Can you take a North Korea Photography Tour?
Yes it’s possible and we have been successfully running Photography tours of North Korea for 5 years now.
Every July we run a VIP Photography Tour. It’s capped at just 7 travelers as opposed to the usual 25 on a standard group tour.
Can You Even Take Photos In North Korea?
It’s a common misconception that you can’t take photos in North Korea. The country is actually surprisingly open in terms of what you can photograph.
Photographing military and construction projects are off the cards however. If you’re in doubt, ask the guides.
You can also shoot video, take gopro’s etc. There are some restrictions on bringing in massive lens over 250mm so make sure to bring lens’ less than this focal length.
How Does It Work?
The booking process works in a similar way to other North Korean tours. You contact us and we arrange everything from your North Korean visa and tour to the transport in and out from China. All you need to do is show up in Beijing.
The big difference with other groups is the size. The low number means we have a lot more flexibility with the itinerary, and a lot less people getting in the way of your shot.
We also inform our North Korean partners in advance that this is a specialized tour and we request certain guides who have led this tour before and know what we are looking for.
The guides know we’re going to spend twice as long as a normal group photographing during golden hour or at the Pyongyang metro for example. They go out of their way to help us get the shots.
Who Leads the Tour?
The tour is led by Rocky Road Travel founder and part time photographer Shane Horan. He has traveled to North Korea over 50 times and has designed the itinerary.
His role as tour leader is to make sure the itinerary is being followed, suggest extra places to stop at and generally ensuring a smooth running of the tour.
All photos on this page are taken by Shane Horan on the North Korean VIP Photo Tour.
What do we see?
The itinerary has been maximized to include some of the most colorful and photogenic places in the country.
We visit beaches on both coasts in Wonsan and Nampo, stop by waterparks, schools and walk the streets of Pyongyang as much as possible.
This would not be possible with a large group.
With our small mini-van we’ll be able to skip across Pyongyang, saving time and taking side routes that bigger buses cannot travel on.
How Do I Sign Up?
Get in touch! Remember the VIP Photography Tour of North Korea only has 7 participants and will sell out fast. Book your spot today.
