Bukhansan National Park

Bukhansan National Park

Bukhansan National Park
4.7
About
Popular among hiking enthusiasts, Bukhansan National Park is located just outside the city of Seoul. Embark on the popular and easiest Bukhansanseong Course to Baegundae Peak, which is the park’s highest point. Seasoned hikers can take on the more challenging Uisangneungseon Course to Nahangon Peak. Otherwise, take the short but steep course to Uisanbong Peak. Plan your visit for autumn, where the park comes alive with stunning fall colors. The trails are well demarcated but, if you’re afraid of getting lost, opt for a private hiking tour, with the option to relax in a sauna after the hike. – Tripadvisor
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • Christian M
    Copenhagen, Denmark6,223 contributions
    5 of 5 bubbles
    Bukhansan National Park is a paradise for hikers. There are hundreds of trails with varying levels of difficulty, offering views of both mountain peaks and waterfalls. Buses heading out of the city to various park entrances are filled with hikers decked out in what looks like professional gear. So don’t worry - you won't be alone on the trails. Two days ago, we did a 4 km trail on the city wall that took us to the top of one of Bukhansan's relatively low mountain peaks. It was a sweat-inducing affair. Yesterday, we hiked a 2 x 2.5 km route to Songchu Falls. You can find the trail on AllTrails dot com. The difficulty is moderate; only the very end of the trail becomes somewhat challenging, but most people in good shape will be able to complete it. If 5 km sounds a bit short, there are several marked trails so you can pass Songchu Falls and go higher up in the park. Try googling the Obong Loop.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 26, 2024
  • fionaalfa
    Belfast, United Kingdom71 contributions
    5 of 5 bubbles
    Outstanding place of beauty and great walks too. I was on a guided tour and the walk wasn’t too long (about 3 hours) and terrain varied but not too difficult - very achievable in a day. I was in a tour bus and defo would not want to take a car as roads and car parks all very busy. Nice range of cafes and good amenities too - queues tend to move quickly.
    Visited October 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written December 25, 2024
  • Brook E
    2 contributions
    5 of 5 bubbles
    Bukhansan National Park is a nature lover’s paradise! The hiking trails are challenging but totally worth it for the stunning views at the top. The mix of rugged mountains, lush forests, and ancient temples along the way makes the experience unforgettable. The air feels so fresh, and it’s amazing to have such a peaceful escape so close to Seoul. Whether you’re an experienced hiker or just looking for a day outdoors, this park is a must-visit!
    Visited December 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 5, 2024
  • Malcolm D
    Sydney, Australia562 contributions
    5 of 5 bubbles
    Visited here in May 2023 on a weekend.. Took the subway to Dobongsan Station, bought some walking poles at the market just outside the station, and started walking to the summit. We thought we'd be up and back in a few hours; but it took us about five hours to scale the summit to Sinseondae peak and return. Excellent hike, great fun. Lots of people on the weekend, and a bit of a traffic-jam at the top; but totally worth it!! I look forward to doing this again on my next trip to Seoul
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 3, 2024
  • Anna Gumennaya
    8 contributions
    5 of 5 bubbles
    If you are used to walking and can handle uphill climbs normally, then there should be no problems. The route starts out quite easy, but as you gain height you need to climb stairs, rocks and tree roots - in general, like almost any hiking route. There are many paths and paths of varying difficulty levels. If you choose more popular paths, it will be easy to walk, but if you go into the wilds, it will be more difficult. Along the way there are Buddhist temples, and there are restrooms there. If you follow the colored lanterns, you won't get lost. You need to take water and food with you; there will be nowhere to buy it. Overall, we liked it. The route is on average 3 kilometers one way. With the return to the exit, it will be 6 kilometers. It took us 5 hours. The elevation difference is decent - 500-600 meters. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and a backpack, as in some places you will have to climb over rocks.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written May 2, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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mel7155
Singapore, Singapore1,355 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Couples
We decided to hike up this 830m granite hill from the west and ending off at the eastern entrance . The trail is very marked out and you can’t get lost . The trail has all the guardrails and steps at various points to guide and protect hikers so you will feel safe as you hike up the hill .

The mast part of the hill before the leak was really a killer climb and not for the faint hearted or those who fear heights . However, upon reaching the top - the views are simply breathtaking and rewarding .

We used this hill as a preparatory climb before hiking up Mt Hallasan in Jeju Island the following weak - it was a difficult climb but very rewarding climb .
Written June 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alex H
Port St. Mary, UK2,587 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Couples
My partner and I did the hike to the peak and back down again via the same route. I recommend using the Koreatodo website, as we found this super useful. We did the moderate rated route to Baegundae Peak which took around 3 hours to get to the top. My partner isn’t physically fit, so this can be done in a much shorter amount of time. We stopped to take photos along the way too.
You absolutely need to purchase some spikes from the outdoor shop outside, particularly if doing the hike in winter like we did. Also bring gloves to hold onto the ropes at the top. Without the spikes, you would really struggle to get to the peak. The spikes are around 9,000 WON in the shops before the entrance.
The peak itself is beautiful and breathtaking, and well worth the walk to get there. You can get some unbelievable pictures and views of Seoul. Definitely would recommend doing this hike.
Written January 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jobes888
Hong Kong, China15 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Family
I have hiked 1000 kilometres in Bhukhansan over the past year with my 6 year old.

Park rangers have threatened us with arrest and yelled at us for:

Eating lunch in a hammock
Taking pictures near stream
Putting feet in stream
Taking off shirt by stream
Inadvertently waking out of bounds
Randomly falsely accusation of drinking

You can see Korean enjoying all of these activities unmolested. The park ranger staff is extremely racist and on the hunt for confrontations with foreigners.

Beware
Written September 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rob Nesbit
Warsaw, Poland4,711 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Solo
Hiking to the top was long and hard. Even though we started quite early and was on the trail by about 8, it still took us a few hours to get to the peak. Many stone and rocks to be climbed over and it is quite steep at times.
At the top there is quite a few people so it can take a little while to actually reach the peak as some of the trail gets narrow.

Coming down we were happy that we got up early to do it, as we found the crowds going up were quite big. I can imagine starting it in the middle of the day would take much more time, as you also have to factor in waiting for people to move along.

As for the sights, they were great from the top.
The peak is a bit hairy as well, if you don't have a good head for heights it might not be the best mountain to climb to the top. The day we did it it was quite windy so a little tense at the very top. Some people were braver than us and going to the edge of the large rocks and slabs of stone......we were happy to keep within the ropes and chains.

Good exercise and well worth the effort, but it was a hard climb.

(to add: crowds were due to the weekend and it was also a national holiday weekend)
Written October 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Niiiiic
Singapore, Singapore58 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
Come prepared with: water, food, good hiking shoes, and a healthy respect for the difficulty of the trail. I, a naive fool of a tourist who reluctantly works out 3 times a week, thought we could start our hike at 11am, pull off the short “difficult” trail (we did the trail to Baegundae from the fortress entrance to Ui-dong) in shoes with no grip whatsoever, and chill out at a cafe by 5pm. In early January.

I slipped on ice twice, got in the way of many other local hikers who had clearly planned their hike better than I did, ran out of water at the peak (which was halfway through the trail), and minced my way down the snowy part second half with very cheap strap-on crampons (4-pronged, KRW7k from a roadside stall near the first entrance, I probably could have haggled). We eventually made it out of the park at 530pm. Which was sunset.

Don’t be me. Plan your hike. Be as awesome as this view.
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

無名
World9,892 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022
...I'm 62 and did it. Well, as much as I wanted to do. Some places are steep, but the trail is well maintained and it's certainly doable. I just went to the first two temples. I am so drawn to the Buddha. I think I'm gonna read again what Einstein said about Buddhism. Bukhansan was really a good place to be this day. I hope you go too. The walk to the start of the trail from the metro station is pretty special as well. Geongguksa Temple near the train station is beautiful. I can't describe it as I felt not saw its aesthetic. The kind of a stream from there to the visitor center that has what's called a board that was also amazing to walk. Kids were in the water with fishing nets looking like they were having the time of the lives. They are.
Written September 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roompie56
3 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019
Its like stepping into a movie and reliving South Korean Joseon Dynasty again. This was so sensational. It is spectacular how this is divided from the modern world. If I were to go back to South Korea, I would visit more of the ''peaceful'' places and visit this one again.

Not only can you relive this, but there was a building right in the mid of the mountain, where you could write your wishes on a roof tile. I also bought a tiny souvenir which I still have hanging after so many years.

Advised: Take some proper mountain hiking equipment with you (especially shoes), if you wish to see the top. Because of the fact that I did not wear mountain shoes, I slided down easily.
Written April 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RichardTanChaiBoon
Singapore, Singapore788 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
My advice for first time visitors should be First stop to the Visitors’ Centre to ask for direction and advice on which route to take.

We were told to take the easier route to Daeseongmun Gate which is about 3 km and take about 3 hrs on a full trip back. Considering that my partner and I are quite fit, we thought it will be a piece of cake. But 45 minutes later, we found the route very challenging with steep slope laid with stones and the route became tougher with steep steps.

We took 1 hr 45 mins to reach Daeseongmun Gate. And another 1 hrs 35 mins to return to base. Total : 6 km. I must say that we were shagged and our legs muscles sore.

Being part of nature does not come easy. The efforts were worth it as the hike was very peaceful with plenty of fresh air and shades.

Do bring along your own bottle of water.
Written September 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shogunempeor
Singapore, Singapore52 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
Good place to clear the mind. I took the hard route up which was the fastest. Lots of climbing so a good hiking pole is needed if you wanna save your knees going up and especially on the way down. Peaceful and serene, do go on weekday mornings to avoid the crowds and prepare to spend an entire day there if you're there to appreciate nature. For fitness buffs, its perfect running up and down in a couple of hours.
Written January 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TippyBird
Kunming, China13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I arrived into Seoul at the New Year celebrations and found that the transport was fully booked and everything in Seoul would be closed. the lady at the hotel recommend this place. I went more for something to do while waiting for my flight the next day but was so pleasantly surprised. Its a beautiful National Park with really really nice hiking. The top rock scrambling is also fun if you aren't afraid of heights. it ended up being one of the highlights of my trip! If you like nature then I really recommend it.
Written February 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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