Changdeokgung Palace and Secret Garden (2026): Tickets, English Tour Times and How to Book

Changdeokgung (창덕궁) is the palace many visitors end up loving most: smaller and greener than Gyeongbokgung, built to follow the hills rather than flatten them, and home to the Secret Garden (후원, Huwon), a royal garden of ponds and pavilions you can only enter on a timed tour. Here’s how tickets and tours work in 2026, and how to get an English Secret Garden slot.

Last checked: October 2026. Prices and tour times are from 2026 sources; check the official reservation site before you go. Dollar figures use about 1,330 KRW = 1 USD (October 2026).

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Tickets and opening

A standard adult visit to both costs 8,000 won (~$6).

Secret Garden tours in English

• English tours start at the garden entrance at 10:30, 11:30 and 14:30, plus 15:30 from March to November. They take about 90 minutes and include steep, unpaved paths.
• Online booking opens at 10:00 Korea time, six days before your visit, on the official palace reservation site (there’s an English version). Each slot has about 100 places: around half sold online, half on the day.
• Same-day tickets go on sale at the palace from 9:00. In spring and autumn, English slots sell out early, so go straight to the ticket office.
• You need a palace ticket too, since the garden is inside the palace grounds.

What to see in the palace

• Donhwamun Gate: the main gate, the oldest surviving palace gate in Seoul.
• Injeongjeon: the throne hall. Stand among the rank stones in the courtyard where officials lined up.
• Nakseonjae: an unpainted residential complex used by the royal family into the 20th century.
• The Secret Garden: Buyongji Pond, Aeryeonji, and Ongnyucheon stream, where kings floated wine cups and wrote poems.

When to go

• Late October to mid-November: the garden’s autumn colours are the best in Seoul (fall foliage guide). Book the moment slots open.
• April–May: fresh green leaves and blossoms.
• Moonlight tours (달빛기행) run on set dates in spring and autumn, with separate booking that sells out within minutes.

Accessibility: strollers and wheelchairs

• Main paths are wide, but courtyards are paved with uneven stone and some halls sit on raised stone platforms with steps.
• Gravel and earth paths can be bumpy for small stroller wheels; a sturdy stroller or carrier is easier.
• Ask at the ticket office about wheelchair loans and the step-free route.

Getting there

• Anguk Station (Line 3), Exit 3, then about 5 minutes east. Jongno 3-ga Station is 10 minutes south.
• Coming from Jongmyo? See our Jongmyo Shrine guide: the two make an easy morning.

Map — Changdeokgung Palace: Google Maps · Naver Map (Naver Map is still the most reliable app for walking, bus and subway directions in Korea)

FAQ

Do I need to book the Secret Garden in advance?
It’s strongly recommended in spring and autumn. Online booking opens at 10:00 Korea time six days ahead; some same-day tickets are sold from 9:00.

What time are the English Secret Garden tours?
10:30, 11:30 and 14:30, plus 15:30 from March to November.

Is Changdeokgung open on Mondays?
No, it’s closed on Mondays.

Sources: SeoulScope – Secret Garden booking guide 2026 · Time Travel Turtle – Changdeokgung in 2026 · Seoul Media Hub – Secret Garden visitor tips
Photos: Sadopaul / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sadopaul / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC0