Monday 17th June

• Meet your YPT guide at 1:30pm at the Beijing Zhong Gu Hotel near Beijing Railway Station found here. During this meeting, we’ll go through the tour’s itinerary, receive DPRK visas and tickets, as well as a great chance to meet your fellow travellers and to discuss any other questions you may have about the DPRK.
• Train takers depart Beijing Central station at 5:25pm for the 24-hour sleeper ride to Pyongyang

Tuesday 18th June

• Train group arrive at Dandong at 7:00am for Chinese border control then depart for Sinuiju at 10:30am for the extensive border control from the DPRK side
• Flight takers depart Beijing Airport Terminal 2 on Air Koryo at 12.55pm (Meet the group at Air Koryo check in counter at 10.00am). Flight group arrive in Pyongyang at 4:00pm to a warm welcome from your Korean guides
• Train group arrive at 6:45pm to an equally warm welcome
• Dinner at a local Korean restaurant on Ryomyong Street
• Check in and overnight at the Chongnyon Hotel
• In the evening your YPT guide will show you around the hotel before taking you for drinks and to get to know your Korean guides

Wednesday 19th June

Morning

• Walk through Mansudae Fountain Park and see the mosaic pictures of President Kim Il Sung and the Leader Kim Jong Il.
• Visit Mansudae Grand Monument – the two large bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il overlooking the city. (Optional extra – you can present flowers if you wish: small bunches are 2 euro, larger ones 4).
• Pyongyang Metro! Ride from Stop 1 to Stop 2 then on to Stop 6. Exiting at:
• The Arch of Triumph – the largest Victory Arch on the planet, it celebrates the victory over the Japanese and the return of the General Kim Il Sung to his home city.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Korean Hot Pot Restaurant
• Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum – see captured American tanks, weapons, shot down planes, as well as the infamous USS Pueblo and the museum’s many amazing displays and dioramas.
• Stop by Mansugyo Beer Bar – a local bar to join the locals for refreshments. This is a great little microbrewery in Pyongyang which has recently reopened after refurbishments
• Stop by Koryo hotel beer bar to drink with locals and experience a favourite spot of many Pyongyangites
• Dinner at a local restaurant to try the local famous Pyongyang Cold Noodles dish or the traditional Korean Bibimbap.
• TRIP HIGHLIGHT – we head to our second stadium, the May Day Stadium, to watch the AFC match between North Korea’s foremost team, April 25th FC, and Hang Yuen from Taiwan. The AFC is the second international tournament in Asia and April 25th won the reverse match 3-0 so we have high hopes for an entertaining match! (Extra charge – €60)
• Overnight in the Chongnyon Hotel.

Thursday 20th June

Morning

• Up nice and early to drive to Kaesong and the DMZ
• Koryo Museum- Korea’s first university and now a museum of history and culture. Also home of the best stamp and propaganda poster shop in the DPRK, so don’t forget your wallet!
• The DMZ- See one of the tensest places on earth complete with a friendly KPA officer who will not only give you a guided tour but also keep you safe. Also the only place you can take photographs of and even with a soldier!

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Thongil Restaurant in Kaesong City- try your hand at traditional Korean Pansangi- a series of dishes served in bronze bowls. (Optional extras- Dog soup 5 euro, Ginseng Stuffed Whole Chicken 30 euro- can be split between several).
• The concrete wall of the DMZ – this is a little off the beaten track and gives us a great glimpse at the wall which was erected b the South Koreans during the 70’s. We can even see South Korean watch towers along the hill from the DPRK post.
• Drive back to Pyongyang stopping in Sariwon to see the folklore park and enjoy Makkoli in a local bar if you wish.
• Drive back to Pyongyang
• Photo opportunity of the Monument to the Three Charters of National Reunification, standing over the Thongil Highway.
• Head to Gold Lanes Bowling to play and mingle with some locals
• Taste some more local brews at the Taedonggang Brewery #3 for micro brewed beers
• Stop by the iconic Yanggakdo hotel to try the famous ale brewed in the hotel’s teahouse
• Dinner at the Duck Barbecue Restaurant
• Overnight at the Chongnyon hotel

Friday 21st June

Morning

• Morning walk from Pyongyang Grand Theatre through the streets of Pyongyang
• TRIP HIGHLIGHT – we head out to the Pyongyang International Football Academy. This is a functioning school which specialises in sports and football in particular. If we’re lucky we’ll be able to observe a football class and chat with the students. We recommend bringing some football related gear or items for donation for anyone willing to help out the local sport teams.
• TRIP HIGHLIGHT – get your football boots on and we head for a game of five-a-side with a local Pyongyang team
• Visit Kim Il Sung Square – the centre of the city and where all the parades and rallies occur. Followed by a short walk to the:
• Foreign Language Bookshop – where you can buy English-language Korean books, posters, pins, flags, DVDs, and more!.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the New Stamp Restaurant
• Juche Tower – the tallest stone tower in the world, it represents the eternally burning Korean Juche Ideology
• Visit Meari Shooting Range – this shooting range has recently been renovated to include indoor shooting with pistols, rifles or archery! .50 US cents per bullet
• Stop by the local department store – here we can buy locally brewed beer and use the local DPRK Won currency!
• Dinner at the National Restaurant
• Visit Kaeson Youth Park (entry 2 euros, rides 3 to 5 euros extra each depending on how awesome they are).
• Overnight at the Chongnyon hotel

Saturday 22nd June

Morning

• Depart Pyongyang Railway Station at 10:20am
• Lunch on the train optional 60RMB per person

Afternoon

• Arrive into the Chinese border city of Dandong at 4:30pm
• Quick dinner in Dandong (usually around 20 – 30RMB)
• Board fast train to Dalian departing at 6:05pm and arriving at 8:16pm
• Check into our hotel and then head out for drinks in the foremost city in northeast China
• Overnight in Dalian

Sunday 23rd June

Morning

• In the morning explore the world’s largest public square (Xinghai Square) and explore the harbor and beach views of Dalian

Afternoon

• Lunch at local restaurant trying the famous North East of China dishes
• TRIP HIGHLIGHT – Head out for the 15:30 kick off to watch the mighty Dalian Yifang take on Tianjin Tianhai in the Chinese Super League. Both teams boast a few international stars and this should be a good match!
• Dalian not only has great seafood but awesome draft beer, so after the match we head to the sea front for great food and drinks (optional cost)
• Overnight in Dalian

Monday 24th June

Morning

• Up early for the 8:15am flight to Zhuhai, a city in far southern China, arriving at 11:15am
• Grab a bite to eat and then transfer straight to the border of China and Macau

Afternoon

• Cross the border into Macau, the Vegas of the East and the gambling capital of China and check in to our hotel. Until 1999 the city of Macau was a Portuguese colony, when it rejoined China as a Special Administrative Region, but the Portuguese influence is still very obvious
• In the afternoon we head on a city tour of Macau taking in the Historic Centre and the ruins of St Paul’s Cathedral and the Guia Fortress.
• Possible chance to watch the greyhound racing, one of Macau’s most popular types of gambling
• Dinner of Macanese food (optional)
• We can’t come to Macau without heading to a casino, so we head to the Casino Lisboa to try our luck!
• Overnight in Macau

Tuesday 25th June

Morning

• Free morning in Macau to go and grab a coffee and do some people watching. It’s almost possible to wander Macau’s alleys and squares and believe you’re in South Europe
• Take the ferry from Macau directly to Hong Kong, it’s slightly more famous former colonial city!

Afternoon

• Lunch in Hong Kong
• Check into our hotel and then head to the Kowloon Waterfront for the famous views of Hong Kong, before taking the Star Ferry to Central on Hong Kong Island.
• We’ll grab a street food dinner and go out on a bar crawl in Wanchai (optional cost)
• Overnight in Hong Kong

Wednesday 26th June

Morning

• Take the ferry over to Lamma Island to sit back on the beach before a seafood lunch

Afternoon

• In the afternoon we head to Mong Kok, the quintessential Hong Kong district. Mong Kok has one of the highest population densities in the world and is full of markets, shops and restaurants. We grab dinner here and a roadside pint while soaking up the atmosphere
• TRIP HIGHLIGHT – Head to the Mong Kok Stadium for the 8pm kick off between Kitchee SC and April 25, the last group game and possible decider! Kitchee are nicknamed the Barca of Hong Kong, but April 25 are the Real deal.
• After the match we enjoy our last night with cold beers on what will have been an awesome 10 days of football (optional cost)
• Overnight in Hong Kong

Thursday 27th June

• End of tour with YPT able to help arrange onward travel from Hong Kong

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