Unexpected hot new destination: North Korea
Geographic Expeditions and High Country Passage are among US companies offering group trips to a somewhat unfamiliar destination: North Korea.
While its leader may be eccentric and President Bush may consider it a member of the “axis of evil,” north Korea is a hot ticket for travel this summer, says The New York Times.
Most of North Korea for the past half -century has been off-limits to Americans. But the country is offering a window for US passport holders to enter on visas from 10 August to 10 October to attend the 2006 Airang Festival in Pyongyang and to attend the 2006 Mass Games, a synchronized gymnastics performance involving thousands of participants.
The US does not officially ban travel to North Korea, but it also does not maintain diplomatic or consular relations either.
The 11-day Geographic Expedition trips start at $5,190 a person. The tours include home stays with North Korean families and a trip to the edge of the demilitarized zone.
High Country Passage is an educational tour operator offering seven trips to North Korea this summer for several universities.
Since 1982, Geographic Expeditions has offered a varied portfolio of overland tours, treks, walks, and expeditionary voyages to many of the world’s off-the-beaten-path places. GeoEx was the first American company to negotiate protocols with the Chinese government to operate tours to backcountry Tibet and far western China.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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