Upo Wetland, Changnyeong

Lee Kyeong Hwan · CC BY 3.0

Korea's largest natural freshwater marsh, formed in the age of dinosaurs and never drained.

Upo has existed for something like a hundred and forty million years, and the remarkable thing is that it still does — most Korean marshland was filled for farmland during the 20th century. The wetland covers more than two square kilometres, its surface so thick with grass and duckweed that from a distance it reads as a field; only up close do you see water beneath. This is where the crested ibis, extinct in the wild in Korea, has been reintroduced since 2019. A walking and cycling loop takes about three hours, and the dawn mist is why people get up at four.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Upo Wetland, Changnyeong?

October–December (mist and migratory birds)

How long do you need at Upo Wetland, Changnyeong?

3 hours

What are the opening hours of Upo Wetland, Changnyeong?

The trails are open 24 hours; there are five routes, from 1 km (30 minutes) to 9.7 km (3 hours 30 minutes)

Did you know

Korea's largest natural freshwater wetland at about 2.3km².
Thought to have formed around 140 million years ago.
Registered under the Ramsar Convention on wetlands in 1998.
It is the reintroduction site for the crested ibis, once extinct in the wild in Korea.

Travel tips

Hire a bike at the gate for the loop; walking it all is a long way.
The mist is best on cold mornings from October to December.
Bring insect repellent in summer.

Source: https://www.cng.go.kr/tour/upo.web

Updated: 2026-08-05