GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
GoWithGuide
GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
Seoul Private Tour - Haeun-sa Temple with the legendary Buam Waterfall
Haeun-sa Temple with the legendary Buam Waterfall
Seoul Private Tour - The relics and forest of Buam Park
The relics and forest of Buam Park
Seoul Private Tour - The quirky Café made famous in a Korean TV drama
The quirky Café made famous in a Korean TV drama
Seoul Private Tour - view out over the Buam-dong Valley from that café
view out over the Buam-dong Valley from that café
Seoul Private Tour - North Gate of Seoul with a famous coffee-shop
North Gate of Seoul with a famous coffee-shop
Seoul Private Tour - Pond in the Buam Forest Park
Pond in the Buam Forest Park
Seoul Private Tour - North side of Mt. Bugak see from our trail
North side of Mt. Bugak see from our trail
Seoul Private Tour - My 2023 tour-group at the temple & falls
My 2023 tour-group at the temple & falls
Seoul Private Tour - Stream in the Buam Forest Park
Stream in the Buam Forest Park
Seoul Private Tour - Walking up towards the exit of the park
Walking up towards the exit of the park

Buam-dong, Seoul’s Hidden Charming North Park-neighborhood

Off the Beaten Path
Seoul Tour Guide - David a. M.

Joined 2022

David a. M.
5.00 / 5
(16 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks
GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
Seoul
GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
English (Native), Korean
GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
4 hours
GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
Private tour (only you and David a. M.)
GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
Up to 12 people

This is a lovely neighborhood of “Gangbuk” Seoul behind famous Mt. Bugak, with a wide variety of offerings, scenic and fascinating, but only a few “insiders” know about its very charming character. We will visit the “Sword-Washing Pavilion”, then a beautiful waterfall with a colorful Buddhist temple right next to it! We will proceed into a hidden quiet peaceful area with late-Joseon-era ruins-relics amidst great trees. Then along a high ridge with great views, and some unique cafes & others.

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

08:30 AM

Meeting Point

Your hotel, or the Gyeongbok-gung Metro Subway Station

- Gyeongbok-gung Metro Subway Station, Orange Line #3 Easy to find.... Exit #3.

the evocative “Sword-Washing Pavilion”

09:30 AM

Haeun-sa with Buam Falls

Walking up the stream and climbing into legendary Buam-dong [Rear-rocks Village], we will first encounter a beautiful waterfall with a colorful Buddhist temple right next to it! We will quickly review the artworks of that temple’s shrines...

10:10 AM

Buam-dong Park

We will proceed into the forested parklands, a hidden quiet peaceful area with late-Joseon-era ruins-relics amidst great trees. One of the trails along a gushing stream will lead us out past the historic carved boulder, into a high-class elevated urban neighborhood.

11:00 AM

Upper Neighborhood & Ridge

This is in a high-class elevated urban neighborhood, which features another very interesting urban Buddhist temple with an antique mountain-spirit painting. Our guide will be explaining everything along the way, as an expert. We will then walk along the top of an extensive ridgeline offering some great views of northern-most Seoul.

12:00 PM

Past Cafes & Museums & Restaurants, etc.

As we walk along the top of an extensive ridgeline offering some great views of northern-most Seoul, we will pass several charming cafes, and visit the most evocative decorated one, famous from a couple of Korean TV dramas. Finally we will descend into the best known urban area of Buam-dong and be introduced to its unique cafes and art-museums. We will end at the historic North Gate of the Seoul City Wall.

Ending Point

We will end at the historic North Gate of the Seoul City Wall, now a popular trailhead; some of us may eat lunch together in a great restaurant, and from there we all can catch several forms of transportation.

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
What‘s included

guide fee, hotel meet-up

GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
What‘s not included

Local Transportation (if needed; subway, bus, taxi)

Food and drinks, as desired.

Tour Important Information

This tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes, and have a hat, etc. It will be fascinating and well-worth-it!

In good weather only!

Important message from the supplier

GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!

I do this full-time now, any day -- but only in Spring & Autumn.

Cancellation Policy

  • GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
    Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
  • GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
    50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
  • GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!
    No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Seoul Tour Guide - David a. M.

Joined 2022

David a. M.
5.00 / 5
(16 reviews)
Identity Verified
Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide David a. M.

I have been a Professor of Korean Cultural Tourism in Seoul, and a Tour-guide, Lecturer and Author on Traditional Cultural Sites, especially religious ones, on the high-end, for 25 years. Wrote the 1996-7 edition of Lonely Planet's KOREA guidebook!

Reviews

An American professor with enormous experience

David has been an incredible guide for our three days we stay in Seoul, where he took us through deep experiences and teachings about this incredible nation and resilience. His vast knowledge and decades residing in Korea, has given him such acknowledge that made him become a professor and writer of several books about Korean people. Don't tho k twice to hire him as your guide in Korea.

Alfonso S.

David a. M.

Thanks for the kind words, Alfonso -- I really enjoyed showing your family around! I hope that you all return to Korea someday.... :-) David

All you need to know about Seul

David was a perfect guide that answered all our questions about Seul. Took us to the nicest places and show us really special ones. We are glad Elle could be our guide! Thanks David.

Rocío B.

David a. M.

I really enjoyed guiding your group, and am glad you got so much value out of these tours. I hope you return to Korea for more, someday! David

A real American profesor in Korean culture

It was so incredible to find out the decades on experience and studies that David has cultivated and even published about Korea history, customs and culture, that we have had the best three days in Seoul in company of this loving living Profesor. We had such a magnificent experience and learned so many aspects of this wonderful people and their history that we are going back home with so much information and loving experiences that made this trip memorable thanks to David. You are a great guide and even more an incredible unique human being. Thank you for being who you are with us.

Alfonso S.

David a. M.

I really enjoyed guiding your group, and am glad you got so much value out of these tours. I hope you return to Korea for more, someday! David

Want to Personalize?

$335/ per group