South Korea Private Tours & Local Tour Guides

“2 Day Custom Gyeongju Historical and Culture tour”

I spent two exceptional days exploring Gyeongju with Greg and would recommend him without hesitation to anyone who genuinely wants to learn about Korean history and culture. We began at the Gyeongju National Museum, which proved to be the perfect introduction. Greg continually connected what we saw during the following two days back to the history and artifacts we had encountered that first morning, giving the individual sites a much broader historical context. Our customized itinerary was ambitious, covering the central Silla historic area, royal tombs, Cheomseongdae, Wolseong, Woljeonggyo and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond on the first day, followed by Bulguksa, Seokguram, Gameunsa, King Munmu's tomb and the east coast on the second. Every site was different and Greg did an excellent job of tying their stories together. Greg was also exceptional for photography. He knows excellent viewpoints and angles, but more importantly, he has a photographer's eye himself—he notices clouds, patterns in nature and compositions that others might overlook. He generously shared his own photographs afterward, which were wonderful complements to mine. His English is excellent—he is a retired English teacher—and conversation was effortless. He also introduced me to several Korean food specialties, adding an unexpected and thoroughly enjoyable dimension to the tour. The Kia Carnival Hi-Limousine was exceptionally comfortable and essential to covering our itinerary efficiently. Greg managed the pace perfectly; I never felt rushed. When we found ourselves ahead of schedule, he added another site rather than simply ending early. By the end of two very full days, it felt less like I was traveling with a guide and more like I was traveling with a knowledgeable friend. An outstanding experience and excellent value.

“Custom Suwon Hwaseong historical tour and photography experience.”

I spent an excellent day exploring Suwon Hwaseong with Susu. She has a superb command of English, is engaging and enthusiastic, and clearly loves Suwon and enjoys sharing her city with visitors. One of Susu's best decisions was beginning our tour at the Suwon Hwaseong Museum. She explained the fortress's construction, defensive design, equipment and unique features there, establishing a foundation that greatly improved my understanding of everything we subsequently saw. As we walked the fortress, she continually connected the structures we encountered with what she had explained at the museum, including the distinctive defensive characteristics of the gates and the differently designed secret entrances. Our day included Hwaseong Haenggung, the climb to Seojangdae on Mt. Paldal, the fortress walls to Janganmun, Hwahongmun, Yongyeon Pond, Banghwasuryujeong, Yeonmudae and traditional archery. The climb to Seojangdae is physically demanding but absolutely worthwhile and was one of the highlights of the day. Susu's local knowledge also led to an excellent lunch featuring a distinctive Suwon-style bibimbap. What particularly impressed me was that her assistance continued beyond our tour. Knowing that I planned to explore independently afterward, she developed an afternoon and evening itinerary for me, purchased tickets for some of the activities, and advised me where to position myself for the opening night of the Suwon Hwaseong Media Art show. I would highly recommend Susu both to first-time visitors and to travelers with a serious interest in Korean history. Her knowledge, excellent English and genuine enthusiasm for Suwon made this a memorable day.

“Custom, private, Seoul Highlights: History, Culture, Local Life & Scenic Views tour”

I spent a full day exploring Seoul with Thomas and had an excellent experience. He was knowledgeable about the sites we visited and, during the planning process, was very open to customizing the itinerary around my interests in Korean history, architecture and photography. Thomas was particularly flexible. On the morning of the tour, I unexpectedly needed to return to my hotel earlier than originally planned. He immediately reorganized the itinerary so that we could still make very good use of the available time. Having Thomas's private car was a major advantage and allowed us to cover Gyeongbokgung Palace, Samcheong-dong, Bukchon Hanok Village, Insadong, Gwangjang Market, Naksan Park and the Seoul City Wall, Bugak Skyway and Palgakjeong Pavilion, and Ikseon-dong efficiently and comfortably. Thomas also knew some excellent photography locations, including an elevated viewpoint overlooking Gyeongbokgung and the surrounding city. After the changing-of-the-guard ceremony at Gyeongbokgung, he quickly got me into the queue to have my photograph taken with the guards—a wonderful and unexpected experience. Another highlight was his suggestion that we have lunch sampling street food while exploring Gwangjang Market. The food was excellent and it was a memorable local experience. Thomas's English comprehension was good, communication was easy, his vehicle was clean and comfortable, and he readily adapted to my relatively fast walking pace while still allowing plenty of time for photography and exploration. I would particularly recommend Thomas to visitors who want to see a broad range of Seoul efficiently, appreciate the convenience of a private vehicle, and value a guide who is flexible and willing to customize the day around their interests.

Thomas K.

(55 reviews)

Dear Brian, Thank you so much for your kind review. I really enjoyed spending the day with you and showing you around Seoul. It was especially nice to share some places that matched your interests in history, architecture, and photography. I’m also glad we were able to adjust the schedule when your plans changed and still make good use of the time we had. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your stay in Korea and went home with lots of good memories — and, of course, some great photos too. Thank you again, Brian. It was a pleasure meeting you. Warm regards, Thomas