Tripadvisor
Young Pioneer Tours
Rural DPRK Independent Tour
If going further way from already the unbeaten path of North Korea is your thing, this is the tour for you. We can arrange your visit to North Korea’s largest and most rural part of the country. Thus also being North Korea’s poorest province as well – North Hamgyong. Less than 50 westerners visit this part of North Korea making your visit more unique to the locals.
Beginning with your journey into the odd Chinese border town city of Tumen. You’ll then have the opportunity to walk from China over the Tumen River into North Korea on an old Soviet-built bridge. Your first stop will be to the rarely seen Wangjaesan Grand Monument, which we at YPT consider vastly underrated. You’ll then head to Hoeryong, the border town city of North Korea where Kim Jong Il’s mother was born. Famous for agriculture. You’ll then have the opportunity to explore Chongjin – North Korea’s third-largest city. This heavy industrial city was hit infamously hard by the famine in the ’90s that is finally beginning to show signs of revival.
You’ll then make your way to the famed Mt Chilbo region for incredible hikes with breath-taking views of the Sea of Japan (East Korea Sea), jumping aboard a fisherman’s boat for a tour of the coastline, and doing the only possible home-stay with a Korean family in North Korea.
On your way back out of the country, you’ll have one last stop at Gyongsong county on the east coast – a small county with access to the country’s most authentic mineral spas.
Prices available on request
Day 1
Morning
- Meet a YPT Representative at 11:30am 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 discuss any other questions you may have about the DPRK.
Afternoon
- Take the overnight sleeper train at 1:00pm for Tumen City.
Day 2
Afternoon
- Arrival in Tumen at 3:06pm.
- Check into hotel situated within walking distance of the border.
- Free time in Tumen
- Overnight in Tumen.
Day 3
Morning
- Up early to drive to the border to go through some very relaxed but also extremely curious Chinese customs.
- Walk the bridge into the DPRK to meet your local guides and some friendly but amazingly thorough DPRK customs officials.
- Lunch at Namyang restaurant.
- Drive to Wangjaesan Grand Monument – one of the most spectacular (and third biggest!) monuments in the DPRK.
- Drive to Hoeryong city (2 hours) – Population 140,000, This city is “famous for white apricots, ceramics and beautiful girls!” It’s also the birthplace of President Kim Il Sung’s revolutionary hero wife – Kim Jong Suk.
Afternoon
- Visit Hoeryong School Children’s Palace – here you can see classes held where the students partake in Taekwondo, music and sports.
- Check into the Hoeryong Hotel.
- Dinner, drinks and overnight at the hotel
Day 4
Morning
- Visit the statue of Mother Kim Jong Suk (Mother of General Kim Jong Il) and her Revolutionary Museum and the Native home of Mother Kim Jong Suk.
- Drive to Chongjin City (2 hours) – Chongjin in DPRK’s third largest city and is most famous for its steelworks industry.
Afternoon
- Check-in Chongjin Hotel and have lunch.
- Visit the Chongjin Foreign Languages institute to teach an impromptu class or have some free speaking with the students.
- Visit the newly renovated city square to visit the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
- You’ll walk around the square to visit the newly built E-Library – here the locals have a chance to use their local intranet for research, practice their typing skills and to play locally made computer games.
- Visit to the Chongjin Art Gallery – also a great opportunity to buy some authentic DPRK artworks.
- Visit the Revolutionary Museum of Chongjin.
- Visit the local Kim Chaek Steel Complex Kindergarten for a Children’s Performance – we can also bring some goodies for the kids here!
- Chongjin Foreign Languages school – Here you will have the chance to practise English with the students.
- Visit the Soviet Martyrs Cemetery – this cemetery was built to commemorate the Russians who landed in Chongjin to battle the Japanese Aggressors during WW2. The Cemetery has a fantastic view of Chongjin’s east port.
- Stop by the local Namgang spa to have a bath in their local hot baths (60RMB extra).
- Dinner and drinks at Namgang Restaurant with a particularly wild performance by DPRK standards.
- Overnight at Chongjin Hotel.
Day 5
Morning
- Drive to Mt. Chilbo (3 hours) stopping along the coastal road for some gorgeous scenic views.
- Arrive at the entrance to Mt. Chilbo for an explanation of the area using the world’s largest mineral painting map as a guide.
Afternoon
- Lunch at Outer Chilbo hotel.
- You’ll begin our easy hike through the mountains of Chilbo – this region is the most famous part of North Hamgyong province and has lots of colourful stories to explain the various rock structures.
- You’ll stop by Kaesim Buddhist Temple and meet the local monk.
- Trip Highlight– We’ll drive to the homestay village where we’ll be greeted by our families and then taken to our homes.
- Dinner and overnight at Homestay Village.
Day 6
Morning
- You’ll begin another hike, this time up to Tokgol and Gangsonmun areas – these are the highest peaks of the Mt. Chilbo area, and we’ll have stunning views of both the land and the sea.
- Picnic lunch once we reach the top!
Afternoon
- Jump on a local fisherman’s boat and drive out to see to see the magnificent Mt. Chilbo from afar (30 RMB extra)
- Spectate or play volleyball with the locals, play with the children, help with some light chores or walk around to meet the neighbours!
- Optional Korean wrestling and volleyball tournament with the villagers.
- Bonfire party on the beach with the villagers, singing songs and dancing to some very unique “North Korean techno,” or get the acoustic guitar out and exchange music performances!
- Dinner and home stay overnight at the village – two guests per family.
Day 7
Morning
- Help your families with morning chores – not a must but a very polite gesture
- Drive to a scenic lake for a picnic lunch (2 hours). Along the way, you will stop at a few last minute sites in the Chilbosan Park area.
Afternoon
- Have some R and R at the newly renovated hot spa resort in Gyongsong. The waters here are famous for their curative powers.
- Take a walk in Gyongsong County before dinner
- Dinner at the Gyongsong Noodle house
- Overnight at the Gyongsong Hotel
Day 8
- Depart for the border at Namyang for immigration and customs.
- Cross the bridge back to Tunmen
- End of the tour. (YPT can help arrange accommodation in Tumen or onward transport upon request).
Tour Extensions
Want to extend your YPT adventure? Join one of our great tour extensions
