Visit Gyeryongsan National Park

Gyeryongsan National Park is located 14km from Daejeon city. Established in 1968 and the second national park in Korea, Gyeryongsan National Park attracts visitors not only by its 20 peaks and 15 valleys with beautiful scenery but also by its rich historical and cultural treasures.

Hikers can choose from eight Gyeryongsan tours of varying difficulty, suitable for different physical conditions. Donghaksa Tour 2 is the most popular tour.

Gyeryongsan National Park

The journey begins in the Donghaksagyegok Valley. Visitors will complete a 3.5km long forest trail, which is home to many rare species such as otters, martens, black woodpeckers and common hawks.

At the end of the road is Donghaksa Temple. Every inch of the temple is painted red, yellow, and blue, making it stand out against the gray mountains and green forests. The nuns in the temple, while practicing their religious practices, are also responsible for protecting some of the most precious treasures of Korean Buddhism.

The first peak that visitors will conquer is Sambulbong. The route up the mountain is winding and at some points there is only a railing separating visitors from the abyss. The journey is not for the faint-hearted, but those brave enough will have the opportunity to admire the unique beauty.

Tourists often stop along the way to admire Eunseon Falls. The 46m high waterfall cascades from the mountainside into the valley below, creating a magical sight.

Sambulbong is the most scenic mountain in Gyeryongsan, especially in spring when the jindallae (a type of rhododendron native to Korea) blooms. Near the summit of Sambulbong is Nammaetap (meaning “Brother” in Korean) Temple.

Legend has it that a monk went up the mountain and saw a tiger in pain because of a thorn in its mouth. The monk bravely put his hand into the tiger's mouth to pull the thorn out.

The next day, the tiger kidnapped a young woman and brought her to the monk to thank him. The two became sworn brothers and practiced together on the mountain until the end of their lives. Nammaetap Pagoda was built to commemorate the two monks in the legend.

At the end of the journey, many tourists reward themselves by going to a restaurant at the foot of the mountain and ordering jeon (pancake) with seafood and kimchi. After climbing the mountain, Koreans have the habit of eating jeon to both regain strength and warm up, dispelling the cold air of the mountain.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/ghe-tham-cong-vien-quoc-gia-gyeryongsan-703403.html