"Have you been to North Korea?"
I love questions about travelling because they provide inspiration for my posts, so keep them coming! I'm particularly flattered by this question as it makes me out to be someone really adventurous, but unfortunately the answer is "no", for now. However I did the next closest thing - go on a tour to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)/Joint Security Area (JSA) & Third Tunnel and it was definitely one of the highlights of my 2013 South Korea trip (what? when did you go on that trip?).
The USO Koridoor website is totally legit, but I chose to book my tour on-site at Camp Kim, Yongsan, a few days before the actual tour date. I took Exit #10 at Samgakji Station, the Koridoor website provides other directions.
They have half or full day tours with various departure times, but the programme is generally the same. I booked an 11.30 am tour for 96,000KRW because I was afraid I couldn't wake up in time:
11:30 Depart from Camp Kim USO (there is no pick-up service)
13:00 Arrive at and tour the Third Infiltration Tunnel, Dora Observatory and Dorasan Train Station.
15:15 Arrive at Camp BONIFAS.
Receive the JSA tour brief from US Army Soldier at the JSA Visitor’s Center.
Tour the JSA (includes the Freedom House, Conference Row, The 1976 Ax Murder site, and the Bridge of No Return)
Depart Camp Bonifas.
17:00 Dinner is at a Korean Restaurant during the tour.
18:00 Depart for Camp Kim USO
19:00 Arrive at Camp Kim USO
Do arrive slightly early at Camp Kim on the day of your tour with your passport and some money for lunch, also, abide by the dress code (not an issue in Winter since you'll be all wrapped up anyway). The tour is quite popular and easy to fill up. When you arrive, remember to "sign-in" before waiting in the lobby of Camp Kim.
Basically for the tour, you depart from Camp Kim in Seoul and head to Panmumjom (also known as the JSA) and the vicinity. You don't actually get to go to the DMZ (which is a boundary 2km away from the Military Demarcation Line north- and south-wards). There are mines there for a reason, and it's where "nature thrives". You get a view of it though. The Third Tunnel (one of several dug by the North) can be tiring to climb down and up (there are seats along the way) but a much better crawl than the Cu Chi tunnels.
Onboard the bus:
Our first destination, where I realised there are also many Chinese tours going on:
Bringing together the Korean Peninsular
The USO caters to international tourists, hence offers English-speaking tours. Here's our pretty guide telling us more about the Third Tunnel before we enter.
The Entrance to the Third Tunnel, where no photography is allowed. They provide lockers for your bags and helmets for your heads. In short, you walk down a rather steep machine-bored tunnel that leads to a man-dug tunnel.
How the tunnel looks like, image from here (I do recall some scaffolding though...)
A museum. Do listen out for how many tunnels there are in all (truth is, I can't remember).
At Dorasan Observatory. I think no photography is allowed beyond a certain line.
Spot some eagles and a temple:
Dorasan Station, the last station in Gyeongui railway in South Korea. The railway linking North and South Korea has been completed but is not in use. You can pay 500 won to visit the platform.
Here's a glimpse of the railway.
Then it's on Camp Bonifas for the JSA tour brief from a US Army Soldier at the JSA Visitor’s Center, before touring the JSA (includes the Freedom House, Conference Row, The 1976 Ax Murder site, and the Bridge of No Return). I think the site and the bridge are viewed from the bus.
At the JSA, standing on the South, towards the North, with the blue rooms (UNCMAC Staff Conference Buildings) between.
In the Freedom House.
Stories about how they try to out-do each other.
Part of the tree that sparked the Ax incident
The real soldiers in the JSA are so still, I can't tell if they are real or not. Honestly!
Last look of the Freedom House before heading to dinner (not provided) and then return to Seoul (during which they play the film, JSA starring Lee Young-ae and Lee Byung-hun, so grab a seat near the front if you are interested. I was, but was seated at the end of the bus.
I highly recommend the tour, the commentary was very good, but do go in (and come out) with an open-mind. If there are any mistakes in this post, please correct me! My memory does fail me.
More pictures are available on my Flickr (simply click any photo).
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