South Korea - The Land of the Morning Calm - is steeped in contradictions and traditions. Craggy mountain ranges slope down to pristine beaches and bustling cosmopolitan cities are surrounded by serene farmland. Elements of Confucianism, practiced for a thousand years across several dynasties, linger on today, living alongside the innovative economic power of this thriving country.
Great family friendly ride, full of interest and adventure.
The South Korea bike tour was excellent. The bike paths used and infrastructure were superb. The guide was one of the most competent and personable that I have experienced in over 50 guided bike trips.
View more: Touring
Tours in: South Korea
DestinationsSouth Korea
Tour MeetsSeoul
Fly in toIncheon International Airport (ICN)
Group Size4-16 riders
SpiceRoads jerseyWater bottleSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)AccommodationSnacks and drinks
International flightsDomestic flightsAirport pick upAirport drop offVisa feesTips
On this tour, we cycle 316 km in five cycling days on newly built paved bicycle trails. These paths are separate from vehicles and are very safe. There are already more than 1,757 km of cross-country cycling paths completed and 1,000 km more bicycle paths are still under construction.
A support vehicle follows us on this tour to carry our luggage and has seats available in case of an emergency. However, spaces in the vehicle are limited, so cyclists will be expected to ride the daily distances listed. The guide will accompany us on two transfers by train and bus.
Please note this join-in tour is open to riders from other tour companies. This helps us to gather together sufficient numbers of cyclists to guarantee a departure quickly. This tour meets our quality standards, and the only difference to our other SpiceRoads tours will be the jersey the guide wears.
Suitability: This trip is suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. This trip is not too arduous; however, it is a point-to-point ride, and cyclists will be encouraged to complete the riding distances. Riders with less experience are more than welcome, but the fitter you are, the more you will enjoy it.
Biking Conditions: This trip is primarily on dedicated bicycle paths in very good condition. The terrain is flat, and the surfaces are smooth. We'll stop often to visit sites, for photo opportunities or to have a water break
We meet you at our hotel lobby at 1 pm for a city tour that includes the famous Gyeongbokgung Palace, Samcheongdong street, and a shopping excursion to Insa-Dong street. In the evening, we have a trip briefing and welcome dinner.
New Seoul Hotel
DinnerWe cycle on a bike path along the scenic Han River to Namyangju. The terrain will be flat as we leave the city, riding past Yeo-ido, the heart of politics, banking, and finance of South Korea, and Hangang Park, a local favourite to stroll along the river, and the National Assembly Building, which took six years to build and was finished in 1975. The pillar and the dome symbolise varying public opinions emerging as one. We continue riding another leisurely 20 km along the river bank before having a Hanjeongsik lunch, a meal that consists of many side dishes. Our next stop is at the Dasan Heritage site, commemorating a famous scholar from the late Joseon Dynasty. We ride on to our overnight in Namyangju.
Heimat HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 62kmAfter breakfast, we continue on the bike path to Chuncheon. We cycle upstream along the Bukhangang River and start to see some mountains in the distance. We visit Jara Island, which was created in 1943 due to the construction of the Cheongpyeong Dam. After lunch, we keep riding north along the river to our overnight hotel in Chuncheon. The town is perhaps most famous for being the setting for the enormously popular TV drama, Winter Sonata.
Chuncheon HotelBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 61kmWe take a short train ride to cover more ground. We continue our bike tour cycling to Chuncheon station and then catch a local train for just over an hour, disembarking at Daeseongli. We ride south to Dumulmeori, where the two rivers of Bukhangang and Namhangang meet. We pass three 400-year-old Zelkova trees that appear as one giant tree as we make our way down to Yeojubo and then keep riding south to visit royal tombs that are a UNESCO World Heritage site. Yeongneung is the first joint royal tomb of the Joseon Dynasty. The fourth ruler of the dynasty, King Sejong (1397-1450, reign 1418-1450) and his wife Queen Soheon (1395-1446) are buried there. Nearby is Nyeongneung, the joint royal tomb of the 17th ruler of the dynasty, King Hyojong (1619-1659, reign 1649-1659), and of his wife Queen Inseon (1618-1674). After our lesson in Korean dynasties we cycle on to Yeoju and our hotel.
Sun Valley HotelBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 70kmA visit to Silleuksa Temple begins our day. Built during the Silla dynasty circa 580, this Korean Buddhist temple is a sacred pilgrimage site and a repository of seven treasures. We learn about Korean Buddhism at this religious site set amidst a 500-year-old juniper tree and a 600-year-old ginkgo tree. After our visit, it's time to get on our bikes and again follow the Han River bike path. Lunch will be a local specialty – Oritang, duck and vegetable soup. We finish riding at Chungju and transfer by bus to Sangju, nicknamed Sam Baek, or three whites, referring to the primary agricultural products of the region – rice, silkworm cocoons, and persimmons. We arrive in time to explore Sangju, and dinner is your choice.
Nakgangmasil Korean Traditional House stayBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 66kmToday is our last day of riding, and we switch rivers as we cycle along the Nakdong River. Be sure to have your camera ready! Back on the bike, we ride by the Donam Coufucian School, founded in 1606. Then we stop at the Sangju Bicycle Museum where a large collection of bicycles of all types and sizes from all over the world are on exhibit, including, of course, a history of Korean two wheelers. In the afternoon, before we reach Hahoe Folk Village, we stop on the outskirts to visit the Mask Museum and gain insight into how these are used in traditional Korean mask dances. We spend the night in a traditional Korean guest house that dates back to 1797.
Hahoe Village Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 57kmA full day off the bikes to explore this traditional village from the Joseon Dynasty. This UNESCO World Heritage site has preserved Joseon period-style architecture, tiled and thatched roof houses, and folk traditions of clan-based villages. Later, we visit the mask museum before we hike to Buyongdae, a cliff about 64-m high situated where the Taebaek mountain range ends.
Hahoe Village BreakfastAfter breakfast, we transfer to Andong Hot Spring to relax and enjoy the sensation of soaking in the mineral hot water before we catch our express bus to Seoul. We meet for a farewell dinner, our last feast of traditional Korean cuisine. We head back to the hotel via the Han River, so we can see how beautifully the bridges spanning it are lit up.
Kensington HotelBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerAfter breakfast, depart for your onward journey. Those looking to extend their trip can visit Seoul’s traditional Hanok village, take a day trip to discover the cliffs in Busan, or venture to the beaches of Jeju Island!
BreakfastDisclaimer: 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.
The bikes are Scott Sportster X40 hybrid bikes with lightweight alloy frames, light gears, disc brakes, and Shimano components. You're free to bring own pedals, (rail type) seat, and handlebar extensions.
Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.
Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.
You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.
Update on K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization): The South Korean government has announced that it will temporarily exempt travelers from 22 countries from the K-ETA requirement. Beginning April 1 to Dec. 31, 2024, travelers from 22 countries will no longer need to apply for K-ETA before entering the country. See here for more details and the list of exempt countries. The U.S, U.K. and Australia are on the exempt list. If you are on the exempt list then there is no need to apply. However, if your passport is not on the exempt list then make sure to get your K-ETA approved before departure via this website.
For more information on the Korean entry process, please see this website
No vaccinations are needed.
Korea has four very distinct seasons: spring from mid-March to the end of May; summer from June to August can be very hot and sticky; September through end of November is fall; and winter from December to mid-March. The best time of year to visit is autumn, when skies are blue, the weather is usually sunny and warm and the forested mountainsides are ablaze with astonishing fall colours. Spring, from April to June, is another beautiful season, with generally mild temperatures and cherry blossoms spreading north across the country in April. Winters in the north are colder than in the more southerly Busan or Jeju Island.
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Korean cuisine is largely based upon rice, vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes. Kimchi (traditional fermented vegetables) is served often, sometimes at every meal. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer is freely available everywhere in Korea, but is NOT included in the price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for travelling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveller of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars, perhaps US$30 a day for incidentals. Tipping is not customary in Korea. Guides have received and accepted tips on a voluntary basis.
The currency in South Korea is the won (W) ATMs with a ‘Global’ sign often accept foreign cards. Most Global ATMs have basic instructions in English and mostly have a W700,000 limit. Motels, hotels, shops and restaurants in cities and tourist areas accept foreign credit cards, but there are still plenty of restaurants and small businesses that don’t. Be prepared to carry around some cash, especially when we are touring outside the main cities.
If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:
Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.
You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.
There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.
From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).
If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.
We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.
The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.
In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.
In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.
The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.
If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).
If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).
Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.
If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.
The information in this document is given in good faith, and covers the average range of conditions likely to be found on this trip. Please note that the itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, however, we will always do our best to adhere to this original itinerary
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Excellent guide, great biking trails, and amazing food. This is the way to see Korea.