What is the DPRK?

The DPRK stands for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (commonly known as “North Korea”). This site uses DPRK and North Korea interchangeably. Following World War II and subsequently the Korean War, the Korean Peninsula was divided into North and South and remains divided along the 38th parallel. The Juche philosophy is the official state ideology. The DPRK is a country slightly smaller than the size of Mississippi and inhabited by approximately 24 million people.

Can I travel to North Korea?

U.S. citizens are permitted to travel to North Korea. There are no restrictions from either government as to travel to the DPRK by U.S. citizens. Furthermore, the State Department allows U.S. travel service providers to organize group travel to North Korea. Please refer to the State Department website for more information. If you are not a U.S. citizen, please check with your government travel page for specific inter-country information. Journalists and South Korean citizens cannot be granted visas at this time.

Is it safe to travel to the DPRK?

Members of our team have been traveling to the DPRK for over a decade and we have been safely bringing tourists with us for over 10 years. The DPRK boasts a very low crime rate and in our experience, the DPRK does feel very safe. We have not had any reported thefts or incidents on any of our tours and our local guides take good care to ensure the traveler’s safety and well-being. Despite recent political events, tourism is not affected and our staff is in the country to monitor the safety of our tourists. Currently, the situation is stable and everyday life for North Koreans has not changed much, as we can see. Tourism is still going strong with Europeans and other Asians leading the way. See our blog post “Effects of UN Sanctions and Political Threats on Travel”for more details.

Does the U.S. have an embassy in the DPRK?

The U.S. does not have an embassy in the DPRK. On September 20, 1995, the U.S. signed a consular protecting power agreement with the Swedish embassy to provide basic consular protection services to U.S. citizens traveling to the DPRK. Please consult the State Department website for more information on this agreement.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may have different arrangements under your home country. Please check with your government travel page for the protcols. Many of the European, Asian and African countries have permanent diplomatic missions in the DPRK and citizens of those countries may call upon their home embassy in case of an emergency.

Will my visa be issued?

DPRK tourist visas are almost always issued except if the applicant is a journalist and/or South Korean citizen. Although it has never happened on any of our trips, in the very rare case that the DPRK cancels your visa after it has been approved, we will refund any paid amounts (less a small administrative fee). We encourage all participants to obtain travel insurance to cover any other incidentals.

When are the best times to travel to the DPRK?

Although travel is encouraged all year-round, April (for Kim Il Sung’s birthday anniversary) and August (for the Arirang Mass Games) are the most festive and popular times to visit North Korea. Can I bring a camera or a video camera?

You can bring a camera with lens smaller than 150mm. If you have a larger lens size, please consult us first. Small hand-held video cameras are also allowed. You may take pictures and videos generously unless alerted otherwise. There are certain places where pictures are not allowed and our local guides will give further guidance as appropriate. Generally, pictures taken in a moving vehicle or of the military are prohibited. Please defer to our local guides if you are unsure about the protocols.

Is there Internet or phone access in the DPRK?

Yes! Earlier this year, the DPRK has announced that foreigners may now bring cell phones, rent local SIM cards for telephone access and may access mobile 3G internet from within the country. Please see our blog post “Tweets from North Korea” for more information. In addition, the international hotels still allow you to send emails using the hotel email address and there are phone booths to make international calls or send faxes internationally for a fee (typically 1-3 Euros).

Can I bring a laptop or an iPad?

Yes. There are no restrictions on bringing electronic devices as long as it is not a GPS device. Laptops, iPads, iPods, and kindles are permissible.

Can I bring my cell phone?

Effective January 2013, foreigners are now allowed to bring cell phones into North Korea! Foreigners can also rent cell phones from Koryolink, the national cellular provider, and purchase SIM cards.

What currency is accepted in the DPRK?

USD, Euros and Chinese Yen. It’s best to bring a mixture of these currencies and to bring small bills, as some establishments will not have the right amount of change. In addition, we’ve been told that North Korean banks do not take bills that are worn or torn, issued prior to 2000 or generally look like they’ve been “washed.” So, please try to bring newer, cleaner bills.

What if I get sick while I am in North Korea?

We require travelers to purchase emergency medical insurance. Many providers such as SOS International and Travel Guard offer emergency evacuation policies out of North Korea. Although medical treatment is available in Pyongyang and a doctor is on call in most of the local hotels, medical resources may be limited and airlift may be required for emergency medical treatment outside of the country.

Tour price includes:

• DPRK visa fees and handling.
• Round-trip Air Koryo flight Beijing / Pyongyang.
• All DPRK hotel accommodations (4 stars) with daily breakfast.
• Daily lunch and dinners.
• All ground transfers with private coach transportation and guides with admissions.
• Ticket to the Arirang Mass Games (only applies for traveling from July 22 – September 9, 2013).

Tour price doesn't include:

• International flight to/from Beijing.
• China visa.
• Any optional tours.
• Travel insurance and medical evacuation insurance (required)
• Personal expenses & gratuities to guide, driver & porters.
  

Remarks:

• Price is in USD based on 2 or more participants.
• Tour itinerary and hotel arrangement are subject to change upon reservation & confirmation.
• Schedule is subject to change due to local circumstance and flight, etc.
• Tour cost is subject to change based on fuel surcharge and currency exchange rate.
• Please contact us if you would like to customize this tour to your specific interests.

Tour Registration:

Each traveler must:
1. Complete a visa application form (provided by us)
2. Provide a high-quality color scan of his or her passport biographical page and signature page
3. Provide a high-quality digital photo for use as a visa photo (standard passport photo).

Travelers must show proof of emergency medical insurance before receiving their DPRK visas.

Tours must be booked no less than 50 days in advance and a deposit of $600 per person is required at the time of booking. Once a tour has been booked, we begin processing visas, air tickets and accommodations. The balance of the tour fee is due at least 50 days before the departure date.

Cancellation Policy:

In the event of failure to obtain a DPRK visa or if the trip is cancelled for any reason by the DPRK authorities, refunds of any and all paid amounts will be issued minus an administrative fee of 5% of the package price.

All other tour cancellations are subject to $200 non-refundable deposit per person in addition to the the following fees:
50-30 days before departure........................................ 5% of tour cost
29-10 days before departure.......................................40% of tour cost
09-04 days before departure.......................................75% of tour cost
Cancellation within 3 days........................................100% of tour cost