• Overall

  Budget North Korea tours are basic introductory tours for the frugal traveller in search of adventure. This no-frills alternative to our more advanced tours offers a great way to see a tightly edited package of the country’s most interesting sights, including a city tour of Pyongyang and a visit to Kaesong south of the 38th Parallel on the North-South border.

  You’ll also spend a night in the beautiful Mt Myohyang area, where we will visit the famous International Friendship Exhibition in the mountains and hike the Manpok Valley area through the autumn leaves. Our Koryo Budget North Korea Tours may be short, but they are action-packed and will only leave you wanting more!

  Scroll down for an overview of our Autumn Budget Tour package highlights, tour itinerary, transport options, DPRK tourist visa information, and extra add-ons.

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  Highlights

  • Ride on the Pyongyang Metro, visit the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum and other Pyongyang highlights
  • Historic Kaesong south of the 38th Parallel
  • Mt. Myohyang – Sacred mountain region with many temples, hermitages, beautiful hiking routes, and The International Friendship Exhibition

  click image to expand

• Itinerary

  Briefing Day

  1. November 11 | Monday

     *Pre-Tour Briefing | We require all travellers to attend a pre-tour briefing that covers regulations, etiquette, safety, and practicalities for travel in North Korea. The briefing lasts approximately one hour followed by a question and answer session. Please be punctual for the briefing. You can come early, meet your fellow travellers, and pay any outstanding tour fees. A proper briefing is an essential part of travel to North Korea.
     
     For this tour, we will hold two briefings. One in the morning for those departing by train this afternoon and the other in the afternoon for those departing by flight the next day.

     AM

     • Recommended latest arrival in Beijing.
     • 10:00 | Briefing for those departing by train.

     PM

     • 16:00 | Briefing for those departing by flight.  
     • 17:26 | Train travellers depart Beijing Station by Chinese domestic sleeper train to Dandong, the Chinese city on the border with North Korea. Please arrange independent travel to the train station and arrive at least an hour and a half early for the train departure.

     Overnight | Hotel in Beijing not included in the tour for those taking the flight the next day. Contact us for recommendations near our office! Those travelling by train will spend the night on the train.

  2. November 12 | Tuesday

     Arrival day in Pyongyang

     AM

     • Train transfer at Dandong Station from overnight sleeper train to Dandong-Pyongyang local. Our local representative in Dandong will assist with the transfer. Train crosses the China-North Korea border followed by North Korean customs and immigration.

     PM

     • Flight departure from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 on Air Koryo flight JS152 at 12:55. A 1.5-hour flight with basic lunch (vegetarian option is subject to availability). Check-in starts 3 hours prior to departure.
     • Flight arrival to Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport (FNJ) at 15:55. DPRK immigration and customs, meet your Korean guides and transfer to the city.
     • Walk on post-war Pyongyang's oldest street Victory (Sungni) Street from Kim Il Sung Square to Pyongyang Railway Station.
     • Train arrival to Pyongyang Railway Station at 18:45.

     Overnight: Changgwangsan Hotel, Pyongyang. | A centrally located classic hotel built in the 1970s and within walking distance of some attractions. It has a large indoor swimming pool, great bookstore and coffee shops.

  3. November 13 | Wednesday

     Kaesong City and DMZ Tour (*Please note that due to the current political situation and recent chenges, it is our understanding that visits to Panmunjom and the JSA as well as to the Concrete Wall is not possible at least until further notice. If that is the case at the time of our vist we will visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kaesong as well a ginseng factory.)

     AM

     • Drive south on the Pyongyang-Kaesong (formerly known as Reunification) Motorway to Kaesong, historic capital of the medieval Koryo Dynasty (918-1392 AD). Once located in South Korea, the city changed hands during the Korean War. It is now located just north of the DMZ.
     • Panmunjom Armistice Village and DMZ (*Currently suspended) | Perhaps the most famous place in the entire country. The iconic manifestation of the tragic division between North and South Korea. The ‘truce’ village where several huts straddle the Central Military Demarcation Line (de facto border) with soldiers from each side standing guard. A tour here starts with a briefing at the edge of the DMZ, a visit to the Armistice Negotiation Hall and Armistice Signing Hall, seen as symbols of victory over foreign aggression on this side of the line. Then to Panmunjom itself – cross the border inside one of the blue huts, experience the uncanny feeling of crossing the front line of a sad and needless division of one society, and then take a higher view from the Panmun Pavilion looking over the line from above. A Korean People’s Army officer will be there to explain their side of things and will willingly pose for some photos too. A completely and utterly unmissable place.
     • Kaesong Koryo Museum | Once the Songgyung Academy, a Confucian school, and now a museum on the Koryo Dynasty exhibiting historical objects, statues, pagodas, and porcelain from that era. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
     • Kaesong Korean Stamp Exhibition Hall | Store selling stamps, postcards, local ginseng, souvenirs, art, and more! One of the best postcard collections in/ the country and friendly staff.
     • Traditional Royal Korean Lunch (pangsanggi) | A meal consisting of 12 dishes served in brass bowls fit for the kings of old. The more dishes, the more distinguished the guest! Traditional Korean 'sweet-meat soup' is also an option here (+5 EUR).

     PM

     • Janam Hill and Old City View | Statues of the DPRK leadership on a hill overlooking Kaesong city and historic pavilion used for archery demonstrations in days of yore.
     • We'll drive around two hours to Sariwon City and Folk village | Recently built mock-up of a traditional Korean walled city which includes a history museum, food street and pavilions. Make sure to try the homemade makkolli here!
     • Drive back to Pyongyang. 1 hour.
     • Mangyongdae Native House | Birthplace of and childhood home of President Kim Il Sung. A traditional Korean house in a park-like setting.
     • Kwangbok Department Store | Opportunity to use Korean currency and shop with the citizens of Pyongyang! Try the snack stand on the first floor for some of Pyongyang’s best local eats.
     • Yanggakdo International Cinema | Optional Screening of Comrade Kim Goes Flying, a North Korean romantic comedy co-produced by Koryo Tours. The ticket is approximately 10 EUR (subject to change).

     Overnight: Changgwangsan Hotel, Pyongyang

  4. November 14 | Thursday

     Pyongyang City Tour, on to Huichon

     AM

     • Kumsusan Palace of the Sun | Mausoleum of the DPRK leadership where President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il lie in state and the most solemn location on the itinerary. Please note formal dress is required. Men require collared shirt with tie, dark non-jean pants, and dark shoes. Women require covered shoulders, knee-length dress or pants, and closed toed shoes. The visit will take most of the morning and visitors are asked to bow a number of times inside. This is a state-administered site and visits are subject to local conditions. Cancellations are rare but possible.
        
     • Mansudae Grand Monument | Enormous bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il overlooking downtown Pyongyang. A presentation of flowers and bow by the group is customary here (5 EUR). Please note this is a government-administered sight and visits are subject to cancellation. Visits are optional and require a certain dress code (close-toed shoes and covered legs and shoulders). Here we will also see the Chollima Monument, or ‘thousand ri (400 km or 250 mile) horse’ -a symbol of speed- commemorating the quick rebuilding of the country in the 1950s following the Korean War.
        
     • Foreign Languages Bookshop | Store selling Korean publications translated into English, German, French, Russian, Chinese, and Spanish. Also pick up DVDs, postcards, and small works of art.
     • Kim Il Sung Square | Pyongyang’s central square lined with government ministries, museums, and The Grand People’s Study House.
     PM
     • Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum | Tour this world-class museum led by a local museum guide. Renovated in 2012 and it exhibits the Korean War from the DPRK perspective containing artefacts, documents, photos, and lifelike dioramas. The exterior grounds house the War Victory Monument and displays of Korean People’s Army Hero Equipment and captured equipment from the US military, including the USS Pueblo. Central to the understanding of the country today and highlight of the trip.

     • Monument to Party Foundation | Iconic structure featuring the hammer, sickle, writing brush which represent the workers, farmers, and intellectuals that make up the Worker’s Party of Korea.

     • Tower of the Juche Idea | Iconic tower dedicated to the DPRK’s guiding philosophy on the Taedong River. Take the elevator to the top for great views of the city (elevator ticket is 5 EUR).
     • Drive north passing rivers valleys and hills to Mt. Myohyang, the ‘mountain of mysterious fragrance’. A 2.5-hour to 3-hour drive.

     Overnight: Huichon Hotel, Huichon | Basic but clean hotel located 30 minutes north of Mt. Myohyang. Very good local food much different from the lowlands, on-site sauna, and limited electricity. A must for those wishing to visit every province in the DPRK as it is situated just across the border into the otherwise tourist-devoid Jagang Province.

  5. November 15 | Friday

     Mt Myohyang and Pyongyang Metro
     
     AM

     • International Friendship Exhibition | An exhibition hall displaying gifts of all kinds given to the DPRK leaders by foreign states, leaders, and organizations. The exhibition is a fascinating look into material culture in the second half of the 20th century. Highlights include a plane given by the Soviet Union, basketball signed by Michael Jordan from the US State Department, and vodka given by Dennis Rodman. The visit takes most of the morning.

     • Pohyon Buddhist Temple | A peaceful temple dating back to 1042 with stone pagoda and repository of a print blocks and historic text of the Tripitaka Koreana, Buddhist scriptures first produced to invoke divine assistance from foreign invasion during the Koryo Dynasty.

     PM

     • Manpok Valley Walk | A gentle stroll passing waterfalls, interesting rocks, lovely wooded areas and viewing points.
        
     • Drive back to Pyongyang. 2.5 - 3 hour drive.
     • Pyongyang Metro Tour | One of the deepest metro systems in the world with stunning artwork reflecting the name of each station. Ride six stations on the Chollima Line.
     • Arch of Triumph | A massive archway made for the 70th anniversary of the birth of President Kim Il Sung in 1982 and commemorating the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule in 1945. Larger than its counterpart in Paris.
     • Farewell group dinner at the Golden Lanes Bowling Centre's Bulgogi BBQ restaurant.

     Overnight : Changgwangsan Hotel, Pyongyang

  6. November 16 | Saturday

     Departure Day from Pyongyang and Return to Beijing by flight or train. Please confirm your preferred transport method upon booking*

     AM

     • Flight departure from Pyongyang on Air Koryo Flight JS151 at 08:35 with scheduled arrival at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 at 09:55.

     OR

     • Train departure by train to Beijing at 10:25 with transfer in Dandong. The scheduled arrival is to Beijing Station on Sunday, November 17 at 08:40. For this tour the default option is hard sleeper (six beds per berth).

     End of Tour

• Extras

  • Transport | Train and Flights to North Korea (Standard)

    This tour travels between Beijing-Pyongyang by train each way in a hard-sleeper carriage (6 bunks per compartment). The train journey takes 24 hours with a transfer at the city of Dandong. One-way or round-trip flights are also available. The flight takes around 90 minutes. For an extra 199 EUR you can upgrade to a one-way flight. A round-trip ticket costs an additional 299 EUR.

  • Visit the DPRK border town of Sinuiju

    If you're heading back to Beijing by train this option lets you get off for an overnight in Dongrim before the next day's tour of Sinuiju — the border city with China. Spend an extra 24 hours in the DPRK seeing the sites of North Pyongan province. You will then continue on through to Beijing.

    See more

  • Visit Dandong — the Chinese gateway to the DPRK

    Instead of immediately returning to Beijing when your tour ends you can take some extra time to visit this fascinating border city, which directly faces the DPRK town of Sinuiju, but lies on the Chinese side of the Yalu River. We offer both one-night and two-night fully guided extensions that take in all the sights of Dandong, with a special North Korea theme.

    See more

  • Upgrade to your own room

    All hotel rooms on our all-inclusive group tours feature twin beds, and will be shared. If you'd like a room to yourself then you can upgrade for an extra 40 EUR per night.

    See more

  • Insurance for up to six nights

    We're unable to take you on one of our tours if you do not have medical insurance that covers the destination in question. Issues of isolation and infrastructure where we go mean it would be irresponsible of us to do so. We can provide this if you do not have it — or you can use your own.

• What is / is not included?

  INCLUDED

  • Train Pyongyang – Beijing – Pyongyang
  • All meals on the tour apart from the meals on the train
  • Hotel accommodation
  • Two local Korean guides, and a driver per group
  • A Koryo Tours tour leader
  • All transportation in the DPRK

  NOT INCLUDED

  • DPRK visa fee 60 EUR
  • Optional Air Koryo flights (one-way: 199 EUR; return: 299EUR)
  • Optional single room supplement of 40 EUR per night
  • Tips for the local Korean guides and driver (approx 10-15 EUR per day)
  • Optional activities such as the lift up the Juche Tower (5 EUR) or a visit to the funfair (approx. 2 EUR entrance fee per person)
  • Entry tickets for special events if applicable – for example Pyongyang Circus (approx. 20 EUR per person)
  • Meals include a complimentary beer and water, but you will need to purchase extra drinks if needed
  • Spending money for souvenirs
  • SINUIJU EXTENSION: RMB 50 for the bus across the bridge to Dandong to be paid on the spot to the local guides

• Notes

  Our Koryo Budget Tours are capped at 25 people per group. Groups will be in the experienced hands of two or three local Korean guides and an experienced Koryo Tours tour leader. Please note that when on tour your day-to-day itinerary may differ to what is advertised above. Your tour leader will ensure, however, that everything available at the time is covered, and replacement options are provided where needed. We will also add in extras when there is time (such as a visit to a local bar or amusement park).

  We visit the DPRK regularly so know all the best places to go, and how to make the most of your days there to guarantee the experience of a lifetime. After the tour, we will send out a list of all participants' emails so you can keep in touch, swap photos etc. If you do not wish to be on this list then please let us know.

Please apply by 30th October, 2024.