Join me for a 10 day curated tour of South Korea. Experience Korea up close and personal with adventures through nearly 2000 years of history, modern cityscapes, family style meals, mountains, and coffee shops!
- Dates: April 22- May 1, 2027
- 3 nights in Seoul, 3 nights in Busan, and 2 nights in Seoul
- Group size: Small group of 5-15 women
- Ages: 21 and up.
- Activity Level: medium
Itinerary
Fly round trip to Seoul, South Korea on April 22, 2027 and return home on May 1, 2027. The trip includes 3 nights in Seoul, 3 nights in Busan, and 2 nights in Seoul. Transportation will be via train, bus, and public transportation. Optional tours are noted in the itinerary and below.
Leave your home and head to the airport. Pack a pillow, it’s going to be a long flight!
It’s best to arrive in the afternoon, in order to fight the jetlag. We will spend the first evening in Seoul getting dinner and settling in to our lodging.
We will start our time in Seoul with a historical perspective, renting a Hanbok (traditional Korean clothes) for a free ticket to Gyeongbokgung Palace. In the afternoon you will have free time to walk through Bukchon Hanok Village, Ikseondong, and Insadong, hilly neighborhoods with Hanok style buildings and countless small shops and cafes.
The morning will start with a guided tour into the DMZ, the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. You will not be crossing any borders into North Korea, but weather permitting, you will have scenic views of the northernly neighbors. In the afternoon we will join a food tour to dip your toes (rather- fingers) in the variety that Korea has to offer. We will wrap up the evening with a golden hour view from Namsan Tower, Seoul’s Iconic high point.
Busan is South Korea’s second largest city and the only city that wasn’t overtaken by North Korea during the Korean war. We will make our way to the coastal city by high speech train in the morning. We will spend our afternoon exploring the local market and riding the Busan Air Cruise (cable car) to explore a coastal mountainside park. In the evening we will relax on a yacht ride.
We will join a guided tour for direct transportation between all of Busan’s iconic sights, including Haeundae beach and SkyCapsule ride, the unique coastal temple of Yonggungsa, and Gamcheon culture village.
We will leave the city for the day and jump headfirst into history, visiting the UNESCO heritage sights of Gyeongju, including the ancient Silla tombs (from 600 AD), roaming the Hanok lined streets, and enjoying views of Wolji pond. This will be partially a guided tour, with lots of free time to do our own roaming.
After two full days of day trips, we will take the day slow, eventually making our way back to Seoul by train. The day is sure to include a cute cafe and tasty treats.
We will spend our last full day together enjoying our time in Seoul. Options include visits to hair/scalp clinic, skin care clinic, shopping, or all of the above. Depending on the size of our group, we may have to be flexible with the schedule. More information to follow. We will wrap up our last evening together with a visit to Seoul’s infamous Han River for a water light show and a picnic on the bank.
It’s our last day! Time to pack up the memories and purchases and find our way home.
Expectations
Weather: Spring in the Korea tends to be on the chilly/warm side, with temperatures ranging from 50s to 70s. You can expect it to be wearing layers and pack for a chance of rain. Korea also struggles with air quality during this time, resulting in the possible need to utilize face masks, especially for at risk groups (those with asthma or other respiratory issues). We will miss peak cherry blossoms, but there are hopes that a few petals will still be holding on.
Crowds: Korea is trending upward in popularity among tourists, but the most crowded experience you will have will probably be on the subway if we hit it during rush hour.
Food: We will be doing our best to enjoy the variety of popular food that each destination has to offer. For this reason, I will not be able to guarantee food allergies or preferences can be accommodated for. Please let me know if this applies to you, but be aware that you may want to bring your own snacks along to ensure you have something you *can* eat at the time when you need to eat. Of note, it is especially difficult to eat gluten free in Korea.
Flights: You will be responsible to get yourself to and from Seoul Incheon Airport, arriving by April 23 and leaving May 1. If you want to extend your trip in any way, you are welcome to do so. If you need help with figuring out flights, please let me know.
General Safety: While each of our destinations are typically very safe, you still need to be aware of your surroundings and responsible for your belongings at all times. Furthermore, in order to navigate as a group, we will implement a buddy system and limit wandering off to agreed upon locations and times. For more information, you can read the US State Departments’ view on each country’s Safety, especially noting the tab under ‘safety and security’.
Difficulty Level: Moderate. Korea is 70% mountains and the mountains don’t level themselves for the cities. You will be hiking every day, up stairs and down sidewalks. Since we will be relying on public transportation to navigate and learning about our surroundings via walking tours, you can expect to walk at least (probably more) than 7 miles a day, every day.
For this reason, it is essential that:
1. You must have a clean bill of health to travel and be able to keep up with the group.
2. You are physically active before the trip to reduce fatigue as much as possible
3. You pack appropriately. You will never need an uncomfortable pair of shoes. And chafing is a real possibility.
What to expect from me: If you don’t know me well, you can read about me here. If you want to learn more about my travel style, click around on this website or find me on instagram @tripsbycamille. I have reviewed many of my previous adventures there. By the time of this trip I will have been to 40 countries and South Korea is my favorite! I’m so excited for the opportunity to share this amazing country and culture with you! Bonus: I speak intermediate Korean and will do my best support with translating when needed.
What I expect from you: I expect that you are adults. For this reason (and my own legal liabilities) you must be at least 21 to join the trip. I am agreeing to coordinate but I’m not agreeing to be a chaperone or a maid. The trip is designed for women over 21, with the physical health needed to participate in the agreed upon itinerary. If you aren’t sure, please check with your doctor. I would love to have you join, but it is a goal of mine to not have to learn the in’s and out’s of any other country’s medical system. I ask that everyone is considerate and responsible, that you ask for help if you need it, chip in where you can, keep track of your own travel documents, and you don’t wander off without telling someone.
My 2 cardinal rules are: 1. you may not die. 2. or get incarcerated.
I also ask that we remember that travel is a gift. It’s an incredible privilege and my hope is that we can all keep this in mind as we go. Gratitude and grace go a long way about half way through a trip when the sun is beating down and you don’t know where the nearest bathroom is. So, I am asking that you bring your gratitude and your flexibility because we’ll be growing together.
Cost
$1500-$2000* plus airfare, food, optional tours, and souvenirs.
*Depending on final costs, size of the group, and lodging needs, as well as exchange rate, inflation, and availability. The updated price will be posted when registration opens.
What Is Included
Accommodations: These are double occupancy accommodations, allowing for you to share a room, but not a bed. If you want your own room, that is available for a fee.
Transportation between cities: Any transportation requiring advance tickets between cities (i.e. trains and buses) are included. Public transportation, spontaneous taxis, train from the airport, etc, are not included in the trip price as they are difficult to calculate in advance.
Trip Planning Fee: Itinerary formation and distribution, tour management, hotel, tour, and transportation bookings, arrival paperwork assistance, day of problem solving, daily restaurant selections, and navigation.
Tours: DMZ Tour, Seoul Tower tickets, Seoul Market Food Tour, Hanbok rental, Busan Air Cruise Cable Car, Busan Guided Tour, Gyeongju Day Trip, Busan Yacht Ride
What Is Not Included:
Your international flights and spontaneous public transportation. It is impossible for me to guess how much tickets will cost from each of your homes, or to calculate how many subway rides we will be taking, so I am not able to include that in the price. However, I am happy to help you with booking, if you have any questions, and will be helping you purchase public transit tickets upon arrival.
Meals and food: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee shop stops, bingsu (Korean shaved ice), etc are not included in the price. This is to allow you maximum control over your food budget and preferences. The internet recommends budgeting an additional $35-$45 a day to cover this cost, although I would keep in mind the rising price of food.
Sim cards: The easiest thing most people do is pay their phone company for international calls during their trip. Getting an esim is also a feasible option.
Souvenirs.
Extra experiences, specifically a visit to the scalp clinic, hair salon, or skin care clinic. If you opt out of these experiences, you are welcome to use your free time as you wish. For more details, follow this link.
Travel insurance (including health insurance). Given the events of 2020, I do recommend travel insurance. I have found World Nomad’s Travel Insurance to be reasonable in the past, although I haven’t needed to file any claims yet.
Sign Up
You can pre-register now for the opportunity for early registration by completing this form. Early registration will open September 1, 2026 and those who are pre-registered will receive the registration link via email at this time.
Public registration will open September 7, 2026. At that time, a link will be shared to sign up for the tour, with the final registration deadline of November 7, 2026.
Payment
Payment information will be shared when registration is live. After you complete registration and receive your registration confirmation email, you will complete the following steps.
- Pay an immediate registration fee of a $100 non refundable deposit that will go towards the cost of your trip. If, for some reason, I need to cancel the trip, I will refund the money to you, no cost.
- Pay the first half of your trip by November 7, 2026.
- Make your final payment by December 1, 2026.
- Pack your bags because…
- April 2027, we will head out on the adventure of a lifetime!
NOTE: Payments are accepted via cashapp and venmo. I will share my accounts to receive payment when you sign up. This trip is non refundable and any travel insurances that you wish to purchase will be additional costs to you. Prices are subject to change, with adequate notification to participants.
Note: The itinerary and price may be subject to change. Any alterations will be provided with adequate notice.
If you have any questions, email me at: tripsbycamille@gmail.com or contact on my socials.
Trips by Camille 
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