Destination: South Korea

LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION

Itinerary: North Korea: Introduction To DPRK

The one-size-fits-all standard issue coach tour of DPRK takes you from sinister but unforgettable Pyongyang to the DMZ, where you’ll witness the legacy of the Cold War, before visiting the beautiful mountains, and seeing the teeming masses at their coordinated finest in a display of the Mass Games.

A standard tour to North Korea lasts roughly a week, but it’s amazing the number of sights that can be packed in, with the guides keeping you busy day-in day-out with a seemingly endless stream of revolutionary sights.

On day one, you’ll take the short flight from Beijing into another world, landing in Pyongyang, where the rigorous pace of North Korean tourism quickly becomes apparent. Spend two full days taking in this unique city with its barrage of monuments, statues, museums and other ‘attractions’. From here, head south down the Reunification Highway to the ancient city of Kaesong, where you’ll be able to visit the country’s most atmospheric hotel, the Kaesong Folk Hotel and see what for many is the highlight of their trip – the DMZ at Panmunjom. From the tense heart of conflict on the Korean Peninsula, you’ll normally be taken to relax in the mountains, North Korean style.

Usually this will be in Myohyangsan where, as well as mountain walking along concrete steps embellished with revolutionary slogans, you’ll pay a visit to the utterly bizarre International Friendship Exhibition where you’ll see every gift ever presented to the two Kims displayed in huge vaults built into the side of a mountain. The last day is usually spent in Pyongyang and a visit to the incredible Mass Games between August and October, before boarding the overnight train back to Beijing.