North Korea to resume international tourism to Samjiyon and possibly the rest of the country.
North Korea Will Resume Tourism Soon
On 14th August 2024, Koryo Tours received confirmation from our partners in Pyongyang that North Korea tours will resume once again.
Whilst originally this announcement was for December 2024, as we approach December, it seems less and less likely that the borders will open for December 2024.
Moreover, the announcement was directed towards only Samjiyon in northern North Korea - not Pyongyang.
However, we remain positive that the North Korean borders will open soon.
We are in constant contact with our partners and are receiving frequent information indicating the resumption of tourism to be sooner rather than later.
It has, however, not been announced exactly when the borders will open.
We are still awaiting further confirmation from our partners on the resumption of tours to North Korea. We remain positive that tourism to North Korea will resume sooner rather than later. We will continue to publicise any announcements or updates we get as and when we receive them.
North Korea Border Opening FAQs
Will the North Korean borders be open in December 2024?
As December approaches, it is becoming less and less likely that the borders will open
Why did you announce December 2024 as the resumption of tourism?
This is the official information we received at the time. As with North Korea tours and working in North Korea tourism in general - anything can happen.
We are of course disappointed, but certainly not surprised that it may take some more time for the North Korean borders to open.
Does the delay mean that the borders won't open?
Definitely not. We've received a lot of updates from our partners suggesting that tourism really will be resuming soon. For the past almost 5 years, we have received very little information from our partners. In the past few months, we have heard a lot of news of various tourism activities.
This is certainly a positive sign.
When will the borders open?
We really hate to speculate. But we also hate to use the word 'soon'. Unfortunately, that's all we can say, for now. No one really knows. So we have to await further updates from our partners. Only once we receive official updates will we publish them.
And, even then (as we have experienced) things are subject to change.
Why do you have 2024 and 2025 tours up on your website?
We have had tours up on our website since the borders closed in 2020. This is simply for reference so people can explore our various North Korea tours, and know what kind of tours are on offer - when the time comes!
When the DPRK announces reopening, we will contact personally those first who expressed interest in particular tours and from that point on we can move quickly to arrange the tour.
Sign up to our mailing list for updates.
Contact us to request a copy of the original announcement.
North Korean Border Opening Updates
We have been providing updates on the North Korea border opening for months.
You can find these border opening updates on our website. You will also find a timescale of North Korea border opening updates as they have been happening since 2023.
Feel free to check back here for past information on North Korea border opening updates.
Samjiyon Tours in North Korea
Samjiyon is the most famous region in North Korea in the winter for tourism and is the home to the country's famous volcanic mountain Mt. Paektu.
In North Korea, it is seen as the birthplace of the revolution and the reputed birthplace of Kim Jong Il. For the South, it is the birthplace of the Korean people. For the whole Korean Peninsula, it is the most significant and sacred place.
Previously difficult to access with few tourist facilities, North Korea has been working for years on the development of this area. Koryo Tours is very excited to be able to visit Samjiyon in December and resume tours to this fascinating location.
After liaising with our partners, we will have a finalised itinerary for the area and more information as well as dates and prices in the coming days and weeks.
Tourist Sites in Samjiyon
Whilst we have not confirmed the itinerary, here are some tourist sites in Samjiyon.
North Korea Tour to Pyongyang
Please note that this announcement is confirmed for December for the Samjiyon area only.
We await further updates on Pyongyang and other areas to open in North Korea.
For now, please have a look at our planned North Korean tours in 2025. click here.
First Available Confirmed North Korean Tour
Our next available North Korean tour departure:
Coming soon.
Koryo Tours
North Korean Tours
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