Itinerary for "National Day short tour" 8-12/13 September 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: 24 October, 2011

Day 1, September 8 (Sat)

a) Departure from Beijing by Air Koryo flight JS 152 at 13.00 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 16.00 local time, transfer to Pyongyang, city sightseeing including Arch of Triumph and Mansudae Grand 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.
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 (Sun) National Day, 64th Anniversary of DPRK

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) Lunch
d) Ride on Pyongyang Metro
e) Walk in Moranbong Park, favorite place for many Koreans to spend a free day.. In the middle 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) Juche Tower and surrounding monuments. Take the elevator to the top to enjoy the magnificent view of Pyongyang (optional, 5 Euro p/p).
h) Mass Dances expected on the occasion of the National Day involving several thousand Koreans
i) Dinner at Chongryu Hot Pot Restaurant.

Day 3, September 10 (Mon)

a) After breakfast 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).
b) 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.
c) 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) Back to Pyongyang
f) 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. 
g) Dinner at Mangyongdae Tourist Restaurant

Day 4, September 11 (Tue)

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
e) Back to Pyongyang
f) Pyongyang Schoolchildren’s Palace - fantastic music and dance performance by Korean children.
g) Farewell Dinner at Duck Barbecue Restaurant

Day 5, September 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 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 (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 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.