Seoul

Seoul Highlights & Hidden Gems Tours by Locals: Private + Custom

Name: Seoul Highlights & Hidden Gems Tours by Locals: Private + Custom
Brand: City Unscripted
SKU: 30791P83
Price: 85.37 USD
Rating: 5.0 (246 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceSeoul, South Korea

From $85.37

Price varies by group size

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

2 to 8 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Seoul is considered among South Korea’s must-see cities, but beating the language barrier to explore solo can be a challenge. On this tour, leave the guidebook at home and explore South Korea’s bustling capital through the eyes of a local. Customize your itinerary to hit top attractions like Gyeongbokgung Palace or the N-Seoul Tower, or step off the beaten trail to corners of the city many visitors miss.

See the best of Seoul with your local guide to lead the way
Customize your itinerary to hit the highlights of most interest
Escape the beaten trail to secrets corners of South Korea’s exciting capital

What's Included

Private and personalized walking tour with a passionate local
2, 3, 4, 6 or 8 hours walking tour, exploring highlights and hidden gems
Hotel meet-up available on request for central locations (must be organized after booking)

Food and drinks
Transportation (primarily a walking experience however public transport may be used)
Tickets to any attractions
Gratuities (optional)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Starbucks
5-1 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
After booking, you can adjust the meeting point to fit your preferences with the help of our Experience Planners.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Cheonggyecheon Stream (Pass By)

Gwanghwamun Square (Pass By)

Gyeongbokgung Palace (Pass By)

Bukchon Hanok Village (Pass By)

Insadong (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Itineraries are fully personalized so any additional requirements like tickets, transportation and food & drinks can be arranged for an additional cost
Private groups are normally no larger than 6 people (if your group is larger, please make this known so that arrangements can be made)
Wheelchair accessible

Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

246 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 246 reviews

Local and Differentiated - saw and learned A LOT!

Brittani_P, Apr 2024

GJ was an amazing guide, she had lots of energy and was very knowledgeable! I said I wanted to see as much as possible during our 6 hours together and she did not disappoint. We went to a Palace, a political building, a temple, a tower with incredible views, ate some great traditional food at street markets and so much more. She helped me navigate the subway, taught me some Korean, and was a kind and imaginative photographer. It felt like I received a truly local and differentiated experience. I saw and learned a ton, and met an incredible person in the process - highly recommend!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Think of us next time you travel, we have a network of over 1,200 hosts around the world. I am so happy to hear your had a great time with GJ! Your words are cherished!

Great tour with BJ

darya_k, Apr 2024

We had a great day with BJ We felt looked after and we learned a lot of new interesting things! Thank you!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great day with BJ and that you felt well taken care of. It's fantastic to know that you learned a lot of new and interesting things during your tour. We'll be sure to pass along your appreciation to BJ. If you ever want to explore more, we'd love to welcome you back for another memorable experience!

Beware of booking

Enid_C, Apr 2024

Zero stars! Because of delays in immigration upon our arrival to the airport, we were advised by our tour guide that we did not have enough time for our tour that was scheduled during our layover at Incheon airport. (We felt that we had enough time to at least do a portion of the tour.) Viator refused to refund any portion of the $260 we paid for the tour. It was not our fault that we were unable to attend our tour and advised to cancel by their representative. We were looking forward to it. We are very disappointed with the company’s unethical and unfair decision and their lack of understanding that we have no control over international travel delays.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Enid, It's regrettable that the immigration delays disrupted your plans, especially with the anticipation you had for the tour. While we do our best to accommodate last-minute issues, we also need to consider the commitments of our hosts and third-party suppliers. Rest assured, we will internally review your case to find ways to handle such situations more effectively. We hope for the opportunity to demonstrate to you how amazing our experiences are. Warm regards, Ruslan and the City Unscripted Team.

Ruth (Jihyun) rocks! 😁

Mia_O, Mar 2024

Ruth was an awesome tour guide. She shared a good balance of history and modern Korea. She was a great ambassador for Korea and gave us newcomers great suggestions and tips to enjoy Korea.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

We're delighted to hear that Ruth provided such a wonderful tour experience, offering insights into both the history and modern aspects of Korea. It's fantastic that she shared helpful suggestions and tips to enhance your enjoyment of Korea. Thank you for sharing your feedback!

Oki is an AMAZING guide!

Anthony_P, Mar 2024

Every part of our tour was amazing! Oki is the best guide we’ve ever had! The lunch was amazing! What an experience! The markets were mind blowing! We walked through historic districts that were amazing! Can’t think of a single part we didn’t like! Highly recommend Oki!!!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

We're thrilled to hear that every part of your tour with Oki was amazing! From the delicious lunch to the mind-blowing markets and the captivating historic districts, it sounds like you had an unforgettable experience. Thank you for recommending Oki so highly, and we're grateful for the opportunity to have shared such wonderful moments with you.

It was a non-event

Carmel_C, Mar 2024

To whom imay concern We didn't get to meet with Sujeong on 20/3/24 as we were suppose to leave the ship and collect our bags around 8:15 am but our last bag did not come until 10:40 am and by the time we sorted out transport to our hotel to drop the bags off it was around 12:30 pm. Then we had to meet Sujeong in the city which would have brought it to 1:30 pm.I was in contact with Sujeong from the time we realised we would be late. Sujeong was booked from 10:30 - 2:30 pm so we had to cancel. It would have been much more convenient if she had met us at the Cruise Terminal. I am not sure how this works but do we get some sort of refund? We were charged AU$465.44 for this non-event. Looking forward to a favourable reply. Carmel Cooke

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi Carmel, It's regrettable that these unforeseen circumstances have affected your tour arrangements, even though the host was waiting for you at the meeting place on time. We do what we can to accommodate you with any last-minute problems, but we also have to be reasonable with our Hosts and third-party suppliers. We've responded to your refund request directly and hope for the opportunity to show you how amazing our experiences are in the near future. Warm regards, Ruslan and the City Unscripted Team.

A customized day tour led by a knowledgeable and engaging local host

Howard_S, Mar 2024

Our personable and knowledgeable host, Oki, provided a customized, largely walking tour experience, which is what we were going for. She offered interesting historical context along with observations on modern Korean culture throughout our day together. (She even followed up with some Korean TV series recommendations after she learned of our interest.)

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for your generous words. We're delighted to hear that you had such an exceptional experience. We're eagerly looking forward to welcoming you back for another exciting adventure!

Superb Seoul!

robert_s, Nov 2023

Paul was my guide and he is so passionate about giving visitors a meaningful experience to take back home with them. If you want to truly get an understanding of Korean culture and beliefs, this is the tour for you! It was a fascinating tour and I highly recommend. I had a private tour and Paul was more than flexible with my schedule and interests.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Hi Robert! Delighted you enjoyed the tour with Paul! His passion for sharing Korean culture shines through. We appreciate your recommendation and flexibility, and we look forward to welcoming you again!

Custom-fit tour and best tour guide.

Jennifer_W, Nov 2023

Ruth was the absolute best tour guide. She was totally flexible and willing to change around the entire itinerary to give me exactly the off-the-beaten path tour I was looking for. She spent all day with me showing and telling me all about Korean life and I loved every minute of it. Really the best cultural immersion tour and best tour guide ever. I had the best day!

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Your review brings a smile to our faces. Ruth's thoughtful approach in tailoring your Seoul tour to your preferences and her rich insights into the city added a unique and cherished dimension to your experience.

Very insightful tour....

Pablo_V, Oct 2023

Very insightful tour. Felt in great hands with a local guide and she provided awesome recommendations.

Great tour with Oki

Steven_K, Oct 2023

Wonderful tour - thank you Oki for an excellent 2 hour tour at the palace! Great balance of culture and history!

Bukson Village was nice....

Peter_C, Aug 2023

Bukson Village was nice. Beautiful historical area that allowed us to see where the noblemen lived many years ago in Seoul

Private tour

Sylvia_S, May 2023

Yujin made my trip memorable and gave me thé confidence toi travel alone by Subway. She really took thé time and showed me all Kinds of places ive asked for. IT Had been such a great expérience i won't ever forget. I would never be able to do all alone that's why i appreciate these tours

Great!

Matthew_R, May 2023

We had a great tour and got to see a lot of Seoul in just a few hours! Thank you so much for the great time!

Great guide, multiple...

Robert_C, Apr 2023

Great guide, multiple insightful stops and sites. Well-paced and enjoyable. Would recommend to others.

Can skip

Winnie_C, Apr 2023

Not to impressed of the content and I cannot feel it ‘s tailor made. The tour is a bit expensive provided that all transportation cost is excluded

Seoul adventures

Sebastian_F, Apr 2023

The whole tour was amazing. The guide is highly recommended. He is very knowledgeable and was attentive to detail and always trying to tailor the tour to fit my personal preferences.

Seoul on a Saturday Night

RHODA_M, Apr 2023

I chose this tour mainly because of hotel pick up since it is my first time in Seoul and do not know my way around. Oki is very knowledgeable and a wonderful guide. I had a list of places to see and things to do, mainly Seoul on a Saturday night. Hongdae, Myeongdong, Namsan Tower where views of the city at night is so beautiful. She made sure we accomplished what is on my list. Not sure if it is possible to request a guide but if you could, she is your person! She genuinely cares to ensure you have the best time in Seoul. I highly recommend this tour!

Nice walking tour customized to our preference.

Thomas_K, Mar 2023

Our your guide, Arnaud, was friendly and accommodating of our request to focus more on contemporary Korean culture than historical sites (although we saw some of both). It met our goals of getting a good overview of the North part of Seoul over about 2 hours. We ended up walking nearly seven miles in that span.

Awesome 3 hour day tour of Seoul!

Edith_A, Mar 2023

We had a great tour guide Wan-Hyeog. The walk around the Seoul to see the highlights, the Temple and hanok village… Tea garden and got traditional tea and the fried pancake we ate. Was great to see a lot for a 3 hour day tour.

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