Yeongwol Donggang River

Yeongwol Donggang is the upper section of the Han River as it cuts through limestone country in Yeongwol, Gangwon, considered one of Korea's most ecologically pristine river stretches. Sharp meanders carve into white limestone cliffs, exposing fossil beds visible from the water, and the canyon is home to one of Korea's last otter populations alongside endangered fish species including the Manchurian trout (Yeolmochi) and the Korean stripe-necked salamander. The river has been protected as an Ecosystem Conservation Area since 1999 (designated after strong grassroots opposition defeated a proposed dam that would have flooded the corridor), which has shaped tourism toward low-impact rafting trips, lookout-point hikes, and traditional 'tteok' raft cruises rather than mass infrastructure. The summer rafting season runs roughly May through September with several licensed operators in Yeongwol town. Pair the river with Cheongnyeongpo riverbend, the Joseon-era boy-king's exile site where the deposed 6th king Danjong spent his final months in 1457 before his execution — the peninsula-like bend where the site sits is now one of the region's most-cited historical destinations. A Yeongwol cultural day comfortably combines a Donggang lookout hike + Cheongnyeongpo history + the Yeongwol Fossil Museum.