Korea Dulle Trail – Exploring the Epic 4,500km Trail Around an Entire Country

I’d emerged from a whirlwind week in Seoul, where the city’s pulsating tempo had me buzzing, but greatly anticipating some trail time. In Seoul, K-pop concerts, K-drama soaps, K-beauty treatments, and indulgent K-food feasts offer a headfirst dive into modern Korea.

I’d splurged at lively marketplaces, traced history through crowd-pleasing palaces, and marvelled at the city’s endless sweep of imposing high-rise apartments. In a moment of K-whimsy, I’d even browsed local real estate prices (spoiler: they’re equally sky-high).

With an irresistible blend of tradition and innovation, Seoul captures the imagination, both globally and domestically. The Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing the heavyweights of Seoul, Incheon, and Suwon, dominates the country’s northwest. With over 26 million residents, it’s home to around half of all South Koreans, making it the fourth-largest metropolitan sprawl in the world.

That’s roughly the same as squeezing Australia’s entire population into one region. It’s a scale that speaks to Korea’s urban intensity, where tradition and innovation come together to fuel an unmistakable energy.

Amid this unrelenting pace, I found myself craving something quieter, beyond the capital’s crowds. Korea’s peaceful, more relaxed corners promised a side of the country often overlooked by travellers. I was eager to discover them.

Read more: South Korea is the Hiking Haven You Should Know About

First stop: Sokcho, a historic fishing village turned nature hub perched on the country’s northeast coast.

As the tour van whisks our group from the capital, the city’s hum fades. Soon, tunnel-gouged mountains give way to dense oak forests brushed with the fiery hues of autumn. This shift in scenery signals a shift in pace, moving toward the step-by-step rhythm of the 4,500km Korea Dulle Trail (KDT).

A Short History of an Ultra-long Trail

The Dulle (meaning ‘perimeter’ in Korean) is a network of four interconnected sub-trails, stitching together existing paths that circle South Korea in its entirety.

The Haeparang Trail, stretching 750km along the sunrise coast to the east, opened in 2016. The Namparang Trail runs along the island-speckled south and was completed in 2020, adding a further 1,800km. The western Seohaerang Trail, which observes the peninsula’s UNESCO-listed tidal flats, adds 1,470km and was completed in 2022. Finally, the DMZ Peace Trail, opened in September 2024, follows the tense demilitarised zone inland near the North Korean border, extending 510km.

Together, these four sub-trails, comprising 284 individual courses, form the impressive 4,500km journey. This places the KDT among the world’s longest trails, stretching further than global icons like the USA’s Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail, and New Zealand’s Te Araroa.

Officially, the KDT is the only trail that circumnavigates an entire country. However, Taiwan’s Thousand Miles Trail could also be a contender, depending on your view of its independence. Portugal, meanwhile, has a similar nationwide project underway. Yet neither matches Korea’s ambition.

A Nationwide Effort to Connect Beauty and History

Famous for its deep water lakes, silky sands, and access to peak-bagger paradise Seoraksan National Park, Sokcho charms instantly. However, it’s along the town’s gritty wharves where Course 45 of the Haeparang Trail delivers my Dulle induction.

Signs of the trail emerge along the waterfront. From a pop-up fish market and a hand-cranked ferry ride to a historic North Korean refugee village, waymarkers are scattered throughout. Arrows cling to road signs and building walls, ribbons flutter from fences and railings, all guiding us forward.

Constructing the trail was a labour of love. The task required cooperation between ten metropolitan cities, seventy-eight local governments, seven national ministries, and a throng of volunteers. Together, they mapped and marked the country’s full circumference, carving a route through its coastal landscapes and northern peaks. This collective effort gave birth to the Dulle, a trail that goes beyond linking places, it brings people together.

Her words resonate as we move through an immaculate beachfront esplanade and along the 1.7km Badahyanggiro Trail, curving around the seacliffs and out over the waves. As the sun drops behind the hinterland peaks, we find ourselves the last pedestrians on the boardwalk. Behind us, a friendly local follows, ready to lock the gate once we’ve passed through.

There’s an App for That

We set off early the following morning, travelling south to Gangneung to check out Haeparang Trail’s Course 39, which begins near the misty Anmokhaebyeon Beach.

At the coursehead, our guide, Mark, signals us to ready our phones to scan a QR code marker. This digital check-in is part of KTO’s Durunubi app  (‘duru’ meaning here and there, ‘nubi’ meaning to walk), which tracks your progress and ensures you don’t wander off track. The platform also acts as a personal guide in your pocket, displaying route difficulty, start and end points, public transport options, reviews, and insights into local attractions and historic sites.

To complete a course, walkers must cover just over 40% of its length. Once logged, each course is marked with an immediately gratifying in-app stamp – a virtual pat on the back for your efforts.

The KDT also features physical Camino-esque stamps at regular stations along the route. These course-themed prints can be collected in booklets, available for purchase from the four rest areas that intersect each sub-trail. While they won’t count toward official completion, they are a delightful take-home reminder from your Korean pilgrimage.

We chart a course for Gangneung’s famed Coffee Street, a beachfront strip lined with a dozen or so cafes. It’s clear this area is the heart of the town’s caffeine culture – underscored by its jumbo-sized, Insta-ready coffee cup – and a symbol of the country’s deep-rooted love for coffee.

Back on the trail, we stroll through an airy pine forest, its trees strategically planted to combat erosion and buffer buildings from ocean storms. The trail’s serenity is interrupted by a flurry of fluff. A black-coated Korean squirrel darts across our path, its pointy ears and feather-duster tail twitch as we gasp in delight. We collectively lunge for our cameras before it scampers up a tree.

The map directs us inland around Gyeongpoho Lake, where golden ginkgo leaves dust the footpath and cultural relics dot the shore. We learn these protected waters, along with their associated wetlands, are a critical habitat for migratory birds during winter months.

At the iconic Gyeonpodae Pavilion, a striking example of traditional Korean architecture, we wrap up our morning’s journey. Having cleared four of the seven sections marked in the app (57% of the route, about 9km), we each claim our pavilion-themed stamps as a reward.

Charms Beyond the Trail

To get a taste of life at the other end of the trail (and country), we hightail it 380km south to Busan, navigating highway congestion and evening storms. Known for its big urban energy and waterfront nightlife, I’m intrigued to see how the trail’s methodical pace feels against its metropolitan pulse. But before we step onto Haeparang’s Course 1 the next day, we have planning to do.

South Korea’s third-largest city (3.3 million people) presents a dizzying array of activities, leaving the group scrambling to fill every moment around our final walk.

A visit to a jjimjilbang (a traditional spa) provides a moment to review our Busan itinerary and slip into a soothing world of steamy saunas and mineral hot baths. Next up, we drive to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, perched dramatically on the rocky seacliffs, its curved hip-and-gable roof emulating the East Sea’s squally waves.

Bridging the old and the new, we hustle to the Haeundae Sky Capsule, a futuristic, glass-enclosed gondola that floats along Busan’s sweeping coast.

In the evening, we gain a shoreline perspective from atop Busan X the Sky tower, admiring the dancing lights of Haeundae Beach, some 100 storeys below. Back on the ground floor, I feel this same sand between my toes, watching families fling LED toys across the dunes and energetic beach performers gather crowds, their music filling the neon-lit promenade.

Naturally, we also refuelled (and then some) for the next stretch of trail. After a hearty Korean-style shabu-shabu lunch – a riff on a Swiss raclette, where sliced meat is stewed in bubbling broth – our appetites are satisfied, but cravings intensify. Dinner takes us to a traditional Korean BBQ feast, our booth thick with the aroma of sizzling pork belly, and the table sprinkled with brightly coloured banchan (side dishes).

Later, I head to the Busan Haeundae Market to fill my dessert stomach. Among the glut of hole-in-the-wall fish restaurants, I decide on a velvety swirl of soft serve, topped with a chunk of freshly hewn honeycomb.

Thankfully, we also find a few hours to step onto the trail.

One Trail, Many Paths

Leaving behind the laid-back harbourside strolls of the past two days, Haeparang’s Course 1 begins along the dramatic Igidae Coastal Trail.

The route takes us along a lush forest ridgeline, where towering pines and broadleaf trees engulf the path. Breaks in the foliage offer fleeting views of the enigmatic Oryukdo Islets, their jagged peaks rising from the waves. Rivulets gurgle beneath our feet after overnight storms, the air is perfumed with resin and jasmine, and an ocean breeze brushes cool saltwater against our skin. The trail is alive with nature’s hum.

Eventually, the industrious 7.7km Gwangan Bridge emerges from behind a bluff. It’s a reminder that urban life is never far, although, at this moment, it feels as if we’ve uncovered one of Korea’s hidden pockets, rich in contrasts and unexpected beauty.

South Korea is often defined by its cutting-edge capital, but there’s far more here than its glittering skyline. For those ready to break from the beaten path, the Korea Dulle Trail offers a side of the country that’s underappreciated by international visitors.

Each section of this 4,500km mega trail tells a different story, exploring Korea’s complex history and landscapes, far beyond the tourist trail. You may rightly come for the adventure, but give yourself the space, and you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of a resilient and layered country.

So, you probably have some questions.

Korea Dulle Trail FAQs

What visa do I need to enter South Korea?

Until the 31st of December, 2024, Australians and New Zealanders can enter South Korea with just a passport for 90 days. However, from 2025 onwards, we’ll need to apply for a. Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA) before visiting. The K-ETA application process involves submitting personal information, travel details, and answering basic security questions online.

Can I thru-hike the whole trail?

Firstly, love that energy. Short answer: yes. Long answer: yes-ish. If you have 90 days across 4,500km, you’ll need to bash out 50km per day – no breaks. It’s a lot. But, here’s your carrot: according to the KTO, nobody has yet thru-hiked the entire trail in one go. Get in first?

A more realistic option is to complete each of the four sub-trails (the Haeparang Trail, the Namparang Trail, the Seohaerang Trail, and the DMZ Peace Trail) once per visit.

Does it matter where I start the Korea Dulle Trail?

Nope, simply pick a course, pack your kimchi, and set off.

Is the Korea Dulle Trail a hiker’s hike?

The trail stretches across a vast and varied landscape, with flatter sections around fishing villages and farmland lending themselves to cultural day walks. While coastal cliffs can be found by scouring the app, if you’re looking to inflate your lungs, Korea’s mountainous heartland is stocked with world-class peaks.

When is the best time to visit?

Arrive in October for ideal weather, fewer crowds, and those savoury autumnal hues.

Do I need to be able to speak Korean?

No, you don’t need to be fluent in Korean to walk the Korea Dulle Trail, but understanding some basic words (hello, please, thank you) and access to a translation app helps.

Is the Korea Dulle Trail safe?

The Korea Dulle Trail is a safe and well-maintained route, with clear markings and regular rest stops. While all courses suit those with moderate hiking experience, most routes are also achievable for novices. As always, stay prepared, check the weather, wear appropriate gear, and pace yourself.

Yeah, but what about the DMZ?

The DMZ Peace Trail is a carefully managed path with strict regulations designed for hiker safety. Situated safely south of the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that divides North and South Korea, two countries that remain in a state of conflict, the trail presents a rare opportunity to experience this region in a controlled environment. For added security and peace of mind, download the multilingual Emergency Ready app.

What apps do I need to hike the Korea Dulle Trail?

Along with KTO’s Durunubi app, download Naver (South Korea’s Google Maps), and Google Translate. For accommodation, the trip.com app has a solid spread of properties across the country.