Travelling to North Korea? Carry cash

A three-day group tour costs just about Rs 35,600 for each person, and a 10-day package comes for Rs 130,000

The historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has brought the latter country into the limelight after many years. And many people might be wondering what is North Korea all about. After all, there is a shroud of secrecy about the country which many travellers would want to explore. The good news for them is that the country is open for tourism. But these are all guided tours, and many areas are off-limits. More importantly, carry cash as the country does not accept cards or internet payment. 

Vivek Pandey who visited the country last year says that every time he receives an email on North Korea from fellow travellers, the first inquiry is about security. Same concerns kept playing on his mind when he was visiting the country with this wife and three-year-old son in April 2017. The Bengaluru-based information technology professional receives many emails on North Korea after he shared his experience on his blog. 

Pandey says that security is the last thing that you would worry about when visiting the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). “Unlike in other countries where you have to go through security checks even to enter a mall, in North Korea, it happens only once – at the immigration – when you are entering the country,” he says.

The country is also affordable – a three-day group tour costs around Rs 35,600 for each traveller and a 10-day package comes for Rs 130,000 for trips starting and ending in China. North Korea is not your usual vacation destination as the government tightly controls the tourism. It’s meant for those curious or fascinated with going off-the-beaten-path.  

China is the gateway: Most tours to North Korea are operated from China. There are no tour operators based in India. The only option for travellers from India is to book their tours online. Among the handful tour operators, there are three popular companies – Young Pioneer Tours, Koryo Group and Uri Tours. That’s why all packages start and end in China. Most of these travel companies operate as specialists in taking customers to unusual destinations. 

These operators can arrange plane tickets from India to China, accommodation and sightseeing there. Before you start from China, the tour operator will conduct an orientation session to inform you about the do's and don’ts. Ensure that you adhere to them. On reaching North Korea, a guide will be there and will be with you all through the tour.

Independent tours are also available: North Korea government has demarcated areas where tourists can visit and where they cannot. But travellers still get many packages to choose from, just like when they are visiting any other country. You can easily plan your travel to North Korea, a month in advance if you have a visa to visit China. 

As the areas to visit are restricted, most of the tours are sold based on events in the DPRK. In July, for example, there are victory day tours. In August, there are tours for the Liberation Day and September there are ‘mass games’.

Just like travel to any other country, group tours are cheaper. A five to seven-day package can cost between Rs 55,500 (Euros 695) to Rs 111,400 (Euros 1,395) depending on your itinerary and accommodation. These are costs for twin-sharing accommodation, meals, guides, air-conditioned bus and entry fee. You need to shell out extra for airfare, which typically cost around Rs 20,000 (Euros 250) for a return flight, and also for the visa, which costs around Rs 4,000 (Euros 50). To cut costs, a traveller can also opt for train journey instead of a flight. Train travel also lets you visit Sinuiju – the border city with China, where you can spend a day.

Pandey had to take an independent tour as most operators were not sure about accommodating him with a three-year-old child. The four-day tour with a flight cost him about Rs 100,000 each person, and there was a 25 per cent discount on the package for his son.

But traveller can also opt for independent tours where you can customise the itinerary and choose to travel to Pyongyang, Kaesong, North East part of the country (Hoeryong city and Onsong county), Rason Special Economic Zone, Masik Ski Resort in winters, and so on. To save costs, you can book a group tour to Pyongyang and take an add-on to other places that interest you.

Don’t worry about food and drinks: Before you travel, ensure that you have laid down all the requirements with the tour operators. You get plenty of options for vegetarian meals. In the capital city, Pyongyang, there are also drinking joints open for tourists.

Currency is not an issue: Being isolated, North Korea doesn’t accept cards and traveller’s cheque – a visitor needs to spend cash. You can, however, pay using dollars, euros or even Chinese yuan. All the three currencies are widely accepted in North Korea. While euro and yuan are the most popular currency, the $1 bill is among the most useful denominations to carry as everything costs just about a dollar. But avoid coins as sales attendants would do their best to avoid them. Also, avoid high-value notes. 

Phone calls are costly: According to tour operators, a traveller can buy a local SIM card in North Korea to make phone calls and access internet (3G). But the rates are costly. According to a recent post on Koryo Group website, the ‘startup cost can is euros 250’ or around Rs 20,000 – what you pay for the airfare. The phone will have a reception in the capital Pyongyang and some major cities, but in rural areas, it can be patchy.

A few tours in July

Tour	Price	Duration
Summer Pyongyang City Bicycle & DMZ Tour	Euros 1,145 (around Rs 91,200)	4 nights and 5 days
Ultra-Budget Tour & Sinuiju Extension	Euros 445/ Euros 595/ Euros 695 (around Rs 35,500/Rs 47,400/ Rs 55,350)	3 days/ 4 days/ 5 days
Victory Day Tour	Euros 995/Euros 1195 (around Rs 79,250/Rs 95,150)	5 days/ 7 days
Source: Youngpioneertours.com
Koryo Summer Break Budget Tour	Starts at Euros 999 (around Rs 79,550)	5 nights
Victory Day Short Tour	Starts at Euros 975 (around Rs 77,650)	4 nights
The Victory Day Tour	Starts at Euros 1,349 (around Rs 107,450)	7 nights
Source: Koryogroup.com
Note: The prices are for one traveller on a twin-sharing basis. Does not include airfare and visa cost. All packages start and end in China