Hiking in Seoul: overview
Despite being one of the world’s biggest cities and home to half the population of South Korea, Seoul is a hiker’s dream; with its northern, eastern, and southern limits defined by sizeable summits and ridges, and a number of smaller mountains standing within the city itself, there’s a wide range of hikes you can do from a quick stomp up to see the view from Namsan to more involved half-day jobs up the bigger ones like Bukhansan and Gwanaksan.
They can all be accessed easily by public transport (in many cases directly from the Metro but sometimes also involving a bus), meaning you can eat lunch in town, hike up a mountain, and be home in time for tea.
As well as the outstanding city views and pleasant mountain scenery, Seoul’s mountains also offer plenty of historical and cultural interest including Buddhist temples & shamanic sites, medieval city walls & ancient mountain forts, modern military installations, and even the site of a battle with North Korean would-be assassins; and of course, in the case of Namsan, a massive sightseeing tower and heaps of restaurants & cafes.
Listed here are eight of Seoul’s most famous mountains:
Bukhansan
Seoul’s highest point, on clear days Bukhansan offers epic views of the entire city. If you don’t fancy slogging all the way up, you can cheat by starting from Doseonsa Temple halfway up the mountain’s eastern flank and accessible by road.
Gwanaksan
The highest mountain on Seoul’s southern boundary, the summit of Gwanaksan is home to a large Buddhist hermitage including the photogenic cliff-top Yeonjudae temple (as well as various telecoms installations, giving it its distinctive masts), and has several equally convenient but quite different routes to choose from making it very popular with Seoulites.
Namsan
Bang in the middle of the city and topped off with N Seoul Tower (as high again as the mountain itself), Namsan is Seoul’s most prominent landmark and symbol. It’s a small mountain and can easily be climbed from popular spots like Myeongdong and Seoul Station, and it’s really more of a sightseeing activity than a serious hike; the views are still great though, and it’s also a popular cherry blossom spot in spring.
(For alternative routes up Namsan from the Grand Hyatt or Dongguk University see here)
Achasan
The name Achasan refers to the entire ridge (as well as one of the constituent peaks) between eastern Seoul and neighbouring Guri city; it isn’t all that high, but the views of Seoul are absolutely awesome and you can do a quick walk up & down to the above viewpoint, a full traverse of the ridge, or aim for the highest point (Yongmasan, a detour from the main trail). Achasan’s also dotted with Goguryeo Era (37BC – 668AD) forts, adding a touch of archeological interest.
Inwangsan & Bugaksan
The small neighbouring mountains of Inwangsan & Bugaksan stand immediately north of central Seoul, with good views of Namsan and Gyeongbokgung Palace and various points of interest. Independence Park and Seodaemun Prison Museum are located near Inwangsan, and the mountain has religious significance being home to a famous temple, a holy rock, and a shamanic shrine; Bugaksan was off-limits for decades after the 1968 battle following an assassination attempt on the South Korean president by North Korean commandos, and Inwangsan & Bugaksan remain highly sensitive areas with a large military presence (you even need your passport to step foot on Bugaksan)
Dobongsan
Located all the way up on Seoul’s northern edge, Dobongsan’s the most ‘away from it all’ you can get without actually leaving the city (don’t be expecting complete solitude though); it’s probably the wildest of Seoul’s mountains, and although the city views are a bit more distant than those from the others it has the most dramatic mountain scenery. It’s also home to some famous temples on its lower slopes.
Suraksan
Although it’s the third biggest of Seoul’s mountains, Suraksan’s location means it gets fewer visitors than the others on this list. This makes it a good choice if you want to get high above the city but don’t like crowded trails (will still be pretty crowded on a sunny weekend though!)
Bukhansan Park Ridge Hike: Bibong & Munsubong Peaks
Bukhansan National Park contains a great many peaks in addition to the two big ones (Bukhansan itself & Dobongsan). The southern portion of the park consists of a ridge running west-east along the northern edge of the city with a string of connected peaks providing fun terrain and awesome views.
General Information for Hiking in Seoul
Crowds: hiking is super popular in Korea, Seoul’s a massive city, and these mountains have really convenient access, so you have to expect serious crowds on weekends and holidays when the weather’s good; try to hike on weekdays instead.
Season: spring and autumn are by far the nicest times to hike Seoul’s mountains, but they’re all climbable year-round. It gets really cold in winter though, and you may have to deal with snow and ice – the granite domes which form the summits of Bukhansan and Dobongsan are a particularly sketchy prospect in winter and while they do have fixed chains in place, you really also want proper footwear and some clip-on ice spikes (you can pick these up from the outdoors shops and vendors at the bottom of both mountains). Gwanaksan’s fine in winter as long as you stick to the trails from SNU or Gwacheon (and not the Sadang route), and the smaller hills should also be fine (especially Namsan, which gets hordes of visitors for New Year). In summer, prepare to sweat! Bring heaps more water than you think you’ll need.
Pollution: Seoul’s air ranges from crystal clear to decidedly dodgy, and if you climb on a smoggy day you won’t get the views. I always check the PM2.5 levels here before hiking; below 50 (green on the chart) means awesome views, 50 – 100 (yellow) means decent views but hazy in the distance i.e. probably still worth going, but over 100 (orange) means I wouldn’t usually bother (and if it’s hitting 150+ (red) it’s best to stay indoors for health reasons anyway). Here’s the view from Bukhansan on a clear day:
…and this is it with the PM2.5 at around 80:
Mountain locations in Seoul
1.Gwanaksan 2.Namsan 3.Achasan 4.Inwangsan 5.Bugaksan 6.Bukhansan 7.Dobongsan 8.Suraksan
Any questions about hiking in Seoul? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.
Useful Links
Map apps: be aware that Google Maps doesn’t work as well in Korea as in most places. You should download either or both of the Korean map apps, Naver Map & KakaoMap. They’re great for live transportation updates, were both updated with English versions prior to the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics, and they also have the main hiking trails marked (my personal preference is for KakaoMap, but I use both)
Accommodation: search & book rooms in Seoul (affiliate link)
See my Korea page for general info on travelling in Korea, and more Korea posts here
Check out my hiking guides for Taipei, Kyoto and Tokyo
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Hello,
I am currently in Seoul and I am looking for a fun day hike. It is February so what would you suggest. I am an avid hiker from Colorado.
Thanks
Corrie VanLaanen
Hi Corrie,
I’d go for Gwanaksan probably – easy access, approx 4 hours hiking time, and getting up to a decent height with cracking views of the city. The route from Sadang is my favourite but could be a bit tricky at the top if it’s icy (there are scrambling sections with fixed ropes), so if you’re not equipped for or keen on that maybe go up the SNU route then descend to Gwacheon.
Hope you have a great hike, and let me know if you have any more questions!
Hello,
I have a 14 hour layover in Seoul beginning of November and would love to get a good hike in while I’m there. I get in at 4 am and don’t fly out until 6 pm. What and where would you recommend I go and do. I’m from Colorado and do a lot of hiking.
Thank you!
Ruth
Hi Ruth,
The obvious suggestion would be Namsan. It isn’t a very involved hike – if you’re used to Colorado it’s really just a quick walk up a small hill! – but you can do it directly from Seoul Station, which is where the airport train terminates. It’s the main landmark bang in the middle of Seoul with some nice views, so you can get a good feel for the lay of the land. Also there’s Seoul Tower at the top of the hill, so you could add a little sightseeing to your hike and go up to the viewing deck for the bird’s eye view of the city. Then if you descend to Myeongdong, that’s a busy little shopping area to check out and grab some lunch before walking (or hopping on the subway 2 stops) back to Seoul Station. This certainly isn’t the best hike in the city, but should make for a satisfying quick Seoul visit and get you back to the airport in good time.
I’d hesitate to recommend any of the other hikes, due to the extra transportation time and the longer hiking time – some of them would be possible, but could be cutting it a bit tight for the onward flight.
Do give me a shout if you have any further questions about Namsan or any of the others – would be happy to help with specifics like train times etc
Hi Simon,
Thank you so much for the info, I greatly appreciate it. Now, I am tempted to ask about some of the other more “involved” hikes, as you would say, my feet are itching. haha. I figure, if I give one of the other ones a go, i can assess my time as I go, and if I feel at all, like I’m going to get into a pickle I will just turn around early. Seeing as my flight gets in at 4 am, I thought that with getting out and about at the crack of dawn it would possibly give me enough time to venture out a little. What are your thoughts?
Thank you!
Hi Ruth,
Ok if you want to go for something bigger than Namsan, I’d definitely go for Gwanaksan as you can access it on Line 4 directly from Seoul Station. It’s about 90 minutes from the airport, with just the one transfer at Seoul Station (i.e. Airport Express to Seoul Station then Line 4 to Sadang); the other higher mountains on this list involve multiple transfers or buses. I’d suggest starting from Sadang Station and descending to Gwacheon Station (both on Line 4).
First train from the airport is at 5.20ish. It’s usually a very efficient airport so you’ve a good chance of making that first train (or one soon after), meaning you could hopefully be starting your hike from Sadang around 7am.
Now, for me Sadang to Gwacheon is around a 5-hour hike, but I’ve done it before, know the route well, hike quickly, and don’t really stop much. Obviously I don’t know how fast you go, and the various temples & viewpoints can be quite time-consuming stops, but I’d be happy doing this hike aiming to finish around noon/1pm, and then it’s around 2 hours back to the airport from Gwacheon so you’d get back there 2 or 3pm in good time for a meal and your onward flight. I did hear from another reader that it took them 8 hours to do the SNU route though, which I consider to be a 4-hour hike! So as you say, judge it as you go and if you’re not near the summit by say 10:30 you’ll probably need to turn around & head down. The Sadang route has great views all the way up though, so even if you don’t go to the top it’d still be rewarding.
I’d also suggest loading up on food & drink at a bakery or convenience store at the airport before you start, so you can eat as you go and not waste any time stopping for food in Sadang. And make sure you don’t descend on the SNU route, as you’d then have to mess about with buses and extra transfers.
Again, if you have any more questions fire away, and if not let me know how you get on!
Hi Simon,
Just wanted to say thank you for the great advice. Everything went according to plan. First train from the airport at 5;15, I exited Sadang station about 6:45 and headed on up. It was perfect timing. The sun just peeped up over the mountains about 15 min up. So I had great light for some great photos. It is a lovely hike, and a perfect interlude after 20 something hours on a plane. Sadang route is definitely the way to go, picturesque and the ropes and scrambling make it interesting enough, but nothing to really be worried about at all.
I was up and down by 11 am, happily sipping a latte at Starbucks just past Gwacheon station, had oodles of time to get back to the airport, take a shower (Incheon has tied the top spot with Singapore as far as airports go) take a nap, have some food and then pop back on the plane. Thanks again!
Hi Ruth,
Brilliant, thanks for the report and I’m glad it worked out nicely! You made good time with the hike – I knew it’d be fine for a fast hiker but was hesitant to recommend it at first as it’s impossible to know how fast readers’ hiking speeds are. So definitely a good call to do Gwanaksan, I don’t think you’d have found Namsan very satisfying.
And yes, Incheon is an excellent airport. As layovers go, I think yours was about as good as they can be!
Cheers
Hello Simon , which one of the mountains you would reccomend for a family (teenagers).
We are now in Seuol, plannig a hiking for tomorrow.
Thanks,Gilit
Hi Gilit,
Depends how big a hike you want really, and where you’re staying. Namsan would be the obvious one to recommend, but it’s a fairly short hike compared to the others. If you want a harder hike I’d say probably Gwanaksan (if you’re south of the river) or Bukhansan (north).
Hi Simon, we just finished the Bukhansan and it was perfect. Thank you for the good advise.
Awesome, cheers Gilit, glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome post. I remember my colleague narrating his hiking experience at Namsan. Hiking in Seoul looks like a serene and exciting experience. The sceneries are so beautiful.
Cheers Aparna, yeah Seoul’s a great hiking city, the trails are easily accessible and offer a good range of terrain from easy to challenging.
Thanks so much for this – awesome hiking advice. I have done Dobongsan, Gwanaksan and Bukhansan / Baegundae using your guides last week and they proved to be super useful. I think Gwanaksan is my personal favourite but I will have to come back in the autumn for a proper re-assessment.