Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. April and May bring mild temperatures, blooming landscapes, and the Pyongyang Marathon — when it runs, it is one of the few occasions where foreign visitors and local Koreans share a public space in something approaching a natural way. September and October offer crisp weather and good visibility in the mountains.
Summer (June–August) is hot and humid. July and August bring the monsoon, which can disrupt travel and render mountain paths unpleasant. It is also the season when domestic tourism peaks, which means sites like Myohyangsan will be busier.
Winter is cold — temperatures in Pyongyang drop well below freezing — and the heating in older hotels is unreliable. That said, winter tours do run, and the city under snow has a particular quality. It is a matter of tolerance for discomfort.
The Arirang Mass Games, held in autumn when they run, are the single most spectacular thing on offer in North Korea: tens of thousands of performers filling a stadium with human pixels, choreographed to near-impossible precision. They do not run every year. If they are scheduled during your visit, adjust your itinerary around them.
Political events and anniversaries matter here. Key dates — April 15 (Kim Il-sung's birthday, the Day of the Sun), February 16 (Kim Jong-il's birthday), and September 9 (the DPRK's founding day) — come with parades and ceremonies. Being in Pyongyang for one of these is memorable, though access and crowds vary unpredictably.