Demilitarised Zone
The most closed border in the world, fifty kilometres from the capital.
Duration
7 hrs – 10 hrs
Best time
Early morning departure
Open
Closed Monday
Entry price
To confirm
The demilitarised zone runs two hundred and forty-eight kilometres and is four wide, either side of the 1953 armistice line. It is edged with minefields and has not been crossed since: by accident, it has become one of Asia's best-preserved wildlife reserves.
Visits must be made with an accompanied group, with passport and checks. The usual stops are the Third Infiltration Tunnel, the Dora observatory, and Dorasan station, built for a line to the North that has never been used.
Getting there
Fifty kilometres north of Seoul. No independent access: transport is part of the escorted trip, leaving from central Seoul.
What the price covers
access only on an organised tour, passport required; rate varies by operator
What to bring
- Headlamp
Rules on site
A passport is required — an identity card will not do — and nationality determines access to certain areas. Tours are cancelled without notice during military tension, and the Panmunjom joint security area has been closed to visitors since 2023.
Other places in Seoul
- Gyeongbokgung PalaceThe great royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, and the changing of the guard twice a day.
- Bukchon Hanok VillageSix hundred lived-in traditional houses, between the two royal palaces.
- Gwangjang MarketThe country's oldest covered market, its mung bean pancakes and its beef tartare.
- N Seoul TowerThe Namsan mountain tower, and the city through three hundred and sixty degrees.