Bukhansan National Park

Introducing Bukhansan National Park

This national park (02-909 0497; www.npa.or.kr; adult/youth/child W1600/600/300; sunrise-sunset), made up of a granite peak and surrounding area, is visi­ble from the city itself (and is so close that it’s possible to visit by subway). It offers sublime vistas of mist-shrouded mountains, maple leaves, rushing streams and remote temples. The park is sometimes crowded, especially on weekends. Rock climbers particularly enjoy Insubong (810m), which is a free-climber’s dream, with some of the best multipitch climbing in Asia and routes of all grades.

Camping is possible in summer or you can stay in basic mountain huts, but they are not usually open in winter. During peak periods (10 July to 20 August and 1 October to 14 November), on public holidays and weekends, some huts and camping grounds have an online reservation system (www.npa.or.kr).

The following two hikes are recommended – both are all-day hikes so you need to be reasonably fit to complete the full course. If your energy begins to flag, consider taking a swig of the Korean hiker’s friend: pine-needle soju (local vodka-like brew). One mouthful should be enough to help you make it to the top. Well, that’s what Koreans claim anyway.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009