• Overall

  One of the biggest North Korea holidays, North Korea National Day celebrates the foundation of the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea). This year, North Koreans throughout the country will be in full celebration mode as they enjoy the festivities for the 76th North Korea National Day.

  As well as celebrating with the local North Koreans, we’ll take you on an extensive tour throughout Pyongyang, visiting the must-see sites including; the Mansudae Grand Monument, Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, and the Pyongyang Metro.

  During this tour, we will also get the chance to visit industrial Nampo and have an overnight trip to the ancient city of Kaesong, the capital of the medieval Koryo Dynasty south of the 38th Parallel on the North-South border.

  Scroll down for an overview of our North Korea National Day Tour package highlights, tour itinerary, transport options, DPRK tourist visa information, and extra add-ons.

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  Koryo Tours International Tours

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  Highlights

  • National Day celebrations - the 76th anniversary of the foundation of North Korea!
  • Pyongyang Highlights include; the Kumsusan Memorial Palace of the Sun, the Pyongyang Metro and more
  • Get out of the capital, to the port city of Nampo, a centre of trade and industry, and to historic Kaesong south of the 38th Parallel

  click image to expand

• Itinerary

  Briefing Day

  1. September 6 | Friday

     *Pre-Tour Briefing | We require all travellers to attend a pre-tour briefing that covers regulations, etiquette, safety, and practicalities for travel in North Korea. The briefing lasts approximately one hour followed by a question and answer session. Please be punctual for the briefing. You can come early, meet your fellow travellers, and pay any outstanding tour fees. A proper briefing is an essential part of travel to North Korea.
     
     For this tour, we will hold two briefings. One in the morning for those departing by train this afternoon and the other in the afternoon for those departing by flight the next day.

     AM

     • Recommended latest arrival in Beijing.
     • 10:00 | Briefing for those departing by train.

     PM

     • 16:00 | Briefing for those departing by flight.  
     • 17:26 | Train travellers depart Beijing Station by Chinese domestic sleeper train to Dandong, the Chinese city on the border with North Korea. Please arrange independent travel to the train station and arrive at least an hour and a half early for the train departure.

     Overnight | Hotel in Beijing not included in the tour for those taking the flight the next day. Contact us for recommendations near our office! Those travelling by train will spend the night on the train.

  2. September 7 | Saturday

     Arrival day in Pyongyang

     AM

     • Train transfer at Dandong Station from overnight sleeper train to Dandong-Pyongyang local. Our local representative in Dandong will assist with the transfer. Train crosses the China-North Korea border followed by North Korean customs and immigration.

     PM

     • Flight departure from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 on Air Koryo flight JS152 at 13:05. A 1.5-hour flight with basic lunch (vegetarian option is subject to availability). Check-in starts 3 hours prior to departure.
     • Flight arrival to Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport (FNJ) at 16:10. DPRK immigration and customs, meet your Korean guides and transfer to the city.
     • Kim Il Sung Square | Pyongyang’s central square lined with government ministries, museums, and The Grand People’s Study House.
        
     • Victory (Sungni) Street | Walk from Kim Il Sung Square to the Pyongyang Grand Theatre and onto Pyongyang Railway Station along one of post-war Pyongyang's oldest streets.
        
     • Train arrival to Pyongyang Railway Station at 18:45.

     Overnight: Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang | Home away from home for most (but not all!) foreign visitors to Pyongyang, this 47-story hotel is located on an island in the middle of the Taedong River and offers great views of the city. Comfortable rooms and comprehensive leisure facilities: swimming pool, spa, billiards, bowling, gift shops, tea houses, beer brewed on-site, and a Chinese-run casino.

  3. September 8 | Sunday

     Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and Pyongyang City Tour
     
     AM

     • Kumsusan Palace of the Sun | Mausoleum of the DPRK leadership where President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il lie in state and the most solemn location on the itinerary. Please note that formal dress is required. Men require collared shirt with tie, dark non-jean pants, and dark shoes. Women require covered shoulders, knee-length dress or pants, and closed toed shoes. The visit will take most of the morning and visitors are asked to bow a number of times inside. This is a state-administered site and visits are subject to local conditions. Cancellations are rare but possible.
        
     • Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery | Hilltop cemetery with dozens of bronze busts of those who took part in the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule. It is customary to present flowers here.
        
     • Foreign Languages Bookshop | Store selling Korean publications translated into English, German, French, Russian, Chinese, and Spanish. Also pick up DVDs, postcards, and small works of art.
        
     • Okryugwan | A meal at Pyongyang’s most famous restaurant. Housed in a huge traditional building on the banks of the Taedong River. Okgyuwan specialises in Pyongyang Cold Noodles.
        

     PM

     • Tower of the Juche Idea | Iconic tower dedicated to the DPRK’s guiding philosophy on the Taedong River. Take the elevator to the top for 5 EUR for great views of the city.
        
     • Monument to the Party Foundation | Iconic structure featuring the hammer, sickle, writing brush which make up the emblem of the Worker’s Party of Korea and represent workers, farmers, and intellectuals.
        
     • Munsu Water Park | We’ll take a break at this outdoor and indoor water park with water slides, lap pools, and hot tubs. Bar, coffee shop, and shops for non-swimmers (Entry fee 2 EUR; swimming fee- 10 EUR with suit rental; tennis- 5 EUR).

     Overnight: Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang

  4. September 9 | Monday

     National Day! The 76th anniversary of the founding of the DPRK! (North Korea!)
     
     AM

     • Pyongyang Metro Tour | One of the deepest metro systems in the world with stunning artwork reflecting the name of each station. We’ll ride six stations on the Chollima Line.
        
     • Arch of Triumph | Massive archway made for the 70th anniversary of President Kim Il Sung in 1982 and commemorating the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule. Larger than its counterpart in Paris.
        
     • Mansudae Fountain Park | The historic centre of Pyongyang popular with local citizens after school and on weekends. Flanked by examples of ancient, socialist, and modern architecture.
        
     • Mansudae Grand Monument | Enormous bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il overlooking downtown Pyongyang. A presentation of flowers and bow by the group is customary here (5 EUR). Here we will also see the Chollima, or ‘thousand ri [400 mile] horse’ – a symbol of speed- commemorating the quick rebuilding of the country in the 1950’s following the Korean War.
        
     • Moranbong Park | We’ll take a stroll and have picnic lunch in Pyongyang’s central park popular with locals for picnics, dances, and sports. The park is filled with historic pavilions, walls, and monuments - modern and ancient, a few of which are among the traditional ‘Eight Great Sights of Pyongyang’.
     PM
     • Mangyongdae Native House | Birthplace of and childhood home of President Kim Il Sung. A traditional Korean house in beautiful natural surroundings.
        
     • Kwangbok Department Store | Exchange for Korean currency and shop with the citizens of Pyongyang! Try the snack stand on the first floor for some of Pyongyang’s best local eats.
        
     • Pyongyang Circus (or other available performance) | We will leave time this afternoon to try and catch a local performance — either of the Pyongyang Circus, theatre, or a revolutionary opera. Schedules are typically announced only a few weeks before the trip. If no performances are available, we will find an alternative activity in the city. Tickets to be paid on the spot (from 5-25 EUR) depending on the available performance.
        
     • Mass Dance | We'll watch as hundreds of locals, many in brightly coloured national dress, join together in a beautiful choreographed dance in the heart of the city (and maybe even join in ourselves!)
        
     • Mansugyo Beer Bar | A beer bar serving seven types of beer. Popular with locals after work and on weekends. Best place to drink pints with local people.
        
     • Kaeson Funfair | We’ll take on the rides of Pyongyang’s newest funfair with the locals: pirate ship, vominator, rollercoaster, bumper cars, arcades, and more. Tickets purchased on the spot (1 EUR entry, 2-7 EUR for rides).

     Overnight | Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang

  5. September 10 | Tuesday

     Nampo and drive to Kaesong
     
     AM

     • Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum | Tour this world-class museum led by a local museum guide. Renovated in 2012 and it exhibits the Korean War from the DPRK perspective with artefacts, documents, photos, and lifelike dioramas. The exterior grounds house the War Victory Monument and displays of Korean People’s Army Hero Equipment and captured equipment from the US military, including the USS Pueblo. Central to the understanding of the country today and highlight of the trip.
        
     • Drive west along the ‘Youth Hero Highway’ to Nampo (45 minutes to 1-hour drive), the port city of Pyongyang at the mouth of the Taedong River on the West Sea.
        
     • Chongsan-ri Co-Operative Farm | The DPRK’s most famous and iconic model farm. Visited hundreds of times by Kim Il Sung (there is a bronze statue of him and various farm workers here), the place where the ‘Chongsan-ri Method’ was developed (they will explain on-site). See how the farming system works, visit a farmhouse and the local shop,and kindergarten, see the fields and greenhouses.

     PM

     • West Sea Barrage | An 8 km concrete, steel, and earthen barrage constructed between the Taedong River estuary and the West Sea for land reclamation, irrigation, flood prevention, and power generation. It also acts as a ship lock and fish ladder. One of the DPRK’s greatest engineering feats.
        
     • Tae’an Glass Factory | Factory producing glass and glass products for the domestic market. Watch the glass-making process from smelting to sheet-cutting and even try to break a sheet of strengthened glass.
        
     • Drive south on the Pyongyang-Kaesong (formerly known as Reunification) Motorway to Kaesong, historic capital of the medieval Koryo Dynasty (918-1392 AD). Once located in South Korea, the city changed hands during the Korean War. It is now located just north of the DMZ.

     Overnight | Minsok Folk Hotel, Kaesong. Traditional style hotel where guests sleep on heated floors in Korean style. Housed in beautiful courtyards of Kaesong’s old city, structures date back to the Ri Dynasty. Basic bathroom facilities. Hot water not guaranteed and erratic electricity supply – please bring a torch.

  6. September 11 | Wednesday

     Kaesong & the DMZ  (*Please note that due to the current political situation and recent chenges, it is our understanding that visits to Panmunjom and the JSA as well as to the Concrete Wall is not possible at least until further notice. If that is the case at the time of our vist we will visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kaesong as well a ginseng factory.)
     
     AM

     • Old City Walk and South Gate | A stroll from the hotel through Kaesong’s historic district lined with homes dating back to the Ri Dynasty from the city’s historic South Gate.
        
     • Panmunjom Truce Village (*Currently suspended.) | Located in the middle of the 4 km wide Demilitarised Zone, Panmunjom is the site of the signing of the 1953 armistice at the end of the Korean War. This is the only location where visitors can directly view soldiers from both sides and the demarcation line dividing Korea. On some days it is possible to enter the hut straddling both Koreas and there cross temporarily into the south.
        
     • Kaesong Koryo Museum & Stamp Shop | A former Confucian education school, now a museum on the Koryo Dynasty exhibiting historical objects, statues, pagodas, and porcelain from the time. One of Kaesong’s many UNESCO World Heritage Site.

     • Traditional Royal Korean Lunch (pangsanggi) | A meal consisting of 12 dishes served in brass bowls fit for the kings of old. The more dishes, the more distinguished the guest! Traditional Korean 'sweet-meat soup' is also an option here (+5 EUR).

     PM

     • Return to Pyongyang.
        
     • Grand People's Study House | National library and public correspondence university with Neo-traditional Korean and great views of the city.
        
     • Farewell dinner at Duck BBQ Restaurant | Famous restaurant in south Pyongyang specializing in duck meat barbecue on a grill. Southcentral does it like nobody does!

     Overnight | Yanggakdo International Hotel

  7. September 12 | Thursday

     Departure Day
     
     AM

     • Flight departure from Pyongyang on Air Koryo Flight JS251 at 10:15 with scheduled arrival at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 at 11:35.

     OR

     • Train departure at 10:25 with transfer in Dandong. The scheduled arrival is to Beijing Station on Friday, September 13 at 08:40. For this tour the default option is hard sleeper (six beds per berth).

     End of Tour

• Extras

  • Transport | Train and Flights to North Korea (High-season)

    This tour travels between Beijing-Pyongyang by train each way in a hard-sleeper carriage (6 bunks per compartment). The train journey takes 24 hours with a transfer at the city of Dandong. One-way or round-trip flights are also available. The flight takes around 90 minutes. For an extra 265 EUR you can upgrade to a one-way flight. A round-trip ticket costs an additional 435 EUR. We recommend flight entry with a train return for the best overall experience on your trip.

  • Visit the DPRK border town of Sinuiju

    If you're heading back to Beijing by train this option lets you get off for an overnight in Dongrim before the next day's tour of Sinuiju — the border city with China. Spend an extra 24 hours in the DPRK seeing the sites of North Pyongan province. You will then continue on through to Beijing.

    See more

  • Visit Dandong — the Chinese gateway to the DPRK

    Instead of immediately returning to Beijing when your tour ends you can take some extra time to visit this fascinating border city, which directly faces the DPRK town of Sinuiju, but lies on the Chinese side of the Yalu River. We offer both one-night and two-night fully guided extensions that take in all the sights of Dandong, with a special North Korea theme.

    See more

  • Upgrade to your own room

    All hotel rooms on our all-inclusive group tours feature twin beds, and will be shared. If you'd like a room to yourself then you can upgrade for an extra 40 EUR per night.

    See more

  • Insurance for up to six nights

    We're unable to take you on one of our tours if you do not have medical insurance that covers the destination in question. Issues of isolation and infrastructure where we go mean it would be irresponsible of us to do so. We can provide this if you do not have it — or you can use your own.

• What is / is not included?

  INCLUDED 

  • Train Beijing – Pyongyang – Beijing with transfer at Dandong
  • All meals on the tour apart from the meals on the train
  • Hotel accommodation
  • Two local Korean guides, and a driver per group
  • Koryo Tours leader
  • All transportation in the DPRK

  NOT INCLUDED

  • North Korean (DPRK) visa fee 60 EUR
  • Optional Air Koryo flights (one-way: 265 EUR; return: 435 EUR)
  • Optional single room supplement (40 EUR per night)
  • Tips for the local Korean guides and driver (approx 10-15 EUR per day)
  • Optional activities such as the lift up the Juche Tower (5 EUR) or a visit to the funfair (approx. 2 EUR entrance fee per person)
  • Entry tickets for special events if applicable – for example Pyongyang Circus (approx. 20 EUR per person)
  • Meals include a complimentary beer and water, but you will need to purchase extra drinks if needed
  • Spending money for souvenirs
  • Sinuiju Extension: RMB 50 for the bus across the bridge to Dandong to be paid on the spot to the local guides

• Notes

  Groups will be in the experienced hands of two or three local Korean guides and an experienced Koryo Tours tour leader.
  
  Please note that when on tour your day-to-day itinerary may differ slightly to what is advertised above. Your tour leader will ensure, however, that everything available at the time is covered, and replacement options are provided where needed. We will also add in extras when there is time (such as a visit to a local bar or amusement park). We visit the DPRK regularly so know all the best places to go, and how to make the most of your days there to guarantee the experience of a lifetime.
  
  After the tour, we will send out a list of all participants' emails so you can keep in touch, swap photos etc. If you do not wish to be on this list then please let us know.

Please apply by 21st August, 2024.