"There were lots of highlights during the day with beautiful temples and views over the city. Diane was very well organised even when she had to work around a labour protest march. Her English is great and it was easy to understand her explanations about the history and culture of the city."
Guard Change · Palace · From US$26 (Oct 2026)
Gyeongbokgung Tour
A guided day around Seoul built on Gyeongbokgung: the changing of the guard at Gwanghwamun, an hour inside the palace with an English-speaking guide, the National Folk Museum, Insadong and the cable car up Namsan.
From
US$26
per person (the shortest option; palace and museum admission included; checked October 2026)
Free cancellation
- 4.8 / 5 1,002+ Reviews
- 10am + 2pm Guard Ceremony
- ₩3,000 Palace Ticket
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Seoul Highlights Tour Includes
An English-speaking guide, transport between the stops, and admission to the palace and the other sites on the day's itinerary.
Highlights
- Visit Seoul’s most iconic landmarks in one full-day experience
- Explore Gyeongbokgung Palace & National Folk Museum
- Enjoy free time in Insadong for lunch, tea houses & artisan shops
- Ride a cable car to N Seoul Tower for panoramic city views
- Walk through Namsangol Hanok Village, a peaceful traditional setting
What's Included
- Professional English-speaking local guide
- Transportation by air-conditioned coach or minivan
- Admission fees for attractions included in your scheduled itinerary
- All parking fees, highway tolls and fuel surcharges
Good to know: This tour involves moderate walking at palaces, markets, and village areas. · A separate scheduled itinerary operates on Tuesdays and includes Changdeokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village. Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Changing of the Guard Ceremony, and the National Folk Museum are not part of the Tuesday itinerary. · If an unexpected change affects a core attraction included in your scheduled itinerary, you may choose to accept the change, reschedule to another available date, or receive a full refund. · Drop-off will be at Myeongdong or City Hall area at the end of the tour. · Not suitable for: Wheelchair users · Not Included: Meals and drinks, Hotel pickup and drop-off outside central Seoul / airport area, N Seoul Tower observatory admission, Personal expenses (snacks, souvenirs, shopping, etc.), Travel insurance, Gratuities (optional)
How a Gyeongbokgung Tour Works
Pick the tour by what else you want from the day, avoid Tuesdays, meet at the station exit on your voucher, and be at the gate for the 10am guard change.
Pick the Tour by the Rest of the Day
Every tour here gives the palace about an hour or two. What changes is the rest: a full Seoul day with Insadong and N Seoul Tower, a morning with Bukchon and Gwangjang Market, the DMZ, or the palace on its own.
Avoid Tuesdays
Gyeongbokgung is closed every Tuesday, and the guard ceremony with it. The city tours still run on Tuesdays but switch to Changdeokgung, so book another day if Gyeongbokgung is the reason you are going.
Meet at the Station Exit
Your voucher names the meeting point, usually a subway exit in Myeongdong or by City Hall, or a hotel pickup on the tour's options. Be there early: the morning is timed for the 10am guard change.
Gate, Throne Hall, Pond
The guard change takes about 20 minutes at Gwanghwamun. Then the guide walks you in through Heungnyemun to the throne hall and on to the pavilions on the ponds before the rest of the day.
Photo Gallery
Gyeongbokgung on the Highlights Tour
Photos from the tour listing: the guard ceremony, the throne hall, the pond pavilions and the rest of the day.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Instant confirmation; cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Four Gyeongbokgung Tours Compared
The Seoul highlights day against the palace-only tour, the Bukchon morning and the palace with N Seoul Tower. Prices as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026.
| Feature | MOST REVIEWED Seoul Highlights Tour | PALACE ONLY Palace Half-Day Tour | Bukchon, Palace and Market | Palace, N Tower and Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From (October 2026) | US$26 per person | US$42 per person | US$30 per person | US$26 per person |
| Length | 4 to 8 hours by option | 2 hours | 3.5 hours | 3 to 8 hours by option |
| Time in the palace | About 1 hour, guided | 2 hours, guided | About 1 hour, guided | About 1 hour, guided |
| Guard ceremony | Yes | Not scheduled | Yes | Yes |
| Also includes | Jogyesa, folk museum, Insadong, N Seoul Tower cable car | Gyeonghoeru, free time after | Bukchon, ginseng tea, Gwangjang Market | Jogyesa, folk museum, Insadong, cable car, Namdaemun |
| Start | Pickup by option | Gyeongbokgung Station | Myeongdong Station Exit 9 | Myeongdong Exit 9 or City Hall Exit 6 |
| On Tuesdays | Changdeokgung and Bukchon | Palace closed | Changdeokgung and Insadong | Changdeokgung and Bukchon |
| Rating | 4.8 (1,002 reviews) | 4.8 (133 reviews) | 5.0 (86 reviews) | 4.9 (125 reviews) |
| Check Availability | See the Palace Tour | See the Bukchon Tour | See the City Tour |
Other Ways to See the Palace
More Gyeongbokgung Tours, Rentals and Photoshoots
A two-hour palace-only tour, a shorter morning with Bukchon, the palace with N Seoul Tower, a hanbok rental or photoshoot, and the DMZ with the palace.
PALACE ONLY, TICKET INCLUDEDSeoul: Gyeongbokgung Palace Half Day Tour
Visit Gyeongbokgung Palace, established in 1395 as the main palace in the Joseon Dynasty, on a guided tour with tickets included.
BUKCHON + GUARD CEREMONYSeoul: Bukchon Village, Gyeongbokgung, Gwangjang Market
Discover the rich cultural heritage of Seoul on this immersive guided tour.
N SEOUL TOWER CABLE CARSeoul: Gyeongbok Palace, N Tower, & Local Market City Tour
• Itinerary: Jogyesa Buddhist Temple - Changing of the Guard Ceremony - Gyeongbok Palace - National Folk Museum - Pass by Blue House - Ginseng Museum - Insadong Street (Free time for lunch) - N Seoul Tower (Including onl
HANBOK PHOTOSHOOTSeoul: Professional Hanbok Photography at Gyeongbok Palace
Hi everyone! I'm a native Korean photographer based in Seoul.
HANBOK = FREE ENTRYSeoul: Hanbok Rental with Gyeongbokgung Palace Entry
Head to the Hanbok rental store and choose between a traditional and premium Hanbock.
DMZ + PALACESeoul: DMZ & Gyeongbok Palace
Since 1950, Korea has been divided into the North and South.
The Guide
Which Gyeongbokgung Tour to Book, and What Each One Adds
The palace costs ₩3,000 to enter. A tour is worth booking for the guide, the timing and the rest of the day.
A Gyeongbokgung tour usually means a guide, the changing of the guard at Gwanghwamun Gate and an hour inside the palace, either as part of a Seoul highlights day or as a two-hour walk around the palace alone. Entering on your own is cheap, ₩3,000 for an adult in October 2026 and free in hanbok, so what a tour adds is the story, the timing and the rest of the day planned for you. The tour this page puts first is VIP Travel’s Seoul Highlights: Gyeongbok Palace, Insadong and N Seoul Tower: the guard ceremony, a guided hour in the palace, the National Folk Museum, Insadong and the Namsan cable car. It is from US$26 a person (checked October 2026) for the shortest option, and rated 4.8 out of 5 from 1,002 reviews, the most reviewed guided Gyeongbokgung tour on GetYourGuide.
The day runs in a set order. It starts at Jogyesa Temple, then the guard ceremony in front of Gwanghwamun, an hour’s guided visit of the palace and half an hour in the National Folk Museum inside its grounds. After a 30-minute shopping stop at a ginseng museum the coach takes you to Insadong for lunch on your own and on to Gwangjang Market, Namsangol Hanok Village and a round-trip cable car up to N Seoul Tower, with the drop-off in Myeongdong or by City Hall. The options run from 4 to 8 hours, so check which stops yours includes. Admission to the sites is in the price; meals and the N Seoul Tower observatory are not. Guests this October name their guides, Nova, Gabby, Alice and Diane, and one guest wrote that Diane kept the day on track around a labour march.
On Tuesdays the palace is closed, and the tour runs a different itinerary with Changdeokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village; Gyeongbokgung, the guard ceremony and the folk museum are not on it. Book another day if Gyeongbokgung is the point.
Four other ways to see the palace
The palace and nothing else. Korea Guide Tour’s Gyeongbokgung Palace Half Day Tour meets at Gyeongbokgung Station and spends two hours inside, from the main gate and the throne hall to Gyeonghoeru, the pavilion on its pond, with the entrance ticket included, from US$42. It needs four people to run and cannot confirm weekend or holiday dates, so book a weekday. The half-day tour page has the details.
A shorter morning with Bukchon. VIP Travel’s Bukchon Village, Gyeongbokgung and Gwangjang Market tour takes three and a half hours from Myeongdong Station: the hanok lanes of Bukchon, the guard ceremony, an hour in the palace, a stop for ginseng tea and street food at Gwangjang Market, from US$30 and rated 5.0 from 86 reviews.
In hanbok, with a photographer. Anyone wearing hanbok goes in free, and the rental shops cluster around the palace. Aurea Studio’s hanbok photoshoot is an hour of photos in the palace from US$113, rated 4.9; the rental itself is extra, from US$8 at Daehan Hanbok. The hanbok rental and photoshoot pages compare the shops and the photographers.
With the DMZ. Cosmojin’s DMZ and Gyeongbok Palace tour fits the border area and the palace into one ten-hour day from City Hall Station, from US$70. Bring your passport, and wear trainers: the listing says no sandals or slippers.
Pick the tour that fits your day:
First day in Seoul
Seoul Highlights Tour
Guard change, an hour in the palace, the folk museum, Insadong and N Seoul Tower.
Check dates →Only the palace
Palace Half-Day Tour
Two hours inside with a guide and the ticket included. Weekdays only.
See the palace tour →Free entry in hanbok
Hanbok Rental
Rent a hanbok by the palace and walk in without a ticket.
See hanbok rentals →Photos to take home
Hanbok Photoshoot
An hour in the palace with a photographer; rental extra.
See the photoshoot →Prices and review counts as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026, not a quote.
What it costs to go in on your own
An adult ticket is ₩3,000, bought at the ticket office on the day. Foreign visitors aged 18 and under or 65 and over go in free, as does anyone wearing hanbok; free visitors show ID at Heungnyemun Gate. The Korea Heritage Service has said palace fees will rise, but in October 2026 it told lawmakers the timing was undecided, and free entry in hanbok is under review too, so check the price again for a 2027 trip. The tickets guide covers who pays what, and is Gyeongbokgung free with hanbok? explains what counts as hanbok.
Opening hours and the guard ceremony
| Months | Open | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| November to February | 9am to 5pm | 4pm |
| March to May, September and October | 9am to 6pm | 5pm |
| June to August | 9am to 6:30pm | 5:30pm |
The palace is closed every Tuesday; when a Tuesday is a public holiday, it opens and closes the next day instead. The Royal Guard Changing Ceremony takes place at 10am and 2pm, about 20 minutes each, not on Tuesdays, and is cancelled in rain. The opening hours guide has the best times to go, and the guard ceremony guide has the full schedule.
Getting there, and the palaces around it
Gyeongbokgung Station on subway Line 3 sits beside the palace, and its Exit 5 leads into the grounds; Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5 is about ten minutes’ walk from the main gate. Most tours meet further away, at Myeongdong Station or City Hall Station, and bring you by coach. Changdeokgung, the other palace on most itineraries, is about 1.2 km to the east, with Bukchon Hanok Village between the two. Bukchon’s busiest lane is closed to tourists from 5pm to 10am, so walk it in the daytime. Changdeokgung vs Gyeongbokgung compares the two, and the evening openings are in the night tour guide.
Guest Reviews
What Guests Say About the Highlights Tour
4.8/5
from 1,002 verified guests
"Our guide Nova was super nice and sweet. She explained the different stages to us well, as well as the history behind each site."
"Gabby was too good and kind. Excellent tour, highly recommend. She shared everything from insights about the city, trivia to personal anecdotes. The tour was well planned and value for money"
"We enjoyed everything about this tour. Our guide, Nova, was truly very friendly and helpful. There weren't many of us, and it was great. We particularly enjoyed the visit to the palace with the Changing of the Guard. The visit to Namsan Tower was also very good. And, on top of that, the people in our group were very friendly. It was really great. We recommend it."
"Alice was super nice and knowledgeable! Her English was very easy to understand and she was patient when one of the seniors on our tour was lost at our first stop. She was also very considerate of people who were tired and allowed them to rest for a moment while we continued. Overall it was a very good and well balanced tour: Seoul tower, palaces, food, temples, market, ginseng, etc. Great tour for a solo traveler as well!"
"crystal was excelent snd she has knowledge and smailing always"
"Our Guide Alice, walked us through all the major attractions within Seoul. She clearly provided all the history and different market places"
"Hana was very good, she was very informative and interacted well with great knowledge. very pleasant day!"
Read all 1,002 verified reviews
See All ReviewsThe Palace, the Guard Change and the Rest of Seoul
VIP Travel's Seoul Highlights tour starts with the changing of the guard at Gwanghwamun, spends an hour inside Gyeongbokgung with a guide, and goes on to the National Folk Museum, Insadong and N Seoul Tower. Rated 4.8 from 1,002 reviews, from US$26 a person as of October 2026, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Starting from US$26 per person (the shortest option; palace and museum admission included; checked October 2026).
Check Highlights Tour DatesCan't Make These Dates?
Browse More Available Options
Find a tour that fits your schedule. Check each listing's cancellation terms: some dates are non-refundable.
Gyeongbokgung Tour FAQ
The questions people ask before visiting Gyeongbokgung, answered in the first sentence.
For a first day in Seoul, VIP Travel's Seoul Highlights tour, rated 4.8 from 1,002 reviews; for the palace alone, Korea Guide Tour's two-hour half-day tour with the ticket included. For a shorter morning with Bukchon, VIP Travel's Bukchon, Gyeongbokgung and Gwangjang Market tour, rated 5.0.
₩3,000 for an adult in October 2026, and free for foreign visitors aged 18 and under or 65 and over and for anyone in hanbok. Guided tours start from US$26 for the Seoul Highlights tour and US$42 for the palace-only tour. The tickets guide has the detail.
Yes, if you wear a jeogori jacket with a skirt or trousers; a hanbok coat over your own clothes does not count. Rentals by the palace start from US$8 at Daehan Hanbok. See is Gyeongbokgung free with hanbok?
Every Tuesday; when a Tuesday is a public holiday, it closes the next day instead. On Tuesdays VIP Travel's Bukchon tour visits Changdeokgung, which is open that day. The opening hours guide has the times.
About two hours for the main halls, plus half an hour for the National Folk Museum and 20 minutes for the guard ceremony. Korea Guide Tour's half-day tour takes two hours and ends at Gyeonghoeru pavilion.
10am and 2pm, about 20 minutes each, every day except Tuesday, in front of Gwanghwamun; it is cancelled in rain. VIP Travel's palace and N Tower tour builds its morning around the 10am change. See the guard ceremony guide.
No, not for a daytime visit: tickets are sold at the palace on the day. Only the night openings sell tickets online ahead. Tours such as the half-day palace tour include the ticket.
Gyeongbokgung for a first visit, as the largest palace and the one with the guard ceremony; Changdeokgung if you want the Secret Garden. They are about 1.2 km apart. VIP Travel's Bukchon tour walks between them. See Changdeokgung vs Gyeongbokgung.
Only during the night openings, a few weeks each spring and autumn; the autumn 2026 session ran 2 September to 2 October, 7pm to 9:30pm. The rest of the year it closes at 5pm or 6pm, so tours such as the Seoul Highlights tour visit by day. See the night tour guide.
By subway to Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3, whose Exit 5 leads into the grounds, or Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5, about ten minutes' walk from the gate. Most tours meet in Myeongdong or by City Hall; the Bukchon tour starts at Myeongdong Station Exit 9.
Yes, Bukchon starts just east of the palace and runs on towards Changdeokgung, about 1.2 km away. Its busiest lane is closed to tourists from 5pm to 10am. VIP Travel's Bukchon tour pairs the two.
Yes: the throne hall, the pavilion on its pond and the royal quarters are inside the ticket gate, and the ticket is ₩3,000. With a guide you learn what you are looking at; the half-day palace tour is two hours inside.
Still have questions? Email us at info@gyeongbokgungtour.com