Damyang Bamboo Forest & Traditional Food Tour from Gwangju

Bamboo groves, grilled tteokgalbi, and a 400-year-old garden, or a mountain stream if you want the hike instead

A private tour departing from Gwangju Metropolitan City to Damyang, a "Slow City" region known for bamboo forests and traditional Korean cuisine. You walk the 2.4-kilometer Juknokwon bamboo forest trail, eat grilled pork patties and bamboo-steamed rice at a master chef's restaurant, visit Samjinae Village with its centuries-old hanok houses, and finish with han-gwa sweets and tea in a historic hanok. You choose between Soswaewon Garden, a Joseon-era private garden, or an optional hike at Gangcheonsan mountain with waterfalls and a suspension bridge. The tour runs 7 hours for Damyang alone, or up to 10 hours with the mountain hike (March to November). Private transportation, lunch, and tea are included. A live English-speaking guide leads the group.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Damyang's bamboo forest and cuisine

• Walk 2.4 km Juknokwon bamboo forest trail
• Visit Siga Culture Village pavilions
• Try Jukro Tea or bamboo-leaf ice cream
• Stroll Gwanbangjerim forest and stream
• Enjoy traditional tteokgalbi lunch with bamboo rice
• Visit Samjinae Village hanok houses
• Relax with Han-gwa sweets and regional tea
• Optionally hike Gangcheonsan mountain and cross Cloud Bridge

The experience

The Juknokwon bamboo forest is the anchor of the day. Planted as a village grove and turned into a park in 2005, the 2.4-kilometer trail winds through stalks so dense the air stays 4–7°C cooler than outside. The walk is unhurried (Koreans call it a "bamboo forest bath"), and near the back gate you can stop at Siga Culture Village to see full-scale recreations of Damyang's traditional pavilions, or try Jukro Tea made from dew collected off bamboo leaves.

Lunch is the centerpiece: tteokgalbi, hand-shaped grilled short rib patties cooked over charcoal, arrives with bamboo-steamed rice cooked inside bamboo tubes, seasoned bamboo shoots, and a spread of enzyme-fermented side dishes. The restaurant's master chef prepares the dish, and vegetarian and vegan travelers get a separate menu of 36 kinds of herbal pickles made from wild herbs, fermented with homemade soy sauce and wild plum syrup, served with rice and soup. You also visit Gwanbangjerim, a two-kilometer man-made forest planted in 1648 to prevent flooding, where stepping stones cross the Damyangcheon Stream, and Samjinae Village, Asia's first "Slow City," with stone walls and centuries-old hanok houses lining the lanes.

At the end of the day you sit in a historic hanok for tea and han-gwa, Damyang's traditional sweets refined from rice syrup methods dating to the Joseon Dynasty. The tour ends here if you choose Soswaewon Garden instead: a private garden built in the early 16th century by a Confucian scholar, with pavilions where scholars once composed poetry and contemplated nature. If you add the Gangcheonsan hike (available March through November), you swap the garden for a mountain trail that follows a crystal-clear stream through lush forest and valleys, with the option to cross the Cloud Bridge, a gently swaying suspension bridge that is especially striking in autumn. Travel time from Gwangju to Damyang is around 45 minutes. The return is around 60 minutes during rush hour.

What’s included

• Private transportation from Gwangju.
• gourmet lunch with tteokgalbi and bamboo-steamed rice.
• coffee or tea in a historic hanok.
• all fees and taxes.
• live English-speaking guide.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private Damyang Bamboo Forest and Traditional Food TourGuide in English · 09:30Pickup is included

Damyang Tour including GangcheonsanGuide in English · 09:30Damyang and Gangcheonsan Hike: For more time outdoors, you can add a easy-going hike on Gangcheonsan Mountain after the Damyang tour. Pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (18 to 79 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (7 to 11 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Tasty Trails Korea

Is this one for you?Book the Damyang tour alone if you want the garden and a full cultural immersion without extra hiking. Add Gangcheonsan if you prefer mountain scenery, waterfalls, and a suspension bridge crossing over the garden visit. The private format means your group sets the pace and the guide tailors stops to your interests, so families with children from age 7 and mixed fitness levels can all travel together without waiting for a larger group.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (7 to 11 years). Children under 7 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Juknokwon bamboo forest like to walk through?

Juknokwon is a 2.4-kilometer trail through dense bamboo stalks so thick the air stays 4–7°C cooler than outside and rich in oxygen. The walk is designed as a slow, meditative stroll (Koreans call it a "bamboo forest bath"), and near the back gate you can visit Siga Culture Village with traditional pavilion recreations or try Jukro Tea made from dew collected off bamboo leaves.

Can I do this tour if I'm vegetarian or vegan?

Yes. The restaurant offers a special vegan meal with 36 kinds of herbal pickles made from wild herbs, fermented with homemade soy sauce, wild plum syrup, and served with rice and soup. Damyang also offers a special vegan meal option throughout the tour.

What's the difference between the Damyang tour and the one with Gangcheonsan?

The Damyang tour alone is about 7 hours and includes Soswaewon Garden, a 400-year-old Joseon-era private garden with pavilions and streams. If you add Gangcheonsan mountain (available March to November), the hike replaces the garden and adds about 2.5 hours. The mountain trail follows a crystal-clear stream through forest and valleys, with waterfalls and an optional suspension bridge crossing.

What does lunch include?

Lunch is tteokgalbi, hand-shaped grilled short rib patties cooked over charcoal, served with bamboo-steamed rice cooked inside bamboo tubes, seasoned bamboo shoots, and a variety of enzyme-fermented side dishes. Vegetarian and vegan meals are prepared separately by the chef.

How far is Damyang from Gwangju, and how long does the drive take?

Travel time from Gwangju to Damyang is around 45 minutes. The return trip to Gwangju takes around 60 minutes during rush hour.

Is this tour private, and does it include transportation from Gwangju?

Yes, this is a private tour with private transportation included from Gwangju. A live English-speaking guide leads the group throughout the day.