South Korea is a hikers’ paradise.

EVERYTHING is geared for hikers.

You’ll have zero trouble finding or staying on trails. As with so much of the country everything just works.

With that said… if, you’re like me, you like getting a little lost in the wilds, mud smeared all over your trousers and bits of foliage in your hair, then bear the following in mind:

You will need to put a little work in to find the less manicured, touristy spots.

Korea’s hiking fervour gives you access to incredible trails (with treks which are well equipped, easy, safe and accessible) but it also means they can have quite a structured feel in places.

If you are after that more ‘pristine’ feel, try looking for places which are less easy to access by train, plane or automobile. In particular spots just out of range of the big cities where people might head for a quick hike in their spare time.

These less visited trials usually have less accommodation or tourist infrastructure on offer but they also have less people and guard rails. You will be rewarded with some really beautiful trails and experiences.

Korean landscapes are other-worldly

For such a populace and technologically advanced country, South Korea has some truly stunning landscapes.

It is visually unlike any other country we have visited and they some truly unique geological features.

Much of the drama has been carved by prehistoric volcanoes which have thrown up Mordor like skylines over the millennia and impossible looking boulders.

There is also a distinctly Korean feel.

I didn’t know what that meant before visiting this country, but it’s the only way I can describe it now.

What you can expect when hiking in Korea

if you head out for a hike you won’t be alone. They will be plenty of friendly faces joining you.

For the most part your compadres will be retired South Koreans. We found them to be super friendly and sprightly and their boundless energy convinced this that when we are in more advanced years we will make this our weekly past time!

(Honestly many people we met asked us to guess how old they were and we were normally out by at least 20 years. Hiking is THE secret to eternal life).

If you are more on the introvert side (like we are) it can be more challenging at times. We found we were doing a lot of small talk.

 

One chap in Jirisan kept informing us that we looked like were brother and sister and bursting out laughing. After what seemed like the 40th time we bumped into him he changed tack and started barking “Heathrow”.

It was never sinister and it was meant in good humour but sometimes we just wanted to trudge in silence, listen to the wind in the trees and have lofty, meaningful thoughts (about what we were going to have for lunch).

Visually South Korea is one of the beautiful but also one of the most manicured places on the planet.

Lots of paths, railings, signs and steps.

This has pros and cons and the kinds of experiences you typically enjoy and your personal risk threshold will dictate your own feelings on this.

For context Kat and I love getting fully immersed in the nature (not in a weird way). Our happy place is untrammelled nature and periods of total peace.

In the UK we often go trekking in some of Scotland’s lessor known trails where typically you won’t see more than a handful of people. At times the trails will be so faint that you’ll find yourself pouring over your GPS or a map to check that you’re going the right way.

This is pure heaven to us.

You could be in another world in another time. A world without buildings A world without miserable news stories or social media.

So that’s our perfect hike, for context.

Natural beauty, freedom to roam, a real sense of space and feeling tiny and a part of nature.

For others that might be a living hell. Who wants mud and confusion when you can have clear signage and plenty of places to stop and rest?

South Korea has incredibly user friendly hikes. At the top of some of the largest summits, we found the kind of neatly perfectly maintained steps that you might find in an apartment block in a big city.

We found that a little jarring just because it doesn’t always feel like you can get completely immersed in nature. It sometimes lacks that experience of being close to the soil and bristling through the trees.

This is absolutely not the case everywhere, but certainly on some of the more famous trails and hikes.

It’s just something to bear in mind. This accessibility will be an amazing pro for most people. It makes it safe and easy.

But if you are looking for something really wild, you might need to just delve a little deeper.

What gear do you need?

I’ll keep this really simple.

Most people over complicate things when they go hiking and end up bringing the kitchen sink.

All you need is:

1) Your day pack (preferably waterproof). If not get cheapo drybag for your valuables, just in case
2) A 2 litre water bottle filled to the top
3) Wear flexible trousers/shorts (i.e. not jeans or anything without stretch!)
4) Wear a t-shirt as your first layer
5) Bring a thin, long sleeved merino base layer for your day pack
6) Also bring a waterproof and windproof jacket for your day pack
7) Snacks
8) Camera stuff
9) Any other essentials: phone, wallet, etc

Optional: If it’s going to be cold you could also pack a micro fleece.

Time of year is everything in terms of how hot it’s going to be or how cold it’s going to be.

Bear in mind that you can be walking around in 35° heat in the lower parts of your assent and at the top that might be embracing winds and sub-zero temperatures.

That’s why I always recommend taking layers.

A nice comfortable thin merino or bamboo t-shirt always works brilliantly as your base layer t-shirt.

I would then also add that thin, long sleeved merino top (I’m a bit obsessed with merino).

You will absolutely need a windproof and rainproof jacket to go on top of all that.

And depending on the weather and have a cold it is. You might also want a micro fleece that you can put on top of your long sleeve merino top in case there are going to be parts where it’s really cold.

Obviously the same goes for gloves. Going to be cold? Bring them with you. I sometimes find the thin merino gloves (see, OBSESSED) have proved enough for me in most cases, unless you’re going seriously high, or somewhere that’s cold most of the year.

You will see other South Koreans wearing absolutely brand spanking new, top of the line hiking gear.

The kind of thing you would bring on a 6 month exhibition to find yeti on an ice moon.

We took the trail up Hallasan on Jeju, the highest point in South Korea. It’s a typical Korean track which is very well looked after and has all the guide railings and the concrete paths I talked about.

You could clamber up this one wearing jeans, trainers and a tracksuit jumper if you really wanted to (I wouldn’t recommend it because you will sweat buckets but I’m just trying to give you a sense of how accessible it is).

While we were climbing, we saw our fellow hikers wearing the most high performance outwear.

Top of the line North Face jackets that might find on the top of Everest. Some had backpacks spilling over with brand new camping pots, pans and cooking equipment (I have no idea where they planned on using these).

And at the end of the trail everyone would emerge with their clothes and equipment looking pristine.

You would get more dirty walking through a shopping mall.

So we found this quite amusing.

When we go on trails elsewhere in the world we often find ourselves scrambling on our hands and knees. Our trousers are usually covered in bits of terrain and there are scuff marks on our tops and twigs in our here.

In South Korea you will always look your best.

How to get off the beaten path in South Korea

It’s definitely possible to get that ‘immersed in nature’ vibe in South Korea.

We really enjoyed some of the lesser trod trails in Seoraksan, especially on weekdays when it was quieter.

Wolchulsan was also one of our favourites and, in my opinion is not one to miss.

It’s definitely well looked after but is less concretey so than some of the other treks we encountered. It was also far less busy when we were there and the views are STUNNING.

That Cloud bridge is outrageous. Zeus couldn’t have a daubed a more delightful blob on the landscape.

Ulleungdo Island was also an absolute highlight for me.

Kat didn’t love it quite as much as me and while she found it beautiful she thought it was a little too much on the bleak side.

I found it one of my favourite places on the planet because it was so starkly beautiful.

I think it’s important to point out that we had different takes because one person’s experience of a place will vary according to what it is that they find interesting.

I think a lot of my close friends and family might have struggled on Ulleungdo.

There are barely any people here, nothing is in English. It’s a land of ruins, black rocks, treacherous looking beaches and unpredictable weather.

The jagged volcanic peaks etch an almost painterly aspect to the landscape. Like everything has been put down in charcoals and silver and green.

Sunsets here were spectacular and you had that mercurial water effect as a blood orange sun sunk into the water.

There was also, for my taste buds at least, The perfect balance when it came to trails.

Enough info online to find your way around combined with the odd faded sign and plenty of interesting things to see.

Top Tips

If you fancy hiking in South Korea and you have a bit of time and you can be flexible with your schedule…

– Hike on a weekday (rather than on weekends)

The South Koreans work incredibly hard and for most the weekend is the only time they can get away.

So that means if you go during the week instead you will have a bit more of the trails to yourself and a bit more serenity. This point is true of almost any country in the world.

– Go off grid

South Korea is a beautiful and easy place to travel but take some time out to find some of the lesser known areas. The contrast is stunning. This is a country steeped in history and natural beauty.

– Don’t worry to much about gear

You’ll find a multitude of shops where you can buy hiking gear out here if you get desperate. As I said, Koreans are avid hikers, it’s a national pastime.

In summary

Trekking in South Korea is extraordinary in so many ways.

It’s the easiest and safest experience imaginable.

There are lots of friendly and ludicrously fit retirees to encourage you and offer up banter as you climb.

But also, if you have a bit more time and you are willing to get out into the wilds, it’s a world of wondrous contrasts. South Korea has some breathtaking, wild beauty.

If the rest of the world had such a passion for trekking would have a population of happier, healthier humans.