Seoul City Private Full-Day Tour Including Lunch

Recommended by 99% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Seoul, South Korea

Great choice

10+ bookings last month.

8 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0

· Angela_M ·

Jun 2026

Brian was flexible and accommodating. Offered to take pictures of our family without being asked. He also gave my son tips on taking photos of landmarks. Sites were great and lunch was too! Highly recommend this tour.

· Dylan_K ·

Jul 2026

We had a great time on our tour of Seoul with Brian! We very much enjoyed talking with Brian during our tour and we learned a lot about Seoul and Korean culture. Brian was friendly and a great guide. Highly recommend!

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Overview

Join this privately led tour of Seoul and discover some of South Korea's renowned cultural gems. See the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony and tour Gyeongbokgung Palace; stroll around Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong; and visit Jogyesa Temple and N Seoul Tower. The full-day itinerary will lead you through the ages, from ancient city to modern-day capital.

Sightseeing tour of Seoul attractions
Visit highlights such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village
Lunch at a local restaurant
Hotel pickup and drop-off included
Private tour is operated with just your party and a guide/driver

What's Included

Private transport with hotel pick up & drop off
English speaking driver guide
Lunch (Korean food)

Fee for observatory of N Seoul tower (optional)
Cable car for N Seoul tower (optional)
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We pick up from any hotel/Airbnb in Seoul. If you request pick up from Incheon airport, there will be an additional cost.

Start time
.9:30 am

Itinerary

Following hotel pickup in the morning by private vehicle, your personal guide accompanies you to Gyeongbokgung Palace. At the palace entrance you'll see an impressive reenactment of the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony, performed at Gwanghwamun Gate during the Joseon Dynasty.

Gain admission to Gyeongbokgung, considered the most beautiful of the Five Grand Palaces in Seoul. Wander the pavilions and ponds with your guide and learn about its architectural features. (When the palace is closed on Tuesdays, you will visit Changdeokgung Palace instead.)

Next up is Bukchon Hanok Village, a traditional Korean village built nearby. Stroll among hundreds of homes called hanok, most dating to the Joseon Dynasty. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue into the heart of the capital and browse among the alleys of Insadong. You'll find antique items on display amid the galleries, eateries, traditional teahouses, and cafes.

Then pay a visit to Jogyesa, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Located within the city, the stately complex is a religious site for practitioners of Seon (Zen) Buddhism.

N Seoul Tower (Namsan Tower) is the final stop on your full-day itinerary. After a cable car ride or walk to the top of Namsan Mountain, you'll have unobstructed views of the city from this prominent landmark (entrance fees and cable car ride are your own expense). Afterward, you’re dropped off at your hotel.

Gwanghwamun Gate (Pass By)

Gyeongbokgung Palace

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Bukchon Hanok Village

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Insadong

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Jogyesa Temple

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

N Seoul Tower

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
Additional costs may apply for gluten-free, vegan, or halal food requests.
Pick-up is only available in central Seoul, and additional charges may apply for distant areas such as Gangnam.
The tour is conducted by a driver-guide and requires a certain level of physical fitness due to extensive walking.

For groups of 8 or more, if a larger vehicle is needed, a dedicated driver will be assigned, which may result in an increase in the price. Please contact us for more details.
If you require VIP options, need a larger vehicle for groups of 5 or more, or prefer minimal walking, please contact us to discuss an upgrade. Please note that these options may incur additional costs.
Gyeongbokgung Palace and Royal Guard Changing Ceremony is closed on every Tuesday. Instead, you will visit Changdeokgung Palace
Royal Guard Changing Ceremony may not available during rainy days or typhoons (Bad weather)
Tour duration can be adjust depends on weather, traffic or personal reasons
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

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Reviews

5.0

based on 531 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Excellent Private Tour With Brian

Dylan_K, Jul 2026

Amazing day exploring Seoul

Dannielle_J, Jul 2026

Day full of all the Seoul highlights. Jin was a wonderful guide with such amazing knowledge of all aspects of the city. We have had the best day with our two daughters.

Brian was awesome! He...

Doug_W, Jul 2026

Brian was awesome! He provided a lot of interesting insight in addition to showing us awaiting sights around Seoul.

Korean Tour June 2026

Brian_K, Jun 2026

Brian was great. Very knowledgeable about Korean history and also very knowledgeable about the sites. Even though it was an all day event, it went by fast. Definitely worth it!!

A great time!

Angela_M, Jun 2026

We enjoyed this tour...

TAM_V, Jun 2026

We enjoyed this tour thoroughly. Brian shared a lot of information about the history of Seoul and culture. He also made sure we take the best pictures throughout our tour. We highly recommend this experience.

A Fantastic Day Exploring with Brian

Timothy_B, Jun 2026

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Brian. He was extremely knowledgeable, courteous, and professional, while also having a wonderful sense of humor that made the day even more enjoyable. Brian was flexible with the itinerary and went above and beyond by taking us to many interesting places, allowing us to experience more than we expected. His expertise, friendliness, and attention to detail made for an exceptional experience. We truly enjoyed our day with him and would highly recommend booking a tour with Brian. He was outstanding, and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide.

Great tour of Seoul

Diane_S, May 2026

We had a great day. Our guide Jin was amazing, she took such good care of us, even bring frozen water bottles for us to hen she saw how hot it was going to be. Truly a great experience!

An Amazing Tour with Jin

Travis_H, May 2026

We had an AMAZING tour with Jin as our guide. She is so sweet. We saw a beautiful palace with a really long name, a history museum, the village outside of the palace, ate lunch at an authentic Korean restaurant, saw an amazing street market, A buddist temple during lantern season, and finished off with a view of the city from atop a mountain. Jin was very knowledgeable and courteous. She even took us to a money exchange store on request. All in all, a great tour.

Best way to spend a day in Seoul.

Nancy_B, May 2026

We had a wonderful experience with Brian as our guide. He paid attention to our special needs and made sure we had a positive experience. We learned a lot about Korean history.

A Korean immersion

Kevin_J, May 2026

Brian was amazing. By the end of the day, it felt like I made a new friend. This was sight seeing, of course, but also learning about Korean culture. He invited all questions. For the palace, he took us to a Birds Eye view from another building. Then he timed our visit perfectly and had us stand where we had the best view.

Had a great time seeing...

Lauren_T, Apr 2026

Had a great time seeing the city with Jin. She brought us to all the highlights and had lots to show us. Lunch was delicious and she also grabbed us some treats from the market. Would highly recommend for your trip especially day 1.

Hanbok style tour.

RUBELIA_P, Apr 2026

The "Seoul city private full day tour including lunch " was the best tour I ever had. The guest was just me with my husband so we decide where and what to do . I enjoyed visiting the N Seoul tower and also visiting the C palace. I decided to wear a hanbok dress , feeling korean style . I had too much fun learning the history of Korean . Thanks to our best tour guide name Brian Jeong.

Brian our guide was...

FR_R, Apr 2026

Brian our guide was amazing. He spoke perfect English and was very knowledgeable about the history of Seoul.. He was patient with my family and did not rush through the attractions, Highly recommended

Private, flexible and great for families with small children

Bert_S, Apr 2026

Great guide and tour. We were able to adjust our start time and were accommodated. Still able to see all major sites and activities. Our guide, Clara, was so patient, understanding and had such great energy.

Private Tour Seoul

Michelle_P, Apr 2026

We packed in a ton of highlights of Seoul in a private tour. Janet, our tour guide, was super friendly and ensured we were able to fit all the activities in the day.

Excellent Day with Suni

Miryam_C, Apr 2026

We spent the day seeing the most interesting sights of Seoul which is an unremarkable start this review. What was amazing, as we drove around town and walked key sights, was the sheer volume of knowledge about Korean history and culture that Suni brought to bear, all of it delivered with aplomb. We were in such great hands...without question this was the best introduction to a new city that we've ever had. Even when the unexpected popped up, Suni didn't miss a beat and ensured that we were always comfortable. We were so grateful. Needless to say we recommend this tour and Suni in particular.

We had a great time with Jin

Yong_B, Mar 2026

Jin took us through Seoul. With her secret special spots we had a chance to see the very beautiful side of the city. Thanks to her, we had a wonderful time.

Loved our guide!

Christopher_C, Mar 2026

Our guide, Joe, shared his country’s culture and made it fun. He ensured we experienced all the important aspects. He had the perfect pace and took good care of us.

Personal, professional, perfect.

Erin_N, Mar 2026

I felt like I got so much in in my five hour layover. A real sense of the city without rushing. Joe pick me up early because he saw the flight was early and he took great care of me, personalizing my trip so I could learn more about Korean tea and buy some back home. We hit the highlights and I learned about Korean history. We ate an authentic Korean lunch and topped it off with delicious street food. It was really a perfect five hours.

Effortless way to see all the major sights of Seoul

Jesse_M, Mar 2026

Joe was a warm and knowledgeable guide. He thoughtfully answered our questions throughout the day about everything from the sights we were seeing to Korean history, politics, and culture. Since we were on a private tour, he offered to customize the experience however we liked, so we added Gwangjang Market, which was a lot of fun. The restaurant he took us to for lunch was not touristy and offered delicious, authentic traditional Korean food that I probably wouldn't have known to order if Joe didn't make the suggestions. All in all, Joe made it a seamless experience to see the major sights in Seoul in an efficient and interesting manner.

Great tour!

Ronda_H, Mar 2026

We had a fabulous time with Jin. This is a long tour with so many stops! We learned so much about Seoul. Would highly recommend this tour!

Fantastic tour

Jean_C, Mar 2026

Wonderful tour. Our guide, Brian, was terrific. He answered our questions thoroughly and gave us an excellent background into about the historical context of the sights.

Seoul with a side of BTS

Steven_S, Mar 2026

We did Seoul on day of BTS 1st concert back . Joe did great job to work around all the restrictions. He was wonderful. The Palaces are great, and so was shopping

Brian was such a fun tour...

Debbie_E, Mar 2026

Brian was such a fun tour guide! You can tell how much he loves his country, and we enjoyed learning from him. We were with Brian the whole day and when we wanted to pivot in the afternoon to more if a food tour, Brian knew just the spots to take us. We loved seeing Seoul and tasting all of the local cuisine.

Looking forward to the next time.

Margaret_S, Feb 2026

Brian was an excellent tour guide. He took us where we wanted to go and explained about Korean history and culture without going over the top. He was also conscious and considerate of our ability as we are both in our 70's. Thank you Brian for a great day out.

Jin was very...

Emily_S, Feb 2026

Jin was very knowledgeable of the culture and history. She made the day very fun and educational . I would take a tour with her again!

Our guide Brian was very...

Vishal_P, Jan 2026

Our guide Brian was very knowledgeable and also very patient. He did a great job taking us through the various sights at our pace, and offered the right level of insights and info to appreciate what we were seeing. Highly recommend the tour and especially if you get a chance to have Brian as your guide.