Seoul City Opens Registration for '2022 Seoul Trekking' Participants... In-Person Event Returns After 2 Years

Trekking Experience with Various Stories by Course under the Theme 'Walking Four Colors of Seoul in 4 Days'

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The ‘2022 Seoul Trekking,’ a program to walk through Seoul’s famous spots anew as daily life returns, is reopening.

On the 9th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that after two years of being held only in a non-face-to-face format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will be conducted in person again. Since its inception in 2011, ‘Seoul Trekking’ has been a family leisure program walking through Seoul’s landmarks and famous mountains, loved by citizens with about 1,000 participants each time. However, due to social distancing measures from COVID-19, it was held only in a non-face-to-face format for two years starting in 2020.

This year’s ‘2022 Seoul Trekking’ will be held five times until November, with 500 citizens participating in each session. The second recruitment period for offline participants runs from the 9th to the 15th, and applications can be submitted through the Seoul Sports Council website. Among the applicants, 500 participants will be randomly selected and individually notified.

The in-person sessions 2 through 5 of ‘2022 Seoul Trekking’ will be held under the theme ‘Four Days, Four Colors, Walking Seoul.’ Various themes tailored to the characteristics of each course will be prepared, allowing people of all ages and genders to participate in trekking. The program includes diverse concepts such as humanities lectures during trekking, where participants learn about the history and stories along the trekking routes.

The first in-person trekking on the 28th will be themed for couples, families, and friends, featuring the Namsan course that covers Jangchungdan Park, Namsan Dulle-gil, and N Seoul Tower. The second trekking on July 16 will introduce a new course following the opening of the Blue House, operating the Bukaksan Mountain course. The third trekking on September 24 will be held at Mapo Sky Park with an eco-friendly and upcycling theme, and the fourth trekking in October will take place at Seoul Forest with a theme welcoming participants of all ages, walking Seoul with the concept of four days and four colors.

Along with trekking, a variety of attractions and activities are also well prepared. Before trekking starts, participants will warm up with a professional instructor, and during the walk in nature, they will have time to reflect on the significance of the trekking locations through humanities lectures. After trekking, the event will conclude with band performances at the destination to delight participants’ eyes and ears.

Choi Kyung-joo, Director of the Seoul Tourism and Sports Bureau, said, “We hope that Seoul citizens, who have long been thirsty for outdoor sports activities due to COVID-19, will participate in trekking and find an opportunity to regain vitality and energy in their returning daily lives.” He added, “In line with the endemic era, we will prepare various programs so that many citizens can enjoy sports activities in diverse ways.”