This year my family visited Mt Seorak as the last trip together before I leave for graduate school in the States. A two-hour drive east from Seoul, Mt Seorak is a popular holiday destination for those who prefer short distance trips. It is also in the vicinity of many port cities such as Seokcho and Gangleung.(especially, more so recently as the only Seokcho is the only place in Seoul where you can play Pokemon Go)
[Summary]
Where: Mt. Seorak National Park
How: 2 hour car drive from Seoul , 3 hour stay in the park
Cost: KRW 3,500 to enter the national park, KRW 10,000 to get on the cable car (both prices are for adults) parking KRW 5,000
When: Late August
What to prepare: umbrella, hiking shoes, snacks, water
Cable car operation time: 9:00am ~ 4:30pm (may change due to weather)
[The essence of Korea’s landscape]
Mt Seorak offers a variety of hiking trails, some last over 8 hours while some you can cut short within 4 hours. As my parents are too old for hectic hikes, we took the cable car to one of the vantage points. The cable cars in Mt Seorak is also perfect for easy goers who don’t really enjoy hiking but still want to enjoy the terrific view the mountain top offers.
The entrance of Mt Seorak National Park
The entrance to the cable care is really close to the main entrance of the Mt Seorak National Park but you need to buy a separate ticket that costs KRW 10,000 per adult. It is about a 5 minute ride to the top and it may be a bit crowded to freely take photos but no worries 🙂 I promise there are plenty of spaces more worthy of your photos.
The cable takes you right near the KwonGuemCastle, named after the two generals Kwon and Geum who originally built this wall to prevent Mongolian invasion in the 1200s. Currently, there only remain the ruins of the wall.
East view from the top
A five minute walk from the cable car stop will offer you breathtaking views formed by mountain valleys and clouds that hum around it. Korea is consisted mostly of mountains (roughly 75%), so the scenery at the KwonGuemcastle really captures the essence of Korea’s landscape. Eastward you can also see Seokcho located right by the East sea, a city you should definitely plan to drop by when you are visiting Mt Seorak. Another beauty of the Korean mountains is that they offer different sceneries based on the four seasons. Mountains in the autumn are my favorite, as the stunning mixture of colors never fails to astonish me.
Ulsan Rock from below
[Other things to do]
Taking photos and enjoying the scenery alone would take about 3 hours but if you do have extra time to kill, I recommend visiting the nearby Shinheung temple. It is known to be a temple over a thousand year old (the temple was under renovation when I visited), with historical significance. Another place you can visit is the Ulsan rocks, although it would take an additional 4 ~ 6 hours depending on how far you are willing to go.
Famous seafood place in Seokcho
After the tour in the national park, I recommend grabbing a meal in the Seokcho area. It is famous for fresh seafood, potatoes, and chewy noodles. There is also a famous market where you can try various popular Korean street food such as marinated fried chicken, potato pancakes etc.
Mt Seorak is the most accessible major mountain in Korea and offers breathtaking views no matter when you visit. If you prefer a less crowded season, definitely avoid late July ~ late August.