Korean Palace Tours: 13 Days in Seoul’s Royal Courts

1.Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour

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

This English-guided Seoul tour pairs Gyeongbokgung Palace and its guard ceremony with Bukchon Hanok Village, Bugak Skyway, a ginseng museum, and Gwangjang Market. Guides such as Grace, Sophie, Sunny, Chloe, and Shin keep the pace friendly and informative. Choose a half-day or full-day version.

“Was a very informative trip, Sunni was purpose and sh was very knowledgeable and friendly.”

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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 group tour links Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insadong, Gwangjang Market, Namsan, and N Seoul Tower. English or Chinese guides, hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, palace tickets, and the round-trip cable car are included. Expect a fast, useful introduction to Seoul.

“Kelly did an amazing job, taking our group throughout the beautiful city of Seoul. Anyone is thinking about it, VIP is excellent.”

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3.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 touring Seoul with a local guide such as AJ, BK, or Lizzy. Visit Jogyesa Temple, Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum, Insadong, N Seoul Tower, and Namsangol Hanok Village. Hotel pickup, transport, cable car, and most admissions are included, but lunch and the observation deck cost extra.

“It's was really a nice tour of Seoul to see all the main attractions in only one day. Our tour Guide AJ was amazing. It was such a nice day :)”

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4.Gyeongbok Palace, Bukchon Village, and Gwangjang Tour

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

Start near Myeongdong with a guide such as Grace, Sunny, Chloe, Sophie, or Shin, then visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Bugak Skyway, a ginseng museum, and Gwangjang Market. You get history, photo stops, local tips, and air-conditioned transport in about four hours.

“It was a fantastic tour with our tour guide Grace. She is knowledgeable about Seoul. I enjoyed this half a day tour.”

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

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

Spend four hours with an English-speaking guide such as Lia, Pearl, Gina, or Thomas, wearing Hanbok at Gyeongbokgung Palace, visiting the National Palace Museum, tasting a seasonal snack, walking Bukchon Hanok Village, and touring Baek In-je’s House.

“Although I wish we could have visited other locations, it was nice. Thank you Pearl.”

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6.Hanbok Rental with Gyeongbokgung Palace Entry

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

Choose from more than 1,500 traditional and premium hanboks at Daehan Hanbok, one minute from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 4. Staff help you dress, with lockers, an underskirt, handbag, and hairband included. Add hairstyling, accessories, or a petticoat, then visit nearby palaces or Bukchon Hanok Village.

“Great experience! Very busy rental shop but they were foreigner friendly and had an efficient process. They kindly extended my rental duration upon request too!”

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7.Gyeongbok Palace with Gigibebe Hanbok Rental

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

Choose a traditional, royal, or modern hanbok at Gigibebe Hanbok near Gyeongbokgung Station. Staff help with dressing and hair styling, then you can explore five Seoul palaces at your own pace with free entry while wearing the outfit.

“There was a delay at the beginning because the staff couldn't figure out the reservation, it took about 10 minutes, but other than that everything was fine. But keep in mind that this place has a small selection of plus size clothes. I'm a size 42 European and I wanted a pink hanbok, and there was only one”

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8.Hanbok Photoshoot and History Tour at Gyeongbokgung Palace

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

Dress in a rented hanbok, have your hair styled, and explore Gyeongbokgung with historian-guide James and photographer Jacob. Expect palace stories, pose help, scenic photo stops, and more than 100 edited images. On Tuesdays, the route switches to Changdeokgung and Ikseondong.

“My wife and I had such a great time with James and Jacob. They were super friendly, taught us a lot about Hanbok, and made the whole photoshoot really fun. We definitely recommend it!”

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9.Korean Palace and Market Tour in Seoul Including Insadong and Gyeongbokgung Palace

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 174 reviews · from $89

Spend about 8.5 hours exploring Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces, Jogyesa Temple, Insadong, and Namdaemun Market with hotel transport, lunch, and a guide such as Lizzy, BK, or Miel. Expect steady walking, a ginseng-center stop, and a broad introduction to Seoul’s history and daily life.

“Nice TOUR and overview of some of Seoul highlights. LIZZY was the best. Friendly, knowledgeable, organized and efficient. Lucky to spend the day with her on this tour.”

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10.Professional Hanbok Photography at Gyeongbok Palace

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 172 reviews · 1 hour · from $103

Meet photographer Yong at Gyeongbokgung Station, wear a hanbok from a recommended rental shop, then walk through Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace for a guided one-hour photo session. You receive 10 edited images, low-resolution proofs, and five Polaroids. Hanbok rental costs extra.

“I had such a wonderful photoshoot! The photographer was kind, professional, and made me feel completely comfortable throughout the session. The photos turned out beautifully — natural, bright, and full of emotion. I also appreciated the smooth communication, the helpful guidance during the shoot, and the fast delivery of the edited pictures. I even received more edited photos than expected, which was such a thoughtful surprise! If you’re visiting Korea and want to capture beautiful memories, I highly recommend this experience. Truly one of the highlights of my trip! Thank you 🤍📸✨”

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11.Gyeongbok Palace and Bukchon Hanok Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 157 reviews · 3 hours · from $88

Meet your English-speaking guide at City Hall Station for a small-group morning walk through Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum, Bukchon Hanok Village, and Samcheongdong Alley. Guides such as Stella, Joe, Jay Kim, and Jack add history, food tips, photo help, and practical Seoul advice.

“A great way to see and learn about Korean history and traditions. Kat is a fun and informative guide, and was helpful and patient with our group. Highly recommend!”

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12.Best Walking Tour to Gyeongbok Palace Bukchon Hanok Village

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 138 reviews · from $88

Spend about three hours with a professional guide such as Jay Kim, Stella, Jack, Paul, or Joe, visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace, the guard-changing ceremony, National Folk Museum, Bukchon Hanok Village, and Insadong. Expect history, palace architecture, uphill walking, and a group of no more than eight.

“We hate to write a negative review because all of our other tours in Seoul were so incredible. We had a tour guide named Paul and we ended up being the only ones on the tour. Very surprised to see all the positive reviews because we can't say we left the tour with any additional knowledge of the palace or Seoul. He rambled on a lot about topics that weren't even relevant to where we were and, paired with his lack luster attitude and monotone speaking, we were counting down the minutes until the tour was over. We were at the point where we were getting distracted/jealous of other tours…”

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13.Gyeongbokgung Palace Half Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 111 reviews · 2 hours · from $38

Meet your English-speaking guide at Gyeongbokgung Station and spend two hours exploring Seoul’s grandest palace. Guides such as Joy, Alan, Sally, and Sora explain Joseon royal life, architecture, and palace customs, ending at Gyeonghoeru pavilion. Entry is included, and you can continue exploring afterward.

“The tour was very nice. I liked, that the group was quite small, so we were able to ask a lot of questions. The guide, Joy, could answer all questions well. All in all, i would recommend the tour.”

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