One thing you will quickly notice about South Koreans is how active they are and how much they enjoy hiking. Throughout Seoul you will see the locals dressed in hiking gear, on their way to climb one of the many peaks found around the city. One of these peaks that Radojko and I climbed was the Inwangsan Mountain on our third day in the city with my coworker (and tour guide for the day), Maddy. The climb gave us beautiful views of the city and it was the best way to be introduced to this beautiful metropolis!
Climbing up to the peak you will walk along the Seoul City Wall.
Off in the distance, you will also have a view of the N Seoul Tower.
Although the path to the top has parts that have stairs, both wooden and stone, there are parts that are dirt only. For this reason, I would recommend good walking shoes, preferably hiking shoes if you have them, but I was able to make it to the top in my regular sneakers. Also, this path requires that you are in at least decent physical shape so be prepared for a good workout and sweat!
If you want to spend some time admiring the views from the top, you could pack a lunch and find a spot to sit down to enjoy it, but be forewarned that there are no picnic tables or benches, so you will have to find a nice flat rock to sit on (which is doable and what we did). Also, be sure to bring water so you don’t get dehydrated!
I highly recommend this hike for a view of the city, especially on a clear and not hot day (don’t do it when the smog is out! Not only will you not be able to see very much of the city, your lungs will hate you for it!). From what Maddy told me, Inwangsan Mountain is less crowded than some of the others found in the city. Despite being in the middle of Seoul, with views of the city all around you, climbing to the top makes you feel like you are somewhere in nature, and not in one of the biggest cities in the world.
For more information, be sure to check the official Visit Korea Website, which I might add is very informative and well designed.
Now, for those of you who have asked me to post more about Seoul on my blog, can you see why it is difficult for me to find the time to do it? The city is so big and beautiful, there is so much to see and so little time to see it all. But I will do my best to keep all of you updated on my adventures, especially around Seoul as I feel this city is underrated for its beauty and charm.
Happy Travels Everyone!
Andrea
certainly was a nice day for it! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂