North Korea Children’s Day Delegation

June 1st in North Korea is known as international children’s day (국제 아동절). As the name suggests, it is a day used to celebrate and appreciate the children of the country. This involves parents giving gifts to their children, or taking them out to fun places to enjoy themselves. As a result, we are hosting our North Korea Children’s Day Delegation. We’ll be sending a group to the country during this special occasion, taking part in the celebrations by attending the Mangyongdae Fun Fair where there will be sports, games and of course, rides!

Throughout the tour we’ll be doing a wide range of other activities too! We’ll be checking out the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, we’ll be attending the unique Mansudae Film Studio, where North Korea movies and propaganda is made, going up Juche Tower and much more! Of course, not least we’ll also be heading southwards to the DMZ border with South Korea. You’ll have the opportunity to check out the ancient city of Kaesong, see Panmunjom village where negotiations for the 1953 Korean armistice were held, and of course see the famous joint security area where Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in met last year!

The trip will be starting at Beijing, where we will make our way to the country by train! During the duration of our visit we’ll be staying in the funky Chongnyon Hotel in the Mangyongdae district, it has a bar, a karaoke room and even a swimming pool! Plenty to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay. Payment for the tour will involve a 30% deposit which can be paid in advance, with the participant bringing the rest in cash to Beijing on the starting day! It’s time to bring out the inner child and explore North Korea Children’s Day!

Wednesday 29th May

• Meet your guide at 1:30pm at the Beijing Zhong Gu Hotel near Beijing Railway Station for a introductory briefing on North Korea. During this meeting, we’ll go over the tour’s itinerary, receive North Korean visas train and tickets, as well as a great chance to meet the group and to discuss any other questions you may have about the tour.
• Afterwards its time to depart Beijing Central station at 5:25pm for the overnight sleeper train to Dandong!

Thursday 30th May

Morning

• Arrive at Dandong at 7:00am. We'll have a quick break to grab breakfast, then we need to be up and out through Chinese exit customs and on the train to Pyongyang for 10:00am
• Once we've crossed the Sino-Korean friendship 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 the realities of rural life in the country

Afternoon

• Arrive at Pyongyang station for the evening, where we will meet our guides on the platform! We'll then board the bus and travel to the Chongnyon hotel, where we will be allocated our rooms!
• Afterwards, it's time for dinnerl! Then we can settle down and socialize for the night!

Friday 31st May

Morning

• We begin our day with a walk through Mansudae Fountain Park, before heading up to the Mansudae Grand Hill Monument – the two large bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il overlooking the city. For an optional two Euros, you may buy flowers.
• Time for a ride on the Pyongyang Metro! Ride six stops and exit at the Arch of Triumph, which emulates North Korea's struggle against Japanese colonial rule. We'll take a look at the Arch before going for lunch.

Afternoon

• Settle down with lunch at the Moran Hill Restaurant.
• After finishing lunch we will visit the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum– as North Korea tell us their own story of the cold war conflict between 1950-1953, you can view captured American weapons and vehicles, displays and dioramas from famous battles and much more!
• All aboard the USS Pueblo – the only US Naval Vessel held captured by another country, seized off the coast of Wonsan in 1968!
• We will move on next to Juche tower, the monument to North Korea's ideology. Pay 5 euros to go to the top of the tower and witness a panoramic view of all Pyongyang!
• Dinner at KITC restaurant – choose between delicious Pyongyang Cold Noodles (Raengmyeon) or a traditional Korean Bibimbap dish!
• We'll then wind up the day with an evening walk down Mirae Scientist's Street, a sci-fi themed area of Pyongyang opened in late 2015!
• Back to the hotel!

Saturday 1st June

Morning

• Start the day with a visit to the Grand People's Study House- the largest library in North Korea. Look through their intriguing collection of "foreign language books", listen to their collections of music and observe some foreign language classes take place!
• After the study house it's time for the main event, a trip to the Mangyondae Fun Fair. Here we will see children celebrating international children's day with sports and games! We will have the chance to take part! as well as to join in some rides!

Afternoon

• Following lunch we will visit the Worker's Party Monument, built in 1995 to remember 50 years of the establishment of North Korea's ruling party. The three firsts symbolize industry, agriculture and intellectualism
• Next up is a fun visit to the Mansudae film studio, witness the heart of North Korea cinema! Try out the actor's costumes and check out the film sets depicting areas all around the world!
• From film, we head to art! The Mansudae Art Studio is the country's leading centre of arts and craft. All propaganda posters, sculptures and murals for the regime are produced here, as well as some very fine ceramics!
• Fancy some shopping after? We'll next be going to the Kwangbok department store, Pyongyang's largest and most popular supermarket. It is home to exclusive North Korean brands, where you can use real local korean won currency!
• We'll then be having dinner at the National Restaurant, where we can be treat to a special live performance.
• If you haven't had enough of funfairs yet, come visit the Kaesong Youth Fair – 2 euros for entry, 3 – 5 euros per ride.
• Overnight in the Chongnyon Hotel.

Sunday 2nd June

Morning

• It's a very early start as we head out for the bus journey southwards to Kaesong, a city now at the heart of growing peace efforts between North and South Korea!
• The DMZ – See the site of the standoff lasting nearly 70 years between both Koreas. We will enter Panmunjom village and witness the sites of negotiations for the 1953 Korean War Armistice. We will be led by a real North Korean officer who you can take selfies with
• He will take us through into the joint security area, the place where Kim Jong-un and President Moon Jae-in famously met in 2018. Due to changes in policy between the two countries, we will now have the opportunity to step right into the South Korean side! (Although we will not be able to enter the country at large)

Afternoon

• After the DMZ experience we head back to Kaesong for lunch- Try out traditional Korean Pasangi, a series of dishes served in bronze bowls. If you're feeling daring, you can try Dog Soup for 5 Euros or share a supposedly healthly Ginseng chicken (for 30)
• Following lunch we will witness the Koryo Museum, an ancient centre of learning and instruction when Kaesong was capital of the ancient Koryo Dynasty. It is a a UNESCO approved world heritage site which contains unique reflections into Korean history
• To wrap that up, we'll be having a look in the famous Korea stamp and poster shop just outside! Propaganda galore!
• On route back to Pyongyang we take a detour and stop by the city of Sariwon. Again with an emphasis on Korean history, we stop by "folkore street' which depicts the country's past and can climb a hill to see a panoramic view of the whole area
• A local old couple will also offer us the opportunity to try out their home brewed Makkoli- a delicious fizzy rice wine with minimal alcohol content
• Re-entering Pyongyang, we stop the Monument to the Three Charters of National Reunification, or the "Arch of Reunification" which acts as a de-facto gate to the city.
• We wrap up a long day with a delicious dinner at the Pyongyang BBQ duck restaurant
• Back to the hotel for the night!

Monday 3rd June

Morning

• It's time to depart! Arrive at Pyongyang railway station for the 10:25am train to Dandong! Relax and get lunch on the train!

Afternoon

• After DPRK exit customs, we'll arrive back in Dandong and then get the overnight train back to Beijing, which will arrive around 8am the following morning. Here we will part ways! Hope you enjoyed the tour!

• All accommodation,
• All meals and primary sites (unless specified in the itinerary)
• Return train trip Beijing/Pyongyang
• All guides

• International flights
• DPRK visa (we can process this for 50 euros)
• Chinese visa or transit visa
• Air Koryo add ons
• Any additional spending or tips