Hi readers! I received many questions regarding Mount Bukhansan when I first posted it on my facebook but I never actually got around to blogging about it! Thought I'll consolidate all the questions and post it together in one blog post today!

Bukhansan is actually Seoul’s alpha peak, and I climbed it with my friends who I went on exchange together with. It was a last minute decision when one of my friends decided we would climb it "tomorrow". It would be my first time hiking as I have never been a sporty person, preferring to stroll rather than run after the bus even. However I was pretty excited because it would be something to do together as a clique! So off we went before the sun took the center of the sky, just right after the sun dispersed its amber rays.

Here was what we did, roughly!

10.00am:

Head to Gupabal station, Line 3. Head out via exit 1.

Board 704 and alight when all the hikers in their hiking costume alights.

Make sure to head out to the station as early as possible. Hiking usually takes some time to get up and to descend later at night.

Breath taking view. Just looking at this picture makes me wish I could teleport back.

Ice cave spotted!

It was a little after winter, so some of the floor was slippery with ice but we managed to catch much awesome view of the mountain on our way up. There were other hikers while we were ascending, but I think you have to take caution if you do decide to climb up in winter!

11.00am-3pm: Hike up Mountain Bukhansan

Make sure to buy a bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated. Preferably, bring along some food so you can rest along the way. You will meet a lot of friendly aunties and uncles along the way who will offer you fruits.

Be sure to stop and say hello to them! One of the uncles even offered soju to us.

3pm-4pm: Reach Bukhansan Peak!

Have a picnic. Say hello to the cats whose job description probably required them to be a ninja.

A little disclaimer here! This picture was taken the second time I climbed Mount Bukhansan, which was already during spring thus you see the greeneries on the slopes. We did not climb to the peak the first time we went as my friend was scared of height, so I stayed with her instead of going forward. She was really brave for going so far despite her fear of heights. In spring,I returned the second time with another friend because I really loved the hike!

The view from the peak was just amazing

4pm-7pm:

Hike down. The journey down is faster and easier than the journey upwards, so it should take you lesser time. Be sure to follow the same route you came up in, or else you would climb down the wrong side of the mountain and end up a few hours away from the original station. This was actually the mistake I made when I climbed Bukhansan for the first time in winter. I ended up having to take a 2 hour train ride home.

#Korea