• Overall

  Koryo Tours are happy to announce our first trip back to North Korea.

  On this Rason tour to North Korea, we will explore one of North Korea's least visited areas. And one of the most interesting and unique. Open a North Korean bank account, visit a Casino, and spend all your winnings at the Rason Market - the only market open to foreign tourists. 

   

  Read more about Rason on our detailed Rason Travel Guide page. 

   

  Rason North Korea

   

  Rason is North Korea's Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Situated in the far northeast of the country, the only part of North Korea that borders both Russia and China (Jilin Province).

  It is one of North Korea's least visited areas, and more logistically difficult to access than other areas in North Korea.

  Rason is used for testing new economic and social policies. The first mobile phone network, the first legal marketplace, and the first card payment system in the country were all tested here.

   

  Rason North Korea Group Tour

   

  Your North Korea tour to Rason will begin in Yanji, China. We can assist with suggestions on travel to Yanji, but it is not included in the booking price. 

  You will then take a drive to the DPRK border and finally enter North Korea, in the Rason Special Economic Zone.

  This is an area that operates differently from the rest of North Korea.

  We will visit the statues of the DPRK’s leader and make a stop at the Golden Triangle Bank to learn about Rason’s unique economic system. Here, you can even open your very own North Korean bank account.

  We will take an evening walk along the seaside at Hae’an Park and enjoy a local beer at a Czech-owned bar.

  You will then have the opportunity to visit the scenic Pipha Island. Here, we will relax by the waterfront or take an optional boat ride to see seals.

  You can learn about local industries at the Ryongpyong Fish Farm and a shoe factory producing various footwear styles. Other stops include the Foreign Language School, where students learn multiple languages, Rajin Port, and the bustling Rason City Market. This is the only market in North Korea open to tourists.

  On the final day, you will travel to Sonbong to explore its revolutionary history and the nearby Russia-DPRK Friendship House. A highlight is the Three Countries Border Viewpoint, offering views of China, Russia, and North Korea.

  After a packed lunch, we cross back into China via the Wonjong Bridge and return to Yanji. 

   

  NOTE: This tour is still in the initial planning stage and dates are not yet set. Itinerary items may change but we expect most to stay the same. 
  
  Bookings are not yet open. Prices are not yet confirmed. 

  Highlights

  • Be one of the first to visit North Korea after the borders have been closed since January 2020.
  • Visit Rason, one of the least visited places in North Korea. 
  • Visit Rajin Market, the only market in North Korea foreigners may visit. 

  click image to expand

• Itinerary

  Day 1 of 3

  1. Day 1

     Yanji to Rason – 2 different worlds!

     AM

     • Briefing TBC.
        
     • Drive from Yanji to Wonjong Bridge on the Sino-Korea border. After Chinese exit- and Korean entry formalities you will find yourself in the Rason (Rajin-Sonbong) Special Economy Zone. Although Rason is part of the DPRK it is administered differently, so even if you are in the DPRK you are still separated from the rest of the country by an internal border.

     PM

     • Drive to Rajin the bigger of the sister cities in Rason SEZ.
        
     • Statues of the DPRK’s Leaders | Situated on a hill behind the hotel and offering a great view over the city and bay.
        
     • Golden Triangle Bank | Here we will learn about the different economic systems of Rason, change money into local won (yes, it is legal, not to be taken out of the country though, you are supposed to spend it), and see actual banking going on, the only place you get to witness this in the DPRK!
        
     • After dinner, have a walk through Hae’an Park at the seaside. In good weather, locals will gather here.
        
     • Czech Beer Bar | Opened with foreign investment. Slake your thirst with a range of made-on-site brews before dinner and overnight in this part of the DPRK.

     Overnight | Namsan Hotel, Rajin. Centrally located and locally famous. Right in the heart of Rajin city.

  2. Day 2

     Rason Special Economic Zone
     
     AM  

     • Drive from Rajin to the nationally famous Pipha Island Area, a scenic spot known to all North Koreans for its beauty.
        
     • Ryongpyong Fish Farm | This is a seafood-producing area after all. Learn how they operate such places here.
        
     • Imperial Hotel | Built with investment from Hong Kong this houses the first casino in the DPRK. Chinese tourists flock here for gambling and you can have a flutter yourself too, or enjoy a coffee and a look around this unexpected place!
        
     • Pipha Island itself | A narrow road links it to the mainland. From here you can take an optional boat ride to see some seals who populate some rocks nearby, relax at the waterfront, or try some local seafood.

     PM

     • Foreign Language School | Here local children learn English, Chinese, and other languages. Step in and help out with some lessons!
        
     • Shoe Factory | Interesting small factory founded by a oversees Korean making various types of shoes (basketball, football, snow boots and many more). Many different designs. 
        
     • Rajin Port | Here you will see what kind of industry is going on; fishing, shipping goods in and out, and look out for some very non-Korean people; one of the three piers is operated by Russians who live on site!
        
     • Rason Revolutionary Site | A 20-minute drive from Rajin City this set of two houses is still occupied but are notable for having been visited by Kim Il Sung, who gave 'on-the-spot guidance' about the lives of fisher folk. There is a nice view of the sea here.
        
     • Rason City Market | The only local market open to tourists in the whole country. Spread out through several buildings find consumer goods, stationery, food, drinks, building materials, bicycles, and everything else a person in Rason would need. You can buy things too if you like – spend local money or RMB. Worth it just for the people-watching opportunity as it can get very busy here indeed!

     Overnight | Namsan Hotel, Rajin

  3. Day 3

     Yanji to Rason – 2 different worlds!

     AM

     • Drive to the nearby city of Sonbong, the smaller of the sister cities in this zone.
        
     • Stop for photos in the centre of Sonbong town | Here there is a theatre, some monuments and mosaics, and an immortality tower too.
        
     • Sonbong Revolutionary Site | Associated with the end of Japanese rule over Korea. The guides will explain the whole story.
        
     • Drive on to Tumangang Town, right up on the Russian and Chinese borders, enjoy a packed lunch in this area.

     PM

     • Visit the Russia-DPRK Friendship house | Exhibit of photos of visits by key figures from the neighbouring countries.
        
     • 3 Countries Border Viewpoint | This picturesque pavilion offers views into China and Russia. From here, you can see how the river divides the nations and also hear about a historical naval battle that a famed Korean admiral directed from this hilltop.
        
     • Next is our final drive in the DPRK, where we head across the northern part of the Rason zone and end up at Wonjong Bridge, the frontier between the DPRK and the PRC. We pass through customs here on the Korean side, take a short ride or walk across the bridge, and then we are back in China, just like that!
        
     • Drive to Yanji | We will get picked up after we enter China. We have a 3-hour drive (with scenic stops) to the Chinese city of Yanji, the capital of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Region. We'll end up here for dinner, drinks to celebrate the end of this adventure, and an overnight stay to bring our tour to a close. Congratulations to you for being with us on this amazing journey!
        
     • Our tour sadly ends tonight and we all bid each other a fond farewell! How you depart from here is up to you; there are trains, planes, buses, etc. Koryo Tours can assist in planning onward travel in this region, back to Beijing, or onward elsewhere (Yanji may seem remote, but you can get to a lot of fascinating places from here without too much difficulty). Drop us a line with how you plan to finish this trip and we’ll help you out!

     Overnight | TBC Hotel, Yanji

• Extras

  • Upgrade to your own room

    All hotel rooms on our all-inclusive group tours feature twin beds, and will be shared. If you'd like a room to yourself then you can upgrade for an extra 40 EUR per night.

    See more

• What is / is not included?

  INCLUDED

  • Yanji — Rason — Yanji bus transfer
  • All meals on the tour in the DPRK
  • Hotel accommodation in the DPRK and 1 night in Yanji
  • Two local Korean guides, and a driver per group
  • A Koryo Tours tour leader
  • All transportation in the DPRK

  NOT INCLUDED

  • DPRK visa fee 60 EUR
  • Optional single room supplement of 40 EUR per night
  • Tips for the local Korean guides and driver (approx. 15 USD per day)
  • Optional activities
  • Meals include a complimentary beer and water, but you will need to purchase extra drinks if needed
  • Spending money on souvenirs

• 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 from what is advertised above. Your tour leader will ensure, however, that everything available at the time is covered, and replacement options are provided where needed. We will also add in extras when there is time (such as a visit to a local bar or amusement park). We visit the DPRK regularly so know all the best places to go, and how to make the most of your days there to guarantee the experience of a lifetime.

  After the tour, we will send out a list of all participants' emails so you can keep in touch, swap photos etc. If you do not wish to be on this list then please let us know.

Please apply by 31st January, 2025.