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Very disappointing

I contacted them because I wanted to book a birthday trip to Socotra. I was messaging back and forth with their agent Caitlin for around 1.5 weeks, when she told me I had to send them a form and my passport copy until day x to secure the spot, otherwise it would be too late. I sent everything in time. She asked how I wanted to pay and I had a question about the payment options. It was never answered. She didn't reply for a day, then told me that the time was up and it was too late to book the tour - because I hadn't paid "in time" (I was never sent any concrete payment info). That was not communicated before at all! Why wouldn't you warn me? Why would you only tell me all I needed so send right now was the form + passport copy? Why wouldn't you give me the payment info in time? I don't even understand this from the business perspective. My planned birthday trip is now ruined, which upsets me a lot. I was honestly so thrilled to do this. I won't consider this company for any tour again, that's for sure. This is honestly just sad.

Date of experience : March 27, 2024

Safe, Professional & Fun

Just got back from an amazing 5 day trip in the DPRK celebrating the 70th anniversary with mass games. My experience with YPT has been positive from the start, due to the nature of the country I expected a few bumps along the way, but what ever hurdles the team came across they found a way to handle. They do not compromise on safety, clear instructions are given to you before you meet in China and the pre tour meeting is really handy. They employ very competent staff, our YPT guide (Matt) and Korean guide (Un Gyong) were extremely professional, knowledgeable and fun. Can honestly say that my visit would not have been the same without them, they went above and beyond what was expected and delivered some amazing experiences (Highlights include access to the military parade and Mass Games), would highly recommend booking with them!

Date of experience : September 11, 2018

YPT - pre-tour experience

Our trip is planned for 30.12. 2018 - 1.1. 2019. I must say that people for YPT are very professional and helpful even before the trip itself. I want to point out that Mr. Rowan and Mr. Lee, which we have experience with are very polite and helpful. I and my two friends are now perfectly ready for the trip. Actually, I read all the bad reviews (and there is not many), I must say that all the troubles mentioned there are caused by the tourist themselves, NOT YPT agency. Thank you YPT, Mark

Date of experience : October 24, 2018

Extraordinary Iraq tour

This tour was my second choice due to planned Syria tour didn’t materialize due to a visa problem . But I am so glad we chose to proceed to Iraq as Paris think that this is a good choice in between my Lebanon and Iran tour . This is a private tour that Paris at Young pioneer tour suggested and she was absolutely correct . The Iraq tour with a local guide Raad ( Saddam look alike ) made this tour extraordinary. Eating the fish at the market where they fire grilled for us. Due to Raads connection we were able to eat to places that normally man only can access . Did I mention there was 3 ladies that did this tour ? 🤣. We went to some places that normally it is closed but he managed to make us go in for a private viewing . Went to bazaar and drink street food and local tea. Went to a 7,000 year old religion church that welcomed us so well like we have family in Iraq. The old palace , mural and old sculpture site of Saddam Hussein was interesting. The Babylon. The boat ride in the marshes ( yes there is body of water in Iraq) . The herds of camel moving to green pastures. The people who are welcoming ( people we met wave at us and say “ welcome to Iraq “ ) , the traditional food ( I have learned to eat lamb which I never like before but started to crave for it during my stay there) . The camomile plants on the road . The birthday of Immam celebration in the mosque was very interesting . People gives us candy as a blessing . The wearing of the full gown at the beautiful mosque. Another boat ride watching the sunset . The multiple check points when we travel in other cities. One of the soldier at the check point walk to our bus and offered bottle of water for us. Isn’t he adorable? The package store ( yes beer , wine and alcohol is available for the public) . I never thought that my second choice of my Middle East journey is my favorite one . Iraq. Come visit and you will be amaze of the people, the culture, the food and the history . Yes Iraq tour is safe and Young pioneer made that happen for me , for us 3 ladies in the group .

Date of experience : February 24, 2023

Horrible Tour Company If You Are American

I signed up for their SCUBA divng trip to the DPRK and Russia almost a year in advance after being told that North Korea is safe, even for Americans. I jumped through hoops getting a PADI C-card (I've been NAUI certified for 14 years, but they didn't care) and a Russian Visa. Thirteen days before I was scheduled to leave on the trip of a lifetime, they emailed me stating that they were not cancelling the trip, but they were no longer taking Americans - that is, American tourists. If you worked for them and were American, you could still go to the DPRK (up until the US travel ban took effect). Even though they sent me my money back, I was stuck with a Russian visa that I no longer needed, a PADI C-card that I no longer needed and airline and hotel cancellation fees - everything totalled over $700. So, I spent $700 and countless hours of my time to NOT go on their tour. Their reasoning for booting me from their trip was because of the Otto Warmbier incident, which was on going when I originally signed up, but it wasn't an issue during the time they were stringing me along. However, I had never met Mr. Warmbier and have absolutely nothing to do with him, but somehow just being an American was enough to warrant a last minute ban from their trip. I would assume that the same thing could happen to other nationalities under the same circumstances. Somehow, 800-1000 American tourists a year had visited the DPRK before the US travel ban and made it back out without any problems. North Korea is NOT Disneyland, that should have been made clear to any visitor, regardless of nationality. I was able to make it to the DPRK in mid-August with another tour group (Koryo Tours) and had the time of my life. I never felt threatened or unsafe and the North Koreans were very friendly towards me. Young Pioneers banning Americans from their tours had to be politically motivated as it was in no way a safety issue. Unfortunately, it cost me a lot of time and money. Beware!

Date of experience : September 20, 2017

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Young Pioneer Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

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Young Pioneer Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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YOUNG PIONEER TOURS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Young pioneer tours reviews & ratings, enjoyed my time in the dprk with these guys.

Enjoyed my time in the DPRK with these guys, the guides are e...

Had a very special time

Had a very special time in the DPRK! Will cherish the memories...It was a roller coaster of emotions and activities. Some of the things I will never forget: bowing ...

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Editoral Review of Young Pioneer Tours

Founded in 2008 by Gareth Johnson, Young Pioneer Tours was created after his years of living as an expat in China. He realized there weren’t enough tour companies catering to the young adventurers, nor at a budget rate. With his friends - who also have a love for being on the road - they’ve created an opportunity for young people to see just how much fun you can have in outlandish and exotic parts of the world. 

What Makes Young Pioneer Tours Stand Out?

• Tours to unique (and often controversial) destinations
• Budget tours

Young Pioneer Tours strive to challenge the media’s perception of controversial destinations. Their travel theme is to bring you to places that are considered “dark tourism” - destinations associated with unsettling politics, saddening history, eccentric celebrations, and the like. Visiting a “Dictator’s Playground” or camping beside a fiery crater in the Middle East are not uncommon parts of the itinerary for Young Pioneers tours. 

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Young Pioneer Tours?

• Budget travelers
• Social and open-minded travelers

They also aim to keep all tours at a low budget rate, making it possible for more people to join their tours. Those on a shoestring budget who don’t mind staying in a hostel will fit in perfectly. Think of it like a backpacking trip - without having to organize the activities yourself.

Most Young Pioneer tours require you to walk approximately 1-3 hours per day on mostly flat terrain. Unless you’re booking one of their ski trips, your days will be spent walking through museums, cities, and markets, so it generally isn’t too strenuous. Just be sure not to wear flip flops!

Top Destinations

• North Korea
• Middle East
• Soviet Europe
• Central Asia

Young Pioneer Tours refers to their chosen destinations as “countries your mother would rather you stay away from”. As they continue to expand, they’ve also added tours to some of the least traveled countries in the world (that you’ve probably never heard of). Many of these countries are difficult to get into due to the visa process, but Young Pioneer Tours make it possible!  

While they do cover some of the main attractions in some of these destinations, don’t expect your day to consist of photo-taking at tourist spots. Their itineraries are generally a blend of sightseeing and dark tourism. An afternoon of exploring the grand city of Ashgabat might be followed by wandering around a completely deserted beach resort. Or a visit to Persepolis, a UNESCO heritage site, after posing with an AK47 in the sacred town Lalesh.

Young Pioneer Tours Travel Style

These are “group tours for people who hate group tours.” With a large focus on having fun, they cater to those who find tours to generally be too dry or educational. Their definition of fun ranges widely from exploring natural landscapes, brewery visits, and historical monuments, to cultural immersion, photography, and high adventure. Whatever it is, you’re guaranteed to have an incredibly unique and wacky adventure to tell your friends back home.

Since many of their travelers come alone, the tours tend to create a social atmosphere, where you’ll soon find yourself amongst friends. Groups are a max of 24 people, but they mention that they like to keep it at 10 people on average.

Expect accommodations to be at hostels, 3 star hotels, and homestays with local communities. This means very basic amenities, no elevators, and a simple mattress. You’ll be driven around in jeeps and vans. If you’re a simple guy or gal that isn’t too picky, and don’t require luxury for getting from point A to B, then you’ll fit it just fine.

Why Choose a Tour With Young Pioneer Tour?

If you want to be at the forefront of all the action in lesser known destinations, you’ll love traveling with Young Pioneer Tours. As they continue to expand, they remain true to their travel style in the search for all the weird and wonderful things to exist around the world.

You get to first-hand experience what these places and people are really about. With Young Pioneer Tours, you gain a better understanding and appreciation for places before writing it off as a danger zone.

You may have heard of Young Pioneer’s incident with an American citizen while traveling in North Korea, where a young man was detained for stealing a propaganda poster. It is true that unforeseen circumstances do occur, and the fun can get out of hand when alcohol is involved.

Be sure to do your own research ahead of time, and understand that these destinations do come with risks. If you decide to travel with Young Pioneers, you are responsible for respecting the do’s and don'ts that your tour guide tells you to follow. Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, be aware of your surroundings, and don’t abandon the group during your trip.   

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Why Young Pioneer Tours?

We at Young Pioneer Tours started from humble beginnings as a group of expats living in China brought together by our love of being on the road. By the nature of our own travel we learnt what makes and breaks a good trip, which made starting our tours much easier. Now, years down the line and countless tours behind us, we have tweaked and experimented with our tours to best fulfil what you guys out there are looking for, making a lot of new friends and having some interesting and bizarre experiences along the way.

We try to find ways to keep our tours as cheap as possible, to encourage all walks of life to come and see our destinations, a factor that has been key in the growth of YPT. All our group tours come with an experienced YPT guide who gives you the opportunity to do things you couldn’t do without them there to make it happen – something which is of utmost importance when off the beaten track. We have a great reputation for awfully fun guides who bring out the travel bug in people while ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

There is an attitude to travel commonly associated with experienced backpackers which we fully believe in; going out of your way to help others on the road, share experiences and make friends wherever you can. It’s this attitude which has opened doors to us that can’t be opened in other ways. Our guides have developed close bonds with the local guides and our regular customers, while maintaining the professionalism required to make everything come together to give people great memories and stories to go home with. Opening doors for people and bringing together like-minded travellers has become our main driving force and always pushes us to get the most out of each destination at a budget price. We love what we do and the community we are involved in and will keep trying to push the envelope for opening tourism in places often forgotten.

What separates YPT from the crowd in our own humble opinion are our professional, friendly and super fun guides who accompany every group tour, and not only enjoy fantastic relations with our colleagues in the DPRK and around the world, but have the first-hand knowledge and know how to open doors that would otherwise remained closed if not travelling with us. All guides work full time for the company, and are supported by a great team of staff that help out in the office.

Young Pioneer Tours Trips & Specials

Turkmenistan Photography Workshop Tour

Xinjiang: China Far West Tour

Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan Summer Combo Tour

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YOUNG PIONEER TOURS (Beijing) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Inside the Sketchy Travel Company That Took Otto Warmbier to North Korea

In an interview with The Telegraph , Warmbier’s father strongly criticizes YPT for what they are doing.

“This Chinese company has slick ads on the internet, claiming no American ever gets detained,” he said.  “Otto is a young adventure-seeking kid. They lure Americans. And that’s what happened to my son.  He was trying to leave the country and he was taken hostage. They advertise it as the safest tour ever. But they provide fodder for the North Koreans. They took him hostage. And the outcome is self-evident.”

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Young Pioneer Tours started from humble beginnings back in 2008 by Gareth Johnson, Troy Collings, and Yu Shan, a small group of expats living in China brought together by the love of being on the road. Through our own travels we learnt what makes and breaks a good trip. Now, with over 13 years of experience running tours all around the world, we tailor our tours for what you, the Pioneer, wants; seeing and experiencing other cultures, communicating with others, making new friends and pushing the boundaries of adventure travel to create unique memories that will stay with you forever.

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Socotra Island Yemen Tour

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North Korea with YPT - Young Pioneer Tours

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Just returned from a fantastic trip with YPT guides Paris and Caitlin through the 5 stans... read more

I wanted to join the YPT on tour since a few years - be it the Balkans, Mongolia, North Korea... read more

North Korea with YPT

I traveled in August 2013 with Young Pioneers to DPRK, just in time to be able to see the Mass Games in Pyongyang. I chose them not only because they offered a price cheaper than other popular options, but also because they had different options and alternatives to visit this country. At the end I opted for the 7 day Mass Games option, which included a way in and out in train. I read some reviews that recommended not to take the train. I have to disagree. Of course is not a fancy luxury train, but I doubt you can find anything luxury in DPRK. The train by itself is comfortable enough, food is good and at a reasonable price and there is beer available, which always fix any problem. Additionally, this is one of the few chances you have the chance to see the countryside (at least from your cabin) with less restrictions or limitations that you will face during your designed tour, and far from Pyongyang "fancy" lifestyle. In the case of YPT, moreover, the train trip helped to establish and reinforce bonds between the members of the tour and created good vibes among us. During the days of the tour, we had a lot of late drinking opportunities that also helped to warm and create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The Western tour guides have good connections with the local guides and showed themselves enthusiastic about the different places we visited, even if it was only a shopping mall. The Mass Games are just mind blowing and still are for me one highlight of the trip. I felt like in an opening of Olympic Games. I highly recommend to visit the country during such a period. My only comment about the tour is that a 7 day tour might be too long for some. The last two days were spent in visiting malls, crops and other places of less interest for some of the travelers. Probably a 5 day tour is enough to have a complete DRPK experience. Personally I enjoyed the two extra days mostly because of the friendships already established and the good time I had with YPT.

I toured the DPRK during December 2013 with Young Pioneer Tours and could not be more satisfied. The process of applying and paying for the tour was straightforward; transport in and out of the country was a breeze; and my time in the country was made truly surreal by Young Pioneer Tours. Our Western guides: Rohan Long-Beard, Troy Collings and the delightful Chris Kelly could not have been better hosts. They exuded professionalism, passion for the job and truly know how to have a good time in North Korea. Don't let the budget price tag fool you - no sites are missed, meals are extensive and accommodation is sound. You won't regret choosing Young Pioneer Tours.

In mid of August I spent 11 days in North Korea with Young Pioneer tours. I met several YPT people there - both from my and parallel groups. YPT have young and very dedicated guides. All people of their team - Ben, Chris, Gareth, Troy - are very friendly and with good sence of humor. They are good friends of korean guides which makes communications with local people more easy. I hate group tours in fact but with North Korea it is impossible to travel by yourself. I was very worried about that trip and was always looking for some kind of independence in North Korea. DPRK is quite a difficult country, standard tours are similar everywhere and in my opinion all the reports I saw about the country are quite boring and like a stamp. But I'm glad I met YPT and their guides helped me to enjoy my fantastic stay in North Korea. I really had fun and drive in that prohibited place of universe (-;

I travel in DPRK through the Extreme National Day Returners tour. Not only this got a bada*s name for a tour, but we had plenty of amazing experiences - including late-night beers, drinking games and smokes with the local guides. I was amazed by the connection between YPT's guides with the locals, they really are well-known and appreciated in North Korea. They do an amazing job to make you understand properly how the country works, and this company really do a lot for the tourism scene in the country. Also, this is NOT a tour group like other ones. You travel with a bunch of people that you can call friends, and at no point I feel like I was part of a boring group visiting the museum of boredom. But that's not all, Young Pioneer Tours (or "YoungPo", for the NKoreans) were also really flexible in the booking, regarding payment and other administrative details. I don't like group tours. But this is definitely not one, and now I feel that I have to spend more money with them to visit other parts of the world, such as Iran or Chernobyl. Damn it.

I don't know where to start as everything that is great about this company has already been said. I went on a "political interest" tour of the DPRK in October 2013 with YPT along with the Dandong and South Korea extension and everything was on point. Ms. Pak and Mr. Rim were my DPRK tour guides and Chris was my Western guide. My great experience with them started before I even got there. I had some major logistical issues involving my dual citizenship where I had to change all my reservations from train tickets to plane tickets that fit the itinerary. They kept in constant contact with me and they gave me the best possible solution after reviewing a lot of different options over the phone. Whenever you call their office a live person ALWAYS picks up. Anyways onto my tour experience with YPT. Their motto is "tours for people who don't like tours" which is pretty accurate as they specialize in taking people to countries where you basically "have" to go on a tour either because of gov't restrictions (North Korea, Iran) or lack of good facilities for tourism (Myanmmar, Cuba). They generally cater to young backpackers (20s, 30s) and keep their prices down and give you the most "bang for your buck" that you can get. I'm a really loud, extroverted wild young dude so I was really happy to be able to do a tour that was laid back, funny, liked to drink and where I wasn't afraid of "saying the wrong thing" like I would have to in a bus full of a bunch of uptight-fannypack-wearing-stuffy-typical-bustour crowd. I should mention that the average age group for their tours is going to be around 25-30yo with this tour company and things are going get rowdy at night and on the bus, whereas the other tour companies that go to DPRK (Koryo etc) are going to have a much older civil crowd (based on what I saw). I don't discourage older travelers and couples from going on a YPT tour but be aware of the demographic. One thing to keep in mind is that regardless of which company you choose, from what I learned it appears the activities are "mostly" inflexible as all tour companies have to work through North Korea's official tour company "KITC" which puts a lot of restrictions on the itinerary, what can be done etc. YPT "works their magic" in various ways to push the boundries to get as much of a unique experience as possible within the somewhat rigid framework that KITC. You're still going to hear and see a never ending amount of Kim propaganda until your ears bleed but that is going to happen regardless of which western tour company you choose (this is North Korea after all). It was those extra sights that YPT fought for during our 5 short days in the country that made our trip special. For example we got to visit a real steel factory which was probably one of the highlights of our trip (so cool). The soldier at the DMZ was also willing to take a picture with every single person on the tour one-by-one, which our guide says rarely happens (confirmed by a friend of mine who went with Koryo who said he did not have a chance to get a photo with a soldier) This makes it ironic that YPT isn't only the cheapest of the DPRK tour companies, but you are actually getting to see more then tour companies charging two or three times as much. I'm sorry to sound like an advertisement, but after going, talking to other people who went on different tours and verifying prices for myself I can tell you it's really true. Rumor has it this has a lot to do with the fact that YPT has developed a special relationship with many of the people working for KITC. After the DPRK tour Chris helped set me in the right direction for my flight to Dandong, where I got to do a great 2 day tour of the Chinese area bordering DPRK and saw a bunch of sketchy stuff going on in the Yalu river and they were screaming "no pictures" in Chinese (really got my blood running). They also took me to the end of the great wall of China. Dandong = Recommended extension for a day or two. I then went on a boat from Dandong, China to South Korea where I spent the night drinking cheap beer and smoking cigarretes in a cramped room with a bunch of Chinese laborers, communicating through charades and 10-15 words of Chinese. After arriving to Incheon, SK - my guide Rob was there to take me to Seoul and show me around the next 2 days. Since I was the only one on the extension it was just me and him, it was tons of fun. He took me to a place where we had to eat live Octopus, I didn't puss out. Basically I also recommend the South Korean extension, it's a really good deal at €290 since it includes the boat ride, lodging, trip to the DMZ (which you have to book in advance in South Korea) and most importantly, it includes Rob, who was a really awesome guide. All in all, I totally recommend these guys for adventure tourism, particularly for DPRK. If you're the type of person who isn't big on tours (like me) but has to sign up for one to visit a certain hard-to-go destination. I highly highly recommend these guys. Sometimes its cool to travel on your own but Young Pioneers Travel has opened my eyes that there are actually tour companies out there catering to young backpackers. Thanks for reading! - Freddy

l know that Young Pioneers tours to the DPRK always get a good review and thats why we booked my August 2014 trip with them. We was unlucky not to get Rowan who l meet and l'am sure that he would be a awesome leader but unfortantly l ended up with a trainee who maybe handle suituations different. l guess most of my complaints which l have sent to YPT head office were directed at the local North Korean guide but we did spend a large amount of money to join their 8 day tour which after about 1/3 of the places we suppose to visit were cancelled by the giude, then he consantly tried to cheat us on things but still at the start and end of the tour expect a large gift and tip, so he really pissed me off. YPT told me that they would not use this leader again but paying close to all up US $2000 for 8 days, l really don't know if l could recommend them. l guess you can roll the dice and hope that you get a good western leader and a resonable local leader, then you will have a good time.

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I was so lucky to avoid Otto Warmbier’s fate in North Korea

The horrific death of the American student Otto Warmbier after 17 months’ imprisonment in North Korea has put my own years of mischief in the secretive country into sharp focus.

Warmbier, a 22-year-old from the University of Virginia, was arrested in January 2016 and sentenced to 15 years’ hard labour for allegedly attempting to steal a propaganda poster from the hotel he was staying in. He disappeared for more than a year, only to resurface last week when he was flown to the US, suffering an unresponsive coma that led to his death on 19 June.

For those with only an arms-length awareness of North Korea , his tale is as terrifying as it is absurd – but for me, having visited the country on more than one occasion, it has been a fearsome reality check that only adds to my understanding of the absolute tragedy of his fate.

I travelled with YPT – Young Pioneer Tours – which was responsible for Warmbier’s visit, on my first trip to the country in 2009, when its founder, Gareth Johnson, was still hustling for business in the travel forums of the Couchsurfing website. At the age of 23 I drank down the sales pitch of “budget trips to destinations your mother would rather you stayed away from”, and its logic of intrigue, adventure and daring - with no real sense of the risks.

Over the years of its operation Young Pioneer Tours has developed a reputation for gung ho and unruly alcohol-fuelled youths, propagating an unreal idea of North Korea where safety is an afterthought. Its culture trickles down to their guests – Warmbier was reportedly up drinking until 5am on the night of his “crime”, and YPT says it was unaware he had even been separated from the group by Korean officials until they had boarded the plane home. A quick Google of “ young pioneer tours drunk ” will bring up plenty of anecdotes of this kind of behaviour, usually from disgruntled non-drinkers, reporting on alcohol-induced bad behaviour by guides, travel companions or both.

I can add to the chorus. Johnson was supposed to lead me and a group of friends on the one-week excursion, but I only ever met him once in the end, in a diplomatic hospital in Pyongyang. He had broken his leg after trying to either board or disembark from a moving train heading towards the capital. The wife of one of his colleagues took his place.

The boozy logic of the company and its trips was fuelled by a bizarre, maladaptive nihilism that, much like the panopticon -like nature of North Korea itself, we were all to some degree forced to engage with. This wasn’t always completely bad. There was a lot of leeway with what we felt we could get away with in the supposedly “hermit” kingdom – and in truth most of the time we had a lot of fun feeling like we were flouting the rules and proving the world wrong. Warmbier’s dash along the “secret floor” of the Yanggakdo International Hotel in Pyongyang was a rite of passage for misbehaving twentysomethings looking for thrills, spills and stories to brag about back home. These games were never discouraged by YPT – and several of us had a go. Warmbier’s simple mistake was to unwittingly overstep the ambiguous boundaries by trying to bring back a forbidden trophy.

The shock of Warmbier’s initial arrest and his wretched, seemingly forced, confession of guilt; his disappearance and reappearance in a coma over a year later, followed by his almost immediate death; the rattling confusion of there being no information on how or why any of this happened – all this triggered memories in me of events that could have plausibly escalated in the same deadly way for me.

The time our bus was held up and our belongings were searched because the North Koreans thought someone might have stolen a towel. No big deal, right? The time I agreed to a North Korean girl’s request to take a love letter back to London (to give to someone I knew who had also visited North Korea), warning me not to let it be found at the border. The time that same visitor was held at the border at the end of his next visit, for ripping his photo out of his visa and giving it to her. OK, maybe that was pushing it a bit. But looking back, any of these things could have kickstarted a similar tragedy had it suited our hosts, and I’m gobsmacked by the naivety under which we all laboured.

What do we know about how Otto Warmbier's health deteriorated?

It is impossible to get reliable information about the welfare and treatment of foreigners detained in North Korea, and the Ohio coroner’s office has not been able to determine the cause of death after carrying out an external examination. 

We do know that the student was medically evacuated from North Korea on 13 June and flown to the US, where he died on 19 June. 

No evidence has emerged to support North Korea’s claim that Warmbier fell into a coma after contracting botulism and taking a sleeping pill. Doctors in the US have said his condition was probably caused by a heart attack that cut the blood supply to his brain. 

His parents, who have asked doctors not to conduct an autopsy, did not cite a specific cause of death but blamed “awful, torturous mistreatment” by North Korea. But doctors in the US said there was no evidence that Warmbier had been beaten. 

Any number of factors could be behind the deterioration in Warmbier’s health during his time in prison: poor hygienic conditions, malnutrition or lack of proper medical care may have been responsible for a coma that North Korean doctors were unable to treat.  Read more

A year after that first trip, still feeling naively invincible and hungry for more adventure, I separately returned to the north of the country with two friends and ended up getting held hostage for 24 hours, for my friends’ crime of wanting to go to the Chinese consulate to update their visas. Spying an opportunity to mess with us, the North Koreans in charge confiscated our passports and refused us contact with the British embassy as part of a poorly thought-out extortion attempt.

Luckily our handlers were either bad gangsters and not experienced in the art of crime or, being at the isolated tip of the country, were not sufficiently plugged into the state’s Kafkaesque matrix of dependency-led mafiadom to let our situation escalate into who knows what. They quickly gave up harassing us when they ran out of a pretty small set of strategic moves and booted us back into China having taken little more than the €300 in cash we had between us, and my friend’s London Transport Museum wristwatch – a small price to pay for freedom.

Looking back now I feel lucky that the ice never broke beneath my feet. YPT made little substantial comment at the time of Warmbier’s arrest and its tours continued – only now, in response to his death, has the company announced that it will no longer be taking US citizens to the country.

But the rest of us are still invited on to the same party-tastic tightrope that I and Otto Warmbier, and thousands of others, danced on during one of YPT’s “18-30s in the danger zone” excursions in the most isolated nation on earth. Now that there are no illusions about just how bad a fall can be, how many will still be willing to accept this as a one-off tragedy – when one is already too many?

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Very disappointing

I contacted them because I wanted to book a birthday trip to Socotra. I was messaging back and forth with their agent Caitlin for around 1.5 weeks, when she told me I had to send them a form and my passport copy until day x to secure the spot, otherwise it would be too late. I sent everything in time. She asked how I wanted to pay and I had a question about the payment options. It was never answered. She didn't reply for a day, then told me that the time was up and it was too late to book the tour - because I hadn't paid "in time" (I was never sent any concrete payment info). That was not communicated before at all! Why wouldn't you warn me? Why would you only tell me all I needed so send right now was the form + passport copy? Why wouldn't you give me the payment info in time? I don't even understand this from the business perspective. My planned birthday trip is now ruined, which upsets me a lot. I was honestly so thrilled to do this. I won't consider this company for any tour again, that's for sure. This is honestly just sad.

Date of experience : 27 March 2024

Safe, Professional & Fun

Just got back from an amazing 5 day trip in the DPRK celebrating the 70th anniversary with mass games. My experience with YPT has been positive from the start, due to the nature of the country I expected a few bumps along the way, but what ever hurdles the team came across they found a way to handle. They do not compromise on safety, clear instructions are given to you before you meet in China and the pre tour meeting is really handy. They employ very competent staff, our YPT guide (Matt) and Korean guide (Un Gyong) were extremely professional, knowledgeable and fun. Can honestly say that my visit would not have been the same without them, they went above and beyond what was expected and delivered some amazing experiences (Highlights include access to the military parade and Mass Games), would highly recommend booking with them!

Date of experience : 11 September 2018

YPT - pre-tour experience

Our trip is planned for 30.12. 2018 - 1.1. 2019. I must say that people for YPT are very professional and helpful even before the trip itself. I want to point out that Mr. Rowan and Mr. Lee, which we have experience with are very polite and helpful. I and my two friends are now perfectly ready for the trip. Actually, I read all the bad reviews (and there is not many), I must say that all the troubles mentioned there are caused by the tourist themselves, NOT YPT agency. Thank you YPT, Mark

Date of experience : 24 October 2018

Extraordinary Iraq tour

This tour was my second choice due to planned Syria tour didn’t materialize due to a visa problem . But I am so glad we chose to proceed to Iraq as Paris think that this is a good choice in between my Lebanon and Iran tour . This is a private tour that Paris at Young pioneer tour suggested and she was absolutely correct . The Iraq tour with a local guide Raad ( Saddam look alike ) made this tour extraordinary. Eating the fish at the market where they fire grilled for us. Due to Raads connection we were able to eat to places that normally man only can access . Did I mention there was 3 ladies that did this tour ? 🤣. We went to some places that normally it is closed but he managed to make us go in for a private viewing . Went to bazaar and drink street food and local tea. Went to a 7,000 year old religion church that welcomed us so well like we have family in Iraq. The old palace , mural and old sculpture site of Saddam Hussein was interesting. The Babylon. The boat ride in the marshes ( yes there is body of water in Iraq) . The herds of camel moving to green pastures. The people who are welcoming ( people we met wave at us and say “ welcome to Iraq “ ) , the traditional food ( I have learned to eat lamb which I never like before but started to crave for it during my stay there) . The camomile plants on the road . The birthday of Immam celebration in the mosque was very interesting . People gives us candy as a blessing . The wearing of the full gown at the beautiful mosque. Another boat ride watching the sunset . The multiple check points when we travel in other cities. One of the soldier at the check point walk to our bus and offered bottle of water for us. Isn’t he adorable? The package store ( yes beer , wine and alcohol is available for the public) . I never thought that my second choice of my Middle East journey is my favorite one . Iraq. Come visit and you will be amaze of the people, the culture, the food and the history . Yes Iraq tour is safe and Young pioneer made that happen for me , for us 3 ladies in the group .

Date of experience : 24 February 2023

Horrible Tour Company If You Are American

I signed up for their SCUBA divng trip to the DPRK and Russia almost a year in advance after being told that North Korea is safe, even for Americans. I jumped through hoops getting a PADI C-card (I've been NAUI certified for 14 years, but they didn't care) and a Russian Visa. Thirteen days before I was scheduled to leave on the trip of a lifetime, they emailed me stating that they were not cancelling the trip, but they were no longer taking Americans - that is, American tourists. If you worked for them and were American, you could still go to the DPRK (up until the US travel ban took effect). Even though they sent me my money back, I was stuck with a Russian visa that I no longer needed, a PADI C-card that I no longer needed and airline and hotel cancellation fees - everything totalled over $700. So, I spent $700 and countless hours of my time to NOT go on their tour. Their reasoning for booting me from their trip was because of the Otto Warmbier incident, which was on going when I originally signed up, but it wasn't an issue during the time they were stringing me along. However, I had never met Mr. Warmbier and have absolutely nothing to do with him, but somehow just being an American was enough to warrant a last minute ban from their trip. I would assume that the same thing could happen to other nationalities under the same circumstances. Somehow, 800-1000 American tourists a year had visited the DPRK before the US travel ban and made it back out without any problems. North Korea is NOT Disneyland, that should have been made clear to any visitor, regardless of nationality. I was able to make it to the DPRK in mid-August with another tour group (Koryo Tours) and had the time of my life. I never felt threatened or unsafe and the North Koreans were very friendly towards me. Young Pioneers banning Americans from their tours had to be politically motivated as it was in no way a safety issue. Unfortunately, it cost me a lot of time and money. Beware!

Date of experience : 20 September 2017

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YPT is a terrible tour company - Young Pioneer Tours

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Just returned from a fantastic trip with YPT guides Paris and Caitlin through the 5 stans... read more

I wanted to join the YPT on tour since a few years - be it the Balkans, Mongolia, North Korea... read more

YPT is a terrible tour company

I signed up for the Transnistria tour fully understanding that it was a budget tour to an off-the-beaten-path location. Therefore, I expected that accommodations would be spartan and that the trip wouldn't run completely smoothly. Despite my low expectations, this trip was incredibly disappointing and frustrating. And the problems with the trip were not attributable to the location. They were entirely due to the tour company and tour leader, Shane, being disorganized, dishonest and disinterested in creating an enjoyable travel experience for the tour group. Here are just a few examples of the poor organization and poor accommodations: Upon arrival in Odessa, we were offered a "catacomb" tour. It turned out that we spent hours walking and crawling through tunnels under the city (not catacombs in the traditional sense of the word), skillfully avoiding pools of human waste. We were not warned of the claustrophobic conditions. In Tiraspol, we were told to meet in the hotel lobby in the morning so that we could go to breakfast, then tour the city. We met around 8:30 a.m., then went from restaurant to restaurant finding out that they did not open until 10:00 a.m. The tour leader should have known and/or done research to find out the opening times (which were clearly posted at the entrances of the restaurants). Each night, we would meet in the hotel lobby to go out to dinner. We were typically told the restaurant was a ten-minute walk away. In reality, we would walk for at least 30 minutes before arriving at the restaurant. And because we were such a large group, it would be hours until we were all served dinner. We would spend most days walking around aimlessly in the cold, with very little sightseeing. In Tiraspol, where temperatures were as low as 0 degrees celsius, the hotel did not have heating in any of the rooms, and did not have hot water in most of the rooms. Also, the hotel was far below the "Soviet experience" advertised on the website, and it honestly appeared to be a condemned building. When I originally booked the tour, the YPT website advertised that the tour size would be limited to 10 people and the website had an itinerary for the trip. In reality, there were 21 people in the group and the itinerary was materially different than what I originally read on the website. I found out later that YPT changed its website to reflect the larger group size (10 people per tour leader, not per tour) and the itinerary was changed as well. I was never informed by YPT of these changes, despite having paid for something different than what was delivered. This trip was almost a complete waste of time. The only redeeming aspect of the trip was that my fellow travelers were delightful and interesting people.

Hi Krystle, Thanks for your review, we appreciate your feedback. The groups are capped at 10 people but as we had so many people applying we decided to take in 2 groups of 10/11 people, each with their own guide and vehicle. We're sorry that this changed from our original goal for the tour, but we thought that the small group tour during the day with both groups together for food and drinks in the evening would work well. In the future we will take different groups to different restaurants as well. Our assessment of walking and waiting times though does not match up with yours. It's possible that the cold made it feel a lot longer. This is a budget tour to an unrecognised country and our tour coincided with Freak snowstorm, in fact it was the biggest snowstorm Moldova has seen in many years. Hot water was out one night in the hotel but available the other. The hotel itself is for many a highlight of their Transnistria experience. It is very run down, but it was built during Soviet times and is part of an unrecognised country with a failing economy and very few options for foreign investment. Our tour of Transnistria is a budget adventure tour and perhaps is not for everyone. The catacombs tour is quite intense for some travellers but it is an optional extra and most people think it is well worth seeing. We will make sure that we describe the conditions in greater detail and make sure that all group members have heard the description in the future. Regarding your comments about Shane, the other feedback and the seven other reviews we've had from this tour have all spoken extremely highly of his performance and what he contributed to the trip (as well as the tour itself). It's unfortunate that he wasn't able to satisfy you and looking at your feedback, I do think he needs to improve his communication with the group and we'll be working to improve that with him. In terms of the itinerary, the unseasonal snowstorm had an influence on this and some things were moved around, only two were canceled- the wine tour for which we gave you a refund and the University, instead we were the first foreigners to visit the Russian Peace bridge. This may not have been something you're interested in, but we did what we could considering the desires of the other group members and the weather. Again, thanks for your feedback, we appreciate it and will take it on board for the future.

I was originally due to visit Pyongyang in 2015 but just before my visit the DPRK borders were closed because of the ebola virus outbreak but I managed to re-book on an Ultra Budget tour. Booking with YPT was one of the best decisions I could have made because the booking process was straighforward as well as the arranging of the DPRK Visa. I went on the Ultra Budget May Day tour which I joined in Beijing and from start to finish was well organised. There were 50 people on the tour to Pyongyong and was split into two groups lead by Ben and Rowan who were efficient and knowledgeable, local guides accompanied at all times and were friendly and also very knowledgeable. There was a short amount of time in the country but there were a lot of attractions that were included in the tour, some were withdrawn at short notice but alternative sights were quickly arranged. I was impressed with Young Pioneer Tours and I would recommend them to anyone thinking of travelling to DPRK at reasonable cost.

I'm not the kind of person who is joining an organised tour, but for north korea there is till now no other way for a tourist to go there and i choicest young pioneers, because of their good reviews and unbeatable price. i had an amazing time with them. absolutly nothing to complain!!! matt kulesza is definitly one of the best guides i ever met !!!

I admit the only thing I knew about North Korea (or after this trip DPRK / Korea ;-) was the info I gathered from various youtube videos. The idea to go there during the Trump/Kim sabre rattling in April / May 2017 was pretty spontaneous and I didn't regret it for a single moment. Not being the anxious type though our tour guide sent out a mail prior to our departure to calm down worried participants as the guys from YPT apparently have first hand info on the situation. Everything was TOP organized. The group was homogeneous due to the good energy of our guide Matt who was by far the best person in charge ever experienced - and that throughout the whole trip. Smiling, patient, positive, encouraging, informative - "a thoroughbred" if you wanna call it that way. Not being a big fan of organized journeys I would definitely join the YPT guys again as it didn't feel like the regular boring "Birkenstock" bus-ride. Thanks for this massive experience, your flexibility, ongoing patience and great memories. Hope to join you at some point for another adventure again.

Having read a number of positive reviews about YPT, we booked the marathon tour for April 2017. What an incredible experience! YPT organised every aspect of the tour with care and attention. I have never before been on a group tour, so for me it was a new experience in many ways. The days were well balanced, and the selected activities and attractions were perfectly curated. The YPT team have clearly formed and maintained very positive relationships with DPRK tour partners and amenities (hotels, restaurants etc). Our guide, Matt, was a revelation - his limitless positive energy, generous wit, attention to every detail and need, and knowledge of (and deep respect for) DPRK culture, history and customs elevated the experience beyond what I could have possibly expected. We love you Matt! You are a most valuable asset to a brilliantly conceived and managed tour company. I would absolutely recommend YPT tours to the DPRK.

I'll confess to doing very little research on choosing a company to visit North Korea through and I reckon I was really lucky to choose YPT. A few things need to go your way with a group tour and YPT nailed most of it. Rowan the tour leader was the exact right combination of easy going, knowledgeable and honest about what we were seeing. While the group was a great mix he certainly brought the best out in everyone and that made for an awesome tour. You have to join a group tour to see DPRK and from chatting to other groups its became pretty clear that YPT are the best. Expect to be really tired most of the time, for ten days straight you have 8am departures not getting back to the hotels until 9-10pm and hitting the bars, karaoke, pool and billards after. Each day is packed with new and unusual things, including heaps of stuff you never thought you'd be able or allowed to do. There may be one or two things in the itinerary that you aren't super interested in but by and large you'll want to experience everything. I thought it was amazing value for money, most things are included in the price and you probably wont dip into your pocket for more than $50 a day for tips, alcohol, souvenirs or occasional entrance fees to some sites. You'll probably want to take some gifts and stuff, most of the suggestions on the tour information handout are lame, email Rowan or one of the guys for some better suggestions. DPRK is super safe, well, you know, apart from imminent nuclear destruction. There is no petty theft, no assault, no scams, no discounting or haggling - ideal for female travelers too. Just don't do anything dumb and you'll be fine. Finally, Rowan will get naked if you sing him Kamsa Ham Ni Da.