Namsan Mountain – The Spectacular Hike in South Korea

Namsan Mountain – The Spectacular Hike in South Korea

Ranked as one of the most scenic locations in the Jung-gu district of Seoul, South Korea, the Namsan Mountain or the South Mountain, is a glorious journey into South Korea’s grand past. Indeed some people term the mountain to be a natural museum without walls that is reminiscent of all that South Korea has witnessed over time.

A very popular hiking destination it is, surrounded by the Namsan Park with a magical view of the surroundings. Going on a hiking trip proved to be a really worthwhile decision as this became one of the most interesting and fascinating hiking trip of my life.,

I decided to hike up the Namsan Mountain as I wanted to witness the much talked-about glorious views of Seoul. The fall had descended on the mountain very beautifully, scattering its colored leaves all over the ground. It was quite a steep trail, nd just a few moments after I had stated on my hike, I saw a peculiar phenomenon. The forested peak of this mountain is embedded with statues, that are thousands of years old, and I could actually walk up to them and touch them.

I hiked through the Samneung Valley on the mountain’s western slope; it took around two and a half hours, but gave me the view of several statues and a beautiful panoramic view of the Jung-gu district. The hike continued to unfold upon me the amazing treasures nestled within the mountain. After some time I arrived at Sangseonam Hermitage, which is a small temple and I relaxed there for a few moments.

I remember coming across a statue of Maitreya Buddha along my journey up the Namsan Mountain that was made around 700 years ago and its magnificence totally overtook me.

As I moved along I saw several enormous statues decorating the mountain quite impressively. Furthermore, there are numerous burial mounds dotting the mountain’s landscape. After ever few minutes, I saw an ancient grave site, some were in disarray, while some were cleaned up and presented with fresh flowers.,

The trail is spectacular, as its makes its way through twisted trees, and is covered with large rocks, and unevenly cut out stone steps as well. I chose to sit down at the large rocks to catch my breath, and have some snacks. I was lucky enough to have ample water and snacks with me, because to my dismay, there were no hawkers, stalls, or marts along the way. The hike was quite peaceful as it was not crowded with tourists and I thoroughly enjoyed every twist and turn that brought me to amazing views and exciting statues.

From there, it was a brief hike to the ridge of the mountain, which is completely surrounded by trees. After I reached, the peak, I turned left, and continued up the ridge and came across a dazzling view of the district, which truly refreshed my soul. Once there, I saw a sign, pointing towards a trail that was leading to the Sambulsa Temple at the bottom of the Namsan Mountain, which was quite serene and I spent some time walking around it.

The hike downhill wasn’t as smooth, but wasn’t too troublesome nonetheless. It was short walk back and from there I took a bus back to the town area. Overall, it was a very fulfilling and amazing experience hiking on the Namsan Mountain, and I enjoyed every bit of it.