[One Day Walk] The Signpost Dividing City and Forest: 'Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden Trail'

The paths around Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden are part of the Namsan Dulle-gil trail, but they serve as signposts dividing the urban paths and forest trails known only to those familiar with the area. A single loop around the Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden area is about 2.5 km, but the course can be extended as much as desired depending on the chosen direction.

It takes about 26 minutes (1.3 km) on foot from Exit 2 of Noksapyeong Station on Seoul Subway Line 6. Since it is a hill path and can cause heavy sweating, if you want to avoid that, you can take Yongsan Village Bus No. 3 from the Daeseong Church bus stop above the Military Financial Management Unit (formerly known as the Army Central Financial Unit), which is the starting point of the original 'Gyeongridan-gil' of the '~ridan-gil' streets. The bus ride takes only 3 minutes to the terminus. In summer, many people start walking from the main gate of the Hyatt Hotel by using the village bus.

From Exit 1 of Hangangjin Station on Line 6, walk about 900 meters along the deck path, cross the bridge connecting to Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden behind the Hyatt Hotel, and you will be greeted by a pine tree path. The approximately 900-meter path from the side street next to Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, passing by the Samsung family residence, through the flowerbed path inside Namsan Hyatt Hotel, and leading to Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden can be strenuous due to the long uphill climb.

Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden was created in 1997 by demolishing two foreigner apartments and some houses in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, as part of the 'Restoring Namsan’s Original Appearance' campaign that was promoted for eight years starting in 1991. About 60,000 pine trees of 129 species and approximately 100,000 herbaceous plants of 140 species, including pasque flowers, beautifully decorate this area.

Iris blooming in a small stream along the Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden trail.
[Photo by Reader]

After completing a loop around Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden and heading up the paved upper path, you will face Seoul Tower. The middle dirt path is quiet and forested with few people, but requires a somewhat brisk walk. Walking about 2.5 km along this path leads to Banyan Tree Hotel and the National Theater, and it also connects to the Seoul Fortress Wall trail. If you take the lower path, passing through Itaewon and Bogwang-dong for 2.4 km, you can reach the Han River walking trail. Passing through the underpass at Bogwang Interchange leads to the Han River walking path. You can also walk to Gangnam via the Jamsu Bridge, making this an excellent urban walking course with plenty to see.

Viewing Seoul Tower and finishing the Namsan Dulle-gil trail results in a walk of about 10 km, and if you continue onto the Han River walking trail, you can walk more than 20 km. Many people walk two or three loops just around Namsan Outdoor Botanical Garden alone.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.