AM: Bus from office to airport.
PM: Flight JS152 from Beijing to Pyongyang, 13:00 departure, arrive Pyongyang 16:25, 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 and Mansudae Grand Monument - statue of DPRK President Kim Il Sung. Check in hotel. MASS GAMES after dinner
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, PyongyangAM: Charter Flight (1 hr) to Mount Paekdu - Korea’s highest mountain and sacred birthplace of the entire Korean nation, arrive at Samji Airport, drive to mountain, ascend to peak
PM: Lake Chon - highest crate lake in the world sitting atop Mount Paekdu, cable car from the crater rim to the lake itself, Secret Camp - the site of the HQ of Kim Il Sung’s anti-Japanese guerrilla army, slogan trees and birthplace of Kim Jong Il, drive to hotel
OVERNIGHT: Paegaebong Hotel, Samjiyon
AM: Samjiyon Regional Museum - exhibits and models of the area, shows the scale of the activities of the guerrillas in the 1930s, Schoolchildren’s Palace - local centre of excellence for children, Samjiyon Grand Monument - the largest set of statues in the country laid out in the area where the guerrilla army gathered to launch a crucial attack, the centrepiece is a bronze statue of the commander Kim Il Sung
PM: Charter flight (40 mins) to Mount Chilbo area - one of DPRK’s most remote and scenic areas, arrive at Orang airport, drive through Mount Chilbo area to local beach and homestay houses - the only place in the country it is possible to stay in the home of a local family in this village which is built specially for the purpose
OVERNIGHT: Homestay village,
Mount Chilbo
AM: Tour of the stunning peaks of the Chilbo mountain range, each one has a different story associated with it, breathtaking scenery in one of DPRK’s remotest areas
PM: Drive to Chongjin, a major city on the North East Coast of Korea, local museum - the main attraction in DPRK’s second largest city (other than the city itself!) shows exploits in the area, includes slogan trees and reliefs of the surrounding areas, town square - features the city’s main Statue of the President, steelworks kindergarten - for the children of steelworkers; see classrooms and a performance, city tour
OVERNIGHT: Chongjin Hotel
AM: Drive to Orang airport, charter flight return to Pyongyang (1 hr)
PM: Schoolchildren’s Palace tour and performance - centre of extra-curricular excellence with study rooms and a breath-taking children’s performance, walk along Taedong river which runs through the centre of 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 National Day (Anniversary of country’s foundation): 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, Juche Tower - 150m stone tower with lookout platform at the top and great panoramic views of the city
PM: Local funfair and Moranbong Park - where the people of Pyongyang go to enjoy their holiday, expected Mass Dance on Kim Il Sung square
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
AM: Grand People’s Study House - enormous library/public university building modelled in traditional Korean style over looking Kim Il Sung Square, Museum of Korean Revolution - houses exhibits portraying the anti-Japanese struggle from 1905-1945, to Mount Ryonggak just outside Pyongyang for a picnic lunch
PM: 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, visit the spectacular Pyongyang Circus - a very entertaining one hour show, including clowns, trapeze artists, jugglers and much more, USS Pueblo - tour the American espionage ship captured in the 1968, picnic in local park, picnic in local park
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
AM: Monument to Party Foundation - commemorates 50 years of Workers’ Party rule, Mangyongdae Native House - birthplace of the DPRK founder Kim Il Sung, Pyongyang Metro - the deepest in the world, take a ride with the locals
PM: Drive to Kaesong (2.5 hrs) - an historical city near the DMZ which avoided being destroyed in the Korean War, visit the Tomb of King Kongmin - beautiful twin-domed tomb of the 31st King of the Koryo dynasty and his Mongolian wife, and Concrete Wall - anti-tank barrier erected on the southern boundary of the DMZ, before checking into the Folk Hotel where guests sleep on the floor in the traditional Korean style.
OVERNIGHT: Minsok Hotel Kaesong
AM: Visit the Panmunjom/DMZ - boundary between North and South Korea, Koryo Museum - preserved Confucian museum in the old part of town
PM: Return to Pyongyang (2.5 hrs), tour of Pyongyang’s ‘Sports Village’ of various gymnasia, Golden Lane Bowling Centre - where Pyongyangers go for their ten-pin fix, also has some early 90s arcade games, Pyongyang Diplomatic Club - popular central Pyongyang bar and karaoke hang-out
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
PM: Cross border at Sinuiju/Dandong
OVERNIGHT: On train
TOUR COST: EUR 2190
VISA FEE: CNY 400 (to be paid at the pre-tour meeting)
PRE-TOUR MEETING: Fri 3rd September, 4PM, at our office in Beijing
EXPECTED WEATHER: It will be hot and humid at this time with possible rain showers, around 20-25°C during the day. Raincoat/umbrella advised! Also, bring warmer clothes for Mt Paekdu and Chilbo as it will be colder up there.
Room upgrades available – please ask for more information.
TOUR FEE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR FEE: