2019 North Eastern Summer Study Program

Are you looking for an unconventional experience of North Korea? One what feels more rewarding and doesn’t cover the usual routine sights of Pyongyang? Are you looking to explore a different region of the country? As well as greater interaction with locals?

Then without a doubt, the 2019 North Eastern Summer study program is what you are looking for! Take this fantastic opportunity to not only explore, but learn Korean language in the isolated and rarely seen North Eastern region of the DPRK adjacent to Russia, far removed from the central and increasingly modernised world of Pyongyang! As a much poorer and isolated region of the country, this is the ultimate chance to see the “everyday” DPRK, unspoiled by the outside world.

This unique package allows you to take language classes at the school of foreign languages in Chongjin, known as the “city of iron” for its deep set industrial past. Not only that but you’ll be venturing around the wider region too, with trips to Rason, Hoeryong, Gyongsong and a real overnight stay with a rural village family all part of the program!

Without a doubt this is a trip not just for language cultures and adventurers, but those who love the great outdoors too! We’ll be going hiking up famous mountains in the area, trying out local mineral saunas, helping the villagers with daily chores and many more exciting things! This a premium tour what offers a premium experience, come join us in exploring Hamgyong province!

Tuesday 10th July

Morning

Meet your at 10am in Beijing. During this meeting, we’ll go through the tour’s itinerary, hand out your DPRK visas and tickets, and meet your fellow travellers and to discuss any other questions you may have about the tour.

Afternoon

Take the overnight sleeper train at 1:20pm for Tumen City. During the journey your guide will be happy to answer any questions you might. Relax and enjoy the food and beer available on the train.

Wednesday 11th July

Afternoon

Arrival in Tumen at 2.30pm

We will Check into our hotel situated within walking distance of the border. We can hangout by the river and look look over the border in the DPRK. This river is known infamously as part of China-North dynamics. We'll be spending the night at the hotel.

Thursday 12th July

Morning

Early start to head to the border to go through Chinese customs. We will be walking across the bridge into North Korea, where we will meet our guides and head through their customs. Once in North Korea, we will Drive to the Wangjaesan Grand Monument – then we will stop for lunch at the Wangjaesan Guesthouse

Afternoon

First we will be heading to Hoeryong city. This city is famous in the DPRK for it’s ‘white apricots, ceramics and beautiful girls.” It's also the birthplace in Kim Jong Suk, a matriarchal hero of the DPRK and wife to late President Kim Il-sung. Here, we will visit her statue, as well as the revolutionary museum created in her honor and her native family home.

Afterwards, we'll be visiting a real local middle school. Here we'll be witnessing an English class and meeting students! Then, it's back to the hotel for dinner and relaxation.

Friday 13th July

Early start as we head to Chongjin. This is the third largest city in North Korea and is famous for being once a hub of industry. We'll be arriving at the Chongjin Foreign Language School where we will have our first Korean Language Lesson. They will assess our ability here and sort us into groups accordingly. Afterwards, we will have the opportunity to speak with local students, exchanging our English for their Korean.

Afternoon

We'll have lunch and then head around the city. We'll be visiting the newly renovated city square, as well as the newly built E-Library. Afterwards we will attend the Revolutionary Museum of Chongjin and then have dinner at the Namgang restaurant.

After dinner we'll have the chance to visit a local spa and public bathhouse should we wish to relax. Then we'll head back to the hotel!

Saturday 14th July

Morning

Our second morning at the Chongjin Foreign Language school for Korean lessons! After two hours of classes, we'll be heading to the Kim Chaek Steel Complex Kindergarten to witness a special performance. We'll also see the Soviet Martyrs Cemetery, dedicated to Russians who battled the Japanese in WW2. Then we'll head off on the long drive to Mt. Chilbo, where we can bask in beautiful scenery.

Afternoon

We'll stop for lunch and then we'll be going for a hike across Mt. Chilbo. We'll be heading towards the Kaesim Buddhist Temple, before driving back to the Hotel for dinner!

Sunday 15th July

Morning

Today we're off on some more hikes, this time around the Tokgol and Gangsonmum areas, also promising stunning views!

Afternoon

We will attend our homestay village here where we will meet with local families and then have lunch. Afterwards we'll continue our Korean language lessons with a local teacher from the village! We'll have some time to practice our Korean with the locals, do some chores and meet the neighbours!

On the evening we'll have the optional opportunity to engage in volleyball and wrestling with the neighbours, as well as have a bonfire party on the beach! We will spend the night with our families

Monday 16th July

Morning

We'll be helping our families with their morning chores. Afterwards, we'll say goodbye and head to Gyongsong County. We'll have a picnic lunch around Muge Lake and try out the local specialty seafood.

We'll see the Yombun Revolutionary Site and the Gyongsong Revolutionary Museum, afterwards enjoying a hot mineral bath at a local bath-house. We'll be spending the night at the Gyongsong Hotel.

Tuesday 17th July

Morning

After  seeing the Jipsam Revolutionary site where the Kim family once lied, we'll be driving back to Chongjin. Witness the Susongchon Foodstuffs factory, here bread, North Korean Soju and delicacies are created. We'll have lunch a local restaurant

Afternoon

Our final lesson at the Korean language school, saygoodbye to our teachers before we leave. Afterwards we'll he heading up to Rason, where we will have dinner and then spend some time in a Ukrainian owned bar in the public square. We'll be spending the night at a local hotel.

Wednesday 18th July

Morning

This is your chance to see a real North Korean bank where you can change foreign currency into local Korean Won and even open your own bank account if you wish! We'll check out a private market, the only one in North Korea that foreigners are allowed to attend, this is an exceptional insight into local life in the country. Try out your Korean and even haggle!

Afternoon

We'll have a lunch at a local restaurant then we'll be visiting a foreign language high school. Here we'll split up into groups and exchange languages with the students! After we'll take a walk through Haeyang Park which has a unique 4-D Cienma and try some joint venture beer from the Czech republic!

We'll spend the night having a buffet dinner at the Emperor hotel, where we will witness a VIP performance! We'll then head to the Namsan hotel for the night!

Thursday 19th July

Morning

Our last day unfortunately. We'll check out Tumangang City and drive up a mountain to witness the famous triangular border point, where China, North Korea and Russia can all be seen at once! We'll then check out the Sonbong Kindergarten where we'll meet some more school-children, before having lunch in Songbong city.

Afternoon

Exit Rason and re-enter China, we'll get a coach back to Tumen!

• All meals, tuition and accommodation
• All guides and sites
• Trains to and from Beijing to Tumen

• DPRK visa (50 euros)
• Chinese double entry visa
• Flights
• Any optional and miscellaneous spending in the DPRK
• Any tips