Night walks in three Korean national parks — Fridays and Saturdays to 14 November

The Korea National Park Service has, for the first time, opened its parks after dark as an official guided programme. In three parks that border a city or a heritage site — Gyeongju, the Dobong side of Bukhansan, and western Palgongsan — a short walk of about a kilometre is led by park interpreters. The first sessions ran on 23 October, and the walks continue on Friday and Saturday evenings until 14 November. This year is a pilot, and the park service has said it will look at extending the walks to more parks and routes in 2027.

Which route suits you?

All three are about a kilometre, so the effort is similar; what you see is not. Gyeongju is for Silla-era heritage with a guide, Bukhansan Dobong for the lights of Seoul and a forest at night, Palgongsan for the Daegu skyline and the Gatbawi Buddha.

What happens on the Gyeongju walk

Gyeongju has the most detailed listing of the three. It appears in the reservation system as a night tour of the Silla royal capital by moonlight; the group meets at the south gate of Woljeonggyo Bridge (274 Gyo-dong) and walks for ninety minutes. You can book it through the reservation system, by phone, or on the spot.

• Woljeonggyo Bridge — once the gateway to Namsan, and how the bridge was rebuilt
• Gyerim — the grove where the founder of the Gyeongju Kim clan is said to have been born, and the founding myths of Silla
• Wolseong moat — the water channel that guarded the royal palace, and the layout of the old capital
• Hands-on — you make a paper (hanji) lantern to carry on the walk

The Bukhansan Dobong walk: Seoul's lights from above

The Dobong route climbs from Musugol to the twin observation decks. The idea is to look down on the lights of Seoul and to listen to a forest that is quiet by day. The product name and times for this route have not yet been confirmed in the reservation system, so it is worth contacting the Bukhansan National Park Dobong Office before you go.

The Palgongsan walk: the Daegu skyline and Gatbawi

The Palgongsan route climbs a kilometre from Seonbonsa temple to Gwanbong, the peak better known as Gatbawi for the stone Buddha that sits there. At the top you look out over the lights of Daegu and make a wish in front of the seated Buddha.

Is it safe to walk a national park at night?

The interpreters work in pairs. The lead interpreter explains the night landscape, wildlife and history; the second walks at the back, looks after anyone falling behind and handles emergencies. Everyone is given a head torch and a reflective band, and the group walks quietly to limit the disturbance to wildlife.

• November evenings get cold quickly. Bring a windproof or light padded jacket and shoes with ankle support.
• Walks may be cancelled in rain. Check the notice on the booking page before you set out.
• Because this is a pilot, sessions, times and booking methods may change.

Will it run again next year?

The park service says it will review how the pilot ran and how safe the night walks were, then work towards more parks and routes in 2027. After 14 November, the next chance will depend on that announcement.

Getting there, booking and language

Gyeongju: take the KTX from Seoul to Singyeongju, then a taxi or city bus to the Gyochon village area by Woljeonggyo Bridge; the meeting point is the bridge's south gate. Bukhansan Dobong: the Musugol entrance is on the Dobong side of the park in northern Seoul, reached from Dobong Station on subway Line 1 — confirm the meeting point with the Dobong office. Palgongsan: Seonbonsa and Gatbawi are on the Gyeongsan side of the mountain, east of Daegu; a taxi from Dongdaegu Station is the simplest route. The walks finish after dark, so plan your trip back before you book.

Language and booking: the commentary is in Korean and no English session has been announced. The reservation site is Korean-only and normally asks for Korean identity verification, which is the main obstacle for a visitor. Two routes around it: the park service says some places are kept for on-site booking, partly for foreign visitors, and Gyeongju also books by phone on +82 54-778-4100. Turning up without a booking is a gamble on a session of twenty, so call ahead if you can.