Seoul Highlights & Hidden Gems Tours by Locals: Private + Custom
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Seoul, South Korea
- 2 to 6 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Seoul is considered one of South Korea’s must-see cities, but navigating the language barrier to explore solo can be a challenge. On this tour, leave the guidebook at home and explore South Korea’s bustling capital through the eyes of a local. Customize your itinerary to hit top attractions such as Gyeongbokgung Palace or the N-Seoul Tower, or step off the beaten trail to corners of the city many visitors miss.
- See the best of Seoul with your local guide to lead the way
- Customize your itinerary to hit the highlights of most interest
- Escape the beaten trail to secrets corners of South Korea’s exciting capital
- Enjoy a personalized experience with a customizeable itinerary
What's Included
- A private and personalized walking experience with insider tips from a passionate local.
- Flexible start times and tour durations—choose the option that suits you best.
- A pre-tour questionnaire to tailor the experience to your preferences.
- Direct communication with your host for itinerary planning and local recommendations.
- Food, drinks and tickets to any attractions
- Transportation costs (as this is a walking tour, public transport may be used at an additional cost)
- Gratuities (optional)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
Seoul (Pass By)
Cheonggyecheon Stream (Pass By)
Gwanghwamun Square (Pass By)
Gyeongbokgung Palace (Pass By)
Bukchon Hanok Village (Pass By)
Insadong (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- - After booking, you'll receive a short questionnaire to share your interests, preferences, and must-sees. Your guide will personally reach out to craft a fully customized itinerary that suits your style—whether you love history, food, hidden gems, or cultural experiences.
- - This private tour is a walking experience. A private vehicle is not included.
- - Public transportation or local taxis may be used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with your host after your reservation is finalized.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 376 reviews
Smitha_M, Mar 2026
Bella was an amazing guide; extremely helpful and flexible picking us up from our Airbnb and taking us all around Seoul, wherever we wanted to go. She was extremely knowledgeable about history, culture, the people, and food. She took us to the Royal palace where we got dressed up and explored the royal grounds, telling us about all the different buildings, customs and beliefs held by the people of the day. She then took us to Insadong where we went to a traditional Korean tea shop. Finally we went to Gwangjang marketplace which was incredible and an experience worth checking out. Thank you Bella for a splendid afternoon!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We’re so glad you had such a fun and immersive afternoon exploring Seoul, from the royal palace to tea traditions and vibrant markets! It’s wonderful to hear how seamless and enriching the experience felt — thank you for sharing this.
Jocelyn_S, Mar 2026
Andrew Lee was our tour guide and he was fantastic!!! So knowledgeable and took amazing photos for us. He provided us with so many insider tips about restaurants and must see places to visit. We also enjoyed a delicious lunch with him. I highly recommend this tour and Andrew! What a great experience.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We're happy that Andrew made your tour so memorable and that you enjoyed his insights, tips, and even lunch together. Thank you so much for sharing your experience! So glad you had a wonderful experience, and we truly appreciate your recommendation.
Simon_R, Mar 2026
Nice city tour with friendly and funny Andrew. He showed many sites throughout the rain affected 4 hours and we were walked away with a better understanding of Seoul and South Korea.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We’re so glad you enjoyed exploring Seoul and gaining a deeper understanding of the city, even with the rain! It’s great to hear the experience stayed engaging and enjoyable throughout — thank you for sharing this.
Rhoda_C, Mar 2026
GJ is very knowledgeable, efficient & an absolute joy. She customized the tour to fit our needs (an elder, a child, heavier on the shopping & food tips) & left us pointers on others to see on our own. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We’re so glad the experience felt perfectly tailored for your group and interests! It’s wonderful to hear the mix of shopping, food tips, and thoughtful pacing made it so enjoyable — your recommendation means a lot to us.
Mitsue_Y, Mar 2026
Thank you for the walking tour it was a great experience!!!
He really does know a lot about history!! Awesome experience, I would definitely recommend
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the walking experience and that it was a great experience. It’s wonderful to know that your host’s knowledge of history made the experience even more memorable. We truly appreciate your recommendation.
Rich_P, Mar 2026
Fantastic time spent with Andrew visiting the sites that others won’t take you to and due to his background and knowledge he keeps it interesting and informative throughout. Andrew understood exactly what we wanted to do and just as importantly not wanted to do and this made everything seem very personalised to us. Would throughly recommend Andrew and this tour to anyone visiting Seoul.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We’re so glad your time in Seoul felt truly personalized and took you beyond the usual spots! It’s wonderful to hear the mix of insight and understanding made it such a fantastic experience — your recommendation means so much to us.
Vanessa_T, Jan 2026
This was an excellent walking tour of Seoul, encompassing the history, culture and food of Seoul. Our guide GJ tailored the tour to our interests. We visited the market ( had delicious dumplings) , the palace, museum and walked through interesting parts of the city. The marble pagoda was an unexpected surprise.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your walking tour of Seoul and that it offered a great balance of history, culture, and food. It’s fantastic to know that GJ tailored the experience to your interests and that highlights like the market visit, palace, museum, and the marble pagoda made the tour especially memorable. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to GJ. We truly appreciate you choosing City Unscripted and hope to welcome you again on another experience in the future! 😊
Lisa_L, Dec 2025
Jeeseon was a great guide and our family of four really enjoyed the tour she planned out for us. We walked through the city and got to have a great variety of experiences - street markets, old village, learned a little bit about K-pop, and palaces - and all this within the four hours we had booked with her. She was friendly and personable and kept the tour interesting for our 17 and 13 year old sons. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re delighted to hear that your family had such a memorable experience with Jeeseon. We’re grateful for your recommendation and would be delighted to welcome you and your family back on another City Unscripted tour in the future.
SUJAINIKHIL_R, Dec 2025
We had a fantastic city tour with GJ, and she truly made the experience memorable. She was extremely enthusiastic from the moment we met her, and her energy kept the entire tour lively and engaging.
GJ is incredibly knowledgeable—she shared fascinating insights, local stories, and historical details that added so much depth to each stop. She handled our questions with ease and made sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves throughout.
Overall, it was an excellent tour, and GJ’s passion for her city really shone through. We would highly recommend her to anyone visiting Seoul and looking for an informative, fun, and well-guided experience.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
We’re delighted to hear your city tour with GJ was such a memorable and energizing experience! It’s wonderful that her enthusiasm, deep knowledge, and thoughtful care brought Seoul to life and made every moment engaging. Thank you for your glowing recommendation, she’ll be so happy to hear how much you enjoyed the day!
Jacinta_G, Nov 2025
Jeeseon Choi was my guide for a 6hr walking tour. She was an excellent guide who was knowledgeable about the various places we visited and brought me to places that were less crowded and somewhat off the beaten track. She indulged my request for Yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) and brought me to a very local place to try it...to die for. The concept of thrifing in Seoul is at the next level and I now know where the old Korean men hangout in the afternoons to give their wives a break!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
We’re thrilled to hear your Seoul experience with Jeeseon was such a fantastic one! It’s wonderful that her local insights, flexibility, and fun off-the-beaten-path stops made the day so memorable — and that Yukhoe experience sounds incredible! Thank you for sharing your kind words!
Lena_K, Oct 2025
I really enjoyed my private tour with GJ 👏🏻 she was very kind and gave me a customized experience. She was really open for any questions and showed me a lot of places I wouldn’t have found myself. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We’re so happy to hear you had such a wonderful private tour with GJ! It’s great that her kindness, openness, and local insights made the experience so personal and memorable. Thank you for your glowing five-star feedback!
Sasha_Z, Oct 2025
GJ was an excellent guide. I chose the Hidden Gems option vs the more "touristy" option and she did not disappoint. It was well worth the investment to have local knowledge to expand on the history and significance as well as provide inside data on living in Seoul. Plus, I feel like I made a new friend and hope to do it again on my next trip!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We’re thrilled to hear your Hidden Gems experience in Seoul with GJ was so rewarding! It’s wonderful that her local insights and personal touch made the tour both meaningful and fun. Thank you for your lovely feedback — we’re sure she’ll be delighted to hear she’s made a new friend!
Dan_B, Oct 2025
We had a private guided tour with guide, Jaen. He was very professional, efficient, and knowledgeable. He made some suggestions that we gladly accepted in order to maximize our sightseeing experience. In his pleasant ways, he gave us a broad overview of many sites and interesting areas of Seoul and provided us with valuable information that we would never have known about without his explanation. We would highly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful review! We're thrilled that you had such a positive experience with Jaen as your guide. His professionalism, local knowledge, and thoughtful suggestions truly make a difference in helping guests get the most out of their time in Seoul. We're glad to know you enjoyed the tour and discovered aspects of the city you might not have otherwise. Thank you for the recommendation and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future!
Katrina_L, Sep 2025
We had JS as a guide. She made the effort to reach out beforehand to understand our tour preferences better (separate from the questionnaire), which was really appreciated. She also had very good English despite never having lived outside of Korea. The tour involved a lot of walking and took us from the main palace in Seoul to Hanok Village to the DDP - a good mix of mainstream attractions and slightly less touristy attractions. Would recommend being as honest as possible in answering the pre-tour questionnaire as well as any questions from your guide as to your tour preferences to get the best experience!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
We’re thrilled to hear that JS went the extra mile to understand your tour preferences and that you enjoyed the mix of attractions, from the main palace to Hanok Village and DDP. Your tip about being honest in the pre-tour questionnaire is a great one for future guests. We really appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back for another memorable experience in the future!”
Alex_M, Sep 2025
We had some last minute change of plans and I could not go anymore, but our guide was able to accommodate everything and still make it a great experience for my friend. Thank you!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
We’re glad that despite the last-minute change, the guide was able to accommodate everything and still provide a great experience for your friend. We appreciate your kind words! Thank you for sharing your experience and we hope to assist you again in the future.
Karen_L, Sep 2025
This tour was fully customized to what we wanted to see. It was great to move around the city with a local! GJ took us places we would not have seen! It was fun!
It was an active walking tour!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
We’re glad you enjoyed exploring the city with GJ and appreciated the customized experience! Thank you for sharing your feedback — it’s wonderful to know the walk was fun and full of new discoveries.
JUDITH_A, Sep 2025
GJ was an awesome guide! She cheerfully, expertly led us through palaces, statues, street markets, Seoul Tower and more on buses and subways engaging us with Korean history all the while! Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
It’s wonderful to hear GJ made your Seoul tour so memorable — her energy, knowledge, and engaging stories clearly brought the city’s history and landmarks to life while making the day fun and seamless. Thanks for the warm recommendation!
Azlina_K, Sep 2025
Jeeseon was an incredible guide, and I wholeheartedly recommend her tour to anyone visiting Korea! From the moment we met, it felt like I was exploring the city with an old friend - someone warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about sharing her culture.
Her itinerary was thoughtfully prepared and executed with impressive efficiency, making the entire experience seamless and stress-free. The tour was punctuated with rich local and cultural experiences that added depth and authenticity to every stop. Jeeseon also shared fascinating trivia and insights throughout - little-known facts and cultural context that you simply wouldn’t get from a guidebook. It was extremely informative, yet never overwhelming, and always engaging.
The 6 hours flew by, filled with meaningful conversations, laughter, and eye-opening moments. She even went above and beyond to help me get to my next tour - something I truly appreciated. If you’re curious about Korea beyond the surface, this is the tour to take.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
We’re thrilled to hear that your experience with Jeeseon felt like exploring the city with a friend. It’s wonderful to know that her thoughtful itinerary, cultural insights, and warm personality made your tour seamless, engaging, and memorable. We’re especially glad she went the extra mile to assist you beyond the tour. Your recommendation means a lot, and we’d love to welcome you on another City Unscripted experience in the future!
Lynn_G, Sep 2025
It was a great overview of Seoul and the various landmarks around town. We got a wonderful overview of life in the city.
Our guide, Hans, was great. He listened to our needs and was actually able to start the tour earlier than we had scheduled.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
We're so happy to hear you enjoyed such a well-rounded overview of Seoul with Hans. His flexibility, insights, and attentiveness clearly made the experience both smooth and memorable. Thanks for sharing your recommendation!
Nicolette_A, Aug 2025
GJ was an amazing guide. She took me to see all the typical sites and taught me (at my request) how to figure out public transportation and find unique spots for my future solo travels during this trip. Incredibly patient, she didn't mind the many shopping detours I couldn't pass up. Most importantly, she helped me improve my awkward posing for photos. Such a fun and educational day.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
So glad to hear you had such a fun and educational day with GJ, and it’s wonderful that she balanced showing you the highlights with helping you master public transport, shopping stops, and even photo poses to make your trip even more enjoyable! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Sonia_H, Aug 2025
We arrived as ignorant tourists with next to no knowledge of Korean culture and history. So, we booked this for our first full day in Seoul and hoped our guide could give us some context and a ‘place to start’. And did he?! Our first surprise was that Young turned up in an A/C car on our scorching August day, “because there are so many places to cover in such a short time”. We were whisked from one side of the city to the other - from mountain viewpoints to museums to neighbourhoods. Our second surprise was that Young turned out to be a history scholar having discovered an interest in Korean history, and is currently turning his passion into a book. How he managed to give us a condensed history of Korea in just a few hours was admirable. We were blown away but the information, history and change that Korea has undergone. This tour formed a firm foundation for the rest of our stay, and didn’t ’step on the toes’ of other tours and sites that we subsequently took (e.g. DMZ and Gyeongbokgung). We were introduced to parts of Seoul we would never have thought of. I’d say 5hrs is a minimum for doing this and I wish we’d booked longer.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re delighted to hear that Young made your first day in Seoul so memorable and informative. It’s great to know the tour gave you a solid foundation for the rest of your trip.
Michael_C, Jul 2025
Hardest review to write of all 11 tours/experiences we had over our 17 days in Korea and Japan. Our guide, Kevin, shared history and cultural insights with the highlights being the changing of the guard ceremony and a little spot that sold the best tea ever. Unfortunately, Kevin was not very personable - literally every other guide/host introduced themselves and made sure they knew everyone’s name in the family. Kevin handed us a card and headed to the van. Every other guide made sure we saw all the agreed upon sights/stops in a timely fashion whereas we went over on time and then Kevin wanted additional money. We had already agreed, outside of Viator (via WhatsApp) to pay an additional USD $100 for a van to ensure we saw everything. Kevin also offered an extended tour via WhatsApp, going from 6 to 9 hours for an additional $90 to explore Gangbuk and Gangnam. We declined the extension as we only wanted sights in Gangbuk. Then when Kevin runs long he wants additional money. Just felt like Kevin wanted money and not super interested our experience. If he hadn’t hustled me for the extra money I would have given him 4 stars, still the only clearly non-5 star experience we had.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hello Michael,
We’re truly sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet expectations, especially regarding communication and the way the day unfolded. While some guests may request additional time, it is not our standard practice for hosts to suggest extended hours or additional payment during the experience unless clearly communicated and agreed upon in advance.
We’re currently reviewing this situation internally to ensure greater transparency and consistency going forward. Your trust is incredibly important to us, and we’d genuinely appreciate the chance to make things right.
Warm regards,
Sheenah and the City Unscripted Team
Gerard_J, Jul 2025
The tour by Anthony was amazing! We went so many places and my favorite was going to the palace and food market
Response from Host, Jul 2025
So glad to hear you had an amazing time with Anthony — sounds like the palace and food market made for some unforgettable highlights!
kristin_h, Jul 2025
Very informative. Good feel for local area. Be ready to walk! Steve was very nice and so knowledgeable!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for the great feedback — we're glad you enjoyed exploring the area with Steve and appreciated his insights and friendly demeanor!
Joannie_Q, Jul 2025
I had a great time. My guide was very informative and extremely accommodating to anything I wanted to see!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We're delighted to hear you had a great time and that your guide was both informative and flexible in tailoring the experience to your interests. We hope to welcome you on another tour in the future!
PamelaLeo, Jun 2025
My guide today Steve and I had the best time. We visited places which I wouldn't know about and I learn so much about the history of each place that we passed. Steve was patient with my questions and constant photo-taking, imparted his knowledge in a simple, systematic and witty manner. Lunch was a comforting and delicious meal and the dessert he bought was so delicious! I was so touched that Steve stayed back the tour ending time to wait for me to finish my dessert. It was so easy having a conversation with him.
I am really happy that I signed up for this tour and grateful that Steve was my guide.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for this heartwarming review! We’re so happy Steve made your day memorable, from the hidden gems to the tasty treats and all the wonderful stories along the way. It sounds like you had a fantastic connection, and we’re grateful you shared it with us!
cprrjdfzxx, Jun 2025
GJ was fantastic. It was our first full day in Seoul so we wanted a crash course introduction. She created an amazing agenda that allowed us to see and experience many things. Additionally, she was incredibly helpful on tips for public transportation, food, culture and overall lay of the land. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you so much for your kind review and thoughtful feedback! We're so pleased to hear that GJ helped make your first day in Seoul such a memorable and informative experience. It’s wonderful to know she provided you with a well-rounded introduction to the city and offered helpful insights into navigating Seoul like a local.
Shelvey_T, Jun 2025
GJ personalized our experience to cover locations we were not already seeing from another tour we were already participating in the day prior. She was very kind, high energy and great at taking photos. She even brought us frozen waters for 4 of us and gave the kids snacks during the bus rides. Great experience!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
What a thoughtful review—thank you! We're so glad GJ could personalize your experience and bring warmth, energy, and care to your day. From frozen waters to custom stops, it sounds like she made the whole experience extra special for your group!
Walter_L, Jun 2025
Young was an amazing guide. The ideal way to experience the best of Korean history and culture. Truly an insightful and fun experience.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled that you had such an insightful and fun experience with Young. He's truly passionate about sharing the richness of Korean history and culture, and we're glad that came through during your tour. We hope to welcome you again on another adventure soon!
Lisa_m, Jun 2025
And only a short two hours, we would learned a lot about Seoul, the history of South Korea and checked out many shopping/eating sites. This is a very tourist, friendly city and I wish we could’ve stayed longer.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
We’re glad to hear you learned so much about Seoul and enjoyed exploring its history, shopping, and food spots—even within a short two hours. Seoul truly is a vibrant, tourist-friendly city, and we hope you’ll have the chance to stay longer and discover even more next time!
From $75.10
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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