All Seoul Tours & Excursions in 2026 - page 8

Nice sampler of Korean history and sights related to the dark chapter of the Korean War. Our guide Jun was well informed, funny, and also insightful as he related the South Korean cultural perspective on peace, international relations, and the nation’s hopes for better times.

I booked this experience for my daughters (13, 11) and I.  We travel often and rarely do any type of tours.  This experience required it and I was willing to spend extra money to get the tour without the tour if you know what I mean.   Our guide, Jihyung Lee (JH) did just that and more.  I had wanted to leave at 9am but JH contacted me the night before and told me to ensure entry into the DMZ we should leave at 7:30am.  I gave him our full names and birth dates and was told to bring our passports and comfortable clothing and shoes.   He arrived promptly at 7:30am and picked us up outside our accommodation.  While driving JH started giving us some history about North and South Korea.  We had purposely not used AI or Googled anything the night before so we could waltz into this ignorant and ready to learn. He gave us the timeline of Korean history (invasions, all of it) including stories about the Cow Bridge, Choco Pies, and the founder of Hyundai which were captivating.   When we arrived JH took us around Imjingak Park (Peace Park) while we waited to get on the charter bus into the DMZ.  He gave the girls and I each Choco Pies as we exited his vehicle, this was very thoughtful. Multiple guides from other tours stopped to say "Hello" to JH and then tell us we had the best guide around.  Over the course of the day I would come to realize how true this was. He explained in detail various landmarks at this park. A poignant statue commemorating young Korean girls' sacrifices during occupations by other nations moved me.  JH carefully explained this statue in detail in a way that was respectful but with my daughters understanding what happened to them.  It was odd watching tourists walk up and sit down next to the statue and take pictures smiling.   After JH told us everything about it he asked if we wanted a picture too.  The girls and I looked at each other and did not even need to say anything.  Did not feel right and he completely understood.  You would not get that without a private guide, we would have taken that same picture like everyone else.  It's all about context, delivery, and an eagerness to learn on our part. JH also had a great picture guide giving us reference for the different lines (CCL, CCZ, SSL, and MDL) including more information about the JSA. My girls and I are curious and peppered him with questions.    This continued with the DORA Observatory and the Third Infiltration Tunnel. Specifically with the DORA observatory as we did not have the best weather day and he was able to give my daughters and I one on one instructions on seeing the various sites through the binoculars (Flagpole competition, start of Third Infiltration Tunnel, The propaganda town, etc.).   After all this we took the bus back to Imjingak Park.  He let my daughters and I have lunch for an hour and went to eat lunch on his own.  When we were done eating lunch he was ready to pick us up and we were on our way to the defector interview.  This was shorter than I expected, but a powerful experience for my daughters and I. That woman has some courage to tell us her story and let us ask questions.  We were all moved and grateful. After that, we went to the suspension bridge by the lake.  I would like to say, as a single Dad I do not get many photos with my girls on these trips.  Not this time, every picture throughout this journey we are together.  JH made sure of that.  I really appreciated all the photos he took on his phone of this memorable day.  He would send all them to me over What's App (that is how we communicated) and then later that night sent the high resolution photos over email (over 100). We enjoyed our time on the suspension bridge and I enjoyed the wind in my face and watching my daughters run along the bridge while chatting with JH.  At this point we had become friends. Just a great guy overall. We all took a picture together and then headed back to our accommodation in Yongsan.  He gave my girls some special lapel pins which was another nice gesture.  He also had bottled water ready for all of us on the way home. As we munched on our Choco Pies and spilled crumbs all over the car with him smiling saying "No worries, I can clean it later". It was these small thoughtful events throughout the day that had me reflecting days afterwards how lucky we were to have such a knowledgeable, friendly, and thoughtful guide. The private tour was so worth the extra money for this experience.  Next time I come to Seoul I am taking JH out to dinner.  It was that kind of day.  I hope you are lucky enough to get him for this tour too.

This was a fantastic service. The driver was waiting for us at the gate on time, and the van was very spacious and comfy, with plenty of space for our bags. It was a really comfortable ride to our hotel. I would highly recommend anyone that is visiting Seoul to skip the stress of having to figure out transportation when you arrive and just schedule this. It was well worth it.

We had the pleasure of spending an entire day touring Seoul with Jung, and she was absolutely fantastic. From the moment we met her, she was warm, friendly, and incredibly easy to talk to. She made everyone in our family feel comfortable and welcomed throughout the day. Jung was not only knowledgeable about Seoul and its history, but she was also funny, engaging, and thoughtful. She went above and beyond by frequently offering to take family photos for us, which allowed us to fully enjoy the experience while capturing wonderful memories together. Her positive attitude, attention to detail, and genuine care for her guests made our tour truly special. We never felt rushed, and she was always happy to answer questions and share local insights. I highly recommend Jung to anyone looking for a knowledgeable, personable, and professional tour guide in Seoul. She helped make our visit unforgettable, and we are very grateful for the wonderful experience she provided. Thank you, Jung!

Tan was such a wonderful host, he is warm and friendly, full of energy and keen to show everyone how good Korean food is. We had a great evening with him leading us through the market and trying lots of different dishes. It was a highlight of our time in Seoul!

Absolutely loved the tour with Eddie. Very nice and informative about Korean War history. He helped us with getting the best views in seeing the DMZ and North Korean side. I would highly recommend this tour and you must see it if in Seoul. Hands down my favorite tour in my time in South Korea!!

This small group with tour guide, Eddie, was a well spent day to see cultural Seoul. The sites curated for this tour is perfect for first time and repeat Seoul visitors. He provided very interesting and informative details. We highly recommend this tour with Eddie.

Very thorough and well organized. Michelle the tour guide was making sure we got the most of our day. She adjusted the schedule to account for long lines so that we had minimal wait at each location. She also offered great tips on restaurants and shopping locations. She made the whole experience fun and was helpful in providing historical context to each site. Wonderful experience.