Cycling Tour 2016 August 11 20/21 (Thurs Sat/Sun) Flight / Train 9 nights in DPRK, plus one on the train 2590 Euros

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1 Cycling Tour 2016 August 11 20/21 (Thurs Sat/Sun) Flight / Train 9 nights in DPRK, plus one on the train 2590 Euros Join us for an incredible cycling trip of the DPRK and experience the country as few others do - from the saddle! We ll be cycling along some new routes this year from the historical city of Kaesong to the beautiful Pakyon Waterfalls as well as some cycling in Pyongyang city itself. We ll also be the first tourists to do some biking at the famous Masik Pass Ski Resort! After cycling in the area south of Nampo we also take a charter flight to the sacred Mt Paekdu in the northeast of the country for some stunning routes in countryside reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands. We also get the chance to join in the celebrations for Liberation Day which is the anniversary of the end of colonial rule by Japan and the biggest event in the DPRK calendar this year. One of the highlights in our tour calendar this trip needs 10 to run and is limited to 16 pax so book early to avoid disappointment. We will be using Giant Hunter 2.0 mountain bikes. If you would prefer to bring your own bike we will discount 150 Euros from the tour cost. Highlights include: Cycling! Liberation Day on August 15th Kumsusan Memorial Palace (Mausoleum of leaders), captured spy ship USS Pueblo and other Pyongyang highlights Mt Paekdu - the sacred mountain in the northeast Soaking up the medicinal waters at Dragon River Hot Spa Hotel, Nampo Panmunjom/DMZ - the border with South Korea Masik Pass Resort Please note that the itinerary may differ slightly to what is below but your tour leader will do their best to ensure that as much is covered as possible and will also add in extras when there is time such as a visit to a local bar or a funfair. We visit the DPRK regularly and know all the best places to go to make your trip even more unique. We will make the most of your time in the DPRK to guarantee the experience of a lifetime. Wednesday 10th August TOUR BRIEFING 4PM - group assembles in the Koryo Tours office for a pre-tour briefing, which will last approximately 1 hour and is designed so that you will get the best out of your tour. Please be punctual - you can even come early, pay any outstanding tour fees and browse our art gallery and merchandise. Thursday 11th August ARRIVAL DAY AM: This morning we will meet outside the Koryo office (time to be confirmed) and together head to Beijing Airport Terminal 2 for our flight Beijing to Pyongyang (1.5 hrs) - the showcase capital of the DPRK. PM: Upon arrival in Pyongyang (approximately 4pm - DPRK is one hour ahead of China), we proceed through immigration and customs and meet our guides who will accompany us during our stay. On arrival we will visit the Arch of Triumph, built in 1982 to commemorate Korean independence from Japan; this is put simply much like the famous Parisian monument, but bigger. OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang (one of the deluxe hotels in Pyongyang, located in the heart of the city)

2 Friday 12th August PANMUNJOM/DMZ & KAESONG (approx 25km cycling) AM: After an early breakfast we take a 2.5-hour drive south to Kaesong, which is a historical city near the DMZ. After arriving in Kaesong we take a short drive (approx 20 minutes) to Panmunjom/DMZ where North and South Korea continue their decades-old face-off. It is possible to go into one of the huts that straddle the demarcation line and actually cross over into South Korea! This is one of the few places where you can take pictures of (and even with) members of the DPRK military. Next, we head back to Kaesong and visit the Kaesong Koryo Museum, a beautiful old Confucian University, to learn about the history of the area. The stamp shop here is excellent too. Lunch is a traditional pansanggi meal something like Korean tapas. For anyone wanting to supplement their lunch, you ll also have the opportunity to sample Korea s famous delicacy: sweetmeat soup (aka dog meat; costs EUR 5). PM: This afternoon we cycle approximately 25km from Kaesong through stunning countryside to the 37m high Pakyon Waterfalls. We ll spend some time relaxing here (those brave enough can go for a dip in the natural round pool beneath the falls) before heading back to Pyongyang. Dinner will be in a local restaurant. Saturday 13th August NAMPO (approx 40km cycling) AM: First stop of the day is The Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum where you can learn the history of the Korean War from the North Korean perspective. The museum s different rooms explain the origins of the conflict, and include highly impressive dioramas, tanks, planes, and much more. Then it s on to the USS Pueblo an American spy ship captured by the DPRK navy in Next we head for the Kwangbok Supermarket where in order to shop, visitors such as ourselves need to exchange money into local Won, interestingly enough at the market rate rather than the official exchange rate. We ll then warm up for the days cycling from here through the streets of Pyongyang to Mangyongdae Schoolchildren s Palace (approx 5km). We ll stop off atmangyongdae Native House, the native birthplace of President Kim Il Sung before a BBQ lunch at Mt Ryonggak. PM: We will cycle along the Youth Hero Highway, which leads to Nampo. This 10-lane highway was built by student shock brigades during the Arduous March in the late 90's. After cycling around 35km we arrive at our final destination for the day - the Dragon River Hot Spa guesthouse - a complex of guesthouses where each room has a private bath, which can be filled with water direct from the hot springs - said to have many medicinal benefits. Time permitting, it is here that we can experience the famous Nampo petrol clam BBQ (costs EUR 5 per person but you can still watch for free if you don't want to have any of the clams). Overnight: Dragon River Hot Spa Hotel, Nampo

3 Sunday 14th August MT KUWOL (approx 22km cycling) AM: After breakfast we take a drive to the West Sea Barrage, an 8km-long dam separating the Taedong river from the West Sea of Korea. We then cross the barrage and drive south to start our first ride of the day cycling through the DPRK countryside from the border of Unryul and Samchon counties to Dalchon hot springs village (approx 7km). We then get back on the bus to drive through Sinchon town and continue our cycling for approximately 10km from the bridge, which crosses Jaeryong River to Sokdang Bridge. We will then stop to have a picnic lunch in the Mt Kuwol area. PM: After lunch we do some more cycling in this area (be prepared for some hills!) before getting back on the bus to return to Pyongyang for dinner in a local restaurant.. Monday 15th August LIBERATION DAY CELEBRATIONS! AM: Our first visit is to the Kumsusan Memorial Palace of the Sun, where North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il lie in state. This is a place of utmost importance for Koreans and tourists should behave accordingly. Men should wear a shirt and tie; women should dress smartly. Next we ll visit the Mansudae Grand Monuments the giant bronze statues of North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. This is a very important place for Koreans and visitors are requested to follow local customs, which include placing a bouquet of flowers at the monument and bowing in front of the statues. Next it s time to go deep underground for a ride on the Pyongyang Metro, which is the deepest subway system in the world. The designs of the main stations are stunning, and particularly notable for their superb lighting and mosaics. This is a great chance to interact with local people, especially if you are prepared to learn some basic greetings in Korean.

4 PM: This afternoon we take a walk in Moranbong Park. Located in the centre of Pyongyang, this is a favourite place for locals and during the holiday periods it is not unusual to come across a group of Koreans dancing. Make sure to learn basic Korean (the guides can help with this), to meet and greet people and you might even get the opportunity to join in. Next stop is the Juche Tower. At 150m, and topped with a flickering red torch, this is the highest stone monument in the world. Take the lift to the top for stunning views over Pyongyang (entrance costs EUR 5). Then we stop by the Party Foundation Monument, an iconic sculpture of a hammer, sickle and calligraphy brush, which was constructed to celebrate 50years of Workers Party rule. As today is a national holiday we expect to see a mass dance taking place. University students dress in their finest and gather together in various public spots around Pyongyang to dance together (a great time for young couples to meet for the first time). This is an impressive spectacle indeed. If time permits we ll go to the Golden Lane Bowling Centre, where Pyongyang s residents go for their ten-pin fix. This is a great chance to mix with local people. Even if you don t end up playing, it s worth grabbing a seat here to watch everyone have some fun. You ll then have the chance to try out some rides at Kaeson Youth Funfair before dinner. Tuesday 16th August PYONGYANG CITY TOUR AM: First we visit the Foreign Languages Bookshop and take a leisurely stroll through the streets of Pyongyang. On our journey, we walk through the heart of the city, and stop by Kim Il Sung Square. This is where the capital s mass dances take place and the military parades pass through. Next is a tour of the Grand People s Study House. Supposedly stocked with over 3 million books, this enormous library/place of study has a great view over Kim Il Sung Square. We will tour the lecture rooms and hopefully get to see a few classes. Before lunch we ll take a tour aroundpyongyang Feature Film Studios the Hollywood of the DPRK where some of the most iconic DPRK feature films were shot and produced. Kim Jong Il who wrote a book entitled On the Art of the Cinema the bible for Korean filmmakers, visited it hundreds of times. Tour the sets and learn about film as art and propaganda in North Korea. PM: We then make our way over to the east coast of the country. After about 2 hrs we stop at Sinpyong Lake where there is a rest house with bathrooms and refreshments. We then check into the Masik Ryong hotel and have the chance to relax and use their pool, sauna and gym facilities before dinner. Overnight: Masik Ryong Hotel, a deluxe hotel in the new Masik Pass Ski Resort

5 Wednesday 17th August MASIK PASS RESORT, WONSAN (approx 22km cycling) AM: This morning we ll be cycling at Masik Pass! Newly opened in January 2013 the first major ski resort in the DPRK; the Masik Pass Resort is also during the summer for keen hikers and bikers! If the cycling here is too strenuous for you, you can spend the morning at your leisure, relaxing at the resort. PM: We ll do some more cycling in this area and then head back to Pyongyang stopping off at a local bar for a well deserved drink before dinner! Thursday 18th August MT PAEKDU (approx 50km cycling) AM: This morning after an early breakfast, we ll head to the airport in time to catch our flight to Mt. Paekdu (1 hour). Mt Paekdu is the tallest mountain in Korea (2750m) and is regarded as sacred by both North and South Koreans as it was the birthplace of the mythical founder of the Korean nation, King Tangun. It is also important to North Koreans as it is where Kim Il Sung based himself when fighting against the Japanese before Liberation because Kim Jong Il was also allegedly born here. Upon arrival at the mountain, the bus will wait at the car park and we take a hike to the top, which takes around 45 minutes. Here we will have stunning views over the area and of the mirror-like Lake Chon, the highest Crater Lake in the world. We will spend around 2 hours in the area. PM: After lunch, we unload the bikes and start our cycling from Mt Paekdu to the Paegaebong Hotel. This is the longest cycle of the trip (approx 50km) and passes through beautiful mountainous areas. En route we ll visit Paekdusan Secret Camp. This was the base of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army during the fight against the Japanese occupation. It is also, according to the DPRK, the birthplace of Kim Jong Il and we visit the log cabin where he was born - you can even see the toys he played with as a child. We ll then continue our cycling, heading back to Samjiyon Town where our hotel is located. Dinner is at the hotel. Make sure you try the local vodka kamchasulthis area is a big potato-growing region so they form the basis of many of the dishes and drinks. Overnight: Pegaebang Hotel, Mt. Paekdu (located in Samji Town this hotel is clean and comfortable; limited hot water and possible power cuts)

6 Friday 19th August SAMJIYON TOWN (approx 15km cycling) AM: After breakfast we cycle from the hotel to a local lumberjacks' settlement to see the beautiful Rimyongsu waterfalls (approx 15km). We put our bikes away and drive to the Samjiyon Monuments - a statue of President Kim Il Sung and sculptures of the guerillas who fought against the Japanese built in 1949 to immortalise his revolutionary exploits in the area. Next we drive to Pochonbo - the site of significant battle between Korean guerilla army and Japanese forces here you can see the former command post and town hall from Japanese times as well as a statue of Kim Il Sung. Lunch is a picnic at the battle monument. PM: We drive the 1hr back to Samjiyon for our flight back to Pyongyang and arrive in Pyongyangin the late afternoon. After arrival we head to Vienna coffee shop located on Kim Il Sung Square. We will have our farewell dinner at the famous Pyongyang Duck BBQ restaurant OVERNIGHT: Yanggakdo Hotel, Pyongyang Saturday 20th August DEPARTURE DAY AM: Today is departure day. The flight departs Pyongyang at 09:00 and arrives in Beijing at approx 10:00am. The train departs Pyongyang at 10:40am and arrives in Beijing at approx 08:30am on Sunday. End of tour. Below footage from previous cycling tours: Please note that after the tour, we will send out a list of all the tour participants' addresses so you can keep in touch, swap photos, etc. If you do not wish to be on this list then please let us know.

7 TOUR COST: EUR 2590 VISA FEE: EUR 50 PRE-TOUR MEETING: August 10th (Wednesday), 4PM, at our office in Beijing Room upgrades available please ask for more information. TOUR FEE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING: Flight Beijing-Pyongyang-Beijing/train Pyongyang-Beijing Hotel accommodation All entry fees Two guides and a driver per group All transportation in DPRK NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR FEE: Optional single room supplement of EUR 50 per night Spending money for drinks and souvenirs DPRK visa fee EUR 50 EUR 50 surcharge for the plane/train to Beijing Tip for the guides (approx EUR 5-10 per day total) Entry tickets for special events if applicable for example Revolutionary Opera if being staged, or a visit to the funfair The lift up the Juche Tower EUR 5 Meals will have a complimentary beer but you will have to pay for extra drinks above those provided. If you are vegetarian or have special dietary requirements then please inform us beforehand SINUIJU EXTENSION: RMB 50 for the bus across the bridge to Dandong to be paid on the spot to the local guides