Small-Group Seoul Tour with Gyeongbokgung Palace (hotel pick-up)
Description
On this tour, you will visit the Buddhist temple in the city, the Presidential Blue House Square and Gyeongbokgung Palace for 3.5 hours with a small group. First, you will visit Jogyesa temple that represents Buddhism in Seoul and pass by the Cheongwadae, the Presidential Blue House, that symbol of with blue tiles and move on to Gwanghwamun Gate to see the royal guard changing ceremony. After the ceremony, you will explore Gyeongbokgung Palace that is also referred to as the northern palace. Also you will visit a museum called the National Folk Museum, where you can see how Koreans from a few centuries ago lived. Please note that Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays or during special events. In such cases, the itinerary will change to Deoksugung Palace without prior notice.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Jogyesa Buddhist Temple is the center of Zen Buddhism in Korea, and is famous for being located in the city. From the busy streets of Jongno, follow the road towards Anguk Subway Station, and you will see Jogyesa Temple. The first things you will notice at the temple are the lovely trees. These locust trees and baeksong trees in front of the Daeungjeon, the main temple building, are about 500 years old.
Keep your camera handy for the changing of the guard ceremony at Gwanghwamun Gate.
After visiting Jogyesa Temple, you will move on to the next place called Gwanghwamun to watch the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony. It is a ceremony to announce the changing of the royal guards, as well as to clarify the guards' identities. Then, you will head toward Gyeongbokgung, which was the main palace and the most beautiful palace during the Joseon Dynasty. Please note that Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays or during special events. In such cases, the itinerary will change to Deoksugung Palace without prior notice.
Within the compound, visit the National Folk Museum to learn about how people have lived in Korea from ancient times to today. Your guide shows you displays that demonstrate daily life for members of the aristocracy and ordinary citizens, including traditional farming and hunting techniques, weaving, cooking and other tasks.
The Blue House (Cheongwadae) was built on the grounds of the royal garden from the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910) using traditional Korean architectural styles. Constructed on the grounds of a Joseon Dynasty royal garden, the Blue House features traditional Korean architecture. On our tour today, we will take a drive-pass to see its main buildings and exterior.
Before getting off at the drop-off location, Insadong., you will have the opportunity to visit the Government-Approved Korean Ginseng Center, where you can taste Korean ginseng tea and a variety of products. You will also learn about the benefits of Korean ginseng and gain valuable information about its qualities. Korean ginseng is globally recognized for its exceptional quality, particularly for its effectiveness in boosting immunity, combating fatigue, and preventing aging. Extracted from roots that are over six years old, it contains a high concentration of saponins, offering various health benefits. In Korea, it is a highly popular gift exchanged to improve health. A visit to the Korean Ginseng Center is included in the itinerary, providing a chance to explore and purchase ginseng products. Discover one of nature’s finest plants and find a special, precious traditional Korean gift.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick-up is available only for hotels located within Central Seoul that are accessible by our mini-bus. If your accommodation is outside this area or situated in a narrow alley where vehicle access is restricted, we will guide you to a designated meeting point or the nearest major subway station instead.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not recommended for participants with back problems or heart complaints or other serious medical conditions
- This tour is proceeding with minimum 2 people and if the participants number is below it, the tour can be cancelled.
- Please note that Gyeongbokgung Palace is closed on Tuesdays or during special events. In such cases, the itinerary will change to Deoksugung Palace without prior notice.
Reviews(81)
it was very fun and i learned a lot from this tour
Thank you so much for your kind and concise review! We are thrilled to hear that you had a very fun and informative time on our Gyeongbokgung Palace tour. Our main goal is always to make Seoul's rich history both engaging and easy to learn, so we are glad we achieved that for you. Thank you for choosing us for your Seoul adventure, and we truly hope to welcome you back for another great tour in the future! Warm regards, SeoulNTour Team
Good overview of the city , informative tour of the two palaces
Thank you so much for your great review! We are delighted to hear that you had a wonderful day exploring the city with us and found our palace tours both informative and insightful. Providing a comprehensive and memorable overview of Seoul is exactly what we strive for. Your kind feedback is highly appreciated by our entire team, and we hope to welcome you back for another great experience in Korea in the future! Warm regards, Seoul N Tour Team
Great understanding of the Korean history and culture. I wish we would have rented the costumes to walk around the palace grounds- although the people wearing the garments looked pretty hot. Overall, great experience and the communication was not an issue. Thanks
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed learning about Korean history and culture with us. You're so right about the traditional costumes (Hanbok)—they look absolutely beautiful in photos, but they can indeed get a bit warm! Next time you visit, we'd love to help you try them out during a cooler season. Thank you again for choosing our tour, and we hope to welcome you back to Seoul in the future! Best regards, SeoulNTour Team
Excellent tour. Highly recommended. Mr. Eddie explained very well and gave us great information. He was very attentive and I appreciate it very much. I would love to have the opportunity for Mr. Eddie to be my guide again in the future.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are absolutely thrilled to hear that you had an excellent tour with us. Mr. Eddie is indeed an incredibly attentive and knowledgeable guide, and we will definitely pass your warm compliments along to him. He will be so happy to hear that you'd like to tour with him again! We look forward to welcoming you back to Seoul in the future. Best regards, SeoulNTour Team
the tour is amazing and rich in culture the guide was astounding and very friendly
Thank you for your wonderful review! Thank you so much for your kind words! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the rich culture of Seoul and our Gyeongbokgung Palace tour. It is especially rewarding to know that our guide’s friendliness and expertise made your trip even more memorable. We truly appreciate you choosing Seoul N Tour through TripAdvisor/Viator, and we hope to welcome you back for another amazing experience in the future! Best regards, SeoulNTour Team
Wow what a morning tour with our guide BK, We learned so much history of this country Korea, I definitely recommend this half day tour if your first time in Seoul.
Thank you for your wonderful review! Thank you so much for your kind words! We are thrilled to hear that you had an amazing morning exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace with our guide, BK. It is our goal to provide deep historical insights to our first-time visitors, and we're glad you found the tour helpful. We will be sure to share your compliments with BK. We hope to see you again on your next trip to Seoul! Best regards, SeoulNTour team
Excellent tour. Hee so is nice and friendly. Our driver Mr. Gilbert is friendly too. We will recommend it to friends and family if they come and visit Korea.
Thank you for your wonderful review and recommendation! Thank you so much for your kind words! We are delighted to hear that you had an excellent time on our Gyeongbokgung Palace tour. It is heartening to know that you found both Hee-soo and Mr. Gilbert friendly and professional. I will make sure to share your compliments with them—they will be very encouraged by your feedback. We are also truly grateful for your promise to recommend us to your friends and family. We look forward to welcoming your loved ones to Korea in the future! Best regards, SeoulNTour Team
Eddie did a great job especially since we had a rainy day! Very friendly and helpful! We would highly recommend.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour with Eddie despite the rainy weather. We will be sure to share your compliments with him. We hope to welcome you back to Seoul again soon!
The guide, Eddie, was informative, friendly and very mindful of our comfort and safety. Brilliant!
A Huge Thank You from Seoul N Tour! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are incredibly happy to hear that your experience was "excellent in every respect." It is especially heartening to know that our guide, Eddie, made such a positive impression with his informative and caring service. We have shared your "Brilliant!" feedback with him, and he was absolutely delighted to hear it. We take great pride in ensuring the comfort and safety of our guests, and we are glad it showed. We hope to see you again on your next trip to Seoul! Best regards, Seoul N Tour Team
The tour was well planned and paced. Would recommend the half day tour to those who didnt want a deep dive
Thank you for your kind recommendation! Thank you so much for your great review! We are glad to hear that you found the tour well-planned and enjoyed the pace of our half-day itinerary. Your recommendation is very helpful for future travelers who are looking for a concise yet fulfilling introduction to Seoul's highlights. We always strive to provide a balanced experience for all our guests. We hope to welcome you back for another wonderful journey in the future! Best regards, Seoul N Tour Team
