Nami Island & Alpaca World Day Trip with Gangchon Rail Bike

4.90

(159 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to laugh so much at a bunch of alpacas, but that’s honestly what sticks with me from this Nami Island & Alpaca World day trip. We left Seoul early—still yawning—and our guide, Mina, handed out snacks (she called them “road trip fuel”). The drive was quiet at first, just city sounds fading into green hills. I remember rolling down the window near Chuncheon and catching a whiff of pine and something sweet—maybe wildflowers or just the air outside the city.

Nami Island was next. It’s famous for those tree-lined paths—everyone says that—but it really does feel different when you’re there. The ground was soft underfoot, almost springy, and couples were taking photos under these tall poplars. Mina told us about the Winter Sonata drama filming here (I haven’t seen it), but honestly I was more focused on the way sunlight filtered through the leaves. We wandered for a while; I lost track of time. There was a little café by the river where we stopped for coffee—my hands still cold from the breeze off Bukhangang River.

Then came Alpaca World. I thought it’d be just for kids, but nope—I ended up feeding this one alpaca who kept nudging my arm until I gave him more snacks. The local staff showed us how to hold out our hands flat (“or they’ll think your fingers are carrots,” he joked). There were also squirrels darting around and even ostriches—one stared me down like it knew all my secrets. We learned some random facts about alpacas (they hum when they’re happy?), and yeah, I tried walking one on a leash. It felt odd but kind of peaceful.

Last stop: Gangchon Rail Park for the rail bike ride. You pedal along old tracks with mountains on both sides and sometimes you catch glimpses of water between trees. My legs burned halfway through but it was worth it—the air tasted clean in a way that’s hard to explain if you’ve only been in Seoul awhile. We finished up tired but grinning, everyone swapping photos on the bus back. I still think about that view from the rails sometimes—you know when a place just lingers?