Itinerary for "Victory Day short tour" 26-30/31 July 2012

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: 3 July 2011

Day 1, July 26 (Thu)

a) Departure from Beijing by Air Koryo flight JS 252 at 14.00 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 17.00 local time, transfer to Pyongyang, city sightseeing including Arch of Triumph, Grand Mansudae Monuments on Mansu Hill.
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.

Day 2, July 27 (Fri) 59th Anniversary of Armistice in the Korean War

a) After breakfast visit of the Juche Tower and surrounding monuments. Elevator to the top of the tower to enjoy the magnificent view of Pyongyang (optional, 5 Euro p/p).
b) Ride on Pyongyang Metro.
c) Walking & Picnic Lunch at Ryongaksan park.  Walk in Moranbong Park, favorite place for many Koreans to spend a free day.
d) 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).
e) Mass Dance on the occasion of the Victory Day involving several thousand Koreans
f) Rakwon Department Store
g) Dinner at Mangyongdae Tourism Restaurant.

Day 3, July 28 (Sat)

a) 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) Pyongyang Maternity Hospital
d) Lunch at Boat Restaurant Pyongyang Nr 1 on Taedong river.
e) Korean Film Studio - North Korea's version of Hollywood. Something not to be missed ! 
f) Mansudae Art Studio - possibility to buy Korean ceramics, embroidery, paintings etc.
g) Korean Art Gallery - collection of paintings, sculptures etc from ancient to modern times.
h) Dinner at Chongryu Hot Pot Restaurant

Day 4, July 29 (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) 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 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.
c) Lunch at Tongil restaurant in Kaesong. "Tongil" means "Reunification" in Korean.
d) Walk in Janamsan Park from which the beautiful panorama of the old Kaesong can be admired.
e) 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.
f) Back to Pyongyang.
g) Farewell Dinner at Duck Barbecue Restaurant

Day 5, July 30 (Mon)

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 6, July 31 (Tue)

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 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.