• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Curious to know more about Seoul’s history? Join a local history expert on an insightful tour that will show you a side of the city that can’t be found in any book. This experience will open your eyes to the past and origins of Seoul from a local perspective as you learn about Beautiful Palaces & Seoul Dynasties.

Destination

Seoul, South Korea

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

2 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Korean, Español

Included

• Private Guide
• Entrance Gyeongbokgung Palace
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 5 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at In front of GODIVA Chocolate Cafe - Seoul to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Beautiful Palaces & Seoul Dynasties

   Your history tour in Seoul will focus on Beautiful Palaces & Seoul Dynasties. Learn the impacts, insights and hear stories related to this historic event from your knowledgeable host. Discover the city as you retrace history and go in-depth on the effects this part of history has on Seoul

4. Historical Highlights

   Check out main landmarks related to the theme of your history tour and connect their relevance through fantastic stories and facts from your expert local host

5. Hidden Treasures

   During your tour, you’ll also uncover hidden gems that will show you a different perspective of history as you know it, something you can’t easily find in a history book!

6. Storytelling Journey

   As you discover the historical side of Seoul, you’ll be able to go back in time thanks to the amazing stories and storytelling skills of your local host. Feel free to ask any questions and feel as if you are relieving history in the present time

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Angelika🇹🇭 Thailand

(About local Jason)

25 August 2025

Jason made our stay in Seoul exceptional! Not only did we have a very informative tour with him seeing the sights but he went above and beyond and showed us some hidden neighborhoods and recommended an excellent place for lunch too! His English was great and his advice on how to navigate transport, which apps to use and tips on what other places to explore was invaluable. We would highly recommend him as a guide and just overall lovely person to meet! Fantastic tour with Jason

Sevim🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ho Jin)

18 August 2025

So incredibly easy to book and reschedule using the app. Jin was a fantastic tour guide who answered all our questions and had a true appreciation for Korean history and culture. Highly recommend!Loved the tour and app!

Sebastian🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Jason)

30 June 2025

Knowledgeable, kind, flexible and perfectly tailoring the tour to my taste. Would highly recommend Jason to anyone visiting Seoul! Jason is fantastic!

Richard🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Jason)

21 June 2025

I’m staying in Seoul for 6 weeks. Jason gave me good advice about markets and ordering cabs while explaining Korea history. A good way to settle in

Marti🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Ho Jin)

23 April 2025

He's a good and friendly guy, but it's not a guide at all. He just drives you to a few places, and gives no explanations at all. Not worth it.Waste of time and money

Unknown

(About local Ho Jin)

15 February 2025

Excellent introduction to Seul...and to South Korea. Jin Spanish is excellent to say the least which, together with his welcoming personality, made for a very entertaining tour and conversation. Thank you!Like a friend

Nancy🇨🇱 Chile

(About local Ho Jin)

23 December 2024

Fue un agrado compartir con Ho Jin, su amabilidad y su dispoción a servir son destacables, más allá de su trabajo, te hace sentir como en casa. Busca lugares que seguro te encantaran y donde no hay mucho publico para la foto perfecta, hace de fotografo tambien, muchas gracias fue un gusto conocerte.Las mejores fotos

Dayna🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Ho Jin)

29 October 2024

Jin customised the tour to make history of the Gyeongbok Palace easily understood and appreciated by my 5 year olds. History can be dry but he drew relevance to current day context so adult and kids alike enjoyed the tour. Patient guide who brings history alive

Ana

(About local Ho Jin)

17 October 2024

*5/5 Stars* "Outstanding Tour Guide! He was absolutely phenomenal! Our group had an unforgettable experience thanks to his expertise, enthusiasm, and shared fascinating insights and anecdotes, Communication: Clear, concise, and friendly interactions made us feel at ease. The best experience

Ethan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ho Jin)

21 May 2024

My wife and I had the pleasure of touring around Seoul with Ho Jin in February 2024. Ho Jin was such an amazing guide and was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. We learned so much about the various palaces around the City, and got a great overview of some of the amazing neighborhoods and food spots to try after our tour. It really felt like we were being shown around Seoul by a friend!Like Walking with a Friend Around Seoul

Mireia🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Ho Jin)

7 May 2024

La verdad que ha sido una experiencia muy buena, tuvimos mal tiempo pero el intento que la experiencia fuese lo más buena posible. Si algun día más puedo hacer alguna excursión lo volveré a elegir.Muy bueno

Anne🇧🇲 Bermuda

(About local Ho Jin)

2 May 2024

Ho Jin "Jimmie" was a great guide. Our two hour tour was just the right amount of time to be engaged without getting tour fatigue. We explored the palace while Jimmie told us engaging stories about the history of Korea and the area. We opted to explore the Buchkon Hanok village and he took us to some very quiet streets and great views avoiding the crowds typical of the area. Would definitely recommend Ho Jin and this tour. Perfect tour

Kye🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ho Jin)

19 March 2024

Ho Jin was very willing to adjust the tour to accommodate my bad ankle, and did a wonderful job of mixing in modern era perspectives with history. He explained how this history, both old and more recent, helped shape the modern Korea.Flexibility appreciated!

Gerhard🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

17 February 2024

1

Ich habe mit Sanghee den Gyeonbok-Palast besichtigt. Mir war es wichtig in zwei Stunden einen Palast intensiv kennenzulernen, daher wollte ich statt der zwei vorgesehenen Paläste auch nur einen besuchen. Das ist das schöne an einer individuellen Tour - diese wird nach Deinen Wünschen angepasst. Es ist wunderbar mit einem so qualifizierten Reiseleiter wie Sanghee unterwegs zu sein und eine tolle Einführung in koreanische Paläste. Mit diesem Wissen habe ich auch die anderen Paläste viel besser verstehen können. I visited the Gyeonbok Palace with Sanghee. It was important to me to get to know a palace in depth in two hours, so I only wanted to visit one palace instead of the two planned. That's the nice thing about a personalised tour - it's tailored to your wishes. It's wonderful to be travelling with a guide as qualified as Sanghee and a great introduction to Korean palaces. With this knowledge, I was able to understand the other palaces much better.

Sri Nurayu🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Ho Jin)

24 December 2023

We enjoyed this walk with Ho Jin so much! We learnt about the origin of the Korean alphabet as well as the history of Joseon from Ho Jin. It was nice to have this stroll with a local. Glad we booked this tour! We couldn’t have gained so much if not for this walking tour with Ho Jin. Thank you! Great Walking and Learning with Ho Jin

Marleen🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

16 October 2023

First of all, the reservation is easy to make and is well communicated. We met at 15:00 at The location where Sanghee was already waiting for us. Right away she was very enthusiastic and passionate. Straight away we went to Deoksugung. Sanghee explained everything from the ancient history and symbolic meanings of things. It was great and very impressive! After that we walked to Gyeongbokgung. In a meanwhile Sanghee told us a lot about the surrounding buildings and the meaning of 2 statues. Gyeongbokgung is a vast terrain with lots of buildings. Again everything was explained and gave us a good idea how it must have been. All in all: a great experience, thanks to Sanghee her enthusiastic guiding.Royal Palaces with Sanghee

Danny🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ho Jin)

9 October 2023

Had a wonderful morning exploring and learning about the Seoul Palaces with Ho Jin. He was extremely knowledgeable and myself and the rest of our group had a great time asking him questions and learning about the history of Seoul’s Palaces. He was accommodating with whatever paces we wanted to move at. Thanks again Ho Jin!Seoul Palaces tour with Ho Jin

Anne🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Ho Jin)

5 October 2023

Ho Jin was very informative an excellent guide. Gave a good insight to the differsnt architecture. 10

Erik🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Ho Jin)

3 October 2023

We had a day with gorgeous weather for our tour. The meetup point was easy to find and Ho Jin was there well on time to meet us. The sights were very impressive and Ho Jin explained a lot of the meaning and history behind the buildings and architecture. Ho Jin was very nice and in between the history talk we also had pleasant small talk about Korean culture etc. All in all we had a great afternoon 😀.A pleasant stroll through korean history

Mz🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Ho Jin)

24 June 2023

Ho Jin was really great. Very knowledgeable and truly built an amazing picture of how the palaces were used and talked lots about the history of Seoul. The palaces would have been less enjoyable with out him. We went at a really nice pace and was able to go and explore parts of the palaces we wanted. I’ve recommended Ho Jin to friends coming later in the year and would defo book another tour with him when I come back. It’s a shame I don’t have more time this holiday to book more tours with him myself. Best tour ive ever had

Clare🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ho Jin)

20 February 2023

Ho Jin is an excellent guide; kind,flexible and knowledgeable. He tailored the pace of our tour to what interested my group. It was a pleasure to learn more about the palaces and Royal dynasties. I highly recommend booking a tour! Perfect Afternoon at Palaces

Scott🇺🇸 United States

(About local Julian)

6 July 2022

Despite monsoon rains, Julian guided us through the temples and avenues of Seoul. It was our first day in Seoul and Julian was a wonderful ambassador to the city, answering questions related to what we were touring and everything else. I cannot recommend him highly enough - Julian is the best! Thank you for a great tour, your friendliness and patience.

rzc5h7cscc🇰🇷 Korea, Republic of

(About local Ho Jin)

3 June 2022

Ho Jin aka "Jimmy Lee" was fun, knowledgeable, and multilingual. He was flexible with 3 ladies who were inquisitive. We not only asked about the historical locations we saw, but he was more than happy to share information about every day life in Seoul and South Korea. I cannot stress enough his flexibility and relaxed style in touring. He was able to adapt to our group without making us feel rushed. I have no doubt he could push a group if needed, but we were not that group. He was so good members in our group tried to book him again with their spouses and members in our larger meeting group. Beyond expectations!

Sandra🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Yejin)

30 May 2022

Yejin was an amazing guide. She is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Literally felt like I met up with a good friend and we went for a walk around the city. Her knowledge on the palace history is top notch! I would Highly recommend picking her as your guide. Thank you so much Yejin! Best tour when arriving in Seoul

Denzel🇲🇽 Mexico

(About local Julian)

25 April 2022

A really good tour, walking through the Seoul downtown, budist temples and the palace. I'm truly Suggest to Julian as your future guide.An amazing place with amazing guidance

adam🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yejin)

6 February 2020

Yejin was a great tour guide and added tremendously to the day - she pointed out and took us out to local hidden spots and showed us around. Everything was flexible - she was generous and hospitable. We stayed in touch for the duration of the trip and she continued to provide tips and suggestions based on our continued itinerary and experiences that we were looking for. She's added to my trip to Korea immensely and I;d like to say "Thank you, Thank you! Yejin!"Excellent tour guide and resource

Jenny🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Sanghee Priscilla)

14 September 2025

SANGHEE was a great host. Had good English. Took us everywhere we wanted to go. Was extremely knowledgeable about the past history of Korea … both South and North and also very knowledgeable of current Korea as it is today. She also took lots of photos for us which she sent to us after our trip. We would thoroughly recommend her. Brilliant

Roberta🇺🇸 United States

(About local Camille)

13 September 2025

It was wonderful spending 3 hours with Camille for the 10 tastings of Seoul. I believe that I had the best of both worlds -the old and the new. We started in the market and had some delicious food and an amazing sweet potato latte and then went to a charming area called Ikseon to finish off with dessert. We strolled around and I discovered an amazing Buddhist temple with her that was actually near my hotel, but I didn't know about it. She was great company and I learned a lot about contemporary Korea. My only criticism is with the company not Camille. I have been using With locals for years and I have noticed that their price has pretty much doubled. There were times when I did not book a trip because I felt it was too expensive. Perhaps With locals needs to revisit this.Wonderful evening with Camille!

Yvonne

(About local Jason)

8 September 2025

We just completed our tour with Jason and were so impressed. He is a local so knows areas that are less touristed as well as the best sites to see. Very friendly and knowledgeable and tailored the tour to our needs. 10/10. Thank you. Fantastic Seoul guide

Esther🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Jason)

7 September 2025

Jason really tried to give a tour that fitted our needs. And also overall a nice guy. Thx Jason. Paul and EstherNice Customised tour

Annice 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jason)

6 September 2025

Jason was very knowledgeable and flexible during our tour. We covered a lot of ground -- the palace, winding neighborhood streets and alleyways, cafe culture, night market cuisine, and some less travelled spots that offered respite in nature. Jason is open to answering questions that offer his unique insight into daily life in Korea. He was thoughtful in checking in about the pace of the tour as well as shifting gears when an interest arose around something outside of the initial itinerary. He also made sure we got on the correct bus at the end of the tour. Thank you Jason! Interesting peek into Korean life

Martin🇺🇸 United States

(About local KIM)

2 September 2025

My wife and I took the 5 hour tour with KIM in Seoul, and we would highly recommend her. KIM is knowledgeable, friendly, and easily picked up on our style. She took us around the palace and through Bukchon to areas we never would have found on our own, and gave us a great balance of history and culture. After a delicious Bibimbap lunch, we went to the food market and had a great sampling of Korean food. We have to say, it was an excellent day and a perfect way to be introduced to Seoul. Lastly, Kim has boundless energy, also great as we really packed in a lot. Thank you again, KIM for a great tour!KIM was amazing

Nikola🇨🇿 Czech Republic

(About local Ho Jin)

1 September 2025

We had a great time with Ho Jin! He showed us around some key spots in the city centre, as well as some lesser-known ones, and shared valuable insights about the country. I highly recommend this tour as an introduction to Seoul for first-timers!Great introduction to Seoul!

Jill🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ho Jin)

31 August 2025

I had a great day with Ho Jin. We did a nice mix of walking and driving to see a lot of things within a short time. He clearly had a plan ahead of time, but we made tweaks as he grew to see what I would enjoy more. He was very flexible on pick up and drop off, picking me up directly from my hotel, along with my luggage, as well as dropping me off at the airport for my outbound flight at the end of the day. Saved a lot of time and stress of figuring out transportation when I was only there on a stop-over.Wonderful overview of the city

Nathalie

(About local Ho Jin)

26 August 2025

Our walking tour with Ho Jin was great! :) He knows a lot about his city, and shared intersting facts. Absolutely recommended!Great Walking Tour

Piotr (Peter)🇵🇱 Poland

(About local Jason)

17 August 2025

This was our first time booking a private guided tour, and Jason has set an exceptionally high bar for all future experiences. Honestly, after this tour, I can’t imagine visiting a new city without booking a private guide. I feel like I’ve been doing tourism wrong until now! Our experience with Jason was outstanding from start to finish. He was proactive before the tour, offering thoughtful suggestions that helped tailor the itinerary perfectly to our interests. Throughout the day, he was attentive, communicative, and made sure we were well taken care of. We explored a fascinating mix of places - not just hidden gems (which truly were hidden, and truly gems!), but also unexpected takes on must-see landmarks. These weren’t the usual tourist traps, but surprising highlights that gave us a deeper sense of the city. So what are you waiting for? Book. A. Trip. With. Jason. Your future self will thank you. Your past self will be jealous. And your friends will wonder how you suddenly became such a savvy traveler.Fantastic experience!

Andrea, Jimena, Jero y Soledad (4 mujeres)🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Ho Jin)

17 August 2025

Ho Jin nos vino a buscar al hotel y hicimos una magnifica visita por Insa-dong y el templo Jogyesa. Paseamos por el arroyo Cheonggyecheon y pudimos disfrutar de un kimchi-pan cake buenísimo en el mercado callejero de Myeong-dong, todo en español lo cual se agradece mucho ya que no encontramos muchos guías que hablen en nuestro idioma en Corea.Una magnifica experiencia.

Luke🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

(About local Ho Jin)

16 August 2025

Ho Jim is a great tour guide. Really knowledgeable and friendly, spoke to the whole family and nothing was too much trouble. Eg if we wanted to stop at anything, it was fine. The tour took in some great sights and we really enjoyed the whole time together. Thanks ho jim, a pleasure to meet you. Luke and family. A great your and tour guide

Sebastian🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Ho Jin)

16 August 2025

This tour was fantastic from the start. From being picked up at the door of our hotel to being dropped back. Couldn’t recommend Ho Jin enough! The whole day felt comfortable and easy going and he was very knowledgeable on all aspects of the DMZ. If you’re looking for something a little extra and away from the bus loads of tour groups book this tour! Great tour with an epic guide

Nathalie

(About local Jason)

16 August 2025

If you are looking for hidden gems, like nice bars, cool cafes and amazing rooftops, Jason will be your guide :) The views from Namsan Mountain were breathtaking!

Terry

(About local Jason)

15 August 2025

We had an excellent experience with Jason today. He showed us parts of Seoul we never would have found on our own and made sure to tailor the trip to our preferences. He was fun, extremely polite and very knowledgeable. His joy in showing us his favorite, hidden cafe was a special treat and the coffee was sublime. We feel as if we not only had a great tour guide but that we made a new friend.Perfect I trodu tion to Seoul

Gary🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ho Jin)

11 August 2025

My family and I had the best experience we could have ever dreamed of, all due to Ho Jin. Not only did he take us to the normal sites, but also to sites that locals go to. He explained history and background of every location. It would have been impossible for us to see all that we saw on our own. He is very friendly, personable and being able to travel by car on a very hot day instead of subways and taxi's was an added plus. Our 15 year old son, instantly connected on all the history information and is still talking about the experience today! Look no further than Ho Jin...worth every penny and them some....and a really nice and thoughtful guy !!10 Stars are not enough!

Roswitha🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Camille)

11 August 2025

Camille was a fantastic tour guide - super charismatic, funny and very well informed. You could really feel how much she loves Seoul and enjoys her job, and that alone made the experience so much fun. The tour and vibe was very friendly, warm and personal. We felt comfortable asking her anything and she was super flexible adjusting the tour to what we wanted or what the weather allowed at any time. BIG recommendation! CAMILLE was the best guide, we could wish!

Deanne

(About local Jason)

9 August 2025

We’ve done walking tours all over the world, and Jason is the best we’ve ever had. From the moment we met him in Seoul, he brought the city to life, weaving us through bustling neighborhoods, peaceful side streets, and tucked-away gems we never would have found on our own. His mix of fascinating cultural insights, personal stories, and local secrets kept all of us—across very different ages and personalities—completely engaged. By the end, we felt like we’d experienced the “real” Seoul. If you want a tour that’s as memorable as the city itself, Jason is the guide to book.More than a tour, an amazing adventure!

Simone🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Hailey)

9 August 2025

Unfortunately, this was not worth it for us. Hailey took us on a walk down a market and told to choose something from any stall that we liked the look of - she did not offer recommendations. Then a walk down to the river, in winter which was freezing an dark and empy - not sure why that was an option in winter. Would not recommend.Not worth it

Melanie

(About local Ho Jin)

9 August 2025

Bei unserer 3stündigen Führung mit Ho Jin haben wir die Highlight gesehen und viel Wissenswertes erfahren. Ho Jin spricht perfektes Englisch und hat uns einige Insider Tipps gegeben. Wir waren sehr zufrieden mit der Tour. Sie hätte auch eine Stunde länger gehen können, dann hätte man manche Locations mehr in Ruhe anschauen können…Kompakte Führung

Marina🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Jason)

8 August 2025

Our family had a kick-start Seoul trip with Jason in July and we really enjoyed it! Even if the day was extremely hot, we visited the older part of the city, enjoying the surroundings, while Jason balanced very well the time inside and outside, trying to be sure that we all feel well, happy and hydrated. Thank you, Jason, for making an extra effort to make the tour fun for my teenage kids and for sharing so many tips on getting around Seoul! We will surely be coming back 🙂 Great time with Jason!

Joanna🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Jason)

7 August 2025

Jasons communcation in English is very good, contacted us days before the tour to discuss what we would like to do. He is very polite and easy going, we would recommend him for a private tour. Thank you Jason!

Wolfgang🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Ho Jin)

5 August 2025

Die Tour mit Jimmy hat unseren Seoul Besuch bereichert. Wir können sie nur empfehlen!!Tolle Tour und netter, kompetenter Guide

Dawn🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ho Jin)

2 August 2025

I can’t say enough about Ho Jin. We had the BEST experience with him. I had sent him a list of all we wanted to see and I knew it was a long list so we might not see everything. Well Ho Jin too us everywhere! He was informative, extremely nice and pleasant, and just a blast. He even added a trip to Seoul Museum and it was wonderful. I highly recommend booking your trip with Ho Jin. Book with Ho Jin!