South Korea Complete: Seoul to Jeju Island

Soo-Yeon meets you on arrival at Incheon International Airport and escorts you by private car into the heart of Seoul, to the magnificent Signiel Seoul — the city's finest hotel, occupying the upper floors of the Lotte World Tower with sweeping views across the capital. After settling in and resting, an unhurried early-evening orientation stroll introduces you gently to the rhythm of the city before dinner at the hotel.

A full day among the treasures of old Seoul. We begin at Gyeongbokgung, the grandest of the five Joseon-dynasty palaces, in time for the colourful changing of the royal guard ceremony, then wander the elegant lanes of Bukchon Hanok Village, where hundreds of traditional tiled houses survive between the palaces. The afternoon brings the serene Buddhist temple of Jogyesa and the boutiques and tea houses of Insadong, with frequent pauses for refreshment.

A morning private excursion to the Demilitarised Zone, the tense and fascinating border that has divided the Korean peninsula since 1953. We visit the observatory overlooking North Korea, one of the infiltration tunnels, and — security conditions permitting — the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom, where the two Koreas stand face to face. It is a sobering, deeply memorable half-day. The afternoon is free to rest or explore Seoul at leisure.

We leave the capital this morning and travel south by high-speed rail and private car to Andong, the heartland of Korean Confucian tradition. The riverside Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a living village of thatched and tiled houses encircled by a loop of the Nakdong River — little changed in five hundred years. Tonight you stay in genuine style at Rakkojae Andong, an exquisitely restored hanok where you sleep in a heated traditional room.

A short, scenic transfer brings us to Gyeongju, often called "the museum without walls" — the capital of the Silla kingdom for a thousand years. This afternoon we explore the Daereungwon tumuli park, where grass-covered royal burial mounds rise like green hills from the centre of the city, and the elegant Cheomseongdae, the oldest surviving astronomical observatory in East Asia. We check in to the comfortable Hilton Gyeongju, beautifully set beside Bomun Lake.

A day among the masterpieces of Korean Buddhist art. The temple of Bulguksa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating from the 8th century, is the most beautiful in all Korea, its stone terraces and pagodas set against wooded hills. Higher up the mountain, the Seokguram Grotto shelters a serene granite Buddha widely regarded as the supreme achievement of Silla sculpture. We also visit the superb Gyeongju National Museum, home of the great Silla golden crowns.

This morning we travel to Busan, Korea's vibrant second city and its greatest port. On arrival we visit the extraordinary Haedong Yonggungsa, a rare Buddhist temple set dramatically on the rocks above the crashing sea, then settle into the magnificent Park Hyatt Busan on the Haeundae waterfront. The evening is yours to enjoy the marina and the lights of the bay.

A full day exploring the many faces of Busan. We visit the colourful, cascading Gamcheon Culture Village on its hillside, the bustling Jagalchi fish market — Korea's largest — and the seaside temple and headland walks of Haeundae and Dongbaek. There is time, too, simply to enjoy the beach promenade at an easy pace, with a fine seafood lunch overlooking the water.

We travel west across the country to Jeonju, the gastronomic capital of Korea and home to its most celebrated hanok village — over 700 traditional tiled houses gathered in the heart of the city. This afternoon we wander its lanes, visit the Gyeonggijeon shrine and a traditional hanji paper workshop, and breathe in the scents of a city where food is a serious art. Tonight you stay at the comfortable Lahan Hotel Jeonju, beside the village itself.

This morning we transfer to the airport and take a short internal flight to Jeju, Korea's volcanic island paradise in the southern sea and its most beloved holiday destination. On arrival we settle into the elegant Grand Hyatt Jeju, your home for four restful nights, with the rest of the day free to relax and enjoy the resort after the journey south.

A day exploring Jeju's dramatic volcanic east. We begin at Seongsan Ilchulbong, the "Sunrise Peak", a vast tuff cone rising sheer from the sea — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Korea's most iconic sights. Later we descend into the extraordinary Manjanggul lava tube, one of the finest in the world, before meeting Jeju's famous haenyeo, the women free-divers who still harvest abalone and seaweed from the sea by hand.

Today we explore the green heart and southern shore of the island. We walk a gentle trail through the forested foothills of Hallasan, Korea's highest mountain and a dormant volcano at the island's centre, then drive the spectacular southern coast to the Jusangjeolli cliffs of hexagonal basalt columns and the Cheonjiyeon waterfall. A relaxed and scenic day amid Jeju's natural beauty.

A free day to enjoy Jeju entirely at your own pace. You might relax at the hotel and its spa, stroll a stretch of the island's celebrated Olle coastal walking paths, visit the manicured Spirit Garden of bonsai, or browse a local market. Soo-Yeon is on hand to arrange anything you wish, or simply to leave you in peace — this is your day.

Your remarkable Korean journey draws to a close. After a final breakfast, Soo-Yeon escorts you to the airport for your flight home (most departures connect via Seoul Incheon), ensuring the last day is as smooth and unhurried as every one before it. You leave with memories of palaces and temples, royal tombs and volcanic shores, and a country that surprises and delights at every turn.