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, the Fountain Parka picturesque area in the centre of Pyongyang (an opportunity to mix with locals), and the Mansudae Grand Monument - statue of DPRK President Kim Il Sung. Check in hotel.
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
PM: Monument to Party Foundation - commemorates 50 years of Workers’ Party rule, Mansudae Art Studio - Pyongyang’s centre of artistic excellence, where all the sculptures, mosaics, paintings that you see around Pyongyang are made (also houses a shop for items produced here), Juche Tower - 150m stone tower with lookout platform at the top and great panoramic views of the city, drive to Kaesong (2.5 hrs) - an historical city near the DMZ which avoided being destroyed in the Korean War, visit a local park before checking into the Folk Hotel where guests sleep on the floor in the traditional Korean style.
OVERNIGHT: Minsok Hotel Kaesong
AM: Panmunjom/DMZ - boundary between North and South Korea, Tomb of King Kongmin - beautiful twin-domed tomb of the 31st King of the Koryo dynasty and his Mongolian wife
PM: Concrete Wall - anti-tank barrier erected on the southern boundary of the DMZ, return to Pyongyang (2.5 hrs)
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
AM: DPRK Holiday Victory Day (Anniversary of ending of Korean War): 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, USS Pueblo - tour the American espionage ship captured in the 1968
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
Weds 28th
AM: Grand People’s Study House - enormous library/public university building modelled in traditional Korean style over looking Kim Il Sung Square, Korean Central Art Gallery - the Louvre of Pyongyang from historical to contemporary art, local Middle School - tour the facilities and see a performance by the students, lunch on boat
PM: Mangyongdae Native House - birthplace of the DPRK founder Kim Il Sung, Pyongyang Metro - the deepest in the world, take a ride with the locals, visit the spectacular Pyongyang Circus - a very entertaining one hour show, including clowns, trapeze artists, jugglers and much more, Golden Lane Bowling Centre - where Pyongyangers go for their ten-pin fix, also has some early 90s arcade games.
OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang
PM: Cross border at Sinuiju/Dandong
OVERNIGHT: On train
AM: Arrive Beijing 08:34AM. End of tour.
TOUR COST: EUR 1490
VISA FEE: CNY 400 (to be paid at the pre-tour meeting)
PRE-TOUR MEETING: Friday 23rd July, 4PM, at our office in Beijing
EXPECTED WEATHER: It will be very warm at this time with possible rain showers, around 25°C during the day. Raincoat/umbrella advised!
Room upgrades available – please ask for more information.
TOUR FEE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR FEE:
EUR 50 surcharge for the train to Beijing
EUR 50 surcharge for the plane to Beijing