SEVEN TOP TIPS How to hike responsibly in Seoul

All the peaks in Seoul are accessible through the city’s state-of-the-art public transportation, so use subways and buses to arrive at the trailheads.

Do your best to support local businesses. There are independent cafes, restaurants and shops near all of the mountains.

Leave no trace behind. Make sure to bring a reusable water bottle, take any litter with you and don’t disturb the natural surroundings.

Prepare in advance, researching information on the area you plan to visit as well as precautions to avoid environmental damage or wildlife disruption. Information on the Bukhansan area and its hiking courses is available at the Seoul Hiking Tourism Center.

Be quiet on the trail and respect any wildlife you come across by keeping your distance. The ecosystems in the mountains of Seoul can be fragile, so make sure to stay on the established paths to avoid damaging the flora.

Make sure to have a map or navigation app downloaded on your phone. While Google Maps works well, Korea’s homegrown Naver Maps and KakaoMap tend to be a bit better for local hiking trails. map.naver.com map.kakao.com

Have a translation program ready, such as Google Translate or Papago. While the city of Seoul is doing its best to increase the use of English, many placards and signs are still only in Korean. papago.naver.com