Blog

Welcome to the Young Pioneer Tours Blog, the place where we we keep you informed about everything YPT, from current tours, to future tours and a whole lot of eclectic stuff in between.

YPT first started blogging in 2008 and are considered the best North Korean Travel blog that there is.

But, as Young Pioneer Tours have expanded our locations, so have we expanded our blog. Now we have one of the best travel blogs in the world!

And while most of our content is about the numerous destinations we go, including travel guides and what to pack, we also delve into more serious subjects such as the safety of certain destinations, as well as how LGTBQ+ friendly the places we visit are.

While the vast majority of our content is produced in-house, we are always on the look-out for guest bloggers and writers. Want to write for us? Then simply get in touch.

You can also check out our sister publication YPT Life.

Check out and subscribe to the YPT Blog and travel magazine

Eurasian Adventure Tour – Mitrovice

9 July 2012 / by Gareth Johnson

Technically this was to be the second to last day of the “tour”, and for me what we had planned was pretty much one of my highlights, Mitrovice. The 411 on Mitrovice is that it is the most northern city in the “country of Kosovo”, separated slap bang i …

Mt. Paekdu

29 June 2012 / by Gareth Johnson

Mt. Paekdu (Also referred to as Mt. Baekdu in the more recent South Korean Hangul romanization) reknowned to all Koreans, for it’s historical significance, in both ancient and modern history. As a friend pointed out to me Mt. Paekdu is in the fir …

The case for tourism in Tibet

23 June 2012 / by Alistair Riddell

Recent rule changes in Tibet stating that only groups of at least 5 people from the same country can form a group, and most recently that Tibet is closed to English, Norwegian, Austrian, and South Korean nationals due to these countries hosting the Dal …

When Arsenal Played in Beijing in 2012

13 June 2012 / by Gareth Johnson

Introduction While clearing through our old “blogs,” I was hit with the following story we published in 2012. “OK, so not strictly YPT thing, but Arsenal are playing Man City at the birds nest on July 27th, and on the 29th in Hong Kong. I can get ticke …

End of Arirang?

13 June 2012 / by Gareth Johnson

So lately the big news seems to be the reported end of the Arirang Mass games. Is it true? Sadly yes. This year is your last chance to see Arirang. However next year there is still a 95% chance of there being a mass games, it will just be a different p …

Pyongyang Golf Tournament

6 June 2012 / by Gareth Johnson

YPT are still planning to run their annual Pyongyang Amateur Golf Classic, for those interested in playing golf in the DPRK, or golf in North Korea if that makes more sense…. We ran our first competition in 2010, and whilst it was not the first time …

The Sun’s North Korea world exclusive grabs the headlines

6 June 2012 / by Gareth Johnson

The recent report by the Sun newspaper in the UK about 2 reporters that snuck into the DPRK allegedly through British company Lupine Travel not only shows some truly piss poor reporting, but does not represent tourism in the DPRK. For that, you truly h …

Winner of 2012 Free trip to DPRK!

4 June 2012 / by Gareth Johnson

Our prize draw for free trip to DPRK, plus other discounts has been announced! And listed as follows! 1) Free trip to DPRK (2012) – David McCarthy 2) %50 off any tour 2012 (Full price) – Joachim Tam 3) 200 Euro off any tour 2012 (excluding Transnistria …

I’m going to Yan’an

3 June 2012 / by Gareth Johnson

黄河边延水岸黄土筑高原，窑洞前石磨碾仿佛回到昨天 ‘Beside the Yellow River, on the bank of the waters of the Yan, is the yellow earth plateau. Before the yaodong caves the millstone grinds, it seems a return to yesterday’. 我要去延安,看时间荏苒看万山红遍 ‘I’m going to Yan’an, to see the soft …