South Korea Real Food Adventure

8 Days | Slurp, crunch and spoon your way into the belly of South Korea

4.9 out of 5 based on 135 reviews submitted.
Food
From
EUR €2,474
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Immerse yourself in the choose-your-own adventure atmosphere of South Korean food, from bibimbap to street food markets you could get lost in (if it weren’t for your leader guiding you to the best stalls). South Korea’s food scene is often delightfully informal and meals in South Korea are all about finding your flavours. Chow down on meals served with dozens of toppings, light and crispy Korean fried chicken washed down with a small-batch craft beer, silky glass noodles stirred with colourful salad and the various delightful iterations of kimchi. Discover the flavourful diversity and heritage of this rich culinary scene. 

Trip overview

Map of South Korea Real Food Adventure including Korea, Republic Of
Start
Seoul, South Korea
Finish
Seoul, South Korea
Theme
Food
Destinations
South Korea
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Original
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
CJZK
We’re in the process of figuring out how much CO2-e this trip generates. In the meantime, find out more about our climate commitments and carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Enjoy a home-cooked meal of seasonal dishes in a local’s home in Busan, gaining an insight into everyday life and chatting with your friendly host about the big city over a cup of tea.
  • Learn how to make everybody’s favourite pickled dish – kimchi, of course – at a cooking class in Jeonju, then try the city’s iconic bibimbap (declared an intangible cultural asset, it’s just that good).
  • Meet the local stall holders in the Gwangang market of Netflix fame and try the best street food that Seoul has to offer. Then, wander the Jagalchi market – a huge seafood wonderland by the Busan port.
  • Rub shoulders with the locals in a hanok (traditional home) in Jeonju, then learn about the everyday life of monks during a unique temple stay experience in Gyeongju, where you’ll eat plant-based meals and rise with the sun for morning meditation.
  • Feast on all the iconic foods of South Korea, including Korean fried chicken, bibimbap, japchae, kimbap, a seafood BBQ and of course, Korean BBQ.
  • By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries.

Is this trip right for you?
  • The cuisine of South Korea includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip.
  • South Korea is best explored on foot. In fact, most travellers are surprised at how much distance they end up covering! Make sure your shoes are comfy and you are fit enough to spend most of each day on your feet.
  • We suggest packing smart for this trip, as you'll be required to carry your own luggage between train stations and to hotels, which can include going up and down multiple flights of stairs in crowded areas. Elevators are available in most stations, but the lighter you pack the easier it will be.
  • A traditional Korean bed is a futon-like mattress placed on the floor, which may be folded up and placed in the cupboard in the morning. This trip includes two nights' accommodation with Korean-style floor bedding – one night in a hanok (traditional house) in Jeonju, and one night at a monastery in Gyeongju. While floor bedding can be firm compared to standard western mattresses, the floors are heated and you will be comfortable. You can also request extra mattresses for your comfort.
  • The monastery stay provides both unique accommodation and an inimitable cultural experience, offering insight into monastic cuisine and rituals. Part of travelling with Intrepid means respecting local cultures and sensibilities, including dress codes. You will be given pants and a tunic to wear during your stay, and socks must be worn in the temple. Rooms at the monastery are multi-share, which means you may have to share a room with up to three people of the same gender. Couples of opposite genders are not able to share a room on this night as it is against monastery rules. Smoking and alcohol consumption are prohibited at the monastery.
  • The Jeonju Bibimbap Festival takes place around the third week of October, with games, exhibitions and foods related to this iconic dish. The Seoul Kimchi Festival takes place in the first or second week of November, and you may have an opportunity to make kimchi with thousands of locals. If you’d like to attend one of these festivals, please check our departure dates to ensure your selected date aligns with your preferred festival.

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2024.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025

Map of South Korea Real Food Adventure including Korea, Republic Of

Inclusions

Meals

5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners

Transport

Private Vehicle, Train, Public Bus, Metro, Taxi

Accommodation

Hotel (5 nights), Temple stay (1 night), Hanok (1 night)

Activities
  • Seoul - Korean Fried Chicken & beer Welcome Dinner
  • Jeonju - Kimchi Cooking demonstration
  • Jeonju - Hanok Village Visit
  • Sunchang - Gochujang (traditional chilli paste) Cooking Demonstration
  • Sunchang - Mount Gangcheon Hike
  • Gyeongju - Temple Stay program including meditation
  • Gyeongju - Morning meditation and tea with a monk
  • Busan - Haeundae Beach
  • Busan - Haedong Temple
  • Gyeongju - Silla Heritage site
  • Busan - Farm Visit
  • Busan - Jagalchi Seafood Market Tour
  • Busan - Seafood BBQ by the sea
  • Busan - Supermarket stop
  • Busan - Home-cooked meal with a local family
  • Seoul - Celebratory Korean BBQ Dinner
Add on activities
  • Seoul - Nanta Live cooking show - KRW50000

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Days 4 (Temple Stay) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
3. On Day 4 you will stay overnight at a Buddhist temple. Accommodation here is multi-share and you may be required to share with up to three other travellers of the same gender. Couples of opposite genders are unable to share a room, as this is against the rules of the temple.
4. Please advise bedding configuration requests to your booking agent at time of booking.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 based on 135 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Shannon · Traveled September 2024
This was such a great experience and I learned so much about Korean food culture and about Korea in general. Thanks to Sam for being such a fabulous and knowledgeable guide!
Review submitted 11 Sep 2024

Lucinda · Traveled September 2024
Review submitted 11 Sep 2024

Daniela · Traveled September 2024
I loved this tour! The food was great - had a huge variety of traditional Korean food. Highlight for me was the home cooked meal. There was a good mix of accommodation- some is very basic others really nice. My tour was in September which is very hot and humid - and while a lot of indoor places are air conditioned the tour is very physical - lots of walking and stairs. Our guide Sam was great! Very kind and funny.
Review submitted 11 Sep 2024

Nick · Traveled September 2024
This tour was phenomenal. Much more than the food (which was outstanding!), learnt so much about the Korean culture and way of life. Highly recommend!
Review submitted 09 Sep 2024

Daniel · Traveled September 2024
Fantastic trip with good guide and food.
Review submitted 08 Sep 2024
South Korea Real Food Adventure
From
EUR €2,474