[One Day Ten Thousand Steps] The Original Walking Tour 'Jeju Olle Walking Festival'

Jeju Olle is a long-distance walking trail (27 courses, 437 km) for traveling around Jeju Island on foot and is considered the pioneer of walking tours. Each Olle course is about 15 to 20 km long, and depending on the person, it usually takes about 5 to 7 hours to complete. It is suitable to walk one section per day. When walking the Olle trail in the forward direction, follow the blue markers, and when walking backward from the endpoint to the starting point, refer to the orange markers.

If you plan to complete all the Jeju Olle trails, it is recommended to use the Jeju Olle Passport. The passport contains course guides and transportation information, as well as pages where you can collect commemorative stamps.

The ‘2023 Jeju Olle Walking Festival’ will be held over three days from November 2 to 4. This festival is a mobile event where participants walk one Olle course per day while enjoying cultural and artistic performances and local food. More than 10,000 walking travelers from around the world, including Taiwan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada, participate. It is Jeju’s largest festival, supported by volunteers who assist with operations, local residents responsible for experiences and food, and performers presenting various shows.

The event covers three courses out of the 27: on day one, Jeju Olle Course 11 (forward direction, Hamo Sports Park to Mureung Oegatjip, 17.3 km); on day two, Course 12 (forward direction, Mureung Oegatjip to Yongsu Port, 17.5 km); and on day three, Course 13 (reverse direction, Jeoji Village Green Experience Center to Yongsu Port, 16.6 km).

Course 11 is a path where life and death coexist, blending modern and contemporary history. Jeju Olle restored the ‘forgotten old path’ leading to the summit of Moseulbong, the highlight of Course 11, with advice from wildfire watchers. From Moseulbong, you can take in a panoramic view of the wide expanses of oreums (volcanic cones) and the sea in the southwestern part of Jeju through swaying silver grass. The Sinpyeong-Mureung Gotjawal Olle, first revealed by Jeju Olle, is a ‘secret forest’ that offers another layer of awe.

Moseulbong, visible on Jeju Olle Trail Course 11. It is a volcanic cone towering in the middle of the Moseulpo plain in Daejeong-eup.
[Photo by Jeju Olle]

Course 12 follows the coastline, connecting the entire Seogwipo City area and heading up to Jeju City. It is a beautiful path that runs from Mureung 2-ri to Jeolbuam at Yongsu Port, passing through fields, the sea, and oreums. The horizon seen from the vast fields is distant and faint, and the deep sea is filled with jade hues. The mysterious atmosphere of Dowon Pond and Noknam Peak enriches the sights along Course 12. After passing Suwolbong and Eongal-gil while looking at Chagwido Island and crossing Dangsanbong, you enter the ‘Saengigijeong Badang-gil’ (Saengigijeong Sea Road).

Nakcheon-ri Ahopgut (Spring) Village visible on Jeju Olle Course 13 [Photo by Jeju Olle]

Course 13 marks the beginning of the Jung Sangan forest trail Olle and the festival proceeds in the reverse direction. It is an attractive path with forest trails and farmland paths restored with the help of about 50 special forces soldiers, and the dense forest of Jeoji Oreum.

Citizens walking on the Jeju Olle Trail [Photo by Asia Economy]

This festival is a mobile walking tour festival open to everyone. Some program event benefits, including official souvenirs, are only provided to those who register in advance (paid participation).