Seoul Highlights & Hidden Gems Tours By Locals: Private + Custom

Andrew was very flexible and accommodating!

GJ was a brilliant guide and was a good mix of traditional sightseeing and great recommendations for food. Really enjoyed it!

We had such a great time exploring Seoul with Andrew! He is incredibly knowledgeable about Korean history and culture, and we really enjoyed hearing the stories and interesting facts he shared along the way. It made visiting each place so much more meaningful. We covered quite a bit of Seoul, including City Hall, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Square, Bukchon Hanok Village, Samcheong-dong and much more. Andrew also showed us how to use the public transportation system, which was really helpful and gave us the confidence to get around Seoul on our own. One of our favorite parts of the day was when Andrew took us to a local market to experience some authentic Korean food. We sat down together, and he picked out several unique dishes for us to try. Some were things we probably wouldn’t have thought to order ourselves! It was a fun experience and a great way to get a taste of the local food culture. What we appreciated most about Andrew was that he didn’t just take us from one sightseeing spot to another. He helped us better understand the history, culture, and everyday life in Korea. We learned a lot, enjoyed some great food, and had a really fun day. We would definitely recommend Andrew to anyone visiting Seoul, especially if you want to see the highlights while also getting a more local perspective. Thanks, Andrew, for showing us around and making our time in Seoul so memorable!

Really enjoyed this tour. Chris was so knowledgeable and we learned so much about South Korea! I highly recommend this tour if you want to see South Korea and learn about South Korea!

We were disappointed with this tour. We’d expected to use it as a baseline for getting familiar with where to spend a few days in Seoul, but that didn’t happen. The evening before the guide texted me with a changed itinerary, because the first palace and Jongmyo are closed on Tuesdays (wish that had been said during our itinerary discussion at booking time). We should have started our tour with an itinerary discussion. Instead we spent the first at least 45 minutes waiting while she stood in line to get us tickets to the second palace, where we rushed through and didn’t get to see the secret garden, had a quick walk around the main block of the old town (where we were staying), a run through the Korean food promotion institute (worthless). Insadong was fun but again it was very rushed and we left without a sense of how to find our way about - although we also left with Pokémon cards for grandkids, which our guide located for us. We went to the food market - I should have been more thorough and said no to this; unless you like crowds and the smell of raw fish, do skip it - and at our request landed at Cheonggyecheon Stream, a street-level look down into it. It wasn’t an itinerary that left us feeling comfortable with our little piece of Seoul and eager to see more. Also, the guide identified me by name, as I’d made the reservation, didn’t ask the others their names, and spoke only to me. She was hard to hear. We did a full day trip to a traditional Korean Village the next day that cost less and was far more interesting - do that instead.

Andrew was a delight! He was so knowledgable and anticipated our interests so well. His deep knowledge of history in culture was incredible and he made sure we saw a lit in a short amount of time- Andrew cooked! He also was very patient with our side quests and shopping. I highly recommend.

Chris Lee was fantastic, tailored the discussion to my interests and the day went by too fast.

Andrew was outstanding. Went out of his way to do what we needed to see. Very personable spoke great English and was a pleasure to spend our day with. Thank you Andrew.

Bella was very accommodating, informative and nice . I would definitely hire her again! She will customize your tour to your needs.

Hans was excellent, very knowledgeable and most definitely takes his job seriously. We appreciated his guidance throughout the tour. Highly recommend!

Andrew took us around on a 4+ hour trip of Seoul… and we covered a lot!! Great view of some highlights and some less known places/viewing points.

Andrew was a delight! He used to be in the foreign service and is full of insight. A true ambassador if his country in the best sense! I had so much fun and can really recommend his tour!!!

Groet experience with a super guide. GJ was friendly, knew all the places to go and showed us a great deal of Korean culture. Would defiantly recommend her as guide!

Excellent tour of palace and palace intrigue. Our guide, GJ (Won JeeEun) was excellent! Very enthusiastically showing us palace grounds, and changing of the guard. She was knowledgeable, personal and cheerful. Our walk through food market was fascinating and GJ took very attentive to our needs and interests. Her photographic talents were exceptional and she was so willing to capture us with important background scenes. I highly recommend this tour and highly recommend GJ as a tour guide.

Easy and simple too book, I gave them an idea of the types of things I wanted to see and a short while later they sent me back a suggested itinerary. The Giidevwas prompt to meet me, friendly knowledgeable, and the tour was terrific.

An amazing, tailor-made experience in Seoul! We had an incredible 4-hour tour around Seoul with Andrew, and it was absolutely worth a 5-star rating. It was a very intense but rewarding four hours where he showed us spectacular places that are completely off the beaten tourist path. For most of the tour, we weren't surrounded by crowds, waiting in long lines, or feeling packed in with other tourists. On top of that, Andrew designed the itinerary completely around our specific interests, and he is incredibly knowledgeable about Korea. Highly recommended! Opción 2: Corta y directa (Ideal para Viator, GetYourGuide o Airbnb Experiences) Unforgettable tour with an amazing guide! Andrew gave us an incredible 4-hour custom tour of Seoul. He tailored the itinerary perfectly to our interests and took us to spectacular, hidden spots away from the usual tourist crowds and long lines. Andrew is extremely knowledgeable about Korea and made our time feel both intense and exciting. 5 stars all the way! Opción 3: Entusiasta y moderna The best way to see the real Seoul! Doing a tour with Andrew was an absolute highlight of our trip! He customized a 4-hour itinerary just for us based on our interests, taking us to spectacular places off the beaten track. It was so refreshing not to be surrounded by packed tourist crowds or stuck in lines. Andrew is incredibly knowledgeable about Korea. 10/10 recommendation!

My wife is a die hard Beatles fan. We have been trying to get to Liverpool to explore their hometown for a long time. Ruth S's tour hit on all cylinders. She grew up in "their" area and knows the city and their impact on it. She had several interesting personal stories to fill in the drive time between sites. Ruth took us every place my wife wanted to see and a couple more we never thought of. Lastly, she never rushed us. For example, Ruth dropped us off near The Cavern and told us to "take all the time you want." Five stars for a great tour.

We had a great experience exploring Seoul by foot with our guide GJ. She did an excellent job customizing the tour to our family needs (our kids are 9 and 7), and we saw quite a bit in just a few hours. Recommend as a great way to explore Seoul with family.

Overall experience rating was average due to the cost. My guide was professional, knowledgeable and conscientious. Value for money score was below average.

We enjoyed our tour with Andrew. He is very knowledgeable and shares a lot of interesting information with us about Seoul. We would highly recommend this tour.

Mary was simply amazing. She made me feel like a close friend visiting as we walked through different areas of the city. She is so knowledgeable and I loved hearing about her experiences as well as the history of the places we visited. Out of all my tours this was my favorite and I feel so lucky she was who I got to experience this morning with.

Andrew showed us a part of Seoul that most visitors don't get to see. Thanks for such an interesting tour Andrew.

Steve was a fabulous guide and showed us the Seoul highlights and told us unique stories. He was generous with his time and directed us to KOONG | Gaeseong Dumpling House in Jongno District which was amazing. A great way to see some of the highlights and unique villages in 3 hours.

GJ was very candid and caring with us. Her love for her country and her passion for sharing it shines through. She was kind enough too meet us at the hotel, showed us so much culture and history of the city, included some shopping spots my daughter was interested in, and even helped us buy glasses by translating for us! She went above and beyond. Glad we got to spend the morning with her and learn through her eyes. ♥️🙏🏽♥️

GJ spent an afternoon with us, orienting us to Seoul, its history and culture. It was a lovely introduction to the city done with warmth and generosity. Thank you GJ and all the best.

Young was one of the best tour guides we have ever toured with. Young picked us up in our unconventional meeting location (the Laneige store in Myeong-dong), and proceeded to take us on a wonderful walking tour of Seoul. On our tour, we saw all of the major highlights of the city, as well as some hidden gems. Young took us to make museums and lookout points around the city. At the end of our tour, Young gave us advice for where to eat and what to see in the rest of our limited time in Seoul. Young is a PhD candidate studying Korean history, so he is very knowledgable about the city and he was able to answer any and all of our questions about Korean history, heritage, and culture. Young also knows the city very well and we felt very comfortable joining him all over the city. Apart from this, Young was very friendly and personable. we loved talking to him and learning about his life in Seoul. He told us about his travels as well, and we developed a friendship. We would recommend Young's tours to anyone traveling to Korea. Thank you, Young!

Bergen was an exceptional host to our walking tour through Seoul. Due to the heat, he was very accommodating to our requests to take public transportation (and trained us how to use the subway system which was very helpful for the rest of our trip!). We enjoyed the history explanations, visit to the palace, and especially the Hanok village and noodles for lunch. A great way to see Seoul for first time visitors!

It was a very nice experience for our first time in Seoul

Maeri was an amazing guide around Seoul! She tailored our experience to us and our interests, and kept in mind the weather as it was very hot. Thank you Maeri for a wonderful day in Seoul! I would recommend this tour to anyone coming to Seoul!

Bella was great! Super friendly, knowledgeable, and flexible when our needs changed. She’s a great guide that I’d definitely book again! Viator and City Unscripted made the process very easy.

Lots of great things and super friendly. Super suggestive and good stories. Loved it. My friend agrees

Great tour! Thank you for making our trip memorable. We only had a few days to spend and this was a great choice

Great introduction to Seoul and customized to our requests for top sights.

Amazing experience with Chris! We learned about the history, philosophy, and influences behind the buildings and neighborhoods we explored. Definitely would recommend, especially if you enjoy learning about that next level! We wound up thinking back to it for the duration of our visit.

Besides being a wonderful guide, MaeRi is an amazing photographer. When we look bs k on our trip now, we realize that the best photographs are the one MaeRi took. She knew the best places to take us, the best background, the best poses - she is really amazing. She gave us a perfect window into the highlights of Seoul. Thank you MaeRi.

I had the most amazing afternoon with GJ today. we covered a lot of the area here in the inner city of Seoul. Tour is tailored for you. She was very helpful with plenty of useful information and also history, places to eat, shop, visit. She is so lovely I felt I spent the afternoon with a friend. I highly recommend her for anyone heading to Seoul wanting a personal tour. Thank you GJ, I love Seoul even more after today ☺️🇰🇷

Good highlites. Very informative. Our guide JG was very knowledgeable, but she spoke quickly and was sometimes hard to follow. Enjoyed seeing the plaza, memorials, amazing museum buildings, and the neighborhoods as well.

We were so lucky to find the best guide in Seoul! Jay, we will meet again and enjoy a delicious barbecue together!! This has been one of the best experiences we've ever had. We thought we wouldn't have enough time to see much, but Jay created custom tours for us, showing us his wonderful city while explaining its history, culture, and all the curiosities that make it unique. We were able to cover so much ground. He looked after us the entire time, being incredibly thoughtful to make us feel right at home!! Such a lovely person!! And he is an excellent photographer!! Thanks to him, we have the best photos!! I am a tour guide in my own country, and I can assure you that I have found a great friend!! A billion thanks, Jay!! You have given us such wonderful memories!! We will return as soon as possible to share more unforgettable moments with you! A billion hugs!! Ana and Ele

We only had 36 hours in Seoul and wanted to customize our time with a private walking tour. From start to finish Sebastian planned an informative and fun walking tour from our hotel. He is knowledgeable and also made sure we had good photos to remember or time in Seoul. As the tour was ending he provided us with suggestions for our evening. Would highly recommend Sebastian

Our guide was Chris Lee, and we joined this tour while visiting Seoul in May after carefully reviewing all the available options. It turned out to be the best choice we could have made! Chris is an exceptional guide—knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely passionate about his country and its history. His enthusiasm made the experience both engaging and memorable. We thoroughly enjoyed our time together and learned so much along the way. Thank you, Chris, for a wonderful experience. We wish you all the very best for the future!

We had a walking tour of Seoul with GJ exploring the historical and cultural background of Korea as well as an understanding of modern Korea. GJ was helpful and knowledgeable and made this tour an interesting one.

A quick trip to Seoul and we needed an historical overviewand Steve certainly delivered, we both came away from the tour with a better understanding of Korea, thank you Steve!

Wonderful experience and very customizable. Jay was an incredible guide and host. As a Seoul native, he knows the city so well and was full of knowledge about Korean history. He truly made us feel welcome and was very considerate of the pacing and what we wanted to see. Thank you so much Jay!

GJ was our tour guide and she made our time with her count. She took us to so many places and we were able to see so much of Seoul. We traveled to the deoksugung palace, we played around in the Hikr Ground building and took some really fun pictures and videos, we saw city hall, insadong, bukchong hanok village, king sejong statue, and Namsam Park where we left our love lock momento on the tower wall. In 4 hours we were treated to so much history and Korean culture. I highly recommend this tour and our tour guide if you’re ever traveling to Seoul and want to see the sights in a short amount of time!

Tailored to our needs. Very friendly guide that answered all our questions. She adapted her style to our family. Highly recommend

It was really a joy to wander Seoul with GJ/JeeEun! She has lived in Seoul for 30 years and gives real insight into the city’s culture, history, and quirks. I especially enjoyed her pointing out various things that were happening around the city as we walked and what the context was behind those things. She also gave a lot of insights on what it is like to live in the city and have a family there. It was a great time! Bring your walking shoes ;)

We enjoyed a short, but sweet tour of key landmarks in the heart of Seoul. We booked the 3 hour tour, but I'd recommend a longer booking to get the full experience. Our host Chris, was very knowledgeable and managed to tailor the experience a bit for our group. I'd also suggest outlining your preferences and expectations in advance for the tour to ensure you get the best experience possible.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Truly Unforgettable Introduction to Seoul! Our family had the most incredible time on this private tour! If you’re looking for a deep dive into the heart of Seoul’s culture and cuisine, look no further. Our guide , Bella went above and beyond to make the day seamless and engaging for all of us. She’s so Family-Friendly & Sweet with Kids: Traveling with children can be a challenge. She kept all of us especially kids interested and made sure everyone was comfortable throughout the day. From the beauty of the Gyeongbokgung Palace to the alleys of the Bukchon Hanok Village, the itinerary was perfect. We finished at a bustling traditional market, which was a sensory delight and the perfect intro to authentic Korean street food. One of our favorite moments was dressing up in Hanbok. Our guide didn't just lead us; they acted as a professional photographer, finding the best spots in the palace courtyard to capture amazing family photos that we will treasure forever. This tour was the perfect balance of history, food, and fun. It made our trip to Seoul truly memorable. Highly recommended for families ( first time visit and it was our first day) who want a warm, personalized experience!

Bella was an amazing guide; extremely helpful and flexible picking us up from our Airbnb and taking us all around Seoul, wherever we wanted to go. She was extremely knowledgeable about history, culture, the people, and food. She took us to the Royal palace where we got dressed up and explored the royal grounds, telling us about all the different buildings, customs and beliefs held by the people of the day. She then took us to Insadong where we went to a traditional Korean tea shop. Finally we went to Gwangjang marketplace which was incredible and an experience worth checking out. Thank you Bella for a splendid afternoon!