeonggyo Bridge Tumuli Park Cheomsongdae Astronomical Observatory Dongsan Cheongna Hill Dongseong-ro 
- Day 8
Daegu - Andong - Hahoe - Seoul
Explore Daegu's Yangnyeongsi Museum of Traditional Medicine and walk through the surrounding Herbal Medicine Market known for quality ginseng and medicinal herbs. Travel north to Andong to visit the traditional UNESCO World Heritage Site Village of Hahoe, a rural community that feels frozen in time. Tour the Hahoe Mask Museum with its impressive global mask collection. Visit the Byeongsan Seowon Confucian Academy, a 16th-century site by a river. You'll arrive back in Seoul in the late afternoon for the night.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mercure Ambassador Hongdae)
Included Activities
- Yangnyeongsi Museum of Traditional Medicine visit
- Herbal Medicine Market stroll
- Hahoe Village exploration
- Hahoe Mask Museum visit
- Byeongsan Seowon Confucian Academy visit
Landmarks Yangnyeongsi Museum of Traditional Medicine Herbal Medicine Market Hahoe Village Hahoe Mask Museum Byeongsan Seowon 
- Day 9
Seoul to Tokyo
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your included flight to Tokyo. Once you arrive and clear border procedures, an assistant will meet you for a shared shuttle bus transfer to your hotel. You'll have free time to rest and explore the area on your own.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Shinagawa Prince Hotel)
- Day 10
Tokyo
Spend about five hours on a guided tour through Tokyo's energy and quieter areas. Quick stop at Zojoji Temple to view Tokyo Tower with hundreds of Jizo statues. See the famous Shibuya Crossing, said to be the world's busiest intersection. Explore Meiji Shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife. Drive along elegant Omotesando Avenue, view the Imperial Palace and gardens, and see Nijubashi Bridge. Pass through Akihabara, the center of manga and anime culture. Go up Tokyo Skytree for panoramic city views. End in Asakusa at Sensoji Temple and Nakamise Street. In the evening, meet your guide at the hotel lobby, take the subway to Shinjuku, walk this lively district, have dinner at a local restaurant, then return by subway.
- Meals
- Dinner (Local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Shinagawa Prince Hotel)
Included Activities
- Zojoji Temple short stop
- Shibuya Crossing visit
- Meiji Shrine visit
- Omotesando Avenue drive
- Imperial Palace and gardens viewing
- Nijubashi Bridge stop
- Akihabara drive-through
- Tokyo Skytree ascent
- Sensoji Temple exploration
- Nakamise Street visit
- Shinjuku district walk
- Subway ride to Shinjuku
- Subway return to hotel
Landmarks Zojoji Temple Tokyo Tower Shibuya Crossing Meiji Shrine Omotesando Avenue Imperial Palace Nijubashi Bridge Akihabara Tokyo Skytree Sensoji Temple Nakamise Street Shinjuku 
- Day 11
Tokyo to Kyoto
Take the bullet train early morning to Kyoto, covering nearly 500 km in just over two hours. Spend the day exploring Kyoto, Japan's former capital from 794 to 1868, which uniquely preserved its artistic heritage by being spared from World War II bombing. Visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Imperial Palace, and Kinkakuji Temple, known as the Golden Pavilion with its gardens. You'll have free time to stroll through Gion, Kyoto's traditional district celebrated for its geishas and lively atmosphere.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (New Miyako Hotel)
Included Activities
- Bullet train to Kyoto
- Fushimi Inari Shrine visit
- Imperial Palace visit
- Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion) visit
- Gion district exploration
Landmarks Fushimi Inari Shrine Kyoto Imperial Palace Kinkakuji Temple Gion 
- Day 12
Kyoto - Nara - Osaka
Depart for Nara to visit Todaiji, a magnificent Buddhist temple built in 752 housing a giant Buddha statue. Interact with friendly deer roaming freely in the park around it. Continue to Horyu-ji Buddhist Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with seminaries, monasteries, and temples. Its central pagoda is one of the oldest wooden structures and Japan's oldest Buddhist temple. Travel to Osaka, Japan's second-largest urban area, for evening accommodation. Later visit Dotonbori, a lively colorful district known for bustling nightlife.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Candeo Osaka Namba)
Included Activities
- Todaiji Temple visit
- Deer park interaction
- Horyu-ji Buddhist Temple visit
- Dotonbori district visit
Landmarks Todaiji Temple Horyu-ji Temple Dotonbori 
- Day 13
Osaka - Himeji - Korakuen Garden - Okayama
Depart for Himeji to explore its immense castle complex showing Japanese castle architecture. Head to Okayama to visit Korakuen, one of Japan's most beautiful gardens with lakes, waterfalls, and traditional teahouses. Cross a pedestrian bridge over the river to visit Okayama Castle, a 16th-century fortification rebuilt in 1966 after World War II bombing (castle interior not included). You'll have free time to explore Okayama, an active provincial capital with over 700,000 inhabitants.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Gran Via Okayama)
Included Activities
- Himeji Castle complex admission
- Korakuen Garden visit
- Okayama Castle exterior viewing
- Okayama city exploration
Optional Activities
- Okayama Castle interior visit (not included)
Landmarks Himeji Castle Korakuen Garden Okayama Castle 
- Day 14
Okayama - Kurashiki - Itsukushima - Hiroshima
Visit Kurashiki, known for its beautifully preserved historic center, with time to walk through charming streets where the past still feels alive. Travel to Hiroshima, forever marked by the 1945 atomic bomb. Visit Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and the moving Peace Memorial Museum reflecting the city's history and resilience. For serenity, take a ferry to Itsukushima, known as the place where men and gods live together. Explore the famous Itsukushima Shrine dedicated to the guardian of the seas, partially built over water. Wander the town center, then return to Hiroshima for dinner.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hilton Hiroshima)
Included Activities
- Kurashiki historic center exploration
- Peace Memorial Park visit
- Atomic Bomb Dome viewing
- Peace Memorial Museum visit
- Ferry to Itsukushima
- Itsukushima Shrine visit
- Itsukushima town center exploration
Landmarks Kurashiki Historic District Peace Memorial Park Atomic Bomb Dome Peace Memorial Museum Itsukushima Shrine 
- Day 15
Hiroshima
After breakfast, your tour comes to an end, leaving you with wonderful lasting memories of your time across South Korea and Japan.
