Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
From the Seonamsan car park, walk through the pine wood round the three royal tombs of Samneung and into the valley behind. The path climbs past a headless seated Buddha, a standing Bodhisattva carved on a boulder and a Buddha engraved in line on the rock, then steepens on steps and rock to the hermitage of Sangseonam. Above it, the great rock-carved seated Buddha looks out over the plain. A short climb past Badukbawi leads along the ridge to Geumobong, one of the two summits of Namsan (남산). Return the same way.
It is 5.3 km there and back with 395 m of ascent; allow about 3 hours. The grade is Easy: a steady climb on stony paths and steps.
The carvings are national treasures and sacred to many: look, but do not climb on them. Walkers may start up from Samneung until 16:00 from April to October and 15:00 in winter. The rocky upper path is slippery when wet.
Buses from central Gyeongju stop at Samneung, by the car park, which charges a fee.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- Gyeongju's Namsan is covered with Buddhist carvings, pagodas and temple sites from the Silla kingdom
- Geumobong, 468 m, is one of Namsan's two summits
- Samneung, 'three tombs', at the start, holds three royal tombs of the Silla era in a pine wood
- Namsan is part of the Gyeongju Historic Areas UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 2000
Summits on the way
- Geumobong 468 m
Getting there
Start: Seonamsan car park, Samneung. 35.79939, 129.20652
Directions to the start
Google Maps Apple Maps KakaoMap Naver Map
KakaoMap and Naver Map, the maps Korea uses, give public transport from where you are.
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Seonamsan car park: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
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Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.