Detailed itinerary
- 1 Busan pick-up 08:30
- 2 Bulguksa
- 3 Seokguram
- 4 Lunch in Gyochon
- 5 Gyochon Village
- 6 Woljeonggyo
- 7 Daereungwon
- 8 Cheomseongdae
- 9 Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond
- 10 Busan drop-off
About 1 hour · 오늘의 하이라이트
Bulguksa Temple
Tradition says the temple was begun in 751 by Kim Dae-seong, and in 1995 it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Seokguram. Past the stone stairways of Cheongun-gyo and Baegun-gyo, the courtyard in front of the main hall holds two pagodas side by side: the ornate Dabotap and the simple Seokgatap. Both are National Treasures.
About 1 hour
Seokguram Grotto
An artificial grotto built of stone on Mt. Tohamsan at the same time as Bulguksa. The main Buddha seated in the round chamber faces the East Sea and is regarded as the high point of Silla Buddhist sculpture. You view the interior through a glass wall, and photography inside is not allowed. Depending on time and the group's pace, this stop may be skipped.
About 1 hour
Lunch at a traditional restaurant in Gyochon
Lunch is a traditional bibimbap at a long-established Korean restaurant in Gyochon Village. Lunch is included in the price.
About 30 minutes
Gyochon Traditional Village
The site of Silla's royal academy, now a hanok village with the Joseon-era Gyeongju Hyanggyo school and the old house of the Choi family, known as Gyeongju's 'rich Choi family'. You walk the lanes between tiled walls with your guide. Depending on time, this stop may be skipped.
About 30 minutes
Woljeonggyo Bridge
A roofed wooden bridge over the Namcheon stream in front of Gyochon Village. Records say it was built in 760 under the Silla kingdom; only its foundations remained until it was rebuilt in 2018. You cross through the covered gallery and take photos.
About 1 hour
Daereungwon Tomb Complex
A park of 23 large burial mounds of Silla kings and nobles. You can go inside Cheonmachong, where the famous painting of a flying horse was found in 1973. A path winds between the grassy mounds.
About 30 minutes
Cheomseongdae Observatory
An observatory built in the 7th century under Queen Seondeok of Silla, known as the oldest surviving observatory in East Asia. It is a National Treasure, and flower fields surround it in every season.
About 1 hour
Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond
A pond dug in 674 and the site of a detached palace where the crown prince lived, also known as Anapji. Three rebuilt pavilions are reflected in the water, and the lights come on at dusk.
About 1 hour
Standing stone Buddha (optional)
If time allows, we visit a standing stone Buddha at an old temple site in Gyeongju. Your guide decides on the day, depending on the schedule and the group's pace.
Dates & prices
Included · Not included
What's included
- Pick-up and drop-off anywhere in Busan
- Professional guide (English and Korean)
- Entrance fees to all sites on the itinerary
- Traditional bibimbap lunch
- Transportation
Not included
- Personal expenses
- Tips
- Personal travel insurance
Cancellation & refund policy
Full refund if you cancel 3+ days before departure
Frequently asked questions
Before you travel
- The price is KRW 280,000 per person and includes all entrance fees and a traditional bibimbap lunch.
- The tour departs at 8:30 am and lasts about 9 hours. We pick you up anywhere you like in Busan (your hotel, for example) and drop you off at the same place. Our staff will confirm the exact address after you book.
- This is a small-group tour of up to 7 guests per vehicle. For a private tour for your party only, please contact us.
- The guide speaks English and Korean.
- The order of stops and the time at each may change with weather, traffic and the group's pace. Seokguram, Gyochon Village and the final stone Buddha may be skipped depending on time.
- Photography is not allowed inside Seokguram Grotto.
- Guests aged 95 or older cannot join.
- Food, drinks and alcohol are not allowed in the vehicle.
- Tips, personal expenses and personal travel insurance are not included.
Photo credits
- About 1 hour · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Dabotap Pagoda · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Seokgatap Pagoda and the main hall · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- A gate in the temple grounds · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- About 1 hour · Bernard Gagnon · CC0
- Seokguram in the forest of Mt. Tohamsan · Bernard Gagnon · CC0
- About 1 hour · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- About 30 minutes · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Gyochon Village beside the Namcheon stream · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Sauce jars in an old courtyard · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- About 30 minutes · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-황성훈 · 공공누리 제1유형
- The gallery on the bridge · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김효서 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Gate tower and bridge · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김효서 · 공공누리 제1유형
- About 1 hour · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Entrance to Cheonmachong · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Pond and tombs · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- About 30 minutes · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Cheomseongdae with spring canola flowers · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김지호 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Cheomseongdae from the air · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-엠엠피 김진규 · 공공누리 제1유형
- About 1 hour · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-이모연 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Pavilions and the pond · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-라이브스튜디오 · 공공누리 제1유형
- Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond in snow · 한국관광공사 포토코리아-김성기 · 공공누리 제1유형
