What about going camping and doing some hiking in the North Korean wilderness? This is not a joke. A British travel company has led the first camping and hiking trip into North Korea, opening the tourism market to the world’s most secretive country.

Be careful not to get arrested. Stay on your hiking path and act like a tourist.

Ten travellers spent nine nights in North Korea, with the highlight the “pretty testing” hiking on the slopes of Mount Myohyang and Mount Kumgang, organized by Beijing-based Koryo Tours.

This was the first time a camping trip has been allowed to go into North Korea. The hikers had to clear their own camp sites each night and gather wood for fires.

That part of North Korea has such beautiful scenery.

Koryo Tours was set up in 1993 by Nick Bonner, who is originally from Cheshire, UK and is one of the very few outside companies that is permitted to enter the country with foreign visitors.

There have in recent years been indications that North Korea is gradually opening up to the concept of tourism, particularly as it is a good source of hard currency, and Koryo Tours added a cycling tour to its portfolio last year.

Foreign runners have also taken part in the most recent Pyongyang Marathon, while tourists are also able to take on North Korean fighters in the traditional martial art of Taekwondo.