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DPRK tourism getting cheaper…

I just got a newsletter update from Koryo Tours.  They are offering a discount tourist trip to North Korea for three days (Euro 750).  You can learn more about it here.

The price of the package is all inclusive from beijing including flights, accommodations, guides, entry fees and the other basics. You’ll also get two chances to see the Mass Games and a tour of Pyongyang’s monuments. Apparently you will also get to eat in local restaurants as opposed to staying sequestered in the hotel.

The trip runs from August 27 – 29, 2009, with the last date to book August 17, 2009. Students, children and groups of at least three are also eligible for discounts. And, Americans are allowed to take the trip.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 12:34 pm and is filed under Koryo Tours, Tourism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

  • Tom

    You really only have 1-1/2 days in NK unfortunately, you get in late Thursday afternoon, go to the Mass Games, do a tour on Friday, then get shipped off first thing Saturday morning. Still, I would love to do this, though I couldn’t do it this year. Is it difficult for US Citizens to get visas? I wonder how it is coming back through Immigration when they see you’ve been to NK.

  • It is easy for Americans to get visas during the Mass Games. Coming back through immigration is no problem at all. I have been twice.

  • There are of course longer tours available, the idea behind this one is we get asked by a fair amount of people for a trip that it just in and out, bare highlights, mass games. A whistle-stop kind of trip. For a more in-depth trip there’s a full list of tours on the website. Koryo Tours has taken more than 80% of all American’s who have been to North Korea as tourists, I have never once heard of anyone having any problems getting back into the states afterwards

  • will this trip hurt your chances at obtaining a security clearance?

  • That is a bit trickier. The conversations I have had here in DC lead me to believe that the answer is “no.” There is nothing illegal about going to the DPRK as a tourist. I am under the impression that smoking pot is more of a problem. Once you have your security clearance, however, you will probably not be allowed to to to the DPRK…so best to knock that out before anything too valuable is lodged between your ears.

  • Pingback: Arirang Mass Games On Schedule for North Korea | ROK Drop()

  • GregorSamsa

    For those on tight budget (like me), chinese agencies in Beijing or Dandong usually have cheaper rates (although the foreigner rate is higher than for chinese nationals). I had my 2007 trip organised by an efficient agency in Dandong. It was also good fun to travel with a chinese group (and the north korean guide was very pleased to have a bit of change for once and was always pleased to chat with me!)

  • EmperorAtahualpa

    @GregorSamsa: Do you have any link for us so we can read more about these Chinese travel agencies? Thanks!

  • Matt

    Would this be a problem for me if I’m an American citizen currently living in South Korea on a work visa? Would they not want be back in the country after seeing that I’ve been to North Korea? Other than this question, I’m very interested in going.

  • GregorSamsa

    @Emeror: Sorry for replying late. Unfortunately, I do not have a link, everything was arranged in dandong by chinese relatives who got contact form their local travel agent of a small private agency operating in dandong. I will ask them if they kept phone numbers.

    I don’t know if you really plan to go but just in case: It may effectively be more of a burden to set plans with chinese agencies, so if you have chinese friends ask them for help and possibly ring dandong’s CITS (governemental tourism offie). As far as I know their “recent” numbers are +86-415-2123688 & +86-415-2135854

    I remember paying the equivalent in yuan of around 500 Euros for a 4 days / 3 nights trip, train in/out (still twice the price asked for chinese nationals). Again, it is a great experience to tavel with a chinese group (they kept annoying our korean guides!).

    -with a quick google search, i came accross this ad placed on a chinese BBS for what seems to be a private agent in dandong:
    email: travelnorthkorea@yahoo.cn / travelnorthkorea@hotmail.com
    – skype: travelnorthkorea
    – telephone: 15941545676″

    finally, you could also look at wikitravel’s nk page that includes details of several non-chinese agencies, one of which claims to be the one for budget travelers.

    let us know if this leads you anywhere!

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at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).