1. Day 1 Briefing Day

   Train Departures

   At 10:00, all those departing Beijing by train to North Korea will join us for a Pre-Tour Briefing followed by a Question & Answer session covering all the important aspects of travelling in the DPRK as a foreign tourist. Here you’ll meet your tour leader and be able to ask any important questions prior to the start of the tour.

   At 17:27 our train will depart Beijing Railway Station as we begin the almost 24-hour train journey to Pyongyang via the Chinese border city of Dandong and the North Korean border city of Sinuiju.

    

   Flight Departures

   We’ll meet at 16:00 for our pre-tour briefing followed by a Question and Answer session so you’re confident in how the tour will run and understand the basic do’s and don’t’s of travelling in North Korea as a tourist. You’ll alsp get the chance to meet your tour leader and other travellers before setting off.

   The flight doesn’t depart until the following day, so post-briefing, feel free to enjoy a free evening out and about in China’s capital city.

    

   Accommodation: Accommodation in Beijing not included

   Included Meals: N/A

2. Day 2 Arrival in Pyongyang

   For those travelling by plane, we’ll depart Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) at 13:05, arriving in Pyongyang Sunan International Airport at 16:05, local time. Here, we’ll meet our guides and travel into the nation’s capital, Pyongyang.

   Arriving in the heart of the city, we’ll take a walk down one of Pyongyang’s arterial roads; Victory Street. Starting at Kim Il Sung Square in the city centre, we’ll eventually arrive at the Pyongyang Railway Station to join the other half of the tour group.

   The train will arrive into Pyongyang at 18:45. Upon arrival, those travellers coming in by rail will link up with the rest of the group and we’ll head to the architectural marvel that is Mirae Future Scientists Street. We’ll enjoy an evening stroll through this, one of Pyongyang’s newest neighbourhoods, before heading to the nearby Changgwangsan Hotel.

    

   Accommodation: Changgwangsan Hotel, Pyongyang

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

3. Day 3 Kaesong and the DMZ

   This morning, it’s up and out early as we leave Pyongyang, bound for the ancient Koryo-era capital of Kaesong – the DPRK’s southern-most city. Passing beneath the Arch of Reunification, we’ll drive down the Unification Highway for 3 hours to reach this historic marvel of a city.

   Before we visit the city itself however, our first stop is perhaps one of the most famous spots in all of Korea – the Panmunjom Joint Security Area on the DMZ. This is the only spot along the border where the two sides stand face-to-face. After a briefing by our military guides, we’ll visit the village of Panmunjom where the 1953 armistice was signed, today, the meeting hall is the site of the Panmunjom Museum which holds the original armistice agreement under glass.

   From Panmunjom, we’ll trundle down the road until we reach the Joint Security Area – home to the distinctive blue conference buildings which straddle the Military Demarcation Line. After experiencing the inter-Korean border first hand, we’ll depart towards Kaesong itself.

   Our first stop in this ancient city is, fittingly, the Kaesong Koryo Museum. Due to the city’s location so close to the North-South divide, Kaesong avoided much of the bombing that plagued all other cities in the DPRK during the Korean War, and so, the museum houses many artefacts from the dynastic era of Korea. The building itself was once a major university in Koryo-era Korea – the Songgyungwan Academy.

   Outside the museum, we’ll stop at the Stamp Shop, a great place to pick up knick-knacks and souvenirs of Kaesong. Then, with our appetite for history almost full, we’ll head for a traditional Korean royal lunch – hosted in the heart of Kaesong.

   After our meal, consisting of multiple brass bowls of food – a meal-style often reserved for the highest in society, we’ll head back up the Unification Highway, stopping at the city of Sariwon – the Capital of North Hwanghae.

   To cap off the day, we’ll return to Pyongyang and visit Mangyongdae, the native house of the first leader of the DPRK, President Kim Il Sung, followed by a visit to Kwangbok Department Store – a rare opportunity to use North Korean currency!

    

   Accommodation: Changgwangsan Hotel

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

4. Day 4 Pyongyang

   This morning we’ll head out into Pyongyang to hit the highlights!

   Pyongyang is famous for so many things, and today we’ll attempt to experience some of the most notable, most famous, and most intriguing sites.

   Our first stop will be the most sacred place in all of Korea; the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun. This mausoleum is the final resting place for the President Kim Il Sung and the General Kim Jong Il. When visiting the palace, formal dress is required – contact your tour manager for further details.

   Departing from the mausoleum, we’ll head back into the heart of the city to visit the famous Mansudae Grand Monument. These 22m bronze statues of the DPRK leadership tower over the city, and we’ll have the chance to lay flowers alongside locals paying their respects to the great leaders. From Mansudae we’ll also have a fantastic view of the Chollima Statue.

   Continuing on, we’ll pay a visit to the Foreign Language Bookshop, an opportunity to buy Korean publications in English, French, Russian, Chinese, or Spanish – ideal for souvineer shopping. The bookshop is just off the side of Kim Il Sung Square, our next stop.

   This square sits at the heart of Pyongyang, headed by the traditionally designed Grand People’s Study House and lined with government ministries, museums and galleries.

   Our next stop will be the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, dedicated to the Korean War. We’ll have the chance to see destroyed and captured vehicles, learn about the history of the conflict, and board the USS Pueblo, an American spy ship captured in 1968, now docked next to the Museum.

   Crossing the Taedong River in the centre of the city, we’ll head into East Pyongyang to visit two incredible monuments. First, the Monument to Party Foundation dedicated to the ruling Worker’s Party of Korea, and secondly the Tower of the Juche Idea from which we’ll get a stunning view of the city.

   Finally, we’ll depart Pyongyang and head north, arriving in the beautiful Myohyangsan region as the sun begins to set.

    

   Accommodation: Huichon Hotel, Myohyangsan

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

5. Day 5 Myohyangsan

   Waking up in the picturesque Myohyangsan region, our first stop of the day wll be the International Friendship Exhibition – an exhibition hall filled with fascinating gifts from world leaders, international organisations, and foreign individuals. The complex itself is cut deep into the mountainside.

   Leaving the Friendship Exhibition we’ll head deeper into the mountains and foreigners of Myohyangsan. Our destination will be the Pohyon Buddhist temple; an operational temple dating back to 1042 set in the mystical, beautiful surroundings of Mt Myohyang.

   We’ll end the morning with a stroll through the Manpok valley, passing waterfalls, forests, and numerous photo opportunities.

   Next, we’ll return to Pyongyang to join the local Pyongyangers on the Pyongyang metro. One of the deepest systems in the world, we’ll travel through six stations on the Chollima Line, disembarking at Kaeson station to visit the nearby Arch of Triumph, dedicated to the liberation of Korea from the Japanese occupation in 1945.

    

   Accommodation: Changgwangsan Hotel

   Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

6. Day 6 Departure Day

   Flight Departures

   We’ll drive you to Sunan International Airport for your flight, departing at 08:35; you’ll arrive in Beijing Capital International Airport (Terminal 2) at 09:55.

    

   Train Departures

   Your train will depart at 10:25 from Pyongyang Station – after passing through customs at Sinuiju on the DPRK side and Dandong on the Chinese side, you’ll arrive at Beijing Railway Station at 08:40 the following morning.

    

   END OF TOUR

    

Accommodation on the North Korea Winter Budget Tour