North Korea Spotlights

You will take a wonderful 5-day trip to North Korean from Beijing. Take a flight from Beijing to Pyongyang by yourselves. Air tickets will be arranged by TCG. Upon your arrival at the Sunan International Airport, there will be a Korean guide waiting for you warmly. Check into the Yanggakdo Hotel, one of the best Hotels in Korean. The hotel is located in the Yanggakdo Islet, surrounded by the Taedong River. There is only one bridge linking to the mainland. In your room, you can have a brilliant night view of Taedong River. If you want, you can go to the Kaeson Youth Park with the guides (entrance fee is included. The client should pay if he/she wants to ride any amusement facility.).

On the way to the hotel, our Korean guide will brief you on the following days' itinerary. After dinner, you can spend the rest of your day to go around the hotel. But you need to note that foreigners are not allowed to get out alone, so you must get a Korean guide for company. Please also note that lights in Korean will be off at about 23:00 in the city, sometimes a bit later in the Yanggakdo Hotel at 23:30 around.

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Yanggakdo Hotel

Today, our Korean guide will take you to explore the Pyongyang city together. Our one day city trip starts at Kim II Sung Square. It is the largest square in Korean, which is a main place for the politics gathering, national celebration activities, and military parade. In the Center of the square stands the giant bronze statue of Kim II Sung. It is quite casual for local people to bow to the statue to show their respect and loyalty.

In the north of the square lies the Grand People's Study House. Opened in 1982, it functions as the largest public library in Korean. The study house can accommodate 10,000 at the meantime. It stores books up to 30,000,000 pieces. People have free access to these resources to acquire knowledge and skill. You will take a short glimpse there.

The noted Juche Tower boasts to the south of the square, which was built to celebrate Kim II Sung's 70-year birthday. The tower is a symbol of the Juche Idea proposed by the president. Meanwhile, you can gain a panorama view of the city at the top of the tower.

Chollima Statue towers on the Mansu Hill in Mansudae. Constructed by the Kim II Sung's 49-year birthday, the tower stands for the country's courage and determination to obtain giant leap forward after the recovery from the war. The bronze statue is a swift horse with workers and peasants on its back, who are longing for economic growth.

Beside the statue, you are also suggested to drop by Korean Revolution Museum where you can learn more about the country's past rise and fall.

Then we will head back to the Pyongyang Students and Children's Palace, which is a must see for visitors. It is reputed as the birthplace of the great man, for there are many children and students are trained to be brilliant in art, sports, literature and science. In the palace, you can view the show performed by those lovely kids. And you are suggested to prepare some small gifts for the children in advance, gifts such as flowers and school stationery are OK.

Getting out of the palace, it is almost the lunch time. Our lunch will be provided by the Yanggakdo Hotel.

After lunch, you can take a short rest, and then proceed to Arch of Triumph. The Arch of Triumph is the largest-scaled in the world, not even the one in France. It was constructed to commemorate the triumph over Japan in the wars. It is also an everlasting witness to the establishment of the country.

Next, we will take you to experience the deepest metro in the world, down to the level of 100 - 200 meters. It was like this for it functions as a bomb shelter in the war time.

Then we will make our way to the May Day Stadium, where you can enjoy a feast of Arirang show. It is a Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance done by 100,000 people. You will be stunned and marveled at their neat, powerful and inspiring show. The show mainly reflects that people Unite Wholeheartedly to fight for the better life. By the way, the performance is only available from August to October.

After viewing the show, our today' s trip comes to an end. We need head back to the hotel for supper and rest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we need to get up early and check out of the hotel. After the breakfast, we will head to the southern border city, Kaesong. The bus ride to that city is about 2.5 hours, and the first destination is Panmunjom. In Panmunjom area, North and South Korea have faced each other for decades, which is a best place to witness the splitting. You will visit the places where the truce of the Korea War were discussed and signed, as well as the DMZ - the demarcation line between North and South Korea. And there will be a soldier for your company.

Afterwards, we will move forward to Koryo Museum, where you can explore the history of the Goryeo Dynasty (918 -- 1392). The museum collects a great deal of culture relics and documents, which reflect the glory times.

Then we will taste the Korean food in a local restaurant. Taking a short rest, you will be guided to head to the Tomb of King Wanggon, one of the four most majestic tombs in Korean. The King Wanggon first found the old Koryo Kingdom, and visiting the tomb, you can get to know the oringin and tradition about the country.

Before the end of today's trip, we will head to a ginseng store for shopping. Kaesong is noted for the Koryo ginseng, which is beneficial to people's health condition. Of course, the price of the ginseng is quite expensive like always.

Then we will check into the Minsok Folk Hotel, which is a nice courtyard hotel with traditional Li dynasty house style. In the hotel, you can have the chance to experience the local people's life in depth.

Take a good rest in the hotel and get ready to continue the next day's exploration to Nampo. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Minsok Folk Hotel

Get up early and have a simple breakfast in the hotel before checking out. Today, we will leave for the harbor city, Nampo. On the way to Nampo, we will drop by the Mountain Kuwol first. It is one of the most well-known mountains in Korean, and it is the one renowned for its majesty.

The Mt. Kuwol, with an altitude about 950 meters, boasts in the flat land. In the mountain area, there are many steep valleys and waterfalls, which is really a natural stunner.

Through half an hour's driving, we will get to the Nampo city. After a simple lunch in a local restaurant, there is another nature wonder waiting for us, the West Sea Barrage. The dam, about 8 kilometers long, is located at the estuary of the Taedong River disemboguing to West Sea. In the dam, there are special plank road for sightseeing, where you can view the vast barrage.

Here our chapter In Korean will be nearly closed. It's time to go back to Pyongyang for an international flight to Beijing in the next day.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Yanggakdo Hotel

Get up on time, and you need to pack up all your luggage well on your own, for we will fly back to Beijing soon.

Meals: Breakfast