2 Night Marathon Tour from Beijing

Arrival day in Pyongyang

• Flight departure from Beijing on Air Koryo - flight times are TBC and subject to change. Currently expected to depart around midday/early afternoon. A 2-hour flight with basic lunch.
• Arrival to Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport (FNJ). DPRK immigration and customs, meet your Korean guides, and transfer to the city.
• Arch of Triumph | A massive archway made for the 70th anniversary of the birth of President Kim Il Sung in 1982 and commemorating the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule in 1945. Larger than its counterpart in Paris.
• Kim Il Sung Stadium & Marathon Route Preview | Visit the stadium where you will start and finish your race, and then drive the marathon route to familiarise yourself with the roads, turning points and toilet stops.
• Check into the Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang home away from home for most (but not all!) foreign visitors to Pyongyang, this 47-story hotel is located on an island in the middle of the Taedong River and offers great views of the city. Comfortable rooms and comprehensive leisure facilities: swimming pool, spa, billiards, bowling, gift shops, tea houses and beer brewed on-site.
• Optional movie screening of Run and Run | a DPRK film about marathon runner Yong Ho who faces the physical and mental struggles of marathon participation. After both his father and work unit manager tell him to stop running, he becomes more determined to achieve his marathon dream. The film will be shown at the Pyongyang International House of Cinema (80 RMB entry fee paid on the spot). A Koryo Tours exclusive and sure to provide you with motivation ahead of the big event!

The big event - The Pyongyang Marathon 2024!

• The 2024 Pyongyang Marathon | this is your chance to run the streets of Pyongyang in the DPRK’s largest annual sports event! Join the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km or 5km race — all of which follow a return course that starts and ends in Kim Il Sung Stadium in front of a 50,000-strong capacity crowd of local Koreans. The full route, which has been certified by both the IAAF and AIMS, leads right through the city centre, past a number of iconic landmarks, and then out into Pyongyang's less urban districts. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to see more of the capital and interact with people along the course.
• Shower, resting time and lunch | After the marathon's closing ceremony, we'll be heading back to the hotel to recharge, shower and rest before heading out for a relaxing afternoon of sightseeing in Pyongyang
• Mansudae Grand Monument | Enormous bronze statues of President Kim Il Sung and Leader Kim Jong Il overlooking downtown Pyongyang. A presentation of flowers and bow by the group is customary here (5 EUR). Please note this is a government-administered sight and visits are subject to cancellation. Visits are optional and require a certain dress code (close-toed shoes and covered legs and shoulders). Here we will also see the Chollima Monument, or ‘thousand ri (400 km or 250 mile) horse’ -a symbol of speed- commemorating the quick rebuilding of the country in the 1950s following the Korean War.
• Kim Il Sung Square | Pyongyang’s central square lined with government ministries, museum and The Grand People’s Study House
• Foreign Languages Bookshop | Store selling Korean publications translated into English, German, French, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic.
• Tower of the Juche Idea | The tallest stone monument in the world and dedicated to the DPRK's guiding philosophy. Take the elevator to the top (5 EUR ticket) for a panoramic view of Pyongyang.
• Party Foundation Monument | Iconic structure featuring the hammer, sickle & writing brush which make up the emblem of the Worker’s Party of Korea and represent workers, farmers, and intellectuals.
• Local Beer Bar | Relax at one of Pyongyang’s local bars to wrap up an exciting day.
• Pyongyang Marathon Banquet | Dinner tonight will be at the annual Pyongyang Marathon Banquet. Celebrate your run and toast the marathon with your fellow runners, guides and local event organisers. A casual affair, no dress code requirements.

Overnight | Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang.

Departure Day

For those opting to fly out, flight departure from Pyongyang on Air Koryo with a expected arrival at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) Terminal 2 by midday.