north korea organised tour

• Korean Language Summer Course in Pyongyang
• Dandong DPRK Border
• Shanghai Bike Tours
• TOUR EXTENSIONS
• How to Book a Tour
• Testimonials
• KTG 360°
• Humanitarian Work
• Where to Go
• Tours & Dates
• Hotels in North Korea
• Hotels in Pyongyang
• Travel Insurance
• Transportation
• Interactive Map
• DPRK Information
• Facts & Figures
• DPRK History

North Korea Tours - Places of Interest

If you are interested in joining one of our North Korea tours, our DPRK travel guide below may be of help. The DPRK officially includes the whole peninsula and North Koreans long for reunification. All the maps in the country include the entire Korean peninsula. However, for simplicity purposes, we have divided the Northern part of the Korean peninsula into the following areas:

North Korea Map

The map below will allow you to pinpoint each of the areas.

Eastern Region

Related pages.

Hekou Dandong China | KTG® | An Enthralling Glimpse into Rural North Korea

Hekou Dandong China | KTG® | Our one day tour will allow you take a boat trip close to North Korean soil and clearly see life in the DPRK. See the Hekou Broken Bridge which was crossed by Chinese soldiers in the Korean War.

Dandong | KTG® Tours Guide | ideal to visit as part of your North Korea tour

Dandong | KTG® Travel Guide | this border city is located across the Yalu River from North Korea opposite the DPRK city of Sinuiju. A visit to Dandong before or after going to North Korea adds a special taste to your DPRK trip. It combines ancient China with North Korean influence. Take boat ride between North Korea and China and see the most eastern Great Wall in China

Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin, China | KTG® Travel guide

KTG® Tours | The Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture is located in Jilin province, Northeast China, bordering North Korea (DPRK) and Russia. A unique region where Chinese, Korean and Russian cultures meet.

North Korea food | KTG® Tours | list of restaurants available when visiting the DPRK

North Korea Food & Drinks | KTG® Tours | check our restaurant guide available to those visiting the DPRK. Choices available include traditional North Korean dishes and western options such as pizza restaurants in Pyongyang and coffee shops by Kim Il Sung square.

DPRK Travel Guide | KTG® North Korea Travel Guide

DPRK Travel Guide | KTG® Tours | check the free KTG North Korea guide. Complete with compact information about travelling to North Korea and Northeast China and full of pictures, this guide will allow you learn more about how to apply for a trip to North Korea and where to go there.

Pyongyang Hotels - KTG Hotel Guide - information on accommodation in North Korea including the Ryugyong Hotel

Pyongyang Hotels - KTG guide of accommodation in the capital of North Korea and reviews. KTG have staff members have personally stayed in all of these hotels. Travellers spend most of the time exploring DPRK during the daytime.

Please click on our North Korea Tours page for more details on the itineraries we provide.

• Privacy Policy

• Central African Republic
• DR Congo – Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Somalia – Somaliland
• São Tomé and Principe
• South Sudan
• Afghanistan
• North Korea
• Turkmenistan
• Saudi Arabia
• Yemen – Mainland
• Yemen – Socotra
• 4 days tour
• 10 days tour
• 3 days tour
• 12 day tour
• DRC Kinshasa – 5 days tour
• East DR Congo – Bukavu & Gorillas – 4 days tour
• Congo Brazzaville – 4 days tour
• 5 days tour
• 11 days tour
• 8 days tour
• 6 days tour
• 12 days tour
• 13 days tour
• 10 Days Tour
• 11 Days Tour
• 14 days tour
• 5 days tour – Federal Iraq
• 6 days tour – Kurdistan
• 7 days tour
• Mainland Yemen – 4 days
• Socotra – 8 days tour
• Grand Angola Tour
• West Congo & Cabinda Tour
• Burundi, DRC & Rwanda Tour
• Uganda Tour
• DR Congo Kinshasa & Brazzaville Tour
• Congo, DRC & Cabinda Tour
• Independence Day Tour
• October Tour
• Voodoo Summer Tour
• Highlights Tour
• Grand Venezuela Tour

Marathon Tour

Labour day tour.

• Mt. Paektu & Victory Day Tour

Liberation Day Tour

• Northeast & National Day Tour

Founding of the Party Tour

• New Year’s Eve Tour
• Southern Pakistan Tour
• Karakoram Highway Tour
• Iraq Highlights Tour
• Kurdistan Highlights Tour
• Kurdistan Newroz Tour
• Kurdistan NYE Tour
• Yemen Hadramaut
• World Nomad Games Tour 2024
• Day + Multiple day tours
• Alternative Tours
• São Tomé and Principe Tour
• Partnerships & Agents
• Women Empowerment & Travel
• Sustainability

North Korea – Group Tours

Group tours to north korea.

Most people will reacted surprised, when you tell them that you’re going on a trip to North Korea (or the DPRK). And that’s not strange, most people don’t even know that it’s possible to visit the country. But it sure is! During our North Korea tours, you will experience the highlights of the hermit kingdom. All the famous spots will be visitied and you will get to know the country a little bit better. Moreover, with a group tour you’ll have the dynamics of the group; most people are well travelled and are just as curious about a holiday to North Korea like you are!

NOTE: These tours are to be confirmed. At the moment North Korea is not open for tourism.

Let me know when North Korea opens up again for tourism

Price: € 1,095 / € 1.495

Always wanted to run a marathon? Or are you just looking for a unique, new location for a marathon? Then this is your chance. Encouraged by 50,000 Koreans, we offer you the marathon of your life. Don’t want to run? Then you can sit in the stadium to encourage your group mates & watch a local football match.

Price: € 995 / €1,345 / €1,545

Come with us to North Korea during the Mayday celebrations. Labour Day is one of the most important holidays in the country. Koreans often flock to the park or take part in one of the parades through Pyongyang. During this tour we will also visit the known and less known highlights of the country. The tour can be divided into an A, B or C option.

Mt. Paektu & Victory Day Tour

Price: € 1,545

Welcome to summer in the Democratic People’s Republic! Visit North Korea in the middle of the hot season and experience celebrations around the key holiday of Victory Day. Celebrate with the locals in the park or watch the special parades in the city. During this tour you will visit all the highlights of North Korea, such as the DMZ and the Korean War Museum. Moreover, during the tour you will also take a domestic flight to the famous Mt. Paektu! This is the holy mountain for all Koreans. The great leader Kim-Jong Il is said to have been born here. In short: a tour full of unforgettable experiences in the most beautiful season of the year!

Price: € 1,295 / €1,545

On Liberation Day, North Korea celebrates the liberation from the Japanese occupier after the Second World War. The day is one of the most important holidays and is widely celebrated in both Koreas. We also expect the Mass Games to return for this holiday. During the tour you will visit other places outside the capital Pyongyang. For example, you will go to Nampo on the west coast and Wonsan on the east. Cities that are just a little bit different from Pyongyang, so you will also discover another side of the country. The tour can be done as a short or long tour.

Northeast & National Day Tour

Price: € 2,995

During this late summer tour we will take in the National Day festivities in Pyongyang. Every year on the 9th of September a big party is held to commemorate North Korea’s founding in 1948. During the tour you will also see all the highlights of the country including the DMZ, Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and of course the famous statues at Mansudae Grand Monument. Moreover, you will also visit the uknown Northeast coast of North Korea. This area only sees a few visitors per year.

Price: € 1,145

One of the most important events in recent Korean history has been the establishment of the Korean Workers’ Party. Every year this anniversary is celebrated in style in Pyongyang. We’ll visit the various famous places in Pyongyang, such as the Mansudae Grand Monument, the Korean War Museum and much more.

New Year’s Eve Tour

Price: € 995

Start the new year like nowhere else in the world! Join our special New Year’s Eve Tour and witness spectacular fireworks and a special New Year’s Eve dinner. Of course we’ll also visit all the famous spots in and around Pyongyang and the DMZ. Is it possible to start off the new year in a better way? We don’t think so!

I am more interested in individual tours to North Korea

I’d like to know more about north korea, already know what you are looking for.

North Korea Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

Our 1 most popular north korea trips. compare tour itineraries from 5 tour companies. 0 reviews..

All North Korea , expedition cruises, self guided adventures and vacation packages. Find the best guided and expert planned vacation and holiday packages. Read more about North Korea

Small Group North Korea Tours

South Korea Highlights

• Spend a fascinating day exploring the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) on a guided tour. Discover why this intriguing place has been awash with tension and political pressure since the Korean War.
• Take a street food tour of the renowned Gwangjang markets in Seoul, feasting on bite-sized delights, and indulge in an authentic all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ experience for your final night.
• Explore the seaside Sokcho and discover the island village of Abai, home to hundreds of North Korean refugees and learn about their experience in a sobering talk with the community here.
• Spend a night in a traditional Hanok house in the Andong Hahoe folk village, walking past the traditional homes to imagine the country in its past life.
• Visit coastal Haedong Temple, explore the colourful Gamcheong Culture Village and then meet a Haeyno diver in Busan for an insider’s view of this predominantly female profession.

Best North Korea Tours by Duration

Tours, Cruises & Private Trips

Best North Korea Tours by Price

Top North Korea Attractions & Experiences

Top North Korea Experiences

• Seeing sights that few Westerners get to view
• Developing cross-cultural relationships with your guides and gaining possible insights into North Korean life
• Experiencing perhaps brief but telling interactions with some local people
• Visiting the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)  
• Marveling at mountain scenery and weirdly shaped rock formations
• Touring a country where little has changed for decades

North Korea Tours & Travel Guide

North Korea Attractions & Landmarks Guide

North Korea is a land of ancient temples and mausoleums, scenic mountains and lakes, and uncrowded beaches and ski slopes. It’s also the most isolated and little visited country in the world, which adds to its appeal for some travelers and -- along with its antagonistic political stance toward Western nations, especially the United States -- deters many others. Guided organized tours (of any size) are mandatory.

Visiting North Korea – officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) – is only for the adventurous: Not the physically adventurous, per se, but travelers willing to take risks to view a mostly closed, secretive, and dictatorially run destination for themselves. Only about 5,000 foreign tourists visit annually, and only a few hundred at most are Americans.

If you go, North Korea promises to be like no other country you’ve ever visited. Outside of your hotel, you’ll always be accompanied a government guide – or “minder” – and you’ll see only sights the guides want you to see. You’ll constantly be on your guard against offending the regime, whether it be taking unauthorized photos, trying to chat up the locals without permission, or making ill-advised comments about the country’s political system or leaders.

If you break any laws, your government guides may suffer consequences as well.

Recent reports are that things are opening up somewhat for the people of North Korea, including (illegal) importation of South Korean movies and other windows to the world. Some now operate small produce and other markets, largely in the face of official bans on such initiatives. But the government is potentially insecure enough that a severe crackdown on such activities could occur at any time.    

All that said, curiosity is a strong motivator for travel, and many Western travelers are curious about life in North Korea. And a visit – limited though it may be in scope – is the best way to satisfy that curiosity. You may come to different conclusions about the country than the prevailing conventional wisdom would allow. Travel is always an enlightening and broadening experience on some level, if you approach it with an open mind.

Here are some of the places you’re likely to visit if you go:

Visiting Pyongyang, North Korea

North Korea’s capital and largest city is the most affluent region of this mostly rural nation. It’s filled with monuments, mausoleums, and museums (the Korean War Museum – which glorifies North Korea’s “valiant resistance to U.S. aggression” -- being the most notable).

Also on view is the U.S.S. Pueblo , a spy ship seized by the North in 1968 and kept on display by the riverside.   

Many buildings and monuments may well seem extravagant in such a poor country, but they cater to the North Korean elite and are designed to impress foreign visitors. A ride on the metro system, again mainly for the elite, is a standard activity. A trip to the circus, complete with accomplished acrobats and trapeze artists, may provide needed relief from the capital’s endless parade of statues and propaganda.

Visiting The DMZ in North Korea

For all practical purposes, the Korean War ended in the early 1950s, but technically North and South Korea are still at war. The DMZ – or Demilitarized Zone – is really anything but that, as soldiers from both sides keep eyes and weapons trained on each other across massive concrete barriers, and occasionally fire on each other. It’s a sobering – but fascinating – part of any visit.

Other Notable North Korea Travel Destinations

Kaesong:  Kaesong is an industrial city near the South Korean border, where the two Koreas have experimented with cross-border economic cooperation. It was also the capital of an ancient Korean dynasty and is the site of an historic palace.

Mountains and Lakes : North Korean mountain ranges offer scenic beauty of the kind generally associated with China. Unusual rock formations, deep-blue crater lakes, and flowing rivers are among largely unspoiled natural attractions.

The Countryside : You may be taken to schools, cooperative farms, or – depending on the season – to a beach or ski resort. (The Mansik ski slopes, complete with hotel, were opened a few years ago.)  Expect that any schools, farms, or other facilities you visit will be stocked with the most up-to-date equipment and populated by happy-looking, well-fed citizens, while much of the farmland throughout the country has been reduced to dust.

Related Trips & Tours

North korea tours faq.

1. Does Travelstride have all the tour operators?

2. How does the Member Savings program save me money?

3. Can I trust the tour operator and trip reviews on Travelstride?

4. What does ‘Stride Preferred’ mean?

• North Korea
• Travel Guide
• Premium Hotels
• China-DPRK Train
• Premium Tours
• Group Tours
• Private Tours
• Signature Series
• Sport & Adventure
• Why Uri Tours?

North Korea Private Tours

As North Korea private tour specialists with over 15 years of experience, we arrange exclusive private tours for individuals, friends, families, and colleagues who seek a unique and personalised travel experience in North Korea.

Choose from our curated  Signature Series itineraries or design your own tailor-made tour with us. We can arrange visits to all 9 provinces in North Korea, which covers all corners of the country. There is far more to see and do in North Korea than you may expect!

On a private tour, enjoy the flexibility of choosing your own travel dates, subject to the Air Koryo flight schedule   and/or the China-DPRK train schedule .

If you are interested in a private tour to North Korea, please contact us.

What's included in a North Korea Private Tour?

Our private tour packages are all-inclusive of return transport (either train or flight) to North Korea,  premium accommodations , all meals, entry fees, two local English-speaking North Korean guides, modern air-conditioned land transport, and driver.

Our packages include the best available accommodations in each region. We are the only operator providing upgraded 4 and 5-star accommodation options at standard tour rates. A tour to North Korea is certain to be packed with activities and the importance of a comfortable night’s rest, reliable facilities, and amenities cannot be overstated.

Local North Korean guides can be arranged that speak the following languages fluently: English, Chinese, German, Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, and Thai.

Prices are per person in Euros (EUR) based on twin/double occupancy. If you wish to have your own room (excluding 1 person rate), there is a single supplement of €40 per night.

North Korea Private Tours from Beijing

Beijing is the primary hub facilitating travel to North Korea, offering transport to Pyongyang by either train or by flight.

The below base pricing includes round-trip transport between Beijing and Pyongyang by train .

You can upgrade to flight either one-way or return, and business class is available.

• Upgrade to one-way flight between Beijing and Pyongyang (either way): €195
• Upgrade to return flights between Beijing and Pyongyang: €295
• North Korean visa service: €60 . We don't need your physical passport for this process.

North Korea Private Tours from Shanghai

Visiting North Korea from Shanghai is the best value option! Enjoy an entire extra full day of activities compared to a tour from Beijing of the same length. See below for an example:

3 Night tour return from Beijing: Day 1:  Depart Beijing 13:05 arriving Pyongyang 16:05. Day 2:   Full day of activities Day 3:   Full day of activities Day 4:  Depart Pyongyang 08:30 arriving Beijing 09:50.

2.5 Night tour return from Shanghai: Day 1:  Depart Shanghai 22:35 arriving Pyongyang 01:55 (+1 day) Day 2:   Full day of activities Day 3:   Full day of activities Day 4:   Full day of activities , depart Pyongyang 19:55 arriving Shanghai 21:35

Pricing includes return flights between Shanghai (PVG) and Pyongyang (FNJ) on Air Koryo. Upgrades to business class are available.

Flights between Shanghai and Pyongyang run from April - November.

• North Korean visa service: €70 . We don't need your physical passport for this process.
• To see why visiting North Korea from Shanghai could be perfect for you, read our blog post!

North Korea Private Tours from Shenyang

Shenyang is the largest city in northeast China, and it's international airport services flights to Pyongyang. Shenyang is the only hub with Air Koryo flights between Pyongyang on Wednesdays .

Pricing includes return flights between Shenyang (SHE) and Pyongyang (FNJ) on Air Koryo. Upgrades to business class are available.

North Korea Private Tours from Vladivostok

The city of Vladivostok in Russia's far east is the only hub outside China operating scheduled flights to Pyongyang. Flights operate from Vladivostok International Airport (VVO).

Pricing includes return flights between Vladivostok (VVO) and Pyongyang (FNJ) on Air Koryo. Upgrades to business class are available.

• North Korean visa service: €110 . We don't need your physical passport for this process.

North Korea Group Tours vs. Private Tours

Explore North KOrea Tour

It is easy to join in the tour to dprk.

After You Had Your Expecting Daparture Dates Please Contact Us. We Will Be Your Assistant to Help you to Choose Your Departure Place and Dates to Pyongyang.

Before Fill In The Application Form. Please Ready 2 Entry China Visa / Digital Colored Formal Photo / Scan Of Your Passport .

We will send you the application form by email after you contact us

We Will Email You The Meeting Place and Time to Join  in The Tour.Book the Transportion to Come and Join in Our Tour.  

departure places from china - pyongyang

According to Your Requirement We Will Be Your Best Assistant to Help You to Choose The Departure Place and Dates 

Romantice Train Ride Tour

OTrain From Dandong - Pyongyang Runs Everyday. Train No. 95 Departure From Dandong At: 10:00a.m. Arrive in Pyongyang Around: 18:00p.m.

Flight From China - Pyongyang

ShenYang - Pyongyang / Beijing - Pyongyang /Shanghai - Pyongyang

We Apply 2 kind of North korea visa

Separate Paper North Korean Visa 

North Korean Visa Paste On Your PassPort

group tour & private tour

GROUP TOUR ALMOST EVERY DAY

Our Group Tours to DPRK Alomost Every Day- More Than Any Other Tour Operator!

Privat Tour Start Any Time

Private Tour Start Any Time You Want. And You Can Have Your Customized Itinerary in DPRK

North Korea trip of your life time!

“The real of voyage consists not seeing new sights,but in looking with new eyes  “- Marcel Proust

After Long History North Korean Still Has His Own Strong Culture. You Always Could See The Beauty of People Behind the Culture Of Every Country.

Our recent blog

Traffic lady in dprk.

traffic lady in north korea in dprk Traffic policewomen in...

Transportation in DPRK

Transportation in DPRK Highways in North Korea North Korea’s highways....

Marriage in DPRK

Marriage in North Korea What kind of man would north...

Education In DPRK

Education in DPRK Education is free in North Korea included...

Cookie policy

North Korea Tour: Traveling Inside the DPRK

By: Author Freddy Lansky

Posted on Last updated: September 26, 2021

“North Korea, North Korea? Why on god's green earth would you go on a North Korea tour? Why not Australia, or Hawaii, or something like that, but North Korea? What is wrong with you, man?” exclaimed one friend.

“Is North Korea safe to visit,” exclaimed another.

The question of why I was there was on my mind before the trip and during the first few days.

2020 Update – Why I didn't finish publishing this article in 2013.

I took this trip to the DPRK (as North Korea is also known) in October 2013.

I started writing this article shortly after the trip but then decided not to finish and publish it for many reasons.

The main reason was even if you try not to “be political” about a visit to North Korea, the fact is the very act of going is “political,” and I just didn't want to get that kind of attention.

However, I don't plan on going on a tour anytime soon with world travel shutdown due to Coronavirus and my adventure travel days mostly behind me (I went when I was 27, I'm 34 now).

Americans are banned from visiting North Korea by American law as of 2017 anyway.

Another reason for writing this is that in 2019 I started a Points and Credit Card Blog and moved into the travel space on my own. I now want the exposure that such an article would bring.

My goal in this post is to educate you on my experience, what I saw firsthand, and give you an idea of what to expect when going on an organized North Korea tour.

To be clear about the political ramifications or my opinions about visiting: I wouldn't have seen or known enough from a five-day propaganda tour to use such a trip to make any real commentary on the political situation anyways.

I would just be regurgitating whatever I heard on the news or media, which is pointless.

My goal here is only to share my experience.

Most videos and articles I've seen reviewing a North Korean tour tend to skew either on the side of making a propaganda fluff piece for the country or against it.

I'm trying to avoid both and simply provide an account of what I saw.

Table of Contents

Why travel to North Korea?

What type of traveler visits dprk, what tour company did you use, so, americans can visit north korea 2017 update: no, warning for usa visa waiver countries, can you visit north korea on your own, how do you get to north korea, beijing before the tour, check-in at beijing airport, air koryo review: a 1-star airline, pyongyang airport, the yanggakdo hotel, the rooms in the yanggakdo, pyongyang: an extremely clean city, pyongyang tourist sites, other places we visited in dprk, what was the food and drink like, partying in north korea, can you go to the north korean border with china, dandong to incheon, south korea by ferry, did you get a chance to talk and interact with any locals besides your guides, are a lot of the places you go to complete farces, setups, or just 100% propaganda, what about conversations with your guides, and the posters and speakers, what about anti-usa billboards and propaganda, how much does a north korea tour cost, is north korea safe to visit, and would you recommend going, about the author, frequently asked questions.

To get us started, I'll answer my friend's question “why not Hawaii or Australia?”

Since I work online and travel for fun, and all of the places I've been in 2012/13 are about sun, sand, and surf, I wanted to do something a little different.

News about the loosening of travel restrictions for tourism by the new leader, Kim Jong Un, has been spreading around the backpacking community for the last year.

You can now visit any time of the year, visit many cities and sites that were previously inaccessible, and they don’t search your bags or take your phones.

I discovered the rumor that you have a lot more personal freedom than what a tourist could've expected a few years ago was correct.

It fascinated me how North Korea has been hermetically sealed off for nearly 60 years and is only now just starting to open up.

I wanted to see what it was like for myself. This is probably the main reason most of the other travelers joined the tour.

The thought of seeing what a bonafide communist country looked like seemed to be the closest thing to time travel that the world could offer. That alone, for me, was reason enough to go.

The final nail in the coffin was meeting a guy at a weekly Couchsurfing meet-up in Atlanta who told me all about his trip to North Korea, showing me all the pictures and telling me how incredible it was.

Jealousy finally got the best of me, and I said, “fuck it, I am going to North Korea and booking my flight tonight,” and I did.

I got a lot more out of the trip and learned a lot more about myself, the world we live in, and North Korea than I ever expected.

Well, besides Dennis Rodman…but I digress.

Everyone in our tour group was a hardcore travel junkie, like mega-hardcore travel junkie, like “the only purpose I have in life is to travel my ass off” type people.

Obviously, I hit it off almost right away with everyone on the trip.

The group was almost exclusively male between the ages of 23 and 38. The largest group of visitors to North Korea is Chinese, followed by Americans.

Yup, Americans were the #2 most common nationality for North Korean tourism until banned in 2017.

In our group, there were also a few Polish guys, one hilarious Russian dude, and a few Canadians, but about half our tour group, including our guide, was American.

There used to be only one tour company that offered tours to North Korea, Koryo Tours, which still operates and has the most pristine reputation.

Since then, many tour companies have moved into North Korean tourism.

The company I used is the only company that caters exclusively to backpackers, Young Pioneers Tours , or YPT as they are frequently known.

They cater mainly to the 20s to early 40s crowd.

The idea of traveling to North Korea with a group of people my own age instead of with a bunch of seniors also got me more interested.

Almost everyone had visited dozens of other countries, and virtually everyone in the group spoke at least three languages and lived abroad at least once.

As of the time I went, October 2013, Americans were allowed into North Korea with no problem with either American law or North Korean law.

Before 2012, Americans were not permitted by the North Koreans to visit for tourism purposes.

In Sept 2017, the Donald Trump administration banned Americans from visiting North Korea.

So as you can see, there was only a 4-5 year window between the time that North Korea allowed Americans to the time the US Department of State shut down tourism to North Korea.

If I ever end up in legal trouble from this point, I want to emphasize: my visit was legal, according to both countries at the time (2013).

But if you are an American going now, even if you go on another passport, you are putting yourself at tremendous risk of falling afoul of US law as of 2020. Don't do it!

2020 Update: due to the pandemic, the North Korea borders are completely shut , including to tourists probably until at least 2021.

As of 2019, if you belong to any country on the USA Visa Waiver Program such as the UK, Australia, France, or Chile and have visited North Korea anytime since 2011, you will no longer be eligible for a visa waiver and will have to apply for a US Visa.

For citizens who live in those countries, would US immigration authorities ever know you went if you don't make a stink about it on social media and keep a low profile?

They probably would not, BUT you'd be taking the risk of being denied admission to the United States and having to apply for a regular visa for every visit.

Even once the COVID-19 pandemic ends, you should not travel to North Korea if you are in one of the 38 countries on the Visa Waiver Program and plan on ever visiting the United States. At least until the law changes.

This is not a complete list of the legal and political ramifications you may have from visiting North Korea.

Each country has its own rules regarding North Korea, but generally speaking, if you are not American and not in one of the 38 Visa Waiver Countries with plans to visit ever visit the US, you shouldn't have issues with your home country.

However, you'd still need to wait until North Korea opens its borders as they are closed to tourism for the indefinite future due to the pandemic.

Also, if you are a dual citizen of South Korea and another country and go to North Korea without prior authorization on your other passport, you could land yourself in hot water in South Korea.

If you have South Korean nationality, don't live in South Korea, and enter North Korea on another passport, I would advise you not to tell anyone on the tour you are South Korean.

Unless you are perhaps a Chinese, Russian, or Malaysian in the DPRK on business, virtually nobody can enter North Korea without a guide.

I should make it clear at this point that independent travel to North Korea by westerners is still not allowed.

You have to go through an independent tour company that works closely with the DPRK government’s tourism arm known as the KITC (Korean International Tour Company).

The tour companies and guides want to give you the best trip possible, but they have to work within the restrictions of KITC.

Although those restrictions have loosened in recent years, they're still very strict.

If you don't want to go on a guided North Korea tour, you may be able to hire a private guide for a custom itinerary, but this is very expensive, and you'd still be very limited on what you can do.

Getting to North Korea can range from slightly difficult to logistical nightmare.

The hardest part of any trip to Asia is getting a Chinese visa, but I already knew this since I’d been to China before.

You have to get a Chinese Visa to go to the DPRK because all DPRK tours start and end in China.

Most DPRK and Chinese tour companies will tell you getting a Chinese visa is a “piece of cake” and can easily handle it yourself. That is a bit of an exaggeration.

Getting a Chinese visa can range from slightly difficult to a colossal pain in the ass, especially if your city doesn’t have a Chinese Consulate, Embassy, or Visa Office.

You have a lot of forms to fill out, and you also have to give the consulate:

• scans of your full itinerary
• two passport photos
• proof of a plane ticket in and out of China
• proof you have enough money to support yourself
• color copy of your passport

If you’ve visited China before, they’ll need a copy of the visa from your previous trip, even if it’s on an expired passport.

You’ll also have to explain to the consulate/embassy why you’ll need a double-entry visa.

Other than that, you also have to apply for a North Korean visa through your tour company.

You'll need to pay for the tour with a bank transfer.

If you don't want to deal with all the logistical mess, you can pay various “passport agencies” to deal with all the hassle of getting the Chinese visa for a fee.

Other than that you have a few small forms to fill out for the North Korean visa.

2018 Update: China now has a 72-144 hour visa waiver program for many western nationalities that you can use to go to North Korea as long as you don't spend more than 72 hours in China on either side of your trip.

2020 Update: This program is paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it remains to be seen if they will reactivate it anytime soon.

You’ll also need to book your round trip plane ticket to Beijing on your own.

However, hard work brings the most delicious rewards: five days of access to the most secretive nation on earth.

The Tour Experience

Virtually all tours start in Beijing, where you can either fly or take the train into Pyongyang.

The day before the tour, there is a meeting where your guide will give you your DPRK visas and a brief rundown on taboos to avoid while in the country and other vital information.

Part of the experience of going to North Korea is taking the train.

Unfortunately, Americans were not allowed to take the train at the time I did the tour. I had to fly in from Beijing Airport.

Check-in at Beijing Airport was uneventful; the process was similar to any other commercial flight.

As we reached the terminal where we were taking off, I quickly realized tourists only account for maybe 25% of the passengers.

The majority of the passengers seemed to be either diplomats or high level North Korean politicians.  

Despite being the world's only 1-star airline, I found the plane and service to be fine.

If you are an aviation geek, DPRK would be heaven as Air Koryo uses a bunch of older aircraft that are no longer in use for passenger service outside of the country.

They served us a small meal and a beer and handed us a magazine filled with propaganda.

The “in-flight entertainment” on the overhead screen was various tracks from the Moranbong band .

I don't have much to say about the new Pyongyang airport in the DPRK.

When I was there in 2013, the old airport had been torn down, and the “airport” was nothing more than a landing strip with a small one-room makeshift building.

The new airport was still under construction. I've since heard it's quite nice and up to international standards.

We stayed at the 4-star Yankkhado Hotel, which is the most popular hotel for foreigners.

95% or more of foreign tourists stay in either the Yanggakdo Hotel or the more upscale “5-star” Koryo Hotel.

There are other hotels, but they are mainly for Chinese travelers as I think these are the only two hotels in Pyongyang that have the basic amenities a foreigner would expect.

But I could be wrong. Let me know in the comments!

The Yanggakdo Hotel is located on an island in the middle of the Taedong River. You can go outside, but you are not allowed to leave the island alone.

Legend has it (jokingly) that they have filled the river with sharks !

There are many myths and legends about the Yanggakdo Hotel, especially some “ secret floors ,” which I won't get into in this article.

The rooms were simple enough; they looked like any 3-star hotel would, but with a retro look and feel, including a radio I couldn't figure out how to work.

According to urban legend, they're bugged, but I doubt we were important enough for them to bother listening in on our rooms.

One of the most striking things is when you turn on the TV there is only one local channel, Koryo TV.

In the hotel, there were a few foreign channels, but I'm told outside of hotels with tourists, the only station is Koryo TV.

This channel is pretty much nothing but a reporter droning on and on for hours about the current and past exploits of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and his son and the current leader of the DPRK, Kim Jong Un.

Once you arrive at the hotel from the airport and turn on the TV and see this, it hits you that you are really in North Korea!

The Yanggakdo Hotel has a bowling alley downstairs.

That is probably the most important thing you need to know as you’ll spending plenty of nights down there bowling and laughing with chain-smoking Chinese business people.

(Many Chinese are now doing business in Pyongyang and starting companies in North Korea.)

There is also a sketchy casino downstairs.

And a rather famous turtle in the lobby that is in way too small a tank for his size. It's left to just swim aimlessly back and forth.

There is a brewery on the premise that offers the most delicious beer.

Virtually every place we went to had its own brewery and tanks.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea does not play around when it comes to their beer.

There is no wifi anywhere in the country as of the time I went, but you can send or receive an email for a whopping $2-$5 each.

The rooms were nice enough, but we hardly spent any time in them.

The view from our 28th-floor room was incredible, though.

The hotel has around 48 floors, but as far as I could tell was empty.

Everywhere we went felt empty and as though things were “turned on” just for us much of the time.

The first thing you’ll notice almost right away is that Pyongyang is probably the most beautiful city in Northeast Asia.

The water and air are clean, there is an absurd amount of green space, and the lack of heavy traffic and corporate signage everywhere is a welcome break from places like Beijing and Seoul .

Note: this is starting to change as much to my surprise there were quite a few cars during rush hour, and we did see some advertisements for a car company.

There is also virtually no trash in the city, at least in the parts we went through. 

After studying where we were taken when writing this article, I realized I only saw a tiny section of Pyongyang.

Still, even when leaving town, it didn't seem like the non-touristy parts we passed were much different.

It seemed like everyone in the city has their basic needs taken care of, and you didn't see any poverty or homelessness.

One should keep in mind, however, that Pyongyang is supposedly reserved for the most connected and loyal 10% of North Koreas in the country (at least that's what the media says, I have no way of confirming this or not).

Where do you go on a North Korea tour?

I chose to do the Political Interest Tour (note: the tour has changed a bit since 2013 to the current time this article is being published in 2020).

These days, itineraries are pretty flexible, and there are plenty to choose from.

Still, virtually all tours will include:

• Various monuments in Pyongyang
• Children’s Palace, where you’ll see a performance from North Korean’s most gifted children
• The nearby town of Kaesong (probably)

The remaining sites depend on the “theme” of your itinerary and may change depending on conditions.

Things we got to do that were unique to our trip, for example, were a visit to a steel factory and riding roller coasters with some North Korean soldiers (surely something I won’t forget).

But your trip might include other sites and activities unique to your visit.

Truth be told, all tour companies such as Koryo and YPT try to make it sound like every tour is unique and different, but about 75-80% of the tour is fixed to particular destinations such as Kaesong City, the DMZ, and the main sites and monuments in Pyongyang.

My tour visited the main sites in Pyongyang, Kaesong City, and the DMZ.

Unique to our tour was a visit to a farm and steel factory in the seaside village of Nampho (also spelled Nampo) where most tourists usually don't go.

I won't bore you with every single detail, but here is a rough itinerary of the most interesting places we visited.

Virtually every visit begins with a Korean lady dressed in traditional clothing.

She comes out to tell you how many times Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il visited the factory, museum, hospital, etc. you are currently visiting and how their advice helped improve it.

Then the lady magically disappears, and you are usually free to walk around and do your thing and take some photos as long as you don't wander too far.

(And believe me, if you stray too far, the guides will freak out, I tried.)

Most of the tour took place in Pyongyang. I'll list the sites we visited below.

Unless you visit the economic zone of Rason on a separate trip, virtually every tour will cover the majority of the places in Pyongyang mentioned below.

About 80% of the sites you'll see in Pyongyang will be limited to a small stretch of land, hugging the west bank of the Taedong River between Mansundae Hill and Kim Il Sung Square.

Other nearby sites just north of the map include the Arch of Triumph, Kim Il Sung University, and the Juche Tower on the East bank of the river.

You'll be bussed around to all the sites, and in one case, you may get to take the subway.

You'll quickly realize you could easily walk to almost all of the significant sites, but they choose to bus you around anyways, the reasons for which I won't speculate.

I've included a map showing you the two hotels where virtually all western tourists on a guided tour stay (Koryo and Yanggakdo hotels) as well as where the vast majority of sites are located.

(For the few places not on the map, they are mostly just outside what's shown.)

Mansudae Hill Grand Monument

The Mansudae Hill Grand Monument is a large complex with statues.

The central part of the complex is two giant statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

These are probably the most famous in the entire country, and you've probably seen video footage of it in various news broadcasts.

They are some of the biggest statues I've seen in my life.

Flanked on the sides are two elongated bronze murals of various workers of the “revolution” soldiers, farmers, and the like being patriotic, not all that different from some of the murals done in Eastern Europe before the fall of communism there. 

Part of your tour to the DPRK will be to buy flowers and leave them by the monument and then bow down to the dear leaders.

The statues are much more massive than the photos would suggest, and like all things DPRK immaculately clean.

We were warned that all photos must show the entire figures from head to toe as photos that cropped them would be considered a form of disrespect. 

The Korean Revolution Museum , which was on our itinerary, is nearby.

I don't remember if we went inside or not. (I don't think we did; I have no photos.)

Kim Il Sung Square

If you've ever watched footage of CNN announcing North Korea's latest nuclear ambitions with some video reel of soldiers and large model rockets being marched on parade by the army, it's here in Kim Il Sung Square.

Of course, on the day I went, things were much quieter, even desolate.

You can see marks on the giant square of where people should stand in an exact location (I guess DPRK was making social distancing markings on the ground before it was cool?).

The square was massive, probably the size of multiple football fields.

Mangyongdae School Children's Palace

The Mangyongdae School Children's Palace is an extra-curricular after school facility, clearly for the most privileged children of North Korea.

Before we entered, a high school-aged girl came outside to give us an explanation of how this building relates to Kim Il Sung, how many times he and Kim Jong Il visited, etc.

On a more exciting, less scripted note, a group of four girls came and talked to us in the best English they could muster saying hello.

My Russian friend took a good photo before they scurried off to class! 

During the tour, we were able to walk in on a calligraphy class as well as a music class.

All the kids here were incredibly talented at whatever they were doing.

The building itself is stunning both on the outside and inside.

The inside has vast wide-open spaces and is almost 100% marble. This seemed to be common to nearly all the buildings we were shown.

We were then taken to a brief variety show performed in the auditorium by the children, which was very well, perhaps “too well” performed for kids that age.

They did things such as juggling, playing music, short vaudeville scenes, it was a fun show.

If you do a DPRK tour you will almost certainly make a stop here. Check out the Young Pioneers website for more information.

Arch of Triumph

If you noticed this Arch, looks suspiciously like the Arc de Triomphe in France , its because it was modeled after it.

It was made to celebrate Korea overcoming the Japanese imperialists in World War 2 and, like all monuments in North Korea, specifically glorifies the country's founder, Kim Il Sung.

It is the second-largest arch in the world, and its impressive size is not adequately captured in the photos I've taken.

Cars are supposed to drive under the Arch, but we didn't see any vehicles go through it at the time as traffic in North Korea is sparse.

Juche Tower

No doubt, you will get the best views of Pyongyang from this thin, erhmm, “phallic” shaped structure.

Inside is a tiny museum that shows small plaques from “Juche organizations” around the world, including ones from the USA.

It's possible some of these organizations were real during communist times, but some of them were quite funny like “the Juche organization of southern United States thanks Kim Il Sung,” etc.

It's supposed to show countries all around the world subscribe to the “Juche Idea,” which is the North Korean version of “self-reliance” introduced by the country's first founder, Kim Il Sung.

This may have been partially true before communism fell apart in the late 1980s, but these days I find it hard to believe there are dozens of Juche organizations actively working around the world. But who knows, right?

Arch of Reunification

Completed in 2001, The Arch of Reunification is a relatively new monument.

If you go here, it's one of the few chances you'll get (or at least I got) to step foot on the outskirts of Pyongyang.

The arch commemorates the ideas Kim Il Sung had to reunify the Korean peninsula and spans the main highway going into town.

Also, if you visit, they will quickly set up a “rest stop” near the arch for you to buy snacks.

They'll then take it apart right as you leave. DPRK is a weird place man!

Amusement Park (Possibly…Mangyongdae Funfair)

Have you ever dreamed of riding a roller coaster with a group of North Korean soldiers? We did exactly just that.

I believe the name of the park was the “ Mangyongdae Funfair ,” but please don't hold me to it as this wasn't on the itinerary!

It was a standard small amusement park with North Korean's just acting just like any people from any country would at an amusement park, having fun with their friends, family, and loved ones.

This was a cool excursion because we got to interact with real North Korean's in the park in a non-scripted fashion, even though, of course, the language barrier limited communication to hand motions and laughing.

Pyongyang Maternity Hospital

Visiting the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital was one of the most interesting and weird parts of our North Korea tour.

This is supposedly one of the best, if not the best hospital in the country.

Everything felt staged, but I guess it is a real hospital.

One weird thing we noticed is there was no soap anywhere, which is a common shortage in socialist countries. 

The idea behind taking us to the hospital was to show us how modern North Korea's medical system was. Ironically, it had the exact opposite effect.

My favorite and most obviously staged part was the “Breast Endoscopy Room.”

We were then taken to a tanning bed that was hooked up to some old soviet radio that was supposedly for use with pregnant women to get UV rays.

I was like, “come on; you gotta be kidding me.”

I can hardly blame the Koreans for trying extra hard to impress us, given all the bad press coming out of the country.

It's clearly in their best interest to put their best face forward, even if it meant exaggerating or faking certain parts of the trip.

They then took us to a board room that had a bunch of old books in English on the walls, some of which had nothing to do with medical care such as “The 1997 A+ certification guide to repairing computers.”

A doctor came in and talked to us about North Korea's medical system. We were told anyone who wants care can come to this hospital for treatment.

I looked it up, and it really is supposed to be one of the best hospitals in North Korea, so maybe it wasn't all a facade.

But other people who toured DPRK agree this place felt like one of the most “staged” sites in the country.

Kim Il Sung University

Taking us to Kim Il Sung University was another attempt by North Korea to show how modern they are.

The buildings in the university are stunning both on the inside and out. Virtually everything in the corridors is made out of real marble.

I believe this is the most important and famous university in North Korea. Only the smartest and most privileged North Koreans can study here.

They placed a special emphasis on showing us computers as North Korea is known for restricting their use and having virtually no external internet access.

We had a local student come and explain to us what they do at the university.

From the gist of it, they focus more on math and science than softer liberal arts topics, at least at this particular university, but I could be wrong.

Pyongyang Metro Subway Stations

No trip to DPRK would be complete without a trip down into the subway.

The Pyongyang Metro is one of the deepest in the world; the escalator to go down is ridiculously long.

I believe the reason they built it so far underground is so it can double as a nuclear bomb shelter.

Like most communist-built subway stations, they are very opulent, similar to the ones you'd see in St Petersburg, Russia .

We got to see a few stations, including one's supposedly not seen by foreigners very often (unfortunately I couldn't find any photos I took myself of the stations) .

The subway station only has two lines. This was also a great experience as we got to interact a bit with the locals on the train.

Kumsusan Palace of the Sun

Without a doubt, visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun was one of the most bizarre experiences not just of my trip, but of my entire life.

Jews have the Western Wall, Muslims have Mecca and Medina, and North Koreans have the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and, more specifically, the Mausoleums of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

We were told that most likely, we would not be allowed to visit the inside of the Palace but low-and-behold when the day arrived, it turned out we could go in after all.

There aren't any amateur blogger photos or vlog footage from the inside of this building, as filming is strictly prohibited.

They make you empty all your pockets and confiscate all electronics, which are then returned to you later.

Mausoleum where Kim Jong Il rests in state

The tour starts with you being given the most serious security check of your life.

They're checking mainly for hidden cameras of any sort including in pens and eyeglasses.

All electronics are confiscated. You then are taken into a long moving walkway that goes on for about 15 minutes.

On each side are various paintings of the country's original leader Kim Il Sung doing various things, but almost always some form of providing field guidance at either a factory, a farm, or riding a horse in the wilderness.

Patriotic music is blasting through the loudspeakers. This goes on and on and on.

Eventually, you get off and are taken on another long people mover, which is essentially the same thing, but this time with Kim Jong Il.

This walkway is slightly shorter, about ten minutes or so.

At the very end of the walkway, they dedicated two or three portraits to the current leader Kim Jong Un.

(This was in 2013. I'm sure as of 2020, they probably added more.)

The Mausoleum – inconsolable crying North Korean women

After this, you are taken down some kind of opening in the wall with air blowers pushing air in all directions.

When you pop out, you'll see North Koreans, and especially women, hysterically crying.

Whether this is acting or not is anybody's guess, but it didn't seem like they were faking it to me.

I mean, the North Korean women near the mausoleum were crying there as if their child had died; it was a bizarre sight to see.

Then you are taken to Kim Il Sung's mausoleum. You must quickly pay your respects by bowing down.

You are then swiftly taken into the next room, which is Kim Jon Il's mausoleum, where you must bow down again.

Next, you're taken to a room that shows all the gifts, award medals, and plaques, as well as diplomatic “thank you” letters given by foreign governments and leaders.

90% were from European communist governments that no longer exist or dictators that were overthrown or died long ago, such as Indonesia's founder Sokharno and disgraced Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu (a dictator who made Romania the spitting image of North Korea for 30 years).

Since North Korea's government has been a pariah for 30+ years now, they've had to get creative.

From 1995 onward, most of these “diplomatic gifts” are from organizations rather than governments, some of which may not even exist.

(I saw things like “The Juche Organization of South Australia,” etc.)

The most interesting part is at the end of the tour where you can see all the countries Kim Il Sung visited, along with his train car.

In the next room, you'll see all the countries Kim Il Sung visited, and his train car as well.

They preserved his train car perfectly, even leaving the Macbook Pro on display!

I wish I got pictures but didn't want to risk a death sentence. If you watch the last two minutes of this video , it gives you a decent idea of what I saw.

Getting out of Pyongyang is typically the highlight of your trip as you get to see some of the countryside on the bus ride .

And, more importantly, the propaganda is just a bit less intense outside of the city (though still substantial).

Kaesong city

Kaesong is a small and prosperous (by North Korean standards) city near the DMZ . Geographically, it is much closer to Seoul than Pyongyang.

Kaesong was famous for hosting an industrial park in collaboration with the South Korean government to produce goods, but it has long since been decommissioned.

The ancient city is very well preserved with tons of ruins and buildings.

Kaesong belonged to the South Koreans for most of the Korean War and was one of the few places in North Korea that weren't bombed.

More importantly, this was the only time during the 6-day trip when we had a fair bit of freedom to walk around outside by ourselves.

It was a relief not to have three different local guides continually breathing down our neck.

A small group of us went to a nearby park and saw lots of people taking wedding photos, relaxing, and enjoying their day off (I believe we were there on the weekend).

The DMZ from the North Korean Side (Panmunjom Truce Village)

If you visit the DMZ ( demilitarized zone ), you’ll have far more freedom to walk around and take pictures on the North Korean side than the South Korean side.

Going to the Panmunjom from the north side was a much more pleasant experience than from the south.

I also went to South Korea on this trip the following week.

When I visited the DMZ, they hardly let us take any pictures or talk to the soldiers; it was quite a disappointment.

This is pretty ironic because you'll be told that in North Korea everything is scripted, you'll have no freedom of movement. And this is mostly true.

However, if you are a history buff and want to explore the DMZ, you'll have more freedom to walk around if you go on the North Korean side.

(Just don't cross the line unless you want to get riddled in bullets!)

We were taken into a small room and given the North Korean version of events as it relates to the Korean War.

We were reminded that both Koreas, as well as the USA, are technically still at war.

And we were told about ten times that it was South Korea/”The American Imperialists” that started the war (fact check: virtually all historians agree that North Korea initiated hostilities, but again, who knows who's right).

We were also shown the official armistice agreement.

Technically the DMZ is the only place you are allowed to take a photo with a North Korean soldier.

The truth is, even though they tell you not to take pictures of soldiers, they are so ubiquitous in the country, it's almost impossible not to.

However, the DMZ is the only place you can interact with the soldiers and probably the only place with soldiers that speak a bit of English.

At the end of the tour, we got to wave to the tourists on the South Korean side, and they waved back.

When I later visited the South Korean side, I kept thinking how bizarre it is two such very different worlds exist right next to each other.

Nampho (Nampo) City – North Korea

A unique stop on our North Korea tour was an industrial town on the west coast of Korea called Nampho (also spelled Nampo).

Tourists don't usually go here, which means we could see more real-life scenes and less “acting” and propaganda.

Taen Machine Factory – Nampho

This was my first time stepping into a machine factory and smelter in nearly 12 years.

The last time I had done so was in China when studying business abroad in 2008.

The factory didn't look too different from any other factory, except for the propaganda slogans on the walls everywhere.

Before we entered the factory, we were told how this all related to Kim Il Sung and how many times he had been there.

And we also were shown a mini-museum attached to the factory.

Not much else to say here. It was busy people working a smelter and making machines. The photos and videos were sick, though.

Chingsan Cooperative System Farm – Nampho

The first thing that struck me about this model “farm” is that very few people were there, even though it was harvest season!

Plus, there were no animals. We did see some people driving by.

Writing this seven years later, I still wonder if it was just a day off for the people working there?

It's tough to tell whether what you are shown is real, what is not, and what is real but exaggerated.

Adding to the Orwellian atmosphere, there was some propaganda blasting from speakers throughout the pasture, but the audio recording kept breaking and glitching.

We were allowed to roam around the farm for a little bit.

Perhaps, like the hospital visit, the farm is indeed real but this a “model” version made for tourists that is still partially used in real life.

2020 Update: It seems many tourists go to this specific farm and orphanage, so this would add evidence to the theory that it's not just “any other regular farm.”

Rural North Korean kindergarten “orphanage”

Following the farm, we were then taken to a North Korean kindergarten.

Was it real or not? Again impossible to say, but I'd lean on the “yes it was real but probably in better condition than most rural kindergartens.”

The first thing you notice when walking inside is a giant painting of Kim Jong Il sitting with a bunch of young children.

Then as you walk in, you see a lot of propaganda posters everywhere, all of which are some variation of “kill the Japanese” or “kill the Americans.”

You could tell the teacher was embarrassed that we were taking photos of this.

Also, we were told this was an orphanage, but interestingly enough it wasn't that they didn't have parents, they just went to school and lived there.

I guess it'd be considered more of a “boarding school for kindergarten-aged children.”

After this, we went inside a classroom.

The children performed some songs on the piano and simple dance routines clapping their hands; we were invited to join.

The kids were lovely and it was a highlight of the tour.

They fattened us up real good in North Korea.

I think it's their part to “show us” how much food they have in North Korea since the country gets so much bad press that their people are ostensibly malnourished.

I will tell you for a country that supposedly has no food I have never seen so much farmland in my life. It seems the whole country is one giant farm.

North Korean food, at least the way we had it presented to us, is very similar to South Korean food but without the western influences.

The most popular dish is “Pyongyang Cold Noodles,” which is Korea's take on Ramen noodles. It's a bit of a misnomer as the broth is served hot.

You can get it in any Korean restaurant. I've even ordered it here in Mexico where I live. I'm not a huge fan, but some people love it.

People also eat massive amounts of kimchi , which is also true in South Korea.

The country's beer is all brewed by the Taedonggang beer company. It's a delicious lager but tastes very ale-like, like a lighter pale ale.

Also, many places seem to have their own brewery that produces delicious lager, which I presume is also Taedonggang beer.

Partying options are limited to your hotel, and this one fancy place called the “Diplomatic Club” that is made for foreigners and diplomats and their families.

Unfortunately, the guides aren’t (yet) able to take us to where real North Koreans go out and have a good time.

After 12 hours straight of sightseeing and a round or two of bowling at the Yankhado bowling alley, you won’t have much energy left to go out and party anyways.

After the end of my DPRK tour, I decided to visit the borderland region in China in Dandong in Liaoning province.

As of 2020, the Chinese government has cracked down, and they do not like people flying to Dandong just to screw around near the border.

However, when I went in 2013, things were still pretty relaxed.

The border has a lot of fascinating history as it marks the end of the Great Wall of China, and the wall still serves as the approximate border between Korea and China.

A lot of smuggling and things go on in the border cities of Dandong and Sinuiju.

You can get close to the border, ostensibly to enjoy the Great Wall of China, but the real reason is to get a good vantage point to see North Korea over the border.

Here a few more photos of my time in Dandong.

I had a great Chinese guide who had, let us say, a “less than favorable” opinion on North Korea, which was a great counterbalance after hearing five days of propaganda.

I managed to get right up to the river and border before I got yelled at by some guards, and my Chinese tour guide quickly whisked me away.

Later, the guard said the reason they were yelling at me is that they found a dead body in the river earlier that day. Yikes!

2020 Update: Apparently, Chinese authorities got fed up with curious westerners getting dangerously close to the border in Dandong, so if you go, just be careful and always go with a guide as I did.

I won't cover South Korea since there are already so many articles and videos on it, but it is a lovely country.

The boat ride was interesting in-and-of-itself.

And before you ask, I highly doubt North Korean refugees would be able to make it onto the ship as they checked everyone's papers pretty thoroughly on the Chinese side.

The ferry was packed to the brim with Chinese laborers trying to get back to Seoul, where they live and work.

Some of them spoke a few words of broken English. I shared a room with three Chinese laborers.

We exchanged food, and they taught me a card game using just charades and hand gestures until I got the hang of it.

After a few beers, it seemed our communication improved a lot!

It's hard to believe I crammed so much adventure in just a little over one week.

How much freedom do you have on a DPRK tour?

It depends, but generally speaking, you have very little freedom.

Nevertheless, you do get to walk around on certain streets for 15-20 minutes on your own sometimes, but you're asked not to go inside any buildings.

One time I snuck into what I believe was a mundane flower shop, and my guides immediately freaked out and pulled me back into the group.

You might “feel” like in some places you're given a little space, but in reality, you're probably being watched by at least one person, if not more.

One instance that surprised me was in the city of Kaesong, where we were basically in the city center and had about 30-45 minutes to walk around and do whatever we want.

This was the only time I ever remember being outside in smaller groups without minders breathing down our neck, BUT as I previously said, it only felt that way.

Unfortunately, since I don’t speak Korean, I didn’t have a chance to have a real conversation with anyone other than my guide, but we had plenty of moments with locals.

Not a lot of people spoke English, but we exchange plenty of hellos and small moments with people in Pyongyang and Kaesong.

There is a “rumor” or “perception” that all interactions with locals are set up and that they're not allowed to speak to foreigners. This isn’t true at all.

We shared moments with them on the subway, and laughed and screamed together with DPRK soldiers on roller coaster rides at an amusement park in Pyongyang.

Of course, being a group of rambunctious guys, we did everything we could to distract the beautiful local traffic ladies and make them laugh as we passed by with varying levels of success.

We had plenty of smiling faces wave hello to us as we passed by.

Then again, the language barrier presented a considerable challenge, and even if we could speak Korean, most topics you'd be interested in asking a North Korean would be off-limits anyways.

If you want to meet “real” North Koreans and get their opinions on the country, you're probably better off arranging a tour of the North Korean neighborhood in Beijing with a Chinese guide that has connections.

If you're in Beijing or Dandong, it's relatively easy to arrange such a tour, but when you're actually INSIDE the DPRK, it's not the right place to ask these types of questions.

You can get everyone in trouble, including your guide, the western guides, and, most importantly, yourself.

Was everything you saw fake in North Korea?

If the government indeed setup every “moment,” they must have had to hire tens of thousands of people to be at the exact right place at the exact right time–possible, but highly unlikely.

I doubt anyone on our tour was important enough to be worth the time to do that.

I’d say for the most part we went to real restaurants, real sites, a real amusement park, actual ancient ruins, and a genuine steel factory.

We went to the DMZ, and I’m pretty sure the hotel was, in fact, authentic and not a mirage.

I’m also pretty sure our guides were real North Koreans (albeit part of the privileged 1% with access to hard currency).

Some places felt real but very exaggerated, like the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital.

Other sites were real such as the factory we visited and walking around town in Kaesong.

Again, when you're going on a guided tour of North Korea, it's tough to say what's real and what's not.

Still, I'd say most of what you see is not fake, but rather exemplary schools, top hospitals, and facilities, etc.

They're probably not in line with what the average North Korean experiences at a minimum.

So, in summary, you will be taken to mostly real places and real sites.

When you eat, you will probably be surrounded by locals in some of the restaurants.

However, you will still get a pretty hefty dose of “Kim” propaganda no matter where you go.

There isn’t anything your foreign guides can do about this; it’s just how they roll in the DPRK.

The only locals that spoke enough English to have a conversation with were our guides.

The two sensitive subjects we were told to avoid beforehand were the labor camps and defectors.

Other than that, the guides would talk to us about anything we wanted, including sensitive topics like the famine in North Korea in the 1990s, the split of the two Koreas, and their day-to-day experiences living in Pyongyang.

Some of the responses they gave us were the “correct” propaganda answers.

But often, they were a lot franker with us and more honest with their day-to-day life than what you might expect.

If you go, there's a good chance the local guides won't be as robotic and as you might expect.

If you're respectful throughout the tour , they'll loosen up a bit.

Also, your guides will know way more about the outside world than you might expect, but this could be because the guides have so much contact with foreigners.

One example of a positive effect North Korean tourism has on the country, is that no matter how much they try to isolate you from people, interactions and conversations are inevitable.

You could get the guides to open up quite a bit about their lives. (as long as you avoided forcing them to talk about the two hot button topics mentioned above.

NOTE : If you go to the DPRK, don't be a jerk and force your guides to answer questions that might get them (and you) in trouble. Trust me. They already know about the internet. And they're very well aware the entire outside world sees the Kim family propaganda system as a “cult.” You won't be telling them anything they haven't heard and will be getting them and yourself in trouble.

What’s the deal with North Korean propaganda?

The question people always want to know is whether North Koreans believe the propaganda.

My answer is I really couldn't tell you from a five-day tour.

Certainly, the people we encountered seemed very happy with the short and superficial brush-in's we had. 

I think many of them are true believers, and many of them are not, but virtually every site you see and everything you do will have something to do with them.

It's creepy but honestly no more disturbing than any other state-sponsored religion or religion in general.

The people of North Korea need something to believe in, and the government gave them something.

First of all, there is a giant bronze monument in the center of nearly every town of Kim Il Sung.

While I have my doubts that the people genuinely love Kim Jong Il, I have no doubt after talking to North Koreans and reading about Kim Il Sung that they hold him in high regard and aren’t “forced” to respect and revere this man as some may suspect.

There is quite a bit of propaganda everywhere but not nearly as much as you expect.

Since North Korea is so well known for its propaganda posters, everyone tries to snatch as many photos of them as possible.

I’ll put it like this. Those propaganda posters were rare enough that whenever anybody saw one when we were walking or on the bus, everyone would freak out and run to the posters.

Much more frequent then posters were slogans written in Korean. Who knows maybe the slogans are cheaper than the posters.

In my entire time there, I only saw two billboards that specifically mentioned the USA.

Unfortunately, that billboard was in a school which shook me up.

I’m sure it affects them to an extent, but I’m sure a lot of them have formed their own opinions.

Either way, despite the propaganda, most North Koreans aren’t the brainwashed fools that many believe, and I think many of them know quite a bit more about the outside world than we may suspect.

However, for the 15% of North Koreans who get to live in Pyongyang and Kaesong who have free housing, food, healthcare, clean air, a ridiculous amount of green space, and near-zero unemployment, I can’t imagine they are asking too many questions.

For the rest of North Korea, I have no idea what is going on, but I imagine conditions are far worse.

If you go with any tour company other than Young Pioneer Tours , chances are you will be with a much older crowd.

The general profile of the North Korean tourist is retired males in their 50s and 60s traveling the world and wanting to relive and recreate their younger days of being a western tourist behind the iron curtain.

However, Young Pioneer Tours brings a much younger, and frankly wilder group, which made the trip a lot more fun.

I felt bad for our female DPRK (North Korean) tour guide for having to put up with a bunch of boisterous young men traveling the country by bus with her for six full days.

Young Pioneer Tours has by far the lowest price of any tour company that goes to North Korea.

My 5-day tour was just €900 ($1,075), while Koryo tours would charge about triple that amount.

Compare that to five years ago, where a 5-day tour would cost $4,000+.

To get such a low price, they cut a few corners, such as having shared accommodation, but that didn’t bother me at all.

What about all the messed up stuff that's supposedly happening in the country, you may ask?

I can't confirm any facts about North Koreans' day to day life and any restrictions they have on their freedoms based on a five day, highly choreographed tour when I don't even speak Korean. 

I don't feel there is any point in me talking about these things because virtually every article I've ever read already points these things out, so I wanted to talk about the Korean people living in the DPRK and the experiences I had.

Not to mention they worked hard on this highly choreographed tour to not let us see any poverty, but when we were on the road, we most certainly noticed it.

Visiting the country is certainly morally ambiguous I will admit that, and I probably won't go back (and cannot go back anyways since Americans are now prohibited from going).

I feel tourism is improving the country's situation, improving the way we see North Koreans, improving the way they see westerners, and improving the economic and political situation.

If you want to go, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Once again, as of 2017, Americans can no longer visit. For people eligible for ESTA visa waivers to go to the United States, remember you will no longer qualify for a visa waiver if you go to the DPRK.

If you ever decide to get residency or a job in South Korea, having visited the DPRK could cause you problems as well.

If you don't have plans to visit the USA anytime soon, then go for it, it's safe!

Freddy Lansky is a former backpacker turned luxury traveler that currently runs a points and travel hacking blog called Points Panda.

You can follow his adventures on Instagram @PointsPanda

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER : The copyrights to this article and all of the media in this article (including the photos) are owned by the author, Freddy Lansky, who took the photos. For permission to use any of the media in this article, please contact him first.

Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:

• G Adventures for small group tours.
• Hostelworld for booking hostels.

Victoria@TheBritishBerliner

Tuesday 27th of October 2020

'Nice one Freddy! What a "fun", refreshing piece!

Obviously, I've read many a report about North Korea, but I appreciate the fact that this article was more about the North Korean people themselves rather than a large dose of political issues.

Any destination that is "outside the norm" is always going to be of interest and that's quite OK.

Borders Of Adventure

Leading Culture and Adventure Travel Blog by Becki Enright. Looking at the world with a different angle to change perceptions of misunderstood places, for the best in travel.

Misunderstood Destinations , North Korea

North Korea Travel Guide – The Truth About Visiting the DPRK

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to handpicked partners, including tours, gear and booking sites. If you click through or buy something via one of them, I may receive a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you and allows this site to keep running.

This guide to travel in North Korea talks about tourism in this very restricted country and what it is really like to visit the DPRK. 

Travelling to North Korea for seven days was hard. It’s propaganda via the medium of travel. I was overwhelmed, confused, upset, surprised, and returned with more questions than I had before I went.

My perceptions were certainly challenged while visiting the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Living in the western world means I have always been exposed to a one-sided and exaggerated view of what goes on there. A biased view that never mentions anything positive and masks any forms of progress that might just pave the way for a better future, even if it evolves slowly from an extreme belief system.

At the same time, any showcased achievements you see when there entirely mask the atrocities that we know about but are obviously not mentioned. 

North Korea is a country held high as the ultimate war trophy, whose unpardonable extreme ideological policies are mocked alongside the suffering of its people, rather than put into context and explained. Yet interaction with North Koreans, however limited, paves a way for understanding. The more we learn, the less inclined we are to make assumptions. Travelling can help provide that context. 

North Korea Travel Guide – The Reality of a Visit to the Hermit Kingdom.

Can Anyone Travel to North Korea?

Are americans allowed to travel to north korea, how can i travel in north korea dprk tours, do you get a stamp in your passport when you visit north korea, how do i get into north korea, is it safe to travel to north korea, what are the tourism rules for north korea 10 things to know, when you visit north korea your initial perceptions are challenged, real life in north korea – a brief look from the bus window, are people brainwashed in north korea, is it ethical to visit north korea, points of hero worship in north korea, places of entertainment in north korea, imposed order and fake scenarios, a visit to the dmz from the north korea side, riding the pyongyang metro, watching the arirang mass games in north korea, be open-minded when you travel here, the importance of travelling to south korea, north korea travel guide – frequently asked questions.

You can’t travel to North Korea unless you are in a guided tour group. Tourism in North Korea is very restricted and you almost feel as though you live on the tour bus as you can’t wander around freely. At all times, you have two guides who chaperone you every step of the way.

It’s a completely different way of travelling, and as held back as you feel, the local people simply are not used to western faces and so this form of control allows them a slow introduction. When you visit North Korea, it is not a holiday.

South Koreans are not permitted entry to North Korea.

North Korea travel is all about spending most of your time on the bus.

Following the death of American tourist, Otto Warmbier after he was arrested and detained in North Korea, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson authorised his department to block Americans from traveling to the country, which already advised against travel to North Korea.

The ban came into effect on 1st September 2017, leading some tour companies, such as Young Pioneers no longer taking American tourists into the country (effective as of June 2017). Journalists and humanitarian workers are allowed to apply for exemptions under the ban.

Choosing a North Korea tour isn’t too difficult since there are not an abundance of companies offering travel experiences there. I went with Koryo Tours in 2012, given their great reputation and the fact they opened up the concept of tourism there first.

Not only is it very expensive to go to North Korea, but I wanted my trip to be expertly organised. With the tour starting and ending in Beijing , and all your visa requirements taken care of, the whole process was hassle-free.

The night before I remember sitting with a guy in my Beijing hostel, who was also going, and feeling overwhelmed. “We are going to North Korea! I can’t believe it!” which was quickly followed by “I’m scared”. Really scared of the million rules and regulations we had to adhere to, scared of what we might see, doing something wrong and being in trouble. And scared of what I would end up feeling.

In the departure lounge, nervousness and excitement were expressed through a mutual exchange of our knowledge and opinions. It’s better to get everything out of your system before you are exposed to exaggeration, propaganda, and overshadowed facts where you have to keep a straight face. You will only be shown what they want you to see.

North Korea Koryo tour group.

No – the visa is simply printed out and kept together in one big file for the entire group which includes individual images of everyone on the tour (a page that is also stuck on the bus window for reference).

The tourist visa card to North Korea.

After signing up for a tour and when your visa and permission for entry to North Korea is granted, you will fly from Beijing to Pyongyang on Air Koryo – a state-run airline. Air Koryo has consistently bad ratings, but flights to North Korea are the only means to enter.

The majority of organised tours leave Pyongyang via train, back to China (specifically Beijing), upon which North Korean guards will enter the train before its entry into China to check your camera and make sure you are not taking any offending material outside of North Korea. Other tours may also fly back to China via Air Koryo.

Boarding the Pyongyang to Beijing train.

As long as you follow all the rules outlined to you before you enter North Korea, travel is ‘deemed safe’ in the respect that you are never alone, never allowed to travel at your own will or allowed to travel outside of the designated areas where North Korean guides chaperone you at all times. This means it is highly unlikely that you will be affected by any serious crime or be the victim of it, nor witness any major situation in the country at the time due to the controlled nature of the visit.

North Korea isn’t a communist dictatorship where people and visitors have relative freedom, like Cuba . Every DPRK tour factors in a full briefing, before departure, on every applicable rule you must follow. These are often reiterated on the trip itself. There is no excuse for breaking the rules which are very clearly laid out.

There is nothing brag-worthy about travelling in North Korea; everyone is effectively at risk travelling there.

It is also wise to keep up to date with the latest news agenda, alongside political tensions in the area and those between North Korea and your country of citizenship that may affect your entry to the country as well as any pending bans or rule changes.

You will attend a meeting in Beijing at the offices of your designated tour company before the start of the tour (normally 24-48 before), which outlines the rules you must adhere to when travelling in North Korea. These include:

• The types of camera and lens size permitted for use in the country.
• How your Passport will be taken from you when you enter North Korea, for the duration of the tour (and usually kept by your tour group leader) and returned to you upon arrival back into China. The reason for this is stated as being “for security reasons”. At the time I travelled, my mobile phone was also confiscated.
• How to take pictures of the Kim statues , which cannot be captured close up or cropped. They must be captured in their entirety.

Bronze statues of the Kims in North Korea.

• The kinds of pictures you are NOT allowed to take. Pictures of any form of construction, scenes that denote poverty and images of the military are not permitted. When in doubt about the nature of what can and can’t be photographed, ask first.
• How you will be expected to honour the leader.  When visiting the statues of Kim Il Sung your group will be expected to bow and lay flowers, just as the North Koreans do. You are also obliged to pay respect when visiting all monuments of national importance.
• The importance that any kind of independent travel in North Korea is in no way allowed, anywhere or at any point of the tour.

Pyongyang city seafront.

• Do not try to reason, state facts, change the narrative or attempt to overturn the words and actions of your North Korean guide or those you come across at designated sites.  This is their job, and while you might categorically know something not to be true, they have no choice, and you chose to be in this restricted and propaganda-heavy situation.
• Any attempt to converse privately with a North Korean citizen will be seen as an act of espionage.

North Korea guard explains the history to tourists visiting the border with South Korea.

• To act positive, praise-worthy and keep any negative thoughts to yourself and not say anything derogatory out loud.  It’s better to be submissive and accept the situation than to be seen as trying to overturn it.
• Do not bring with you any materials pertaining to South Korea, religion or anything that can be seen as a form of ideology of which you will be seen as imposing.

You must absolutely follow the rules for travel in North Korea and don’t do anything outside of those rules which may draw attention to yourself.

There are no exceptions to these rules and nor will you get off lightly. Imprisonment and torture are common forms of punishment and your tour company has no special command to get you off the hook.

Also, anything you do wrong also puts your North Korean’s life (and their family’s lives) at risk.

My North Korea Experience

Pyongyang, where the North Korea tour is mostly be based, isn’t a grim and frightening ghost town. Looking out from the top of the hotel, you are afforded a view just like any other big city, including skyscrapers, factories, monuments and mass housing. It is, after all, the centre of the country’s most elite – it exists as a centrepiece and to house particular people.

I thought Pyongyang would be a small concrete city, hidden from view. Instead, it sprawls for miles and miles and looks just like any other city, except it’s scattered with propaganda posters, mosaics and bronze sculptures of the Kims. It is both the pivotal destination for tourism, the capital and at the heart of the regime.

View of Pyongyang from the tourist hotel.

The high-rise buildings of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.

There is no denying that it is for show. This is not how the majority of North Koreans live. The city gleamed with new and pristine buildings, built to the grand imposing communist-style façade of dominance, modern progression and increasing wealth.

There are statues so immense that their towering presence automatically creates an air of intensity, like the artistic propaganda posters you can’t miss – a style I had previously learnt about at the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre prevalent during the Mao’s Communist Regime in China. The stylised shop fronts we too often take for granted when at home are, in fact, empty. Or they happened “to be closed” that day, of course.

Sightseeing in Pyongyang.

Bronze statues of the Kims riding horses.

Elevated view of Pyongyang City. 

It was, seemingly, a functioning city full of local people going about their daily lives. Whether that was the queue for a building we could only assume is a food and ration station (there are only tourist stores open), the pockets of people disappearing underground to use the Metro station or walking to the office, or the mothers out with their children, we got only a very, very small glimpse of daily life. Mostly from the bus window.

Streets of Pyongyang.

Pyongyang Metro entrance.

You must always remember what is deliberately presented to you when you travel in North Korea. 

Whilst you know about malnourishment and mass electricity blackouts, you don’t see it in the show city. So whilst there’s no denying the existence of this because there’s proof from defectors and undercover reporters, in Pyongyang it is not on the scale we are told about because the set-up is very different. Although extreme poverty does exist en masse throughout the country (as footage shows), this is what you (strategically) won’t see.

When we drove out of the city, we did pass shanty-type, less affluent towns. This was a real glimpse into how some of the population live outside of the capital and was the more shocking side to travel here. Of course, upon leaving Pyongyang, you can’t take images. Instead, you only remember what you saw. 

Construction was taking place everywhere, and we still wondered why many people were living in semi-completed buildings. I’ve also seen similar neighbourhoods in China and other parts of Asia, where buildings are left rather than being maintained and where wealth distribution is unbalanced. I wouldn’t say this housing is unique to North Korea, but it did show the existence of the same underbelly of poverty. From news investigations, we know deep down it’s far worse than what we see from a quick glance out of a bus window, of course. 

DPRK Propaganda sign in a neighbourhood in Pyongyang.

Life in Pyongyang.

What confused me the most about North Korea was the beautiful countryside in Nampo and around – green hills and yellow crop plantations, trees and orchards. In a land that has around 70% mountainous terrain, it looked pretty impressive.

Our British guide told us that North Korea had admitted to bad farming practices and that it lacked knowledge about beneficial methods, but it looked as though things were improving. Or could. If it was put into practice for the benefit of the people.

The countryside of North Korea.

I’m no farmer, but I wasn’t expecting to see so much green and grain. Whilst this may not produce a plentiful supply for the entire population, there is production in farming, although I have no doubt that it’s far from enough or distributed properly, if at all. There have been famines since the 1970s when the help from the Soviets ended, and the need for international aid began. 

The countryside near Nampo outside of Pyongyang.

Our visit to a local farm was very set up, and we had no belief that anyone we met actually lived there. The shame is that it still provides a window of hope for what can actually be.

A working farm in North Korea.

Farming in North Korea.

Our visit to an apple factory with its investment of millions of pounds worth of equipment looked as though a slow growth of manufacture and export is on the cards – or again, one could hope. The mechanism is there – it just needs to be implemented.

A mural of King Jong Il adorns the apple factory near Pyongyang.

Apple factory tour.

Apple products from the factory are on sale for tourists.

The question of what it is like to live in North Korea fascinates everybody. When you look into it a bit more deeply, we all are cut from an ideology of the society we are brought up in, except that in North Korea, it is on a very extreme scale to what we will ever know.

From what I observed when I was in North Korea and what I read before and after my visit, the majority of North Korean people know of nothing else, and by having no access to other sources or information and, therefore, no comparison (except the few who retain and obtain information and later defect), it appears they live in a world they assume is normal.

From that sense of normal appears to be a genuine love for the Kims – nearly everybody wears a pin badge bearing one or both of them, and many bow to the statues before work in the morning. They believe in everything they have been told as they have never known the full facts, or been given the means to find out or make a personal judgement. If you knew of nothing else, what would you do? Sure, there must be people from older generations who also know the absolute truth but have no option but to live in submission.

My point is that we shouldn’t be so quick to judge a nation of people without looking at their ideology in context. It’s devastating that people have to live in such isolation in this day and age. We, in the Western world, are lucky to live in societies where we have freedom of speech, freedom of expression, access to information and means from which to realise our aspirations and make informed choices.

We shouldn’t be so quick to brand a nation of people as odd, weird or crazy when they have no clue and are just going about their normal lives.

The normal they know.

The ethical question of visiting North Korea is a tricky one, and I sit on both sides of the fence.

On the one hand, everything that happens in North Korea is wrong. At the same time, in that case, we wouldn’t be travelling to many places. Some argue that by visiting North Korea you are helping to fund the regime or government’s objectives, but this applies to many countries open to tourism. Think of the corrupt governments that still exist in Asia and the Middle East, but you don’t think twice about heading there.

On the other hand, meeting North Koreans is a gateway to openness. The North Koreans we met were kind. Our guides were easy-going, approachable, witty and caring. Of course, you can’t talk openly to them, speak of things at home, or try to inform them of the facts behind the Korean War. This would be against the rules set upon you and at risk to them. Beyond the historical ‘facts’ they had to tell and the rules they had to impose (since they would be in serious trouble over any of our irresponsible actions) they weren’t lifeless robots. They became our friends, just like any other person.

On National Day, we walked through a park where locals were celebrating with their families, laying out a huge picnic, firing up the barbeques, playing music and dancing. Some were unsure of us, giving a stare that suggested a slight fear of the unknown and given what they have probably been told about the Western world and its people, others were welcoming, offering food and pulling us into their dancing circles.

You might question the serendipitous encounter at the time visitors arrived. Even if they were told to be there (which is highly likely), shaking hands, smiling and interacting was the only reassurance we could provide that we are not all bad, and I feel that is a positive start to what could be a slow but positive change in this country. 

Travelling to North Korea and a tourism drive could be one way to start opening the cracks.

National Day in North Korea.

What Do You Get to See in North Korea?

The number one rule of travel to North Korea is that you will never see the real North Korea. Travelling to North Korea is in no way a relaxing holiday or a form of vacation. They want you to return having believed the PR presentation about development, happiness and loyalty. 

A trip to North Korea is not complete without the sites they want you to see – the showpieces of the regime and the points of Hero Worship – such as Kim Il Sung Square and the statue we had to bow to, the Tower of Juche Idea, the Founding Party Monument, the captured US spy ship USS Pueblo, Kim Il Sung’s native home.

The Monument to Party Founding in Pyongyang.

Monuments and murals in North Korea.

Pyongyang parade ground markings.

One of the many monuments in North Korea.

Captured ship US Pablo shown to tourists in Pyongyang.

Korean traditional dress and dancing.

A fairground, a bowling alley, nights of karaoke. That’s also part of the itinerary and which you realise are places built for the elite locals and not just for western entertainment. Keeping the people happy and occupied – distraction keeps the ideological machine in motion.

The main downside to what you see is the imposed order and structure as well as the exaggerated explanation, yet this is what you expect before you come on the trip. Some things you visit, such as the farm collective, appear a little too set up with the people ‘placed’ there, which didn’t feel right or real at all. But you only had to look into the distance to get a better picture, without taking an actual photograph.

Propaganda literature and videos on a North Korea tour give an extremely one-sided argument to the history of the Korean War. It is frustrating, but you have to grin and bear it. Everything is built in what they call ‘chollima time’ such as their version of the Paris Arc de Triomphe, of which North Korea’s is bigger and took less time to build. “This would normally take five years to build, but we built it in three!”

North Korea’s version of the Arc de Triomphe in Pyongyang.

Local guides gush about Kim Il Sung more than you would declare the love you feel for your parents – he is often referred to as ‘our father’ much like religious terminology. Films detailing milestones of the country such as the building of the West Sea Barrage dam are long, tedious and full of descriptions of the ‘revolutionary spirit’ behind its construction. Every place of high importance bears a plaque of when one or both of the Kims made a visit, alongside a giant painting of them. 

This can become very tiring but does give solid insight into the way the minds of the people have been moulded and the lessons to be learnt from that.

While tourists can easily visit the DMZ in South Korea, North Korea’s tourism doesn’t leave this off the agenda. This is your chance to see it from the other side and, of course, hear the story from their perspective.

You get to sit in the same room, converse over the negotiation table (which you are not allowed to sit at when you visit from the South Korea side) and see the North Korean guards on duty at the borderline.

Visiting the DMZ on the North Korea side on a guided tour.

Around the table at the DMZ meeting room on the North Korea side.

North Korean guards at the DMZ border line.

After that, you will get to look through Binoculars out into the DMZ ‘No Man’s Land’ area in-between the two country borders, where you are informed North Korean guards keep constant watch.

Looking out into the DMZ No Mans Land from North Korea.

READ MORE: Visiting the DMZ in North and South Korea – The Story of Both Sides

One of the deepest metro systems in the world, you get to go 110 metres underground to ride the Pyongyang metro. Adorned in intricate mosaic tiled propaganda images and bronze and with revolutionary themed names like ‘Comrade’, ‘Glory’ and ‘Reunification’, North Korea’s subway is quite the experience.

This is a stop included on your organised tour since North Korea is both proud (of those stations on show) yet secretive and guarded since you can ride only five of the 16 stops. Of course, you embark and disembark at the grandest station of them all – Prosperity.

Hundreds of people can be seen making their way to and from work and home, on a ticket that costs 5 Won (less than one US cent). I have seen images of all 16 stations in use and apparently, you can ride all of them – you just don’t on a tour as it would take too long. But in reality, we will never know if the entire metro system is in constant working order and for whom such a service is for.

I’m fascinated by metro systems all over the world and the Pyongyang subway is a highlight for the curious-minded. I would love to ride them all since it is said each station exists as a timeline and story flow of North Korea’s history.

The part of the metro in Pyongyang open to tourists.

Inside the decorated Pyongyang metro station.

Newspaper on the platform of the Pyongyang metro subway platform.

When you sign up for your North Korea tour you will be asked if you would like to purchase a ticket to the famous Arirang Mass Games spectacle at the Rungrado May Day Stadium, also known as the Arirang Festival. It is deemed a highlight and THE thing to see in Pyongyang, There are various tickets for different seating plans, but for the majority of tourists this feat of athleticism and showmanship of gymnastics is a highlight.

The Mass Games in North Korea.

While no show on earth will ever compare to that of the Mass Games in North Korea – a spectacle so incredible and full of athletic prowess that it blows your mind – it was also very uncomfortable to watch.  

At the back of your mind weighs the reality of the extreme training of the participants, who live within a gruelling and dominant regime where the Mass Games is a part of the societal showcase. You can imagine the pain and endurance to be perfect, and exactly what would happen if someone messed up. No one puts a foot wrong during the performance.

As a communist state, North Korean flags and red symbols appear heavily throughout. The huge picture in the background? That’s school kids trained all year to make images from pieces of coloured cards for hours on end at this show.

Watching the Arirang Mass Games in North Korea.

The hundreds of performers at the Arirang Mass Games.

The Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance Arirang.

While places of communist past have or are slowly moving on, becoming ‘socialist’ and slightly more progressive, North Korea lags behind by still keeping an ultimate grip on its people, yet struggling with the realisation that it needs to develop, trade and open up with the rest of the world in order to sustain itself in the modern age.

A country striking fear into the heart of its people is the only way it maintains control. This is something my generation, in particular, doesn’t understand as many of us have never had to live in a country in serious conflict with another. Whilst we would all love to see a united Korea, it wouldn’t be that easy.

Think of the differences between East and West Berliners when the wall came down. Two ideologies and different ways of life collided; two economic and education systems trying to integrate. I couldn’t imagine this would be an easy process of bringing immediate peace, but hopefully, I will see some movement towards this in my lifetime.

In tourism’s infancy, around 1,500 tourists visit North Korea annually. Today, that number is more in the regions of hundreds of thousands, but mainly from the Chinese market in comparison to the smaller numbers of western tourists going to the DPRK. Still, that’s thousands more than we ever thought possible.

From what we were told from the Koryo Tours representative with us, the more time goes by, the more tourists are allowed to see and do – a two-way trust process that slowly grows, where we can show the North Koreans a positive side to the Western world and its people and where we can try to understand them. A hope that it somehow paves the way for openness.

Maybe one day the people will harness the power for change or the ideological system will change.

Only then can we be friends without restriction. 

It was important for me to gain a wider perspective on the culture and history of the Koreas and the conflict, and so a few months later I travelled to South Korea for three weeks. I was able to see some core sights and gain a better understanding of just how different life is on the other, more accessible side of this heavily tested border.

About Becki

Becki Enright is a British Travel Press Award-winning writer whose work focuses on changing perceptions about misunderstood aspects of destinations. Her writing combines storytelling with insight into the social, historical, political and economic factors that shape the country or place in relation to tourism. Becki has appeared live on Sky News and CNN and has contributed to high profile media including National Geographic, Time.com, Guardian online, New York Times, Grazia and Buzzfeed.

Chris Padley says

19 August 2023 at 8:47 am

In his TV programme made of his visit to N.K. Michael Palin visited a park on National Day too. A comparison between this, as seen in the TV programme, and your description of your own experience is interesting.

Paul Cosgrave says

13 June 2023 at 9:56 pm

Becki: Great Article. You are a brave person to have gone to North Korea. As an American I will not be going anytime soon. I agree with your comments that travel is so important to help us understand the people and their motivations who have grown up in different cultures than ourselves. I realized this in a recent trip through Vietnam and Cambodia where the culture is clearly not as different from our western background as what you experienced in North Korea, but nevertheless very different from what I had expected. The one thing I have learned from my travel is that people around the world are much more similar than they are different.

6 January 2023 at 7:27 am

I traveled to North Korea in 2007. Americans were not allowed to visit for a long time but when they allowed a few American tour groups in that year I jumped at the chance

Everything in this rings true to me. I am still conflicted as to whether giving money to the regime was a good thing

However there were several moments when I had a brief but human chat or laugh with one of our guides. Talking about family and universal stuff. I hope that made a tiny bit of difference in understanding

6 January 2023 at 1:46 pm

It’s a real conflict mentally and morally. Although North Korea is up there as one of the worst, we sadly give our money to many regimes when travelling. But I firmly believe that those chats on universal stuff are a way of paving the way to openness, truth and understanding.

Aaron Galan says

17 May 2020 at 8:30 am

I would love to go to North Korea just to have another perspective of what it is shown on TV. Maybe give a chance to this country, because it’s easy to say that a country is bad for its bad reputation on TV. And I know this because sometimes other countries think that Mexico is just as bad as a Warzone. Apart from that I would like to see if it’s true that everything is as Asymmetrical as everyone says. I would also like to visit the DMZ from both perspectives to compare each sides of the stories

• Article Archives
• Work with me
• Privacy Policy

In a country where all ideology exists to serve the ruling regime, statues, portraits and murals of the DPRK’s God-like former leaders  Kim Il-sung  and  Kim Jong-il  are omnipresent. 

Alongside them are an almost endless collection of Cold War-inspired monuments dedicated to the Workers Party of Korea and to revolution and resistance. Propaganda posters and slogans that declare the nation’s march towards inevitable victory are the only form of advertising.

See Also: The Best Books About North Korea

Nowhere is all this more on show than in the nation’s showpiece capital, Pyongyang . The home of the country’s most elite and loyal citizens, Pyongyang is the epicentre of the North Korean regime. 

No visit to North Korea is complete without a visit to the northern side of the infamous Demilitarised Zone , the heavily armed Korean border known as the DMZ.

Nearby, the ancient city of Kaesong , the capital of Korea for almost 500 years, retains many historic sites granted UNESCO World Heritage status.

To the north of Pyongyang are the spectacular mountains of Myohyangsan . The beaches around the east coast near Wonsan attract a growing number of international tourists.

On the border with China in the far north is the sacred Mount Paektu , dominated by the stunning Chon Lake, which is also an unlikely ski resort.

Is it Safe to Visit North Korea?

Though visiting North Korea is not completely free from risk, all tourists are treated as welcome guests in the country. Incidents involving tourists getting into trouble in North Korea have been high profile but are incredibly rare.

Of course, there are some very important rules to follow and visitors to the DPRK should always behave appropriately, especially when visiting sites connected to the Kim regime. Yet on the whole, tourists in North Korea are valued by the authorities and will never be put in a position of harm. 

Respect the Regime and Do Not Question the Historical Narrative

Visiting North Korea means having to accept the DPRK’s version of events regarding the history of Korea. 

Almost everything you’re told regarding the history of the DPRK is likely to be  heavily biased, wildly inaccurate and sometimes completely made up . Visitors with a deeper knowledge of the Korean Peninsula, and the Korean War in particular, will often need to hold their tongue. North Korea’s version of events is not up for debate.

All visitors to the DPRK also need to be aware that criticism of the North Korean leaders will not be tolerated . This includes the current President, Kim Jong-un, but especially applies to Kim Il-sung, the founder of the DPRK, and his son and successor, Kim Jong-il.

Criticism of any of the Kims is a serious offence. Any discussions of the leaders should always be complimentary or at least civil. If you have a genuine (and safe) question to ask about the Kims then do feel free to ask your guides. 

If you think a question might be borderline, play it safe and wait until you are somewhere you can Google it. Also be aware that you will be expected to bow in front of the many enormous statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il that you visit. 

Tour Packages to North Korea

Travel to the DPRK is only possible through a handful of well-established companies that specialise in tours of North Korea . The most well-known company that offers tour packages to North Korea is Koryo Tours , who have organised tours to the DPRK since 1993. Other well-established tour companies to consider are Regent Holidays and Uri Tours . 

There are only two ways to enter North Korea , both of which are via China. The longer option is a 25 hour train journey from Beijing. The shorter route is a two hour flight from Beijing’s Capital International Airport on North Korea’s state-owned airline Air Koryo. 

When arranging your trip your tour company will ask which mode of transport you’d prefer and the costs of the flights or train tickets will be included in the total cost of the package.

Choosing a Group Tour or a Private Tour of North Korea

Tour companies can arrange group or private tours to North Korea . All tours are led by North Korean guides who are appointed by the authorities in the DPRK. Your tour company will organise your North Korea itinerary, travel arrangements to and from Pyongyang, and take care of all required visas.

Whilst more expensive than group tours, arranging a private tour means that you’re likely to get a lot more out of your visit to North Korea. 

On a private tour your North Korean guides will be dedicated to you alone, meaning that you will receive a much more personalised service, allowing you much greater insight into the places you visit on your North Korea tour. You’ll also generally have more time to spend at specific sites, plus you’ll be in a smaller vehicle, which allows you to get surprisingly far from the beaten track.

Group tours usually consist of around 10 or 20 people who will all follow the same itinerary travelling by coach within North Korea. While it’s a less personalised agenda, group tours are more affordable and you’ll still get to see many of North Korea’s highlights. 

Choosing Your DPRK Itinerary

We booked a private tour for our 10 days in North Korea. Choosing a private tour allowed us to create a trip more tailored to what we were interested in seeing in the DPRK. 

As well as the more famous sights in the DPRK, many of the stops scheduled in our North Korea itinerary were mandatory . In every tour there will be visits to schools, universities, factories and farms that the regime wants Western visitors to see as part of their North Korean tour. 

Our 10 Day North Korea Itinerary

This is the breakdown of our ten day North Korea itinerary:

Day 1:  Arrival in Pyongyang from Beijing Day 2 & 3:  Two days spent in Pyongyang, driving to Kaesong at the end of day three Day 4:  Kaesong City and the DMZ Days 5:  Return to Pyongyang via Pakyon Waterfall, Sariwon and the West Sea Barrage Days 6 & 7:  Two days in Pyongyang, including the Day of the Sun Day 8:  Drive north to Mount Myohyang via Pyongsong and the Paeksang Pavilion Day 9:  Visit the Pohyon Temple, International Friendship Exhibition and Myohyangsan. Drive back to Pyongyang.  Day 10:  Check out and depart Pyongyang for Beijing.

10 Days in North Korea: Day 1

Arriving in pyongyang.

Though tempted by the adventure and intrigue of arriving by train, we chose the convenience of the short flight from Beijing to Pyongyang on Air Koryo. 

Despite the airline’s less than wonderful reputation and the plane’s dear need for some TLC, the two hour flight was noticeably smooth and trouble free.

The plane’s tired décor reflected its age; a few chair backs comically slid backwards of their own accord as we began to take off. The first taste of North Korean propaganda begins on board. 

Along with the infamous Air Koryo burgers , copies of the English language Pyongyang Times were distributed and eagerly consumed by the flight’s international cast of passengers. 

Archaic flip-down TV screens silently played dated footage of a colourful and abundant DPRK. As we began our descent, the beige fields that surround Pyongyang are blanketed by dull grey skies.

Pyongyang’s Sunan International Airport and a copy of the Pyongyang Times

On arrival in Pyongyang , there’s no immediate sign that we have landed anywhere out of the ordinary. Pyongyang’s recently refurbished Sunan International Airport is modest yet modern, consisting of three bright and airy terminals. 

Once through passport control, stern customs officials inspect the luggage of all new arrivals, including phones, laptops, tablets and anything vaguely electronic. Books are also checked, for their subject matter and for anything hidden between the pages. 

Meeting Our Guides and Driver at Pyongyang Airport

Once customs are satisfied with our luggage, our two female North Korean guides introduce themselves. Immaculately dressed, both are full of smiles and genuinely friendly. There’s around a five year age gap between them, and they seem more like sisters than work colleagues. 

Outside the airport we’re introduced to our driver, a warm, quiet and friendly man in his forties. The three make an excellent team and will come to feel more like companions rather than guides over the course of our trip.

* To be on the safe side, we’ve decided against posting the names or any photos of our guides and driver, on the incredibly slim chance that the way that we portray them is spotted by their superiors and considered inappropriate in any way. Apparently this has been known to happen in the past, so we’ve decided to play it safe.

Driving into Pyongyang

We drive into Pyongyang underneath grey skies and drizzle. There is little alongside the main road that leads into the city from the airport except brown barren fields, divided into neat segments. Leafless trees line the wet road, which is largely free of traffic.

Despite months of planning and preparation, finally being in North Korea feels completely surreal. No matter how much you read about the DPRK, or how many documentaries or news reports you see, nothing fully prepares you for the feeling of being in North Korea.

As if opening a pop-up book, Pyongyang suddenly appears out of nowhere. Very few places shine under such grey and damp conditions, but it’s hard to avoid the initial impression that Pyongyang looks a little bleak. The only colour comes from the aging housing blocks badly painted in a variety of fading primary colours.

A First Visit to Kim Il-sung Square

By now it’s late afternoon. Our guides suggest we stop in a cafe to confirm the plans for each day of our itinerary. Over strawberry tea we plot out the week, and then drive to a grey and wet Kim Il-sung Square .

If Pyongyang is North Korea’s showcase capital, then Kim Il-sung Square is its stage. Kim Il-sung Square is the location for the  many military parades and celebratory mass rallies North Korea is famous for.

Thousands of tiny dots and numbers are sprayed onto the floor of the enormous square, markers for the attendees at the highly choreographed rallies.

The flags of North Korea and the Workers Party of Korea stand on top of the government buildings that frame the square. Under grim grey skies, the mammoth empty square looks more than a little dystopian.

Capping it all off are the huge portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il that hang from the imposing People’s Grand Study House opposite the square.

Their matching glasses and grins will become very familiar in no time at all. Images of both men are virtually everywhere in the DPRK.

Checking In at the Yanggakdo Hotel

Almost all foreign visitors to Pyongyang stay in one of two hotels, either the Koryo Hotel or the Yanggakdo International Hotel , where we’re based each night we’re in the capital.

With 1001 rooms, the Yanggakdo Hotel towers over Pyongyang from an island in the middle of the Taedong River. Though the rooms show a few signs of age, the Yanggakdo Hotel is meant to impress.

The dazzling entrance and Reception lobby makes a fantastic first impression, flanked by coffee shops, restaurants and bars. 

In the basement is a casino, a bowling alley and more bars. On top of the building is a revolving restaurant, though it is noticeably static on the one night we head up for drinks.

Day 2 in the DPRK: Sightseeing in Pyongyang

Following breakfast in the Yanggakdo Hotel’s jaw-dropping and palatial dining hall we meet our guides in the lobby. Our schedule for our first full day of our North Korea tour is jam packed with some of Pyongyang’s most famous sights. 

The Mansudae Hill Grand Monument

We start the day at The Mansudae Hill Grand Monument , the official name of the famous bronze statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, North Korea’s two former leaders. 

It is impossible to overstate the DPRK’s devotion to  the mythology of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il , of which the Mansudae Hill Grand Monument is just the tip of the iceberg.

As part of their cult of personality, North Korean’s are taught from birth that Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il are gods amongst men, admired and adored the world over. Kim Il-sung especially is considered as much more than just a former head of state. 

Even after their deaths their official titles are the  Eternal President and the Eternal Leader  of the DPRK. As we walk towards the two statues our guide states as fact that Kim Il-sung “is the sun”. Such a statement seems incredulous to the unindoctrinated.

A  carefully cultivated state-controlled history of the Kims  portrays both men as the nation’s benevolent father figures. In all of the thousands of portraits and statues of the Kims all over the country, they are always smiling and happy, often surrounded by loving admirers.

At 22 metres tall the statues at Mansudae Grand Monument are breathtaking in their scale and audacity. The statues are an imposing symbol of the power and of the reach of regime and the Kim dynasty.

On the road that passes in front of the statues is a speed limit of just 30 kilometres an hour, so that deference can be paid to the Kims as drivers slowly trundle past.

On either side of the two statues are two dioramas dedicated to the anti-Japanese resistance movement and the DPRK’s socialist struggle. Both consists of statues of heroic fighters and revolutionaries progressing towards victory. 

As is expected of us, we bow in front of the leaders and place the plastic bouquet of flowers we were told to buy just before we arrived on the pile at their feet.

We’re the only Westerners here amongst a group of formally dressed North Koreans who have braved the rain. Our guide explains that they are a wedding party, with the bride dressed in the bright vibrant colours of North Korea’s national dress. According to our guide all newly married couples in Pyongyang visit Mansudae Grand Monument as part of their wedding day celebrations.

The Grand People's Study House

Next we’re taken to the Grand People’s Study House , the elaborate name for Pyongyang’s main central library. Built in the style of a traditional Korean palace, we’re met by a phenomenal portrait of Kim Il-sung in the library’s grand grey marble entrance. A guide from the Grand People’s Study House shows us around.

A genuinely impressive building, there is clearly an ulterior motive behind our visit, which is to portray the country as enlightened place of open learning and free thinking. There will be many similar trips during our 10 days in North Korea, each one an attempt to dispel the outside world’s perceptions of the DPRK.

We’re taken through a massive main lobby of marble and thick columns. In various study rooms are a collection of fairly modern computers, all connected to the library’s own catalogue system or the North Korean intranet .

In one room are books in many different languages on a variety of topics, from Swedish cooking to Photoshop manuals in Chinese. We drop in on a busy English lesson and are told that all of the courses held at the People’s Grand Study House are free and are open for all.

Next we’re taken in to a music room. The guide explains that students can come here whenever they want to relax and that they can listen to any of the music that’s in the library’s collection. The room is empty and there are several rows of desks, each with an old-school hi-fi stereo.

A member of staff steps forward with a nervous smile. “The Beatles” she says, referring to the battered CD case in her hand. She pops the CD into a stereo and puts on track 17. 

Two and a half awkward minutes of Yellow Submarine follows, before it’s decided that we’ve all heard enough. Clearly not a fan, our younger guide doesn’t hold back. “That was awful”.

With The Beatles cut short, we step outside onto an enormous balcony with a wonderful view of central Pyongyang. As we approach early afternoon the grey skies are trying to lift over Kim Il-sung Square and, on the opposite side of the Taedong River, the Juche Tower.

Food as Propaganda

Next we head for lunch in one of the many restaurants around Pyongyang that are approved for tourist groups. In a country that has known terrible famine and that  still relies on international aid programmes , meal times for tourists are also a part of the country’s propaganda drive.

Every meal we are served during our 10 days in North Korea is deliberately enormous. Each consists of around twelve side dishes served before a massive main course. The only possible assumption is that meal times are meant to send a message that food is plentiful in North Korea.

Our first dinner is  Pyongyang cold noodles , a speciality of the DPRK, alongside a huge spread of side dishes, known as banchan in Korean. The side dishes alone are enough to feed a small army, and when the cold noodles arrive they’re just as gargantuan. 

Our guides and driver eat with us most days. The two petite guides eat like horses, capable of wolfing down meals in a matter of minutes. It is genuinely impressive to witness.

The Artists of the Mansudae Art Studio

After lunch we’re taken to the Mansudae Art Studio . The Mansudae Art Studio’s only remit is to create state approved propaganda and heavily romanticised artworks of life in the DPRK. According to our guide, over 1000 artists work in the Mansudae Art Studio.

The many paintings, murals, sculptures and iconic posters found in every city and town in the DPRK are created here, including the two Kim statues at the Mansudae Hill Grand Monument.

The artists have even carried out lucrative commissions overseas. Artists from Mansudae have created bespoke monuments in such unlikely places as Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia .

The complex is enormous and various examples of their grandiose artworks are spread around the studio’s grounds. Huge murals of both Kims adorn the walls of the building, alongside fantastic bronze statues of the pair on horses.

We call in to two studios, where the artists are both working on beautiful paintings of rural scenes. There must be worse ways of making a living in North Korea, but the lack of artistic freedom must surely become infuriating over time.

Taking a Ride on the Pyongyang Metro

Nearby is Puhung Metro Station, where we start our three station ride on Pyongyang’s famously ornate underground. 

Heavily influenced by the spectacular Moscow Metro, and one of the deepest underground systems in the world, a ride on Pyongyang’s Metro has become an iconic part of any visit to North Korea.

On the escalator to the platform, children stop and stare at the Western faces as they pass as their parents stare straight ahead. Other commuters bury their heads in newspapers, books or  their smartphones , just as if they were anywhere else in the world.  

When we finally reach the bottom of the escalator, the sight of the platform is truly breath-taking; marble walls are lit by sensational ruby chandeliers. The platform is vast, with the two tracks seemingly an afterthought. Clearly designed as a spectacular statement, the station feels more like a ballroom than a transport hub.

On the walls of the station are colourful mosaic murals of happy workers, all overseen at the far end of the platform by a smiling Kim Il-sung.

On the platform commuters gather around the pages of the daily newspaper of the Korean Workers Party, the Rodong Sinmun .

A train rolls in to the station and we take a seat alongside the other passengers, alighting a few stops later at Pongwa Station. The trains used on the Pyongyang Metro are a little more sombre than the stations’ platforms.

The majority date from the 1980s, where they were originally used on West Berlin’s U Bahn network. At the end of each train compartment are the grinning portraits of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

A Musical Performance at June 9th Middle School

Our driver is waiting for us outside Pongwa Station and we move on to see a musical performance by students at June 9 th Middle School . 

An English teacher acts as our guide and tells us with pride that the school was built on Kim Il-sung’s orders, and that he and Kim Il-Jung both visited the school a number of times.

It’s evident that the school benefits from its favourable connection with the Supreme Leader. From the outside the school looks just like any decent secondary school in the west, aside from the portraits of the Kims that hang above the entrance. 

On the impressive synthetic pitch the school’s brass band gives a short rousing performance whilst other pupils kick a football around on the basketball court.

We’re led inside to a room that displays the history of the school. The main focus is the school’s close connection to the Kims. 

At the centre of the room is a photo of Kim Il-sung voting in elections for the school’s headmaster. Presumably whoever he voted for won. As is the custom in North Korea, the ballot box he used is now on display under a protective Perspex box.

We head upstairs to a small theatre for another musical performance. On stage a rotating group of around 20 pupils sing a collection of traditional North Korean songs for us and two groups of Chinese tourists. They also perform a perfect rendition of a traditional Chinese folk song, much to the delight of the Chinese visitors.

Taking a Walk in Ryomyong New Town

From the school we drive to Ryomyong New Town , a district of Pyongyang that the DPRK is keen for tourists to see. As we arrive in Ryomyong, our guides suggest a walk. We’re dropped off by our driver and we stroll the short distance to our restaurant for the evening.

Ryomyong New Town is an area that has been transformed in next to no time at all on the orders of President Kim Jong-un. We’re told that dozens of old housing blocks were demolished and replaced by modern high rise apartments with futuristic designs . 

It’s claimed that the whole project was completed in less than a year, and that the apartments are mostly for lecturers and staff of the nearby Kim Il-sung University, the most prestigious university in the DPRK.

There is a steady stream of people on Ryomyong Avenue as we slowly walk towards the restaurant. The towering apartments are undeniably impressive, a huge departure from the low rise Soviet-inspired housing blocks seen across much of the city. 

They’re all designed in an unconventional architectural style that is perhaps unique to the DPRK, and all feature a pale pea green exterior, seemingly the colour scheme for Ryomyong.

Having now had a full day in Pyongyang, it’s possible to get a different take on the city than the first impression formed under the grey skies and rain of the day before. It seems clear that the city, and probably the whole country, is at some kind of crossroads between the past and the future. 

There are signs of modernity everywhere; though nothing like the gridlock that plagues most Asian capital cities, there’s plenty of traffic on Pyongyang’s streets. Taxis are commonplace too. 

Whilst public transport is cramped and crowded, electric bicycles are surprisingly common, suggesting that there is a wealthy consumer class in Pyongyang. Nearly everyone is glued to a smartphone.

Interestingly, almost every apartment we see has a solar panel hanging from a window, which implies that state provided power is still unreliable and that people are trying to find their own solutions. 

Whilst allowing it’s citizens a degree of self-sufficiency and  tolerating a level of free enterprise , it’s clear that the regime still has total control of North Korean society.

Day 3 in North Korea: Pyongyang and Kaesong

Mirae future scientists street.

The bulk of our third day in North Korea is to be spent in Pyongyang before driving south to the city of Kaesong in the late evening. The day begins with a walk around another of Pyongyang’s modern showpiece neighbourhoods named Mirae Scientists Street .

Just as with Ryomyong, Mirae Scientists Street is another recently redeveloped district featuring a glut of futuristic and colourful apartments. 

Also known as Future Scientists Street, the area is supposedly a symbol of Kim Jon-un’s wish for the DPRK to place a greater emphasis on scientific, technological, and above all, nuclear development.

We’re told that the apartments on Mirae Scientists Street are allocated to lecturers and students at the nearby Kim Chaek University of Technology. 

With their curved balconies and soft rounded edges, and decorated in greens, blues and oranges, the apartments and tower blocks are another huge leap forward from Pyongyang’s aging Soviet era housing blocks. An unwitting example of  retrofuturism , the whole area looks as if it has been inspired by The Jetsons.

The Arch of Triumph

Next we move on to something much more typically North Korean, the Arch of Triumph . Based on Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, Pyongyang’s arch honours Kim Il-sung’s leading role in the Korean resistance to Japanese occupation. 

According to North Korea’s version of events, Kim Il-sung almost single-handedly overthrew the Japanese occupation of Korea, ignoring the pivotal roles played by the likes of the Soviet Union and China.

In a typical display of Communist one-upmanship, the Arch of Triumph is 10 meters taller than its Parisian counterpart. Built in 1982, the Arch of Triumph straddles a wide avenue that’s largely free of traffic. The exaggerated grandeur of the arch gives it the look of a folly. 

Inscribed into the arch are patterns of magnolias, the national flower of North Korea, and the dates of 1925-1945. According to North Korean teaching, these are the years of Kim Il-sung’s ultimately victorious campaign of resistance against Japan’s occupation of Korea.

The Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum

Our next stop of the day proves the exception to the rule that history is written by the victors. The Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum shows that with a state controlled monopoly on all news and information, history can be whatever you want it to be. 

The Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum is phenomenal in every sense. Gargantuan in size, it’s hard to know if the museum’s guide – dressed in full military uniform – is exaggerating when she says it would take three days to see the whole exhibition.

The museum reflects the North Korean teaching that the DPRK was a blameless victim in the Korean War, cruelly invaded  rather than the instigator , and fighting alone against the might of the United States army and several mercenary allies. 

Here, the armistice that ended the war is painted as a massive victory for the DPRK over their hated foe  rather than a truce agreed between both sides .

The jewel in the crown is the USS Pueblo , the US Navy spy ship that was captured in the seas off North Korea in 1968. 

According to the museum’s guide the  USS Pueblo  entered North Korean waters 17 times before it was seized, though the United States maintains that the boat was attacked and unlawfully apprehended whilst in international waters in the Sea of Japan.

On board our guides tells us that the Pueblo was captured by a humble North Korean fishing vessel, which doesn’t account for multitude of enormous bullet holes that are proudly circled throughout the centre of the boat. 

The written confessions of the captain and crew are proudly displayed, though no mention is made of the horrific torture used to acquire them. After 11 torrid months the 83 crew members were eventually returned to the United States in December 1968.

The interior of the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum is a sight to behold. A recent renovation massively increased the size of the museum, adding a whole new building. The inspiration for the interior seems to have been a high end Vegas hotel.

The USS Pueblo; the written confessions of the crew and some of the ship’s machinery

Marking the entrance of the museum is an incredible statue of a Kim Il-sung. Around twenty feet tall, and standing at the top of a sweeping staircase, the  Supreme Leader looks like a K-pop star . 

Dressed in a gleaming white military uniform, he has more than a passing resemblance to his grandson, Kim Jong-Un. Our guides dutifully bow at his feet.

Given the ludicrous size of the museum we’re only shown a few highlights, mainly focusing on the heroic resistance of Kim Il-sung and the atrocities committed by the Americans. 

The scale of the museum is magnified by just how empty it is. Aside from a few local groups, seemingly made up of school children and young military cadets, we’re the only people there. 

Amongst the vast exhibition are a number of pretty grim photos of the innocent victims of the Korean War, mostly dead and badly mutilated bodies of women and children. 

Another area shows the possessions and weapons of various Americans army officers left behind on battlefields. A number of photos of dead American soldiers are proudly displayed above a mock-up of a desolate battlefield featuring waxwork models of defeated US soldiers being eaten by ravens.

The final area we see is a huge circular room with an intricately detailed 360 degree painted diorama of  the Battle of Taejon . 

The diorama rotates as the battle scene slowly shifts to show the various gun fights, explosions and horrors of the conflict. The attentions of a large group of teenage school children are split between the story of the battle and the Westerners amongst their ranks.

Shopping at Pyongyang's Kwangbok Supermarket

After lunch we arrive at the Kwangbok Supermarket . The visit is clearly a propaganda exercise,  showing off the wealth of goods on display here to sceptical outsiders . 

Though we’re obviously being monitored by somebody somewhere, to our surprise our guides agree to meet us back near the entrance in an hour and let us wander around of our own accord.

Spread across three levels, the ground floor is a typical supermarket, whilst on the two upper floors are clothes, home furnishings, and other household goods. Walking around the supermarket affords a fascinating glimpse into the products that are available in North Korea.

Despite the well-publicised economic sanctions, the shelves are well stocked with everything you’d expect to see in any supermarket anywhere else in the world. The majority of products seem to be imports from friendly countries, such as Vietnam and China, alongside a handful of items produced in North Korea. 

There’s plenty of fresh food, such as fish, meat and vegetables, and a number of global brands on the shelves too, including Heinz ketchup, Haribo sweets, and Heineken beer.

Upstairs a sign advertising Ikea furniture catches our eye. We take the escalator up a level and to our surprise various Ikea beds, wardrobes, desks and settees have somehow made their way into the country, assembled and displayed in the same manner as they are in Ikea stores. It’s fascinating and slightly depressing to see that Ikea’s reach has even managed to infiltrate North Korea.

Target Practice at Maeri Shooting Range

From Kwangbok Supermarket we drive to Maeri Shooting Range . In such a fervently militaristic country, our guides seem slightly amused that we’ve never previously fired a gun. 

The firing range is in an area of Pyongyang dedicated to sport. On the same street are a number of gymnasiums, swimming pools, and a football stadium.

At the shooting range we’re taken through to an indoor rifle range. A couple of rifles are scattered around, and the all-female staff, again all dressed in military uniform, wait expectantly in the firing booths.

One of our guides quickly translates a few rudimentary instructions as a loaded rifle is placed in our hands. The tiny target wobbles around in the rifle’s viewfinder fifty metres away. 

We’re given a round of ten bullets in which to hit the centre of the target, but it’s reassuringly difficult. The army-attired staff almost seem annoyed with us each time we miss the heart of the target. 

We’re offered the chance of a second round, this time firing a sniper rifle. Despite having a much clearer viewfinder, the centre of the target proves even more elusive. It looks a lot easier in films.

After the rifles we try a third round, this time with a pistol. Even though the target is much closer at 25 metres it’s even harder to hit. We’re told that there’s an outdoor range where we can shoot live chickens but that sounds horrific and we politely decline.

A Tour of Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace

The final stop of the day in Pyongyang comes at the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace , where our guides tell us children come after school to learn a host of extra-curricular activities.

A key piece of state propaganda, the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace features on most trips to North Korea. The building is enormous and the interior looks like a school designed by children; rainbows are painted on the walls and planets and stars hang from the ceilings above the huge central foyer.

A young schoolgirl acts as our guide, and we’re taken from classroom to classroom to see various lessons in progress. There is an emphasis on the arts and lessons range from calligraphy, embroidery, dance, accordion and ajeang, a type of Korean zither.

Whilst the children are clearly all incredibly talented, it’s hard to imagine how the feel about being paraded in front of groups of tourists in this way. 

The experience does begin to feel a little unsettling; by now we’ve been joined by several busloads of Chinese and Western tourists. Some of the children look a little unhappy at having to perform in front of jostling groups of tourists.

After the tour of the classrooms we’re taken into a huge theatre for an hour long performance by some of the school’s most gifted children. 

A mixture of music and dance, accompanied by the school’s own orchestra, the show is a phenomenal display of the children’s exceptional talent. 

The show is also another fascinating piece of propaganda. Whilst we can’t be certain of the content of the songs from the lyrics, the giant video screen in the background leaves little doubt of the concert’s theme. 

The performances are enhanced with images of Kim Il-sung’s birthplace,  Mount Paektu , military parades, and, oddly, fishing boats. 

The Arch of Reunification

After the performance we start the journey south towards Kaesong . On the way we stop to admire the Arch of Reunification at the start of the Pyongyang-Kaesong Highway, also known as the Reunification Highway. 

The arch, built in 2001, commemorates proposals made by Kim Il-sung for the reunification of North and South Korea, and features two women in Korean national dress, one representing the North the other the South. Together they hold a globe featuring a map of the Korean Peninsula.

It becomes apparent that the regime constantly talks up the desire to reunify Korea though it seems far from being a real objective. With the benefit of an outside eye, it feels as though the division of Korea is used as a tool by the regime to stoke up a feeling of injustice and victimisation amongst the North Korean people.

Judging by much of what we’ve already seen, such as the Fatherland Liberation War Museum, where so much money and effort has gone into telling a false narrative, the real goal of the North Korean regime seems to be to self-preservation and to keep things exactly as they are.

Driving to Kaesong on the Reunification Highway

Immediately after the Arch of Reunification, Pyongyang stops dead. The city is replaced by an endless patchwork of near empty mustard-yellow fields. The journey along the highway reveals a different side to North Korea. 

As the city disappears behind us our guide quickly gives us a lesson in North Korean farming; the main crops grown are rice and maize; only around 20% of the land in North Korea is arable; crops are planted by hand and by machine; there are two types of farms, state owned and cooperative farms.

To the untrained eye the fields we pass on the bumpy highway all appear pretty barren. There’s a constant drip of people walking with intent along the road and across the fields at every stage of the entire journey. 

We pass several small villages of traditional Korean  hanok-style houses  far off in the distance, but it’s impossible to tell where people are going or where they’ve come from.

The surface of the four lane highway is dreadful, reminiscent of a neglected airport runway. Virtually free of any other vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians are by far the main source of traffic. 

Occasionally a group of workers line the side of the road, either sweeping away leaves or filling in some of the huge cracks in the road in vain.

It takes close to three hours to drive the 160 kilometres between here and the city of Kaesong, just short of the Korean border. There are four checkpoints to pass on the way, a reminder of the restrictions on the freedom of movement in North Korea.

Every checkpoint is manned by a young solider, each one barely out of their teens, with a rifle strapped across his back. On occasion it looked as though a few of the soldiers seemed afraid of the responsibility of their position.

It’s after 9.00pm by the time we eventually arrive in Kaesong. Ours is the only vehicle on the enormous six lane road that leads into the city from the highway. 

Two illuminated bronze statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il stand over the city centre. With almost no street lighting anywhere the rest of the city is in near total darkness.

Arriving at our hotel we’re told that there’s one hour of hot water at night, between 9.00 and 10.00pm, and another hour between 7.00 and 8.00 in the mornings. 

As we reach our room, a bright red sign in a golden frame hangs above the door. Our guide translates the sign for us; Kim Il-sung stayed in the very same room in July 1972.

Day 4 in the DPRK: Kaesong and the DMZ

The tombs of king kongmin and king wanggon.

The next day we wake to beautiful sunshine but no hot water, and after breakfast it’s a twenty minute drive to the first stop of the day, the Tombs of King Kongmin and King Wanggon .

Though most commonly known for its proximity to the Korean border and the DMZ, Kaesong has a long and rich history. Before Seoul, Kaesong was the capital of Korea for almost 500 years. 

During the Korean War, the United States planned to keep Kaesong in South Korea and though still badly damaged, the area avoided the worst of the bombing campaigns. As a result a fair few examples of the region’s ancient history survived intact. 

Many areas around Kaesong are  designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites , including the tombs of King Kongmin and King Wanggon. The tombs are just a few miles apart from each other along a dusty mountain road to the east of Kaesong. 

The tomb of King Kongmin stands at the top of a steep hill surrounded by beautifully manicured grounds. Next to the tomb of King Kongmin is the tomb of his wife, Queen Noguk.

Granite statues of warriors, officials, tigers and sheep watch over the tombs. Both tombs date from the 14 th century and are remarkably well preserved, though the precious relics housed inside the tombs were looted by the Japanese sometime in the early 20 th century.

Back along the mountain road towards Kaesong is the solitary tomb of King Wanggon . Originally built in the 10 th century, King Wanggon’s tomb was badly damaged during the Japanese occupation of Korea, and the present tomb has been greatly restored. 

The statues here look noticeably smoother and less aged than at the tomb of King Kongmin, and stand at the end of a path marked by a traditional Korean gate.

Visiting the North Korean Side of the DMZ

After the appetiser of the tombs it’s on to the day’s meaty main course. Visiting the Demilitarised Zone from the northern side of the Korean border is a highlight of any visit to North Korea. Having visited the DMZ in South Korea , it’s a very different experience in the DPRK.

We drive back along the highway, past Kaesong, until we reach the approach to the entrance of the DMZ, a large gate painted in army camouflage green.  In front of us are four busloads of Chinese tourists. 

A unit of elite military officers flank the vehicles, and though the atmosphere is still pretty calm, it feels a little more serious.

Now inside the DMZ our first stop is the gift shop. Everything from hand printed posters, ginseng soap and even cans of Coca-Cola are for sale. The huge throng of Chinese tourists race around the shop as if they’re doing a weekly shop. 

The signed Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War and Kim Il-sung’s final signature carved into stone on the northern side of the DMZ

Soon, the North Korean army officer acting as our collective guide is ready to begin and we’re led through to a connecting room. Here he gives an incredibly fast synopsis of the division of the Korean Peninsula. He speaks so quickly that our guide can barely keep up with him to translate. 

Predictably, the North Korean take on the Korean War and the subsequent creation of the DMZ is entirely different to that taught elsewhere. The general gist is that the DPRK were and continue to be blameless victims of American imperialist aggression. 

Each time that it’s mentioned, by our guides or the Army officer, the country on the south side of the border is not called South Korea but always referred to as “the American side”.

Before reaching the Joint Security Area at the centre of the DMZ we stop at the Armistice Talks Hall and the North Korea Peace Museum . 

The Armistice Talks Hall is a small room where initial meetings to attempt to end the Korean War began between North Korea and the United States Army in 1951. The discussions proved fruitless, and the war continued for another two years until  an armistice was reached in 1953 . 

That armistice was signed in the building next door, now called The North Korea Peace Museum. The agreements signed by both sides in 1953 remain on display on one side of the room. 

Our guide points out the United Nations flag that still stands on one of the tables. She says that the Americans were so ashamed of their defeat in the Korean War that they preferred to hide behind the flag of the United Nations, rather than use their own. 

As we wait to reboard our buses, the North Korean army officer leading the tour wanders over to us. He clearly knows our guides from their repeated visits to the DMZ. With a firm handshake and a broad smile he welcomes us to the DMZ.

He then jumps in our small van for the short drive towards the JSA. With a mischievous smile he says in Korean “You know, your country was on the other side during the Korean War?” This isn’t really what you want to hear from a North Korean army officer whilst inside the DMZ. After a dramatic pause he adds with a grin “But you are here now as friends of the DPRK, so everything is okay.”

We park up alongside the Chinese tourists at the rear of Panmon Hall , the main building on the north side of the JSA. It’s a peculiar feeling being back in such a strange place. 

The DMZ’s deadly reputation remains at odds with the manicured gardens and plants that surround both sides of the rather basic utilitarian huts that straddle the Korean border.

As we approach the front of Panmon Hall we’re met by an unexpected sight. A group of tourists stand on the viewing platform at the top of Peace Hall on the southern side of the border. 

Our guides tell us that it’s incredibly rare to see visitors on the south side of the border. Despite the tourists on the south side, there are no South Korean officers present on the opposite side of the border.

The sight of tourists across the divide causes quite a stir; our two guides can barely contain their excitement, and the army officers around us are clearly surprised. Once we’re inside Panmon Hall they pass a pair of binoculars around to catch a glimpse of who is watching us on the other side of the Military Demarcation Line.

By the time we reach the viewing area on the top floor of Panmon Hall the tourists over the way have been ushered back inside. Three North Korean guards stand in front of the door to one of the UN huts that sits over the borderline, and we’re not offered the chance to step inside.

Our new friend the North Korean army officer returns and asks if we hope to see a unified Korea. There’s only one possible answer given the circumstances. He declares that the unification of Korea is the dream of all Korean people and one that Kim Jong-un is working hard to achieve. 

With that we’re ushered back towards our minivan. We say goodbye to the army officer and drive off for a lunch of ginseng chicken in a restaurant that was once the base for Polish and Czech officers stationed in the DMZ as part of the  Neutral Nations Supervisory Committee . On a list of surreal moments during this whole trip to North Korea, eating chicken in the DMZ is one of the most bizarre.

Geting a Glimpse of the 'Real' North Korea

With the ginseng chicken polished off, we’re on to our next stop of the day. We drive for around an hour through some of the most remote parts of the North Korean countryside to reach our next stop, the Concrete Wall. It’s a fascinating and eye-opening ride but sadly taking photos out the window is not allowed.

We drive along a narrow country lane that winds past endless fields and tiny villages, places that you’d never imagine being allowed to see in North Korea. There is a constant flow of people on bicycle and on foot, all noticeably smartly dressed. Again it’s impossible to know where they’ve been or where they’re trying to get to.

As the only vehicle on the road this far into the countryside, we attract a lot of suspicious glances. Everyone on foot stops to stare in through the windows of our minivan as we pass, whilst those working in the fields look up to see who’s driving through. On more than one occasion a group of young children bow as our vehicle drives past. 

The obvious conclusion to jump to is that only people with power and authority usually drive this deep into the countryside. When they spot Western faces looking back at them we’re met by looks of disbelief.

Though there’s no sign of complete destitution or famine always associated with North Korea, there is no disguising the fact that this is clearly an incredibly tough life. 

Occasionally an ox trudges through a field pulling a plough, but most farm work is done by hand. People work in small groups or on their own, often knee deep and bare foot in muddy rice fields. 

Young army recruits also seem to be tasked with carrying out agricultural work. Many of the young soldiers in khaki uniforms look like they’ve only just crept into their teens. 

There are also young men in military uniforms on building sites, suggesting that despite the DPRK’s military first policy , the army are little more than a free source of labour. 

A number of times we drive pass cyclists with a dead pig tied to the back their bicycle. Toddlers play in the mud as their parents work in the fields. On a few occasions we pass women hand washing clothes in rivers and streams alongside the road. 

In a country that obsesses about how it’s portrayed to the outside world, it’s remarkable that we’ve been driven through a region so at odds with the image it tries to project of itself. 

The Concrete Wall

Eventually we arrive at a lookout point on the edge of the DMZ that faces South Korea. We’re met by an older officer in military uniform and led into what looks like a classroom with a large painting of a section of the DMZ on the front wall. 

The officer proceeds to give a short lecture about the Concrete Wall , a ten foot tall physical divide supposedly built by the Americans within the southern section of the DMZ. 

Said to span the entire length of the DMZ, we’re told that the southern side of the Concrete Wall is sloped and covered in grass, meaning it can only be seen from the north looking south. 

We’re taken outside to a viewing platform to see the Concrete Wall for ourselves. Several pairs of powerful antique binoculars are set up for us to peer through. A section of the wall is supposedly visible just beyond a small lake, and while there’s a tiny blur of grey that could pass as a patch of wall, it’s far from conclusive evidence. 

What is visible are a number of army checkpoints on both sides of the border, displaying their respective flags, as well as army officers and vehicles patrolling the southern side. 

It’s quite sad to see the two sides rather pointlessly facing each other off in this way. Otherwise the whole area seems oddly peaceful, just like any normal unspoilt rural landscape.

Koryo History Museum and Walking Through Kaesong

We drive back through the countryside and return to the outskirts of Kaesong. We’re given a quick tour of the Koryo History Museum , another UNESCO World Heritage site. The museum’s traditional 17 th century buildings were once the Sungyun Academy, dedicated to Confucian studies during the Koryo era.

The museum’s collection features an assorted number of artifacts and displays related to life during the Koryo Dynasty in Korea. 

With a typically North Korean approach to historical accuracy, our guide points to one display that confidently declares that Koreans invented gunpowder. 

We return to the centre of Kaesong and end the day with a short stroll in the late afternoon sun towards our restaurant.

We wander along a main road lined with traditional hanok houses, clearly one of the areas of Kaesong that came through the war relatively unscathed.

At either end of the street is a propaganda poster glorifying the military and a collection of mosaic murals, each depicting the now familiar sights of Mount Paektu and Kim Il-sung’s birthplace. 

Day 5 in the DPRK: Back to Pyongyang

Pakyon waterfall.

The next day we make the return trip from Kaesong to Pyongyang. The journey features a few detours and much more exposure to North Korea’s fascinating countryside. 

The first stop of the day is Pakyon Waterfall . Hidden inside a thick forest of fir trees, the towering thirty-seven metre high waterfall dives into a small crystal clear lake at the bottom a cliff. 

Huge ancient Chinese characters are etched into the cliff face all around the waterfall, dating from a time before the modern Korean alphabet came in to common use. It’s a genuinely beautiful part of the world, and a beauty not commonly associated with North Korea. 

Our visit is the first time that our younger guide has been to Pakyon, and she’s unable to hide her excitement, running ahead of the rest of us to take selfies in front of the waterfall. The other guide shows us a video on her phone from when she and her husband brought their son here last year. 

A Stop Off in Sariwon

From here we head back on the bumpy road, where we spend much of the day. It takes around two hours to reach the city of Sariwon . After a power cut affected lunch at the March 8 th hotel, we’re given a tour around the city’s agricultural university.

The entertaining vice principal of the university does his best to liven up what is undeniably a dry subject. He’s clearly quite smitten by our guides, which is more entertaining than the plastic models of giant sweet potatoes, tubs full of soil and numerous portraits of Kim Il-sung stood in fields. 

The visit makes a drastic improvement just as we make our way towards the exit. In two days’ time it will be April 15 th , a national holiday to commemorate Kim Il-sung’s birthday. 

Known as  the Day of the Sun , this is one of the most important days in the calendar in North Korea. Various events take place to celebrate the day throughout the country, including sporting competitions. 

As we make our way out of the agricultural university, two tug of war teams are preparing to tussle in front of the main entrance. They’re practicing for the main event which will take place on the Day of the Sun. 

A team in yellow are from the agricultural university, whilst a team in blue represent a neighbouring rival university. There’s a big crowd gathered round in anticipation, and the vice principal, keen for us to see the teams in action, instructs them to get on with it. 

The crowd and the two teams are slightly baffled by the sight of a couple of Western faces watching on, but spirits are high. Beneath a slogan that reads “Following the Marshall Forever”, the team from the neighbouring university wins the best-of-three practice session 2-0.

Sariwon Cooperative Farm

From here we drive to the other side of the city where the agricultural theme continues with a visit to a cooperative farm. From a viewpoint that overlooks the farm we can see neat rows of traditional farmer’s houses and well cultivated fields. 

A local guide tells us that this is all down to the wisdom of Kim Jong-il who gave instructions for the best use of the land when he visited the city in the late 1990s.

We’re then taken to see what we’re told is a typical farmer’s house. We’re met at the front door by the home owner, a young woman whose relatives disappear through the back door as we enter.  

On the wall in the front room are photos from her wedding day and of her graduation ceremony from a military academy in Pyongyang. A framed photograph of the whole family with Kim Jong-il in front of the house hangs alongside the official portraits of the two Kims. 

A cooperative farm in Sariwon, and the interior of a farmers house.

From Sariwon we continue north to Pyongyang via the West Sea Barrage near the city of Nampo. It’s a couple of hours’ drive through more of the remote North Korean countryside. 

Much of the journey passes along dusty roads through the now familiar sights of threadbare fields farmed by hand, the occasional ox and plough and young army officers toiling with shovels. 

One section of the journey passes through a long stretch of genuinely beautiful scenery. Narrow roads snake around the mountainsides through uninhabited countryside framed by fir trees. 

An unmanned checkpoint blocking the road is a reminder of the reality of where we are, our driver having to get out and shove it to one side to get past. 

The road rises as we eventually approach the West Sea Barrage with wide sweeping views over the sea. The roads leading up to the West Sea Barrage is heavily industrial and much more reflective of North Korea. 

We pass trucks piled high with weary workers and lorries hauling goods from the ships docked nearby. The military presence is high; our driver’s patience is well and truly tested by the time we reach the fourth manned checkpoint in less than 100 metres.

The West Sea Barrage

A visit to a barrage probably wouldn’t feature on many holiday itineraries, but this is North Korea, where epic building projects are milked for political and propaganda purposes. 

Given the financial and logistical constraints that they face from the outset, a project like this is a minor miracle.

The West Sea Barrage and inside the barrage’s visitor centre

The West Sea Barrage separates the West Sea from the Taedong River, which continues from here all the way to Pyongyang and way beyond. The barrage separates the sea water with the river’s fresh water, whilst still allowing ships to pass.  

Eight kilometres in length, the barrage took five years to build and has become an iconic symbol in North Korea. A visitor centre overlooks the barrage, where a typically histrionic video details the building of the dam as a superhuman achievement only possible here under the guidance of the Supreme Leaders.

Afterwards it’s a straightforward journey back to Pyongyang, passing through Nampo, a bustling port city bathed in almost complete darkness now that night has arrived. 

Our younger guide doses off in the back of our minivan as we travel along the Youth Hero Highway. The other guide surprises us by apologising for the poor condition of the highways in the DPRK, an unexpected admission of imperfection that she blames on economic sanctions.  

She then asks how the outside world viewed  Kim Jong-un’s recent summits with President Trump . Diplomatically, we say that Kim came across as a statesman, and in a manner that made him appear on an equal footing to the President of the United States. 

When pressed further, we add that Kim and the North Korean delegation showed that they wanted to achieve peace in the region and with the United States. 

Our guide becomes visibly emotional at hearing a positive answer. Our conversation is cut short by another checkpoint which our guide has to get out and negotiate. As we roll back in to Pyongyang, she thanks us for our answers, and adds that she hopes the unfair sanctions against the DPRK will soon be lifted.

Day 6 in North Korea: Pyongyang

Kumsusan palace of the sun.

It’s Sunday in Pyongyang and the day that we visit Kumsusan Palace of the Sun . Once the official residence of Kim Il-sung, today it is  where his body lies in state , along with the body of his son and successor, Kim Jong-il. 

The most sacrosanct place in North Korea, visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun is serious and odd in equal measure.

It’s clear from the way that everybody is dressed in the lobby of the Yanggakdo Hotel that the Palace of the Sun is on the agenda for almost all of the tourists in Pyongyang. Visitors are expected to dress smartly when visiting the Kim’s mausoleum. All of the tourists in the hotel lobby are smartly, if awkwardly, dressed.

It’s around a half an hour drive from the hotel to the Palace of the Sun. The complex is staggering in size, and the whole visit is carried out with a military efficiency. Entrance is staggered by tour group. 

All possessions are left in a cloakroom and once past the metal scanners and body searches, a series of painfully slow travellators creep along a massive corridor towards the eternal leaders.

Framed photos of both Kims performing  on-the-spot guidance  line the walls beside the lurching travellators. Our guide explains that we’ll soon enter a room and bow in front of statues of the leaders. 

We duly arrive, and the room is gigantic. Lit by seven colossal chandeliers, every surface is marble. The room is completely empty except for the enormous waxwork models of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. They’re flanked by the flags of the DPRK and the Korean Workers Party. A line in the marble floor marks the bowing point.

From here we’re ushered into a staggeringly palatial lobby. Stern faced security guards in military uniform watch over everyone. A lift takes up to the next floor, where we follow our guides along a series of gleaming marble corridors to the outer entrance to Kim Il-sung’s mausoleum. 

Our guide explains the protocol; we’re to bow once at Kim il-sung’s feet, and as we walk around the coffin, again on the left side and a third time on the right hand side of the Eternal President’s body. 

The huge square room is bathed in a deep red light, resembling an enormous photographic darkroom. Kim Il-sung’s embalmed body lies at the centre, draped in the flag of the Workers Party of Korea. We queue in a group of four and bow in unison as required when it’s our turn.

We then follow into an adjacent room filled with a multitude of honours, medals and titles awarded to Kim Il-sung during his lifetime at home and abroad. 

There are dozens of domestic honours, seemingly given for the spurious reasons; many commemorate various anniversaries of the ending of the Korean War. One award is for the completion of the construction of a motorway.

The foreign honours and titles are bestowed by countries with an equally questionable approach to democracy as the DPRK. There are honorary doctorates and keys to various cities from countries such as Cambodia, Mongolia, Laos and Cuba as well as several former Soviet countries. 

All are watched over by framed pictures of Kim Il-sung greeting other heads of state, such as Colonel Gaddafi , Chairman Mao and  Robert Mugabe .

We then repeat the entire process one floor below for Kim Jong-il. His body lies alone in a red-lit room identical to his father’s. We bow at his feet and at his sides and then file out to see his collection of medals and honours, which are all identical to his father’s.

The final section of the Palace of the Sun is dedicated to the Kim’s modes of transport. It’s a rather unusual end to a very surreal morning. Inside huge rooms of more polished marble are a collection of a few of the Kim’s various vehicles. Hung on the walls of each room are framed photos of the Kim’s alongside their vehicles.

The first room features Kim Il-sung’s enormous green bullet proof train carriage. Both Kims  preferred to travel by train , especially Kim Jong-il who hated flying. 

On the wall is an electronic map showing every journey that Kim Il-sung took during his lifetime within the DPRK and overseas. The number of countries visited and the total distance travelled in kilometres have all been tallied up. 

In the next palatial room is Kim Il-sung’s old black Mercedes, so clean it practically sparkles beneath the lights. In the following rooms are Kim Jong-il’s rides, starting with his own personal bullet proof train carriage and electronic map. 

Kim Jong-il  died of a heart attack in his train carriage  in December 2011, which has been left supposedly as it was when he died, with his paperwork neatly stacked next to an Apple MacBook. 

Completing the surreal experience are the final two rooms. The first features Kim Jong-il’s own black Mercedes parked opposite his golf buggy. In the centre of the second room is the Dear Leader’s personal boat, the size of a small Navy ship. 

As we trundle back towards the exit on the travellators, large groups of Koreans are making their way in to pay their respects. The men are dressed in their best suits, whilst the women are all in beautifully coloured national dress. 

We’re taken outside to take photos in the palace’s garden. On the front of the building are the two iconic portraits of the two men who lay at rest inside.

The Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery

In keeping with the theme for the morning, next we drive to the Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery , just a short distance away. Set in a hill high above Pyongyang, the cemetery is reserved for those credited with playing a decisive role in fighting the Japanese occupation of Korea. 

The cemetery is typically grandiose in style; graves are set in rows of five, each marked by a solid bronze bust. The most important grave in the cemetery, at the centre of the graveyard’s main platform is that of Kim Jong-suk.

As the second wife of Kim Il-sung, the mother of Kim Jong-il and the grandmother of Kim Jong-un,  her personal story has been modified and exaggerated  to fit the desired narrative of the North Korean regime. Known in the DPRK as the Mother of Korea, we dutifully bow in front of her bust.

Ten Pin Bowling in Pyongyang

After a pretty heavy morning we head back the hotel for a few hours to relax. In the late afternoon we head back out into Pyongyang. In the strong afternoon sunshine we’re taken for a walk over the Okryu Bridge across the Taedong River. It’s the day before the Day of the Sun, and the centre of Pyongyang is busy with people.

Just next to Okryu bridge on the eastern side of the river is Golden Lane Bowling Alley . Bowling in Pyongyang is a common and popular stop on most tourist itineraries. After the intensity of the morning’s activities, it’s a nice way to finish off the day.

Golden Lane Bowling Alley is fairly quiet when we arrive. A few men play on one of the pool tables, and only a few of the twenty or so lanes are in use. At the far end a couple of pros have a lane apiece.  

Despite insisting that they’re not very good at bowling we manage to convince our guides to join us for a game. It soon becomes apparent that they probably bring tour groups here pretty frequently as they both win with ease, which they modestly put down to luck. 

Afterwards we cross town for another humongous meal at one of the tourist approved restaurants before returning to the Yanggakdo Hotel. 

Day 7: Celebrating the Day of the Sun in Pyongyang

Kimilsunglia and kimjongilia exhibition hall.

Some of Pyongyang’s main highlights have been saved for our final full day in the capital. Today is  the Day of the Sun , the birthday of Kim Il-sung and a national holiday. 

Appropriately it’s a gloriously sunny day. We spend the whole morning in eastern Pyongyang, beginning with the Kimilsungia and Kimjongilia Exhibition Hall . 

On the banks of the Taedong River, the exhibition hall, is dedicated exclusively for the display of the two flowers named after Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. 

Both flowers have become iconic symbols in North Korea; huge paintings of the  kimilsunglia  and  kimjongilia  flowers are displayed alongside main roads throughout Pyongyang and other cities in North Korea.

Though officially a holiday, it becomes clear that this isn’t a typical day off, but a time to publicly commemorate the Supreme Leader. 

Crowds of people swarm the exhibition hall to see the multitude of Kimilsunglia flower displays laid out over two floors. Each display has been organised by governmental departments, ministries and various other branches of the North Korean state. 

At the centre of each display, surrounded by a bounty of purple Kimilsunglia flowers, is always a reference to Kim il-Sung, usually a typically kind painted portrait or a model of his supposed birthplace in Mangongdae.  

Another recurring theme in the displays are models of some of Pyongyang’s most famous landmarks, such as the Palace of the Sun or the Juche Tower, expertly carved out of blocks of polystyrene. 

Whether it’s down to free choice or duty, the hall is swelling with people by the time we leave. Back outside in the sunshine our guide buys us all North Korean made ice-creams as the queue to see the Kimilsunglias stretches out into the street.

The Workers Party Foundation Monument

Just a few streets away is one of Pyongyang’s most recognisable landmarks, the Workers Party Foundation Monument . The monument was built to mark the 50 th anniversary of the founding of the Workers Party of Korea. 

Symbolically, there is a clear unobstructed view from the monument to the statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il on Mansudae Hill directly across the Taedong River.

The monument consists of three towering granite hands, each holding aloft the symbols of the Workers Party of Korea; the hammer represents the worker, the sickle denotes the farmer and a calligraphy brush for the intellectuals. 

As part of the Day of the Sun celebrations, singers, musicians and dancers all perform in front of the Party Monument. Hundreds of people have gathered to watch, all dressed in their very best clothes.

Taking in the Views of Pyongyang From the Juche Tower

Next we drive the short distance to the Juche Tower , named after the  ideology created by Kim Il-sung  to promoted the idea of sustainability through personal self-reliance. Constructed to honour Kim Il-sung’s 70 th birthday, the central spire is built from 25,550 granite blocks, one for each day of Kim Il-sung’s life up to that point.

At the base of the tower are a number of plaques dedicated by sympathetic organisations from all over the world in support of juche.

For visitors, the Juche Tower’s most impressive attribute is the view of Pyongyang from the viewing platform just beneath the mighty red flame at the very top. 

On stepping out of the lift you’re instantly met by a spectacular 360 degree view of the whole city, offering an incredible panorama of Pyongyang and the city’s main landmarks.

Facing western Pyongyang, the Juche Tower looks out across Kim Il-sung Square on the opposite side of the Taedong River. In the near distance, towering over the city, is the sci-fi pyramid-like structure of the Ryugyong Hotel. 

The tallest building in North Korea, the Ryugyong Hotel also holds the title of the tallest unoccupied building in the world . Though construction began in 1987, North Korea’s economy has never been strong enough to finish the job, and it is yet to be completed.

As well as the main sights, the view from the top of the Juche Towers also allows the chance to peer in at some of the parts of the city that aren’t on the tourist route, especially the towers blocks in the suburbs on lesser visited eastern side of Pyongyang.  

Mixing With the Locals at Moranbong Park

After lunch we cross back over the river for a walk through Moranbong Park . As with a ride on the Pyongyang Metro, a stroll through Moranbong Park is included in most visits to Pyongyang, offering the chance to rub shoulders with regular North Korean citizens. 

Reflecting the spirit of the national holiday, there is a genuine party atmosphere in the park. The people here are clearly a part of North Korean’s elite. 

Families and friends gather for barbecues washed down with plenty of soju, whilst some people sing along to the portable karaoke machines that they’ve brought with them for the day.

The largest crowd is underneath a pavilion in the heart of the park. A huge group of people have gathered to dance, and they seem to like the attention of the groups of Western tourists that are watching on. 

As we watch the crowd dance a group of North Korean teenage girls giggle nervously as they surreptitiously sneak a photograph of themselves next to us.

An Orchestral Performance at Moranbong Theatre

We leave the dancing behind and stroll across the park for another of the trip’s more unexpected moments, an orchestral performance at the Moranbong Theatre . 

The theatre is relatively modest in size but typically ornate. A gleaming white exterior is matched by the chandeliers and marble of the lobby.

The orchestral performance is wonderful, with an extremely talented group of musicians led by a rotating group of conductors.

As tourists we weren’t given any indication as to who the orchestra are or of any of the songs that they performed. Given that it’s Kim Il-sung’s birthday, and that all art in North Korea serves a political purpose, it’s safe to assume that the concert has a political message.

Watching a Mass Dance Outside the Kim Il-sung Stadium

The holiday celebrations continue after the show outside the Kim il-Sung Stadium, where hundreds of students have gathered to take part in a mass dance . 

In front of a growing number of western and Chinese tourists, beautifully dressed young couples dance to traditional North Korean songs in an open space opposite the Arch of Triumph. 

It’s a fascinating glimpse into the highly choreographed and structured way of life in North Korea. Under the sweltering afternoon sun, the couples dance along to several different songs. 

A few of the Westerners join in and copy the dances, which appears a little disrespectful, though our guide says that each time this happens it brings joy to the North Koreans.

With a little time to spare we ask to return to Kim Il-sung Square to take a few photos now that the sun is out. Despite being Kim Il-sung’s birthday the square is again deserted, apart from the young boy learning to rollerblade. 

We wander back towards the river and admire the Juche Tower opposite, before ending the day with a feast of barbecued duck.

Day 8 in North Korea: Pyongyang to Myohyangsan

Today we drive north towards Myohyangsan , a beautiful mountainous region around 100 miles north of Pyongyang. 

Just as with the journey to Kaesong it’s noticeable how suddenly Pyongyang comes to an abrupt end the moment you pass the edge of the city. In an instant the housing blocks disappear, replaced by barren brown fields.

The Paeksong Revolutionary Site

Our journey north is broken up with a couple of stops on the way. Firstly we visit the Paeksong Revolutionary Site , just outside the city of Pyongsong. 

Tucked away under a thick forest of fir trees and surrounded by low mountains, Paeksong Revolution Site is supposedly where the Supreme Leader relocated the students of the Kim Il-sung University during the Korean War in order to study away from the fighting.

A statue of the Supreme Leader stands at the entrance and is joined by several murals that portray his time spent amongst the students. A local guide shows us around the site, featuring a number of old yet pristine huts and buildings where Kim Il-sung is said to have met and spoken with students hiding out here during the war. 

Our guide explains how Kim Il-sung personally chose this site as a safe place for the students to continue their learning during the war, and how he visited them here many times, even as the ground shook as American planes bombed the surrounding area. 

After an early lunch in an otherwise empty hotel restaurant in Pyongsong we continue north. The scenery and landscape on the journey towards Myohyangsan is identical to that of the road that led south to Kaesong. 

People wander along the mangled highway and across the endless beige fields, and a steady slew of mountain peaks gather in the far distance.

The Paeksang Pavilion

We eventually arrive in the city of Anju . Anju resembles most of the other cities that we’ve seen, yet it’s the least polished we’ve passed through so far. 

The housing blocks are a lot rougher around the edges and the main road is little more than rubble. As we drive past a young girl of around five years old collects water from a well, carrying two buckets on a pole across her shoulders.

We’re here to visit the Paeksang Pavillion , which once served as a command and lookout post as part of a larger fortress. Destroyed during the Korean War, it was rebuilt, we are told, under the instruction of Kim Il-sung. 

Located in a picturesque park, the new pavilion, colourfully recast in concrete, has views across the city and surrounding fields. 

As we wander through the pavilion’s well tendered gardens back towards our minivan, a group of young children see us through the trees and begin to giggle at the presumably alien sight of a couple of Westerners. 

When they see that they’ve been spotted, they stand in a line and bow at us as we give them a wave.  As we drive past them a few moments later they bow once more.

Checking In to the Hyangsan Hotel

From Anju it takes just under two hours to reach the Hyangsan Hotel in Myohyangsan, our base for one night. Considered to be the best hotel in the DPRK (amongst a surprisingly high number of luxury hotels in North Korea ) the Hyangsan Hotel is unreal. So at odds with everything around it, the Stalinist pyramid situated at the foot of the Myohyangsan mountain range resembles a Bond villain’s lair. 

The interior is just as spectacular. Recently refurbished to an incredibly high standard, the Hyangsan Hotel is loaded with amenities, from multiple restaurants, a swimming pool, bars, a gym, snooker and pool tables and even its own theatre. 

More tour groups arrive later in the day, but when we arrive the hotel is virtually empty, with just one Receptionist on the front desk playing solitaire on her computer. 

Day 9 in the DPRK: Myohyangsan

Our final full day in North Korea is spent in Myohyangsan , the mountainous region also called Mount Myohyang. Myohyangsan means “mystery fragrance” on account of the abundance and variety of flowers and trees that grow here.

Pohyon Temple

We start the day at Pohyon Temple , just a few minutes’ drive from the Hyangsan hotel. Originally founded in the 11 th century, most of the temple buildings were restored following the Korean War. 

Ornate traditional Korean temple buildings pavilions and stone pagodas sit amongst manicured grounds against the beautiful backdrop of the green mountains. 

It’s interesting to see a Buddhist temple in a country where theology has been virtually wiped out and replaced with a compulsory ideology. 

A man that we’re told is a Buddhist monk – who clearly isn’t a Buddhist monk at all – nervously loiters inside one of the temple’s shrines in an attempt to add a touch of authenticity. 

Around the temple it’s noticeable how there is nobody praying to the deities and there are no offerings left in the shrines as you would expect to see in a Buddhist temple in Asia. 

Instead the temple’s guide tells us of the history of the site, the damage caused by the American aggressors and how Kim Il-sung inspired the temple’s restoration.

A Tour of the International Friendship Exhibition

From Pohyon Temple it’s another short drive to the International Friendship Exhibition . 

Sat in a beautiful valley alongside a trickling river, the International Friendship Exhibition houses gifts donated to Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il by foreign governments and dignitaries during their lifetimes. 

The exhibition comprises two buildings, one for each leader. Due to time constraints and the number of visitors (several coachloads of Chinese tourists arrive just as we do) we only get to see a section of Kim Jong-il’s collection of gifts.

The International Friendship Exhibition is designed and built in the same style as the Palace of the Sun or the Victorious Liberation Fatherland Museum. Almost oppressively grand, the grey marble corridors lead to an endless warren of rooms filled with gifts given to the Dear Leader. 

The museum is split into sections by gifts from nations of each continent splintering off a main hall, which is saved for the end of the tour.

The guide explains that there is too much in the exhibition to see in one visit. As we’ve been paired up with another group from Europe, we’re taken in to see the Kim Jong-il’s gifts from European countries. The European section starts with gifts from Russia, historically one of the DPRK’s main allies. 

On first sight, the enormous collection is incredibly impressive. Cabinets line each room from floor to ceiling filled with a huge variety of gifts. The Russians seem particularly generous, filling three rooms with all sorts of gifts. 

The presents vary, from vases, tea sets, commemorative plates, books, rifles, stuffed bears, and a variety of paintings, mostly of Kim Jong-il. 

Though framed as a testament to the world’s love and admiration of the two leaders, the reality of the International Friendship Exhibition soon becomes clear. Beyond the collection from Russia, the standard of gifts from non-allied European nations drops rapidly. 

Alongside plates and paintings from obscure left-wing political parties from countries such as Austria and Portugal is a mug commemorating the Miner’s Strike from the UK. The collection begins to look like the world’s largest charity shop. 

Most of the gifts here aren’t gifts at all, but attempts to curry favour with the regime. Donations from the handful of shipping and tourist companies that have managed to form business links with North Korea reveals the true purpose of many of the gifts. 

Instead they’re a requirement in order to grease the wheels of business. Many of the rest are clearly fairly mundane diplomatic gifts typical of trips abroad by mid-ranking dignitaries.

At the end of the tour of the European section we’re taken through to the main hall. Another enormous statue of Kim Jong-il waits, around 20 feet tall and cast in white marble, at which our guides bow at the feet. 

In this room are gifts from high-profile diplomatic visitors; a porcelain globe surrounded by doves  donated by Billy Graham , a football signed by Pele from Brazil’s sports minister and a basketball signed by Michael Jordan  given by Madeline Albright  are the headline items on display.

A Hike on Mount Myohyang

Following lunch back at the hotel we spend the afternoon in the beautiful Myohyangsan mountain range . 

A short drive leads us to the starting point of a hiking path that has been etched out of the mountainside. The path snakes and climbs around and over the rocky mountain, a single rope handrail guiding the way.

As the trail climbs there are captivating views of the surrounding mountains and the narrow river that weaves through the valley. The picturesque panoramas are complimented by a pavilion and a number of wobbly suspension bridges. 

That our guides are clambering up the hazardous path in suit skirts and high heels is a bit of a concern – one rolled ankle and we’re in a whole heap of trouble – but they both seem happy to lead the way.

In a country where nowhere is out of reach for the regime, even the spectacular beauty of the mountains are considered fair game. 

Etched into the mountainsides along the trail are various quotes from Kim Il-sung along with other slogans. The two Korean characters for the word ‘juche’ are carved into the highest point of the mountainside, filled in with red paint. 

Another slogan quotes Kim Il-sung – “the beauty of Myohyangsan is the best in the world” – whilst on a huge rock along the path are the lyrics to  The Song of General Kim Il-sung . 

A little further on are the lyrics to another song which, according to our guide, was written by Kim Jong-il when he was a child. It’s a staggering example of the lengths that the regime has gone to in order to be omnipresent. 

We follow the path for as long as our lungs can manage. Mindful of the time – we’re driving back to Pyongyang that night- and our guide’s unsuitable footwear, we stop before reaching the end of the trail. After pausing to admire the undeniable beauty that surrounds Myohyangsan once more we make the descent back towards our waiting driver.

Returning to Pyongyang

Once back in Pyongyang – a city that has become oddly familiar over the course of our 10 days in North Korea – we check back into the Yanggakdo Hotel. We head back out to Tongil Street in the south of the city for one final enormous dinner with our guides and driver. 

At the end of the meal we’re treated to one more performance; a group of singers suddenly enter the room and a karaoke machine appears. We’re given a bouquet of plastic flowers as the group belts out a medley of North Korean pop songs.

Day 10 - Departing Pyongyang for Beijing

On the final day we head to the airport for the early flight to Beijing. The sky is a thick grey and the rain is falling, just as it had been on the day we arrived. 

Driving across Pyongyang to the airport, the city no longer feels intimidating and drab but familiar and, as odd as it may sound, even a bit normal.

Checking in at the airport is a relatively straightforward process. We bid a fond farewell to our driver and then to our two guides, who have been the perfect hosts and an integral part of our whole trip. They stay behind to wave us off all the way through the security and customs checks until we’re through to departures.

The departure board shows that there are only three scheduled flights for the day, and one of those has already left to Shanghai. The next flight is ours, and right on schedule we’re on our way with Air Koryo back to Beijing. 

Reflecting on Our 10 Days in North Korea

Without a doubt North Korea has been the most unique country that we’ve ever visited. 

As was expected, we came away from our North Korea tour with many more questions than answers. Being in and amongst North Korea’s sensationalist monuments, inescapable propaganda and invented historical narrative is beyond surreal. It can often become suffocating too, even for visitors who only get the tiniest taste of it.

Yet surprisingly there can also be times when you need to remind yourself of exactly where you are. It’s easy to get swept up by the novelty of finding yourself amongst such iconic landmarks and locations. 

Along with the genuine beauty of much of the countryside and the warmth and friendliness of the guides, it’s sometimes easy to forget that this is a country run by a totalitarian regime with an appalling human rights record.

Should You Visit North Korea?

If you want to, then yes. It is repeatedly said that visiting North Korea is unethical and that visiting tourists are simply lining the pockets of a cruel regime. 

The crimes of the regime certainly can’t be denied, yet there are  plenty of other nations with deplorable human rights records that many people are happy to ignore  when booking a holiday.

Asia is a fascinating continent, where geopolitical tension is so heavy it almost feels tangible, and North Korea is very much at the forefront of the region’s politics. 

Spending ten days in North Korea might be too many for some, and shorter tours are available. Yet if you want to get a glimpse of one of the most intriguing countries in one of the world’s most captivating and complicated continents then you should visit North Korea. 

For us, having been fascinated by North Korea for a number of years, visiting the DPRK was an itch that needed to be scratched.

Explore Even More of Asia:

• Things to know before visiting North Korea
• The best books about North Korea
• Visiting the DMZ from both sides of the Korean border
• Five must-see Korean films
• Discover Jeju, South Korea’s tropical paradise
• How to spend 48 hours in Tokyo
• The complete four day Bangkok itinerary 

Share this post

If you’ve liked this post please share it on the socials:

Follow us on Social Media

Follow our travels on Instagram here , and keep up to date with our latest posts on Facebook here .

Why should you choose Koryo Tours?

Choosing to travel to unusual destinations such as North Korea is a big decision, and choosing the right people to take you is an incredibly important part of that. Learn about how we facilitate tourism responsibly in some of the most interesting and unique destinations on our planet, and at the same time ensure you get the most out of your once-in-a-lifetime experience .

I also want to see:

• Group Tours
• Private Tours
• Specialist Tours
• Special Events

North Korea Budget Tours

Koryo Tours' North Korea budget tours are a great way to travel to one of the most fascinating destinations in the world. Our budget tours are specially designed for those looking for a general introduction to DPRK society and culture. Add North Korea to your bucket list and join us for an affordable and unforgettable adventure. Looking for something more in-depth? Check out our full list of our North Korea group tours or contact our office .

Use the search function below to find tours.

• Pyongyang Marathon

June 2024 — 1 tour

June 10 - june 14/15 2024.

Koryo North Korea Budget Tour Summer

4 nights in the DPRK + North Korea-China travel time

Beat the summer rush in the DPRK and join this North Korea budget tour! The best way to see highlights incl. city tour of Pyongyang, historic Kaesong, the DMZ, and Nampo on the West Coast From 845 EUR per person

Please apply by 29th May, 2024 .

Our North Korea Summer Budget Tour falls after the Tano Festival ('Dragon Boat Festival' in China), which marks the end of the planting season and the start of summer in North Korea. The pleasant scenery and warm weather of June traditionally made this the time for outdoor activities and festivals since ancient times.

This is an introductory trip to Korea for the frugal traveller in search of adventure, offering a 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 visit the port town of Nampo and the West Sea Barrage , an engineering megaproject at the mouth of the Taedong River.

Scroll down for an overview of the North Korea Budget Tour highlights, tour itinerary, DPRK tourist visa information, and extra add-ons.

Koryo Tours International Tours

Mongolia | Turkmenistan | Kazakhstan | Bhutan | Russia | Tajikistan  

• See Pyongyang highlights, including the Mansudae Grand Monument, the Pyongyang Metro, the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, and USS Pueblo
• Historic Kaesong south of the 38th Parallel
• Get out of the capital, to the port city of Nampo, a centre of trade and industry

Briefing Day

June 9 | sunday.

*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.

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

June 10 | Monday

Arrival day in Pyongyang

• 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.
• Flight departure from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 on Air Koryo flight JS152 at 12:20. 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 15:20. DPRK immigration and customs, meet your Korean guides and transfer to the city.  
• Grand People’s Study House   | Huge national library and public university housed in a large neo-traditional Korean building overlooking Kim Il Sung Square and the downtown Pyongyang.  
• Victory (Sungni) Street | Walk   from Kim Il Sung Square to the   Pyongyang Grand Theatre along one of post-war Pyongyang's oldest streets.  
• Train arrival to Pyongyang Railway Station at 18:45.

Overnight:   Ryanggang Hotel, Pyongyang  | The Two Rivers Hotel (so named as it sits on a hill overlooking the point where the Potong river and Taedong Rivers meet). The hotel offers great views over different parts of the city (depending on which side of the building you stay on) from the open balconies, and also from the ‘swivelling’ restaurant. The underground karaoke room here is excellent and the bar in the lobby is also great.

June 11 | Tuesday

Pyongyang City Tour

• Optional morning run for the early risers on Sports Street past stadiums and halls whose architecture reflects the sports played within.  
• 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 60-m archway commemorating the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule and larger than its counterpart in Paris.  
• Mansudae Fountain Park | The historic centre of Pyongyang popular with local citizens after school and on weekends. Flanked by examples of ancient and modern architecture from different eras.  
• Mansudae Grand Monument  | Enormous bronze statues of the DPRK leadership overlooking downtown Pyongyang. A presentation of flowers and bow by the group is customary here. Visitations are by special request only and decent dress is required. No shorts or flip-flop sandals allowed here.  
• 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, museum and The Grand People’s Study House, Korea’s national library. See the centre of it all!  
• Okryugwan | A meal at Pyongyang’s most famous restaurant. Housed in a huge traditional building on the banks of the Taedong River. Okryugwan specialises in Pyongyang Cold Noodles.
• Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum and USS Pueblo  | We’ll tour this world-class museum led by a local museum guide. Renovated in 2012 and its exhibits of Korean War from the DPRK perspective containing artifacts, documents, photos, and lifelike dioramas. The exterior grounds house the War Victory Monument and displays of Korean People’s Army Hero Equipment and captures equipment from the US military, including the spyship USS Pueblo . Central to the understanding of the country today and a highlight of the trip.  
• 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.  
• Dinner with a live Kayagum performance - a traditional Korean instrument in a unique setting!

Overnight:  Minsok Folk Hotel , Kaesong  |   Traditional style hotel where guests sleep on heated floors in Korean style. Housed in beautiful courtyards of Kaesong’s old city, structures date back to the Ri Dynasty. Basic bathroom facilities. Hot water not guaranteed and erratic electricity supply – please bring a torch.

June 12 | Wednesday

Historic Kaesong and the Joint Security Area (*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 .)

• Old City Walk and South Gate | A stroll from the hotel through Kaesong’s historic district lined with homes dating back to the Ri Dynasty from the city’s historic South Gate.  
• Panmunjom Armistice Village and DMZ  ( *Currently suspended ) | The site of the signing of the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War and demarcation line between north and south. On some days it is possible to visit the hut straddling the line, where negotiations between both sides once took place. Here we will be accompanied by military guides from the Korean People's Army.  
• 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 made 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 an option here ( 5 EUR ).
• Janam Hill  | Statues of the DPRK leadership on a hill overlooking Kaesong city and historic pavilion used for archery demonstrations in days of yore.  
• Concrete Wall and view of DMZ   ( *Currently suspended ) | View of a complex fortification system erected on the southern boundary of the DMZ accompanied by a military guide. The wall is seen as evidence of intent to permanently divide the nation. A 45 minute drive each way from Kaesong through scenic countryside.  
• Drive back to Pyongyang .  A 3-hour drive.  
• Kwangbok Department Store  | Exchange for Korean currency and shop with the citizens of Pyongyang! Try the snack stands for some of Pyongyang’s best local eats.

Overnight:  Ryanggang Hotel, Pyongyang

June 13 | Thursday

Nampo and Pyongyang City Tour

• Mangyongdae Native House  | Birthplace and childhood home of President Kim Il Sung. A traditional Korean house in a beautiful natural surrounding.  
• Drive west along the ‘Youth Hero Highway’ to Nampo (45 minutes to 1-hour drive), the port city of Pyongyang at the mouth of the Taedong River on the West Sea.  
• Chongsan-ri Co-Operative Farm | The DPRK’s most famous and iconic model farm. Visited hundreds of times by Kim Il Sung (there is a bronze statue of him and various farm workers here), the place where the ‘Chongsan-ri Method’ was developed (they will explain on-site). See how the farming system works, visit a farmhouse and the local shop,and kindergarten, see the fields and greenhouses.  
• West Sea Barrage | An 8 km concrete, steel, and earthen barrage constructed between the Taedong River estuary and the West Sea for land reclamation, irrigation, flood prevention, and power generation. It also acts as a ship lock and fish ladder. One of the DPRK’s greatest engineering feats.  
• Pi Island | A local beach next to West Sea Barrage. Go for a swim or join the locals for a karaoke ( weather permitting ).
• Tae’an Glass Factory | Factory producing glass and glass products for the domestic market. Watch the glass-making process from smelting to sheet-cutting and even try to break a sheet of strengthened glass.  
• Drive back to Pyongyang .  
• Party Foundation Monument   | Iconic Monument made up of stone depictions of hands gripping the hammer, sickle, and writing brush – symbols of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Built in 1995 for the 40th anniversary of the Party.  
• 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).  
• Taedonggang Bar No. 3 | Upscale bar across the street from the Tower of the Juche Idea. There are a variety of beers on tap produced at Pyongyang’s Taedonggang Brewery outside of town ( 2-2.5 EUR per glass ).  
• Farewell dinner at Duck BBQ Restaurant  | Famous restaurant in south Pyongyang specializing in duck meat barbecue on a grill. Southcentral does it like nobody does!

June 14 | Friday

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

• Flight departure from Pyongyang on Air Koryo Flight JS151  at 09:00 with scheduled arrival at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 at 10:20.
• Train departure by train to Beijing  at 10:25 with transfer in Dandong. The scheduled arrival is to Beijing Station  on Saturday June 15 at 08:40. For this tour the default option is hard sleeper (six beds per berth).

End of Tour

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.

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.

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.

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?

• Train travel Pyongyang – Beijing – Pyongyang by hard sleeper class with transfer in Dandong
• All meals on the tour apart from meals on the train
• Hotel accommodation in North Korea
• Two local English-speaking Korean guides and a driver per group
• A Koryo Tours tour leader
• All transportation in North Korea

NOT INCLUDED

• DPRK visa fee 60 EUR
• Optional Air Koryo flights (one-way: 199 EUR; return: 299 EUR)
• 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) or film screening (approx. 10 EUR)
• 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

Groups will be in the experienced hands of two or three local Korean guides and a 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.

November 2024 — 1 tour

December 2024 — 1 tour, january 2025 — 1 tour, march 2025 — 1 tour, next tour departure dates.

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

• Turkmenistan
• Cultural Engagement
• Country profile
• Terms & conditions
• Why choose Koryo

[email protected] | + 86 10 6416 7544 Room A409, Jucai Building. No. 76 Caoyuan Hutong. Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100027, PR China

中国北京市东城区草园胡同76号聚才大厦A 座409 室, 邮编：100027 Download contact card

Not registered yet? Register now

Trouble logging in? Reset password

* All fields are mandatory

Got an account already? Let me log in

Young Pioneer Tours

Young Pioneer Tours specialise in taking you to North Korea and other worldwide “destinations your mother would rather you stay away from” at budget prices. We combine the best guides in the industry with expert local knowledge and contacts to ensure your adventure is an unparalleled one. Don't be a face in the crowd, be a Pioneer.

Upcoming Tours

Ultimate Transnistria Victory Day Tour

Celebrate Transnistrian Victory Day and witness a Soviet style military parade.

• Start Date : May 6th 2024 End Date : May 12th 2024
• Duration: 6 nights, 7 days

Djibouti Land of Mirages Tour

Include this into your Horn of Africa tour and shake Djibouti!

• Start Date : May 14th 2024 End Date : 17th May 2024
• Duration: 3 nights, 4 days

Iraqi Kurdistan Spring Tour

Hang out with the Peshmerga and see the last influences of Saddam’s rule in Kurdistan

• Start Date : May 16th 2024 End Date : May 22nd 2024

Tour of the week

12 days / 11 nights, ultimate yugoslavia tour, join our mailing list.

Be the first to hear about new tours, travel updates and special offers.

LATEST BLOG

Dante Hotel at Dandong Railway Station

Should you travel to North Korea via Dandong then it is well worth staying for at least a few nights. Should you decide to do that …

Pachinko and North Korea

As part of our Extremes of Japan Tour we will be checking out a number of the things that make the country so unique. One of these …

Tripadvisor

Latest news.

North Korea will reopen in 2024 – tour prices will rise

Libya tourist e-visa scheme now available

Dave Kitson named Nauru Football Manager

An American in South Korea Heads North (Part 1)

• Terms & Conditions
• Payment Policy
• North Korea Tours – 2017 Tours
• Tour Extensions
• Independent Tours
• North Korea FAQ
• Our Terms and Conditions
• Our Payment Policy Terms

©YoungPioneerTours.com 2024. All rights reserved.