Thursday 11th 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 12th 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 13th 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 14th 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 15th April – The Day of the Sun – Birthday of President Kim Il Sung

Morning

• Grand People’s Study House – Library and academic centre for adult learners, this grand building is built in the Korean style and affords a great view over the central Square.
• Visit the Kimilsungia Flower Festival Exhibition – former Indonesian President Surkarno gifted an orchid to Kim Il Sung and named it the Kimilsungia as a sign of great friendship. This exhibition is held in a giant greenhouse and is open to visitors as locals set up numerous exhibits.
• Mangyongdae Native Home – Birthplace of the President Kim Il Sung and where he spent the early years of his childhood.
• Mass Dance – over 3000 Pyongyang university students synchronise dance for an hour – incredible photo opportunities and a great opportunity to jump in and join the locals.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Moran Hill Restaurant – located across the road from Pyongyang’s famous central park
• Walk to Moran Hill – this park is particular famous on Kim Il Sung’s Birthday as locals crowd to the park with their families and friends to partake in picnics, dancing and singing. Fantastic opportunity for photos.
• Special celebratory events (optional: 150RMB or 20 euros) – a military circus performance or red orchestra performance – to be confirmed on the day
• Dinner at a local famous restaurant for Duck BBQ
• 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.

Tuesday 16th 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 17th.
• Group A flight members depart from Pyongyang 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 6:00pm

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.

Afternoon

• Lunch in Pyongyang and begin the 2.5 hour drive south of Pyongyang towards Kaesong city stopping at at Sariwon city – explore the local folk custom park and view the city from the mountain top pagoda. A great spot to try Makkoli, a local specialty beverage consisting of rice and alcohol.
• Photo opportunity of the Monument to the Three Charters of National Reunification, standing over the Reunification Highway.
• Arrive in Kaesong and go for a street walk to the old gate of Kaesong located downtown.
• Check into the Janamsan Hotel for dinner and drinks
• Overnight in Kaesong only 8km from South Korea and the DMZ!

Wednesday 17th April

Morning

• Panmunjon DMZ Village – see the DMZ and the treaty and conferences rooms where the armistice was signed all in the company of a friendly KPA officer guide (you can also take pictures of soldiers here!)
• 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!

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).
• Unique visit – 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 by 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
• 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 18th April

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.
• Revolutionary Martyry’s Cemetery – The resting place of the greatest of the anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters each grave features a bronze bust of the hero laid to rest within.

Afternoon

• Lunch downtown at a local restaurant by the Koryo Hotel
• 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.
• Visit Kim Jong Suk Textile Mill – established in 1948, it is the largest textile factory in Pyongyang with over a thousand employees producing fabric. The local workers will demonstrate the spinning, dyeing, and weaving techniques used in the DPRK.
• 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 and drinks on Reunification Street
• Overnight at Sosan Hotel

Friday 19th April

Morning

• Group B flight members depart from Pyongyang on Air Koryo at 9:00am arriving at Beijing Terminal 2 Airport at 10:00am.
• Group B train members depart at 10:25am for Beijing on train K28.

Saturday 20th April

Morning

• Group B train members arrive in Beijing Railway Station 9:00am.

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