Liberation Day & Summer Tour

Monday 10^th August

• Groups A & B meet your Rocky Road guide at 1:30pm at a central Hotel near Beijing Railway Station. During this meeting, we’ll go through the tour’s itinerary, receive your North Korean visas and tickets, and meet your fellow travellers.
• Train takers depart Beijing Central station at 5:25pm for the 24 hour sleeper ride to Pyongyang.

Tuesday 11^th August

• Train group arrive in Dandong at 7:00am for Chinese border control then depart again for Sinuiju at 10:00am.
• Flight takers depart Beijing Airport Terminal 2 on Air Koryo at 12:00pm (Meet group at Air Koryo check in counter).
• Flight group arrive in Pyongyang at 3:00pm to a warm welcome from your Korean guides.
• Train group arrive at 6:45pm to an equally warm welcome and transfer directly to the hotel.
• In the evening your guide will show you around the hotel before taking you for drinks and to get to know your Korean guides
• Dinner and overnight at the Sosan Hotel.

Wednesday 12^th August

Morning

• Stroll through Mansudae fountain park taking in the Grand Peoples Study House and see the mosaic pictures of the leaders.
• Visit Mansudae Grand Monument – the two large bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il.
• Grand People’s study House – the main academic center for adult learners. This grand building is built in the Korean style and affords a great view over Kim Il Sung Square.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a Korean Hot Pot restaurant.
• Kim Il Sung Square – The central square of Pyongyang City and a popular meeting point.
• Foreign Language Bookshop – right next to the square and the best place for pins, stamps, books and other souvenirs!
• Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum. This incredible museum features dioramas, captured weapons, the Victory Monument, and the USS Pueblo: the only American military vessel captured by another nation.
• Ride the Pyongyang Metro! See three of the stations and Exit to:
• The Arch of Triumph- This celebrates the victory over the Japanese and the triumphant return of  Kim Il Sung to his home town.
• Juche Tower – the tallest stone tower in the world, it represents the Juche Ideology. Central to the teachings of the DPRK(optional extra €5 to go to the top).
• Drinks at the Taedonggang micro brewry
• Dinner to sample some of Pyongyang’s local delights.
• Overnight in the Sosan Hotel

Thursday 13^th August

Morning

• Kumsusan Palace of the Sun – This is where the Leader’s Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il lay in state. 
• Helicopter ride optional extra – we’ll drive to Pyongyang Airport for a VIP lunch (included) and board a Soviet Mi-17 to take on a 40 minute aerial tour of Pyongyang city. (€250)
• Lunch.
• Monument to the Party Foundation – The hammer sickle and brush built in 1995.
• Drive to Nampo City.
• Dinner and overnight at the Ryonggang spa resort complete with private mineral spa in each room. We will also have an option to have the DPRK’s famous BBQ clams for €5 extra per person.

Friday 14^th August 

• West Sea Barrage – A terrific example of socialist construction, the barrage was built to control the rising Taedong river and produce fertile farmland.
• Swim at Nampo beach and hang out with the locals!
• Chongsan Co-operative farm  – a great example of the DPRK farm model.
• Kangso Mineral water factory.
• Drive back to Pyongyang
• Dinner at a local restaurant
• Overnight at the Sosan Hotel

Saturday 15^th August –Happy Liberation Day!

• Spectate and join in university students performing a mass dance near an iconic Pyongyang monument!
• Lunch at the restaurant on Moran Hill
• Walk in the park and mingle/dance with locals as they celebrate Liberation Day.
• Special celebratory events (optional: approx €20) – We will take part in any events that are possible to attend.
• Possible military parade through Kim Il Sung Square (TBC)
• Dinner at a local restaurant complete with a special performance from the waitresses. 
• To be confirmed: attend the Mass Games – The world’s largest performance! Ticket prices to be announced. Tickets can be purchased whilst on tour in North Korea.
• Firework display in Kim Il Sung Square.
• Overnight in the Sosan Hotel.

Sunday 16^th August

• Hit the road bright and early for the 3 hour drive to the DMZ
• Koryo Museum – Korea’s first university and now a UNESCO museum of history and culture. 
• The DMZ – tour Panmunjom with a friendly army officer who will give you the look around. You can even take photos with the army here!

Afternoon

• Lunch in Kaesong City – on the menu will be traditional Korean Pansangi, a series of dishes served in bronze bowls. (Optional extras- Dog Soup €5)
• See the concrete wall part of the DMZ. Here we can spy on South Korean military installations from a North Korean lookout post! Very few foreigners visit here.
• Head back to Pyongyang.
• Stop at Sariwon city on the way and walk around its folklore park. We can also dress up in local costume and sample some of the fermented rice wine on offer!
• Stop by the reunification monument outside Pyongyang.
• Dinner at a restaurant on Liberation Street
• Overnight in the Sosan Hotel.

Monday 17^th August

Morning

Group A Depart:

• Group A flight takers depart at 8:55am for Beijing on Air Koryo. (Arriving in Beijing at 9:50am Beijing time).
• Group A train takers depart at 10:25am for Beijing on train K28. (Arriving in central Beijing Railway Station at 9:00am on the 19th).

Group B continues:

Morning

• Breakfast in Pyongyang and drive to Wonsan city (4 hours) stopping at Sinpyong Lagoon along the way for a quick rest.

Afternoon

• Picnic lunch at Ulim Waterfall – one of the most beautiful waterfalls in North Korea.
• Arrive in Wonsan & check into Tongmyong hotel overlooking Wonsan Bay and the East Sea.
• Visit Songdowon International Children’s Union Camp – This  summer camp was designed for both domestic and international guests.
• Walk along the pier to Chok Islet where the locals will be fishing, drinking and enjoying their own BBQs with friends and family. 
• Dinner at a nearby famous seafood restaurant near the hotel. Our favourite restaurant in the DPRK!
• Overnight at Tongmyong Hotel

Tuesday 18^th August

Morning

• Take a walk around Wonsan Central Square and the nearby port to see North Korea’s very own cruise ship named the Mangyongbong-92. It used to ship passengers and cargo to Japan.
• Visit the former Railway Station which has now been converted into a Revolutionary site with an old Japanese stream engine on display.
• Visit Wonsan Beach for a swim or play volleyball with the locals (the entry for the beach is €2 per person)

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local Wonsan restaurant.
• Drive back to Pyongyang
• Stop by the tomb of King Tongmyong – the founder of the ancient Koguryeo Kingdom
• Dinner at the Duck BBQ restaurant in Reunification District
• Overnight at the Chongnyon Hotel to experience another hotel in Pyongyang.  It boasts Pyongyang’s only outdoor swimming pool!

Wednesday 19^th August

• Drive to Mt. Myohyang, one of Korea’s most beautiful mountain ranges located two and a half hours north of Pyongyang
• Visit the famous International Friendship Exhibition – two large gift houses holding the gifts presented to both Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il from people, governments and institutions all over the world.

Afternoon

• Lunch at the Chongchun hotel
• Drive back to Pyongyang and stop on the way at Ryongmun Cave – one of the most famous cave complexes in North Korea.
• Visit Mansudae Art Studio, This is where the country’s most important art work and statues are created. We will also get to meet some of the local artists too.
• Dinner and farewell drinks.
• Overnight at the Chongnyon Hotel 

Thursday 20^th August

• Group B flight takers depart at 9:00am for Beijing on Air Koryo. (Arriving in Beijing at 10:00am Beijing time).
• Group B train members depart at 10:25am for Beijing on train K28.

Friday 21^st August

• Group B train takers arrive in Beijing at 9am