The DPRK Highlights – Liberation Day Special – 4 Nights

DAY 1 – DEPART FOR PYONGYANG

At 10:30am, meet us inside Terminal 2 of the Beijing Capital International Airport to check in for our scheduled departure of 1:05pm. We will hand out your DPRK visas at this time. Timings to be confirmed.

We will then fly to Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK, home to the most iconic monuments and political sites. Our Korean tour guides will be meet us at the airport with a warm welcome.

Our first stop will be the Arch of Triumph, the world’s largest triumphal arch. From the top, we will get our first panorama view of Pyongyang city!

Check into the Koryo Hotel, our deluxe accommodation in the heart of Pyongyang popular with local residents, foreign diplomats, delegations, NGOs. We will enjoy a welcome dinner in the revolving restaurant. After dinner, take an optional visit to the Kaeson Youth Amusement Park where the thrillseekers among us can brave the rides with Pyongyang locals on a night out.

Overnight at the Koryo Hotel

(Meals: L on flight, D)

DAY 2 – PYONGYANG

Begin the day with a visit to the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, an elaborate museum depicting the Korean people’s fight against foreign invaders. We’ll have a guided tour of the war remnants, exhibits, and dioramas and learn about the Korean war from the North Korean perspective. We’ll also board the USS Pueblo, the “American Spy Ship” captured in 1968.

Visit the Grand People’s Study House, North Korea’s national library and the heart of study on the revolutionary Juche ideology. Check out the local intranet, visit the music appreciation room and flick through a handful of the up-to 30 million books said to be available here!

After lunch, visit Pyongyang’s central square, Kim Il Sung Square, home to many of North Korea’s military parades broad internationally. We’ll walk through the city to the Foreign Languages Bookshop, the best chance in the DPRK to pick up souvenirs such as books, stamps, DVD/CDs and posters.

Head deep underground to take a 5-stop ride on the Pyongyang Metro, the deepest metro in the world and filled with mosaics, monuments, and plaques commemorating the DPRK’s revolutionary history.

Learn about North Korea’s national ideology, the Juche philosophy, on a visit to the iconic Tower of Juche Idea. We’ll take the lift 150-meters to the top for the best views in Pyongyang city! We’ll then visit the Party Foundation Monument, built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Workers’ Party of Korea, recognizable by the communist hammer and sickle but with an added North Korean twist.

Overnight at the Koryo Hotel.

(Meals: B, L, D)

DAY 3 – LIBERATION DAY

Visit the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the grand mausoleum where the late leaders lie in state inside glass sarcophagi. This is one of North Korea’s most sacred sites, formal dress is strictly required.

We’ll then visit the Mansudae Grand Monument, an important site famous for its large, bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il. It is customary to bow and lay flowers here.

Head through the Mansudae Fountain Park, serene meeting spot for students in their free time and an often used backdrop for wedding photos.

Take a stroll through Moran Hill, a central park buzzing with festivities as locals celebrate Liberation Day over a picnic with music and dancing, a great opportunity to join the fun!

Visit the Mangyongdae Native House, a modest straw-thatched house in a serene park setting which is the birthplace of President Kim Il Sung.

Pick up some supplies at the Kwangbok Department Store, a five-story department complex filled with local and imported products. It’s one of only two places in Pyongyang where tourists can exchange and use the local North Korean Won.

We’ll then catch an afternoon performance for the national holiday, typically the Pyongyang Circus, Pyongyang Theatre, or the Pyongyang Symphony. The day’s event is typically not announced until closer to departure.

As part of today’s festivities, we’ll attend an unforgettable student Mass Dance event held in Pyongyang. Join in the dancing celebration for yourself, the sea of colour makes for magnificent photos!

Cap off the festivities with a chance to taste local Korean draft beers at the Taedonggang Bar Brewery No. 3.

Overnight at the Koryo Hotel.

(Meals: B, L, D)

DAY 4 – KAESONG, THE DMZ & SARIWON

Take a morning drive through the countryside to the historic city of Kaesong. We will head for the DMZ where we’ll hear from our military guides a perspective of the Korean War that often gets discredited or unheard. At the DMZ, explore Panmunjom, shake hands at the exact place that the Armistice Agreement was signed between UN forces and the DPRK, and wave hello to the South at the blue houses in the Joint Security Area.

Head to the Koryo History Museum, a UNESCO site, to learn about the Koryo Dynasty (where the name Korea originates). You’ll also have a chance to pick from the most varied range of postcards in the country at the Koryo Stamp Shop.

For lunch, enjoy pansanggi, a historic Kaesong cuisine traditionally served for royalty.

We’ll then begin our drive to Sariwon city. On arrival, visit the Sariwon Folklore Village, a street depicting a romanticized version of Korea’s ancient cultural heritage. Take a look around, try some local specialties such as sticky rice cakes or homebrew makgeolli, and enjoy the slow-paced atmosphere of the city. We’ll climb the stairs up Kyongam Hill to get an iconic panorama view of Sariwon and the rural surroundings from the pavilion here!

On our return to Pyongyang, take an evening walk through Ryomyong Street, an impressive boulevard home to Pyongyang’s most extravagant apartment complexes. Opened in just April 2017 to international media attention.

Overnight at the Koryo Hotel.

(Meals: B, L, D)

DAY 5 – FAREWELL

Morning departure to Beijing. Estimated time of arrival is 09:50am local time, although flight times are subject to final confirmation. Please reserve connecting flights departing after 14:00pm local time, to allow sufficient time for immigration/customs clearance, baggage claim and re-check-in. Timings to be confirmed.

(Meals: B)

This itinerary is subject to change at any time.