13 Days South Korea 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites Tour

10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South Korea

1. Changdeokgung Palace

2. Hwaseong Fortress

3. Ganghwa, Gochang and Hwasun Dolmen Sites

4. Jongmyo Shrine

5. The 40 Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty

6. Haeinsa Temple Depositories (Janggyeong Panjeon) andTripitakaKoreanaWoodenPrintingBlocks

(Janggyeong Pan)

7. Historic Villages of Korea - Hahoe and Yangdong

8. Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto

9. Gyeongju Historic Areas

10. Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes

Day 1:Arrive in Seoul

Arrive at Incheon International Airport in Seoul, where you will be met and transferred to your downtown hotel. After check-in the balance of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Seoul.

Day 2: Seoul

A full day tour of Metropolitan city of Seoul includes the National Museum of Korea which displays rich and priceless artifacts from prehistoric Korea to the end of the Joseon Dynasty, Changdeokgung Palace, constructed in 1405, and is now the best preserved of Seoul's five palaces of the Joseon Dynasty with its rear beautiful Garden. The palace was designated as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 1997. Insadong Antique District, Jogyesa Temple, and Namdaemun Market. Overnight in Seoul. Includes: (B). * Please be advised that the National Museum of Korea and Changdeokgung Palace with its rear Garden are closed on Mondays.

Day 3:Seoul - Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon - Seoul

A morning Tour of Seoul includes Gyeongbokgung Palace, passing by Blue House (Presidential Residence), the National Folk Museum of Korea, and N Seoul Tower on Mt. Namsan for a bird's-eye view of Metropolitan city of Seoul. An afternoon tour includes Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, over 5 km in length, the fortress wall averages 9 m high and its bulwark of stone and brick is considered the masterpiece of Korean fortress construction. The fortress wall was designated as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 1997. Afterwards, visit Korean Folk Village.Overnight in Seoul. Includes: (B).

* Please be advised that Gyeongbokgung Palace and the National Folk Museum of Korea are closed on Tuesdays,

Day 4:Seoul - Ganghwado Island - Yeoju - Seoul

This morning travel to Ganghwado Island and take a tour of Dolmen Sites in Ganghwado Island where approximately 120 dolmens have been found distributed along the foot of the Goryo Mountain. The dolmen sites in Ganghwado Island was designated as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage along with the dolmen sites in Gochang and Hwasun in 2000. An afternoon tour in Seoul visits Jongmyo Shrine where the memorial services for the kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty were performed. The Jongmyo Shrine was designated as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 1995. Afterwards, continue to Yeoju and visit Yeongneung, the joint tomb of the 4th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, King Sejong (1397-1450, reign 1418-1450) and his wife Queen Soheon (1395-1446), and Nyeongneung, the royal tomb of the 17th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, King Hyojong (1619-1659, reign 1649-1659), and of his wife Queen Inseon (1618-1674). The 40 Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty were designated as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 2009. The tombs are among the 40 Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. Overnight in Seoul. Includes: (B).

Day 5:Seoul - Gochang - Hwasun - Haeinsa Temple

This morning drive to Gochang and visit Dolmen Sites in Gochang, and proceed to Hwasun and visit Dolmen Sites in Hwasun. The dolmen sites in Gochang and Hwasun were designated as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage along with the dolmen sites in Ganghwado Island in 2000. Continue to Haeinsa Temple and overnight at a hotel in the temple village. Includes: (B).

Day 6:Haeinsa Temple - Hahoe Historic Village - Gyeongju

A morning tour visits Haeinsa Temple which is one of the three greatest temples of Korea, established in 803 A.D., chiefly known today as the depositories of the Tripitaka Koreana, set of over 80,000 wooden printing blocks engraved with one of the most comprehensive compilations of the Buddhist scriptures in all of Asia. The depositories (Janggyeong Panjeon) and the Tripitaka Koreana Wooden Printing Blocks (Janggyeong Pan) were added to the UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List in 1995. Proceed to Hahoe Historic Village in Andong, the best preserved traditional village of the Joseon Dynasty, where residents still live in traditional thatched and tile-roofed houses and one of the few remaining examples of a classical Joseon Dynasty Confucian village layout. Queen Elisabeth II visited Hahoe Historic Village and was welcomed with Birthday Party Table decorated in Korean traditional way. The Hahoe Historic Village was designated as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage along with Yangdong Historic Village in 2010. Later, continue to Gyeongju where was the capital of the Silla Dynasty from 57 B.C. to 935 A.D. and designated by UNESCO as one of the world's ten most historically significant sites. Overnight in Gyeongju. Includes: (B).

Day 7:Gyeongju

A morning tour of Gyeongju includes Bulguksa Temple, originally constructed in 535 A.D., the most frequented and best-known temple in Korea. Bulguksa Temple is the representative relic of Gyeongju. The beauty of the temple itself and the artistic touch of the stone relics are known throughout the world. The Bulguksa Temple was added to the UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List in 1995, and Seokguram Grotto, dating back to the same era as Bulguksa Temple, one of Asia's finest Buddhist shrines, an attempt to represent physically the highest spiritual aspirations, the crowning achievement of Silla religio-artistic work. The Seokguram Grotto was added to the UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List in 1995. An afternoon tour of Gyeongju visits the Gyeongju Historic Areas where was designated as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 2000. Overnight in Gyeongju. Includes: (B).

Day 8:Gyeongju - Yangdong Historic Village - Busan

This morning travel to Yangdong Historic Village inGyeongju. Yangdong Historic Village is Korea's largest traditional village along with Hahoe Historic Village, showcasing the traditional culture of the Joseon Dynasty and the beautiful natural surroundings. Charles, Prince of Wales, visited this village in 1993. TheYangdong Historic Village was designated as the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage along with Hahoe Historic Village in 2010. Proceed to Busan. The balance of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Busan. Includes: (B).

Day 9: Busan - Jejudo Island

Amorningtour of Busan includes YongdusanPark,BusanTower, JagalchiFishMarket, TaejongdaeSeasideCliffPark (Taejongdae Resort Park),and UNMemorialCemetery. In the afternoon, transfer to Busan (Gimhae) Domestic Airport for a flight to Jejudo Island. Overnight in Jeju city.Includes: (B).

Day 10:Jejudo Island

Jejudo Island, Korea's largest Island which is often described as "Emerald Isle" or "Island of Gods". Jejudo Island was added to the UNESCO's Biosphere Reserve List in 2002, the UNESCO's World Natural Heritage List in 2007, the UNESCO's Global Geoparks Network (GGN) List in 2010, and was named as one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World in 2011. Today you visit the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites of Jejudo Island. They are Seoneul Geomunoreum Crater where you will climb up and walk the inside of the crater for about 3 hours, Manjanggul Cave, the largest tube in the Geomunoreum lava tube system, one of the finest lava tunnels in the world, and Seongsan Ilchulbong (Seongsan's Sunrise Peak) Crater rose from under the sea in a volcanic eruption over 100,000 years ago. Overnight in Jeju city. Includes: (B).

Day 11:Jejudo Island

A full day tour of Jejudo Island visits Yongduam (Dragon Head Rock), the Jeju Folklore & Natural History Museum, Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, Seopjikoji (Seopji sudden bump on land), Yeomiji Botanical Gardens, Jusangjeolli (stone pillars piled up along the coast), Seongeup Folk Village, and Sangumburi Crater. Overnight in Jeju city. Includes: (B).

Day 12:Jejudo Island - Seoul

This morning flytoSeoul. In the afternoon visit Seoul Folk Flea Market and

Itaewon Shopping District.Overnight in Seoul. Includes: (B).

Day 13:Departure