Welcome to Hike Korea
South Korea is a mountainous land. Its numerous peaks shape culture, belief, and daily life.
An ancient web of footpaths has evolved into a vast modern network of trails, crossing ridges, forests, temples, coasts, and cities.
With dozens of parks and countless trails, South Korea feels like a vast labyrinth.
Individuals, couples, small groups and families - I have been guiding international hikers across Korea for over 15 years.
My trips are multi-day, fully guided adventures: traveling by SUV, hiking new peaks each day, staying in different towns, eating well, and discovering a side of Korea most visitors never see.
You’ll get experienced, professional guidance - and something far more personal than a standard tour.
Why Hike in Korea?
South Korea is a modern and safe nation with thousands of stunning peaks and trails that reveal her long rich culture and history.
She is a friendly host for international travelers.
Let me design a guided hike for you or your team.
I can take you anywhere in Korea.
So many peaks, so many choices.
Hiking Tours
Designed Hiking Tours. I can design a guided hike for you anywhere in South Korea. Individuals to small groups. Fully inclusive multi-day hiking …
Read moreDesigned Hiking Tours
Individuals, couples, small groups and families - I have been guiding international hikers across Korea for over 15 years. I know this terrain inside out: how to move, where to stay, what to eat, how life really works beyond the cities. This isn’t a side job. It’s my life’s work.
My trips are multi-day, fully guided adventures: traveling by SUV, hiking new peaks each day, staying in different towns, eating well, and discovering a side of Korea most visitors never see. You’ll get experienced, professional guidance - and something far more personal than a standard tour.
I can design hiking tours for a range of age groups and abilities. See my career details here.
Mountain Hiking in Korea: Korea is a mountainous land where peaks shape culture, belief, and daily life.
An old web of village trails has evolved into a vast modern network crossing ridges, forests, temples, coasts, and cities.
With dozens of parks and countless trails, Korea feels like a vast labyrinth. For your next trip to Asia, consider Korea.
EXCELLENT Based on 7 reviews Posted on Google Trudy WyseTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Really enjoyable , well organised hike. Roger tailored the hiking distances and climbs to our fitness needs and included a lot of historical and cultural aspects which made it a rich experience. Highly recommended!!Posted on Google Terry KelleherTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I organised an eight day hiking trip to South Korea for myself and a group of eight males, mostly from Ireland. I found Roger online and from the beginning he was knowledgeable, responsive and extremely helpful. He helped design a program to climb several mountains throughout Korea, including an overnight at a refuge and a sunrise summit. He answered all my questions promptly, was very flexible when one of our group had to withdraw and the trip went without a hitch. The transport was a comfortable modern minibus, the hotels were all very nice and the spa visits after every climb were well received by all. Roger and his colleague, Dong Il were very professional, logistics all worked well and most importantly, they fitted in very well to the gregarious nature of the group. I would have no hesitation in recommending Roger and Dong Il for anyone planning a trip to South Korea. Terry Kelleher IrelandPosted on Google Neil StewartTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The time we had with Roger really made our trip to Korea an amazing experience. Having not been to Korea before, but keen hikers, we knew we wanted an outdoor, touring experience, but didnt know the locations. We asked Roger to put together a 6 day itinerary and left him to it ... he came up with an awesome mix of hiking, sightseeing and food experiences tracking south from Jeonju to Hamyang and the coast at Namhae. Roger brings a huge depth of knowledge on the mountains, the culture and the history of Korea. Add to that a very friendly character and it was one of the best trips we have undertaken.Posted on Google Renata SingerTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. What a fantastic experience!. Roger and his team tailored our hikes, accomodation and the wonderful meals to the complex needs of our group of 9. His knowledge and expertise enabled us to enjoy the glorious scenery without any stress or hassle. I couldn't recommend Hike Korea warmly enough.Posted on Google Rosemary GrieveTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Our hike in the Jirisan National Park was beautiful with so many of the trees just beginning to have their Spring leaves and many of the hillsides blanketed in mauve azaleas. Roger crafted a terrific walk for our group of nine - challenging but not too challenging, varied in terms of landscape and vegetation and well supported by excellent accommodation and meals. We all learned a lot about South Korea’s history and its current state. I would highly recommend this hike and, Roger as a guide, to anyone interested in exploring the less populated parts of South Korea.Posted on Google Michael GillTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Roger is an informed guide who provides a great experience. Our group had a well-organised trip in the Jiri-San that had a variety of experiences and enjoyable engagements with local people. Roger is flexible and considerate while offering clear advice and guidance.Posted on Google Adrian SchiesserTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great guide, knows the area (probably all of South Korea) better than most locals. Always helpful, friendly and kiwi cool. A genuine Gen X legend. Would recommend to anyone looking for a day or more of adventure and nature.
EXCELLENTBased on 10 reviews VerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor DownVegasTown3 August 2023Hwawangsan Mountain with Hike Korea I logged in to write a review about our most recent experience and realized our review from 2015 was not linked to Roger so please enjoy the following write up while I work on the recent one. DownVegasTown Alamo Heights, Texas 149115 Hiking in Korea Review of Hwawangsan Mountain Reviewed June 7, 2015 A bit of background, My wife is Korean and her family history ties back to a story in ancient times at the facilities on top of the mountain. She researched both english and korean sites to find the place and how to get there. Fortunately she found an excellent guide service. We were in route from Seoul to Gyeongju and stopped in Daegu to make this day trip. We arrived early in Daegu, made the hike up the mountain and took the last train onto Gyeongju. Roger with HikeKorea.com met us at the train station and drove us to Changnyeong and then onto Hwawangsan Mountain for the hike to the top. Roger leads hikes all over South Korea but this was his first time to Hwawangsan Mt so he arrived the day before and scouted it out. So, we started the hike with a stop at a temple on the way up. Cherry blossoms were ending their bloom so we saw many on the trees and many on the ground. We chose to hike up the shortest route which to the novice sounded like the best but in reality ended up being the steepest, strenous, most difficult....ok the adjectives get a bet racy from here, so just say this old man was in over his head. The good thing is Roger was excellent watching my wife and i for signs of fatigue, stress and fear. Yes I said it. Old guy got a little nervous but Roger was always there and never let us feel uncomfortable. We made it to the top, piece of cake for my wife but I struggled due to age, injured toe and tight pants. Roger had a set of hiking poles which I refused the first 30 minutes but finally relented. My god they were awesome. Cut the huff and puff in half, pulse dropped a few notches and I thought I might get off the mountain without a helicopter. Made it to the top and walked along the ridge line about a km to the ancient spot we had to see. i must admit it was interesting to me seeing this location at 757 meters with nothing around. Had to be the get away spot several centuries ago. We chose the other route on the way down which turned out to be less steep and relaxing. After the mountain we saw historic sights in Changnyeoung and then went to the Upo Wetlands which was an unexpected surprise from Roger. I would definitely repeat this excursion, stopping at Daegu, having Roger with Hikekorea.com take us on the hike and bring us back to Daegu train station. It is an excellent day trip excursion in route to gyeongju although I fear the people on the train were probably thought we could use a shower. Date of experience: May 2015 Ask DownVegasTown about Hwawangsan MountainVerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor bobperronnh18 May 2023Excellent guide, excellent trip We enjoyed every aspect of our trip with Roger, spending a week hiking the Lands End trail from Wolchul-san National Park down to the sea, then meeting again for 3 days in Seoul and points north. I was interested in visiting places in Paju near the DMZ where I'd been as a soldier, and Roger put together an excellent itinerary. A great guide and much fun to be with.VerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor Rudyard C17 May 2023Great time had by all Roger did a great job providing myself and 5 friends with a 3D/2N hike in Jirsan National park. Roger was great at communicating and made it to easy to get to and from the National park. The only negative was that the cabins were very warm at night( nothing Roger could do). I would recommend if you want a decent hike in South Korea.VerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor inoa201015 May 2023South-Korea hiking journey Mr. Shepherd delivered a memorable and unmatched experience. His name speaks for itself, he is a true guide. A combination of solid knowledge, artistic sense, cheerful spirit and commitment to excellence make him the ideal guide for a mountainous adventure.VerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor TeamB15 May 2023Jirisan South Korea Excellent trip and tour with Roger! Tailored everything to our interests. One of the highlights of my many trips to South KoreaVerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor Robin H15 May 2023Best adventure of my trip to South Korea! I spent three weeks in South Korea visiting Seoul, Busan and Jeju but my 4 days with Roger were my favorite and will be what I remember most! Roger saw to every detail and planed well but knew how to change lans due to bad weather and his timing was impeccable! We did and saw so much in just a short amount of time! He showed me beautiful authentic places and all the food we ate was amazing and delicious! I would highly recommend spending part of you vacation in his expert hands if you want to see the Real Korea!VerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor LucSaLa15 May 2023Fantastic hiking experience I had a fantastic time hiking with Roger during three days in Deogyusan National Park and on Daedunsan. He is a very experienced, knowledgeable, responsible guide, and fun!VerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor Alexander A14 May 2023Fantastic private hiking tour Our family went on a 2 day private hiking trip with Roger. We had an absolutely fantastic time and couldnt rate Roger highly enough. He is a mine of information on Korea and the hiking, the food and the hotels were excellent. It was great to get a couple of days out of the mega-city that is Seoul and to experience a very different side of Korea.VerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor katherine b14 May 2023Hiking/Touring Korea My daughter and I did a trip with Roger and he tailored everything to our interests! One of the best things I have ever done in Korea and I have been many times!!VerifiedPosted on Tripadvisor Planetkimchi14 May 2023Hike Korea if you want to Hike Korea! There are few people that know the mountains of South Korea like Roger Shepherd, so if you are looking for something different, something authentic and something memorable, then he is one of the few people in the country providing an alternative more intimate experience of the real South Korea. He's your ticket to get to know both the wonderful mountains and the amazing people of South Korea.Verified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more
Duke of Edinburgh Award
In South Korea, Hike Korea runs adventurous journeys for Duke of Edinburgh Award.
They are multi-day backpacking courses.
Qualified External Activity Provider (L2) with 10+ years’ experience delivering programs in South Korea for international schools.
Is your international school part of the DofE Award?
Are you looking for a Korea-based expedition?
Bronze, Silver, and Gold courses available.