Slurp, crunch and spoon your way into the belly of South Korea
Immerse yourself in the choose-your-own adventure atmosphere of South Korean food, from bibimbap to immense street food markets that you could get lost in (if it weren’t for the local 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.
Savour the flavours of South Korea’s slow food capital Jeonju, slurping kongnamul gukbap and soup noodles in local haunts and learning to craft kimchi and gochujang.
Immerse yourself in monastic life during a temple stay in Gyeongju, including a plant-based dinner and chanting meditation.
Spend a day diving deep into South Korean seafood in Busan, embracing the chaotic energy and of the port seafood market before munching clams in an oceanfront restaurant.
Visit a craft brewery in Jeonju for a taste of South Korea’s booming and inventive craft beer scene, which has exploded in popularity in recent years.
Follow your local leader to the best stalls in the labyrinthian Gwangjang Market in Seoul, which featured in the Netflix series ‘Street Food’.
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.
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our South Korea Real Food Adventure trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
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.
5. The Jeonju Bibimbap Festival takes place in the third week of October, with games, exhibitions and foods related to this iconic dish. The Seoul Kimchi Festival takes place in the first 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.
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.
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