Overview
DPRK (North Korea) tourism offers visitors a diverse array of sights and tourist attractions, ranging from the impressive monuments and architecture of the capital city, Pyongyang, to the peaceful tranquillity of its pristine mountains and coastline. Over the past few years, the authorities have opened up more and more of the country to tourists, and the following pages provide a brief snapshot on many of them, listed by city / region.
Our group tours are designed to cover the highlights of the country, but for those who prefer to pick and choose what to see, you are welcome to design your own private tour incorporating any of the listed attractions, from which we can create a bespoke itinerary to match your interests. If you are stilling wondering what to see, you may consider booking on of our special interest tours, which include language learning, volunteer teaching, aviation and other themed tours. See more about our tours.
We are very grateful to Aram Pan of the DPRK 360 project for allowing us to showcase his amazing 360 degree panoramas at many of these sites across the country, giving potential customers a great overview of what to expect! To view the panorama, please click on the DPRK 360 logo next to the attraction name. It looks like this:
Pyongyang
The capital of the DPRK and its political, economic and cultural heart. Housing around 2 million people, it is a city of monumental architecture and strong political symbolism, hosting many of the country’s flagship projects. It is also a verdant, green city with wide open boulevards, parks and leisure grounds. Pyongyang has by far the most places of interest in the country and therefore all tours will generally spend several days there. It is currently experiencing something of a construction boom and there has been a large increase in recent years of sites opening to tourists.
Click here for more information on the sights of Pyongyang
Kaesong and the DMZ
The ancient Koryo dynasty capital of Korea, Kaesong is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site containing numerous historic examples of 10th – 14th century architecture. Just south of the city is Panmunjom, the de-militarised zone or DMZ as it is commonly known, where the painful realities of the division of the Korean peninsula are only too apparent. We highly recommend all customers to visit the DMZ to get a sense of what this division means for the Korean people.
Click here for more information on the sights of Kaesong
Myohyangsan
For many a scenic highlight of the DPRK, the Myohyang mountain range is situated 160 kilometres north of Pyongyang. The area is dotted with picturesque valleys and waterfalls, possesses wonderful scenery and is paradise for the keen walker. There are numerous rest places and pavilions where one can enjoy a short break and a picnic. This area is also home to the International Friendship Exhibition, an impressive underground repository of gifts to the Leaders, and well worth a visit.
Click here for more information on the sights of Myohyangsan
Nampo
Situated on the West coast of the DPRK, Nampo is an important port, ship building centre and industrial base. Linked to Pyongyang by the Youth Hero Highway, it is home to the impressive West Sea Barrage as well as being one of the few places in the country where you can see DPRK industry in action, at the Chollima steelworks, Taen glass factory and Kangso mineral water plant.
Click here for more information on the sights of Nampo
Wonsan
Wonsan is an attractive port city situated on the East coast of Korea, around 2 hours drive from Pyongyang. It is home to shipbuilding and fishing industries. A great view of the city can be enjoyed from the Changdokdo lighthouse and there are some pristine sandy beaches at the nearby Kalma peninsula. Wonsan is also the nearest major city to the Masikryong Ski Resort.
Click here for more information on the sights of Wonsan
Kumgangsan
South of Wonsan is the Mount Kumgang region. The mountain itself stands at some 1,639 metres high, covering 40 kilometres from East to West and 60 kilometres from North to South. The area is dotted with wonderful scenic spots, valleys, waterfalls, coastline and historic sites, best enjoyed on foot whilst taking in the fresh mountain air.
Click here for more information on the sights of Kumgangsan
Hamhung
Hamhung is the second city of the DPRK, with a population of around 770,000 people. It is located on the East coast, around 115 kilometres north of Wonsan. It is an industrial city with large scale heavy industry, chemicals and textile production. There are also some excellent stretches of pristine beaches nearby.
Click here for more information on the sights of Hamhung
Paektusan
Located in the far North of the country on the border with China and accessible only by charter flight, the Mount Paektu region is a sacred place for the DPRK, for several reasons. Firstly, it is where Kim Il Sung waged guerilla warfare against the Japanese, and secondly it is also the official birthplace of Kim Jong Il. As well as this, it is an immensely beautiful region, with fine mountain views, pristine forest and fresh air.
Click here for more information on the sights of Paektusan
Chongjin-Chilbo Region
Chongjin is the capital of North Hamgyong Province, situated in the northeastern part of the country. Mt. Chilbo is one of the most celebrated mountains of the DPRK and is a must visit when in the area. The region is also separated into Inner Chilbo, Outer Chilbo, and Sea Chilbo. The distance from Pyongyang to Chongjin is around 806km whilst it takes a further 135km to travel from Chongjin to Mt. Chilbo.
Click here for more information on the sights of the Chongjin-Chilbo Region