Traveling around Korea can be a pain in the neck sometimes. Think about it. When you travel to Gapyeong, you have to take a train and a taxi just to go to the Garden of the Morning Calm. On weekends, these places are packed and you gotta worry about the next train or even if you’ll catch a cab back in time (or catch a cab at all). I really enjoy most Trazy tours because they are small making it a very enjoyable experience. You’re usually in a small heated or air-conditioned van and the tour guide will take all the guess work out for you. I’ve been wanting to get to know the northern area of Korea lately. Luckily, I had the privilege of going on the Four Day Three Night Elysian Gangchon Ski Tour with Trazy Korea.
As a blogger, tours are a sigh of relief as I can just focus on the area I’m in, taking photos, and enjoying the experience. During this trip, I was accompanied by a lovely family of three from Hong Kong and our tour guide Tenny.
He was very thoughtful and very precise about getting us to where we needed to be on time and in a orderly manner. Tenny was even a great sport when it came to dishing him crappy jokes about his photoshopped mustache, but that’s a story for another day, kids. The narrative I’m telling today, is one of wander in the northern areas above Seoul.
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Day One Itinerary
At 10 am I was met by my very own private van and tour guide, Tenny (who might I add was also my tour guide from the first round at Elysian). When I tell you everyone goes above and beyond here in Korea, I really mean it. As many of you now know, I am a vegetarian and have been one for the past year. I mentioned my dietary restrictions to Tenny and the other guide, Nuri and they were super star champions in finding delicious Korean food that had no meat in it. Korea is sometimes not vegetarian friendly, but there are yummy and delicious Korean foods you can eat that don’t have meat. We stopped at a traditional house for lunch and ate kongcheon (bean pancake) and sujaebi (potato and rice cake soup). Your taste buds will sing for days after you eat that. I sometimes don’t like eating kimchijeon (kimchi pancake) because I find it too oily and greasy but the bean pancakes were cooked to perfection and a tiny bit crispy. There is nothing like the home cooking of an ajhumma to really hit the spot.
Bird Farm
Have you ever heard of bunny island in Hiroshima? If the name doesn’t give it away, my dreams were dashed when I wasn’t hounded by an army of cute and fuzzy critters. Although when I stepped inside the bunny, goat and guinea pig area, all the adorable bunnies came up to me to get some cabbage and I was more than happy to feed them. Fun fact: I’m actually a bit skittish around guinea pigs because when I was younger, I kept one as a pet and he bit me causing my entire right hand to get infected. Yeah, that was no fun, but the animals here were really lovely. The facility also has ostriches and different kinds of exotic birds you can take photos with.
Gangcheon Rail Bike
This is a pretty famous rail bike with beautiful scenic views of the rolling countryside. You’ll pass over big fields, gorgeous rivers, and go in “romantic” tunnels. I use quotation marks because I’m not sure what to make of the lighting and music played, but an adventure is always an adventure, right Bilbo?
Dinner
Again the tour guides came to the rescue with this delicious Italian Fusion place. The food came in huge quantities and nothing hits the spot like pizza and salad. Amirite?
Elysian Gangchon Ski Resort
Since this tour is all about skiing, you’ll be staying at the Elysian Gangchon Ski Resort and let me tell you, it’s incredible! The rooms are so large and spacious and there’s even a separate bedroom for you to sleep. The kitchen and living room area was perfect for me to work on my online digital business and go skiing. Did I mention you have awesome views of the slopes from your room #winning? The resort is so convenient because you can just go down to the lobby, go outside, rent your ski equipment and enjoy the night air.
Pro Tip: There are less people skiing at night and it’s much more fun with less people.
Day Two Itinerary
The second day will certainly be less hectic and more laid back. I was looking forward to the Hwacheon Ice Fishing Festival because I’ve never been ice fishing in my life. You think coming from a cold area like the Chicagoland one I would have done winter sports too, but nah. So many new and exciting experiences have been had here in South Korea.
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Hwacheon Ice Fishing Festival
At the festival, you’ll be given tags to attach to your clothing for your fishing area. You will then be given a voucher to purchase a plastic fishing line. Then, your awesome tour guide will show you how to move the line to catch the trout. Alas, some people are not natural born fishermen… I tried to catch a damn fish for almost two hours and caught nothing. Luckily, my travel mates took pity on my poor soul and I was able to deposit a fish at the fish grilling station and enjoy the fruits of my pitiful labor.
The Festival offers many activities like ice sledding, ice foot hockey, ice sledding, and even ice skating. It’s great for friends, family and couples. Of course, this being Korea, a one of a kind experience.
P.s. I promise you won’t fall through the ice. There is about 10 inches of ice below your feet and machines help to freeze the river. Also, the river is super shallow.
K-Drama Tour in Chuncheon
Where are my K-Drama fans? I know you’re out there! If you love Lee Jung-Suk then you’re gonna love this aspect of the tour. In the drama, the boy lives in a house across from his love interest. This place was chosen for its beautiful tiled wall. (Gotta love Koreans and finding pretty places in random ones.) You’ll get the opportunity to visit the Chuncheon Traditional Market which pays homage to Winter Sonata. Since Nami Island is also located in the vicinity, many people bring their partners to stroll around.
Dakgalbi Dinner
I’m a vegetarian as you well know, but the Dakgalbi restaurant you’ll visit is really awesome and sensitive to the fact I have dietary restrictions. They made a kimchi fried rice just for me so I wouldn’t starve. For those who do eat meat, spoiler alert, Chuncheon is famous for this dish.
Cafe Santorini at Night
I’ve been to this cafe a total of 4 times and every time I go, it’s absolutely stunning and amazing. For a dreamer like me, who wants to see the real Santorini one day, this is a pretty awesome replica of the churches there. (I’m telling you, 2018 is my year to see Europe.) The night view from the top of this mountain and the lit up city scape below is an incredibly romantic setting.
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Day Three Itinerary
The third day was definitely more relaxed compared to the first two action packed ones. It was a full day of skiing at Elysian and it was so exciting. If you don’t know how to ski, instructors will be provided. There is one instructor per 10 students. Also, if you’re not into skiing, you could always snowboard but the equipment comes at an additional cost to you. You’ll be provided with a ski lift pass. I used it well because I had so much fun going up and down the lift and the slope.
We were taken to a farewell dinner with a Taekwondo performance and then ushered off to our adorable pension in the countryside. As far as I’m concerned, pink is one of the best colors on my spectrum and I loved how girly the one person room was. Pink curtains, wallpaper, and an adorable canopy bed made this full of feminine energy.
Day Four Itinerary
I feel sorry for people who aren’t morning people because I most definitely am. I feel like mornings are a great way to start the day and get things done before the evening. On the last day, our tour started bright and early at 9am and the tour was a bittersweet ending.
Soyanggang Skywalk
This pretty glass walk over the river is gorgeous in all types of weather. At the skywalk, you’re given a 2,000 won coupon to use anywhere you like in the Chuncheon area. It’s great for photos and really cool for reflection shots when there is no wind.
Cafe Santorini during the Day
Like any place in Korea, it is packed on the weekends, but if you go during the weekday the atmosphere is super pleasant. There’s hardly any people and you can enjoy your drinks and dessert in peace. Also, if you’re hungry, the second floor of the building is a restaurant where you can eat steak, pizza, pasta and seafood. It’s fancy and pricey but also gorgeous.
Chuncheon Makguksu Museum
These cold noodles are another staple of the Chuncheon area. I typically eat them during summer when the sweltering heat makes me want to die on the inside and outside, but they’re still a tasty treat in winter. You learn about the buckwheat plant, and how it is harvested into a flour. You’ll also learn other uses for the seed such as traditional pillows. After making the buckwheat dough, you’ll get a chance to press the noodles through. This is no easy feat because three full grown adults using their full body weight had a hard time pulling the lever down. Nothing tastes more delicious than the food you make yourself.
Related: One Day Elysian Gangchon Ski Tour and Spa with Trazy
I liked the one day Elysian Tour so much, I obviously had to go on the extended Four Day Three Night Elysian Ski Tour with Trazy Korea and get to know the north a lot better and I’m so glad I did. It’s always great to revisit favorite places and I’m so grateful for the fact I was able to go skiing twice this year. Anyone ready for the Olympics?
The Four Day Three Night Elysian Gangchon Ski Tour was sponsored by Trazy Korea. As always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.
1 Comment on Four Day Three Night Elysian Gangchon Ski Tour with Trazy Korea
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Seems like Elysian Gangchon Ski Tour was simply made for you. I like the part of meals, I’m no veg, so I can imagine what’s in for me. Yes, we’re here, kdrama fans. I’ll love the kdrama tour. Besides that, there are beautiful places to visit on this tour and that it’s not crowdy is some reason I’ll gladly like to join.