Spring is here, which means Korea’s mountain trails will be busier again, with people enjoying the weather before the heat of the summer. If you’re wondering were the best place to go hiking this summer is check out Luga.
The mountain and hiking app gives you access to information on over 133,000km of hiking trails all around the country. You can find trails in your area on the map by letting it find your location, or you can go for one of the recommended courses from its extensive list.
Luga gives you all the information you need about each trail including altitude, time between parts of the route, and transport information. Many of Korea’s trails have multiple paths, meaning that a hike in the same area doesn’t always have to be the same. The app lets you flick through the different routes, and gives an overview of stops along the way such as peaks, bridges and temples.
Custom routes can also be made by setting the starting point, destination, and any places you’d like to pass through in between. One feature that’s really handy is the GPS tracking feature, which not only records your time and speed, but also makes sure you don’t get lost along the way. Maps can also be downloaded so that you can use them when you can’t get a phone signal.
“In the past, there were limits to getting information in natural environments compared to urban areas,” says CEO Park Yongduck. “We plan to reduce problems in obtaining information while in the outdoors, and also offer personalized services.”
Luga is currently building a mountain trail database using its own technology by analyzing collected GPS data. The app is only available for Android, with an iOS version to come later. It would be great to see an English version of the app in the future for foreign residents and tourists, even if just for the most popular routes.
