Mountains in Korea

Approximately 70% of the territory of South Korea is occupied by mountains. Their height varies from 200 to 1950 m above sea level. On the rocks there are national parks , nature reserves, ancient temples and pagodas , so they are enjoyed with pleasure by both locals and tourists.

general information

The mountains in Korea are called the word "san", which is added to the name of each rock. The highest slopes are extinct volcanoes. Their last eruptions occurred in the Middle Ages, however, they did not inflict a heavy damage.

The main mountain ranges pass along the eastern coast of the country. They are famous for their picturesque beauty, rare plants and animals. In the western part of Korea, the rocks are dotted with deep gorges and covered with dense forest, and in the south there are numerous temples. Practically on all ridges safe tourist routes are laid.

Locals go to the mountains every weekend to meet sunrise or sunset, relax or meditate. If they do not have the opportunity to go out of town, then they conquer the highest points within populated areas - there are such mountains in Korea. According to experts, about 10 thousand local residents are professional climbers and about 6 million people are amateurs.

Popular Mountains of South Korea

In the country there is a huge number of ridges that travelers can visit. The most famous rocks are:

  1. Amisan Mountain is located in Chungcheon-Pukto Province in the north-east of the state. Its height is 630 m. The rock is famous for its beautiful garden, where exotic flowers grow, and a sad legend about the family of giants, when the brother first killed his sister, and then, after realizing his mistake, and himself.
  2. Voraksan - the mountain has a height of 1094 m, is the main peak of the Sobeksan ridge and shares 2 provinces: Kensan-Pukto and Chungcheon-Pukto. On the slopes there are ancient Buddhist monasteries and a national park.
  3. Vanbansan is located in the province of Gyeonggi between the cities of Tonducheon and Phongcheon in the northwestern part of the Republic of Korea. The height of the mountain is 737 m above sea level. From the capital you can get there in 2 hours.
  4. Chirisan is one of the highest mountains in South Korea. By its size it occupies the 2 nd place, its peak reaches 1915 m. The rock is in the south of the country and is a part of the national park of the same name. There are 7 Buddhist temples, which are architectural monuments.
  5. Soraksan is located in the province of Gangwon-do, near the town of Sokcho and belongs to the Taebeksan ridge. It has a height of 1708 m and ranks third in its size in the country. Here is the nature reserve, 2 waterfalls Piren and Yuktam, Buddhist stone and Hyndylbawi - this is a famous spherical stone, standing on another boulder. Their total size exceeds 5 m.
  6. Sobek - this massif belongs to the southwestern part of the East China mountain range. It is considered the main watershed in the state. Its maximum height is 1594 m, and the total length is 300 km. Here grow mixed, evergreen and deciduous forests. In this area, gold and molybdenum deposits were discovered.
  7. Pkhalgonsan is located in the south-western part of Korea and lies on the periphery of the Taebaeksan ridge. The rock reaches 1193 m in height. Here you can see several cultural and historical attractions , for example, the ancient temples of the Silla era: the Grotto of 3 Buddhas and Tonhvasa. They are included in the list of national treasures under No. 109.
  8. Muhaxan is located in the province of Gyeongsangnam-do, near Pusan . The name of the ridge is translated as "the mountain of a dancing crane". This name was given because of the silhouette of a rock reminding a bird that is preparing for take-off. The highest point reaches 761 m. There are 2 tourist routes 9 and 7,5 km long.
  9. Kerensan - is located in the province of Chungcheon-Namdo on the border of 3 cities: Daejeon , Keren and Gyeongju . Local people consider the mountain sacred and believe that its territory is saturated with qi energies. On some slopes there are military bases, and the rest are included in the National Park of the same name.
  10. Kayasan is located in the province of Gyeongsangnam-do and has a height of 1,430 m. The entire mountain area belongs to the protected area, which was established in 1972. Here is the world-famous Buddhist temple of Heins , where the archive of the ancient records of the "Tripitaka Koreana" is stored. They were carved into 80,000 wooden plates and are a national treasure under No. 32.
  11. Meraxan - is located in the province of Hwanghae-pukto on the border of the counties of Phensang and Rinsan. The height of the rock is 818 m above sea level. On the territory of the ridge in 1959 a reserve was established, the area of ​​which is 3440 hectares. Here lives a rare species of woodpecker.
  12. Hallasan is the highest point in South Korea, its peak reaches a mark of 1950 m. The volcano is declared a National Park and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Rock also belongs to the natural heritage of the country and takes 182nd place.
  13. Kumjonsan is located in the northern part of Busan City, it occupies the administrative district of Pukku and the municipal district of Tongnagu. The highest peak of the mountain is called Knodanbon and is at the level of 801.5 m. This is the most visited tourist attraction in the village. There is a cable car that will take passengers to the secluded Sanson-mall. In the village you can get acquainted with the life of the aborigines and their way of life.
  14. Pukkhansan is a mountain range located in the northern part of Seoul and having a height of 836.5 m. The top is crowned by smooth slopes. In 1983, the same nature reserve was opened on this territory. Flora and fauna is represented by 1300 species of animals and plants. There are more than 100 hiking trails that lead to Buddhist temples and an ancient fortification wall.
  15. Dobansan - the mountain is located in the province of Kengi-do on the border of 3 cities: Seoul, Uyeongbu and Yangtze. Its maximum height is 739.5 m above sea level. This massif is famous for its rock formations (for example, Yubong, Seoninbong and Manjangbon), Uyam peaks and picturesque valleys (Songchu, Donong, Eongeoheion, etc.). Over 40 tourist routes are laid here. The most famous of them is the Bakvi trail, which passes through the oldest temple in the region - Chonchuksa. You can get there by yourself on public transport .