FAQ: What are group tours to North Korea?

We run about 60 group tours to North Korea (DPRK) every year, with our in-house experts using their experience to decide upon the best itineraries and dates in advance. Tours are scheduled throughout the year in every season. We have specialty tours for the Pyongyang Marathon in April and North Korea's Mass Games (confirmed for September 2018). Our tours are designed to cover a variety of interests, and provide you with the widest selection of choice possible, while also showing you the highlights of the country.

Those interested in joining one of these group tours can do so, as long as you complete your application and pay a deposit before the set deadline — this is usually around a month before the tour’s departure. Unfortunately at this time, we are unable to take those traveling on US or South Korea (ROK) passport holders (see here for more details for US passport holders).

Numbers are capped at 20 people per group for our regular tours and 25 per group for our budget tours (unless stated otherwise). Once we reach this number, in most cases we can simply add a second group. We send a Koryo Tours tour leader with every group. Each of our groups is also accompanied by at least two professional Korean guides and has its own bus and driver.

A Koryo Tours group at Mt. Chilbo. Photo by Carl De Keyzer.

FAQ: Why choose a group tour with Koryo Tours?

— Our tour leaders are chosen for their experience traveling and leading tours in North Korea as well as passion and interest for the country itself. As a company we have been traveling to North Korea since 1993. Our core staff have accumulated over 75 years combined experience interacting with North Korean not only in the tourism industry, but also cultural projects, including films and books, and humanitarian work. Our tour leaders include the most frequent traveler to North Korea (175+ trips and counting) and six tour leaders who have lived as foreign residents in Pyongyang for teaching or study.

— Group travel is a great way to bring down the cost of visiting North Korea, which becomes a more expensive undertaking without having the numbers of travellers needed to help bring the price down.

— We recognise most people who come with us are very independent, and not used to group travel. But travel to North Korea is different, of course, and our customers often say how happy they are to meet so many like-minded, interesting people. Our customers come from a range of backgrounds, nationalities, and ages, each bringing their own experience and perspective to the tour.

— You can sign up to one of our group tours confident in the knowledge that the itinerary has been carefully developed by one of Koryo’s expert team in such a way as to make sure you see and do as much as possible, and get the most out of your trip to North Korea.

If you think a group tour is for you then the next step is to take a look at the list of available options on our group tours page. Once you’ve chosen your group tour simply hit the "Book This Tour" button, and fill out the application form. A tour manager will then be in touch to let you know to proceed with your booking.

Still not convinced? Why not try a tailor-made private independent tour. And, of course, please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

Updated 04 August 2018.