KTG Tours
KTG Tours
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KTG operates tours for hundreds of people to North Korea each year. Our aim is to promote responsible tourism in the DPRK and to allow people engage and interact with Koreans.
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Piet R
Beijing, China2 contributions
Nov 2019
For me and my friend it was the first time to North Korea and what can I say - it was a once in a lifetime experience. During our short stay, we saw a lot of sights, tasted different kinds of foods and beers, visited different cities and in my opinion caught a glimpse of the North Korean culture (which is more than I expected).
I really liked this trip because it combined a lot of different aspects and gave us a nice overview of NK. We not only stayed in the City and visited museums but also went into nature and saw ancient graves, a Buddhist temple,... Most of the nights we stayed at the Koryo Hotel, but one night we also experienced the traditional way of sleeping - on the ground + the floor heating.
Before the trip, all our questions were answered and Rayco really took some time to help us with everything we needed.
One more aspect I really liked was our group itself. We were people from all around the world, with different jobs, languages,... To experience this kind of trip with so many different kinds of people made it even better. I not only learned a lot about North Korea but also about Mexico, Brasil, Singapore, Norway and so on.
Before booking this trip we checked a lot of different travel agencies as well, but they did not offer this kind of extensive travel plan for this price.
I really liked this trip because it combined a lot of different aspects and gave us a nice overview of NK. We not only stayed in the City and visited museums but also went into nature and saw ancient graves, a Buddhist temple,... Most of the nights we stayed at the Koryo Hotel, but one night we also experienced the traditional way of sleeping - on the ground + the floor heating.
Before the trip, all our questions were answered and Rayco really took some time to help us with everything we needed.
One more aspect I really liked was our group itself. We were people from all around the world, with different jobs, languages,... To experience this kind of trip with so many different kinds of people made it even better. I not only learned a lot about North Korea but also about Mexico, Brasil, Singapore, Norway and so on.
Before booking this trip we checked a lot of different travel agencies as well, but they did not offer this kind of extensive travel plan for this price.
Written January 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Piet!
Thank you for your detailed feedback. I am very happy to see that you enjoyed our November Tour. It was a pleasure meeting the two of you. Glad to see that you liked the combination of different aspects of Korea that you saw. We try to show people as much as many aspects as possible!
Although this is one of our lowest priced tours we stay at the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang which is one of the best. Staying one night at the folk hotel in Kaesong city certainly adds to the experience!
Great to see that you enjoyed the diversity in the group. Although there were just 7 travellers there were people from 5 countries! We always have this happen in our group tours. For our New Year tour for example we had 10 travellers and people from 8 different countries!
Thank you once again for your feedback Piet!
Best regards,
Rayco / KTG
Written April 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sultan A
2 contributions
Dec 2019
i have been to DPRK 3 times, last time with KTG tours , believe me guys , it was the best trip to DPRK everything was perfect from Shenyang to Pyongyang and return .
we were group of 12 people , and it was nice , always sit together same table . The tours guide was so kind and everything was perfect .
thanks so much KTG and I'm sure i will go next time with KTG
we were group of 12 people , and it was nice , always sit together same table . The tours guide was so kind and everything was perfect .
thanks so much KTG and I'm sure i will go next time with KTG
Written August 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey D4535UHsultana!
Thanks so much for your review and picture!
It’s a true honour to hear that out of the 3 companies you have been to DPRK with that you prefer KTG! We do work with who we think are the best guides in the DPRK based on our experience travelling with them and feedback from our travellers and also keep group sizes small (this New Year's Tour group had 12 people including our 2 DPRK guides and colleague going in with the group).
It was a true pleasure meeting you at our offices in Shenyang and I hope to see you on more of our DPRK tours in the future!
For anyone reading, D4535UHsultana decided to go to North Korea via Shenyang, where his DPRK visa was handed to him, and our colleague in Dandong went with him from Dandong by train to Pyongyang. The other travellers went by plane to Pyongyang from Beijing. Our departures are mainly from Beijing but we can arrange for you to go from Shenyang (train or plane) or Dandong (train) too if you prefer.
All the best!
Rayco / KTG
Written August 15, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Øyvind H
Oslo, Norway147 contributions
Oct 2019
We were a group of seven who decided to go for a private trip to the DPRK.
After long consideration and getting in touch with the different companies - we decided to go for KTG Tours.
From the moment we first came in contact with KTG, we were well taken care of by Rayco. He is a true star for this company. He answered all of our question pretty quick, he took care of our wishes of what we wanted to see and do in DPRK, I had a video-call with him, he came and met us in Beijing a few days before we went to DPRK. We cannot thank him enough for the kind help and support for organizing our trip to the DPRK.
We had lovely guides in the DPRK who had humour, always smiling and eager to teach us about their country. They were also quite interested to know about our country and what is going in the world.
I would highly recommend to go for the DELUXE hotels in Pyongyang. The hotel we stayed at were pretty good considering the country you are travelling to. Big rooms, hot water 24h, pool, massage, karaoke and so on.
The hotel in Kaesong was a more traditional hotel, but it was a nice experience for one night.
They gave us plenty of food, and for the most the food was very good. The breakfast at the hotels was awful with very white bread and jam, but for lunch and dinner - you are in for a treat.
If you get the chance, you should to one of the beerbars to taste the local beer. A very nice experience, and a good way to meet the locals. Your guides will surely help you translate any questions you may have if the local people would like to engage in a conversation.
A tour to the DPRK is really recommended, and with a private tour from KTG you can come woth your wish for what to see and do, and Rayco will do everything he can do to make this happen.
The only thing we did not like in our program was a visit to an apartment in Pyongyang. We had asked for a visit to a local family, to speak to them and meet them. Upon arrival, there was only one woman showing us around in the apartment. The rest of the family was away. For this we payed 150 euro extra - so not very happy about it. However, this was not KTG's fault, as they also had asked the family to be there.
All in all, 5 stars to KTG and Rayco :)
If you are a bit sceptical regarding paying deposit to a company and to someone you never have met before - please take my word for it - dont be. I was a bit sceptical in the beginning, but I had no reason to as KTG and Rayco is doing their job very well!
After long consideration and getting in touch with the different companies - we decided to go for KTG Tours.
From the moment we first came in contact with KTG, we were well taken care of by Rayco. He is a true star for this company. He answered all of our question pretty quick, he took care of our wishes of what we wanted to see and do in DPRK, I had a video-call with him, he came and met us in Beijing a few days before we went to DPRK. We cannot thank him enough for the kind help and support for organizing our trip to the DPRK.
We had lovely guides in the DPRK who had humour, always smiling and eager to teach us about their country. They were also quite interested to know about our country and what is going in the world.
I would highly recommend to go for the DELUXE hotels in Pyongyang. The hotel we stayed at were pretty good considering the country you are travelling to. Big rooms, hot water 24h, pool, massage, karaoke and so on.
The hotel in Kaesong was a more traditional hotel, but it was a nice experience for one night.
They gave us plenty of food, and for the most the food was very good. The breakfast at the hotels was awful with very white bread and jam, but for lunch and dinner - you are in for a treat.
If you get the chance, you should to one of the beerbars to taste the local beer. A very nice experience, and a good way to meet the locals. Your guides will surely help you translate any questions you may have if the local people would like to engage in a conversation.
A tour to the DPRK is really recommended, and with a private tour from KTG you can come woth your wish for what to see and do, and Rayco will do everything he can do to make this happen.
The only thing we did not like in our program was a visit to an apartment in Pyongyang. We had asked for a visit to a local family, to speak to them and meet them. Upon arrival, there was only one woman showing us around in the apartment. The rest of the family was away. For this we payed 150 euro extra - so not very happy about it. However, this was not KTG's fault, as they also had asked the family to be there.
All in all, 5 stars to KTG and Rayco :)
If you are a bit sceptical regarding paying deposit to a company and to someone you never have met before - please take my word for it - dont be. I was a bit sceptical in the beginning, but I had no reason to as KTG and Rayco is doing their job very well!
Written November 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Øyvind,
Thank you so much for your detailed feedback and for having picked KTG for your DPRK trip! It was a pleasure arranging everything and coordinating with you, video calling via Skype months before the trip and of course meeting you in person in Beijing.
On a personal note, thank you so much for your feedback regarding my service and it was a pleasure being in touch with you when arranging everything!
Very glad to see that you enjoyed the service provided by your Korean guides in DPRK. Many travellers expect them to be extremely strict and they are always surprised to see the they are humorous, approachable and basically just very nice people. We always work with guides we have received great reviews for from travellers.
As for the hotels, the deluxe hotels are indeed very nice and well equipped. We use these hotels for all of our group tours too. The folk hotel does is indeed very modest but one night there adds to the experience. Well noted about the family visit in Pyongyang and we told our partners regarding this for any future requests.
We understand that travellers may feel a bit sceptical making any deposit payments to an agency based so far away from Europe which is why we have been accepting deposit payments via PayPal or card for over 10 years now.
Great idea to visit the beer bars in Pyongyang. It allows us to see locals have a drink and relax with friends and to get to mingle with them.
Thanks once again for everything Øyvind!
Best regards,
Rayco Vega / KTG
Written April 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
FlyFrederik
Frankfurt, Germany20 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
Based on the good reviews of KTG we chose them as our preferred travel company for our private trip to DPRK. Since the first email I did not regret my selection as everything was perfectly organized. Even with little preparation time and some special requests from our side, Rayco did everything to make it happen. After the briefing through Skype, personal visit in Beijing and all documentation we have received, we felt very secure to fly to DPRK and did not had any unpleasant surprises.
If you are not sure which company to choose, go for KTG. You wont regret it!!!
If you are not sure which company to choose, go for KTG. You wont regret it!!!
Written April 28, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello FlyFrederik!
Thank you very much for your review. It is very kind of you! We are delighted to see that you enjoyed your private trip in North Korea. It was a true pleasure speaking to you and arranging your tour and a true delight to see that you were happy with everything.
All the best!
Rayco / KTG
Written April 29, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stevelakira G
1 contribution
Jan 2025 • Solo
I went on a private tour with KTG when North Korea had just opened Rason.
Despite the very short notice I have them, they still managed to make me one of the first person to enter North Korea in over 5 years.
Rayco is a super nice person and very knowledgeable about North Korea. We had talked through videocall before the tour to make sure I get all the correct information about the do's and don'ts.
I went with one of his staff who was from Yanji, who is ethnically Korean which made the trip even more authentic.
While travelling with him around North Korea, it really felt that I was just travelling with a friend.
I couldn't have dreamt of a better travel agency to travel to North Korea with.
Once Pyongyang opens again, I will definitely contact KTG again.
I 100% recommend them.
Despite the very short notice I have them, they still managed to make me one of the first person to enter North Korea in over 5 years.
Rayco is a super nice person and very knowledgeable about North Korea. We had talked through videocall before the tour to make sure I get all the correct information about the do's and don'ts.
I went with one of his staff who was from Yanji, who is ethnically Korean which made the trip even more authentic.
While travelling with him around North Korea, it really felt that I was just travelling with a friend.
I couldn't have dreamt of a better travel agency to travel to North Korea with.
Once Pyongyang opens again, I will definitely contact KTG again.
I 100% recommend them.
Written March 17, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Stevelakirag!
Thank you so much for having picked KTG for your trip and for your kind review! It feels absolutely amazing to receive this review after 5 years of the DPRK borders being closed.
It was a true pleasure chatting to you before your trip and our colleague who went with you to North Korea, Moon Pa, enjoyed travelling with you and says that you were very friendly and easy going. We really look forward to going with you to Pyongyang in the future!
For anyone reading, Yanji, is the Chinese city where we meet the day before going to this part of North Korea, Rason. Unfortunately, the borders closed again shortly after this trip.
Thank you once again Stevelakirag and we look forward to our next trip together!
All the best,
Rayco / KTG
Written March 18, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Emily
Tilburg, The Netherlands20 contributions
Jul 2019 • Family
We travelled to the DPRK for the Victory day tour in July of 2019 and couldn't recommend a trip to this country more! Highly satisfied with the hard work of KTG's team in the arrangement of this trip. The contact through e-mail was great, with quick responses to all our questions. We chose to travel with KTG based on many good reviews and a very extensive itinerary for a good price; where most tour agencies offered tours that stayed in Pyongyang for a long time and took a quick trip down to the DMZ, we were able to see many places outside of the capital, such as Hamhung, Wonsan and the beautiful east-coast. It was the drive to these cities that was maybe most fascinating. Crumbled, empty highways through towns where people were sitting on their knees cutting the grass by hand. A completely different world from the beautiful capital Pyongyang, which has grand monuments, high skyscrapers and clean, wide streets. The country surprised me. The people are very proud, and even though we couldn't talk to locals, they seemed excited and curious about us.
We were in a very tiny group (only three) which was the best! Visiting tourist attractions, we often saw huge tour busses filled with big groups, and we were so glad we were not in one of those. Another reason why I would highly recommend booking with KTG. We had a driver and two guides, Pak and Lee. They were both great, but especially Lee, who we got along with very well was extremely knowledgeable and funny guy who taught us many things. It was great to learn about the Korean history, and see how the people of the DPRK are brought up with a completely different history as we are taught in school. Really helps you to understand the country much better.
The highlight of the tour was definitely Victory day in Pyongyang. The national holidays are celebrated exuberantly, with the opportunity to dance along with the locals in the mass dances. The people were much more open and relaxed on this day! Highlight of the days was the Mass games performance at the end of the day, which was like nothing I have ever seen. Would also highly recommend to go with a bicycle tour extension; a great way to see the city of Pyongyang, instead of from behind a car's window.
In conclusion, if you want a completely different travel experience you cannot gain anywhere else in the world, book a tour to the DPRK. For a great personal experience in a small group I highly recommend with KTG! A trip you will never forget.
We were in a very tiny group (only three) which was the best! Visiting tourist attractions, we often saw huge tour busses filled with big groups, and we were so glad we were not in one of those. Another reason why I would highly recommend booking with KTG. We had a driver and two guides, Pak and Lee. They were both great, but especially Lee, who we got along with very well was extremely knowledgeable and funny guy who taught us many things. It was great to learn about the Korean history, and see how the people of the DPRK are brought up with a completely different history as we are taught in school. Really helps you to understand the country much better.
The highlight of the tour was definitely Victory day in Pyongyang. The national holidays are celebrated exuberantly, with the opportunity to dance along with the locals in the mass dances. The people were much more open and relaxed on this day! Highlight of the days was the Mass games performance at the end of the day, which was like nothing I have ever seen. Would also highly recommend to go with a bicycle tour extension; a great way to see the city of Pyongyang, instead of from behind a car's window.
In conclusion, if you want a completely different travel experience you cannot gain anywhere else in the world, book a tour to the DPRK. For a great personal experience in a small group I highly recommend with KTG! A trip you will never forget.
Written August 5, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Eva,
Thank you for such a detailed review! We are very happy to see that you are satisfied with our services and the group size. Having a small group does indeed allow for greater interaction with the guides and a much more personalised service! It is great to see that you liked the guides and got along so well and we firmly believe that being in a small groups enables for travellers to know guides better and get along with them very well.
North Korea is indeed a fascinating country and the Mass Games are something hard to describe! That is great that you enjoyed the bike tour, it does offer us a unique way of exploring the capital. We can arrange too bike tours in other parts of the country.
Thank you once again for having gone to North Korea with KTG Eva and for your feedback!
Kindly yours,
Rayco / KTG
Written September 30, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
timtravels89
Hong Kong, China50 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
My brother and I travelled to DPRK in early April this year, on a private tour organized by KTG. We spent 5 days/4 nights in DPRK and had an incredible experience! We started planning our trip quite last minute and after some research of the tour companies offering trips to DPRK, we decided to book with KTG based on the many 5 star reviews.
And we were not disappointed!
Rayco is extremely knowledgeable on the DPRK and is truly a pleasure to interact with. He is also very patient and answers any of your questions over e-mail, messenger, WeChat and even Skype, if need be. It surely made our DPRK experience better as we were so well prepped by Rayco and team.
Below is a bit about our trip, which again was a credit to the hard work Rayco and team put in. Thank you once again!
Visa for DPRK: easily arranged through KTG by filling out and a single form and sending over a copy of your passport (no need to send in your passport). We had ours approved within days of application. The visa / tourist card can be given to you either at Beijing airport or picked up at the DPRK Consulate/Embassy if they are represented in your country. I picked up my tourist card in Hong Kong and this was an interesting experience on its own.
Now onto the travel in the DPRK. These are not directly linked to KTG but will give you some insight on some of the logistics and do/don’ts in the DPRK.
We flew from Beijing to Pyongyang with the DPRK's national carrier Air Koryo. A great experience and the “Koryo Burger” lived up to the hype. Immigration in Pyongyang was easy though we had to wait quite long for our luggage (it was a full flight). The customs check was a lot easier than expected and the customs agent only noted down our phone model number + passport number and asked if our camera has GPS (it didn’t but in case it does, you can just turn if off). Note, we didn’t bring any books, magazines, laptops, and iPads into the country so we can’t share our experience on if you would be questioned on this.
We stayed at the Koryo hotel which is a decent hotel in the centre of Pyongyang (near the Pyongyang Railway station which is convenient when you’re training in/out). The rooms are somewhat older but the retro style fits the total DPRK experience (in my opinion) and the strong hot showers are one of the best I've ever had. The hotel breakfast is decent and the coffee is nice and strong. The hotel offers many facilities like swimming pool, gym & spa facilities (all paid), as well as a convenience store (with many international brands), book shop and business centre where you can make international calls and even check your e-mail. We didn’t check our e-mail but made international calls which are a bit costly (between 2 – 5 euro per minute depending on the country). The revolving rooftop bar is unique and slightly disappointing, though I’d recommend to go there anyway to see for yourself. There are other hotel options to choose from but we were very happy we stayed at Koryo.
Our guides (working for Korean International Travel Company or KITC) Che and An, were fantastic (especially Che). They will be with you for your entire journey, which is a great opportunity to get to know them well and to ask them many questions. Our experience is that you can ask questions on any topic to your guides, and they will answer most of them. If they don’t want (or can’t) answer a question, just expect silence in return or an evasive answer. My brother and I got along really well with Che and she opened up to us about many topics. Most fun memories are having them listen to “Western” music on our phone. Celine Dion and Michael Jackson are crowd favourites.
We left the DPRK via train from Pyongyang to Sinuiju, crossing the Yalu river into Dandong China for our overnight train to Beijing. If you visit the DPRK for the first time, I’d definitely recommend going either in/out by train, as you see lots of the country side, though personally I won’t do it again. The train from Pyongyang to Sinuiju is fine and passes quickly (around 4 hours) due to the nice views outside. You spend around 2 hours at customs/immigration but you don’t have to exit the train (you can get off for some fresh air though). Customs was again quite relaxed though they did ask us to open our bags. The customs officer asked about some of the souvenirs we bought (poster, books) but we didn’t have to open them. Arriving in Dandong can be very hectic as many people (mainly Koreans) sharing the same immigration line and with only 1 or 2 counters available, this can take up some time. Tough the “worst” part of the journey is the train from Dandong to Beijing, especially when travelling in 2nd class. The beds are fine and we weren’t too bothered by the noise and loud people, we were just unlucky as we were next to the entrance of the car and also the smoking compartment. We literally arrived in Beijing smelling like ashtrays. The train makes some stops on the way with people getting off/on, which meant lots of interruptions in sleep. Again, this part of the journey I would fly next time.
Some of the sights and activities we would definitely recommend you to see:
- Bike tour through Pyongyang
- Cooking Class
- Kumsusan Palace of the Sun (Thu and Sun only)
- Korean War Museum
- Juche Tower
- Worker’s Party Foundation Monument
- Mansudae Grand Monument
- Pyongyang Metro
- Tour to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
If you are a foody, you will certainly love DPRK. We had the most delicious meals in DPRK, with so much variety and flavour. I’m considering a return trip just for the food. We at something different every day with a selection of bibimbap, hotpot, cold noodles, duck bbq, Korean “spaghetti” and more.
A few tips that I think really made our trip unique:
1. Book a cycling tour through Pyongyang! Definitely the best way to see the city as you don’t speed by everything in a car.
2. Add a Korean cooking lesson to your trip. We did this and this really felt “off the beaten” track. We had a lot of fun making Kimchi, Pork stir-fry and Korean green bean pancakes with much attention of locals. Probably need some work on my cooking skills though.
3. Do plenty of research before your trip and let Rayco and team know what you want to see and do, well in advance. We did this and were very pleased with the itinerary, though in case you do not, you might see some sights that you are not particularly interested in.
Any downside to booking with KTG? Nothing really. One minor thing to consider and FYI, is that payment with credit card (through PayPal) is only possible for your deposit and not your remaining balance. This was a bit of a surprise for us but also here, Rayco really went out of his way to find a solution.
For anyone traveling to the DPRK, I would highly recommend booking with KTG.
And we were not disappointed!
Rayco is extremely knowledgeable on the DPRK and is truly a pleasure to interact with. He is also very patient and answers any of your questions over e-mail, messenger, WeChat and even Skype, if need be. It surely made our DPRK experience better as we were so well prepped by Rayco and team.
Below is a bit about our trip, which again was a credit to the hard work Rayco and team put in. Thank you once again!
Visa for DPRK: easily arranged through KTG by filling out and a single form and sending over a copy of your passport (no need to send in your passport). We had ours approved within days of application. The visa / tourist card can be given to you either at Beijing airport or picked up at the DPRK Consulate/Embassy if they are represented in your country. I picked up my tourist card in Hong Kong and this was an interesting experience on its own.
Now onto the travel in the DPRK. These are not directly linked to KTG but will give you some insight on some of the logistics and do/don’ts in the DPRK.
We flew from Beijing to Pyongyang with the DPRK's national carrier Air Koryo. A great experience and the “Koryo Burger” lived up to the hype. Immigration in Pyongyang was easy though we had to wait quite long for our luggage (it was a full flight). The customs check was a lot easier than expected and the customs agent only noted down our phone model number + passport number and asked if our camera has GPS (it didn’t but in case it does, you can just turn if off). Note, we didn’t bring any books, magazines, laptops, and iPads into the country so we can’t share our experience on if you would be questioned on this.
We stayed at the Koryo hotel which is a decent hotel in the centre of Pyongyang (near the Pyongyang Railway station which is convenient when you’re training in/out). The rooms are somewhat older but the retro style fits the total DPRK experience (in my opinion) and the strong hot showers are one of the best I've ever had. The hotel breakfast is decent and the coffee is nice and strong. The hotel offers many facilities like swimming pool, gym & spa facilities (all paid), as well as a convenience store (with many international brands), book shop and business centre where you can make international calls and even check your e-mail. We didn’t check our e-mail but made international calls which are a bit costly (between 2 – 5 euro per minute depending on the country). The revolving rooftop bar is unique and slightly disappointing, though I’d recommend to go there anyway to see for yourself. There are other hotel options to choose from but we were very happy we stayed at Koryo.
Our guides (working for Korean International Travel Company or KITC) Che and An, were fantastic (especially Che). They will be with you for your entire journey, which is a great opportunity to get to know them well and to ask them many questions. Our experience is that you can ask questions on any topic to your guides, and they will answer most of them. If they don’t want (or can’t) answer a question, just expect silence in return or an evasive answer. My brother and I got along really well with Che and she opened up to us about many topics. Most fun memories are having them listen to “Western” music on our phone. Celine Dion and Michael Jackson are crowd favourites.
We left the DPRK via train from Pyongyang to Sinuiju, crossing the Yalu river into Dandong China for our overnight train to Beijing. If you visit the DPRK for the first time, I’d definitely recommend going either in/out by train, as you see lots of the country side, though personally I won’t do it again. The train from Pyongyang to Sinuiju is fine and passes quickly (around 4 hours) due to the nice views outside. You spend around 2 hours at customs/immigration but you don’t have to exit the train (you can get off for some fresh air though). Customs was again quite relaxed though they did ask us to open our bags. The customs officer asked about some of the souvenirs we bought (poster, books) but we didn’t have to open them. Arriving in Dandong can be very hectic as many people (mainly Koreans) sharing the same immigration line and with only 1 or 2 counters available, this can take up some time. Tough the “worst” part of the journey is the train from Dandong to Beijing, especially when travelling in 2nd class. The beds are fine and we weren’t too bothered by the noise and loud people, we were just unlucky as we were next to the entrance of the car and also the smoking compartment. We literally arrived in Beijing smelling like ashtrays. The train makes some stops on the way with people getting off/on, which meant lots of interruptions in sleep. Again, this part of the journey I would fly next time.
Some of the sights and activities we would definitely recommend you to see:
- Bike tour through Pyongyang
- Cooking Class
- Kumsusan Palace of the Sun (Thu and Sun only)
- Korean War Museum
- Juche Tower
- Worker’s Party Foundation Monument
- Mansudae Grand Monument
- Pyongyang Metro
- Tour to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)
If you are a foody, you will certainly love DPRK. We had the most delicious meals in DPRK, with so much variety and flavour. I’m considering a return trip just for the food. We at something different every day with a selection of bibimbap, hotpot, cold noodles, duck bbq, Korean “spaghetti” and more.
A few tips that I think really made our trip unique:
1. Book a cycling tour through Pyongyang! Definitely the best way to see the city as you don’t speed by everything in a car.
2. Add a Korean cooking lesson to your trip. We did this and this really felt “off the beaten” track. We had a lot of fun making Kimchi, Pork stir-fry and Korean green bean pancakes with much attention of locals. Probably need some work on my cooking skills though.
3. Do plenty of research before your trip and let Rayco and team know what you want to see and do, well in advance. We did this and were very pleased with the itinerary, though in case you do not, you might see some sights that you are not particularly interested in.
Any downside to booking with KTG? Nothing really. One minor thing to consider and FYI, is that payment with credit card (through PayPal) is only possible for your deposit and not your remaining balance. This was a bit of a surprise for us but also here, Rayco really went out of his way to find a solution.
For anyone traveling to the DPRK, I would highly recommend booking with KTG.
Written May 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen D
County Dublin, Ireland12 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
My husband and I have just returned from an 8 day trip travelling around North Korea. We chose to travel on our own and were accompanied by 2 friendly intelligent guides and a driver. KTG were fantastic. Everything was organised by Rayco who was brilliant - he responded to queries almost instantly 24/7 and changed our hotels when we found there was wifi in one! He organised tickets at the last minute for the Mass Games when they were unexpectedly extended, had someone meet us in Dandong (China) when we took the train there in order to give us our tickets for the overnight train to Beijing the following evening. We loved travelling throughout the country - from Pyongyang to Wonsan and the DMZ to Sinuiju. We had great conversations with our guides who had a brilliant sense of humour - something we did not expect. It was also amazing to see the difference between rural and urban life in the country. The highlights for us were: The co-operative farm, The International Children's Camp, the DMZ and the chats with our guides. Thanks again Rayco.
Written November 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helen, thank you so much for the kind feedback and for having gone with KTG to North Korea. It was a true pleasure corresponding with you and speaking with you before the trip.
Your guides absolutely loved you. I just got back from Korea last week and Miss Han sends her warmest regards.
Thank you once again!
Rayco/KTG
Written April 8, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alexander E
München2 contributions
Aug 2018 • Solo
After already having visited the greatest part of the world, I choose DPRK this year as a part of a longer trip, that took me by land from Kazakhstan, through China to Pyongyang and most of the South and the East of DPRK. Alltogether I spent a total of 8 days in this pitiful country, which probably suffers from the worst public image all over the world.
In fact, the atmosphere in the DPRK was much more open and liberal than I would
have expected according to the preliminary information at home. I was able to take about 1.000 pictures without any problems, including a snapshot with a higher rank of the National Peoples Army at the demarcation line between between the northern and the southern part of Korea.
No unpleasant surveillance in everything we did, no unexpected checks, but instead a lot of very friendly and welcoming people and officials. Pyongyang has an interessting architecture with a lot of monuments to visit and is very clean. On the spot I could give you a list of at least 40 cities in the world, which are much poorer, dirtier and definitely more dangerous than the capital of DPRK.
So according to my experience, there is not a single reason to be afraid of visiting DPRK, but in the contrary it is a very rewarding country with a lot to see and to do and always worth a visit. And DPRK is a very safe country as well.
My suggestion is to forget about everything you have heard about DPRK, pack your bag and give the country and its people a chance. I would even send my grandma, if she would still be alive. As long as one observes a few simple rules and behaves in a civilized manner, DPRK will be a totally memorable experience.
Fun and enjoyment of a trip to DPRK depend crucially on which organizer you work with. And KTG is - according to my personal experience - the perfect partner for this. I am happy to see, that all other travelers on this website obviously share my assessment.
The outstanding service of KTG starts with the first planning. All, even the most complicated questions are answered very promptly and comprehensively. With Rayco Vega, a KTG manager, I had a single point of contact, who seemed to work 24/7 as I got all the answers of my numerous questions in a timeframe of 15 minutes after I had mailed them.
The company supports the traveler in applying for permits, visa and the suggested programs and itineraries are carefully planned. Accommodation, meals and transport were at a level that exceeded my usual demands for overland travels a lot. Insofar the DPRK is by no means only suitable for "extreme" adventure travelers, but also for open-minded, ordinary tourists, who are used to travel on a more luxurious standard and want to get a real picture of the country.
Another great advantage of KTG (compared to others) is the size of their tour groups, which regualrly not exceed a maximum of 10 people. The DPRK guides who lead the group through the country, are provided by KTG and have a very good command of English.They are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable and never act as control freaks.
I have to thank KTG for a real good and rewarding experience in DPRK and hope that in the future even more travelers will use their perfect service offer for a trip to this remote and underestimated country.
Alexander
In fact, the atmosphere in the DPRK was much more open and liberal than I would
have expected according to the preliminary information at home. I was able to take about 1.000 pictures without any problems, including a snapshot with a higher rank of the National Peoples Army at the demarcation line between between the northern and the southern part of Korea.
No unpleasant surveillance in everything we did, no unexpected checks, but instead a lot of very friendly and welcoming people and officials. Pyongyang has an interessting architecture with a lot of monuments to visit and is very clean. On the spot I could give you a list of at least 40 cities in the world, which are much poorer, dirtier and definitely more dangerous than the capital of DPRK.
So according to my experience, there is not a single reason to be afraid of visiting DPRK, but in the contrary it is a very rewarding country with a lot to see and to do and always worth a visit. And DPRK is a very safe country as well.
My suggestion is to forget about everything you have heard about DPRK, pack your bag and give the country and its people a chance. I would even send my grandma, if she would still be alive. As long as one observes a few simple rules and behaves in a civilized manner, DPRK will be a totally memorable experience.
Fun and enjoyment of a trip to DPRK depend crucially on which organizer you work with. And KTG is - according to my personal experience - the perfect partner for this. I am happy to see, that all other travelers on this website obviously share my assessment.
The outstanding service of KTG starts with the first planning. All, even the most complicated questions are answered very promptly and comprehensively. With Rayco Vega, a KTG manager, I had a single point of contact, who seemed to work 24/7 as I got all the answers of my numerous questions in a timeframe of 15 minutes after I had mailed them.
The company supports the traveler in applying for permits, visa and the suggested programs and itineraries are carefully planned. Accommodation, meals and transport were at a level that exceeded my usual demands for overland travels a lot. Insofar the DPRK is by no means only suitable for "extreme" adventure travelers, but also for open-minded, ordinary tourists, who are used to travel on a more luxurious standard and want to get a real picture of the country.
Another great advantage of KTG (compared to others) is the size of their tour groups, which regualrly not exceed a maximum of 10 people. The DPRK guides who lead the group through the country, are provided by KTG and have a very good command of English.They are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable and never act as control freaks.
I have to thank KTG for a real good and rewarding experience in DPRK and hope that in the future even more travelers will use their perfect service offer for a trip to this remote and underestimated country.
Alexander
Written September 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Alexander,
Thank you very much for such detailed feedback! It was a true pleasure travelling with you to North Korea and I hope to see you again in the future.
Kind regards,
Rayco (KTG Tour Manager)
Written September 14, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jordi Kroon
Eindhoven, The Netherlands5 contributions
Dec 2019
As a first time solo traveler with the strong desire to visit the DPRK out of pure curiosity I decided to send an email to KTG and 2 other large touring companies. While all of them emailed me back I felt most comfortable with KTG. They always replied back accurately, in detail and fast. Rayco in particular made the process of booking, obtaining the visa and actually visiting the DPRK very easy.
A benefit of choosing KTG over other companies is that KTG doesn't group you up with more than 10 other travelers while I saw a group of westerners who went with a different company and they were with about 30 travelers.
While my friends and family didn't like the idea of me visiting the DPRK because they thought it was a crazy and dangerous plan, I proved them very wrong. I never felt any danger. Not at the border or during my time in the country. Customs were very friendly and we even had a little chat with them about some posters we got.
The guides (Sun-Mi & Hyang-Mi) were very friendly and always felt like they were guiding us, not guarding us. Friends told me that you can't make pictures unless they tell you it's allowed to but it was more of the opposite. The rules were very clear and made a lot of sense given the high respect they give to their leaders. No pictures of military checkpoints; pictures of leaders in full frame and no pictures of buildings under construction.
The rules made sense because koreans are by far very proud people. And we weren't allowed to make any pictures at a very few locations (Inside the Palace of the sun for example). A location where if it was a western tourist site, it would also have been forbidden.
It's difficult for me to choose the number 1 thing I enjoyed the most so here are 3.
1) The students dancing on the square (mass dance). Sun-mi tried to force us to participate in dancing with the students. One of the other travelers in our group danced with one of the girls but because he didn't knew the dance (obviously) he messed up a little bit. The girl liked that he tried to dance along but while she continued with her part I saw that she was having a difficult time not to laugh.
2) New Years Eve. This felt very special because I couldn't contact home to wish them the best for 2020, but it was also a moment where we all were together as a group watching the performances, fireworks and drone show. Though it was very cold outside (-13).
3) Might be a weird one but I liked the swimming pool for a specific reason. It was the only moment it didn't felt as if I was in the DPRK. There were no guides with us, people had a lot of fun and we had a lot of fun.
(Ok a 4th one)
4) The food. Nothing more to be said. I love Korean food.
Overall a very unique experience. I would recommend KTG to everyone who is interested in visiting the DPRK.
A benefit of choosing KTG over other companies is that KTG doesn't group you up with more than 10 other travelers while I saw a group of westerners who went with a different company and they were with about 30 travelers.
While my friends and family didn't like the idea of me visiting the DPRK because they thought it was a crazy and dangerous plan, I proved them very wrong. I never felt any danger. Not at the border or during my time in the country. Customs were very friendly and we even had a little chat with them about some posters we got.
The guides (Sun-Mi & Hyang-Mi) were very friendly and always felt like they were guiding us, not guarding us. Friends told me that you can't make pictures unless they tell you it's allowed to but it was more of the opposite. The rules were very clear and made a lot of sense given the high respect they give to their leaders. No pictures of military checkpoints; pictures of leaders in full frame and no pictures of buildings under construction.
The rules made sense because koreans are by far very proud people. And we weren't allowed to make any pictures at a very few locations (Inside the Palace of the sun for example). A location where if it was a western tourist site, it would also have been forbidden.
It's difficult for me to choose the number 1 thing I enjoyed the most so here are 3.
1) The students dancing on the square (mass dance). Sun-mi tried to force us to participate in dancing with the students. One of the other travelers in our group danced with one of the girls but because he didn't knew the dance (obviously) he messed up a little bit. The girl liked that he tried to dance along but while she continued with her part I saw that she was having a difficult time not to laugh.
2) New Years Eve. This felt very special because I couldn't contact home to wish them the best for 2020, but it was also a moment where we all were together as a group watching the performances, fireworks and drone show. Though it was very cold outside (-13).
3) Might be a weird one but I liked the swimming pool for a specific reason. It was the only moment it didn't felt as if I was in the DPRK. There were no guides with us, people had a lot of fun and we had a lot of fun.
(Ok a 4th one)
4) The food. Nothing more to be said. I love Korean food.
Overall a very unique experience. I would recommend KTG to everyone who is interested in visiting the DPRK.
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey Jordi!
Thanks so much for your detailed feedback and for having gone to DPRK with KTG. It was a true pleasure meeting you in person and thank you too for sending those beautiful pictures and videos you took!
Very glad to see that you enjoyed our small group. We firmly believe that having small groups allows for more flexibility once in North Korea and it also allows us to establish a much closer relationship with our local Korean guides. As you mention, it would be very hard to do so, or so we feel, with a group of say 30 people.
Guides - we work with a list of guides who we think are best for the dynamics of the group and are very happy to see that you enjoyed the company of Sun Mi and Hyang Mi. We see them too as friends. They are curious and understanding and for us it is critical that we have guides in Korea who we deem to be top guides. Sun Mi guides many, many of our groups and we have always received excellent feedback for her, in fact she is always in high demand! She always loves our groups too, or so she tells us! Hyang Mi too guides many of our Spanish speaking travellers and we have received great feedback for her too.
I agree that the general perception of people is that guides are very strict, hardly allow you to take pictures, etc, when it is pretty much the opposite. The most important thing is that we follow the rules you mention, which are very straightforward as you say. As you say too, Koreans are indeed very proud people and those who show foreigners their country take a lot pride in doing so. And true, customs too tend to be very kind and this surprises many travellers.
Thank you too for your feedback regarding the places you enjoyed the most. New Year’s in Pyongyang is indeed a unique experience, gathering with thousands of locals at Kim Il Sung Square to celebrate the New Year.
As for the Munsu waterpark, I am extremely happy to see that you enjoyed it as we will be adding it more to our tours. It offers us a great chance to relax and enjoy an afternoon with locals!
Thank you once again for your valuable feedback Jordi! We hope to have you join one of our tours again in the future!
Best regards,
Rayco / KTG
Written April 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Buena noche, me gustaría saber el como acceder a un tour, desde Bogotá Colombia, si es posible.
Written May 16, 2021
Hola Paola, gracias por su mensaje. El país lleva cerrado al turismo desde enero 2020. Díganos por favor si le gustaría que le enviemos un email una vez se anuncie la apertura de las fronteras. Si es así envíenos un email por favor, TripAdvisor no permite escribir direcciones de email o páginas webs en sus respuestas. Puede ver la página de KTG en nuestro perfil.
No hay problema ir desde Colombia. Tiene que ir a China primero y desde China le organizamos el viaje. También podemos organizárselo desde Vladivostok en Rusia.
No dude en enviarnos un email o visitar nuestra página para más información.
Atentamente,
Rayco / KTG
Written August 27, 2021
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