Powder Play: North Korea Opening Slopes to Russian Skiers in February for First Tourist Visits Since 2020

Powder Play: North Korea Opening Slopes to Russian Skiers in February for First Tourist Visits Since 2020 - Pyongyang Powder - Fresh Tracks Await Visitors

For decades, North Korea’s snow-capped peaks have remained untouched by foreign skiers. But that's about to change in February when the hermit kingdom opens its slopes near capital city Pyongyang to Russian tourists for the first time since 2020.

This represents a unique opportunity for adventurous skiers to explore majestic mountain vistas and sample some of Asia's lightest and driest powder snow. According to travelers who've skied in North Korea before, the conditions are pristine thanks to the lack of crowds. Fresh tracks can be found days after a storm.
One Russian who skied there a few years back said he felt like he had the entire resort to himself. "I've skied in the Alps and Rockies but nothing compares to having a seemingly endless expanse of untouched powder at your disposal," he recalled.

And while the skiing looks appealing, it's the surreal experience of skiing in the most isolated country in the world that truly fascinates. British journalist Elle Hardy, who visited North Korea on an organized ski trip in 2019, described an almost eerie feeling traversing the vacant slopes.

"There was no hustle or bustle you'd expect at a normal ski resort. Just us on these massive mountains with no one else around. It was peaceful but also incredibly strange," she said.
According to Hardy, every aspect of the visit felt highly orchestrated by the North Korean government. She wasn't allowed to venture off on her own and strangers would suddenly pop up to "help" her with mundane tasks, like putting on ski boots.

While this type of intense supervision may not appeal to everyone, Hardy said she was able to find humor in the absurdity of it all. "It was such a unique and fascinating experience," she said. "I never thought I'd be skiing down a mountain in North Korea."

For those willing to brave the cold and dicey geopolitical climate, Pyongyang in February represents one of adventure travel's final frontiers. Visiting North Korea has always been controversial but the Covid-19 pandemic virtually eliminated tourism.

Hardy believes if North Korea is truly re-opening to foreign tourists, it's a sign the government is eager to generate revenue after years of isolation. She hopes more tourists can experience this mysterious place before it potentially closes off again.
"It's like this tiny snow globe world so disconnected from everything else," she said. "I'll never forget skiing down those empty slopes, not knowing what was coming next. It was eerie but also incredibly special."

What else is in this post?

1. Powder Play: North Korea Opening Slopes to Russian Skiers in February for First Tourist Visits Since 2020 - Pyongyang Powder - Fresh Tracks Await Visitors
2. Powder Play: North Korea Opening Slopes to Russian Skiers in February for First Tourist Visits Since 2020 - Lift Lines to Dictatorship - Unique Experience Offered
3. Powder Play: North Korea Opening Slopes to Russian Skiers in February for First Tourist Visits Since 2020 - Hermit Kingdom Hospitality - What Travelers Can Expect
4. Powder Play: North Korea Opening Slopes to Russian Skiers in February for First Tourist Visits Since 2020 - Rare Views of Reclusive Realm - Scenic Slopes & Vistas

Powder Play: North Korea Opening Slopes to Russian Skiers in February for First Tourist Visits Since 2020 - Lift Lines to Dictatorship - Unique Experience Offered

While the pristine powder may be the main lure, it’s the bizarre backdrop of authoritarianism that makes skiing in North Korea such an unforgettable experience. This is a rare chance to glimpse the inner workings of perhaps the most secretive nation on earth.

British journalist Elle Hardy described it as like skiing inside a snow globe that’s been completely sealed off from the outside world. “It’s a tiny, alternate universe where everything looks similar but feels totally foreign at the same time,” she recalled.
According to Hardy, every minute detail of the visit is carefully orchestrated by the North Korean government to present a message about life under the Kim dynasty’s rule. This extends from the grandiose ski lodge decorated with massive portraits of the country’s leaders to the minders who follow your every move on the slopes.
While this intense monitoring may seem invasive to Western tourists, it provides a one-of-a-kind window into the propaganda and social controls that North Koreans live under daily. “It’s an experience that confronts you with the realities of dictatorship in a way reading about it never could,” Hardy noted.

Travelers should be prepared for frequent reminders of North Korea’s revered founder Kim Il-Sung and current leader Kim Jong-Un. Their likenesses adorn everything from lapel pins worn by staffers to the ski rental shop wallpaper.

This conspicuous display of loyalty and devotion to the ruling family contrasts sharply with the abject poverty that exists outside the elite bubbles frequented by tourists. It highlights the vast inequality thriving beneath the surface in a nominally classless communist society.
According to one Russian traveler, this cognitive dissonance between fawning over leaders versus barely surviving as their subjects made him reflect on the freedoms he took for granted back home. “It was eye-opening to see people with so little genuine enthusiasm for their rulers,” he said.

Powder Play: North Korea Opening Slopes to Russian Skiers in February for First Tourist Visits Since 2020 - Hermit Kingdom Hospitality - What Travelers Can Expect

While North Korea is renowned as the hermit kingdom for its isolation from the wider world, those who journey inside find a peculiar hospitality quite unlike anywhere else. According to tourists who have visited before, a ski trip to North Korea entails hospitality and cultural experiences curated just as meticulously as the snow slopes.
British journalist Elle Hardy recalls the hospitality as alternately warm and odd. During a chairlift ride, a staffer suddenly appeared to shovel snow off her lap. Another insisted on carrying her skis across a flat 20-foot walk. While thoughtful in theory, the hyper-attentiveness felt suffocating.

"Everywhere I turned, someone would pop up trying to 'help' with things I could easily do myself," Hardy recalled. Yet despite the performative hospitality, genuine interactions occasionally happened. During a meal, Hardy's minder revealed tidbits about her family and life in Pyongyang. The exchange reminded Hardy that her minders were people too, not just props in an elaborate production.

According to a Russian traveler, the most insight into everyday North Korean life happens through casual conversations during long bus rides. Without constant supervision, ordinary people relax and open up more. "That's when you get glimpses of reality beyond the thin veneer of propaganda," he said.
Meals also provide cultural exposure, albeit in a carefully curated way. Local North Korean cuisine is simple fare like kimchi, rice and hearty soups. But the context of communal dining makes it special. As Hardy describes, "Sharing a meal feels like the closest you'll get to ordinary North Koreans off-script."

While heavily stage-managed, these moments of exchange offer travelers a chance to connect on a human level. Past visitors say showing genuine kindness and interest can lead to North Koreans reciprocating in their own subtle, script-bound way.

Hospitality also manifests through the grand displays of monuments, events and ski infrastructure built to impress foreigners. Despite economic woes, North Korea invests vast resources to convince outsiders of its greatness under Kim Jong-Un's leadership. This propagandistic hospitality reaches new heights via lavish banquets, mass choreographed dances and more.

Powder Play: North Korea Opening Slopes to Russian Skiers in February for First Tourist Visits Since 2020 - Rare Views of Reclusive Realm - Scenic Slopes & Vistas

Beyond the intrigue of glimpsing life inside the world's most isolated nation, North Korea offers adventurous travelers jaw-dropping alpine scenery untouched by foreign crowds. According to Elle Hardy, who skied there in 2019, the vistas surpassed even her lofty expectations. "As we came over a ridge, the landscape opened up to reveal massive snow-covered peaks that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was a mesmerizing panorama I'll never forget."

In a country shrouded in secrecy, these North Korean mountainscapes feel like one of the few unfiltered peeks behind the curtain. Their raw beauty speaks for itself without any ideological filter from the regime.

While the quality of terrain doesn't quite match renowned global ski meccas like the Alps, the complete lack of crowds makes up for it. There's untracked powder days after a storm and no lift lines even during peak times. For seasoned skiers used to jostling for first tracks, having vast mountains all to yourself is the ultimate luxury.
According to a Russian who skied there previously, what stood out was the variety of runs despite just a handful of lifts. "There were steep chutes, rolling cruisers, glades, even some tiny cliffs to jump for advanced skiers. The options seemed endless," he recalled.
In between runs, skiers can retreat to surprisingly posh lodges modeled after traditional Korean architecture. Photos show A-frame buildings adorned with colorful paints, woods and stone. The interiors feature kimchi pots simmering on old-fashioned coal stoves beside walls decorated with embroidery.

While these lodges obviously cater to foreign tourists, they offer a snapshot of Korea's long cultural history that predates its division. That history, nearly erased in the South, remains on full display in the North's hermit kingdom.
And the scenic views aren't limited to winter. An Italian traveler who visited during the summer remarked on the drama of the landscape. "Seeing the rugged, green peaks rising behind Pyongyang looked so idyllic despite knowing the regime's darkness," he said.