Domachi Valley: My First Backpacking Destination

A Place I Wanted to Visit Before It Changes

Domachi Valley (도마치계곡) is known among Korean backpackers as one of those places that feels a little different from an ordinary camping destination.

Deep in the mountains of Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-do, the valley is surrounded by dense forests, clear mountain streams, and rugged natural scenery. It has long attracted hikers, campers, and backpackers looking for a quiet escape from the city.

For my very first backpacking trip, I wanted to choose somewhere that would be more than just a place to spend one night.

That is why I chose Domachi Valley.

Why Domachi Valley?

There are countless beautiful places to go backpacking in Korea.

So why start here?

The biggest reason is simple: I didn’t want to wait.

There is always a possibility that access to certain natural areas may change in the future due to environmental protection, safety regulations, or changes in local management.

I heard that Domachi Valley might not always be available in the same way it is today.

That made me want to experience it now, while I still could.

Rather than thinking of this trip as simply my first backpacking adventure, I wanted it to become a memory of a place that I might not be able to experience in the same way again.

My First Step Into Backpacking

Until recently, backpacking was something I mostly watched other people do.

I enjoyed looking at beautiful mountain campsites, lightweight tents, compact camping gear, and photographs of people waking up surrounded by nature.

But watching is completely different from actually carrying everything on your back.

For this trip, I decided to finally take that first step.

A backpack.

A tent.

A sleeping pad.

A sleeping bag.

Food and water.

And everything else I would need for one night in the mountains.

Suddenly, camping became a little more serious.

The Beauty of Carrying Less

One of the things that attracted me to backpacking was the idea of traveling with less.

When everything you need has to fit inside one backpack, you naturally start asking yourself a simple question:

“Do I really need this?”

That question changes the way you travel.

Instead of bringing everything that might be useful, you begin to choose only what is necessary.

A lighter backpack means an easier walk.

And an easier walk means more time to look around, listen to the water, feel the wind, and enjoy the trail.

A Night Beside the Mountain Stream

What I am looking forward to most is the night.

After walking into the valley with my backpack, setting up my tent, and finally putting the heavy pack down, I imagine the feeling will be completely different from ordinary everyday life.

No traffic.

No office notifications.

No city noise.

Just the sound of the mountain stream and the forest around me.

Perhaps the best part of backpacking is not reaching a famous destination.

Maybe it is the moment when you finally stop moving.

You take off your backpack.

Sit down.

Make a simple meal.

And watch the day slowly disappear behind the mountains.

My First Backpacking Memory

I don’t know how many times I will return to Domachi Valley.

Maybe many times.

Maybe this first visit will also be my only one.

But that uncertainty is exactly why I wanted to go.

My first backpacking trip doesn’t have to be perfect.

The tent doesn’t have to be perfectly pitched.

The route doesn’t have to be easy.

And the weather doesn’t have to be perfect.

I simply want to carry my backpack into the mountains, spend one night surrounded by nature, and come home with a story.

And if Domachi Valley really does become a place that I cannot visit in the same way someday, I will be glad that my first backpacking memory began here.

Domachi Valley.

My first step into backpacking.