Bukhansan National Park, DMZ Spy Invasion Route Hiking - Beginner Small Group

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Bukhansan National Park, 262, Bogungmun-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02700 South Korea

In 1968, 31 Special Forces of North Korea (North Korean Spy Commando) infiltrated into downtown Seoul to assassinate then President of South Korea.

When they approached up to 400 meter away from the presidential residence, they were detected and exchange of gunshot occurred, thereby 29 of 31 being killed, 1 surrendered, and 1 ran away back to North Korea.

Since then, South Korean government closed this route North Korean spy commando invaded along for the past 50 years for security reason. On the background of recent easing political circumstances between 2 Koreas, meantime, South Korean government has in 2018 decided to open up this route again to the hikers, trekkers or travelers.

This hiking tour we are offering here is rather beginner course, while we also offer intermediate course in other product line-up. All and any could enjoy this hiking course without any hard physical efforts.

(N-Seoul Tower and military camp seen from the hiking course)

While hiking, you will enjoy the beautiful sceneries of the Presidential palace, Gyeongbokgung Royal Palace and landscape of downtown Seoul among others. Related story will be told by your professional English-speaking guide all the way along the hiking route. After end of this hiking tour, you will be escorted to a nearby traditional old market to enjoy Korean food as per traveler's choice, such as Korean BBQ, Pajeon (pancake) and other delicious local meals.

You enjoy viewing the sunset and night landscape of Seoul during this hiking tour and so this tour begin at 4PM in summer to avoid the heat and, in the meantime, 2PM in winter given the shorter daylight time.

We provide pick-up and drop-off service from the hotel to you.

Optionally, you could go as far as a fish market in Norangjin which offers a special experience as good as Japan's Tsukiji fish market.

What you can expect

We pick you up from your hotel and first drive you up to Bukak Mountain, which has been considered to be the main mountain of Seoul for a long time and just lies behind the presidential office.

(Presidential office and hiking course map)

There is Palgakjung Pavilion at the peak of Bukhansan Mountain, which is one of the most admired place to see the nightview of Seoul city downtown.

After that, we walk up to Ho Kyungam pavilion. The course is called the Kim Shin Jo Route, which is named after Kim Shin Jo, the only surrender out of the 31 North Korean Spy Commandos. The bullet marks are found around rocks and pine trees which were remains of the battle between the North Korean Special Forces and South Korean forces.

(Hogyeongam rock and the bullet marked rock)

You can see the beautiful scenery of Seoul from the top of Hogyeongam rock. Hiking from Palakjeong to Ho-Kyungam is about 1 hour one way.

And then we drive you further to Changyemoon Palace Gater. You can picture the beautiful castle wall and whole national park from Yoon Dong-joo Memorial Hall, famous poet in Korea.

Then you walk by the mountain castle trail and travel time to the peak is about 40 minutes. It’s a bit sharp slope trail. The point where the castle road trail begins is a famous place introduced by Airbnb, as one of the world's top 10 Airbnb Trips, where you can enjoy a beautiful night view of surroundings.

When you return to the car after hiking, then we drive you to one of the traditional market to enjoy a market food.

Also you can feel and smell around the heavily armed military defence system still guarding presidential house and the Seoul city itself against any possible attack.

(Yeongcheon Market, 7017 Seoul road)

After enjoying the nightview of Seoul, you will go to one of the three traditional old markets. You can choose between Yeongcheon Market, Huam Market, and Noryangjin Fish Market. Noryangjin Fish Market costs $ 15 per person in addition. On the way to the traditional market, we stop by 7017 Seoul skyline road, which builts benchmarking The Highline park in New York.

Duration: 6 hours