DMZ and Panmunjom Tour

I really wanted to go to DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) the first time I went to Korea.  However, due to time constraints, I wasn't able to.  On this 3rd trip to Korea, I booked ahead of time and hoped that the tour would push through.  The tour route and schedule may be cancelled if a particular situation arises in the Joint Security Area (JSA).

Booking the tour

There are a lot of tour agencies online offering the DMZ and Panmunjom tours.  Some of them offering lower prices than the others.  (I later on learned that only 4 tour agencies are allowed inside JSA.  Other agencies coordinate with them if they have tourists who would want to take that tour.)

About 2 weeks before our arrival, I contacted via email 2 agencies and chose the one who replied first, which is Panmunjom Travel Center (PTC).  I was able to secure 2 seats for the combined DMZ and Panmunjom tours for KRW120,000.  I was asked to provide the name, nationality and passport numbers of each tourist, as well as our arrival date and contact information.  Payment has to be made at their office before their tour starts.  In our case, we paid after the tour because their office was still closed early morning.

FYI: They allow luggage to be brought on the bus.  We did since we took the tour on the day of our arrival.  We went straight to the meeting place from the airport.

The Itinerary

The Panmunjom/DMZ Combined tour begins at 8:00am at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong (near City Hall).

	07:30~8:00	Registration (Lotte Hotel 6th floor Panmunjom Travel Center desk)
	08:00~09:30	Take Freedom Highway to Imjingak Tourist Resort(Memorial Altar, Freedom Bridge, Unification bell) by tour bus
	09:40~12:00	3rd Infiltration Tunnel, Dora Observatory (transfer to Shuttle bus)
	12:10~13:10	Lunch (Bulgogi)
	13:20~13:30	Check Passport at Unification bridge
	13:30~13:45	Arrive at United Nation Command Security Battalion “Camp Bonifas”
	13:45~14:15	Receive detailed slide briefing
	14:15~15:30	Take military bus to Joint Security Area, Freedom House Military Armistice Commission Building, and Bridge of no return
	16:30	Arrive at Lotte Hotel in Seoul

The morning tour is more of the DMZ area.  After lunch, it was on the more secured Joint Security Area (JSA).

Reminders from the tour agency

The dress code for Panmunjom is as follows:
No Shorts - for the skirt/dresses they need to be about knee length.
No sandals, flip-flop or slippers
No t-shirts; must be collared shirts
Civilian clothes preferred
Jeans accepted with no holes
No Tank tops
No exercise clothes
No stretch pants/tights

Cameras up to, but not exceeding 90mm are allowed.

If you cancel the tour there is 100% cancellation charge on tour day and 50% cancellation charge the day before the tour day. So, if you’d like to cancel your reservation or something please let us know that until the 3 day before the tour day.

In the case of Children, admission is granted to born in 2001.
This tour fixed number of tourist per day. If you do not come without notice, you took away a tour spot from others.

* According to the military situation, the tour route and schedule can be cancelled without notice. * You must need to RECONFIRM the tour slot the day before the tour.

Tour Agency

Panmunjom Travel Center (PTC)
Address: Lotte Hotel Main Bldg. 6th Floor, Sogong-dong, Chung-gu, Seoul Korea, 100-721
Business Hours: (Monday to Friday) 9:00 to 18:00, (Saturday) 9:00 to 14:00

Tel: 82.2.771.5593-5    Fax:  82.2.771.5596
Email: jsa33@korea.com, ptcjsa@gmail.com
Homepage: http://www.panmunjomtour.com

References from VisitKorea site

DMZ Tours
DMZ
Panmunjom