Kim Il Sung Birthday Ultra Budget Tour

DESCRIPTION

Without a doubt one of the top tours of the DPRK tourist season, the birthday of President Kim Il Sung is the biggest celebration of the year. We expect this to be a huge celebration with fireworks, mass dancing, possibly parades and a number of other events that will most likely be announced much nearer the time to mark the 108th anniversary of the President’s birthday.

By making use of traveling from Dandong, which is the Chinese border city to the DPRK and is easily reachable from most of China, we are able to offer a great price that has you in the country for 2 nights and 3 days, which is inclusive of one full day of seeing all the main sites of Pyongyang and going out both nights of the trip.

This trip is perfect for those people who are already in China or those simply traveling through who do not have the time or budget to do a full trip. If you need assistance with organising accommodation in Dandong or making your way to or from Dandong city, we’ll be happy to help book for you!

Please note: All travelers must have a re-entry visa into China as there isn’t enough time to apply for a Chinese visa in Pyongyang and the 144 hour transfer visa doesn’t permit rail use.

ITINERARY

Tuesday 14th April

Morning

Meet your YPT guide at 7:30am inside the entrance of the Dandong Railway Station to collect train ticket, DPRK visa and go through DPRK procedure.
Board the 10:10am train from Dandong.
11:15am (DPRK time) arrival in Sinuiju to go through DPRK entry procedure.
Ride on into Pyongyang and enjoy the beautiful countryside along the way.

Afternoon

Optional lunch on the train (50RMB extra)
6:45pm arrival in Pyongyang to be met by your local Korean guides
Driving city tour of Pyongyang, including us stopping at Kim Il Sung Square for a walk and pictures
Dinner at local restaurant
Check in and overnight at Sosan hotel

Wednesday 15th April – Kim Il Sung’s Birthday – Day of the Sun

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). We expect it to be very busy at this time with locals paying their respect.
Visit the Grand People’s Study House – the largest library and academic centre for adult learners in Pyongyang. This grand building is built in the Korean style and affords a great view over the central square
Foreign Language Bookshop- Shopping central for books, pins, DVD’s, CD’s and periodicals in English and other foreign Languages, followed by a brisk walk to:
Kim Il Sung Square- The central square of Pyongyang City.
Pyongyang Metro! Ride from Stop 1 to Stop 2 then on to stop 6! Exiting to:
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 a local Korean restaurant to sample the famous Pyongyang cold noodles or the well known Korean Bibimbap dish
Visit the recently renovated Korean War Museum – let the expert local guide show you around the enormous museum featuring dioramas, locally used weapons, tanks etc, and captured American equipment!
USS Pueblo – The only US Naval Ship still held captive by another nation.
Special celebratory events (optional: approx 20 euros) – Yet to be confirmed but we will take part in any birthday events that are possible for tourists to attend. These may include a parade, a circus performance, and possibly some other surprises.
Spectate and/or join in on the Pyongyang university students performing a mass dance near an iconic DPRK monument – fantastic for rare photo opportunities!
Juche Tower- The tallest stone tower in the world it represents the eternally burning Korean Juche Ideology.
Stop by the local Mansugyo Beer Bar for refreshments – here there are seven different types of locally brewed beer! Soft drinks, coffee and juices also available
Dinner at National restaurant with performance!
We’ll join the locals on Kim Il Sung Square and watch the fireworks light up over the Taedong River.
Overnight in the Sosan Hotel

Thursday 16th April

Morning

Check out of the hotel.
Slow drive to the train station stopping at a few interesting places for last photos
Board the 10:25am train to Dandong

Afternoon

Optional lunch on train (50RMB extra)
4:30pm arrival in Dandong
Tour concludes – if you need to make any accommodation or a way out of Dandong please let us know!

GALLERY