SAMPLE ITINERARY PROGRAMME FOR SOUTH KOREA
SouthKorea STEMandCulture Programme
AbouttheProgramme
This seven-day programme is based in Seoul, South Korea's capital, with day trips to Paju and Suwon. Students move between the Joseon Dynasty palace complexes and traditional neighbourhoods of the old city, the geopolitical landscape of the Demilitarised Zone, a technology museum in Suwon, and the contemporary street culture of Hongdae and Myeongdong. The programme covers a significant range of Korean history and society across a single week, from the country's royal heritage and division after the Korean War to the global reach of its technology industry and popular culture.
KeyLearningOutcomes
Explore the arc of Korean history from the Joseon Dynasty palace complexes of central Seoul to the divided landscape of the DMZ, developing a grounded understanding of how past events continue to shape the country's present.
Encounter contemporary Korean culture across multiple registers, from the street food stalls of Gwangjang Market and the neighbourhoods of Hongdae and Myeongdong to the global phenomenon of K-pop, observing how tradition and modern culture exist alongside each other in a single city.
Discover how South Korea's technology industry developed through a visit to the Samsung Innovation Museum, tracing the country's rapid industrial growth and its influence on global electronics.
Gain exposure to Korea's traditional arts and practices through a Hanbok wearing experience at Bukchon Hanok Village, a Taekwondo session, and the Royal Changing of the Guards Ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Reflect on the human consequences of the Korean War through visits to the War Memorial of Korea and the DMZ, building a more considered understanding of the peninsula's division and its ongoing significance
TRIP INCLUSIONS
The group will stay at mentioned hotel based on twin or triple occupancy. Single supplements apply to single room requests.
Dedicated English-speaking guides throughout.
Tours and transfers as mentioned by air-conditioned vehicle.
TRIP EXCLUSIONS
Sightseeing fees and permits during guided time.
Service charges and applicable government taxes.
Meals as mentioned in the programme.
International flights and visa arrangements (including stamp fee upon arrival)
Expenditure of a personal nature including drinks at restaurants and early check-in or late check-out services.
Travel insurance (compulsory), tips, and gratuities.
DAY 01
SEOUL-ArrivalandOrientation
Welcome to South Korea.
Students are met at Incheon International Airport by their local English-speaking guide and transfer by private coach into central Seoul The evening begins with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant, centred on Korean barbecue Samgyeopsal, thinly sliced pork belly grilled at the table, is one of the most practised social rituals in Korean dining culture, and it makes for a fitting introduction to a country where food and shared meals carry considerable meaning.
After dinner, the group transfers to the hotel for check-in.
Overnight at the hotel.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Centrally located hotel or similar
DAY 02
SEOUL–ContemporaryCultureandK-pop
After breakfast, students meet their guide in the hotel lobby and spend the day exploring Seoul by public transport
The morning begins at HiKR Ground, an interactive cultural centre in central Seoul dedicated to Korean tourism and contemporary culture Through a series of immersive media installations, students gain an overview of modern Korea and the global reach of its cultural exports before encountering them directly on the ground.
From there, the group continues to Gwangjang Market, one of Seoul's oldest traditional markets, established in 1905. The market is well known for its concentration of street food vendors and local textile traders, and lunch is taken independently here, giving students the chance to navigate the stalls at their own pace
In the afternoon, the group takes part in a K-pop dance class, learning choreography associated with one of the most commercially successful music industries in the world The session is hands-on and gives students a practical entry point into a cultural phenomenon that has reached audiences across more than a hundred countries.
The day closes with time to explore Hongdae, a neighbourhood known for its street performances, independent shops, and the concentration of arts universities that have shaped its character over several decades.
Dinner is served at a local restaurant before the group returns to the hotel
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Accommodation: Centrally located hotel or similar
DAY 03
SEOUL–RoyalHeritageandTraditionalNeighbourhoods
After breakfast, students meet their guide and spend the day exploring the historic districts of central Seoul by public transport
The morning begins at Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest of the five grand palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled Korea from 1392 to 1897 Students arrive in time to witness the Royal Changing of the Guards Ceremony, a formal reenactment of the palace gate-changing rituals performed by the royal guard during the Joseon period, carried out in full historical costume.
From the palace, the group walks to Bukchon Hanok Village, a residential neighbourhood of traditional Korean houses, known as hanok, many of which have been continuously occupied and maintained for several hundred years. Students take part in a Hanbok experience, dressing in traditional Korean attire and spending time in the historic streets of the village
Lunch is taken independently at a local restaurant before the group heads to Myeongdong in the afternoon, a busy commercial district in central Seoul known for its fashion boutiques, skincare shops, and concentration of street food vendors
Students have free time to explore before the group reconvenes for dinner and the return transfer to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Accommodation: Locally situated hotel or similar
DAY 04
PAJUANDSEOUL–TheDMZandtheWarMemorial
After breakfast, students board a private coach for Paju, near the border with North Korea, for a visit to the Korean Demilitarised Zone Please note that pre-reservation is required for this excursion
The day begins at Imjingak Park, a site near the border established in 1972 as a space of remembrance for Koreans separated from family members in the north following the 1953 armistice The group continues to the Third Infiltration Tunnel, one of several tunnels discovered beneath the DMZ since the 1970s, reportedly constructed by North Korea as a possible invasion route.
From there, students visit Dora Observatory, which looks directly across the border into North Korean territory, and pass through Unification Village, a small farming community within the civilian control zone whose residents live and work under specific government permissions.
The visit as a whole gives students a direct encounter with one of the world's most closely watched geopolitical boundaries and the human reality of a division now entering its eighth decade
Lunch is taken independently before the coach returns to Seoul
The afternoon brings a visit to the War Memorial of Korea, a museum and outdoor exhibition space dedicated to the history of the Korean War and the country's broader military heritage.
Students move through collections covering the conflict from multiple perspectives, developing a more detailed picture of the events that led to and followed the division of the peninsula
Meals: Breakfast / Dinner
Accommodation: Locally situated hotel or similar
DAY 05
SUWONANDSEOUL–Innovation,Heritage,andthe
After breakfast, the group boards a private coach to Suwon, approximately an hour south of Seoul
The morning is spent at the Samsung Innovation Museum, a facility dedicated to the history of global electronics and the development of Samsung Electronics from a small trading company, founded in 1938, into one of the world's largest technology manufacturers Students trace the evolution of consumer electronics across several decades and explore how South Korea's rapid industrialisation, beginning in the 1960s, positioned the country as a significant force in global technology. Please note that pre-reservation is required for this visit.
After lunch, the group visits Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed structure that encircles the centre of Suwon Built between 1794 and 1796 during the reign of King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty, the fortress is notable for the sophistication of its construction methods and the detailed records kept during its building, which survive to this day Students walk the walls and grounds of the fortress before the coach returns to Seoul
Back in the city, the group visits COEX Mall and the Starfield Library, a large public reading space within the mall known for its floor-to-ceiling bookshelves spanning multiple levels. The contrast between the library's scale and its location inside a commercial space captures something particular about how public and commercial life are arranged in contemporary Seoul.
Dinner is served at a local restaurant before the group returns to the hotel
SEOUL–ChoiceofProgramme
After breakfast, students meet their guide in the hotel lobby. The day follows one of two programme options, confirmed ahead of the trip
Option A: Taekwondo and Community Volunteering
The morning begins with a Taekwondo session, an introduction to the Korean martial art that was systematised in the mid-twentieth century and designated as Korea's national sport in 1955 Students learn the foundational stances, movements, and principles of the discipline through a guided practical session.
Lunch is taken independently. The afternoon is given over to a community volunteering activity, details of which are to be confirmed. This half-day is designed to give students direct engagement with a local community in Seoul
Option B: Lotte World Adventure
The group spends the day at Lotte World Adventure, a large indoor theme park in central Seoul, with time to explore the park's attractions independently Lunch is taken on site
Both options conclude with a farewell dinner at a local buffet restaurant before the group returns to the hotel for the final overnight.
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Accommodation: Centrally located hotel or similar
DAY 07
SEOUL–Departure
After breakfast and hotel checkout, the group has free time in the city before the day's final activity.
Students visit N Seoul Tower, situated on Namsan Mountain in central Seoul, reached by cable car The tower's observatory offers a broad view across the metropolitan area, and the visit provides a fitting close to a week spent moving through the city at ground level
After the visit, the group transfers by private coach to Incheon International Airport for the departure flight.
End of programme. Have a safe flight home.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Nil
