Where to Go: the 11 Best Temple Tours in Seoul

1.Palace, Temple and Market Guided Foodie Tour at Night

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 750 reviews · from $60Our pick

Meet your English or Korean-speaking guide at Hyehwa Station for a four-hour evening walk through Jongno. Visit Changgyeonggung Palace and Jogyesa Temple, then eat through Gwangjang Market with makgeolli, assorted jeon, chopped live octopus, beef tartare, and kkwabaegi. Guides may include Mia, Kim, Jay, or Inha.

“Tour was good! interesting route and the food was good. tried a little of the octopus and it wasn't as bad as expected”

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2.Mt Seorak + Naksansa Temple or Nami Island Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 422 reviews · 13 - 14 hours · from $68

Travel from Seoul to Mt Seorak by comfortable coach, choose a trail or cable car, then visit either sea-facing Naksansa Temple or tree-lined Nami Island. Guides such as Han, Sally, and Eric help with route choices, meals, timing, and local context during this long but rewarding day.

“It was a great value for money, the guide, Gina, is an experienced hiker, so she knew all the great tips about the different routes.”

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3.Seoul Night Palace & Market Food Tour with Vehicle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 275 reviews · from $79Top rated

Start at Hyehwa Station for a guided walk to Changgyeonggung Palace, then ride between the palace, Gwangjang Market, and Jogyesa Temple. Expect Korean pancakes, makgeolli, raw beef, live octopus, donuts, and lively stories from guides such as Mia, Janice, Ron, and Bruce.

“This night food and city tour was hands-down one of the best parts of our trip! Exploring the city after dark gave it such a vibrant, unique atmosphere—everything from the lit-up streets to the buzzing night markets felt electric. Our guide J was incredible—friendly, engaging, and full of fun facts that brought the city’s history and culture to life. If you’re looking for a fun, flavorful, and immersive way to see the city, don’t miss this tour. It’s the perfect blend of culture and cuisine!”

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4.Best Things to Do – Half Day Seoul Trip (Seoul Palace & Temple)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 190 reviews · from $38

Spend about three hours visiting Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Cheongwadae Sarangchae, and a ginseng shopping center with an English- or Chinese-speaking guide. Hotel pickup and air-conditioned transport make this a useful first look at Seoul, though the ginseng stop can feel sales-focused.

“The first half of the trip was good and what I would expect with the cost being so low. I marked down two stars for two reasons: (1) the museum was listed on the itinerary through Viator and not updated. We did not stop at the museum (2) tRead more”

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5.War Memorial, Jogyesa Temple & Tapgol Park Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 56 reviews · from $42

Spend an afternoon tracing Korea’s wartime past, modern growth, Buddhist traditions, and independence movement. Visit the War Memorial, National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, Jogyesa Temple, and Tapgol Park, with guides such as Connie, Leo, or Jang adding local stories. Transport and entrance fees are included.

“What a wonderful tour. Dragon our Guide came on that very cold day with transportation, How wonderful and we were grateful for that warm Van and the kind driver as well. It was a private tour and what a knowledgeable Guide we had. It was complete tour with the history of Korea and its very existence. Once we finished visiting the palace, dragon took us to a traditional Korean Tea house. By that time we were glad he did, we warmed up with a Korean Tea out of this world that no word would describe how good it was and the little rice cake as well. A special note as…”

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6.Vegan Temple Food Class, Jogyesa & Changdeokgung Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 34 reviews · from $73

Meet at Anguk Station for a hands-on vegan temple food class with a Buddhist monk, then explore Jogyesa, Insadong, Seoul’s medicinal market, and Changdeokgung Palace. Guides such as Bruce, Gina, Ron, and BJ add cultural context, translation, and practical help along the way.

“This was an amazing experience. The temple cooking class was fun and informative. I enjoyed the dish we made and learned a lot. Our guide, Bruce was a big help translating and teaching us all about the Changdeokgung palace. We also spent time exploring a fantastic art market area. I wholeheartedly recommend this tour.”

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7.UNESCO Sites tour: Palace, Shrine & Bukchon Village

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 26 reviews · from $36

Spend a culture-filled day with an English-speaking guide such as Stella, Chloe, Leo, or Ms. Park, visiting Bukchon, Jongmyo Shrine, Changdeokgung Palace and, on the full-day route, Suwon Fortress. Expect included admission and van transport, a paid lunch break, and Myeongdong drop-off.

“Park was a wonderful guide. She taught us alot about Korean history and culture. She was a lot of fun and we had a great time.”

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8.Temple & Starfield COEX Mall Gourmet Tour in Gangnam

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 22 reviews · from $66

Meet your English- or Japanese-speaking guide at Bongeunsa Station for an evening walk through Gangnam. Visit Bongeunsa Temple and COEX’s grand Starfield Library, then share Korean fried chicken, beer, and possibly pork barbecue. Guide Choi has led this route.

“I loved the temple and the bookshop and receiving historical and cultural information from our guide. The duration was a bit shorter than advertised. But the guide was helpful and informative. I would suggest operating the tour at other times as well because there were other activities I'd have been interested in as well and they coincided in terms of time. Not sure that Korean barbecue qualifies as as gourmet. It was good, but gourmet?”

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9.Danyang Tour:Guinsa Temple & Bobaljae & Cheongpung Cable Car

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · from $105

Travel from Seoul with an English or Chinese-speaking guide to Guinsa Temple, Bobaljae Observatory, and Cheongpung Lake. Expect temple vegetarian food, autumn road views, photo stops, and a cable car ride. Guides may include Yohan, Jun, Edward, Michael, or Mario.

“The day was wonderful, and left everyone speechless. The tour guides Yohan and Jun were a fantastic duo.”

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10.Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jogyesa Temple and Bukchon village

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $82

Meet near Anguk Station for a roughly three-hour English walking tour led by guides such as Lee. Visit Jogyesa Temple, Gwanghwamun Square, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Bukchon Village, with a palace entrance ticket, herbal tea, Korean history, and a traditional game included.

“Lee was a fantastic guide! She had knowledge about everything, a good spirit, was interested in discussing things, in time and also suprised us with something outside the box (a Korean boardgame). We enjoyed our tour with Lee so much and recommend it to everyone, both young and old☺️🌸 We loved every minute of it!🤩💕”

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11.Night Bongeunsa Temple Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $3Best value

Meet at Bongeunsa Station Exit 2 for a guided evening visit to Bongeunsa Temple. Your local guide explains its history, customs, and quiet nighttime atmosphere in English or Japanese. The visit lasts about an hour, with time to stay for prayers if you wish.

“I was impressed by the calm and in-depth explanation, and the sincere answers to every question, which allowed me to focus and immerse myself throughout the tour. The atmosphere was really calm at night, and I was impressed by how well the guide's tone matched it. By the end of the tour, I felt like I was getting a little rest for my mind, not just 'watching' I want to join again next time, and I definitely want to recommend it to others.”

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