China and North Korea tours
| country: | China, North Korea |
| departures: | 2010: 28 Apr, 11 Aug, 29 Sep 2011: 27 Apr |
| price: | From £2317 - £2534 (12 days) including flights from the UK, from £1799 - £1886 excluding flights. Single supplement £250. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to China and North Korea tours
Beijing
Our journey begins in Beijing. During our time here we visit the Forbidden City, listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. There's also free time to visit less well-known places such as the Hutongs (the narrow alleyways of the old city) with their bustling markets; a great opportunity to see something of everyday life in the capital.
Into the 'Hermit State'
In Pyongyang, we discover a country dominated by the late Great Leader Kim Il Sung, and his 'Juche Idea', a philosophy aimed at developing self-reliance, which for over 50 years has governed everyday life. Inspirational monuments testify to this North Korean version of communism. We make the obligatory tribute to Kim Il Sung at the Mansudae Monument, as well as visiting his birthplace at Mangyongdae. In the evening we may have the opportunity to witness some breathtaking acrobatic performances.
To the Mountains
We travel 160 kilometres north to the beautiful Myohyangsan Mountains where we can enjoy a gentle afternoon walk. The famous 'Friendship Exhibition' displays the massive and eclectic collection of items given to the 'Great Leaders' Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. We continue on near deserted highways, to the ancient capital of Kaesong. We then travel to one of the most fortified areas on earth at the 38th Parallel - the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) where soldiers of the North and South, stand either side of a demarcation line, ensuring that the peninsular remains divided.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Beijing. |
| Day 2: | Arrive Beijing. |
| Day 3: | Visit Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City. |
| Day 4: | Fly Pyongyang. |
| Day 5: | City tour; visit Kim Il Sung birth place. |
| Day 6: | Visit Kumsusan Memorial Palace; drive to Myohyangsan Mountains. |
| Day 7: | Visit Friendship Exhibition and temple; return Pyongyang. |
| Day 8: | Visit Art gallery and film studios; drive to Kaesong. |
| Day 9: | Visit DMZ; return to Pyongyang. |
| Day 10: | Overnight train to Beijing. |
| Day 11: | In Beijing. |
| Day 12: | Fly to London. |
small group cultural tours
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as experiencing new cultures.award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market, Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society and BBC World News.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Community:
Korea is still very much a ‘closed’ country so it is a privilege to be able to travel to this fascinating country. The usual rules of operating responsibly by meeting local people, supporting the local economy and development are difficult to meet here as we are obliged to operate under the dictates of the authorities. We do believe that our tours here are of great importance to the local people and that there is a tremendous value for the visitor and the North Korean people alike to be able to have the cultural exchange afforded by tourism; restricted as that may be. Learning about the country we are travelling to and the perspective that affords on our own society is one of the most valuable aspects of travel. There is probably nowhere on earth like North Korea. Environment: We support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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