Hiking in Korea is a beloved national pastime. Every weekend, holiday and special occasion, people in South Korea flock to the mountains to enjoy the fresh air, beautiful views and fun scenic hikes! Whether enjoy the best hiking in Seoul, or exploring the awesome hiking in Busan, there are amazing trails all over.
And as bit of a hiking geek myself, I’ve come to really love the enthusiasm for hiking in Korea, and the hundreds of hiking trails there are to take advantage of.
While hiking is essentially the same everywhere, there’s something special about hiking in the land of the morning calm. Here’s a few of my go-to Korean hiking tips for your next trip to the mountain!
»Read more: Hiking Bucket List: Best Hiking in South Korea
17 Essential Korean Hiking Tips
1. Bring snacks and bring enough to share!
Koreans love to picnic on the mountains, and it may be their main purpose in hiking in the first place. Be sure to bring plenty of snacks, not only for health and energy, but also to share with others who will undoubtedly share with you first. Gimbap, fruit, trail mix and others are popular Korean mountain snacks.
2. Bring plenty of water.
It gets hot in Korea! If you find yourself without water in the middle of your hike, most mountains have a temple or shrine that should have water for passing hikers. I’ve never personally gotten sick from drinking it myself, but take caution if you have stomach sensitivities.
3. Don’t forget to pack the sunscreen.
The sun is strong here even on cloudy days. You don’t want to end up with a gnarly sunburn at the end of your hike.
4. Pack light.
The mountains in Korea aren’t notably tall (the tallest mountain reaches a height of 6,398 ft / 1,950 meters), but getting to the top often means steep inclines and numerous ups and downs while traversing the mountain ridges.
5. Hike in the morning.
The heat and humidity isn’t anything to mess within South Korea – and neither are the crowds! So to beat it all, come early in the morning to avoid a single-file march up the mountain in the sweltering heat.
6. Check for trail and shelter closures.
The trails close during the winter months and may close for fire safety as well. All closures on the mountain can be checked here.
7. National parks are extremely cheap in Korea.
Most don’t even have an entrance fee and if there is a fee, it’s usually less than 5,000 Won / $5 USD.
8. Bring tissues and hand sanitizer.
With so many people interested in hiking, there are typically plenty of bathrooms along the trails, which is SO nice and convenient. The catch? There’s usually no soap or tissue.
9. Camping and swimming is not allowed in most of the national parks.
The national parks in Korea only allow hands and feet to be submerged in water and camping must be done in the established mountain shelters.
10. Some national parks have mountain shelters to sleep in.
If you’re interested in a longer overnight hike, there are a few parks with mountain shelters to stay overnight in. You’ll want to look into booking ahead of time to ensure it doesn’t fill up. Click here for the reservation site and here for the list of available shelters in the country.
11. Mountain shelters are ondol style.
Ondol style hotels and accommodation in Korea means sleeping on the floor without a mattress. Be sure to bring along with you a lightweight mat for increased comfort.
12. Cell service is accessible everywhere.
You don’t need to worry about losing cell service while hiking in Korea if you have a Korean sim card. You’ll probably still have a perfect connection even on top of the mountain under the cover of bushy trees! This makes it so easy to keep track of where you are and to check your trail maps if you’re lost.
13. Shorts and tanks are ok.
Koreans tend to cover up (a lot) to avoid sun exposure on the trail, but shorts and tank tops are acceptable. You may get a couple of funny looks or friendly recommendations from locals about your lack of gear (people here love gear), but it’s innocent and nothing to worry about.
14. Learn your temple etiquette before hitting the trail.
Many mountains in Korea have Buddhist temples you can visit and enjoy on the mountain. If it’s your first Korean temple, be sure to brush up on temple etiquette. Things like; taking off your shoes before entering, using a quiet voice, respecting those in prayer etc. are important things to remember to be a respectful guest. My personal favorite Korean temple can be found on Palgongsan – one of the best hiking trails in Daegu! Highly recommend.
15. Trail routes are usually detailed and easy to find.
You can find the trails mapped out on the app Naver Maps, and they’re usually well signposted throughout the hike. The beginning of the trail typically has a large detailed map displaying the trail length, difficulty and elevation. Take a picture before you set off to have it easily available throughout your hike.
16. Check the pollution before you head out.
Sadly the pollution can become quite high in South Korea. You may want to check out the current pollution levels before beginning your hike to make sure it isn’t at an unhealthy level. I use the app AirVisual and it works pretty well.
17. Don’t forget the soju!
This just may be the most important Korean hiking tip of all! No hike in Korea is complete without a shot of soju at the beginning of the trail (for luck) and a congratulatory shot at the top. My personal fave is apple.
Did I miss anything major? Share your own Korean hiking tips below!
Thanks for sharing all this amazing tips Brittany, Fabulous post!