SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

Admittedly, the least that I would do when on a vacation abroad is to hike mountains.  But if the mountain is snow-covered and of littered forest snow, it would be an exception.  In South Korea, there is a mountain named Seorak, which literally translates “seol” (snow) and “ak” (big mountain).  From that name, I was enticed to go up the mountains and witness the panoramic mountain range.

Was it worth the travel? Yes.

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

The Seorak Mountain district was designated as a Natural Monument preservation area.  Afterwards, it was designated as a park preservation area, and in August 1982, as a Biosphere Preservation District by UNESCO.

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

Our entry point is Seoul.  How we get there?

1.   Take the Metro train to Gangbyeon station in Seoul which is on Line 2 – the green line
2.   Exit at No. 4 at Gangbyeon station
3.  Walk across the road into the bus terminal (Dong-Seoul) and buy a bus ticket to Sokcho.  There are over 40 departures daily to Sokcho between 6am and 11pm.  Travel time including stopovers is 3 hours
4.  Get off the bus at its final destination, the Sokcho Intercity Bus Terminal.
5.   Walk out of the Sokcho Intercity Bus Terminal and turn right.  About 50-100m down the road is a local bus stop (on the same side of the road as the bus terminal).  Wait here and flag down bus 7 or 7-1 when it arrives. 
6.  The bus fare is 1,100 won and should be paid in exact amount.  You will see a plastic box as you enter the bus and place your fare in there.  Travel time is approximately 40 minutes to the national park.
7.   Bus 7 and 7-1 plies the route from Sokcho to Seoraksan National Park all day, back and forth.

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

We only had a day trip so every minute counts to make the most of the travel to the Seoraksan National Park.

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

Reach the Summit through a cable car

The South Korean government listed the Seoraksan National Park as a tentative UNESCO World Heritage site.  It is popular with hikers, tourists and nature enthusiasts, being home to many rare taxa of flora and fauna.

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARKSORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK


SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARKSORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK
  
But for us, who are time-constrained, the best way to see Seoraksan Mountain is by taking the Seorak cable car.  On board the cable car, we were able to view the rock formations of the Gwongeumseong region as well as the Sogongwon area, Jeohangnyeong and Ulsanbawi Rock to the north.

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

The cable car actually ascends at a relatively high speed.  After getting off the cable car, we had a 20-minute hike to Gwongeumseong for a breathtaking landscape.  We stayed for hours and before the sun sets, we found our way back to the pick-up point of the bus at the foot of the mountain.

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

Note that there are no one-way ticket through the cable car.  There is no trail on descent.  The hikers have a different trail, so it is better to decide in advance, if you want hiking or just a relaxing view of the mountains.

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

And of course, you know which course we decided.

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK
  

SORAEKSAN NATIONAL PARK

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