Hotels near Achasan

Achasan is only 295.7 m and that is precisely the appeal. This is the hike for your first jet-lagged morning in Seoul, or for the day after Baegundae when your legs are finished. From the Achasan Administrative Office trailhead the out-and-back to the summit and the Achasanseong fortress ruins covers about 4 km with 230 m of elevation gain in 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Difficulty: easy. Continue north along the ridge over Yongmasan (348 m) and descend to Yongmasan Station and you have a 6.5 km, 2 hour 30 minute traverse that never once feels hard.

The ridge looks straight down the Han River toward Guri and Hanam, which is why Achasan is the city's default sunrise mountain and why the summit deck is busy at 05:30 in summer. Achasanseong was a Baekje-era fortress, and low stone footings still run along the crest. Mid-route you choose between a short rock wall with good hand-holds or the graded Seoul Trail path through the trees. The Administrative Office has trail maps, toilets, a spring-water tap and a Seoul Trail stamp station.

Pro Tip: Achasan Station (Line 5, Exit 2) puts you at the trailhead, but finish at Yongmasan Station instead of doubling back - it is also on Line 5, so one T-money tap covers the whole loop with no extra fare. The first train on Line 5 runs from around 05:30, which is tight for a summer sunrise; on those mornings take the last train the night before and stay in Gwangjin-gu.