Seoraksan National Park is one of the most beautiful places to visit in South Korea, but figuring out how to include it in your itinerary (or even figuring out how to get there) can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re only planning to visit for one day.
Most visitors choose to take a day trip from Seoul to Seoraksan, but between transportation, choosing what to see, and deciding which hikes are worth your time – planning can feel a bit stressful. After visiting Seoraksan many times myself, I’ve put together this Seoraksan National Park Guide and “one day itinerary” packed with everything you need to know – including how to get there, what to bring, and the best things to do during your visit.
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Planning a One Day Trip to Seoraksan National Park
Visiting Seoraksan National Park as a day trip from Seoul is definitely possible, but it requires a bit of planning. Since you’ll likely spend a few hours just traveling each way, you’ll want to start as early as you can and have a general idea or plan of what you’d like to see before you get there. The park is much larger than a lot of first time visitors expect, and even though you won’t be able to experience everything in one day, you can still see some of the most beautiful viewpoints, temples, and hiking trails in a single day.
Getting to Seoraksan National Park From Seoul
The easiest way to visit Seoraksan National Park from Seoul is by taking a bus from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Sokcho Express Bus Terminal. Since you’ll only have one day, I recommend taking one of the earliest buses available, usually starting around 6:30 AM. The bus ride to Seoraksan usually takes about 2–3 hours depending on traffic (which can sometimes be really bad in Seoul).
Once you arrive at Sokcho Express Bus Terminal, you’ll need to transfer to a local bus heading toward Seoraksan. Bus numbers 7 and 7-1 will take you to the main entrance of the park, called the Sogongwon area. Taxis are usually available too, but they can be quite a bit more expensive compared to the local bus. When you head back in the evening, you can follow the same route back to Sokcho – just make sure to check current bus times when you’re at Sokcho Express Bus Terminal so you don’t miss the last bus back!
If you don’t want to try planning your schedule around the buses or just want to avoid the hassel all-together, you can also book an all inclusive tour to Seoraksan National Park. Some of my personal favorites are this combined tour from Seoul to Seoraksan National Park and Nami Island and this full day tour from Seoul to Seoraksan National Park and Naksana Temple.
What to Bring to Seoraksan
Since you’ll probably be spending most of the day outside, packing the right items can make your trip to Seoraksan a lot more enjoyable. Exactly what you’ll need definitely depends on which season you’re visiting, but generally I recommend wearing comfortable shoes you can walk or hike in, layers for changing temperatures in the mountains, water, snacks, and an umbrella or rain jacket. There are restaurants inside the park, but bringing snacks can help you maximize your time in case you don’t want to stop for a sit down meal. There’s also a first aid station near the entrance, so you don’t really need to worry about carrying an emergency or first aid kit.
My Favorite Tours to Seoraksan :
->Seoraksan & Nami Island Full Day Tour
Seoraksan National Park One Day Itinerary
Once you arrive at Seoraksan National Park, I recommend starting with the most popular attractions first before the really big crowds get there – if you ended up taking a tour to Seoraksan, then this is a bit irrelevant since you’ll already be part of the large crowds. Depending on traffic, you’ll probably arrive around 10:00–11:00 AM, which means you’ll want to prioritize the experiences and attractions that tend to get crowded later in the day, like the cable car. You can find a little sample itinerary below, but you’ll want to check bus time tables and adjust depending on when your bus actually leaves Seoul.
| General Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 6:30 AM | Bus from Seoul’s Express Bus Terminal |
| 11:00 AM | Arrive at Seoraksan |
| 11:30 AM | Cable Car + Gwongeumseong Fortress |
| 1:30 PM | Lunch Inside the Park |
| 2:30 PM | Sinheungsa Temple + Biryong Falls Hike |
| Evening | Return to Seoul |
Stop 1: Take the Cable Car to Gwongeumseong Fortress
I recommend visiting the Cable Car and Gwongeumseong Fortress (at the top of the cable car) for your first stop in Seoraksan. This is hands down one of the most popular things to do in the park, so you’ll want to get your ticket and get in line as early as you can, as long as its clear. The ride is short but offers some incredible views of the surrounding mountains and river valley. Once you reach the top, it’s a short walk to the viewpoint overlooking the valley below – one of my favorite view points in the entire park. Las time I visited the cable car was 15,000 Won per adult for a roundtrip ride, and I definitely think it’s worth adding to your itinerary, especially if it’s your first time visiting Seoraksan National Park.
Stop 2: Lunch Inside the Park
After you make it back down, I recommend visiting one of the restaurants located inside the park. There’s a few of them that are all next to each other as you head towards the temple area and you’ll spot them by all the picnic tables outside. Prices are pretty reasonable and they typically have traditional Korean foods on the menu, think “jeon” (savory veggie or seafood pancakes), bibimbap, and noodle dishes. From my experience, they’re pretty tasty and fairly quick, making it a good stop to rest your legs and fuel up before you keep exploring. If you want something quicker, there’s a few little food stands too selling snacks like Korean hot dogs that you can take on the go.
Stop 3: Visit Sinheungsa Temple
After your lunch or snack break, I recommend heading towards the Singheungsa Temple on the Northeast end of the park. On your way you’ll pass by a large, bronze Buddha statue – and even though it’s pretty cool to look at, I recommend making a short stop before continuing on so you can spend more time at the temple grounds. You’ll pass by a small tea house and bridge, and eventually make it to the stairs leading into the temple area. As you explore, you’ll be able to see the mountain ranges in the background – making for one of the most beautiful temple experiences. Sometimes they have wild bunnies running around, which are pretty adorable. When you’re done exploring the temple area, I recommend stopping at the Seolhyang Tea House on your way out, they have all kinds of teas, coffees, and little desserts to enjoy. If you choose to stop, find a seat outside for some incredible views. Around this time, you’ll likely notice the park becoming a bit more quiet and empty, and chances are you’ll need to begin the journey back to Seoul.
Stop 4: Hike Biryong Falls (Alternative to Cable Car)
If for some reason, the cable car isn’t running on the day you visit, I recommend adjusting your schedule to include a hike out to Biryong Falls instead. There’s quite a few hikes in Seoraksan National Park, but this one is one of my favorites. Its just under 3 miles round-trip and usually takes people about two hours with a leisurely pace. There’s actually a few waterfalls on the way that you can enjoy, and you’ll even cross over a fun suspension bridge before continuing onto the stairs that bring you up to Biryong Falls. You can relax here and enjoy the cool water or continue up to Towangseong Falls, although that might be difficult to fit in on a one day trip.
Is Seoraksan Worth Visiting as a Day Trip From Seoul?
Overall, I definitely think Seoraksan is worth a one day trip, especially if you’re trying to fit in as much as you can on a short trip to Korea. Staying overnight in Sokcho is a great option if you want to spend more time exploring Seoraksan, but honestly even in a single day you can see most top attractions within the park. Even when I’ve stayed overnight in the area before, I usually end up exploring Seoraksan for just a single day. If you visit, just make sure to start early, check the weather, and prioritize the attractions you don’t want to miss!
Watch My Seoraksan National Park Adventures Here!
Other Blog Posts You Might Be Interested In :
-> Best Hikes in Seoraksan National Park
-> Seoraksan National Park Seasonal Guide
-> Best Things to Do in Seoraksan National Park
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