Thursday 8th April

• 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, further discuss the marathon, 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 Railway Station at 5:25pm for the 24 hour sleeper ride to Pyongyang.

Friday 9th April

• Train group arrive at Dandong at 7:00am for Chinese border control then depart for Sinuiju at 10:00am for the extensive border control from the DPRK side
• Flight takers depart Beijing Airport Terminal 2 on Air Koryo. (Group will meet at Air Koryo check in counter). Flight departure times will be announced closer to the departure date. To avoid any inconvenience, we recommend for you to arrive in Beijing the day before to better prepare yourself.
• Flight group arrive in Pyongyang to a warm welcome from your Korean guides.
• Train group arrive at 6:30pm to an equally warm welcome.
• Dinner at a local Korean restaurant on Ryomyong Street
• Check in and overnight at Sosan hotel

Saturday 10th April

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: 40 RMB or 5 euros).
• Walk downtown through Kim Il Sung Square – The main square of Pyongyang City where all the military parades are held and we expect some birthday
• events to be happening nearby
• Foreign Language Bookshop – great place to buy books, pins, posters and Korean DVDs

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Mangyongdae district – your chance to try the famous Pyongyang Cold Noodles or the traditional Korean Bibimbap dish along with other popular Korean dishes
• Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, featuring dioramas, captured weapons, tanks, and planes, the Victory Monument, and the USS Pueblo: the only American military vessel held by another nation.
• Juche Tower – the tallest stone tower in the world, it represents the eternally burning Korean Juche Ideology (optional extra 40RMB or 5 euros to go to the top of the tower)
• Monument to the Party Foundation – built in 1995 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Worker’s Party.
• Visit the Kwangbok department store where we can shop with the locals and have access to the local DPRK won currency!
• Visit the Olympic Village in Pyongyang constructed in 1989 for a practice run for tomorrow’s marathon event
• Receive a city map from your YPT guide and enjoy the views of Pyongyang as our bus does a lap of the marathon route to give you a clear understanding of where you will be running for the event
• Dinner at the National Restaurant with performance from the waitresses
• Overnight at the Sosan hotel

Sunday 11th April – Marathon Day!

Morning

• Run or spectate the Pyongyang Marathon!

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local Korean restaurant
• Cool down and relax at Munsu Water Park – with Indoor and outdoor pools and amazing waterslides, the park also features plenty for those who don’t want to swim, including a Haemaji coffee shop, a beer bar, table tennis, billiards, massage, or a beauty salon. Various services extra charge, swimming and access to the gym, table tennis and billiards is 80RMB or 10 euros).
• Visit the Taedonggang Micro Brewery to further wind down with multiple delicious draft beers on tap, with coffee, soft drinks, and juices also available.
• Large dinner banquet to celebrate the day
• A gentle evening stroll along Future Mirae Scientist Residential street along the Taedong River
• Overnight at Sosan hotel

Monday 12th April

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 most tenses 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 people).
• Drop by Sariwon city – capital of North Hwanghae province. Explore folklore park and view the city from the mountain top pagoda.
• Try locally brewed Makkoli in the local tea house.
• Photo opportunity of the Monument to the Three Charters of National Reunification that stands over the Thongil Highway.
• Get back to Pyongyang for dinner at the Duck Lamb BBQ restaurant
• Overnight at the Sosan hotel.

Tuesday 13th April – Group A departs

• Group A train members depart at 10:25 am for the overnight train to Beijing and enjoy the peaceful countryside of both the DPRK and China. Train arrives in Beijing Railway Station at 9:00am on Wednesday the 14th.
• Group A flight members depart from Pyongyang in the morning arriving at Beijing Terminal 2 Airport. Flight departure times will be announced closer to the departure date. To avoid any inconvenience, we recommend for you to not arrange your next flight departing Beijing before 4:00pm

Group B continues:

Morning

• Mansudae Art Studio – a chance for us to meet local artists where monuments, portraits, sculptures are produced for the country
• Visit the Three Revolution Exhibition – The exhibition primarily showcases the three revolutions of Kim Il-sung, the ideological, technical, and cultural with North Korean satellites on display.
• Drive 2 and a half hours north of Pyongyang to the mountain ranges of Mt. Myohyang on the way stopping for refreshments
• Visit Pohyon Temple – One of the 5 famous temples of Korea and one of the largest Buddhist temples in the DPRK.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Chongchon Hotel, check into your rooms and change into comfortable hiking gear
• Hike the mountain ranges of Mt. Myohyang
• Sangwon Valley is the most famous for the Sangwon Hermitage site at the end of the trail.
• See breathtaking views of Manpok Valley which holds many scenic waterfalls.
• Return to hotel, dinner drinks and overnight at Chongchon Hotel

Wednesday 14th April

Morning

• Visit the International Friendship Exhibition – Two large gift houses holding the gifts presented to both Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un from people, governments and institutions all over the world. One of the major highlights of the tour.

Afternoon

• Lunch at Hyangsan Hotel
• Head back to Pyongyang and on the way stopping at Ryongmun cavern – one of the most famous cave structures in Korea, it’s well known for its size and the uniqueness of its rock formations.
• Head to the Meari Shooting Range which has been recently renovated and equipped with rifles, pistols, archery, virtual games, and automatic rifles (Extra charge – 50 US cent per bullet).
• Stop by Mansugyo Beer Bar – a local bar to join the locals for refreshments
• Dinner at Chongryu Hot Pot restaurant.
• Overnight at Sosan Hotel

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

Morning

• Kumsusan Palace of the Sun – The mausoleum for the Great Leader President Kim Il Sung and the Dear Leader Kim Jong Il. A truly unique experience.
• Kimilsungia Flower Festival Exhibition – A flower presented by former Indonesian President Sukarno to Kim Il Sung is held in a massive greenhouse exhibition which is popular amongst locals
• Mangyongdae Native Home – Birthplace of the President Kim Il Sung and where he spent the early years of his childhood.

Afternoon

• A gentle hike and BBQ picnic on top of Mt Ryangak – a mountain located just on the outskirts of Pyongyang to enjoy the magnificent views of the capital
• Explore the 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.
• 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 circus performance, an orchestra and possibly some other surprises.
• Spectate and/or join in on the Pyongyang university students performing a mass dance near an iconic DPRK monument – incredible photo opportunities
• Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace – the DPRK’s largest schoolchildren’s palace. We’ll have a chance to visit classrooms to see students studying their elective subjects including dancing, sports, musical instruments, calligraphy, computer science, embroidery and more. The students of the palace will put on a spectacular performance.
• Dinner at New Hope Restaurant
• To be confirmed: we’ll join the locals on Kim Il Sung Square and watch the fireworks light up over the Taedong River.
• Overnight at the Sosan Hotel.

Friday 16th April

Morning

• Flight members depart at 9:00am for Beijing on Air Koryo. (Arriving at 10:00am Beijing time).
• Train members depart at 10:25am for Beijing on train K28.

Saturday 17th April

Morning

• Train members arrive in Beijing Railway Station 9:00am.

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