If you know anything about the Korean peninsula, you probably know that it is divided into two states, North Korea and South Korea, which are still technically at war despite the fact that military conflict ended over 50 years ago.
The end of military conflict brought about the creation of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), an area 2 km in width on both sides of the North-South border where both armies are not allowed to go. As a result, this area called the DMZ has had very little human impact and is thus a safe haven for plants and animals.
In South Korea, there is an extended area below the DMZ where the military strictly controls civilian access. It is to this area that the DMZ Eco-Tour went since it is still a place where animals can seek refuge from human influence.
However, as our tour guides informed us, this safety zone below the DMZ is becoming more and more developed and therefore threatening the habitats of many endangered species of plants and animals.
The first part of the first day of our tour was by far the most enjoyable for me because we went bird watching. Each tour member was lent a book called A Field Guide To The Birds Of Korea to help in identifying the birds we would see.
We walked along rice paddies for couple hours stopping frequently to peer through a high powered telescope brought by out bird watching guide Choi Chang-Yong, to take photographs, and to hear explanations from the guides. All in all, I was personally able to view or hear at least 11 different kinds of birds while on our hike.
It was also in the first part of the first day of our tour when we were able to see two juvenile Chinese Water Deer. Although most people only got to see the heads of the two deer poking out of the tall rice paddy grass, it was interesting enough. We saw lots of deer droppings and footprints too.
After finishing the bird watching hike, we went somewhere to have lunch and then to somewhere to make tofu. Although the tofu making experience was interesting, I'd prefer to have spent more time bird watching and learning about the environment since this tour is meant to be an Eco-Tour.
Following the tofu making session we visited the banks of the Imjin river and learned a little bit more about the wildlife in the area. This time there wasn't much hiking involved. We basically walked to the river banks and listened to our guide explain about some plants and animals within our view.
We then made our way to a little village where we were assigned our rooms to sleep for the night. The accommodation was like a home-stay. I suppose most tour members slept on floors of their host's homes using blankets and pillows.
We ate dinner, took showers, and regrouped in the community center for a discussion about the day's experiences and to learn about stars and constellations. Finally, since it was raining outside, the outdoor constellation observation activity was replaced by a presentation about the size of the universe.
The next morning the group planned to hike at 7am up to the site of the ruins of the Deokjin Fortress. Visiting the ruins of Deokjin Fortress was the main reason I decided to attend the tour, and I regrettably missed the hike due to a miscommunication. Read some history of Deokjin Fortress in my 'online resources' listed below to see why I was interested in visiting Deokjin Fortress.
That day, the rain didn't stop and neither did the tour. Thankfully, rain coats were provided to keep us dry. We took the tour bus to a couple locations and briefly hopped out to take a look at a couple of streams with significant ecological characteristics.
Sitting at my desk and looking back, I can recommend this tour to anyone who is eager to learn about Korean wildlife. The tour leader and the expert tour guides were very knowledgeable, friendly, and above all passionate about their work in preserving the beautiful environment in and around the DMZ.
At the moment, this is not a regular tour. If you are interested in experiencing this tour, please contact the Korean Wetland Project directly and let them know since it may lead them to make this a regular tour.
Online resources:
