CAMPING THE JEJU OLLE TRAIL
Everything You Need To Know
The Jeju Olle Trail is a 425km network of walking trails circumnavigating Jeju Island in South Korea. The trail is divided into 26 routes. Some people take around a month to complete a thru-hike, while others tackle a few routes here and there. Accommodation is easy to come by, but for a unique experience we reckon camping the Jeju Olle Trail is by far the best way to see the island.
Having walked the entire Olle Trail, we can safely say that many of our best Jeju memories are from our camp spots along the way. Fiery sunrises enjoyed in solitude. Waking to the sound of haenyeo diving right in front of our tent. Tranquil morning swims before the busloads of tourists arrived. Sipping peanut makgeolli under the stars. The list goes on.
Jeju is a hugely popular tourist destination, but we saw an altogether quieter side to it. That’s the beauty of camping, wild camping in particular. When the crowds have gone home, there’s nothing left but you and the island.
good read! very informative. may I ask what camping tent do you suggest or like the brand? thank you so much!
Thanks, Jean! We use a Big Agnes Copper Spur tent and like it very much. We had the HV UL2 model during our walk on the Olle Trail (the 2 person version), but have since upgraded to the 3 person version of the same tent (the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3), which is much more comfortable for two people and two backpacks. Cheers! Kim
I enjoyed reading this! Thank you so much. My father used wolf pack front runner for his storage whenever he and his friends camp.
Cheers Lorie!
really love this! complete and nice videos. hoping to experience trail camping too. Looks very much exciting!
Cheers, Carl! Hope you get a chance to do some camping along the Olle, it’s a great way to experience the island. All the best, Kim
Hello! Great articles and videos, I have so enjoyed them. What did you use for food storage? Are bear hangs/canisters necessary? Thanks!
Thanks, Erin! Really glad to hear you enjoyed them. We didn’t have anything special for food storage. You don’t need bear canisters or anything. Plus, there are plenty of shops and restaurants along the trail, so you don’t have to carry much food with you on a day to day basis. Cheers, Kim
Awesome guide. Thank you for putting this and the videos together. I have been trying to decide whether carrying a pack the whole way is worth it. Looks like it definitely is, especially now.
I’m going in winter. Would you mind taking a look at my gear list? I’m a bit worried about the clothing.
Hi Justin, very glad you’ve found this useful! We’ve never been to Jeju during winter, so can’t really give any personal advice about walking and camping along the Olle Trail at this time, but we can certainly take a look at your gear list and see if anything jumps out at us. You can email us at hello[at]goingthewholehogg[dot]com. Cheers! Kim
This is lovely, thank you very much!
You’re very welcome, Bruce! Hope you can enjoy a camping trip on Jeju soon.