Koryo North Korea Budget Tour Winter
Introduction:
Our North Korea Winter budget tour is perfect for those seeking adventure travel on a budget, or those wanting a short break away. Tick North Korea off your bucket list and get a key insight into this little-explored country. Prepare yourself for a truly action-packed itinerary and a comprehensive introduction to North Korean history and society today!
A North Korea winter is chilly and quiet. Already among the least visited countries in the world, visit North Korea at a time when there are even fewer travellers around and enjoy the calm and quiet as you explore the DPRK.
This North Korea tour package includes a city tour of Pyongyang and a DMZ tour at Panmunjom, you’ll also visit the lively town of Pyongsong, where we will stop by a local school and see the Korean War headquarters of the Korean People's Army.
Fixed Departure: January 5- January 9/10, 2021
Summary of Itinerary
Day 1:Briefing Day
Day 2:Arrival day in Pyongyang
Day 3: Pyongsong and Pyongyang.
Day 4: Pyongyang City Tour and drive to Kaesong
Day 5: Kaesong and DMZ Tour at Panmunjom
Day 6: Departure
Inclusions
-Train travel Pyongyang – Beijing – Pyongyang by hard sleeper class with transfer in Dandong.
-All meals on the tour apart from meals on the train
-Hotel accommodation in North Korea
-Two local English-speaking Korean guides and a driver per group
-A Koryo Tours tour leader
-All transportation in North Korea
Key Exclusions
-DPRK visa fee 60 EUR
-Optional Air Koryo flights (one-way: 199 EUR; return: 299 EUR)
-Optional single room supplement of 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) or film screening (approx. 10 EUR)
-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.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- See Pyongyang highlights, including the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the Mansudae Grand Monument, the Pyongyang Metro, the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum and USS Pueblo
- Historic Kaesong and Panmunjom Truce Village in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)
- Get out of the capital, to the provincial city of Pyongsong, a centre of trade and the new economy
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 to what is mentioned here. Your tour leader will ensure, however, that everything available at the time is covered, and replacement options are provided where needed.
Activities
Day 1:Briefing Day
January 4 | Monday
*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, pay any outstanding tour fees and browse our collection of Korean art. 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.
- 17:27 | Train travellers depart Beijing Station by 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! Those travelling by train will spend the night on the train.
Day 2:Arrival day in Pyongyang
January 5 | Tuesday
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.
- Free bus from the Koryo Tours office to Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 2 for those taking the flight. Exact time TBC at the pre-tour briefing. Alternatively, meet the group at the Air Koryo check-in counter.
PM
- Flight departure from Beijing on Air Koryo flight JS152 at 12:55. A 1.5-hour flight with basic lunch (no vegetarian option).
- Flight arrival to Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport (FNJ) at 15:55. DPRK immigration and customs, meet your Korean guides and transfer to the city.
- Walk on Future Scientists' Street | An evening stroll through one of Pyongyang's newest neighbourhoods.
- Koryo Hotel Microbrewery | Microbrewery at one of Pyongyang's main hotels near the train station making two different beers.
- Train arrival to Pyongyang Railway Station at 18:45.
Overnight | Haebangsan Hotel, Pyongyang. An old classic hotel located in downtown Pyongyang. Popular with Pyongyang's long-term foreign residents. Excellent restaurant.
Day 3: Pyongsong and Pyongyang.
January 6 | WednesdayJanuary 8 is the birthday of leader Kim Jong Un, however, this day is not an official North Korean holiday.
AM
- Pyongsong | Drive north to this small satellite city of Pyongyang and centre of scientific research. A 45 minute to 1-hour drive.
- Pyongsong City Square | Central square of Pyongsong City with statues of the DPRK leadership and flanked by the provincial revolutionary museum. Presentation of flowers customary.
- Kim Jong Suk Higher Middle School | One of the DPRK’s top middle schools for gifted students.
- Konji-Ri Revolutionary Site | Wartime headquarters of the Korean People's Army and now a historic museum.
PM
- Pyongyang | Drive back to Pyongyang. 45 minute - 1-hour drive
- Pyongyang Metro Tour | One of the deepest metro systems in the world with stunning artwork reflecting the name of each station. Ride six stations on the Chollima Line.
- Arch of Triumph | Massive archway commemorating the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule. Made for the 70th anniversary of President Kim Il Sung in 1982.
- 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.
- Mansugyo Beer Bar | A standing bar serving seven type of beer (50 cents a pint, 4.5 EUR for a flight). Popular with locals after work and on weekends!
- Yanggakdo International Cinema | Optional screening of Comrade Kim Goes Flying, a North Korean romantic comedy co-produced by Koryo Tours. The ticket is approximately 10 EUR (subject to change).
Overnight | Haebangsan Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 4: Pyongyang City Tour and drive to Kaesong
January 7 | Thursday
AM
- Kumsusan Palace of the Sun | Mausoleum of the DPRK leadership where President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il lie in state and the most solemn location on the itinerary. Please note 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.
- 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). Please note this is a government-administered sight and visits are subject to cancellation. Visits are optional and require a certain dress code (close-toed shoes and covered legs and shoulders). Here we will also see the Chollima Monument, or ‘thousand ri (400 km or 250 miles) horse’ - a symbol of speed - commemorating the quick rebuilding of the country in the 1950s following the Korean War.
- 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.
- Kim Il Sung Square | Pyongyang’s central square lined with government ministries, museums, and The Grand People’s Study House.
- Okryugwan | A meal at Pyongyang’s most famous restaurant. Housed in a huge traditional building on the banks of the Taedong River. Okryugwan specialises in Pyongyang Cold Noodles.
PM
- Monument to the Party Foundation| Iconic structure featuring the hammer, sickle, writing brush which represent the workers, farmers, and intellectuals that make up the Worker’s Party of Korea.
- 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 great views of the city (elevator ticket is 5 EUR).
- Relaxing afternoon before a long drive | You can go for a ten-pin fix with Pyongyang locals at Golden Lane Bowling Centre, or head next door to the Kumrung Leisure Centre for an airgun shooting range and some of the best coffee in Pyongyang. Those who want to warm up a bit and leave feeling ten years younger can go to Ryomyong Sauna Complex to chill and mingle with locals.
- Drive 3 hours south along the ‘Reunification Highway’ to Kaesong, ancient capital of the Koryo Dynasty (918-1392 AD) located near today’s Korean Demilitarized Zone with a stop at the Monument to the Three-Charters of the Reunification an iconic arch over the Pyongyang-Kaesong Highway dedicated to joint meeting between the Koreas, north and south. Also known as the ‘Arch of Reunification’.
Overnight | Janamsan Hotel, Kaesong. One of our favourite hotels in the DPRK. Friendly staff, great food, and 1970's socialist design. A cosy place to stay in winter!
Day 5: Kaesong and DMZ Tour at Panmunjom
January 8 | Friday
AM
- Sonjuk Bridge | Small stone bridge built in 1290, which in 1392 was the site of the assassination of the last loyal Koryo Dynasty minister Jong Mong Ju by a son of Ri Song Gye (founder of the next, and final, dynasty). This bloody act extinguished the Koryo which had ruled over Korea for 474 years and is said to have left a permanent mark on the bridge that can be seen to this day
- Janam Hill and Old City View | Statues of the DPRK leadership on a hill overlooking Kaesong city and historic pavilion used for archery demonstrations in days of yore.
- Panmunjom and DMZ | Perhaps the most famous place in the entire country. The iconic manifestation of the tragic division between North and South Korea. The ‘truce’ village where several huts straddle the Central Military Demarcation Line (de facto border) with soldiers from each side standing guard. A tour here starts with a briefing at the edge of the DMZ, a visit to the Armistice Negotiation Hall and Armistice Signing Hall, seen as symbols of victory over foreign aggression on this side of the line. Then to Panmunjom itself – cross the border inside one of the blue huts, experience the uncanny feeling of crossing the front line of a sad and needless division of one society, and then take a higher view from the Panmun Pavilion looking over the line from above. A Korean People’s Army officer will be there to explain their side of things and will willingly pose for some photos too. A completely and utterly unmissable place.
- Kaesong Ginseng Factory | See how this famous panacea and aphrodsiac is processed into various forms (tea, candy, powder, etc.). Also leaern the history of the root - it was first cultivated in Kaesong, the 'home of ginseng'.
- Kaesong Koryo Museum(Songgyungwan Academy) | A former Confucian school and 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. The buildings are in Koryo Dynasty style but date back to the early 17th century following their destruction in the Imjin War.
- Stamp Shop | Store selling stamps, postcards, local ginseng, souvenirs, art, and more. One of the best postcard collections in the country.
PM
- Drive back to Pyongyang. 3 hour drive.
- Grand People’s Study House | National library and public correspondence university with Neo-traditional Korean and great views of the city.
- Mangyongdae Native House | Birthplace and childhood home of President Kim Il Sung. A traditional Korean house in a beautiful natural surrounding.
- 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.
- Farewell dinner at Pyongyang Duck Barbeque Restaurant | South Pyongyang’s famous grilled duck restaurant that has seen many a teary-eyed farewell.
Overnight | Haebangsan Hotel, Pyongyang
Day 6: Departure
January 9 | Saturday
Departure Day from Pyongyang and Return to Beijing by flight or train. Please confirm your preferred transport method upon booking.
AM
Flight departure from Pyongyang on Air Koryo Flight JS151 at 08:35 with scheduled arrival at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 at 09:55.
OR
Train departure by train to Beijing at 10:25 with transfer in Dandong. The scheduled arrival is to Beijing Station on Sunday, January 10 at 08:40. For this tour, the default option is hard sleeper (six beds per berth).
End of Tour
