The 15 South Korea Palace Tours We Would Buy a Ticket For

1.Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,321 reviews · 4 - 9 hours · from $32Our pick

This guided Seoul tour pairs Gyeongbokgung Palace and its royal guard ceremony with Bukchon Hanok Village, Bugak Skyway views, Korean ginseng shopping, and Gwangjang Market. English-speaking guides such as Grace, Sophie, Sunny, Chloe, and Shin lead the groups. Choose a half-day route, Tuesday variation, or longer tour with the War Memorial and Jogye Temple.

“I loved it, sunny was fantastic and she’s so helpful and kind with everyone. She makes sure everyone is included and is happy to take your picture if you need. Very friendly tour guide and had a great time.”

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2.Best Seoul City Tour (Gyeongbokgung Palace,Insadong,Namsan Tower)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,647 reviews · from $58Top rated

This 7.5-hour Seoul tour links Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insadong, traditional markets, Namsangol Hanok Village, and N Seoul Tower. English or Chinese guides such as Kelly, Lynn, Sunny, and Hana lead the day. Tuesday follows a different route with Changdeokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village.

“Beautiful tour , you have to do it , to have an idea of Seoul and very interesting information . Kelly our guide was the best that I have had during my 4 weeks traveling in Korea Kelly’s English is beautiful and she is a star KUDOS to her ! Her attitude and service was fantastic”

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3.Small-Group Royal Palace and Seoul City Tour (hotel pick-up)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,474 reviews · from $56

Spend about eight hours exploring Seoul with an English-speaking guide and a maximum of 16 people. Visit Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Insadong, and Namdaemun Market, with hotel pickup, entrance fees, and transport included. Guides such as Young, BK, Sookee, and Lua are often praised for clear history lessons and friendly help.

“Our guide, BK, was very knowledgeable and told interesting stories throughout the day. We visited two palaces, a Buddhist temple, the folk museum and a ginseng museum, as well as some neighborhoods- Insadong for lunch and endRead more”

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4.Seoul City Sightseeing Tour Including Gyeongbokgung Palace, N Seoul Tower, and Namsangol Hanok Village

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,423 reviews · from $80

Spend about eight hours exploring Seoul with a local guide such as AJ, BK, Lizzy, or Charles. Visit Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum, Insadong, N Seoul Tower, and Namsangol Hanok Village. Hotel pickup, transport, cable car, and most admission fees are included, but lunch and the tower observatory cost extra.

“The tour guide was friendly and shared a great deal of knowledge to share about the different places we visited. We learned a lot and enjoyed the experience sightseeing with other people.”

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5.Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,044 reviews · from $32

See Seoul’s royal past, hillside views, traditional homes, and famous food market in about four hours. Guides such as Chloe, Grace, Sunny, Sophie, and Shin lead the route in an air-conditioned minivan or coach, explain Korean culture, and often help with photos. The tour starts near Myeongdong and ends at Gwangjang Market.

“Great tour! Our guide was fantastic! She was also very funny! She had great energy & enthusiasm! She directed us to the perfect place to see the changing of the guards. The ginseng museum was very interesting even if it was designed to get you to buy their products.”

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6.Seoul Half-Day City Highlight, Palace Tour with Hanbok

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 764 reviews · 4 hours · from $49

Spend four hours in Seoul with an English-speaking guide such as Lia, Gina, Pearl, or Thomas. Dress in hanbok, tour Gyeongbokgung Palace, watch the Changing of the Guard, walk Bukchon Hanok Village, visit Baek In-je’s House, and enjoy a seasonal Korean snack. Expect plenty of walking and photo stops.

“excellent! Lia was a well informed guide who squeezed a lot into a short tour. Took wonderful pictures then directed us to where we were going next”

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

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

Walk from Hyehwa Station through Daehangno, Changgyeonggung Palace, Gwangjang Market, Pocha Street, Ikseon-dong and Jogyesa Temple. Your English-speaking guide, often praised guides such as Mia, Kim or Jay, leads the four-hour route, explains Seoul’s past and serves makgeolli, jeon, market food and optional live octopus.

“a great walking tour to consider if you want to understand korean culture better. our guide inha made the whole experience better.”

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8.Seoul Highlights: Gyeongbok Palace, Insadong & N Seoul Tower

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 726 reviews · 4 - 8 hours · from $26

Cover Seoul’s essential sights with an English-speaking guide, from Jogyesa Temple and Gyeongbokgung Palace to Insadong, Gwangjang Market, and N Seoul Tower. Choose a half-day visit or the fuller eight-hour route with cable-car tickets. Guides such as Kelly, Moon, Crystal, and Yuna are praised for clear explanations and thoughtful help with photos.

“One of the best tours we have taken from all the sights to the history we were told. Jenny was delightful and engaging with all on the tour. Highly recommend VIP Tours.”

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9.Hanbok Rental with Gyeongbokgung Palace Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 611 reviews · 1 hour · from $6Best value

At Daehan Hanbok, one minute from Gyeongbokgung Station, choose a traditional or premium hanbok from more than 1,500 options. Staff help you dress, then you can visit Gyeongbokgung or other royal palaces for free in costume, or wander Bukchon Hanok Village. Hair styling, accessories, and petticoats cost extra.

“Friendly helpful staff. We had lovely hanboks and the lady helped us find the perfect top and our hair. There were lockers for our stuff and was easy to find the palace after watching Chan’s videos on Instagram! Thank you all”

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10.Seoul City Half Day Tour-Gyeongbok Palace Guard Changing Ceremony

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 357 reviews · from $38

Start with hotel pickup and ride by air-conditioned coach to Jogyesa Temple, Cheongwadae Sarangchae, and Gyeongbokgung Palace. Your English- or Chinese-speaking guide, such as Kelly, Emily, or Sunny, explains Seoul’s past before the colorful guard ceremony. The tour ends with a ginseng shopping stop and drop-off near central Seoul.

“We did the tour with Sunny, who is very fun and cheerful, which made the visit very enjoyable. Among other things, we visited Jogyesa Buddhist temple and the must-see Gyeongbokgung palace! Once the tour was over, we even had the chance to have lunch with the guide on Insadong street, as she could recommend some great restaurants in the area. We highly recommend this tour!”

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11.Gyeongbok Palace with Gigibebe Hanbok Rental

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 289 reviews · 1 day · from $9

At Gigibebe Hanbok, three minutes from Gyeongbokgung Station, choose a traditional, royal, or drama-style hanbok, then receive simple hair styling, a Korean hairband, handbag, and locker. Your hanbok also brings free entry to five Seoul palaces, including Gyeongbokgung. Choose two hours, four hours, or the full day, and return everything by 7:00 PM.

“Kind and helpful service. Beautiful hair styling and dress.”

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12.Hanbok Photoshoot and History Tour at Gyeongbokgung Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 276 reviews · from $60

You’ll dress in hanbok, have your hair styled, then explore Gyeongbokgung Palace with guide James and photographer Jacob. Expect royal halls, quiet photo spots, stories from Korea’s Joseon era, pose help, and more than 100 edited photos. The tour lasts about two to three hours and costs $60.41, excluding hanbok rental.

“Unforgettable Cultural & Photography Experience! This tour completely exceeded our expectations! We had two wonderful guides—James was an expert in the local history and culture, and his colleague was a professional photographer who captured stunning moments throughout the day. Getting to wear a traditional hanbok added such a beautiful and authentic touch to the experience. Our history guide was not only knowledgeable and informative, but also very engaging and fun. The photographer made us feel totally comfortable, offered great direction, and knew the perfect spots to take breathtaking photos. We left the tour with new knowledge, incredible memories, and amazing photos. This experience w...”

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13.Seoul Night Palace & Market Food Tour with Vehicle

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

Start at Hyehwa Station with a walk to Changgyeonggung Palace, then visit Gwangjang Market for Korean pancakes, rice wine, raw beef, live octopus, dumplings, and a twisted donut. Your English-speaking guide, such as Mia, Janice, Ron, or Bruce, adds history and food tips before the evening ends at Jogyesa Temple.

“If you're participating in this experience at night in the fall, wear warm clothes: it gets quite chilly at night. Also, bring a small flashlight to light the ground as you walk around the Palace grounds: some uneven surfaces, high steps.”

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14.Customized Private Seoul tour: Palace, Market etc(Airport Option)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 46 reviews · from $184

Build your Seoul day around the places you care about, from Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwangjang Market to the DMZ, Nami Island, or Suwon Fortress. An English-speaking private driving guide such as Benny, Jimmy, Shane, or Alfonso handles transport, explanations, and hotel or airport transfers. You get about nine hours, but admissions, parking, tolls, and airport transfers may cost extra.

“Mr Alfo is a reliable and professional guide for our trip. He explained to us well of the DMZ m, this trip is a fruitful one with his guidance. A knowledgeable person and knowing well of his country. We enjoy having this trip and making the right choice when we touch down Seoul for the first day tour begin.”

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15.Full-Day Royal Palaces Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 33 reviews · from $295

Spend 8.5 hours exploring Seoul’s royal past with a private English or Japanese-speaking guide. Visit Blue House, Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Insadong, a Hanok village, Sungnyemun Gate, and Namdaemun Market. Heidi, Leo, and Melvin have all led this tour, though your guide may vary. Lunch and entrance fees are included.

“Heidi was a fantastic guide! She is fun and converse well in English. We enjoyed our trip with her.”

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