Pyeongchang is one of Korea’s best four-season mountain destinations, combining highland ranches, Olympic winter-sports heritage, Odaesan temples, scenic cable cars and the literary landscape of Bongpyeong. Winter brings skiing and trout fishing, while summer and autumn are ideal for green pastures, forest walks and buckwheat fields. This guide helps first-time international visitors plan Pyeongchang in one or two days.
Pyeongchang is a large mountain county in Gangwon State, best known internationally as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
But Pyeongchang is not only a winter destination. Daegwallyeong’s highland ranches are green in summer, Odaesan offers one of Korea’s most beautiful temple-and-forest walks, Bongpyeong turns white with buckwheat flowers in early autumn, and Balwangsan provides mountain views without requiring a long hike.
The main challenge is distance. Pyeongchang’s attractions are divided among Daegwallyeong, Jinbu, Odaesan and Bongpyeong, so a good trip groups nearby places rather than trying to cross the county repeatedly.
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Why Visit Pyeongchang?
Pyeongchang is one of the best places in Korea to experience high-elevation landscapes without traveling to a remote national park for every activity.
The county sits largely in the mountains and contains famous ski resorts, ranches, Buddhist heritage and Olympic facilities. This gives it a very different atmosphere from Seoul, Busan or Korea’s coastal cities.
It is especially strong for seasonal travel. Winter is built around skiing, snow and ice festivals; spring and summer bring green ranches and forest walks; early autumn adds buckwheat flowers and clear mountain weather.
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Walk Through Daegwallyeong Sheep Ranch
Daegwallyeong Sheep Ranch is one of Pyeongchang’s most recognizable landscapes.
The ranch sits around 920 meters above sea level and covers roughly 205,000 square meters of rolling grassland. Visitors follow a circular walking trail through the pasture and can take part in a sheep-feeding experience.
Current individual admission is KRW 9,000 for adults and KRW 7,000 for children. Operating hours change with the season and weather, so check the ranch’s current schedule before traveling.
The ranch is especially photogenic from late spring through early autumn when the slopes are green. Winter creates a completely different scene, with snow covering the open hills.
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See a Bigger Highland Landscape at Daegwallyeong Sky Ranch
Daegwallyeong Sky Ranch is larger and more activity-focused than the classic sheep ranch.
The ranch raises hundreds of cattle, sheep and horses and combines open grassland with walking routes, animal feeding, horseback riding and a tractor tour.
Current opening hours are 09:00 to 18:00 from April through September and 09:00 to 17:30 from October through March. Individual admission is KRW 8,000 for adults and KRW 6,000 for children, with activities such as the tractor ride charged separately.
If you only have time for one ranch, choose the Sheep Ranch for the classic compact experience and Sky Ranch for a larger landscape with more activities.
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Ride the Balwangsan Cable Car
Balwangsan is one of the easiest ways to get a high-mountain view in Pyeongchang without a long climb.
The cable car departs from Yongpyong Resort and travels to the upper section of Balwangsan, reaching an elevation of 1,458 meters. The round-trip cable distance is about 7.4 kilometers and the ride takes around 18 minutes each way.
Current operating hours are 09:00 to 17:00, with Monday listed as the regular closure day. Weather can suspend operation.
Current adult fares are KRW 25,000 round trip and KRW 21,000 one way. Once at the top, allow extra time for viewpoints and short walking paths rather than returning immediately.
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Explore Alpensia and Pyeongchang’s Olympic Legacy
Pyeongchang’s modern identity is inseparable from the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Alpensia Resort was one of the central Olympic clusters and remains a major all-season resort with ski slopes, accommodation and leisure facilities. The resort’s ski area has six slopes and operates seasonally.
Nearby, the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Memorial Hall stands on the former opening-and-closing ceremony site. Exhibitions revisit the Games, winter sports and Olympic values, and the outdoor area preserves the Olympic cauldron.
The memorial hall currently lists hours of 10:00 to 19:00 from March through October and 10:00 to 18:00 from November through February. It is closed on Mondays, January 1, Seollal and Chuseok. Admission is free.
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Walk the Woljeongsa Fir Forest
Woljeongsa Temple and its fir forest are among the most peaceful places in Pyeongchang.
The temple was founded in 643 during the Silla period and sits inside Odaesan National Park. Its best-known cultural treasure is the octagonal nine-story stone pagoda in the main courtyard.
Before reaching the temple, visitors can walk an approximately one-kilometer path lined with more than 1,700 fir trees. The forest is flat, quiet and accessible enough to enjoy even if you are not planning a mountain hike.
Woljeongsa is open year-round. The temple and fir forest work well as a half-day destination from Jinbu, especially in autumn or after fresh winter snow.
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Add Odaesan National Park for a Deeper Nature Trip
Odaesan National Park surrounds Woljeongsa and gives Pyeongchang one of its strongest hiking areas.
Travelers who want more than the fir forest can continue into mountain trails, valleys and forest routes. The area is famous for dense woodland and seasonal foliage rather than exposed rocky ridges.
Odaesan is particularly popular in autumn when the forest changes color, while winter offers a quieter snow-covered landscape.
For a short first visit, combine Woljeongsa with an easy forest walk. Save longer national-park hikes for a second day because Pyeongchang’s other major attractions are geographically far away.
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Explore Bongpyeong and Lee Hyo-seok’s Literary Landscape
Bongpyeong offers a completely different reason to visit Pyeongchang.
The town is associated with Korean writer Lee Hyo-seok and his famous short story 'When the Buckwheat Flowers Bloom,' which uses the Bongpyeong landscape as its setting.
The Lee Hyo-Seok Memorial Hall and Hyo-Seok Moonlight Hill introduce the writer’s life and work, while the surrounding village becomes especially attractive when buckwheat fields bloom.
Current combined admission for the memorial hall and Moonlight Hill is KRW 4,500 for an individual visitor. Seasonal operating hours generally run from 09:00 to 18:30 from May through September and 09:00 to 17:30 from October through April, with Monday closures.
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Visit During the Hyoseok Cultural Festival
Early September is one of the best times to visit Bongpyeong.
The 2026 Hyoseok Cultural Festival is scheduled for September 4 through September 13 in the Bongpyeong area.
The festival combines the white buckwheat fields with literary programs, performances, traditional activities and events connected with Lee Hyo-seok’s work.
Because the 2026 festival falls soon after the end of summer, travelers visiting Pyeongchang in early September can combine cultural events with comfortable mountain weather.
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Come Back in Winter for the Pyeongchang Trout Festival
Pyeongchang has one of Korea’s best-known winter fishing festivals.
The Pyeongchang Trout Festival is held around the frozen Odaecheon Stream in Jinbu and includes ice fishing, tent fishing, children’s fishing areas, bare-handed trout catching and winter activities.
The 2026 festival ran from January 9 through February 9. Future winter dates are announced separately and can shift according to weather and ice conditions.
If you plan a future winter trip specifically for the festival, confirm the current dates before booking. Jinbu is also a convenient base for Woljeongsa and Odaesan.
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Eat Buckwheat, Dried Pollack and Daegwallyeong Beef
Pyeongchang’s food changes with its geography.
Bongpyeong is famous for buckwheat dishes such as makguksu, buckwheat noodles served cold, and memil jeonbyeong, thin buckwheat crepes filled with vegetables.
The Daegwallyeong area is associated with dried pollack dishes and Korean beef, while Odaesan restaurants commonly serve wild-vegetable set meals using mountain greens.
Pyeongchang tourism also highlights thistle bibimbap and trout dishes. Rather than searching for one signature meal for the whole county, match the food to the area you are visiting.
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Best Areas to Stay in Pyeongchang
Daegwallyeong is the best base for ranches, Yongpyong, Alpensia and Olympic sites. It is the strongest choice for winter sports and highland scenery.
Jinbu is best for travelers using KTX Jinbu (Odaesan) Station, visiting Woljeongsa or attending the Trout Festival.
Bongpyeong is the natural base for the Lee Hyo-seok literary sites, buckwheat fields and Phoenix Pyeongchang.
Because the county is large, choose accommodation around the cluster you plan to explore rather than selecting a hotel only by price.
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One-Day Pyeongchang Itinerary
Morning: Arrive in the Daegwallyeong area and visit either Daegwallyeong Sheep Ranch or Sky Ranch.
Late morning: Continue to the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Memorial Hall or Alpensia.
Lunch: Try dried pollack, Korean beef or another Daegwallyeong specialty.
Afternoon: Ride the Balwangsan Cable Car at Yongpyong Resort and spend time at the summit viewpoints.
Evening: Stay in Daegwallyeong, or return by KTX or bus depending on your route.
If your priority is temples and forest rather than ranches, build the whole day around Jinbu, Woljeongsa and Odaesan instead.
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Two-Day Pyeongchang Itinerary
Day 1: Focus on Daegwallyeong — a ranch in the morning, Olympic heritage around Alpensia, then the Balwangsan Cable Car and Yongpyong in the afternoon.
Day 2: Travel to Jinbu and Odaesan for Woljeongsa and the fir forest. If you are visiting in early September, substitute Bongpyeong and the Hyoseok Cultural Festival for the second half of the day.
A rental car makes the two-day itinerary much easier. Without a car, use KTX stations, local buses and the Pyeongchang Sightseeing Taxi rather than trying to connect every district independently.
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How to Get to Pyeongchang
KTX is the easiest public-transport option from Seoul for many travelers.
The official Pyeongchang tourism FAQ recommends trains from Seoul Station or Cheongnyangni toward Pyeongchang Station or Jinbu Station. Jinbu is particularly convenient for Odaesan, while Pyeongchang Station is useful for other parts of the county.
For Daegwallyeong, travelers can also use intercity buses toward Hoenggye, the main settlement in Daegwallyeong-myeon.
If you are traveling with several people or want to combine ranches, resorts and temples in one trip, renting a car usually saves substantial time.
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Getting Around Pyeongchang
Pyeongchang is not a destination where you can rely on walking between major attractions.
Local buses exist, but the county is large and schedules are designed around rural communities rather than rapid sightseeing.
Pyeongchang operates a Sightseeing Taxi service with themed routes connecting KTX stations and major attractions including Woljeongsa, ranches and Balwangsan. Package details and prices vary.
For car-free visitors, the most efficient strategy is to choose one area per day and use a taxi tour or short local transfers rather than trying to cross the county repeatedly.
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Best Time to Visit Pyeongchang
Pyeongchang is genuinely a four-season destination.
Winter is the classic season for skiing, snow scenery, the Trout Festival and Olympic-sports atmosphere. Temperatures can be significantly colder than Seoul, especially around Daegwallyeong.
Late spring and summer turn the ranches bright green and are excellent for forest walks. The higher elevation can make Pyeongchang feel cooler than many Korean cities.
Early September is ideal for Bongpyeong’s buckwheat flowers and the Hyoseok Cultural Festival. Autumn is also excellent for Odaesan foliage and clear mountain views.
Choose the season based on the experience you want rather than assuming Pyeongchang is only worth visiting in winter.
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Is Pyeongchang Worth Visiting?
Yes, particularly if you want a nature-focused trip that is still accessible from Seoul.
Pyeongchang combines several experiences that are difficult to find in one Korean destination: Olympic winter-sports heritage, highland ranches, ski resorts, a major national park, historic Buddhist sites and a literary village.
One day works if you focus on Daegwallyeong or Odaesan. Two days are much better if you want to understand the county beyond one sightseeing cluster.
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FAQ
How many days do you need in Pyeongchang?
One day is enough for one major area such as Daegwallyeong or Odaesan. Two days are recommended if you want to combine ranches, Olympic sites, temples and Bongpyeong.
Is Pyeongchang only a winter destination?
No. Winter is famous for skiing and snow festivals, but summer ranches, Odaesan forests and September buckwheat fields make Pyeongchang strong in other seasons as well.
Which station should I use for Pyeongchang?
Jinbu (Odaesan) Station is especially useful for Odaesan and Jinbu. Pyeongchang Station serves another part of the county. Choose the station based on your first destination.
Do you need a car in Pyeongchang?
A car is the easiest option because attractions are widely separated. Car-free travel is possible if you focus on one district and use local buses, taxis or the Pyeongchang Sightseeing Taxi.
When is the 2026 Hyoseok Cultural Festival?
The 2026 festival is scheduled for September 4 through September 13 in Bongpyeong.
