Authentic Korea by Bicycle

Day 1 Arrive in Seoul

We meet at our tour hotel in Seoul at 13:00 hrs. (01:00 PM) and waste no time diving into Korea’s enigmatic history. Using Seoul’s excellent public transportation system, we’ll head to the city’s historic core and visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. This massive walled complex houses beautifully adorned royal halls, traditional architecture, and serene courtyards, harking back to the early days of the Joseon dynasty who ruled the Korean Peninsula for a whopping five centuries! We’ll also stroll through the nearby neighborhood of Insa-Dong which – crammed with boutiques, craft shops, cafes, and eateries – showcases that seamless blend of old and new so characteristic of Seoul. In the evening we’ll enjoy a welcome dinner - our first of many Korean feasts on this tour!

New Seoul Hotel
Dinner

Day 2 Seoul – Namyangju

Our first day of riding involves a striking visual shift from mega city to countryside. Starting from the heart of metropolitan Seoul we ride on designated bike lanes, avoiding congestion while still feeling the high-octane energy of the capital city all around us. For the first 8 km we follow the path of the Cheonggyecheon Stream, a greenified urban waterway which cuts right through the city. We will then loop onto the Han River Bike Path, riding around 40 km along waterfront roads, parks, and promenades. Along the way we’ll see many local cycling enthusiasts enjoying rides of their own - Seoul is truly one of the most cycling friendly cities in the world! The further we press forward, however, the crowds thin out and Seoul’s skylane and urban sprawl begins to fade in the distance. Approaching the confluence of the Han and Bukhan River, it will be as if we have been transported to a different world. The final 20 km of the ride are north along a bike path following the course of the Bukhan River, surrounded by lush countryside and rolling hills. We spend the night near the city of Namyangju in Gyeonggi Province.

Namyangju Story Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 60km
+500m
-500m

Day 3 Namyangju – Chuncheon

We continue our journey along the banks of the Bukhan River, riding north to the city of Chuncheon. While, for the most part, the riding is relatively flat with no big climbs, we are pretty much surrounded by a topography of rolling hills at all times – 70% of South Korea is covered by hills and mountain ranges after all! The initial 10 km of the ride are along the river before cutting through a cultivated valley floor, cycling past a mix of open fields, farmlands, and communities buzzing with life. At 30 km we rejoin the Bukhan River and we’ll be skirting along its course all the way to Chuncheon. Along the way we’ll be crossing multiple bridges and enjoy long stretches of quiet, backcountry riding along forested hillsides. Tonight we stay in Chuncheon which , besides being well known for “dakgalbi” (Korean style chicken and vegetable stir-fry), is perhaps most famous for being the setting for the enormously popular K-drama series, Winter Sonata.

Chuncheon Sejong Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 61km
+502m
-473m

Day 4 Chuncheon – Yeoju

We take a short transfer in the support van to get us back to the vicinity of Namyangju. Here we saddle up and follow the Bukhsan River south to a convergence with the Namhan River, another of South Korea’s major waterways. We follow its course southwards to the city of Yeoju. This is another fantastic day of cycling along a dedicated cycling path hugging the river, offering an endless photoreal of scenes of life in central Korea. At times rural and at times more urban, the visuals are ever changing, though always accompanied by the river and rolling hills! We end the ride in the city of Yeoju, renowned for its centuries-old heritage of ceramic craftsmanship, particularly its exquisite Korean porcelain, which has earned it the title of "City of Porcelain."

Sun Valley Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 72km
+573m
-564m

Day 5 Yeoju – Sangju

We begin our day with a short ride to Silleuksa Temple. Here we get a taste of ancient Korea as we explore this splendid Buhddhist temple complex situated by the river and dating back to the 6th-century AD. We’ll learn about the early days of Buddhism in Korea and appreciate the well-preserved architecture, such as the main hall adorned with exquisite ceramic roof tiles, each intricately designed with floral motifs. Back on our bikes, we continue south along the Namhan River bike path, cutting through serene rural landscapes covered with rice paddies and villages. Our cycling end point is Chungju where we’ll hop in the support van and transfer to the small city of Sangju where we spend the night.

Sangju Hanok
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 50km
+436m
-410m

Day 6 Sangju – Andong

On our last riding day we switch rivers one final time as we cycle east from Sangju along the Nakdong River. This is a particularly scenic rural area, with the river – and our cycling route – braiding its way through rice paddies, vegetable farms, quaint villages, and dense woodlands. While we stick to the valley floor, panoramas of the lush hillscape surrounding us are ever present. We end the ride near Andong Hahoe Village and then hop in the van to get to our hotel in nearby Andong city. Hahoe Village deserves a couple of hours on its own so we will return again the following day to give it our full attention!

Andong Goryeo Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 50km
+399m
-340m

Day 7 Andong Hahoe Village

The morning is set aside for an off-saddle exploration of Andong Hahoe Village, a treasure trove of Korean history and traditions dating back 600 years. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the village displays the pre-modern, clan-based lifeways of rural Korea at the time of the Joseon Dynasty. We will wander the winding streets and peek into the well-preserved tile-roofed houses known as hanok. The village is also renowned for its expressive and colorful wooden masks which are used in performances of Korean folklore. After our ground-level exploration of the village, we'll hike up to the nearby Buyongdae Cliff, affording us a bird's-eye view of the picturesque Nakdong River and the sprawling countryside that stretches beyond. Spend the rest of the day at leisure - lunch and dinner are on your own today.

Andong Goryeo Hotel
Breakfast

Day 8 Andong – Seoul

This morning, there is an option to visit a nearby Korean hot spring sauna (known as jjimjilbang) and soothe your muscles before we head back to Seoul. The transfer time is around 3 hours and after checking into the hotel you can take care of any last minute shopping and have lunch (on your own today). In the evening we’ll reconvene for a farewell dinner. A shot or two of soju may be in order to celebrate our cycling achievements!

Kensington Hotel
Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9 Departure from Seoul

After breakfast, depart for your onward journey. For those looking to extend their stay in South Korea, we suggest flying to Jeju Island to discover its volcanic landscapes or taking the train to Busan to explore the country’s second biggest city, located on the East Sea coast.

Breakfast

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.