2020 North Korea March Tour I

2020 North Korea March Tour. The application deadline for this tour is 1 March 2020. If interested in extending your tour please send us an e-mail stating how long you would like to extend for and if there are any specific places / aspects of the DPRK you would like to see.

Important: Accommodation

We will stay at Koryo Hotel which is one of the best in Pyongyang. Unlike budget hotels such as the Sosan Hotel, Haebangsan, Ryanggang and Youth Hotel, the Koryo is classified as a Deluxe Hotel and has some of the best conditions in Pyongyang including 24/7 hotwater, something very important in March.

Group Size

Please note that our group tours tend to be small, with an average of less than 10 people, which we believe is, together with the presence our frequent trips to Korea and long lasting relationship with our Korean partners and guides, essential in allowing you having closer rapport with the Koreans, more flexibility in the official program and an invaluable chance of interacting more with local people, something that is logistically not possible with large groups.

If we have 19 people in a group we will divide it into two, each with their own guides, driver and vehicle in order to keep these small.

Day 0 - March 23 (Monday)

Meet in Beijing for the pre-tour briefing - those entering by train leave at 17.27. Those departing by plane leave the next day at 13.05

Day 1 - March 24 (Tuesday)

JS 152 flight from Beijing Capital Airport at 13.05
Arrival in Pyongyang - 16.05
Arch of Triumph - brief walk around the area. We can see the Kim Il Sung Stadium from here and the giant mural showing a young Kim Il Sung giving the Liberation Speech.
Drive by Chollima Statue - the famous winged horse used as a symbol of the national policy after the Korean War which encouraged Koreans to increase production in order to reconstruct the country quickly
Welcome Dinner: KITC Number 1 Restaurant, Pyongyang
Hotel check-in: Koryo Hotel

Overnight: Koryo Hotel, Pyongyang

Day 2 - March 25 (Wednesday)

Breakfast: Koryo Hotel, Pyongyang
Depart to Kaesong (Panmunjom, the DMZ) - we leave Pyongyang early and will have a break on the 2.5 hour drive towards the divisionary line. There are several military check-points on the way and our guides will tell us when we cannot take pictures. Driving on the empty highway is an experience itself! Our Korean guides will explain to us the DPRK's principles for the reunification of Korea.
38th Parallel (DMZ) - chance to enter the famous blue negotiation rooms where talks between North & South Korea have taken place. Please note that if these are closed due to the DPRK and South Korea having any negotiation talks (as was the case in 2013) we will still have a close up look to the rooms. A North Korean soldier will hop on our coach and show us around Panmunjom. They tend to be quite curious about what foreigners think regarding the Korean War and the political situation of Korea. This is a unique chance to interact with a DPRK soldier.

North Korea & South Korean soldiers next to each other by the negotiation rooms in Panmunjom (the DMZ)

Lunch at Tongil Restaurant (Kaesong) - chance to enjoy a king's meal! Up to 12 small dishes will be served to each person, each dish in a covered, golden-plated bowl.
Koryo Museum (Kaesong) - Kaesong used to be the capital of the Koryo Dynasty.
Kaesong Stamp Shop - apart from stamps in all forms and sizes, we can also purchase DPRK postcards (these can be mailed home from our hotel in Pyongyang), artwork, books, etc. Please note that you will also be able to purchase these at different points throughout the trip.
Drive to Sariwon City - The capital of North Hwanghae Province is a lively city in the DPRK.

Walk around Folk Street - we will be explained the history of the Korean Peninsula in the folk street. This area usually has a lot of local children who are always curious when seeing a foreigner. There also tend to be locals playing games and we are always more than welcome to join!

Mount Kyongnam - we can walk up this hill to the main pavilion and enjoy great views of the city and of its surroundings. seeing a foreigner.

Check out our 360° image taken in Mount Kyongnam by clicking on the round image on the right!

Try some local Makoli! - we will ask to have some local Makoli, sweet Korean wine, at a "Suljib" meaning "winehouse" in Korean. This drink has a very low volume of alcohol.
Drive back to Pyongyang
Stop by the Re-Unification Monuments - An important symbol of the reunification of Korea. A stop here offers us a chance to take some pictures.
Workers' Party Foundation Monument - consisting of the Workers' Party of Korea's symbol; a hammer, sickle and brush, all rising 50 metres high in the sky.
Local Bar - time for some well deserved pre-departure drinks
Dinner - Pyongyang Number 1 Duck BBQ Restaurant

Overnight: Koryo Hotel, Pyongyang

Day 3 - March 26 (Thursday)

Breakfast: Koryo Hotel, Pyongyang

Kumsusan Memorial Palace - this is where the Leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il remain in state. This is a very respectful place in the DPRK and formal clothing is required. We will fully brief you before your trip to the DPRK.
Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery - dedicated to those fallen for the cause of the revolution. Situated on a hill, the views of Pyongyang are spectacular.

Lunch: Local restaurant, Pyongyang
Fountain Park - we walk around here before heading to Mansu Hill. Families and friends usually come here for pictures
Mansudae Grand Monuments - Giant bronze statues of the Leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Please note that we are kindly asked to show our respects to the Leaders here.
Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum (Korean War Museum) this was relocated in 2013 and is now a huge museum fully explaining the DPRK version of the Korean War with extremely explicit details.
USS Pueblo - US spy ship, the only US vessel in possession of a foreign country. This was captured in 1968 and is shown as a trophy. It has now been moved to the outdoors section of the Korean War Museum.

War Museum in Pyongyang, North Korea (DPRK). Picture taken by KTG. Original vehicles used in the Korean War, including planes and tanks, are kept outdoors in the museum

Juche Tower - we go up the 150 metre tower (170 metres including the torch) that offers a panoramic view of Pyongyang.
Ride on Pyongyang Metro - one of the deepest in the world - extended ride. Join locals and explore the Pyongyang subway system. The carriages were purchased from former East Germany. The metro decoration is amazing as well as the fact that we will go around 100 metres underground!
Walk around Kim Il Sung Square - located in the city centre, this is the places where military parades and mass rallies (those that we usually see on television) are held.
DPRK Bookstore - chance to purchase DPRK publications (including the Pyongyang Times) translated into different languages.

Overnight: Koryo Hotel, Pyongyang

Day 4 - March 27 (Friday)