Itinerary for "National Day short tour" 8-12/13 September 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, September 8 (Thu)

a) Departure from Beijing by Air Koryo flight JS 252 at 14.00 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.

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, September 9 (Fri) National Day, 63rd Anniversary of DPRK

a) Breakfast. Mansudae Grand Monuments on Mansu Hill.

b) Ride on Pyongyang Metro

c) Juche Tower and surrounding monuments. Take the elevator to the top to enjoy the magnificent view of Pyongyang (optional, 5 Euro p/p).

d) Worker Party Foundation Monuments.

e) Ater 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) Mass Dance on the occasion of the National Day involving several thousand Koreans

   
Day 3, September 10 (Sat)

a) Departure to Myohyangsan mountains (170 km from Pyongyang).

b) International Friendship Exhibition (impressive exhibition of gifts from foreigners to President Kim Il-Sung and the leader Kim Jong-Il.)

c) Buddhist temple Bohyon.

d) Lunch at Hyangsan Hotel.

e) Return 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) Dinner at Hot Pot restaurant.

Day 4, September 11 (Sun)

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) 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). 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) Back to Pyongyang. Dinner at Duck Barbecue Restaurant

Day 5, September 12 (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 during the Korean War. China rebuilt its half of the bridge but North Korea intentionally did not. Instead they wanted to leave bridge in ruins (just piles are seen) as a monument to the Korean War.

Day 6, September 13 (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 the 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.