• Enroll
  • Help center
    • All Destinations
      • Asia
      • Latin America
      • Europe
      • South Pacific
      • Africa
      • US & Canada
    • Europe
      • Spain
      • Italy
      • France
      • Greece
      • Switzerland
      • England
    • Latin America
      • Costa Rica
      • Panama
      • Peru
      • Ecuador
      • Belize
      • Dominican Republic
    • Asia
      • South Korea
      • Japan
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
      • Cambodia
      • China
    • Featured:
    • Popular tours
    • Black Friday deals
    • Subjects
      • Career & Technical Education Tours
      • STEM Tours
      • History Tours
      • Art, Music & Theater Tours
      • Language Tours
    • Collections
      • Starter Tours
      • Career Readiness Tours
      • Middle School Tours
      • Global Leadership Summit
      • Community Engagement Tours
      • Tours for Girls
      • View all
    • How it works
      • Plan your first tour
      • Pricing & inclusions
      • Request a free brochure
    • Why choose EF
      • Educational impact
      • Best-in-class safety
      • Personalized support
    • Teacher benefits
      • Teacher training
      • Global Rewards program
      • Credit & professional development
    • EF & Educational Travel
      • About EF
      • Educational travel 101
      • Find your teacher’s tour
      • Booking Conditions
    • Safety & Support
      • Our approach to safety
      • Peace of Mind Program
      • Travel protection
      • Meet your people
    • Pricing & Inclusions
      • Payments made easy
      • Everything that’s included
      • Fundraising & scholarships
    • Getting Ready to Go
      • Passports & visas
      • Flights & transportation
      • Trip packing list
      • Rooming & meals
      • Adult travelers
Contact usLog in

Discover South Korea

9 days in Seoul, Gyeongju, and Busan

Optional 3 day extension

Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul south korea.
See itinerary
OverviewItineraryReviewsWhat's includedPriceFAQs
Start planning

OVERVIEW

Ride the Korean Wave from Seoul to seaside villages and discover a nation leading the world in art, culture, and technology

Students engage all their senses as they uncover South Korea's dynamic traditions through history, art, and cuisine—then see firsthand how this nation also shapes global culture and trends. In Seoul, they explore royal palaces, stroll down neon-lit streets, and feel the creative pulse of K-pop at every turn. Then they step back in time among Gyeongju's centuries-old temples and royal tombs, and experience Busan's colorful seaside streets.

Discover South Korea route map

What you’ll do

Explore a sample itinerary

Day 1: Fly to South Korea

Board your international flight to Seoul

Day 2: Seoul

Meet your Tour Director at the destination airport

Day 3: Seoul

Take a tour of Seoul. With your Tour Director, you will:

  • See Cheonggye Plaza and Cheonggyecheon Stream

  • See Gwanghwamun Square

  • Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace

Take a walking tour of the Ikseon-dong neighborhood

Visit the Bukchon Hanok Village

Take in panoramic views of Seoul from the Lotte World Tower

Add this in-depth experience
Korean martial arts

Korean martial arts

Explore the discipline of both body and mind as you particpate in an introductory Korean martial arts class. Learn the basics of either modern taekwondo or traditional taekyyeon, one of the oldest martial arts in the country and considered to be taekwondo's predecessor.

Day 4: Seoul • Gyeongju

Travel to Gyeongju

Explore the Gyeongju National Museum

Take a walking tour of Hwangnidan Street

Visit Wolji Pond

Stop for a photo at Donggung Palace

Day 5: Gyeongju • Busan

Take a tour of Gyeongju. With your Tour Director you will:

  • Visit Bulguksa Temple

  • Visit Seokguram Grotto

Visit Cheomseongdae, a 7th-century observatory tower

Stroll through Tumuli Park

Travel to Busan

Visit Haedong Yoggungsa Temple

Day 6: Busan

Take an in-depth tour of Busan. With your Tour Director you will:

  • See BIFF Square

  • See Busan Tower

  • Visit Jagalchi Fish Market

Take a beach train to Cheongsapo

Visit Gamcheon Culture Village

Day 7: Busan • Seoul

Travel by train to Seoul

Participate in a Korean cooking class

Visit the War Memorial of Korea

Add this in-depth experience
K-Pop dance class

K-Pop dance class

Learn to dance like a K-Pop star! K-Pop is one of the enormous reasons behind South Korea's increasingly influential cultural impact across the globe. In this class, you'll learn from K-Pop dancers who will guide you step-by-step through actual choreography. You'll leave with professional photos, videos, and an official K-Pop dance certificate.

Day 8: Seoul

Add this in-depth experience
Korea Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

Korea Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

Take a full-day tour to Korea's Demilitarized Zone (better known as the DMZ). This 150-mile long demarcated military area separates North and South Korea. Learn about Korea's complicated internal struggle as you visit notable sites including the Third Tunnel—one of four tunnels underneath the border.

Take a walking tour of Myeongdong, a modern shopping district

Enjoy a non-verbal Nanta Performance

Day 9: Depart for home

Board your flight home from Seoul

What makes this tour special?

Explore the vibrant Gamcheon Culture Village, a hillside maze of pastel houses and colorful street art

Explore the vibrant Gamcheon Culture Village, a hillside maze of pastel houses and colorful street art

Roll up your sleeves for a hands-on cooking class and prepare traditional dishes—then taste your creations

Roll up your sleeves for a hands-on cooking class and prepare traditional dishes—then taste your creations

Step into Korea's royal history at Gyeongbokgung Palace, an architectural masterpiece with over 7,000 rooms

Step into Korea's royal history at Gyeongbokgung Palace, an architectural masterpiece with over 7,000 rooms

All of our tours are powered by our proven EF Method

Learn more

Your experience includes

Airfare & transportation
Hotels
Regional-style meals
Guided sightseeing
Entrances
Full-time Tour Director
Expert Local Guides
Personalized Learning Support
Continuous Support
Worldwide Presence

Travelers save when you lead this tour before October 1, 2027

See 2027 pricing

Unlock your lowest price

mm03
/
dd03
/
yyyy2028

We're sorry, this departure date is not available. Please choose another date.


Payment plan options

Pay over time interest-free or pay all at once

Fundraising

Every traveler receives a no-fee donation page

Global Citizen Scholarship

Every year EF awards $100,000 to student travelers

PTP topos dividers
Price_flourish_spacer_m

Reviews

We're proud to work with Trustpilot to provide reviews that are live, unedited, and independent — real stories from travelers like you.

Frequently asked questions

Let’s unpack that

We’ll connect you with your personal Tour Consultant—someone who works with other teachers in your area and specializes in planning EF tours. They’ll walk you through this itinerary (along with other tours in our portfolio that match your curriculum or catch your eye), explain student pricing, and show you just how easy it is to partner with EF.

Once you decide to lead a tour, your Tour Consultant will help you get school administrators on board, students excited, and families ready to enroll. You’ll host an informational meeting to kick off the enrollment period, and we’ll provide everything you need—from a digital presentation to printed handouts, parent resources, and more.

You’ll have a dedicated Tour Director who will guide your group from the moment you land in your first destination until your final goodbye. They:

  • Take all the same transportation and stay in the same hotels as your group

  • Speak the local language (but lead the tour in English!)

  • Support you 24/7 as your right hand

  • Offer deep cultural context to help students feel connected to their destination

  • Handle all the logistics, so you don’t have to

  • Are the secret ingredient that makes your tour truly shine

Yes! You earn a free spot on tour as soon as six paying travelers enroll. For every additional six paying travelers, you earn another free spot for an adult chaperone of your choosing. For example, if 30 students sign up, that’s four free chaperone spots in addition to yours.

All travelers on international EF tours must have a valid passport. When it comes to documentation, every traveler and destination is different, so once your group starts enrolling, we’ll help direct you and your families to relevant resources.
 
Passports should have at least three blank pages and be valid for at least six months after your return date.

EF has set the standard for travel-based learning for over 60 years. Not only do our educational tours amplify the lessons you’re already exploring in your classroom, but they also help build more empathy, open-mindedness, confidence, and cross-cultural understanding.
 
Our educational philosophy, the EF Method, is built into every itinerary, so your students are immersed in a continuous journey of engaging, hands-on learning in real-world situations from the moment they step off the plane.

Yes! Plan to explore each destination primarily on foot, so be sure to pack your comfiest sneakers. You’ll have time to rest on the bus while traveling between cities and activities. If any travelers need accommodations, just let your EF Travel Team know in advance.

Every hotel your group stays in is required to meet EF’s rigorous standards for quality, safety, and cleanliness. (We have an entire team dedicated to ensuring that!) However, it’s important to remember that international hotels designed for student travel may feel a little different from what students are familiar with. For example, some hotels may not have an elevator. Rooms will have multiple single beds or shared double beds, and every room will have a private bathroom.

You’ll receive more detailed meal information closer to your tour, but here’s an overview of what to expect:

  • Daily breakfast is served continental-style at your hotel.

  • Most tours include daily group dinners, which take place at local restaurants (or your hotel) and feature a mix of familiar favorites and local dishes from a set menu.

  • Lunches are usually not included, but this varies by itinerary. If lunch isn’t included, this is the perfect opportunity for students to explore local markets and discover their new favorite food.

Travelers will share allergy or dietary information with EF after signing up, and we’ll help make the necessary accommodations.

We’re here to help! Start a live one-on-one chat with a team member.

Where learning meets life

Footer

We're here to help

Contact us
Help Center

Learn more

How it works
About EF
Customer Reviews
Visit our blog
Careers at EF

Other EF brands

EF Explore America
EF Language Abroad
EF Tours for Girls
EF Educational Tours Canada
EF Adventures
EF Ultimate Break
EF Go Ahead Tours
EF Gap Year

Stay connected

Contact us
Help Center
How it works
About EF
Customer Reviews
Visit our blog
Careers at EF
EF Explore America
EF Language Abroad
EF Tours for Girls
EF Educational Tours Canada
EF Adventures
EF Ultimate Break
EF Go Ahead Tours
EF Gap Year

Stay connected

Privacy Policy and Legal Notices

© Signum International AG 2026. All rights reserved.