Thursday 2nd October

• Meet your YPT guide at 1:30pm at the Beijing Zhong Gu Hotel near Beijing Railway Station found here. During this meeting, we’ll go through the tour’s itinerary, receive DPRK visas and tickets, as well as a great chance to meet your fellow travellers and to discuss any other questions you may have about the DPRK.
• Train takers depart Beijing Central station at 5:25pm for the 24 hour sleeper ride to Pyongyang.

Friday 3rd October

• Train group arrive at Dandong at 7:00am for Chinese border control then depart for Sinuiju at 10:30am for the extensive border control from the DPRK side
• Flight takers depart Beijing Airport Terminal 2 on Air Koryo at 1:00pm (Meet group at Air Koryo check in counter).
• Flight group arrive in Pyongyang at 4:00pm to a warm welcome from your Korean guides.
• Train group arrive at 6:45pm to an equally warm welcome.
• Dinner at a local Korean restaurant on Ryomyong Street.
• Check in and overnight at the Sosan Hotel.

Saturday 4th October

Morning

• Morning walk along Pyongyang’s main avenue from Pyongyang Grand Theatre down towards Kim Il Sung Square
• Explore Kim Il Sung Square – the central square of the capital and where previously military parades have taken place
• The Foreign Language Bookshop – A great place to buy books, pins, posters and Korean DVD’s
• Walk through Mansudae Fountain Park and see the mosaic pictures of President Kim Il Sung and the Leader Kim Jong Il.
• Visit Mansudae Grand Monument – the two large bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il overlooking the city. (Optional extra – you can present flowers if you wish: 40RMB or 5 euros).
• Grand People’s Study House – library and academic centre for adult learners. This grand building is built in the Korean style and affords a great view over the central square.

Afternoon

• Lunch at KITC Restaurant in Mangyongdae District to try Pyongyang’s famous cold noodle dish or the traditional Korean Bibimbap dish, as well as many shared Korean dishes with a Korean performance
• Korean War Museum – Let the expert local guide show you around the enormous museum featuring dioramas, locally used weapons, tanks etc, and captured American equipment!
• USS Pueblo – The only US Naval Ship still held captive by another nation.
• Visit Mansudae Art Studio – the nation’s most important artwork and statues are created here. This is where we get to meet some of the local artists too.
• Juche Tower – The tallest stone tower in the world, it represents the eternally burning Korean Juche Ideology. Option visit to the top 40RMB or 5 euros for open air panoramic views of the capital.
• Visit Kwangbok Department Store – here you can buy locally made items and exchange your foreign currency into local DPRK Won!
• Mansugyo Beer Bar – usually a very busy and happening bar in Pyongyang, cheap beers with over seven different local brews on tap! Coffee and soda also available
• Dinner at the New Hope Restaurant
• Spectate the Mass Games – The world’s largest performance. Tickets can be purchased with cash only and reserved whilst on tour in North Korea.
• Overnight in Sosan Hotel.

Sunday 5th October

Morning

• Kumsusan Palace of the sun- Where President Kim Il Sung and Comrade Kim Jong Il lie in state.
• Revolutionary Martyr’s Cemetery – the resting place of the greatest anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters, each grave features a bronze bust of the hero laid to rest within.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Moran Hill restaurant.
• Workers Party Foundation Monument – built in 1995 to signify the 50th anniversary of the Workers Party of Korea.
• Pyongyang Metro! Ride from Stop 1 to Stop 2 then on to stop 6! Exiting to:
• The Arch of Triumph – The largest Victory Arch on the planet, it celebrates the victory over the Japanese and the return of the general Kim Il Sung to his home city.
• Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace – the DPRK’s largest schoolchildren’s palace. We’ll have a chance to visit classrooms to see students studying their elective subjects including dancing, sports, musical instruments, calligraphy, computer science, embroidery and more. The students of the palace will put on a spectacular performance.
• Stop by Mansugyo Beer Bar – a local bar to join the locals for refreshments
• Dinner at local Korean BBQ restaurant
• Visit Kaeson Youth Funfair – Pyongyang’s newest funfair with a rollercoaster, pirate ship, arcades and more. Very popular with the locals. Entry is 1 euro or 10RMB, and rides are from 2 – 5 euro or 15RMB to 40RMB.
• Overnight at the Sosan hotel.

Monday 6th October

Morning

• Begin the drive down to Kaesong city (2 and a half hours) stopping for a quick rest and refreshments on the way at a local tea house
• Visit The DMZ – See one of the tensest places on earth complete with a friendly KPA officer who will not only give you a guided tour but also keep you safe. Also, the only place you can take photographs of and even with a soldier!
• Koryo Museum- the oldest university in Korea and now a converted museum of local history. Located next door is the best propaganda and stamp/postcard shop in the DPRK

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Reunification restaurant in Kaesong – try your hand at traditional Korean Pansangi – a series of dishes served in bronze bowls. (Option extra – dog meat soup or as the locals call it sweet soup for 40RMB or 5 euros per person)
• Explore the Tomb of King Kongmin – a 14th century mausoleum and one of the Royal Tombs of the Koryo Dynasty.
• Drive back to Pyongyang stopping at Sariwon city – the capital of North Hwanghae province, explore the local local folklore park and view the city from the mountain pagoda. Here you’ll also be able to try locally brewed Makkoli from a nearby local brewhouse.
• Photo opportunity at the Monument to the Three Charters of National Reunification, standing over the Reunification Highway.
• Dinner and drinks at the Duck BBQ restaurant
• Overnight at the Sosan Hotel

Tuesday 7th October

Morning

• Flight members depart at 9:00am for Beijing on Air Koryo. (Arriving at 10:00am Beijing time).
• Group A & B train members depart at 10:25am. Group A train members will arrive in Beijing Railway Station at 9:00am on Wednesday the 8th October.

Group B continues on:

• Arrive in the remote village of Dongrim at 2:30pm – Dongrim is the nearest town outside of Sinuiju, located south amongst the valleys of the east coast of the peninsula.
• Here we’ll greet our new local Korean guides on the platform.
• Drive to Dongrim Hotel to check-in and prepare for afternoon hiking.
• Hike to Dongrim Waterfall and explore the surrounding valley of the mountain range.
• Dinner and overnight at the Dongrim Hotel – a brand new swanky hotel with a swimming pool, sauna, table tennis, massage, bars, karaoke, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts.

Wednesday 8th October

Morning

• 1 hour drive to Sinuiju city on the way stopping at:
• Sinamri Co-operative farm – we’ll look out to where the locals grow rice, cabbage, chilli and cucumbers
• Tour the Pomhayanggi Cosmetics Factory and meet some of the local workers that produce some of DPRKorea’s most famous cosmetics
• Visit the mosaic images of the “Three Tigers of Mt. Paektu” Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Suk.
• Explore the large central square of Sinuiju and see the statue of President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il
• Visit the North Phyongan Province Revolutionary History Museum – This will go into detail about the history of the local province.

Afternoon

• Lunch at Myohyangsan Travel Company Restaurant which also features a great souvenir shop.
• Head to the local Folklore Park where there may be chances to engage in traditional Korean activities and some more modern activities too (extra charges apply for partaking in the local games, these will vary from game to game) or you can simply walk around and enjoy the scenery and watch the locals
• Visit the Art Studio which holds over 250 pieces of DPRK fine arts in six large halls – some very cool and eye opening art pieces here!
• Bonbu Kindergarten and performance – Famous for training the Children who perform in the skipping scene of the Arirang Mass games as well as its long history of training artistic performers. The performance here is the best of any Kindergarten in the country.
• Explore Amnok park and walk down to the Amnok River (Yalu River) and see the original Korean/Chinese Friendship Bridge bombed by the Americans during the Korean War. Very few tourist are able to view the bridge from the DPRK side!
• Board the 4:30pm bus and go through Korean customs to finish tour in Dandong, China.
• Board the 6:30pm overnight train from Dandong to Beijing.

Thursday 9th October

Morning

• Arrive in Beijing Railway Station at 9:00am

Read More