How do you travel to Korea? It’s something that seems impossible or scary, but is actually quite easy. Our unique guide here sets out how to visit North Korea, the world’s most secretive country, through a serious of simple steps. Once you learn these, you’ll see it isn’t that hard at all! Happy travels!
1. You need to book through us
First of all, in learning how to Visit North Korea, it must be noted that you cannot travel there independently. If you are to go, you must go through us as a travel company. Any visit to North Korea is consequentially an inclusive tour with an organized itinerary, there is no getting round this. To give you some inspiration, our programs are here.
Don’t fret however, this makes it less, not more complicated. It ensures that first of all (as you will see below) transport into North Korea from China can be scheduled on your behalf, the company you choose to book through will also handle your North Korean tourist visa which actually requires very little input bar you filling in a few simple forms and handing over a scanned passport copy.
2. You will be travelling in from China
Once you’ve booked your tour with us. The next thing you need to keep in mind in how to travel to North Korea is that you do so via entering China. Here, we will meet as a group. To get through China however, you need to acquire a Chinese Double Entry Tourist Visa (double as you will be entering twice- once on the way back from North Korea) There is no way around this. Unless you pay extra for North Korea’s airline Air Koryo, from Beijing airport. Otherwise you will be taking the train first from Beijing for premium tours or then from Dandong in North East China for budget tours- see our NK tours for more details.
3. Entering North Korea by train
The process of travel to North Korea from here and entering the country is straightforwards. On the train journey into North Korea, the train will stop in the North Korean border city of sinuiju where North Korean soldiers will do a visa, passport and customs check. This seems intimidating, but it is straightforwards. They may ask you to open your suitcase in front of them so they can take a look (but the most they will do is peer inside without moving anything).
You will be given forms asking to declare to them the electronic devices that you are bringing into the country. Although your devices will be “registered” they will not likely be followed up on. Be careful when bringing computers into the country, the guards will ask you to open it up and show them the files. Possession of pornography is an offence. Although it is questionable how computer savvy these soldiers are to check everything anyway…
After this customs period, the train will depart on the journey to Pyongyang. Enjoy the scenes of North Korean life on the way!
4. Your guides will run the show
The time should be took again to emphasise that travel to North Korea is ultimately not independent. Upon your arrival in Pyongyang, you will meet two local North Koreans who will be your “guides” (there will also be a driver and a bus to take you about in). These people can speak English fluently, they will take you around, show you everything and run your itinerary. Outside of the hotel you may not leave their presence (or the hotel without them in that case).
These guides however, are nothing to be scared of. They are not brainwashed robots, but real people. You will find that they are down to earth, that they have interests, lives, likes and dislikes. It is possible for you to form a friendship with them and win their trust- although this will of course be conditional of how you behave in North Korea. Trust creates access!
You will find that the guides run for you an extremely organized trip which packs full the day from start to finish. There are no flaws or time wasting. Through them, you will get to see a variety of the main sites in North Korea. They will be with you until the tours end when you check in at the airport or the railway station.
5. That’s it, you can do it!
How/Can do I visit North Korea? There you have it! This is what travel to North Korea consists of. What would our final message be then to you? That visiting North Korea is both possible and simple! Don’t be afraid to try it out! Any further questions please contact us!