By North Korea expert Simon Cockerell
Can I travel to North Korea? The big question.
The one question we get more than any other and the key piece of information we have all been waiting for.
The short answer for if you can travel to North Korea is no. North Korea is not currently open to tourism to the general public. We explore fully below.
This is the latest and most up-to-date information about North Korea travel and tourism. All subject to change as soon as the powers-that-be decide to change their minds.
See our full timeline on North Korea travel & updates since 2020.
Tourism in North Korea
Tourism to North Korea closed abruptly in January 2020.
Since that time there have been very few opportunities to visit the country as a tourist. (Specifically - on a tourist visa).
Rason & Tourism
The Rason area (in the far northeast) opened for a few weeks in early 2025.
Russian Tourists
Since February 2024, the country has been open to tourists travelling on Russian passports. These Russian tours visit fewer places and explore less extensively than any tourists were able to before 2020. But they do offer access if you hold a specific passport.
General Tourism now
For everyone else, there is curently no chance at present to visit North Korea as a tourist.
When Will North Korea Open to Tourism?
The second biggest question we get!
Despite rumours, claims, guesses to the contrary, North Korea remains closed to tourism.
There are currently no opening dates established, no criteria for reopening announced, and no confirmed or reliable news available yet.
We at Koryo Tours are in constant contact with our partners in Pyongyang and around the country. As soon as there is any news, we will announce it on our website, on our various social media channels, and on to our newsletter mailing list.
So check out those links to stay fully up to date.
As soon as the DPRK opens again, we will resume our more than 30-year engagement projects with tours, various types of trips, adventures, and more. Trust only those who know the place they are going, and our experience there and our record of access to the country speaks for itself.
Other Opportunities to Visit North Korea
Tourism is not the only way to visit North Korea.
There are also delegation visas, which are issued for various special events. This has been a way in for some in the last couple of years.
An international trade fair had some foreign visitors (after previous iterations of it were cancelled at the last minute), the Pyongyang International Film Festival (PIFF) in 2025 featured some films entered by foreign filmmakers, and accompanied by their creators, as well as having foreign jury members (which Koryo Tours helped to find). This is an option if you are eligible. You need to have a film entered, accepted, and then be invited.
Pyongyang Marathon
The 2025 Pyongyang Marathon saw around 200 amateur athletes enter the country. Sadly, the 2026 Marathon was cancelled. To take part in the marathon you simply need to be willing to participate in one of the races, from 5km to the full marathon.
However, the chances are few, and the associated events have been somewhat unreliable.
The Pyongyang International Marathon remains the best bet while tourism is closed and it will happen in 2027, but the date and all details remain unconfirmed.
Koryo Tours is the only official partner of the Pyongyang International Marathon, so ignore updates on this which are not sourced from us.
Sign up to our Pyongyang Marathon 2027 mailing list for updates on the Pyongyang Marathon.
North Korea Business Visas
These exist, and there have been visitors, mostly from China, entering the country with these in recent months.
However, it is not the case that these are available for people looking to simply visit and are happy to do it on whatever visa they can get.
For a business visa, you need to be invited by a company or organisation that is authorised to do so and who expect to do some actual business with you. It also needs to be one that is not subject to the array of sanctions that exist placed on North Korea by the outside world.
(Frankly and bluntly, this is a non-starter in almost all cases, sorry!)
North Korea Tourism Overview
The current situation means that - aside from some delegation visas for special events, Russian passport holders, and business visas - travel to North Korea is generally not permitted. For the North Korea tourism industry, this is not great news.
However, hopefully you now have the most up-to-date and clear information as we await updates, confirmations, and more information about chances to visit or about tourism resuming in some form.
Stay with us, and stay in touch for more news, and we sincerely hope that you can travel to North Korea with Koryo Tours on the best tours it is possible to take to the world’s most fascinating and complicated country…soon!
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Simon Cockerell
Simon has been Koryo’s General Manager since 2002. He has travelled to North Korea more than 175 times and has probably been to the country more than any other Westerner. He is a respected speaker on the country and appears regularly in international media. He is also a tour specialist in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and the Russian Far East where he has personally designed and led multiple tours over the years.