Chernobyl & Kiev Long Weekend

This morning we leave for Chernobyl and travel by comfortable private minibus for approximately 2 hours to Dytiatky, the main check point before entering official Exclusion Zone. After passing passport control and learning about some essential safety rules we start our comprehensive sightseeing tour by vehicle and on foot.

On the way to the power plant we stop at  the almost fully buried Kopachi village, which was highly contaminated by the high-level of radioactive fallout after the nuclear blast and subsequently bulldozed. A macabre and desolated kindergarten and one other brick building are the only structures that remain standing. We continue towards the third stage of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, driving by the uncompleted reactors 5 and 6, the unfinished cooling towers, and reach the main disaster site, Reactor 4. It was right here that, on the on the fatal night of 26th April 1986, two large explosions took place following a failed safety test, releasing tons of radioactive substances into the air to an altitude of 1.5km. We will learn of the catastrophic consequences of the largest nuclear energy disaster in the history of mankind, while observing the mighty New Safe Confinement ('Arch') from a safe observation point at distance of 270 metres.

Our tour continues with a special private visit inside the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station (Unit 1 or 2). We will be provided with a special protective gown of an NPP employee, shoe covers and dosimeter and enjoy a 3-hour long tour of the still functional parts of the power plant. This once-in-a-lifetime experience includes a visit to the control room, where you have the chance to fill the shoes of those who once stood here during the tragic event. We also see the hydraulic pump system, the ‘golden corridor’, the turbines and reactor hall and finally the room enclosing the main circulation pumps. We may also meet and listen to fascinating explanations from the current employees of the Chernobyl NPP and enjoy lunch with the station workers at the main canteen (where ecological cleanliness of products is guaranteed).

Later and tomorrow we continue our exploration of Pripyat, the once lively town that was home to the Chernobyl workers and their families. Incredibly, the inhabitants were evacuated in just three hours on the day of the disaster. Over three decades later, this ghost town is now a freeze-frame of the Soviet Union in 1986. Communist propaganda still decorates the walls, personal belongings litter the streets and the abandoned buildings and toys are strewn around a schoolhouse where they were last dropped by children before escaping. All clocks are still frozen at 11:55, the moment the electricity was cut.

Tonight, we enjoy the unique opportunity of staying in a basic but comfortable hotel within the Exclusion Zone end conclude our busy day with a warm traditional Ukrainian meal in town.

Please note that the order of activities and choice of buildings visited within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone may vary depending on weather, time available and local restrictions.

This morning we enjoy a walking tour of Kiev's main sights starting with the amazing view of two golden-domed monastery complexes while walking along Sophiiska and Mykhailivska Squares. We continue along Andrew Street and pass St Andrew Church before entering Arsenalna subway station, currently the deepest in the world at 105.5 metres. Travelling by metro, we head to the UNESCO Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Monastery, founded in AD 1051, and visit the stunning interior and complex of caves housing mummified nuns. Those on the group flight will transfer back to Kyiv Airport this afternoon for their inbound flight to London, usually scheduled to depart at 8pm. Alternatively, you may choose to stay another day for further independent sightseeing. Please note that we will check-out from the hotel in the morning but we will be able to leave our luggage safely stored during the sightseeing tour.