Itinerary for Special tour 2 " 2 Koreas and China" 30 Sep-12/13 Oct 2011

Important! The itinerary below is a PRELIMINARY one. Korea Konsult reserves the right to change some parts of the itinerary below if needed. Eventual itinerary changes are beyond our control.

Last update for this tour: May 12, 2011

Day 1, September 30 (Fri)

a) Arrival in Beijing by flight from your home country. Please take a taxi (taxi cost is about 8-10 Euros) from the airport to Beijing Soluxe Courtyard  Hotel****   www.soluxecourtyardhotel.com It is a very cute traditional hotel, your best choice for experiencing traditional oriental culture and Chinese folk custom.

b) Arrival at the hotel, check-in. Please give your name at the front desk to get your room key.

 c) 5:30 pm - we meet together in the lobby. Pick-up from the hotel by coach, drive to one of Beijing's best Mongolian Restaurants (Inner Mongolia style) . 

d) Dinner. Performance: Mongolian folk songs. 

e) Return to the hotel.

Day 2, October 1 (Sat) China’s National Day 

a) After breakfast we start our city tour with a visit to Tiananmen Square-the largest square in the world. It will be beautifully decorated for the National Day celebrations.

b) Chairman Mao's Mausoleum

c) Visit to the magnificent Forbidden City which was the palace for 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

d) Lunch 

e) In the afternoon, we visit the Temple of Heaven which was originally used by the Ming and Qing emperors to pay homage to Heaven and to pray for a year of rich harvest.

f) Traditional Chinese dinner in downtown Beijing.

g) Watching fireworks on the occasion of the National Day

Day 3, October 2 (Sun)

a) Breakfast at the hotel. Bus excursion to the Great Wall (Juyongguang). Juyongguan Pass is located in an 18 kilometer-long valley called "Guangou" which is inside Changping County more than 50 kilometers from Beijing City. It is one of the three greatest passes of the Great Wall of China. Spectacular views!!!

b) Lunch

c) Drive to the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) (UNESCO World Heritage since 2003).The Ming Tombs were discovered by accident only in the 20th century in the construction site of a local power plant. Only three of the tombs are actually opened for viewing. Treasures found inside the tombs are now on display for the public. Among the treasures is the famous blue and white Ming porcelain.

d) Back to Beijing. Dinner at Beijing Roast Duck Restaurant.

 Day 4, October 3 (Mon)

a) After breakfast transfer to the airport and departure by flight to Seoul (South Korea) by CZ 317 at 08.20 am.

b) Arrival in Seoul at 11.30 am, transfer to the Best Western hotel**** in downtown Seoul. Hotel's website: http://www.hotelkukdo.com/

c) Free time.

d) We have a Korean dinner and then go to the Nanta Show and their special performance of Cooking. This wild and funny percussion performance has won international rewards and acclaim: http://www.i-pmc.co.kr

 Day 5,October 4 (Tue) Full day tour to the DMZ and Panmunjom

Note:
1) You should carry your passport during this day tour.
2) Special dress code is applicable. The following clothing is not allowed: sleeveless shirt, T-shirt, tank-top, jeans (all colours), all shorts and short pants, short skirts, excessively revealing clothes, transparent clothes, sandals, bathroom slippers, military clothes.

a) Breakfast at the hotel. Departure by bus to Imjingak. Imjingak is a park developed right after the announcement of the Inter-Korean Declaration 1971 and today many various remains from the Korean War are exhibited there. Imjingak is the northernmost place that's accessible without a special pass.

b) View on Freedom Bridge (thousands of prisoners crossed the bridge after the Korean War, hence its name).

c) Unification Bridge (passport control)

d) Visit of the 3rd Tunnel build by North Korea. The 1635 m long tunnel was discovered in 1978 and is located only 52 km from Seoul, 435 meters from the southern demarcation line of the DMZ. Fully armed soldiers can cross the tunnel within an hour.

e) DMZ Exhibition/Theater in the 3rd Tunnel area.

f) Drive to Dora Observatory. It is the northernmost observatory in South Korea located within the DMZ. Visitors can oversee civilian life of the North through naked eyes. Streets of the North Korean city of Kaesong and Kim Il Sung's bronze statue can be observed through the telescopes.

g) Drive to Dorasan Station, the northernmost railway station in South Korea located only 30 meters from the Southern Boundary Line. Many South Koreans say that "it is not the last station from the South, but the first station from the North". At this station you may even buy a symbolic train ticket to Pyongyang (North Korea).

h) Visit of the Unification village located north of the Civilian Passage Restriction Line. This village is occupied by discharged soldiers and residents living near the border. A Farm Produce Mall is run to sell/buy farm produce grown in the vicinity.

i) Unification Bridge (passport control)

j) Korean lunch (Bulgogi)

k) Drive further to Camp Bonifas. It is the base camp for the United Nations Command Security Force - Joint Security Area (JSA). We receive a detailed briefing prior to visiting Panmunjom (JSA).

l) Arrival in Panmunjom, Freedom House, view of the North, picture taking.

m) Visit of the Military Armistice Commission building. The Military Demarcation line goes through the middle of the room and the building itself has 2 doors - one to the North and the other to the South. During our visit the door to the North will be blocked by South Korean soldiers, however we will enter through this door when we visit Panmunjom during our stay in North Korea.

n) Drive to the "Bridge Of No Return", the spot where all prisoners of war were repatriated after the end of the Korean War. For a long time it was the only ground link between Seoul and Pyongyang. In 1968 the crew of the USS Pueblo returned from North Korea across this bridge.

o) Drive back to Seoul, dinner.

 Day 6,October 5 (Wed)

a) After breakfast we visit the Kyongbuk Palace - the royal residence of fifteen monarchs of Korea's Choson dynasty.

b) Presidential Palace.War Memorial of Korea. This building is constructed on the former site of the Korean Army Headquarters. More than 13,000 items are displayed in its six halls under different themes. One of the main themes is the Korean War (1950-53) which was the most tragic war in Korean history.

c) Lunch at Suraon with Korean dance performance.

d) We visit Tekno Market in Seoul - prices are about 30% lower than in Europe.

e) Insadong Antique street (Korean souvenirs, handicraft etc)

f) Dinner at your own expense

Day 7, October 6 (Thu)

a) Breakfast at the hotel.

b) Free time. You discover Seoul on your own. We can recommend a visit of Dongdaemun market for shopping, Hanok Folk Village or a cruise on Han River for sightseeing.  It can be interesting as well to visit Itaewon. Itaewon was popular with foreigners in the past due to its proximity to the US Army base. Today this area is full of different small shops, shopping centers, restaurants, entertainment facilities etc.

c) Lunch and dinner at your own expense.

Day 8, October 7 (Fri)

a) Departure by flight CZ 318 to Beijing at 12.30 pm, arrival at 13.20 local time, transfer to Beijing Soluxe Courtyard  Hotel. Free time.

b) Lunch and dinner at your own expense.

Day 9, October 8 (Sat)

a) After breakfast transfer to the airport and departure by flight JS 152 to Pyongyang (North Korea) at 13.00.

b) Arrival in Pyongyang at 16.00 local time, transfer to Pyongyang, city sightseeing including Arch of Triumph.

c) Check-in at the hotel Yanggakdo International**** beautifully located in the middle of Taedong river.

d) Dinner at the hotel.

e) Incredible Mass Gymnastics Show of 100,000 performers - Arirang Mass Games. It will be hosted at Pyongyang May Day Stadium, one of the biggest sport arenas in the World. Important! The show date is preliminary and is subject to change The price of the ticket i is not included in the tour price and should be paid directly in Pyongyang before the show starts (from 80 Euro per ticket).

Day 10, October 9 (Sun)

a) Visit to the Kumsusan Memorial Palace - the Mausoleum of President Kim Il-Sung (tourists must follow a strict dress code - no shorts, no blue jeans and mini-skirts, no T-shirts).

b)  Visit to the Korean War Museum where you can hear and watch the North Korean version of this bloody war 1950-1953. On the museum’s top floor a big rotating war panorama can be seen – a real masterpiece from Korean painters and sculptors. 

c) Drive to Sariwon city (60 km from Pyongyang) and walk on Folk Custom street where we try one of the local drinks. Visit of Mount Jongbang and Songbul Temple.

d) Picnic lunch

e) Drive to Migok cooperative farm outside Sariwon. Visiting peasant houses, rice fields.

f) Back to Pyongyang, dinner

Day 11, October 10 (Mon) Worker's Party of Korea 66th Anniversary

a) Breakfast. Mansudae Grand Monuments on Mansu Hill. On this big holiday day many Koreans come to pay their respect to the bronze statue of the great Leader

b) Ride on Pyongyang Metro

d) Worker Party Foundation Monuments.

e) After lunch walk in Moranbong Park (many Koreans spend a holiday day there. In the midlle of the park - Soviet Army monument)

f) Visit to the American spy ship USS Pueblo, captured by North Koreans in 1968. The 1,000-ton ship, equipped with various kinds of arms and sophisticated reconnaissance facilities, was boarded by 81 U.S. seamen and had been captured just by 7 Korean seamen. Hopefully you meet one of them on this ship. Although the ship's crew were repatriated after a lengthy negotiation, North Korea kept the ship as a war trophy.

g) A visit to the International Book Store and Stamp Shop- good choice of stamps, propaganda books, tapes, CDs, DVDs, (much cheaper than at your hotel).

h) ) Mass Dance Evening on the occasion of the Worker's Party of Korea Anniversary involving several thousand Koreans.

Day 12, October 11 (Tue)

a) Drive to the DMZ and Panmunjom (1953 Armistice village). Our guide force is increased by several North Korean officers who show us around Panmunjom. Together we inspect the Demilitarized Zone and the Military Museum on the 38th parallel.

b) Trip to Kaesong (capital of Korea up to the 15 th century, which and today is the ginseng cultivation center), located just 8 km from the Demilitarized Zone dividing the 2 Koreas) .

c)  Reunification street, walk in Janamsan Park from which the beautiful panorama of the old Kaesong can be admired.

d) Lunch at Tongil restaurant in Kaesong. "Tongil" means "Reunification" in Korean.

e)  Drive back to Pyongyang. Visit to a Middle School. You can even visit classrooms and assist at several lessons. The visit ends with a music and dance performance.

f) Farewell dinner at Duck Barbecue restaurant

Day 13, October 12 (Wed)

Breakfast. Transfer to the railway station and departure to Beijing at 10.10 a.m. One night on the train.

Sightseeing: the railway bridge over Yalu-river is at the same time the North Korean border to China. When crossing this bridge, we see another bridge destroyed by the Korean War. China rebuilt its half of the bridge but North Korea intentionally did not. Instead they wanted to leave the bridge in ruins (just piles are seen) as a monument to the Korean War.

Day 14, October 13 (Thu)

Arrival in Beijing at 08.33 am.

Important! We recommend you don’t book any connection flights/trains from Beijing before 5-6 pm on the same day. It is best to plan the departure from Beijing the day after the train arrival. Please note that Korea Konsult may NOT be held responsible for any flight or train delay.

On your request we can book a hotel  in Beijing for the night 13/14 October in the walking distance from the Railway Station, for example Howard Johnson Paragon Hotel**** or  Tiantangyangguang Hotel***. Hotel rates to be confirmed.

Tour prices:

a) Full tour including China, South/North Korea - 2598 Euro per person

b) Tour including only South and North Korea - 2238 Euros per person

c) Tour including only South Korea - 1058 Euros per person

Included in the tour price:

• A round-trip airplane/train ticket Beijing-Seoul-Beijing-Pyongyang-Beijing (price options "a" and "b") , round-trip airplane ticket Beijing-Seoul-Beijing (price option "c")
• First-class (4 star) twin-share accommodation in Beijing, Seoul and Pyongyang, 3 star accomodation outside Pyongyang
• All meals specified in the tour itinerary
• All local transfers and bus excursions (transfers in China are not included in the price options "b" and "c")
• The services of English-speaking guides
• Tickets to all museums, exhibitions, and performances included in the itinerary

Not included in the tour price:

• The North Korean visa fee (30-80 Euro depending on place of visa issuance)
• The Chinese visa fee (double entry visa is required for this tour)
• International airplane/train tickets to/from Beijing from your home town
• Meals in the train Pyongyang-Beijing
• ev. single room supplement (40 Euro per person and night in China and North Korea, 50 Euros per person and night in South Korea)
• ev. art or circus performance in North Korea (from 10 Euro)