Gyeongju UNESCO World Heritage Sites and History Full-Day Tour with Lunch

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From USD 189.99

4.79
94 reviews

Overview

Available languages

Korean
English

8 hours

Mobile ticket

During this 8-hour small group tour, your dedicated guide and driver will take you around the beautiful city of Gyeongju. Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites, Bulguk Temple and Seokguram Grotto, as well as other important historic places. This tour also includes lunch, entrance fees, and transportation.

This tour requires a minimum of 2 to operate; if this requirement is not met the tour may be cancelled.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Children must be accompanied by an adult

Adult pricing applies to all travelers except those aged 4 or under, who go free of charge

Please wear comfortable shoes (high heels are not recommended)

Sun screen is recommended

Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Bottled water

Professional guide

Guaranteed to skip the long lines

Transport by air-conditioned minivan

What To Expect

1

Cheomseongdae Observatory

Cheomseongdae is the oldest existing astronomical observatory in Asia. Constructed during the reign of Queen Seon-deok (632-647), it was used for observing the stars in order to forecast the weather. This stone structure is a beautiful combination of straight lines and curves, and was designated as National Treasure No.31 on December 20th, 1962. Cheomseongdae was built in a cylinder shape with stones 30cm in diameter. 362 stones were piled up to make 27 levels. Roughly 4.16m up from the bottom there is a 1㎡ square entrance and a space to hang a ladder under it. The inside is filled with soil up to the 12th level, and the 19th, 20th, 25th, and 26th levels all have long rocks hanging on two areas, shaped as the Chinese letter '井' (jeong). It stands 9.17m high and the base stone on each side measures 5.35m. The Vernal Equinox, Autumnal Equinox, Winter Solstice, Summer Solstice and the 24 solar terms (also known as the astronomical solar year) were determined by the observation of stars. The pavilion stone is believed to have been used as a standard of deciding directions, north, south, east and west. The 362 stones used to build Cheomseongdae represented the 362 days in a lunar year.

30 minutesAdmission Not Applicable
2

According to the historical records of Samguk-sagi, Wolji Pond was built during the 14th year of King Munmu (r. 661-681 AD) of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-935 AD). Small mountains were created inside the palace walls, beautiful flowers were planted, and rare animals were brought in to create an exquisitely exotic garden fit for royalty. The pond was originally built in Wolseung Fortress (built in 101 AD during the Silla period), but the fortress was destroyed and now lies in ruins. In 1974, an excavation project revealed large spherical shapes (measuring 200 meters in diameter and 180 meters in height) which indicated that 3 islands had been located in the pond. Thanks to these important findings and existing historical records, Wolji Pond has been restored to nearly its former glory. Imhaejeonji As one of the detached palaces of the Silla royal family’s main palace, this structure was used as the crown prince’s palace. Imhaejeon is historically the most important building on the property and records often refer to the whole area as ‘Imhaejin.’ An excavation resulted in the discovery of several buildings: Hoerang (corridor area) and five towers in the western part of the area. Some sites have been restored while others have been left in their natural state with only the cornerstones poking out from beneath the ground.

1 hourAdmission Included

Options

Shared tour

A small group tour with other travelers
Pickup included

Private tour

Secure private tour by choosing this option
Pickup included

Reviews

4.79

94 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

82
7
3
1
1
  • Such a lovely tour! I...

    Anonymous,

    Jun 7, 2025

    - Viator

    5.00

    Such a lovely tour! I learned a lot about the historical and spiritual context of the area, and my guide was very knowledgeable about noteworthy events as well as current events and parallels with other cultures. Highly recommend to anyone looking to explore the area

  • See Gyeongju's many sites in comfort

    Laura M,

    Mar 31, 2025

    - Viator

    5.00

    Steve was a wonderful guide steering us expertly through all the highlights of Gyeongju's Unesco sites. It was a packed day but well organised, timed with minimum crowds, comfortable transport and a great lunch was provided. A great day.

  • Loved it!

    Irina K,

    Nov 25, 2024

    - Viator

    5.00

    Fantastic tour! Steve was fabulous and this was a great way to comfortably see the sights and experience a different part of Korea.

  • Day in Gyeogju

    Raymond P,

    Nov 23, 2024

    - Viator

    5.00

    Booked all group tour, but ended up with private tour with Steve Kim. Excellent guide, spoke fluent English. Had great conversation and learned much about the history of Gyeongju. Enjoyed the included lunch. Drive passed quickly. Pickup and drop off was seamless. Would recommend for someone looking for a tour.

  • Very interesting day tour

    Susan O,

    Sep 13, 2024

    - Viator

    5.00

    Pick up at the hotel is fantastic. The drive to the historical sites was interesting. Heavy rain, and extreme heat didn't stop us. Chris our guide was so knowledgeable about the history of the area and buildings, with very good English too. He fitted around our preferences and made the day enjoyable.