GROUP TOURS
Visit The DPRK offer a number of curated group tours throughout the year which are capped at a maximum of 10 people. In our minds this helps avoid it being too much like a group tour and gives more chance for interaction with the DPR Koreans that we meet. While we welcome people of all political persuasions we do insist that all visitors show respect to the DPRK and its institutions. Many of our guests are interested in the political system of the country, so if you feel this is not for you, or you cannot show due respect then Visit the DPRK are probably not the company for you. Currently the DPRK is (still) closed to tourism, so while we cannot yet give fixed dates, we can offer the following example itineraries. It is currently hoped that the country will reopen for April of 2025.
DPRK Classic Tour – DPRK Mountains To the Sea Tour
DPRK Classic Tour
The following is the standard DPRL classic tour with options to go in, or out by train. This tour has us seeing all the main sites inNorth Korea that are currently available to tourists.
Day 1 – Beijing, China
Meet your YPT guide at 1:30 PM at the Beijing Zhong Gu Hotel near Beijing Railway Station. Get your DPRK visas, tickets, and tour details. Meet fellow travelers and ask any questions. Train travelers: Leave with your guide at 5:26 PM on the overnight sleeper train to Pyongyang.
Day 2 – Beijing to Pyongyang, DPRK
• Train travelers: Arrive in Dandong at 7:35 AM for Chinese border control. Continue to Sinuiju at 10:30 AM for DPRK border checks. Enjoy countryside views before arriving in Pyongyang at 6:45 PM.
• Flight travelers: Meet YPT staff at 9:00 AM at Beijing Capital Airport (Terminal 2). Depart at 12:00 PM and arrive in Pyongyang at 3:00 PM.
• Enjoy dinner on Ryomyong Street and check into the Yanggakdo Hotel.
Day 3 – Pyongyang
Morning
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Walk from Pyongyang Grand Theatre to Kim Il Sung Square.
• Visit the Foreign Language Bookshop, Mansudae Fountain Park, and Mansudae Grand Monument (optional flowers: 40 RMB/5 euros).
• Explore the Grand People’s Study House with great city views.
Afternoon
• Lunch at KITC restaurant (try Pyongyang Cold Noodles or Bibimbap).
• Visit the Korean War Museum and USS Pueblo.
• Ride the Pyongyang Metro (6 stops) and see the Arch of Triumph.
• Visit the Monument to the Party Foundation and Juche Tower (optional top entry: 40 RMB/5 euros).
• Stop at Kwangbok Department Store to browse local goods and use DPRK Won.
• Enjoy drinks at Hwasong Beer Bar.
• Dinner at a Korean Hot Pot restaurant.
• Overnight at Yanggakdo Hotel.
Day 4 – Pyongyang to Mt. Myohyang
Morning
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Visit Kumsusan Palace of the Sun (mausoleum of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il).
• Stop at the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery.
Afternoon
• Lunch at a Korean BBQ restaurant.
• Drive 2.5 hours to Mt. Myohyang.
• Hike Manpok Valley, exploring waterfalls and unique rock formations.
• Check into Hyangsan Hotel, a luxury five-star hotel with great amenities.
• Dinner and overnight at Hyangsan Hotel.
Day 5 – Mt. Myohyang to Pyongyang
Morning
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Visit the International Friendship Exhibition, showcasing gifts to DPRK leaders.
• Explore Pohyon Temple, one of Korea’s largest Buddhist temples.
Afternoon
• Lunch at Hyangsan Hotel.
• Drive back to Pyongyang with a stop at Ryongmun Cavern (bring a jacket!).
• Dinner in downtown Pyongyang.
• Evening walk across the Taedong River for a view of May Day Stadium.
• Optional visit to Kaeson Funfair (20 RMB/2 euros).
• Overnight at Yanggakdo Hotel.
Day 6 – Pyongyang to Beijing
Morning
Breakfast at the hotel. Flight travelers: Depart at 9:00 AM on Air Koryo, arriving in Beijing at 10:00 AM. Train travelers: Depart Pyongyang at 10:25 AM on the overnight train.
Day 7 – Beijing
Morning
• Train travelers arrive at Beijing Railway Station at 8:40 AM.
• Tour ends.
DPRK From The Mountains to The Sea Tour
The following is our example from the Mountains to The Sea Tour, which has us doing everything possible in Pyongyang as well as heading to the mountains and the nachos of Wonsan. This is our extended tour and lasts for two extra days to our classic tour.
Day 1 – Beijing, China
• Meet your Visit Guide at 1:30pm at the Beijing Zhong Gu Hotel, near Beijing Railway Station. During this meeting, we’ll go through the tour itinerary, tourist regulations, distribute DPRK visas and tickets, and give you a chance to meet fellow travelers and ask any questions you may have about the DPRK.
• Train members: Follow your Visit Guide to Beijing Railway Station for the 5:26pm departure on the overnight sleeper train to Pyongyang.
Day 2 – Beijing – Pyongyang, DPRK
• Train members arrive in Dandong at 7:35am for Chinese border control, then depart to Sinuiju at 10:30am for the DPRK border control. Continue the journey to Pyongyang and enjoy the scenic countryside.
• Flight members: Meet the Visit Guide at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 at the Air Koryo check-in counter at 9:00am for the 12:00pm flight, arriving in Pyongyang at 3:00pm, where you’ll be warmly welcomed by your Korean guides.
• Train members arrive in Pyongyang at 6:45pm, also to a warm welcome.
• Dinner at a local restaurant on Ryomyong street, a newly developed residential area with modern buildings.
• Check-in and overnight at the Yanggakdo Hotel.
Day 3 – Pyongyang
Morning
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
• Morning walk along Pyongyang’s main avenue, from Pyongyang Grand Theatre to Kim Il Sung Square.
• Explore Kim Il Sung Square, where military parades have taken place.
• Visit the Foreign Language Bookshop for North Korean books, magazines, pins, and other collectables.
• Walk through Mansudae Fountain Park to see mosaics of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il.
• Visit the Mansudae Grand Monument to see the large bronze statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il (optional extra: flowers can be presented for 40RMB or 5 euros).
• Grand People’s Study House, a library and academic centre, offering a great view of the central square.
Afternoon
• Lunch at the KITC restaurant in Mangyongdae District, where you can try Pyongyang’s famous Cold Noodles or Bibimbap.
• Visit the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, guided by a Korean People’s Army officer.
• USS Pueblo, the only US naval vessel held captive by another nation, and a key site in the 1968 incident.
• Ride the Pyongyang Metro, one of the deepest underground metro systems in the world, with 6 stops.
• Exit at the Arch of Triumph, the second-largest Victory Arch in the world.
• Visit the Monument to the Party Foundation, celebrating the Workers’ Party of Korea’s 50th anniversary.
• Juche Tower, the second tallest stone tower in the world, representing the Korean Juche Ideology(optional extra to visit the top for 40RMB or 5 euros).
• Stop by Kwangbok Department Store, Pyongyang’s busiest department store, to browse North Korean goods.
• Visit Hwasong Beer Bar for local brews and drinks.
• Dinner at the Korean Hot Pot restaurant.
• Overnight at the Yanggakdo Hotel.
Day 4 – Pyongyang – Mt. Myohyang
Morning
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
• Visit the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the mausoleum of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
• Revolutionary Martyr’s Cemetery, where the greatest anti- Japanese revolutionary fighters are buried.
Afternoon
• Lunch at Pyongyang’s famous Korean BBQ Restaurant.
• Drive to Mt. Myohyang, a 2.5-hour journey north of Pyongyang.
• Explore Manpok Valley, with a gentle hike along the river, waterfalls, and unique rock formations. For those energetic, a hike to the top offers stunning views.
• Check-in at the Hyangsan Hotel, a luxurious five-star hotel with an indoor pool, spa, and revolving restaurant.
• Dinner, drinks, and overnight at the Hyangsan Hotel.
Day 5 – Mt. Myohyang – Pyongyang
Morning
• Breakfast at the hotel.
• Visit the International Friendship Exhibition, showcasing gifts presented to the leaders of the DPRK.
• Visit Pohyon Temple, one of the largest Buddhist temples in the DPRK.
Afternoon
• Lunch at the Hyangsan Hotel.
• Drive back to Pyongyang, stopping at Ryongmun Cavern, a famous cave complex with stunning stalactites and stalagmites.
• Return to Pyongyang for dinner downtown.
• Evening stroll along the Taedong River, with a perfect photo opportunity of May Day Stadium.
• Check-in at the Yanggakdo Hotel.
• Visit Kaeson Funfair, the DPRK’s amusement park (optional entry for 20RMB or 2 euros).
• Overnight at the Yanggakdo Hotel.
Day 6 – Pyongyang – Wonsan
Morning
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
• Walk along Hwasong Street, a major construction project with futuristic designs and modern skyscrapers.
• Visit Mansudae Art Studio, where state monuments and portraits are created.
• Visit the Korean Film Studio, where over a thousand North Korean films were produced.
Afternoon
• Lunch at the VIP restaurant bar inside Pyongyang Sunan International Airport.
• Fly to Kalma International Airport in Wonsan, a world-class airport opened in 2015.
• Check-in at Kalma Tourist Resort, the largest tourism project in the DPRK, with high-rise hotels, beach villas, and a golf course.
• Dinner and overnight at the Kalma Tourist Resort.
Day 7 – Wonsan – Pyongyang
Morning
• Breakfast at the resort.
• Explore Wonsan central square and visit the DPRK Mangyongbong-92 cruise ship.
• Visit the Railway Station Revolutionary site with a WWII Japanese steam locomotive.
• Visit Songdowan International Children’s Union Camp, a summer camp for both DPRK and international children.
• Walk to Chok Islet, a popular spot for fishing and BBQ (optional seafood for 40RMB or 5 euros extra).
Day 8 – Pyongyang – Beijing
Morning
• Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
• Flight members: Head to Pyongyang Sunan International Airport for the 9:00am Air Koryo flight, arriving in Beijing at 10:00am.
• Train members: Head to Pyongyang Railway Station for the 10:25am overnight sleeper train.
Day 9 – Beijing
Morning
• Train members arrive at Beijing Railway Station at 8:40am.
• Tour concludes.
