New Year in Pyongyang Tour

It’s time to start your New Year’s Resolution with a New Year’s Revolution. End 2019 on a high with our impressive New Year in Pyongyang tour, where we will usher in the end of this decade with an elaborate firework display with locals at Kim Il Sung Square!

Starting off in Beijing, we will head to North Korea by train. Once in the DPRK, we will be staying at the Sosan Hotel in Pyongyang. In the run up to New Year’s eve we will be exploring some of the country’s most prominent sites and attractions, including the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun (the final resting place of the two leaders), a trip to Kaesong and the DMZ at Panmunjom and many more things (including the pyongyang metro, Juche tower and so on!)- On new years day itself, we’ll also be visiting some special attractions including the Pyongyang Shooting Range and the Munsu Water Park (so bring your swimming gear”)

Our program ultimately promises a premium quality tour for a reasonable length at a bargain price. Payment for this program involves making a 30% deposit in advance (methods available on inquiry) and bringing the remaining 70% in person. Air Koryo flights are available as an add on should you wish at 250 euros for a return! End 2019 and start 2020 with something completely different!

Friday 27th December

• Meet your guide in Beijing at 3pm for a briefing on travel to North Korea, receive your train tickets,
• NK visas and board the train to Pyongyang for a 5.25 departure.
• If you're flying by Air Koryo, you will be leaving the next morning for a 10am flight!

Saturday 28th December

• Arrive early morning in Dandong, where we have a couple of hours to get breakfast before going through Chinese exit customs and immigration for the 10.00am train to Pyongyang
• Once we've crossed the bridge, it's time to go through North Korean customs and entry, this may take a couple of hours.
• After this is done, enjoy the eye opening scenes of the North Korean countryside and see the realities of rural life in the country as we head onwards to Pyongyang

Afternoon

• Arrive at Pyongyang station for the evening, where we will meet our guides on the platform! We'll then board the bus, where we will reunite with those who were flying and travel to the Ryanggang hotel, where we will be given our rooms
• We'll be having dinner at a restaurant on the new Ryomyong Street, opened in 2017. Here we can celebrate Christmas eve!
• Check into the Sosan hotel

Sunday 29th December

• It's an early and serious start as we head to the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the Mausoleum and final resting place of the previous two Kim leaders. Witness them preserved and witness them lying in state. Formal dress is required for this building, as well as your best behaviour! No photographs are allowed until we exit.
• After the Palace, we'll go to see the Revolutionary Martyry’s Cemetery – Here lies those who fought against the Japanese occupation of Korea, as well as the grave of Kim Il Sung's Wife, Kim Jong Suk

Afternoon

• We'll be having delicious hotpot for lunch!
• Next up is Juche Tower- Monument to North Korea's National Ideology. Go up to the top for an extra fee and see an incredible panoramic view of all Pyongyang
• Fancy some shopping? Next us the Kwangbok department store, North Korea's biggest domestic supermarket and department store. Here you can buy locally made goods, clothing and all kinds of items. Here you can real local currency.
• After shopping, we'll be stopping at the Mansugyo Beer Bar for some nice drinks
• Dinner will be at the KITC restaurant. Try out famous Pyongyang Cold Noodles (Raengmyeon) or a traditional Korean Bibimbap.
• Back to the Sosan Hotel

Monday 30th December

• A very early start as we've got a lot of ground to cover. Our first stop is the Koryo Museum- An ancient centre of learning at the heart of the ancient Koryo Dynasty. See old Korean artifacts, clothing, coinage and weaponry!
• Outside of the museum sits the Korea stamp stop! Stock up on your stamps, postcards, posters and other memorabilia here!
• Now it's time for the DMZ. First, we'll stop the Panmunjom Gift shop, where you will have another chance to buy hand painted propaganda posters and other assortments
• Our soldier guide, a real KPA officer, will then lead us into the DMZ. He will show us around Panmunjom village where the Armistice talks were held, as well as the signed document itself!
• Next he will take us through to the Joint Security Area, where North Korean, South Korean and American soldiers famously stand face off! Now, it is becoming a centre of peace and subsequently, relaxed in contrast to pass times. There may be an opportunity to cross over into the South Korean side and see the tree planted by Kim Jong-un and President Moon Jae-in last April (we cannot enter South Korea proper

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Tongil Restaurant in Kaesong- try our traditional Korean Pansangi- a series of assorted dishes served in bronze bowls. (Optional extras- If you're feeling daring, there is Dog Soup at 5 euro! Or, you can even buy a share a ginseng chicken, apparently it's good for health
• We'll srop by Sariwon City (Capital of North Hwanghae province) to walk in the historic folklore park. We'll also have the chance to view the city from the mountaintop pagoda.
• Re-entering Pyongyang, we will stop at the  the Monument to the Three Charters of National Reunification, otherwise known as "the Arch of Reunification"- longing for the day Korea is reunified
• Dinner at the Duck BBQ restaurant
• Back to the hotel

Tuesday 31st January (New Year's eve)

• First up we will tour the Grand People's Study House. The study house is the largest library in the DPRK. It is also a centre of education and courses. Check out their collection of Foreign Language Books, as well as their funky music room!
• Afterwards it's time for a ride on the Pyongyang Metro! We'll be going 6 stops before heading out to the Arch of Triumph- Like that in Paris, but bigger! This magnificent structure celebrates the victory over Japan and the liberation of Korea

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Moran Hill chicken restaurant
• Now it's time to see the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum. The local military guide will show us North Korea's depiction of the Korean War in this enormous complex, showing us around captured American weaponry and other equipment
• All aboard the USS Pueblo! Outside the Museum sits a captured US Navy ship seized in 1968 by the North Korean navy. It's still registered as an official vessel! See bullet holes inside on the walls where US and North Korean sailors clashed
• Next we will go to the Mansudae Art Studio- the heart of DPRK painting and sculpture, here propaganda posters are created, as well as a wide range of Korean ceramics and statues!
• Following the studio, we will have an early dinner due to the packed itinerary ahead for the evening. We'll be dining at the national restaurant where we will be treat to a special performance!
• Now it's time for new year drinks! We'll head to the Rakwon Beer bar to start into the spirit of new year's eve! We'll chill here for a bit and enjoy local beers
• The big event: head to Kim Il Sung Square to see in the new year with locals, we'll be treat to a fantastic firework display at midnight!
• Back to the hotel!

Wednesday 1st January: New Year's Day

• We'll begin this day with a walk through Mansudae Fountain park where we can see mosaic pictures of President Kim Il Sung and the leader Kim Jong Il.
• Afterwards, we'll head up to the nearby Mansudae Grand Hill Monument – the two large bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il overlooking the city. Here we will be kindly asked to pay our respects, flowers are optional if you wish.
• Next up is Kim Il Sung Square, the famous city square in Pyongyang that is frequently seen as the site of parades. We'll go for a walk here, and head down to the street to the Foreign Language Bookshop – here you can buy local literature, newspapers, badges, flags and all kinds of souvenirs!

Afternoon

• Lunch at a restaurant in Liberation Street
• Now despite the winter climate, we will be heading to the indoor Munsu water park, opened in 2015 the park is Pyongyang's premier water fun resort. It will be nice and warm! Make sure you bring your swimming gear! If you don't want to swim don't worry, it has a cafe, a bar, a table tennis room and billiards too!
• From here we will go the Pyongyang shooting range. Fire at targets and see if you can win some tremendous prizes!
• After we will wind down with a walk down the brand new Ryomyong street, opened in 2017. It's Pyongyang's most prestigious neighbourhood
• Dinner at the Ji Ha restaurant

Thursday 2nd January: Departure

• Those flying out will depart Pyongyang at 9:00am on Air Koryo, arriving in Beijing at 9:55am local time.
• For those taking the train, we will depart at 10:25am for Beijing. The train will head back to Sinuiju for customs and then back into Dandong, before heading onwards overnight to China's capital, ending the tour on Friday 3rd!

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