From Challenge to Healing: Korea’s September Hiking Programs
- zone tp
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
※ TriPriend app offers discounts and free vouchers for a variety of Seoul cafes, restaurants, and facilities.
To download TriPriend app, please click the banner below.
The September hiking programs at the Seoul Hiking Tourism Center have arrived in full swing!
Don’t miss the chance to explore the refreshing natural scenery in the heart of the city.
Enjoy a thrilling challenge, a healing trek, or the serene charm of tradition—all in one experience!
Let me introduce the September hiking programs where you can experience the unique charm of nature in the heart of Seoul.
Let's begin😎
The Bukhansan East–West Crossing is a hiking course that lets you experience the diverse landscapes of Bukhansan and feel the wonders of nature within the city. Starting with the Sogwicheon Valley, ascends to Daedongmun Gate, then follows the Bukhancheon Valley, passing Taegosa and Beopyongsa Temples, and continues on to the Black Yak Base Camp. This course is a full traverse that includes ridges, fortress walls, and valleys of Bukhansan, with repeated ascents and descents, making it of intermediate-to-advanced difficulty—perfect for those who enjoy a challenge.
Highlights include the peaceful sounds of water flowing through Sogwicheon Valley, Daedongmun Gate built in 1711 for defense and now a resting spot for hikers, and the Black Yak Base Camp, a cultural complex where you can relax before or after your hike. At the final stop, the Black Yak Base Camp, you can also receive a certificate of completion.
Course: Seoul Hiking Tourism Center Bukhansan → Uicheon Stream → Sogwicheon Valley → Daedongmun Gate → Taegosa Temple → Beopyongsa Temple → Bukhancheon Valley → Black Yak Base Camp
Time: 9:30AM – 3PM
The Singing Bowl Meditation & Uiryeong Healing Trek offers a chance to relax your body and mind through a singing bowl session before setting off on a peaceful trek along Uiryeong-gil. A singing bowl, a metal bowl-shaped instrument, produces unique sounds and vibrations that calm the mind. Its steady, soothing resonance helps stabilise heart rate and breathing, allowing you to begin the course in a state of comfort.
Uiryeong-gil, once closed for 56 years after the North Korean armed guerilla incident due to military presence, is now one of the most pristine areas of Bukhansan, where nature has been remarkably well preserved. With its untouched, refreshing energy, Uiryeong-gil is the perfect healing trek in harmony with nature. Along this course, you can also visit Seokguram Grotto, a thousand-year-old temple that was destroyed during the Korean War and later rebuilt. Nestled beneath natural rock formations, it leaves an even more mystical impression.
Course: Seoul Hiking Tourism Center Bukhansan (singing bowl meditation) → Uiryeong-gil entrance → The anti-tank obstacle → Seokguram Grotto → Uiryeong-gil → Seoul Hiking Tourism Center Bukhansan
Time: 9AM – 12:40PM
The Bugaksan Hanok Week & Fortress Trail offers a unique blend of cultural charm and scenic hiking. Hanok Week is a program where you can enjoy exhibitions, tours, hands-on experiences, performances, and events within traditional hanok spaces. It takes place in the public and private hanoks of Bukchon, home to noble residences during the Joseon Dynasty, and Seochon, where royal family members once lived. Be sure to explore the Hanok Week events happening in Bukchon, where the Seoul Hiking Tourism Center Bugaksan Branch is located.
Afterwards, follow the trail past Malbawi Observatory, which offers sweeping views of Seoul, and walk along the Hanyangdoseong Fortress Wall up to Bugak Palgakjeong. This section of the fortress wall harmoniously combines natural beauty with historical significance, providing a meaningful and memorable experience. At the traditional-style pavilion, Bugak Palgakjeong, you can take a break and soak in the breathtaking scenery.
Course: Seoul Hiking Tourism Center Bugaksan → Samcheong Park → Malbawi Observatory → Sukjeongmun Gate → Gokjang → Bugak Palgakjeong → Seoul Hiking Tourism Center
Time: 8:30AM – 1:30PM
