Tours and holidays to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone
Visiting the exclusion zone isn’t everyone’s idea of a holiday, but it really is a trip that should be taken to understand the scale of the 1986 disaster which left this small corner of Ukraine and Belarus uninhabitable. Tight controls on who can enter the zone mean that a guided tour is the only legal way to enter. There is a vast range of options and since the HBO Chornobyl series was aired in 2019 the prices and numbers of tours have increased dramatically.
Things have changed in Chornobyl since this was written. Hopefully, one-day peace will return and visiting this special region of Ukraine will be possible.
Things to consider when planning a trip to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone from Kyiv
Booking in Advance
When you decide to travel to the exclusion zone, it cannot be done in the moment. If you turn up at the Dytiatky checkpoint on your own you will not be able to enter the exclusion zone. You will need to book in advance and provide the tour company with your full passport details as well as other information required for the documentation. They will be issued with a permit for your entry which will be checked at the entry point as well as at various times during your stay even if it is just for one day. It takes about 10 days for documentation to be processed although some companies can get things organised much quicker than this.
Length of time in the zone
One day is barely enough with travelling times included, can you manage longer to make the most of the available time? This is a real consideration. There is so much to see in Pripyat and the surrounding area that even with two days there is not enough time to do it all. The drive from Kyiv to Dytiatky takes two hours and it is then a further hour to Chornobyl town before continuing on to Pripyat. This all adds up. 6 hours of the day tour is spent travelling which if you spend longer in the zone is made more worthwhile.
The other bonus to staying in the zone is that you get time before the day trip buses arrive. The checkpoint is closed from 6 pm until 8 am so only people staying in the zone at the single hotel will be there at the beginning and end of the day. This means that buildings are empty and you are not racing for the checkpoint at the end of the day.
Group size
This is really important. Find out the maximum group size. Do you want to be experiencing this with 6 other people or 30 other people? All of the tours have different group sizes. These range from a small private tour in a private car with your own guide, to large group tours on a bus with thirty others. This is fine, but if you want to take photographs then having 30 others milling around is not very helpful. Ask about maximum group sizes before you book and get it confirmed by email.
Departure point
Where does the tour leave from? Is this easy to get to early in the morning? This may seem like a mad thing to think about but the Chornobyl tours depart from all over Kyiv and usually early in the morning. Check the departure point before booking to make sure it is easy to reach either on public transport or by Uber (this is the easiest way to book taxis in Kyiv). The city is slow to wake up and a 7 am departure on a Sunday morning needs to be planned in advance.
Key places you want to visit
There is no point in booking a tour if your primary location isn’t included. All of the tour companies list their locations and there are similarities. If you stay for two days the list is extended. However, some places, such as the Nuclear Power Plant aren’t on all of the tours.
If you want to visit a specific location make it really clear to the company when you book. We found that the tour guide was willing to amend our route to suit the group as we went along.
There were set places for meals as these were pre-booked, but beyond that, they were really flexible and accommodated our desire to visit certain locations.
Do remember however that tour companies cannot allow you to enter buildings. Lots of the photographs you will see both in my blogs and online were either taken before building entry was banned or by visitors entering buildings against the advice of the tour company.
Main Language of Your Tour
There is so much to learn from the tours and guides that you need to make sure that you will understand what they are telling you. Most companies work in a range of languages, but you do need to make sure you will have a productive trip. English is spoken by the majority of guides and from our experience it was excellent. We also had Slovaks and Belgians in our group and they had no problem at all.
Cost
The cost of a trip to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone varies for the tours and you need to check what is included in your tour. Some include everything and all you need to bring is snacks and water, others are less inclusive. There is nowhere to buy food within the zone with ease so do check that meals are included or ensure you have provisions. All of the tour buses stop at a service station just outside of Kyiv for coffee and provisions.
When looking at the inclusions on the tour lists some appear to include a lot more, but do check that it isn’t just listing things that are compulsory such as entry permits, dosimeters or radiation screening.
Passport Validity
You need to have a valid passport to enter the exclusion zone and you need to ensure that you have it with you at all times. At each checkpoint, passports are checked along with documentation. This is a slow process but is essential for safety.
Age
Now, this may seem weird but if you are young then you may want to consider entry, especially if you are trying for a family. Whilst doses are low to non-existent it isn’t a risk I would want to take. A foetus is most susceptible to radiation in the first trimester, just when you don’t know you are pregnant. If there is any chance then I would say, save this trip for another time.
Similarly, children are more susceptible to radiation and whilst the risk is low, why take them somewhere that can wait until they are older? My teen kids still haven’t forgiven me for going without them as they are obsessed after playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games, but I would rather avoid any potential problems in their future. A lot of the tours are advertised as 18 and over for this reason.
Chornobyl Tour Operators Association
As with all tours some are good and some are not so good. Trip Advisor and Google reviews are your friends when booking trips to Chornobyl. There is also the Chornobyl Tour Operator Association. Companies that belong to this association strive to bring a deeper meaning to the visitor’s experience and guarantee the best possible experience for each visitor.
How to book a tour of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone
The easiest way to book a tour is well in advance. This will ensure you get the dates you want and the group size you want. Many of the tours are booked well in advance.
The booking process is fairly easy but the company that will be taking you in has various documents they need to complete and questionnaires that you need to fill in in advance of your visit.
Make sure you complete everything by the deadlines set and give all the correct details. You will not be getting past the checkpoint if your details are incorrect.
It takes 10 days to process applications for entry and booking after this time does not guarantee you will be able to enter the zone.
It takes 10 days to process applications for entry and booking after this time does not guarantee you will be able to enter the zone.
Ideas for tours and holidays in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone from Kyiv
Below are some examples of trips to the exclusion zone from Kyiv. We have fully researched a number of tours and recommend Chernobyl X for any visit to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Having used them to explore the exclusion zone they provide small group tours with fantastic guides and drivers who listen to your requests for your tour. They have lots of tour options to choose from including some unique adventures beyond Chornobyl and will tailor the day to suit your requests.
Before you book make sure you read the trip descriptions carefully and do your own research on the company and its current reviews. While I hopefully chose well, companies change as do current reviews.
Chornobyl tours
A holiday to the exclusion zone is not your low-key lazy holiday. It is intense and harrowing, but worth the journey. A number of larger tour companies incorporate the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone into a larger adventure around Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. These are fantastic ways to see the countries beyond the disaster zone. Some Chornobyl tours include flights from the UK which makes the whole trip a little easier.
Have a look at this holiday which includes time in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and book
Private tours to Chernobyl
Sometimes it is better to visit the exclusion zone on your own. This gives you a chance to visit the locations you want at your own pace. This is really good if you are a photographer and want to spend time in a specific location or have places to yourself. It is also good for a small group of friends who want to do it their own way. These tours are a little more expensive but also include pick-up from your hotel in Kyiv making everything a little easier. You can even go in a vintage vehicle with the fantastic Chornobyl Welcome company.
A two-day tour of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone with private options – view and book
Photography Tours to the Exclusion Zone
Chornobyl Photo offers amazing packages for professional and enthusiastic amateur photographers in the exclusion zone. They can organise everything including helicopter flights over the zone and scheduled trips for journalists.
Another option for a photography trip is to find a private tour that you can tailor to your own needs. This means that you will have time to explore and find the most haunting locations in the area.
A private tour that can be tailored for photography – view and book
Two-Day Tour to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone
Two days is the best way to explore Chornobyl. It gives you plenty of time in each place and also allows you to experience Ukrainian hotels and food! The tours all include the sites from day one, but then take you to additional locations that need that little extra time. It also means you can explore buildings and areas within Pripyat on foot rather than hopping in and out of the bus.
A two-day tour of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone with a night in a hotel – view and book
One-Day Tour to the Exclusion Zone
There are lots of one-day tours to the Exclusion Zone. The tour you choose is a matter of personal preference and where you want to visit. The key places to visit are Pripyat, the Nuclear Power Plant, Chornobyl and the Duga Radar. Remember to check departure times and return times to ensure you maximise your trip.
A range of tours to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone – view and book
Tours that include the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Station
For many people entering the power plant is the highlight of their trip. This hasn’t been possible until very recently but slowly more areas are being opened to visitors. If this is where you want to visit make sure that a tour of the actual power plant is included. Many companies take you to the power plant but this is just to see the memorials and the canteen.
A two-day tour of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone that can include the Nuclear Power Plant – view and book
HBO Themed Tour to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone
Many people became interested in the disaster after watching the amazing HBO mini-series in 2019. This has led to a number of longer tours that visit the Ignalina nuclear power station in Vilnius as well as other locations featured in the series before heading into the exclusion zone. This is for the hardcore fans of the series!
See what you could be doing and book
