Itinerary for "Liberation Day short tour " 13-18/19 August 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 after the group arrival in the DPRK are beyond our control.

Last update for this tour: Nov 4, 2010

Day 1, August 13 (Sat)

a) Departure from Beijing by Air Koryo flight JS 152 at 13.00 am from TERMINAL 2 (Beijing Capital Airport). All passengers should arrive to the airport at least 2 hours before the flight's departure.

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. Room on a high floor. A magnificent view is guaranteed!

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 2, August 14 (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) Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery

c) After lunch visit of Mansudae Grand Monuments on Mansu Hill.

f) Juche Tower and surrounding monuments. Elevator to the top of the tower to enjoy the magnificent view of Pyongyang (optional, 5 Euro p/p).

g) Trip via Nampo city to Ryonggang Hot Spa Hotel. Check-in, cure bath (private jacuzzi with hot mineral water in each hotel room).

Day 3, August 15 (Mon) 66th Anniversary of the country liberation from the Japanese rule

a) After breakfast drive to Nampo - an important seaport in the DPRK. Excursion to the West Sea Barrage and the Museum of Barrage Construction, an interesting documentary is shown.

b) Drive over the barrage to Kuwol Mountains and then to Sincheon County. Stop In one of small towns to visit the famous museum of "US crimes" where we will be able to see the materials and evidences of crimes committed by American soldiers under the 50-days occupation of this area by the US-army.

c) 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). Visit of King Kongmin Tomb. This twin tomb dates from around 1352 and belongs to a monarch of the Koryo dynasty and his wife. Really beautiful and idyllic place to visit.

d) Mass Dance in Kaesong on the occasion of the Liberation Day.

e) Dinner at a traditional restaurant and overnight at Folk Custom Hotel (sleep on the floor, Korean traditional style).

Day 4, August 16 (Tue)

a) After breakfast 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) Return to Kaesong. Walk in Janamsan Park from which the beautiful panorama of the old Kaesong can be admired.

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

d) Drive back to Pyongyang via Sariwon city (60 km from the DPRK capital) and walk on Folk Custom street where we try one of the local drinks. Visit of Mount Jongbang.

e) Visit of Migok cooperative farm outside Sariwon. Visiting peasant houses, rice fields.

f) Drive back to Pyongyang, dinner at Hot Pot Restaurant.

Day 5, August 17 (Wed)

a) After breakfast visit of 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. 

b) 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.

c) Korea Art Gallery - collection of paintings, sculptures etc from ancient to modern times.

d) Lunch on the No.1 boat Pyongyang on Taedong River

e) Grand People Study House - DPRK’s biggest library and educational centre located on the North Korea main square – Kim Il Sung’s square.

f) Pyongyang Embroidery Institute.

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

h) Farewell dinner at Duck Barbecue Restaurant

Day 6, August 18 (Thu)

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 7, August 19 (Fri)

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 the best to plan your 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.