Transfer from Incheon Airport to Seoul: On arrival at Seoul Incheon International Airport, you will be met at the airport and transferred by road to your downtown hotel. This will be a journey of around 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on local traffic. Your transfer will be private but with a driver-only, who may speak limited English.

Evening BBQ Dinner: This evening you will meet your private guide who will take you to a nearby restaurant for a welcome BBQ dinner, the ultimate Korean dining experience.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Centre Mark Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Dinner

Korean cooking class: Today you will enjoy a Korean cooking class, learning to cook some of Korea's most loved home-cooked dishes. The morning begins with a pick-up at your hotel and then a visit to a traditional local market, where you will mingle with the locals and shop for ingredients. You will then head to the class and over the course of 2 hours will learn to make traditional Korean dishes such as Bulgogi (stir-fried beef), Japchae (glass noodles with mixed vegetables), Bibimbap (steamed rice with a multitude of toppings). By the end of the class you should have prepared an excellent array of dishes, which can then be devoured for lunch! This is a shared class but group sizes are restricted to a maximum of 6 people. After the class you will head out with your guide to explore some of the city's sights by public transport.

Half day private tour of Seoul: Jump on the subway and head down to Gwanghwamun – Seoul’s answer to the Mall, Pennsylvania Avenue, or Champs-Elysee. Here you can you see the towering statues of Korean heroes Admiral Yi Sun Shin and King Sejong, both of whom played a vital role in Korean history. At the very top of Gwanghwamun lies the sprawling Gyeongbokkung Palace. The Palace was built by the Joseon Dynasty in 1394. For centuries, this immense complex was the centre of power, until deposed under the Japanese occupation. From the back gate of Gyeongbukgung you will catch a glimpse Cheongwadae, or the Blue House, Korea’s presidential palace. Follow on to Insa-dong antiques street – an area of artisanal shops and traditional teahouses in the heart of modern Seoul. Finish the day with a visit to the bustling Gwangjang Market - a hive of activity, commerce, and cheap eats before returning to your hotel to enjoy the evening at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Centre Mark Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Korean Traditional Alcohol Gallery & Brewing Experience: This morning you will make your own way to the Korean Traditional Alcohol Gallery, just a 5-10 minute walk from Gangnam or Sinnonhyeon station. This gallery is a small space within the government-sponsored Korea Craft & Design Foundation Gallery. The Sool Gallery’s focus is to inform customers — overseas visitors and locals alike — of the history of the four traditional Korean liquors: makgeolli, yakju, soju, and traditional Korean wine. After a brief and very informative lesson, guests are then given the opportunity to taste each type of alcohol. After this short presentation, guests will be given the opportunity to make their own Makgeolli. This milky, off-white and lightly sparkling rice wine that tastes sweet, tangy, bitter, and sour with the chalky sediment giving it a cloudy appearance. As a low proof drink of six to nine percent alcohol, it is often considered as a communal beverage and traditionally served in bowls rather than glasses. In Korea, makgeolli is often unpasteurized, and the wine continues to mature in the bottle. After the class you have the remainder of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Centre Mark Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Day at leisure in Seoul: Today you have a full day in the Korean capital, at leisure and unaccompanied. Arming yourselves with cheap T-money transport cards would be a fine idea – with which you can explore the city independently on all modes of public transport. We suggest a visit to the serene Changdeokgung and its Huwon Secret Garden, the Bukchon Hanok Village, Mt. Namsan and the N Seoul Tower, the National Museum, or the futuristic downtown Gangnam area. We would also heartily recommend diving into the local street food scene, which can be purchased from vendors in many of the bustling areas such as Myeongdong, Gangnam and Hongdae or markets such as Namdaemun and Dongdaemun.If you would like further touring to be built in on this day – particularly to out of town areas such as the historical city of Suwon, or the picturesque lake city of Chuncheon – please inform us in advance and we will happily assist.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Centre Mark Hotel (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Own transfer to Seoul Station: Make your own way to Seoul station this morning - a 10 minute ride on Seoul's subway line 1 just a 5 minute walk from your hotel.

KTX to Busan: You will then take the KTX bullet train to Busan. This cross-country journey will cover the 325km in just under 3 hours, at times reaching speeds of 350km/h.

Afternoon tour of Busan: Upon arrival in Busan, you will be met by your private guide and taken to explore the area. First stop will be Gamcheon Culture Village, a former mountainside slum which students decided to brighten up in 2009.Today it’s a colourful mosaic of homes with a thriving art scene. You will then head back into the city, returning to your hotel via visits to the lively Gukje & Jagalchi markets. After ample time sightseeing, you will head to a local restaurant to enjoy a dalkgalbi dinner, stirfried  marinated chicken, cabbage, sweet potato and other optional ingredients.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Golden Tulip Hotel (Tulip Double Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Eomuk making class: This morning, meet your guide in your hotel lobby and together make your way by public transport to Haeundae beach where you will learn how to make a popular local snack. Fish cakes (eomuk) are popular all over Korea and a ubiquitous street snack. Among many fish cake makers in the city, the Samjin Fish Cake Bakery is the oldest fish cake producer in the city. You will head to its main store in Yeongdo where you will join a small group and learn how to make this local delicacy. After your class you will have time to enjoy the fruits of your labour before enjoying the rest of the day at leisure. Please note that this class will largely be conducted in Korean but your guide will be on hand to provide translation.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Golden Tulip Hotel (Tulip Double Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Road journey from Busan to Gyeongju: After breakfast, you will meet your driver-guide in the hotel lobby, and together you will set off by road to Gyeongju. This is a journey of under two hours, dependent on local traffic. At the other end you wil head straight to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon tour of Gyeongju: After a soft tofu soup lunch (Sundubu-jjigae) you will set out to explore the Museum Without Walls in the company of a private English-speaking driver-guide. First you will visit the impressive Seokguram grotto – a huge man-made cave housing a 3.5m tall sitting Buddha and UNESCO World Heritage Site – before heading on to the beautiful Bulguksa temple complex. Round off the afternoon with a trip to Anapji Pond, a deeply picturesque network of water gardens and palaces. According to the historical records of ‘Samguk-sagi,’ Anapji Pond was built during the 14th year of King Munmu (in power 661-681 AD) of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-935 AD). Small mountains were created inside the palace walls, beautiful flowers were planted, and rare animals were brought in to create an exquisitely exotic garden fit for royalty.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at The Suites Hotel Gyeongju (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Morning tour of Gyeongju: After breakfast you will be taken to Tumuli Park, a large green space housing more than 20 traditional tombs from the Silla dynasty. Within the same complex is the Cheomseongdae – an ancient star-gazing tower of nearly 10m in height, and the oldest such observatory in East Asia. Finish with a visit to the Gyochon traditional village, a small village of traditional hanok houses where you will enjoy a traditional Korean meal (Hansik).

Accommodation: Stay tonight at The Suites Hotel Gyeongju (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Road journey to Songnisan National Park: Depart Gyeongju this morning, heading north west to the Songnisan National Park. This will be a journey of approximately 2 hours, the last section of which will see you leave the motorway and head up through the scenic hills.

Beopjusa Temple Stay: You will arrive at the temple complex in the early afternoon. Here you will join a small group of other overnight residents. The programme will begin an orientation and tour of the complex, before time to learn more about the rituals and practices of the monks. A monastic meal will be served in the early evening, followed by a Buddhist ceremony. With tomorrow's early rise in mind you will go to bed shortly after sundown.

Please note: Bedding is futon-style (comfortable, but on the floor) and you will need to bring an overnight bag with toiletries, comfortable shoes, and a jumper or jacket. Meals served during the stay will be simple, strictly vegetarian meals based on seasonal vegetables following recipes common in temples throughout the country. For those after the comfort of a conventional hotel, an overnight stay in a nearby hotel can be arranged.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Beopjusa Temple Stay (Simple Private Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Beopjusa Temple Stay: Wake around 3am for a pre-dawn ceremony, before enjoying the sunrise from the temple complex. A monastic breakfast will be served around 6am, after which you will have more time to explore the grounds and learn about the faith. In the mid-morning you will enjoy tea with the monks, and then another light monastic meal will be served. You will then say goodbye to the monks and the rest of your group, leaving the programme around midday.

Road journey to Jeonju: Depart Songnisan National Park this morning, heading south west to Jeonju. This will be a journey of approximately 2 hours. On arrival, you will be taken on a half day tour of Jeonju.

Afternoon guided tour of Jeonju: The first stop in your afternoon tour will be to a local restaurant for the local speciality, Jeonju Bibimbap (mixed rice with vegetables). After lunch you will head to the Hanji Museum and learn all about the traditional art of paper making. Continue to Jeonju's atmospheric Hanok village before finishing the afternoon with a stop in the Korean Traditional Wine Museum.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Ramada Jeonju (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day at leisure: Today you have a full day at leisure to explore Jeonju independently. Walking around the hanok village is a pleasure in itself, but if you are looking for a more informative visit we recommend the Jeonju National Museum (just outside town). Jeonju is renowned as a foodie destination so we encourage putting time aside to dive into its local delights such as Jeonju Bibimbap (mixed rice with vegetables, more elaborate than it sounds!) or hotteok (sugary, doughy pancakes). Also of interest is the Makgeoli street where restaurants served kettles full of Korea’s traditional wine  and side dishes are provided for free.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Ramada Jeonju (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Train journey from Jeonju to Seoul: Make your own way to Jeonju Station today. The station is located on the Eastern outskirts of the city; there are many buses available from the city centre which will take less than 30 minutes to reach the station. Alternatively, a taxi will take around 10 minutes and should cost less than KRW 6,000. From Jeonju you will take a Mugunghwa train into Seoul's Yongsan Station, a journey of around 3hr30m - tickets in Standard Class will be provided locally. From Yongsan station make your own way to your hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Four Points By Sheraton Namsan (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast