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North Korea

Day 1. BeijingQ Pyongyang (Dinner)

 
Yanggakdo International Hotel ★★
   
This morning we will together head to Beijing Airport Terminal 2 for our flight Beijing to Pyongyang (1.5 hrs) - the showcase capital of the DPRK with a population of approximately 3 million.Planned flight JS152 (1300/1530), Upon arrival in Pyongyang (approximately 4pm - DPRK is one hour ahead of China), we proceed through immigration and customs and meet our guides who will accompany us during our stay. First we will visit the Arch of Triumph –bigger than the one in Paris. Important in Korean history as the first place President Kim Il Sunggave a triumphal speech to the Korean people after the surrender of the Japanese. Then we will take a walk on Kim Il Sung Square - Pyongyang’s largest square in the heart of the city.The square has a great cultural significance, as it is a common gathering place for rallies, dances and military parades and is often featured in media concerning the DPRK. From here we walk to the Foreign Languages Bookshop- read up on what you are seeing here and buy your gifts, do some night time reading, then we walk toPyongyang Grand Theatre- another chance to walk with locals in the downtown. Overnight Yanggakdo International Hotel, one of the deluxe-class hotels, Pyongyang, in DPRK located on an island in the River Taedong which flows through the middle of the city.

 

 

 

 

Day 2.  Pyongyang/Kaesong (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 
Kaesong Folk Hotel 
   

After an early breakfast, we’ll visit the Mansudae Grand Monument - statues of DPRK leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il flanked by powerful sculptures telling the story of the anti-Japanese War, the rebuilding of the country and finally the Korean War. President Kim Il Sung's statue has been here since 1972 but General Kim Jong Il's was added in 2012 on the occasion of President Kim Il Sung's 100th birthday. This is a very important place for Koreans and visitors are requested to follow the local custom and bow in front of the statues after placing down a bouquet of flowers. Then we will go deep underground for a ride on the Pyongyang Metro - the deepest underground system in the world and the designs of the main stations are stunning with superb lighting and mosaics. We start at Puhung (Rehabilitation) Station, and then take the train to the next station Yonggwang (Glory). Here we get off to take pictures before getting back on the train and going through 3 stops and getting off at the fourth, which is Kaeson (Triumphant Return). A total of six stations. A great chance to have interaction with the locals if you are prepared to learn basic greetings in Korean - and if you meet students, you can get them to greet you in English! We then go to theGrand People’s Study House.This is an enormous library/place of study (originally designed for the people who had missed an education due to the war) and has a great view over Kim Il Sung Square. We will tour the lecture rooms (complete with tables designed by President Kim Il Sung to aid study) and hopefully get to see a few classes. After lunch, we take a 2.5 hour drive south to Kaesong, an historical city near the DMZ which avoided being destroyed in the Korean War as it was chosen as the place for armistice talks. Kaesong was also a capital of Koryo Dynasty, 1st unified kingdom in the Korean history and an original place ofGinseng products, special product of DPRK. There is a service station halfway where we will stop for a rest. This is a popular place for tourists to take photos of themselves standing in the middle of this empty highway. Upon arrival in Kaesong, we take a short drive 14 KM to theTomb of King Gongmin, which is a 14th-century tomb located in Haeson, just outside the city of Kaesong, it is one of the royal tombs of the Koryo Dynasty. We then take a walk at the Concrete Wall of DMC, in the evening, we check in at Kaesong Folk Hotel

 

 

 

 

Day 3. Kaesong/Pyongyang (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 
Yanggakdo International Hotel ★★
   

After breakfast, we take a short drive (approx. 15 minutes) to Panmunjom/DMZwhere North and South Korea continue their decades old face-off. It is possible to go into one of the huts that straddle the demarcation line and actually cross over into South Korea! This is one of the few places you can take pictures of - and even with - members of the DPRK military.Next we head back into Kaesong and visit the Kaesong Koryo Museum,which is a beautiful old Confucian University, to learn about the history of the area. There is also a collection of steles and pavilions from around the area.We will afterwards take a visit of the Sonjuk Bridge, a Koryo-dynasty stone bridge, one of national protected heritage, which is built in 1290 and where the loyal official and famous Confucian scholar was assassinated. After lunch we will head back to Pyongyang. Upon arrival, we will visit the Korea War Museum;visit the newly openedVictorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum (Korean War Museum). In 2012 it was closed for renovation and opened again in July 2013 doubled in size. It is also the site of the USS Pueblo - the US spy ship was captured in 1968. There will be a chance to meet one of the sailors who was involved in the capture of this ship. Hear a first-hand account of what happened. In the museum, 360-degree diorama of the Battle of Daejon, and many destroyed planes and tanks from American and South Korean army are exhibited here. We then go to visit the Bowling center and Funfair and take a look of the local people’s life.

 

 

 

 

Day 4.  Pyongyang/Wonsan/Mt Kumgang (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 
Kumgang Hotel ★★★
   

Today we drive to Wonsan, it is 200 KM by high way, and it takes around 3 hours to arrive there. Wonsan is a attractive port cityin east coast of North Korea. Today it is a famous summer resort for local people with pristine sandy beaches, we will stop at the Cooperative Farm, and have a chance to learn about farming system in DPRK, which is a big settlement with accommodation, clinic, shops, school and theater. We will also stop at the Ullim Waterfall, which is the most celebrated waterfall in the country. We will then take a look and walk around the delightful Sijung Lake, the calmness water are very relaxing and locals often come here to fish. After we had our lunch in this lovely port city, we will continue drive to Mt Kumgang, when we arrive, we first go to visit the Samil Lake, it is a beautiful natural lake surrounded by mountains on 3 sides, and another side facing japan sea. We enjoy some time at the lake and then proceed to our hotel.

 

 

 

  

Day 5. Mt Kumgang/Pyongyang (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 
Yanggakdo International Hotel ★★
   
After breakfast, we will visit the Kuryong Waterfall Couse, which is the most beautiful waterfalls and lakes gather in this valley. We will walk up all the way up to Kuryong Waterfall and on the way up we enjoy the beautiful and various scenic spots in the valley. At the top, we will reach Kuryong waterfall and Sangpaldam Pool. After lunch, we will start driving back to Pyongyang.

 

 

 

 

Day 6.  Pyongyang (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 
Yanggakdo International Hotel ★★
   
Today we first visit the Kumsusan Palace of Sun, also called Kim Il-sung Mausoleum, it is a memorial hall where people show respect to President Kim Il-sung, and his body is rest-in-peace here. There is a very strict process of security check and no bags or personal belongs are allowed to bring inside and all visitors shall dress properly and bow 3 times to President Kim Il-sung. In front of the Kim Il-sung Mausoleum, it is a large square, where in main holidays and events, people gather here for celebration and dancing. Leaving the mausoleum, we will move to Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery, The cemetery commemorates many of the young revolutionaries who fought for Korean independence against the Japanese occupation. We then take a look of local life at Korea Film Studio, Mansudae Art Studio, Pyongyang Embroidery Research Institute and in the evening we watch the Schoolchildren’s Palace with Art Performance.

 

 

 

 
 

Day 7.  Pyongyang/Mt Myohyang/Pyongyang (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 
Yanggakdo International Hotel ★★
   
Today we’ll drive to Mt Myohyang (4 hours) - the Mountain of Mysterious Fragrance, four hours north of Pyongyang. It is said that the air here is so fresh that regardless of how much alcohol you drink while staying here, provided you sleep with your window open you won't have a hangover the next day. First we visit the highlight of the area - the International Friendship Exhibition. Built in 1978, these 2 huge subterranean halls are filled with gifts to the leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il presented to them by people all over the world - from heads of state to ordinary citizens. The gifts are divided into region and they estimate that if you spent one minute in front of each gift it would take over 1 year to see the whole exhibition - we will only be shown a small sample! This year, they have opened a new room showcasing gifts presented to the new leader Kim Jong Un. Halfway through the visit, we take a short tea break on the balcony affording beautiful views of the stunning mountains surrounding us. Then We’ll do the Manpok Valley or Sangwon Rock hike, a 2hr walk up and down the mountains on a trail passing waterfalls and unusual rocks set in a stunning landscape - a popular place for locals to take a day trip. After lunch in Mt. Myohyang we look around the nearby thousand-year-oldPohyon Buddhist Temple. It was destroyed during the Korean War but was rebuilt as a working temple complete with DPRK monks. In the evening, we return to Pyongyang, farewell Dinner at Duck Restaurant,

 

 

 

 

Day 8.  Pyongyang/Depart (Breakfast)

 
None
   
Today we transfer to the airport for an early morning flight to Beijing.

 

 

 

 

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