Seoul walking tours

While in Seoul, Korea, in August 2014, I went on 10 or so free walking tours, each led by an English-speaking volunteer guide. Each tour lasted two to three hours.

Reservations must be made at least three days ahead of time. I made reservations two to three weeks in advance by going to Visit Seoul: The Official Travel Guide to Seoul (www.visitseoul.net). After clicking “English,” select “See & Do,” then click on “Must See & Do,” then “City Walking Tours,” then “Course Introduction.” 

Choose a tour and click on “Make a reservation.” The reservation form asks for a Seoul address and telephone number. I did not have this information when I made my reservations, so I used “0” for the phone number and “not yet known” for the address, and I added a comment asking to be contacted by email.

After inputting your info, click on “Make Reservation,” which brings up a calendar on which you can choose from that tour’s available dates and times. 

The confirmation is an automated reply that is emailed within minutes, repeating the tour’s date and time and including the name of the guide and his or her cell phone number. The confirmation also includes a map and photograph of the meeting place. All meeting places were subway exits. Seoul numbers its subway exits, so there is no confusion over the meeting place.

One of my tour groups included four women from Penang. On all of the other tours, I was the only participant!

GUNNAR NIEMI

Emeryville, CA