Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Beijing
Today we arrive in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China. Note: During our time in Beijing we will be completing formalities for entering the DPRK-filling out / signing forms, etc. We realize that many people have already been to Beijing, but we must include these two days here in order to meet the required processing time for our documents for the next leg of our journey. But Beijing is a fascinating place no matter how many times you visit! We regret that at the present time this tour is only available to non-US citizens or persons traveling on non-USA passports. 2007 dates are approximate and will not be confirmed until May 07. Overnight in Beijing. Dinner if required.
Day 2: Beijing: Great Wall & Summer Palace
This morning we travel north of Beijing to the Great Wall of China. A walk along the enormous undulating towered and turreted wall is spectacular. Rising and falling in concert with the ridges of the northern hills and undulating far off into the distance, the Great Wall consistently exceeds visitors' expectations and remains one of humankind's most remarkable accomplishments. The wall's construction began during the Warring States Period (403-221 BC), when separate sections were built in scattered strategic areas. Following China's unification under the first Qin emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi (221-206 BC), 300,000 men - many of them political prisoners whose bodies are buried in the wall- were put to work connecting the segments into one huge rampart of stone and earth.
We will have plenty of free time to explore the wall before returning to Beijing early this afternoon. After lunch we will have a tour of the The Summer Palace, located in the northwest area of the city. During the late Qing Dynasty this was the summer retreat from Beijing's heat for the imperial family and court. Originally created as an imperial garden by Emperor Qianlong, it was destroyed and plundered during the Second Opium War in 1860. In 1888 the notorious Empress Cixi used the money intended for the Chinese Navy to build this opulent summer retreat for herself. In 1900 the Summer Palace was damaged extensively once again during the Boxer Rebellion, but was rebuilt shortly thereafter. Equally famous as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace is called "Yiheyuan" (Garden of Nurtured Harmony) in Chinese. It is up to now the best preserved and the largest imperial gardens in China. Overnight in Beijing. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 3: Beijing: Forbidden City & Temple of Heaven
We begin today with a visit to Tian'anmen Square, a place where one million students rallied for democracy in 1989. This is the largest public square in the world. Originally built in 1651, the square was quadrupled in size in 1958 to its present 40.5 hectares (100 acres) during a massive city-wide reconstruction program. Each flagstone is numbered so that parade units can line up in their assigned places. From here we walk to the Forbidden City, a huge complex of palaces, pavilions, courtyards and gardens, which was off-limits to commoners for 500 years. This is where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties carried out their administration and lived, now open as a Palace Musem. This afternoon we visit the Temple of Heaven, completed in 1420, and expanded over the years by two Qing Dynasty Emperors. Qinian Hall, the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with the three blue tiled cone shaped roofs, has become a worldwide symbol of Beijing. It was hit by lightning in 1889 and completely restored. No nails or pegs were used in the original construction nor in the restoration. Overnight in Beijing. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 4: Beijing, China - Pyongyang, DPRK
This morning we fly from Beijing to Pyongyang in the DPRK. Upon arrival we complete customs formalities, meet our guides, and transfer to the Yanggakdo Hotel for check-in. After a brief break we will embark on a sightseeing program, including: Mansudae Grand Monument, the site of the imposing statue of Kim Il Sung completed in 1982 on the former President's 70th birthday. Since his death in July1994, it has become the focus for mourning. Local people come to the statue at all times of the day and night to lay flowers and observe a moment's silence. It is customary for a delegate from a foreign group to offer flowers. The twice life-size sculptures flanking the statue are extremely evocative and bear testament to the fight for liberation. Pyongyang has a very high concentration of places of interest and remarkable architecture. The socialist realism art, posters, murals, neon signs, slogans and sculptures are striking and everywhere they express the Juche Ideology.
We also see the Arch of Triumph, a massive 60m tall Arch of Triumph, a full 16m higher than its French counterpart, built on the site where Kim Il Sung gave his first speech on his return in 1945. We also visit Fountain Park and the MASS GAMES (optional ticket, cost TBA) The Mass Games are an enormous choreographed celebration performed for and in honor of DPRK President, Kim Jong Il. This spectacle has it all--elaborate dances performed by over 80,000 gymnasts and a huge 12,000-person mosaic that changes from one glorious image to another, all to inspirational music. IMPORTANT NOTE: This itinerary is tentative only; DPRK officials reserve the right to alter the program at any time. If our group is comprised of 15 or more participants we will have our own exclusive group, otherwise it is likely that our group will be combined with other English speaking travelers. Overnight in Pyongyang. Yanggakdo Hotel. All meals.
Day 5: Pyongyang: City Tour - Mt Myohyang
Today we continue our tour of Pyongyang, including Monument to Party Foundation, War Victory Monuments, and the Pyongyang Metro. Second only to the underground metro stations in Moscow, Pyongyang's Metro is equally elaborate. Chandeliers light enormous mosaics depicting heroic citizens from all walks of life which stretch the length of the platform on both sides. You are standing more then 100 m under ground having passed through three massive steel shutters that can be sealed in case of nuclear attack. We also visit Mangyongdae House, Kim Il Sung's birthplace. Like his statue at Mansudae, the site is visited by hundreds of Koreans everyday.
A guide in traditional costume takes us round a reconstruction of his grandparents' house complete with their photographs and those of his parents. The guide explains the way of life at the time of the Great Leader's birth, the Japanese occupation, and offers anecdotes about his family's revolutionary exploits. We cross the River Taedong to the 170 m Juche Tower which symbolizes the country's guiding ideology. Below, giant sculptures including the bearers of the symbol of the Workers Party of Korea: a hammer, a sickle and a writing brush. Plaques donated by Juche study groups from all over the world are on display on the tower's east side. Our tour also includes the Grand People's Study House and Pyongyang film studios. We then travel by coach to Mount Myohyang. Overnight in Mount Myohyang. All meals.
Day 6: Mt Myohyang – Pyongyang
Today we visit the International Friendship Exhibition, dedicated to Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Constructed in traditional Korean style the buildings jut out of the mountainside. The major attraction is Kim Il Sung's exhibition; once inside it is clear that the interior burrows into the mountain. With some 80,000 gifts the exhibition is a veritable world tour as each country has its display case.Close allies of North Korea, like China, have several rooms given over to various dignitaries' gifts. Later we visit Pohyon Temple. The site dates back over 1,000 years, but the temple has largely been reconstructed due to bombing in the Korean War. Set in a beautiful and peaceful valley the temple has twenty resident monks who are not usually visible.
The building also stores a small part of the original 'Eighty Thousand Blocks Of Buddhist Scriptures'. Coach return to Pyongyang, Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, a huge three-storey building documenting both the guerrilla war conducted against the Japanese during their occupation (1910-1945) and the course of the Korean War. Some of the amazing displays include the 'cyclorama' where visitors are rotated past the part-painting, part-life size model of the battle for Taejon. A large collection of captured American and Allied equipment, tanks, fighter planes and armored personnel carriers fill the basement (the building was constructed around them). Optional second Mass Games this evening. Overnight in Pyongyang. Yanggakdo Hotel. All meals.
Day 7: Pyongyang - Kaesong, Panmunjom & The DMZ – Pyongyang
Today we travel to Kaesong and the De-militarized zone (DMZ). Small hamlets are dotted amongst the patchwork of rice fields on the two hour journey south to Kaesong. We drive past various tank traps propped at the side of the road, and the odd gun/tank emplacement and minutes later we pull into Panmunjom* where one million troops face each other, separated only by a corridor width of 2 km (1.24 miles). We drive into the Joint Security Zone and walk down to the seven huts that straddle the border. We come within a few meters of the South Korean soldiers and our guide explains how the sides (USA/South Korea and the KPA) come here to negotiate--be it border disputes, dialogs, personal handovers, or the recent inter-Korean talks.
The microphone that straddles the desk marks the demarcation line. Throughout the visit the Colonel is happy to answer questions and photographs may be taken. We drive into Kaesong for a look at the Koryo Museum, housed in the Koryo Dynasty Confucian University. Artifacts from armor to Korean celadine porcelain from the 10th century when Korea was first unified at the start of the Koryo dynasty. The city of Kaesong was in South Korea at the outbreak of hostilities of the 1950-3 war and therefore was protected from the bombing that destroyed almost every ancient monument in the North. We return to Pyongyang for a School children's Palace performance and a guided walk in the city. * NOTE for security reasons DPRK officials may alter the exact nature of this tour without notice. Overnight in Pyongyang. Yanggakdo Hotel. All meals.
Day 8: Pyongyang – Wonsan
Today we viait the Korean Central Art Gallery and Mansudae Art Studio. Later we travel by coach to the East Coast via a trout farm for lunch, to the city of Wonsan. We will have a walk in the city and local park and a visit to the Chonsam co-operative farm. Overnight in Wonsan. Wonsan Hotel. All meals.
Day 9: Wonsan - Kumgang Mountains – Pyongyang
Today we travel into the Kumgang Mountains, the most beautiful in all of Korea. We can enjoy some light walking in this area, and a picnic lunch. We also visit Songdowon School children's Camp which organizes water sports activities including swimming and rowing. The Central Committee of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League organizes various watersports contests including national school children's swimming, provincial, county (district) and school rowing and river-crossing swimming. Beach swimming if weather permits. We return by coach to Pyongyang. Overnight in Pyongyang. Yanggakdo Hotel. All meals.
Day 10: Pyongyang
Mausoleum of King Tangun, the ancestral father of the Korean nation at the foot of Mt Taebak. The name "Tangun" takes its origin from the "King of the Pakdal Tribe". Tangun was born into a family of the chief of the "Pakdal Tribe" based in Pyongyang area 5,011 years ago. We also visit an Ostrich farm and the Three Revolutions Exhibition. Later we enjoy a Military Circus performance, the Taesongsan Funfair, and a walk in the city along the river. We may also be able to witness a "music soiree" in Morangbong Park where pensioners often meet for informal traditional music, singing and dancing. Optional Mass Games. Overnight in Pyongyang.Yanggakdo Hotel. All meals.
Day 11: Pyongyang, DPRK - Overnight Train - Beijing, Chin. We depart Pyongyang by train at 10:10 am. Overnight train. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 12: Arrival in Beijing
En route we cross the border into China arriving in Beijing later this morning. You may choose to do some shopping for which Beijing is famous, or go on an optional Hutong Tour. Hutongs are lanes or alleys formed by lines of siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard) where old Beijing residents live. Roaming through Beijing's old, narrow streets by old-fashioned pedicab lets you witness daily life of ordinary Beijing citizens. Your Tour Leader and / or local guide can help you plan your day. Overnight in Beijing. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 13: Seoul: City Tour
Today you will have a city tour of Seoul, including the Blue House (Presidential Residence, photo stop outside), the National Folk Museum, and Kyongbok Palace. Of all the tourist attractions in Seoul, its Choson Dynasty Palaces and particularly Kyongbuk Palace are the most tangible link between modern Korea and its not-too-distant monarchical past. Not merely inert relics, they are symbols of a deep history and rich culture. Although substantially reduced in number, the remaining palace buildings provide a glimpse of traditional architecture and the overall organization of a palace grounds. General Yi Song-gye (King T'aejo) ordered the construction of Kyongbok-gung ("Palace of Shining Happiness") in 1934, two years after founding the Choson Dynasty. In its original form, it is said to have had about 500 buildings. For the next 200 years, Kyongbok-gung was the seat of government and the royal residence of Choson Dynasty kings. This afternoon we visit the Korean Folk Village where the old traditional style houses and life style of 18th-19th century are being practiced by people living in the village. Overnight in Seoul. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 14: Seoul - Mt Sorak
We continue to Mt Sorak through the picturesque countryside to the vicinity of Soraksan National Park, with its towering craggy peaks, waterfalls, forests, hiking trails, mysterious temples, and remote hermitages. Upon arrival in Mt Sorak you will have the afternoon to relax with outdoor and indoor hotspring pools and sauna. Overnight Mt Sorak. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 15: Mt Sorak Area
We leave today for Mt. Sorak National Park where we take a cable car ride to one of the top peaks for panoramic views of Mountain Sorak. Sorak-san's aerial tramway runs 1100 meters (3,608 feet) from the valley floor to the ridge above. This 5-minute ride offers a bird's-eye view of the Outer Sorak area. About 100 meters below the upper cable car terminus is the tiny hermitage of Allak-am. This religious site sits precariously on the edge of a precipice. On the sides of its main hall, colorful paintings depict scenes from Buddha's life and other familiar topics. We later proceed to Shinheungsa Temple. A short, easy stroll from the park plaza brings you to Shinheungsa ("Divine Undertaking Temple"), the principal temple of Sorak-san. At the junction of two major valleys below high-spired peaks, this small compound has one of the most spectacular settings of any temple in Korea. It was established in 653 as Hyangsong-sa by the monk Chajang. This afternoon we proceed to Gosung Unification Observatory located on the borderline with North Korea. Overnight in Mt Sorak. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 16: Mt Sorak – Haeinsa
Our tour continues to Haeinsa Temple, one of the most important Buddhist treasures in Korea. Haeinsa Temple features the famous Korean cultural treasure, Tripikata Koreana, built during the Goryo Dynasty to protect the country from the invasion of Mongolian troops. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tripitakana consists of over 80,000 pieces of inscripted wooden plates carved during the Koryo Dynasty. It took more than 15 years to complete this incredible work. Overnight in Haiensa. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 17: Haeinsa – Gyeongju
Today we take a very scenic drive down to Gyeongju passing tiny fishing villages. Gyeongju is Korea's ancient cultural city, the capital of the once great Silla Kingdom. It is to Korea what Kyoto is to Japan. During its 1979 meeting in Thailand, UNESCO selected Gyeongju as one of the world's most important ancient cultural cities, both for its position in the historical and cultural development of East Asia and for its role in the formation of the Korean nation. Around Gyeongju there are hundreds of royal tombs, temples, palace sites, fortress ruins, pagodas and rock sculptures. Finely crafted gold and silver ornaments, skilfully shaped clay figures and pottery, metal utensils and weapons and an astonishing number of other objects discovered here are now displayed in the Kyongju museum which we visit. We also observe scraps of Silla Literature and the legends that are preserved in ancient books and annals. Overnight in Gyeongju. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 18: Gyeongju: Area Tour
We will spend a whole day sightseeing in Gyeongju with visits to Pulkuksa Temple, Sokkuram Grotto, Tumuli Park-Royal Tombs. While many important sites are scattered in the vicinity, Gyeongju, as the heart of the former Silla Kingdom, still has the largest concentration of remains. Mounded tombs, the most obvious remnant of the city's past, dominate your view as you approach this historic city. Many of the early tombs were constructed near the Panwol-song palace site - then undoubtedly the city center but now at the edge of downtown. Later others were constructed outside the city, in the midst of flat faming fields and at the foot of the low hills that rim this valley. Over the centuries these mounds have, by and large, been left unplundered. Some informal excavation was done in the early 1900's, but the first government-sponsored excavations were authorized by the Japanese during the occupation. Overnight in Gyeongju. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 19: Gyeongju – Busan
Our journey continues to Korea's second largest city, Busan (formerly Pusan). The city's name derives from two place names: Suwon, which means "water source"--the land depression that the city occupies was for centuries known for its clear-water wells. High above the city rises P'aldal-san, a tall hill at its height of beauty in the spring, with its slopes awash with the color of pink cherry blossoms. In the late 1600's the military established a garrison here as one of the five principal fortifications set up to protect the approaches to Seoul. Intending to move the official capital from Seoul to Suwon, King Chongjo the 22nd Choson Dynasty King, had the fortress wall constructed in 1794. Battlements and palace buildings were erected, but the king died before he could initiate the move. Although there were great plans for this city, they never had the opportunity to mature, as the decision was made to keep the capital at Seoul. Our tour continues with a visit to Kukje Market and Jagalchi Fish Market. Overnight in Busan. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 20: Busan - Seoul – Depart. today we fly to Seoul and connect with our homeward flights. Breakfast
NOTE: Land only passenger must ensure that their flight from Seoul / Incheon allows for the incoming flight from Busan. those with early flights from Incheon may have to spend an extra night at their expense.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Please note that this tour is currently open to non-USA passport holders only. 2007 dates as published are approximate and not confirmed until May 2007. DPRK officials reserve the right to alter this itinerary at any time without notice. We require a minimum of 14 passengers to guarantee this departure.
Also see tour packages in:
Asia
China
South Korea
Cultural Journey
Archeology/History
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