Thurs 29th April
AM: Bus from office to airport.
PM: Flight JS252 from Beijing to Pyongyang. 14:00 departure, arrive Pyongyang 17:25, meet your Korean guides who will accompany you during your stay. En route to the hotel stop off at the Arch of Triumph - similar to the French version (but bigger) - commemorates the liberation from Japanese rule. Check in hotel.
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
AM: Mansudae Art Studio - Pyongyang’s centre of artistic excellence, where all the sculptures, mosaics, paintings that you see around Pyongyang are made (also houses a shop for items produced here), Pyongyang Metro - the deepest in the world, take a ride with the locals, Mangyongdae Native House - birthplace of the DPRK founder Kim Il Sung, Juche Tower - 150m stone tower with lookout platform at the top and great panoramic views of the city
PM: Monument to Party Foundation- commemorates 50 years of Workers’ Party rule, USS Pueblo - tour the American espionage ship captured in the 1968, walk along Taedong River which runs through the city, Korean Film Studio - where all the revolutionary and historical epics shown on DPRK TV and in cinemas are made, visit mock-up sets of various countries and periods
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
AM: DPRK Holiday: May Day Fountain Park a picturesque area in the centre of Pyongyang (an opportunity to mix with locals), and the Mansudae Grand Monument - statue of DPRK President Kim Il Sung, Taesongsan Park - a popular place for locals to go on the May 1st holiday - expect games and dancing, lunch on boat
PM: Local funfair and Moranbong Park - where the people of Pyongyang go to enjoy their day off, other events for the holiday, expected mass dance on Kim Il Sung Square
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
AM: Kumsusan Memorial Palace - Mausoleum where President Kim Il Sung lies in state, Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery - bronze busts of the Koreans who died fighting the Japanese occupation, Foreign Languages Bookshop - read up on what you’re seeing here and buy your gifts and night time reading
PM: Drive to Mount Myohyang, (2 hrs) light walking in Manpok Valley
OVERNIGHT: Hyangsan Hotel, Mt Myohyang
Mon 3rd
AM: International Friendship Exhibition - a series of enormous subterranean exhibition rooms housing gifts given to the DPRK’s leaders by foreign political figures, notable figures and organisations, Pohyon Temple - historical Buddhist temple which originates from 1042, but has been rebuilt often since
PM: Return to Pyongyang (2 hrs), Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum (Korean War Museum) - hear and see the DPRK version of the conflict, War Victory Monuments - sculptures of notable events from the war
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
AM: Drive to Kaesong (2.5 hrs) - an historical city near the DMZ which avoided being destroyed in the Korean War, visit the Panmunjom/DMZ - boundary between North and South Korea, Koryo Museum - preserved Confucian museum in the old part of town
PM: Tomb of King Kongmin - beautiful twin-domed tomb of the 31st King of the Koryo dynasty and his Mongolian wife, Concrete Wall - anti-tank barrier erected on the southern boundary of the DMZ, visit a local park before checking into the Folk Hotel where guests sleep on the floor in the traditional Korean style.
OVERNIGHT: Folk Hotel, Kaesong
AM: Pakyon Waterfalls - see the beautiful waterfalls and local hermitages and enjoy walking in the area
PM: Return to Pyongyang for a visit to the spectacular Pyongyang Circus - a very entertaining one hour show, including clowns, trapeze artists, jugglers and much more, Golden Lane Bowling Centre - where Pyongyangers go for their ten-pin fix, also has some early 90s arcade games.
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
Thurs 6th
Plane option
AM: Flight
JS151
departure Pyongyang 09:00AM, arrival Beijing 10:00AM. End of Tour.
Train option
AM: Train departs Pyongyang 10:10AM
PM: Cross border at Sinuiju/Dandong
OVERNIGHT: On train
AM: Train arrives Beijing 08:34AM. End of tour.
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TOUR COST: $2,690
DPRK VISA FEE: $50 (to be paid at the pre-tour meeting)
PRE-TOUR MEETING: Wednesday 28th April, 4PM, at our office in Beijing
EXPECTED WEATHER:
It will be chilly in the mornings and evenings but warmer during the day, around 18°C so bring layers.
Room upgrades available – please ask for more information.
TOUR FEE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR FEE: