IItinerary for "Kim Jong Il's birthday tour " 14-19.2.2009

Important! The itinerary below is a PRELIMINARY one. Korea Konsult reserves the right to change some parts of the itinerary below if needed.

Last update for this tour: Oct 9, 2008

Day 1, February 14 (Sat)

a) Departure from Beijing by Air Koryo flight JS 152 at 11.55 am from TERMINAL 2 (Beijing Capital Airport). All passengers should arrive to the airport at least 2 hours before the flight's departure. e.

b) Arrival in Pyongyang at 14.55 local time, transfer to Pyongyang, city sightseeing including Mansudae Grand Monuments on Mansu Hill and Arch of Triumph.

c) Check-in at the hotel Yanggakdo International**** beautifully located in the middle of Taedong river. Room on a high floor. A magnificent view is guaranteed!

d) Dinner at the hotel.

Day 2, February 15 (Sun)

a) Visit to the Kumsusan Memorial Palace - the Mausoleum of President Kim Il-Sung (tourists must follow a strict dress code - no shorts, no blue jeans and mini-skirts, no T-shirts).

b) Revolutionary Martyr's Cemetery

c) Kwangbop Temple

d) Lunch at the hotel

e) Juche Tower and surrounding monuments. Elevator to the top of the tower to enjoy the magnificent view of Pyongyang (optional, 5 Euro p/p).

f) Worker Party Foundation Monuments.

g) Art or water ballet performance (10 Euro p/p).

h) Dinner.

Day 3, February 16 (Mon). Kim Jong Il’s Birthday.

a) Breakfast. Drive to Mangyongdae (president Kim Il Sung’s birth place)

b) Ride on Pyongyang Metro

c) Kimjongilia Flower Show - containing about 30,000 flowers - presented by Army forces, commissions and ministries of the cabinet and national institutions, foreign friends and overseas compatriots…  Something NOT to be missed!!! As you might guess Kimsungilia and Kimjongilia are types of flowers named after North Korea's two leaders.

d) Lunch.

e) Ice Skating Championship “Paekdusan Prize” (20 Euro p/p).

f) Mass Dancing Evening on the occasion of Kim Jong'Il's birthday involving several thousand Koreans.

g) Dinner at Chongryu Restaurant.

Day 4, February 17 (Tue)

a) Early breakfast. Departure to Myohyangsan mountains (170 km from Pyongyang ).

b) International Friendship Exhibition (impressive exhibition of gifts from foreigners to President Kim Il-Song and the leader Kim Jong-Il.)

c) Buddhist temple Bohyon.

d) Lunch at the hotel Hiansan.

e) Return to Pyongyang, visit to the Schoolchildren's Palace, fantastic music and dance performance by Korean children.

f) Dinner at Lotus Restaurant.

Day 5, February 18 (Wed)

a) After breakfast drive to the DMZ and Panmunjom (1953 Armistice village). Our guide force is increased by several North Korean officers who show us around Panmunjom. Together we inspect the Demilitarized Zone and the Military Museum on the 38th parallel.

b) Trip to Kaesong (capital of Korea up to the 15 th century, which and today is the ginseng cultivation center), located just 8 km from the Demilitarized Zone dividing the 2 Koreas) and visit of Koryo Dynasty Museum. The famous Koryo Dynasty ruled Korea for several centuries until 1392.

c) Lunch at Tongil restaurant in Kaesong. "Tongil" means "Reunification" in Korean.

d) Drive back to Pyongyang. Korean War Museum where you can hear and watch the North Korean version of this bloody war 1950-1953. On the museum’s top floor a big rotating war panorama can be seen – a real masterpiece from Korean painters and sculptors. 

e) American spy ship USS Pueblo

f) Farewell Dinner at Duck Barbecue Restaurant.

Day 6, February 19 (Thur)

a) After breakfast departure to Beijing by Air Koryo flight JS 251 at 10.30 am, arrival in Beijing at 11.30 am

Important! It is best you don’t book any connection flights/trains from Beijing before 5-6 pm on the same day. The best is to plan the departure from Beijing the day after arrival from Pyongyang. Please note that Korea Konsult may NOT be held responsible for any flight or train delay.