2019 North Korea Victory Day Tour II
Join our 2019 North Korea Victory Day Tour II and celebrate the
Anniversary of the
signing of the Korean War Armistice in Pyongyang. In addition to
exploring the east coast we will also head to Mt. Myohyang for this
trip.
Check our previous Victory Day East Coast Tour report!
The application deadline for this tour is 25 June 2019.
This tour includes 7 nights in the DPRK plus one on the train back
to China. The itinerary is an extremely
complete one,
covering Pyongyang, several parts of the south of the DPRK and the
eastern part of the country.
If interested in shorter DPRK tours please
check our other tour departures. You can also join this tour and leave early if you wish.
If interested in having a private extension of your tour once the
group
departure is over please send us an e-mail stating how long you would
like to extend for and if there are any specific places you would like
to visit.
It is possible to enter by train and
something we strongly recommend as it allows to experience
much more of the DPRK. Please let
us know if this option may interest you.
Day 1 - July 23 (Tuesday)
- Depart from Beijing at 13.05 flight JS 152 Terminal 2, Beijing
Capital Airport
- Arrive in Pyongyang at 16.35 (Pyongyang time)
PM
- Arch of Triumph-
it marks the return of President Kim Il Sung upon returning to Korea
after the liberation of Korea from Japan. This gigantic monument is
taller than that of Paris
- Walk around the area, see the enormous
mural of President Kim Il Sung upon his return to Korea after the
liberation of the country and walk by Kim Il Sung
Stadium
- Hotel check-in: Yanggakdo Hotel
- Welcome Dinner: Local Restaurant,
Pyongyang
Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 2 - July 24 (Wednesday)
AM
- Breakfast:
Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
- Drive
to the coastal city of Wonsan (East Coast) -
unique chance to be driven through second tier cities and counties as
you literally cruise across the DPRK, from one side of the country to
the other. The ride is around 4.5 hours long and a fascinating
experience. We will have a 30 minute break on the way at a local guest
house with relaxing views.
- Sinpyong
Guesthouse - 30 minute break by a lake. Chance to try some snake
liquor!
PM
- Lunch: Local restaurant, Wonsan
- Walk
around Wonsan City (Central Square and along the pier)
- you can see locals going on with their daily lives here. The square
tends to be very lively with children roller skating, families walking
together and then by the port there are always people fishing.
- Jangdok
Islet - just opposite the
"mainland", it offers full views of the port area and the frontline of
Wonsan
- Walk around Oriental Park
- Check-in:
Songdowon Hotel
- Dinner: Local restaurant
Overnight: Songdowon Hotel, Wonsan
Day 3 - July 25 (Thursday)
AM
- Breakfast: Songdowon Hotel, Wonsan
- Drive
to Hamhung City -
discover the second largest city in the DPRK. This industrial city only
started receiving Western tourists in 2010 and is therefore considered
even more "off the beaten track" of a destination.
- Mt. Donghung
- with an impressive view of Hamhung City and the whole surrounding
area, a giant bronze statue of President Kim Il Sung is here and it is
a popular place for newly-weds to go and pay tribute.
PM
- Lunch:
City Restaurant, Hamhung. Hamhung is well known for its potato starch
noodles.
- Hamhung
Grand Theatre -
enormous theatre located in the city centre right across from the main
square. Please bear in mind that in spite of being the second biggest
city in North Korea with an estimated population of 800,000, Hamhung
has only been opened up to tourism very recently and the site of
foreigners here is extremely rare for locals (more so than in other
areas in the DPRK) which will explain the surprise on many people's
faces when seeing you. The image on the right shows a Children's rally
in Hamhung.
- Home of Ri Song-gye -
Founder of the Choson Dynasty, he overthrew the Koryo dynasty. His home
is located in Hungnam disctrict which is home to many factories.
- Hungnam
Fertiliser Factory - unique chance to visit one of the country's
biggest factories
- Check-in Majon
Cottage
- a series of cottages located by the beach. Enjoy a relaxing stroll by
the seaside before dinner. There are usually locals here happy to have
us join in.
- Dinner: Majon Cottage, clam BBQ option
Overnight: Majon Cottage (at the seafront)
Day 4 - July 26 (Friday)
AM
- Dongbong
Cooperative Farm -
see how farmers and their families live here. We will see farmers'
homes, the fields and visit the kindergarten that their children attend
(also located within the premises of the cooperative farm). This is an
interesting aspect of DPRK tours as it allows travellers see different
aspects of the country
- Drive back to Wonsan
- Wonsan
Agricultural University - walk around the university campus
PM
- Lunch: City Restaurant in Wonsan
- Drive back to Pyongyang via some waterfalls discovered by soldiers in 2001
(weather permitting)
- Grand
People's Study House - huge study centre/library with excellent
views of Kim Il Sung Square
- Dinner: Local Restaurant, Pyongyang
Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 5 - July 27 (Saturday) - Victory Day 66th Anniversary of the Korean War
Armistice
AM
- Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel
- Walk from Pyongyang Theatre to Kim Il Sung Square
- Kim Il
Sung Square - the largest square in the DPRK and the one we see
on TV when mass rallies and military parades are held
- DPRK
Bookstore - you will be able to purchase DPRK books in English
as well as other publications such as the Pyongyang Times newspaper
- Fountain Park - favourite spot for locals to take pictures
- Mansudae
Grand Monuments
- we will see the famous giant bronze statues of the Leaders Kim Il
Sung and Kim Jong Il. This will be busy with Koreans on a national
holiday such as today
- Juche
Tower
- chance to go up 150 meters and have a panoramic view of Pyongyang.
The flame itself adds another 20 metres to the height of the structure!
PM
- Lunch: Local restaurant, Wonsan
- Moran
Park
- see local celebrate this National Festivity. Expect to be asked to
join them in the singing and dancing! National holidays are a unique
aspect of DPRK tours
- Victory
Day Celebrations in Pyongyang -
Workers' Party Foundation Monuments - if there are any mass
dances we
will be able to attend and to join in with the university students
dancing
- Dinner: local restaurant, Pyongyang
- Kaeson
Evening Funfair
- you can take rides with locals, but even if you'd rather not, this is
a great opportunity to join Koreans during their celebrations. Expect
to see many pleasantly surprised faces! Rides cost from 1 to 5 Euros.
Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 6 - July 28 (Sunday)
AM
- Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel
- Kumsusan
Memorial Palace
- where the leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il layKoreans at the
Kumsusan Memorial Palace in state. The most sacred place in the DPRK.
You are kindly asked to dress in proper attire. You will be sent more
detailed information regarding this but please feel free to contact us
for more details. This is a highlight of all of our DPRK tours.
- Revolutionary
Martyrs' Cemetery - bronze
busts of national heroes. The cemetery is located on atop a hill in the
outskirts of Pyongyang, offering great views of the capital of North
Korea.
PM
- Lunch: Mangyongdae Restaurant, Pyongyang
- Victorious
Fatherland Liberation War Museum -
the war museum has been moved to and now lies adjacent to the building
where it used to be. The amount of detail and the size of the museum
comes to show how important the Korean War is and how tangible it is
today in the DPRK
- USS
Pueblo -
US spy ship, the only US vessel in possession of a foreign country. It
is shown in the DPRK to Koreans and foreigners as a trophy.
- Ride on Pyongyang
Metro (extended ride)
- chance to take the deepest metro in the world.
You will experience the busiest aspect of Pyongyang with local
Pyongyangers.
- Coach to Kaesong (Panmunjom, the DMZ) - we leave early due south.
There will be a break on the way as the ride is approximately 3 hours
long. We will have a break in the middle and will be able to take
pictures of the Reunification Highway. On our way here our Korean
guides who we have worked with for many years now and are the top level guides from the Korean
tourism authorities will explain to us the principles by which the DPRK
seeks to obtain reunification of the
Korean Peninsula.
- Hotel check-in: Korean traditional courtyard hotel; the Minsok Hotel
- Dinner: Minsok Hotel, Kaesong
Overnight: Minsok Hotel, Kaesong
Day 7 - July 29
(Monday)
AM
- Breakfast: Minsok Hotel, Kaesong
- As we approach Kaesong we will be able to see the famous Kaesong
Industrial Park Complex at a distance as well as the train station
which's railway connects North and South Korea but which is not in use.
- 38th
Parallel (DMZ) - chance to enter the famous blue negotiation
rooms where talks between North & South Korea have taken place.
This is with no doubt a highlight of all DPRK tours. A DPRK soldier
will guide us here and we will be able to see the world famous 38th
Parallel that divides the Korean Peninsula to this day.
- Koryo
Museum (Kaesong) - the first university of the Koryo Dynasty,
it is now a museum where guests are explained how life was like in
medieval Korea
PM
- Lunch
at Tongil Restaurant (Kaesong) - we
will all be served with small covered dishes, each one being a surprise!
- Drive
to Sariwon City Centre - this is a very lively city. We will
walk around Food Street and see some model local pavilions in Folk
Street. There are usually street games held in this area and we will be
more than welcomed to join in!
- Have
break at a Sul Jib - meaning wine house or alcohol house, we
will be able to have a drink of local Makoli (a Korean drink with low
levels of alcohol) at a local joint.
- Walk
up Hill - this takes 5 to 10 minutes and it is absolutely worth
it as we will be able to not only have fantastic views of Sariwon but
of the surrounding region too
You can see our Youtube video below of Sariwon city:
- Stop at the Reunification
Monuments - chance to have some pictures taken at these giant
monuments
- Kwangbok Supermarket -
this is the only place where foreigners can exchange foreign currency
for Korean won and purchase goods with Korean won. This place is
usually packed with locals and we are allowed to wander around by
ourselves. The bottom floor consists of a supermarket which mainly
consists of local goods. The first floor is where clothes is sold as
well as other goods such as watches, home equipment. The top floor is
where we can buy snacks and meals and it is where hundreds of people
tend to gather with their families for some food!
- Dinner: Pyongyang Duck BBQ Restaurant
Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 8 - July 30
(Tuesday)
AM
- Breakfast: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
- Drive to the northern interior of DPRK; Mount Myohyang

- International Friendship Exhibition Centre
- two buildings where thousands of gifts presented to the leaders of
the country are kept. They are actually built into the mountain and are
windowless despite their aspect from the outside. We frisked as we
enter after having passed the armed guards who protect these national
treasures.
- Pohyon Temple - built in 1042, this was a buddhist learning centre in the region and is still home to several monks.
PM
- Lunch: Hyangsan Hotel, one of the most luxurious in DPRK
- Children's Palace - this is where the most talented kids in Pyongyang go after school. Their performances are truly impressive.

- Evening stroll by Ryomyong Street - this is a newly built street in 2016
Overnight: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 10 - July 31 (Wednesday)
AM
- 10.25 am train to Beijing - if interested in flying back
please contact us
PM
- Stopover at Sinuiju train station bordering China - DPRK customs
will
be carried out on the train
Day 11 - 1 August (Thursday)
Arrive in Beijing at 08:40 am
End of our 2019 Victory Day
East Coast Tour