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Photograph to come · Wide view of Myeongdong Cathedral above the Seoul skyline

South Korea Pilgrimages

Seoul, Chon Jin Am, Mirinae, Daegu, Busan and the Shrines of the Korean Martyrs

Thirteen days across South Korea in the footsteps of St. Andrew Kim Taegon and the martyrs who died with him, from the Good News Road in Seoul to the birthplace of Korean Catholicism at Chon Jin Am, the mountain shrine at Hanti and the edge of the Demilitarized Zone.

Departures

Current Tours to South Korea

Upcoming departures to South Korea. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Eleven stops across South Korea

Seoul, Chon Jin Am, Mirinae, Solmoe, Cheonan, Haemi, Waegwan, Daegu, Busan, the Demilitarized Zone and Suwon.

Itinerary · AS_KR-13D-01

Our Standard South Korea Pilgrimage

Thirteen days, arriving and departing from Seoul, with four nights in the capital, a night in Cheonan and two in Daegu on the way south to Busan, before the pilgrimage returns to Seoul for its last three nights. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

DAYS 1–4

Seoul, and the Road of Good News

Photograph to come · Myeongdong Cathedral, the national cathedral of Seoul
Myeongdong Cathedral, the national cathedral of the Archdiocese of Seoul.
Day 1

Depart the United States

We depart on our overnight flight to Seoul. Dinner and breakfast are served on board.
Day 2

Arrival in Seoul

Our guide and driver meet us in the arrivals hall and accompany us to the hotel. This evening we gather for a Korean welcome dinner of soup, rice, seasoned vegetables, stew and bulgogi, to begin our pilgrimage together.Overnight in Seoul.
Day 3

Seoul and the Good News Road

We begin at Gahoe-dong Church, where the first Mass in Korea was celebrated, then walk the Good News Road, a course approved by Rome in 2018 that traces the laypeople who first received the Gospel here. We end at the Seosomun Shrine museum, built on the ground where the 124 Korean martyrs were put to death, and at the Yakhyeon Shrine.Mass is celebrated at Myeongdong Cathedral, the national cathedral of the Archdiocese of Seoul. Dinner and overnight in Seoul.
Day 4

Seoul

We walk the Unity Road, the recognised pilgrim path linking the Danggogae and Saenamteo martyrs’ shrines, and pause at Jeoldusan above the Han River, where many were beheaded for the faith in 1866. In the afternoon we see Gyeongbokgung Palace, laid out in 1395, and the old houses of Bukchon Hanok Village.Mass is celebrated at Jeoldusan Martyrs’ Shrine. Dinner and overnight in Seoul.
DAYS 5–7

Chon Jin Am and the Martyrs’ Countryside

Photograph to come · Mirinae Holy Ground, the tomb of St. Andrew Kim Taegon
Mirinae Holy Ground, the burial place of St. Andrew Kim Taegon.
Day 5

Chon Jin Am

We travel out to Chon Jin Am in Gwangju, a former Buddhist hermitage revered as the birthplace of Korean Catholicism, where laypeople first gathered in 1779 to study a faith they had found in books. We walk the Way of the Cross, with time in the gardens and at the cemetery.Mass is celebrated at the shrine of Chon Jin Am. Dinner and overnight in Seoul.
Day 6

Mirinae, Solmoe & Gongseri

We drive south to Mirinae Holy Ground, where St. Andrew Kim Taegon is buried with his mother and the bishop who ordained him. We continue to Solmoe, the pine-covered hill where he was born, and to Gongseri Church, a forested shrine founded in 1894 that keeps the memory of thirty-two Korean martyrs.Mass is celebrated in the church at Mirinae. Dinner and overnight in Cheonan.
Day 7

Haemi & Waegwan Abbey

We begin at Haemi International Sanctuary, raised to the thousands of largely unnamed farmers and lay Catholics martyred here between 1790 and 1880, where there is time to pray the Way of the Cross. We continue to Waegwan Abbey, a Benedictine house founded by Korean monks in 1952, and join the community for prayer.Mass is celebrated in the abbey church at Waegwan. Dinner and overnight in Daegu.
DAYS 8–10

Daegu, Busan and the Southern Shrines

Photograph to come · Hanti Martyrs’ Shrine, in the mountains above Daegu
The Hanti Martyrs’ Shrine, set in the mountains above Daegu.
Day 8

Daegu and the Hanti Shrine

We walk Namsan-dong, the Catholic-founded quarter of hanok houses and quiet cafes, and visit Seongmodang Church and its Marian grotto and Daegu Cathedral, whose windows came from France. In the afternoon we climb to the Hanti Martyrs’ Shrine, raised in the mountains to thirty-seven martyrs killed in 1868, for a Holy Hour.Mass is celebrated at Daegu Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Daegu.
Day 9

Busan

We travel south to Busan, Korea’s second city and its great port. We visit the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, the only one of its kind in the world, and Namcheon Cathedral, a modern church known for its architecture and its glass, then walk the mural-covered hillside alleys of Gamcheon Culture Village.Mass is celebrated at Namcheon Cathedral. Korean barbecue dinner and overnight in Busan.
Day 10

Busan & Seoul

We walk Busan’s Catholic Street, the quarter that holds the city’s Catholic history, and ride the Haeundae Sky Capsule along the coast for the view. After lunch we board the high-speed KTX north to Seoul, with the afternoon free to rest or explore.Mass is celebrated at one of the historic parish churches on Catholic Street. Dinner and overnight in Seoul.
DAYS 11–13

The Divided Peninsula, and Home

Photograph to come · The Ganghwa Peace Observatory at the Demilitarized Zone
The Ganghwa Peace Observatory, looking north across the Demilitarized Zone.
Day 11

The Demilitarized Zone & Yeoncheon

We travel to the Ganghwa Peace Observatory in the Demilitarized Zone, where North Korea can be seen through the telescopes, and see the Ganghwa dolmens, Bronze Age tombs listed by UNESCO. In the afternoon we come to Yeoncheon and the quiet of the Augustinian Retreat House.Mass is celebrated at the Augustinian Retreat House in Yeoncheon. Dinner and overnight in Seoul.
Day 12

Suwon

We visit Suwon and its eighteenth-century Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO site whose walls, damaged in the Korean War, have been rebuilt to the original plans, with archery and a traditional tea ceremony for those who wish. We return to Seoul in the afternoon for our farewell dinner.Mass is celebrated at a local parish church in Suwon. Farewell dinner and overnight in Seoul.
Day 13

Return Home

After a final breakfast we transfer to the airport for our return flight home, with hearts renewed by the witness of St. Andrew Kim Taegon and the martyrs of Korea.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
IMMERSIVE PHOTOGRAPH
Mirinae Holy GroundThe burial place of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean-born priest.
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
Photograph to come · Jeoldusan Martyrs’ Shrine above the Han River, Seoul
Jeoldusan Martyrs’ Shrine, above the Han River in Seoul.
Photograph to come · Chon Jin Am, the birthplace of Korean Catholicism
Chon Jin Am, where Korean laypeople first gathered to study the faith in 1779.
Photograph to come · Solmoe, the birthplace of St. Andrew Kim Taegon
Solmoe, the pine-covered hill where St. Andrew Kim Taegon was born.
Photograph to come · Haemi International Sanctuary, Seosan
Haemi International Sanctuary, raised to the unnamed lay Catholics martyred there.
Photograph to come · Waegwan Abbey, the Benedictine house at Chilgok
Waegwan Abbey, founded by Korean Benedictine monks in 1952.
Photograph to come · Namcheon Cathedral, Busan
Namcheon Cathedral in Busan, known for its architecture and its glass.

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to travel to South Korea?

Groups travel to South Korea from April through to early November. Spring, from April into early June, and autumn, from late September through October, give the mildest weather and the clearest air, and are the months most groups choose. July and August are hot, humid and wet. Winter is cold and dry, and the mountain roads to Hanti and Mirinae can be difficult.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

Do I need a passport or visa for South Korea?

A United States passport valid for the duration of your stay is required, and no visa is needed for tourist visits of up to ninety days. Korea also operates an electronic travel authorization whose rules for United States passport holders have changed more than once in recent years, so we confirm what is required with every group before departure.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to South Korea?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

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