Private Hiking to Bukhansan & Korean Style Spa(Include Lunch)

Fantastic day. My husband and I both agreed that this was our favorite day of our 2 week trip. Wonderful guide. It is a true hike to get to the top, but our guide was patient and encouraged me all the way to the top. My husband scaled it no easy peasy. the climb was worth it, the view is spectacular and the temple is beautiful. We went to a small family restaurant and had a wonderful meal (we are vegetarians, which had been a challenge elsewhere, but not here.) The spa was a unique experience that I will not forget. The ladies are kind and helpful if you have never been to a bathhouse before. Great day and thank-you.

Mr. Kim provided an authentic feeling experience of meeting a local and spending some time. Nothing felt touristy. The spa, the lunch restaurant, and the conversation offers a genuine slice of life. I really liked this aspect. I can of course hike popular trails solo. This booking was an off the beaten path experience.

Kim was a lovely tour guide and was so knowledgeable. We loved the hike and the food was delicious. It was nice to hear another perspective and views on Korean history. Defs recommend

The hike is very interesting. Nice scenery. The ground is irregular, there are big rocks across the trail and steps to climb and descend so you have to be a little physically fit. The hike lasts 2 hours, as described and follows a stream (stream). Located only 20 minutes from the grand palace. Benny is a perfect guide. He makes conversation if we hire him and he can remain silent too. He is very knowledgeable on a lot of subjects and can be asked about his country, politics, domestic life, etc. I was lucky enough to have the guide to myself and the trip was not cancelled, which I really enjoyed. He speaks very good English, he drives the van safely. It is very pleasant company. He's a good explanation. Everything flowed naturally. He accommodated me for dinner because of my special diet. The restaurant is typical and the dishes tasty. The Korean spa experience is exotic! You should know that you have to strip completely for baths. These are unisex. People only speak Korean but Benny will explain everything you need to know in advance. I would choose the same thing if it were to be done again The Buddhist temple visited is a temple for women and features access to nirvana 😉! Beautiful view from this temple.

Andy is an amazing tour guide, very nice and friendly, he speak a perfect English and answer all our question. The hiking was not hard, and the view over the mountain was breathless. I recomanded this experience

I rarely write long reviews, but this Bukhansan hiking experience deserves a full and transparent account — both for future travellers and for the operator. 1. A Chaotic Start: Technical Issues & Miscommunication The problems began even before the hike started. Viator required an additional online form, and despite entering my correct pickup address, the form mysteriously populated an old address—possibly a technical glitch or cached data that wasn’t cleared. To make matters worse, there was no record of my earlier conversation with Kim where he had already confirmed the correct pickup location. So on the actual morning, everything unraveled. 2. Pickup Disaster & an Extremely Unpleasant Phone Call When the pickup went wrong — through no fault of ours — we received a harsh and unnecessary lecture from Kim over the phone. While we were scrambling to secure two taxis from Gangnam to the northern side of Seoul during peak hours, Kim insisted on repeatedly “fact checking” in a stern, accusatory tone. Despite multiple polite and gentle requests to resolve the misunderstanding in person when we arrived, he continued speaking sharply, which only added stress to an already hectic situation. Even after meeting in person, the issue was still not dropped. We ended up apologizing simply to keep the day moving, even though the mistake wasn’t ours and we never asked for any compensation for the extra taxi fares or the wasted time. This was an extremely disappointing start to what should have been a beautiful hiking experience. 3. The Silver Lining: Spectacular Hike & Kim’s Guiding Skills Once we finally began the hike, things improved dramatically. The Bukhansan fall scenery was breathtaking, and in fairness, Kim is undeniably knowledgeable. He commanded attention with his storytelling on: • Korean history & culture • Local biodiversity • Geomancy (feng shui influences in the mountains) On the trail, he was competent, alert, and safety-focused — always pointing out risky sections, choosing safer paths, and adjusting to our pace. Lunch was simple, local and delicious. From a mountain guiding perspective, Kim is very capable. 4. The Mood Breaker: Completely Inappropriate Topics Unfortunately, the experience dipped again due to some extremely inappropriate conversations. Kim openly discussed: • how Koreans dislike Communists, • how he personally “wants to shoot Putin,” • and how he appreciates Singapore because of the death penalty. These are not topics that belong in a leisure hike with a group of ladies trying to enjoy nature. The mood noticeably dipped among my fellow hikers. 5. My Sincere Advice for Improvement Kim absolutely has the potential to be a fantastic mountain guide, but hospitality requires more than skill — it requires attitude, sensitivity, and professionalism. My personal advice: • Please be a gentleman in communication. • Confirm pickup details clearly, and avoid assumptions. • Avoid discussing politics, violence or sensitive topics with guests. • Provide clearer itinerary descriptions, especially terrain details, because not all guests are seasoned hikers. Many guests may not have the same patience we had, and I genuinely hope this review helps you grow into an even better version of yourself. Final Thoughts This trip was a mix of stressful lows and unforgettable highs. The mountain itself was spectacular, the hike was rewarding, but the communication issues and inappropriate commentary did cloud the overall experience. I sincerely wish the operator success, and hope future travellers can enjoy the incredible beauty of Bukhansan with a more polished, considerate guiding approach.

Incredible day! The Bukhansan hike was beautiful, the lunch was delicious and the spa was so relaxing. Couldn’t ask for a better mix of adventure and culture.

Bennie is the best. Gave great information on the history of Seoul. The hike was so great. Loved every minute up to the 108 step to the Carved Buddha on the mountain. Highly recommend this tour. Helps to be fit and familiar with hiking. The meal after was great.

Benny was a fantastic guide - very welcoming and knowledgeable- and the tour was excellent. Great for solo traveller.

Kim was THE BEST!!! We had a great time hiking to the temple. The scenery was INCREDIBLE the entire trip and the views were breathtaking at the top. Kim was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed all the conversations! We brought our 16 year old daughter with us and Kim was good at including her in the conversation. She thoroughly enjoyed it. We had a snack at the temple made by the monks and then after, he took us to a local korean restaurant which was delicious. We had a wonderful full day and would definitely book with Kim again!