chernobyl overnight tour

What To Know For A Overnight Trip Into The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone!

Posted on Last updated: December 15, 2023

Categories Ukraine , Must Reads

Expert travel storyteller Jordan Adkins, founder of InspiredByMaps.com, brings a decade of adventures across 101 countries and 450+ UNESCO sites into rich, off-the-beaten-path narratives, melding ecological expertise with genuine, seasoned travel insights. His full bio can be found here.

Top of every adventure travelers bucket list, a visit to the time-warped Chernobyl Exclusion zone near Kyiv in Ukraine is one travel experience where even sky-high expectations are guaranteed to be exceeded.

There is just nothing else like it on Earth –  and hopefully there never will be!

With so many iconic Chernobyl sites to see, including the abandoned fairground or creepy kindergarten, one day is simply never going to be enough to see it all.

The best way to fully experience the eerily deserted ghost city of Pripyat, the monolithic military radar Duga and, of course, the infamous nuclear power plant and newly installed 2nd sarcophagus is on an overnight tour from Kyiv…

Because there is nothing creepy at all about sleeping in a Chernobyl hotel, right?

For such a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I dedicated hours reading reviews and talking to operators before trusting Go2Chernobyl.com with one of my biggest travel dreams. Suffice to say I was not disappointed *at all* as you can probably tell by all the epic pictures of Chernobyl and Pripyat here.

While there are plenty of amazing restaurants in Lviv , Chernobyl was still my favorite attraction in all of Ukraine! In fact, it was one of my favorite destinations in the world, up there along with the magical Isle of Skye , the ancient Tikal ruins , and fabulous Palm Springs . 

Read on to find out more about the most severe nuclear accident in history, what to expect on a visit to Chernobyl overnight, vital radiation and safety guidelines and how to find out what you need to consider when picking a Chernobyl tour operator from Kyiv for yourself!

What To Know For A Overnight Trip Into The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone ☢️

Page Contents

History Of The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster And Its Effects

Day 1 of chernobyl overnight tour, day 2 of chernobyl overnight tour, “so should i go on a 2 day / overnight tour of chernobyl or only visit for 1 day”, safety rules for chernobyl – don’t risk it , go with a reputable company, paying more does not get you more, make sure everything is clear and transparent upfront., what to bring for a tour to chernobyl exclusion zone .

On the 26th of April 1986, the world’s most horrific nuclear incident occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat, a town in the northern Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. It was a catastrophic nuclear accident in which the No.4 reactor entered uncontrolled reaction conditions due to inherent reactor design flaws and a late-night safety test, resulting in an explosion and subsequent open-air graphite fire.

For nine days, radioactive material from the reactor rose on the smoke plumes and was carried across Central and Western Europe , though most fell on what is now known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

The Chernobyl incident claimed two lives in the explosion and 28 later deaths in the following months due to acute radiation poisoning. However, today it is estimated the number of deaths attributed to this disaster as much higher. Still, it is difficult to determine the causes of many cancers accurately – and Soviet research into this was hidden from the public eyes in the crucial years following.

Ultimately over 500,000 people were involved in the ‘clean-up’ immediately following the events, whole towns and villages abandoned. Even today, 2,500 people still work around the site, which will take until at least 2065 when the site will be closed off almost entirely. These Chernobyl “liquidators” or “clean-up workers” mainly came from Ukraine and Russia, but continents were brought in from other areas of the USSR like Estonia , Belarus , Latvia , and Moldova. 

The Chernobyl accident was the most disastrous in history, in terms of both cost and casualties, and is only one of two level 7 International Nuclear Disasters, the other being Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011.

The remains of the No. 4 reactor were enclosed in a concrete sarcophagus to reduce the spread of radiation in the wreckage and to protect the operators of the other undamaged reactors. Yes, you read this correctly. The undamaged reactors continued to be used with No.3 reactor continuing to produce electricity into 2000!!

The Chernobyl New Safe Confinement was built directly over the old sarcophagus in 2017 at the cost of 1.5 billion euros, but even then is only expected to last 100 years, at which point something else will be needed.

In total, 95 villages and towns were deserted as a result of the disaster, and 135 thousand people rehoused or given compensation to live elsewhere. Much of the Chernobyl Exclusion zone has been totally deserted, with nature taking back over. Eerie and forsaken tourist attractions like the spooky Buchanan Castle in Scotland or abandoned Ho Thuy Tien waterpark in Vietnam have always been some of our favorite spaces to explore – but we have never seen anything quite on this scale before. 

What to Expect On A Chernobyl 2 Day Tour

Below is what we did on our two day Chernobyl tour with Go2Chernobyl – but of course, each trip is different but should follow roughly this itinerary.

Diversions can, of course, occur to account for local conditions and daylight hours. However, the main highlights are listed below to give you an idea, but it’s better to find out about every exact place when you are there yourself!

• Arrive at the Dytyatky checkpoint and complete check-in formalities.
• Tour the city of Chernobyl, including the must-see city sign, memorial park, docks, and local shop to stock up on any supplies you might need.
• Visit the Chernobyl Power Plant from a safe distance for photographing and visit the newly opened viewing area to see the freshly installed sarcophagus.
• Head to the abandoned town of Pripyat for a walk. There is so much to see here, but highlights include the city sign, red forest, the bridge of death, the hospital, the old river port, the collapsed elementary school, the spooky cinema Prometheus, the palace of culture, a Soviet grocery store, the sports center, the famous amusement park (with Ferris wheel) and the football stadium turned to forest.
• Continue your Pripyat sightseeing with a visit to the Police station filled with radiated machinery, and the old Firefighters station were the first responders to the Chernobyl blast left from (most of who did not return).
• Overnight in a comfortable hotel in Chernobyl with WiFi!

• Return for more in-depth Pripyat Sightseeing including the elementary school, the diving pool, apartment buildings, a roof-view of Pripyat city, the kindergarten filled with gas masks, a Soviet laboratory, and the high school.
• Explore the long-secret military radar Duga (Chernobyl-2), which was planned to detect incoming missiles. We wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up as a James Bond Film location in the future. 
• Wander the Rossoha military vehicle scrapyard and find abandoned tanks, trucks, helicopters, buses, fire trucks, and ambulances.
• Check out the disused Fish Farm where after the disaster, Soviet scientists continued to use it for radiation experiments.
• Visit the unfinished cooling tower, which was scrapped after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
• Return to Kyiv exhausted, but having extensively seen all the sites Chernobyl has to offer.

For our overnight accommodation, the Chernobyl Hotel we stayed in was modern, clean, and quiet and even came equipped with WiFi, which was a nice touch. Breakfast and dinner were served at a nearby ‘pub’ and was more than we could eat on every occasion.

Both lunches were served in the canteen near the Chernobyl Power Plant, which still serves workers involved in the decontamination and decommissioning of the remaining reactors.

So don’t worry – You will not go hungry or have to sleep in any questionable places!

The question everybody wants to know …How long do I need in Chernobyl?

We one day is good, but two is so much better. Trust me, once your there, you will see why and won’t want to leave. Especially given the amount of time it takes to get to the exclusion zone and through security!

On a two day tour of Chernobyl, you get the opportunity to really explore the town of Pripyat and some of the less frequented sites. And here I mean *really explore* — if you know what I mean. Because, well technically, you are not allowed to go into any of the buildings at Pripyat at all. And on a one day tour with all those police around you have to follow the rules. On a two day tour, however, you are already in the exclusion zone and can arrive nice and early — if you get what I mean. 

The distance between sites means you are rushed on a one-day tour, and to get the highlights, you’re not going to be able to wander freely or ask all the information to get a real understanding of what took place here.

Just look at the whole day two itinerary for Chernobyl – and that’s what you are missing out on. Not to mention the eerie experience of sleeping in a Chernobyl hotel (which was actually surprisingly pleasant, with WiFi no less!) and seeing the landscape under darkness or moonlight. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience after all, and I never meet anyone who regretted going for two nights…

While the dose of radiation received on an average two-day tour of Chernobyl is less than a transatlantic flight (and arguably less damaging than the air pollution of big cities) it is still imperative to follow all safety instructions given, to be on a safe side – and of course, radiation is not the only hazard you will encounter.

• Consuming drugs and alcohol is prohibited during the trip (for common-sense).
• Do not take *any* objects from the Zone, nor leave any sign that you were there. Keep yourself safe, and help preserve this unique place for future generations.
•  Do not stray from the designated path (or your guide). Every route is designed to minimize radiation exposure, and ensure your safety amongst the crumbling buildings.
• Buildings can collapse here at any moment. Only go close and enter if your guide has given explicit permission.
• Follow all directives from your guide without question—no exceptions or delays.
• Wear clothes which cover most of the body: no shorts, skirts, open-toed shoes/flip-flops or short sleeves.
• Don’t eat or drink in the open air within the exclusion zone.
• Do not place your belongings at any point on the ground, or sit on the ground yourself. If any of your objects are contaminated and cannot be cleaned, they must be left at the security checkpoints.

Above all, do not decide to try to enter the exclusion zone yourself, or ‘make your own tour’ illegally.

A few people have tried in recent years – thinking exploring Chernobyl is more of an adventure, but many areas have yet to be decontaminated. By sneaking around, you will be exposing yourself to vast amounts of radiation, potentially dangerous situations involving crumbling buildings and wild animals – and of course, be breaking the law, which is taken very seriously here.

One Belorussian Tourist recently died after attempting to climb the Duga Rader by himself. I repeat – do not try to visit Chernobyl without a tour, under any circumstances (and no matter what anyone else tells you).

Choosing A Trusted Chernobyl Tour Company 

For this once-in-a-lifetime experience into the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, you want to ensure you are in good hands.

Not only can it be incredibly dangerous (this is a radiation covered, abandoned town after all), but you want to trust your tour company of choice to show you all the best spots and experiences possible. Sadly, not everyone does this – and while I don’t want to name and shame, let’s just say we read plenty of horror stories online and heard stories of disappointment from other travelers in hostels in Kyiv.

Luckily our choice of Go2chernobyl.com was a smooth experience from beginning to end – so we had no issues what-so-ever!

While all guides in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone don’t actually work for the tour companies but are part of a bigger collective (ensuring safety and quality amongst other things), it is well known that some tour companies get better guides due to long-standing relationships, and our’s was absolutely fabulous.

Not only did he speak fluent English and could answer every single question we threw at him, he genuinely wanted to show us all the areas of Pripyat he could, while stopping us from entering any places that were genuinely dangerous (e.g., brick buildings are a no-go, but concrete structures tend to last longer).

We even left the Chernobyl hotel far earlier than every other group of the second morning, too, meaning we had the entire city to ourselves …..

Ukraine is a pretty cheap country for Western tourists, which is excellent. Still, seemingly many internet-savvy businesses have realized they can charge up to double the expected price of a Chernobyl tour online with some slick marketing for *exactly the same produce*.

We stayed in the same hotel and ate at the same place (there is not exactly a lot of choices!) as people who paid a lot more than us and had a far bigger group of 15 versus our 7…

Of course, it can go the other way, and the price of a tour to Chernobyl is too low, with many things not included, so get everything in writing. We paid USD 224 each for our tour with Go2Chernobyl.com, including absolutely everything except the dosimeter/gigameter rental for Chernobyl, which was 300 UAH clearly stated upfront.

To be clear, you should make sure all of these things are included on your tour to Chernobyl overnight:

• Full visit to Chernobyl exclusion zone
• Transport in a heated/air-conditioned minivan
• All Meals (Lunch, dinner, breakfast, lunch)
• Overnight stay in a Chernobyl hotel.
• Mandatory Insurance
• Organization of permits required to visit Zone, including the 30 km zone, the 10km Zone the city of Pripyat, and the Duga radar station.
• An authorized guide who is fluent in English
• Permission is necessary to take all the photos and videos you like. 

Based on my epic experience and their TripAdvisor reviews, I recommend you first check out Go2Chernobyl.com when looking for overnight tours to Chernobyl (or only a one-day Chernobyl tour if you’re really short on time).

This is based not only on their rapid email response time and efficiency when booking but the quality of the guide they sourced for us, the transparency about all costs, the great price-point, and smooth-running operation at all points. They only seem to run tours in vans, not buses, however, which is great so you do not end up with tour groups of 25-30 people like other companies, but on our tour, we only had seven, which was great!

There are no particular recommendations or mandatory equipment you will need for a Chernobyl tour from Kyiv you might find this Chernobyl Packing List helpful (based on an overnight visit).

• Chernobyl clothing should cover as much of your body as possible. In summer this means long sleeve t-shirts and pants, with covered shoes. In winter, this is layers as it can get freezing. Flip-flops and shorts are not acceptable and are potentially dangerous.
• Drinking water and snacks. There are a few stops where you can buy things, but for specific snacks, you’re best to bring your own.
• A Flashlight (or light on a phone in this modern age)
• Rainy weather gear. You never know what can happen, and you will be outside for a significant amount of time.
• Wet wipes. As I said, be prepared for anything!
• A radiation measuring device. Hiring a Geiger counter at Chernobyl is really interesting and worth it to see how measurements change through-out different zones. If you don’t have your own (who knows — maybe you do!), I hired mine from Go 2 Chernobyl for 300 UAH., Or there is a very cool iPhone radiation attachment you could pick up quite cheap.  

You do not need to throw away your clothing after the tour, but there is a slight chance you may be asked to throw away any items which have a particularly high radiation count as you exit the exclusion zone.

This is only really possible if you roll around on the ground, so it should not happen, but it’s best you don’t take your best clothes or anything you would miss into Chernobyl.

A proper wash when you get back is all your clothes should require, but if you are paranoid or want to take extra care you can also by a Full Radiation Protection Suit for Chernobyl from Amazon before your tour, or just buy cheap clothes and throw away after the tour (but I don’t recommend this.)

A visit to Chernobyl is like nothing else on Earth. The chance to simultaneously peak back into the secret world of the Soviet Union while also fast-forward into a post-apocalyptic future where the human race has all but vanished, and nature has taken back over.

Every day, the past fades more, however, as nature continues to reclaim what was so badly destroyed in 1986, and remnants of the past crumble and collapse around you.

There is no better time than today to visit and see first-hand the effects of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, and no great company through which to explore it than  Go 2 Chernobyl. But hurry, while the ground may be radiated for the next million years – the structures and secret spaces which stand above will barely survive a few decades more. 

• GBP £
• CZK Kč

Chernobyl 2 Day Tour

• 2 Full Days with 1 night in Chernobyl
• 3-15 People On Tour
• 7 Radiation Safety Controls
• 100% Money Back Guarantee, No Rebooking Fees and Cancelation anytime
• 3 Times More Sites Than on a One Day Chernobyl Tour
• Choose from 7 Languages

BEYOND THE TOURIST SPOTS

Cooling towers, Pioneer camp, Rooftops, Underground bunkers, Police and Firestation, Trainstation, Bus station, Tanks…and more

MEET THE BABUSHKAS

Meet the living heroes of Chernobyl – Chernobyl babushkas at their home

TIME TRAVEL

Old videos, photographs, costumes, artifacts and cars from the Soviet Union

Free respirators, 3 dosimetric controls a day, free loan of Geiger-Muller counter (dosimeter)

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR CHERNOBYL TOUR

Flagship chernobyl tour.

• INCLUDING HOTEL, THE PRICE IS FINAL, NO HIDDEN FEES
• SMALL GROUPS (5-15), NO BIG BUSSES, NO SHOPPING TOUR
• PERMITS TO ALL 3 SAFETY ZONES
• SKIP THE LINE AND BE THE FIRST ON THE LOCATIONS
• FREE DOSIMETER, PROVEN ROUTES
• TOURS IN 7 LANGUAGES

35 Years in Two Days

Most wanted chernobyl tour.

Not feeling like a part of the touristic madness? Explorers, photographers, UrbEx lovers, simply the ones who want to see behind the scenes of Chernobyl and dive deeper. Now you found the holy grail of Chernobyl Tours by dedicating 2 days of your life not just to see, feel, but also to experience Chernobyl, Pripyat, the Duga Radar with an overnight stay you will never forget. Since 2008, ChernobylX has provided the most overnight tours to Chernobyl worldwide.

ChernobylX Tours start in Kyiv , where you will be welcomed with a smile and an airline level of disinfection according to your Corona-free tour manual, you will be given recycled newspapers from 1986, and in just a 2-hour drive, while watching Chernobyl documentary, you will arrive at the spot of the largest nuclear energy accident in the history of mankind, now a place that will become your adventure basecamp.

Having 2 full days to explore the Chernobyl Zone, or what is left from the planned largest nuclear power plant project in the world, does not mean we will take it slow. We jump straight to radiation training, to make sure you are safe and sound the whole time during the Chernobyl tour. Falling in love with Chernobyl is the credo of the day. 

These places will tell you their stories thanks to the first-hand memories of one of our Chernobyl heroes on the tour – a liquidator and former inhabitant, who will accompany us on the tour. Prepare your questions or simply stay speechless when you hear that this was the best place to live back in the USSR. If you dare, and if the conditions are right, you can have an exploration on your own in the city of ghosts as well. Just stick to the rules and your dosimeter.

Meet and greet in Kyiv

“Welcome on the tour to Chernobyl! Let's make it the trip of your lifetime. It is 7.30 and we are departing, make sure you have your passports all the time with you. Here are newspapers from 1986 and in a while we will watch a documentary about Chernobyl.”

Checkpoint Dytiatky - Entering Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

“We are among the first here, we will skip the line anyway. Let's check in, grab our dosimeters, do radiation safety training and maybe have a cup of coffee or visit the restrooms.”

Duga radar system in Chernobyl "The russian woodpecker"

We saw this monstrous radar from our home in Pripyat, we were told it is some kind of antenna. Soviet over-the-horizon Duga Radar in Chernobyl was the third of its kind in the USSR but it was basically commissioned due to numerous flaws.”

Chernobyl - 2 Town

“Secret military town. On the old maps it was marked as Pioneer Camp for children. I could not even go close to it. Only after the military abandoned it just few days after the accident.”

Firestation of Chernobyl - 2 and Duga

“It’s no coincidence that the firefighters placed their station between the town and the military base. Easy to get to any part of Chernobyl-2 in just a few minutes in case there’s a fire.”

Bridge of death

“The bridge crossing over the train tracks leading to Pripyat never had this name. Only after 2 thieves on a motorbike who were just leaving Pripyat city somewhere in early 90s faced a police patrol going in their direction, the driver turned to the side and they both died off the side of it.”

The tree of friendship of nations Pripyat

“This very first statue in Pripyat is decorated with the coat of arms of all 13 Soviet republics. It bears the same name as the street which was built first in our city and it was the first thing I have seen when I arrived in the city by bus in the night, as the bus station is just few steps away. “

Caffè Pripyat e Riverport

“Café “Pripyat” was one of the most popular places in our city. The interior still impresses people even nowadays as it is decorated with stained glass. A true masterpiece. But to be honest, we mostly came here because of the best lemonade in town, far ahead of the capitalist Coke!”

Pripyat Hospital no. 126

“I came down to the hospital the next morning after the explosion of reactor no. 4 for a check of my burned cheek, but I felt fine so I was released and called back on duty. If I new it was the last time I saw the hospital working, I would definitely say farewell to the doctor.”

Townhall of Pripyat

“In this very building on the second floor I had my office, however the most memorable moment dod not happen there. It happened on the 3rd floor in the Assembly hall at 11 PM on 26th of April when we decided to evacuate the city on the next day.”

Palace of culture Energetik

“Energetik was the heart of our town. During the day we went to drama performances, music classes or the library. In the saturday night rather for disco. The whole front was lit in blue and red. It was something like our little strip of Las Vegas.”

Music school of Pripyat

“While we were working hard to build socialism, my children were taking music classes at the Art school. They played two musical instruments, sang in a choir. I felt so proud at the end of each semester when they made a concert for us, parents, leaving us in tears.”

Swimming Pool Lazurny

“The biggest swimming pool Lazurniy (Azure) was a pride of our city! We use to come here right opened shortly before the accident in 1986, so I had the pride to go swimming there after its reopening for Chernobyl zone workers in 1988. Together with the sauna it was the best relax after whole day patrolling.”

The White House

“The White house, how we – regular people - used to call it was the apartment building where the Administration of the city and Power plant lived including former director Victor Bruchanov. I remember sitting at the central square and re-reading two giant soviet slogans “Glory to party” and “Glory to Lenin” over and over.”

Post Office

“Back in the 80s, only a few of us had phones at home, even in privileged Pripyat. To call somebody you had to use phone booths on the street or the ones here at the post office. When I went to make a call or send a package, my daughter could not stop staring at the Yurij Gagarin painting inside”

Elementary school no. 3

“The largest elementary school in Pripyat with over 1400 pupils. Specialised in foreign languages - German, and also the imperialistic English.”

Pripyat Football Stadium

“Our city football club Stroitelj Pripyat was created mostly by players from the nearby village Chistogalovka. We were proud fans, as it became the regional champion of the Kyiv region — not once, but 3 times in a row: 1981 to 1983.”

Supermarket

“Our city opened one of the first supermarkets in Soviet Union at the central square, my wife loved to shop there, while I was looking at the nice furniture on the second floor. She always bought us some ice cream that we cherished on our way back home.”

Polissya hotel Pripyat

“Small restaurant, outdoor terrace and panoramic views on the top floor, it was the place where we could gather to celebrate important events or have a corporate party for just 5 rubles, which was no more than 5 dollars! I remember one night we got drunk with a Czechoslovak delegation that was staying at the hotel”

Unfinished reactors number 5 and 6 of Chernobyl Power Plant

“At the time of the accident, units five and six were 80% completed. After the accident our government thought that they would finish them, however at that time there was no future for the Chernobyl power plant due to the symbol it had created around the world.”

Cooling towers of reactors 5 and 6 of Chernobyl Power Plant

“Two huge cooling towers for reactor 4 and 5 of the Chernobyl Power Plant were under construction when the accident happened. When I came down to the site for the first time, I loved the incredible echo inside”

Cooling pond of Chernobyl Power Plant

“I would say the first evacuated villages of Chernobyl are under the water off the calling plant. The inhabitants were moved to other villages around and their former houses or gardens were flooded by this giant water reservoir that cooled down the first four reactors.”

Fish Laboratory

“Scientists came here to study the fish from the contaminated waters of the nearby cooling pond somewhere around 1987 and they stayed here until 1991. Besides mutations they were checking what would happen if contaminated fish were eaten by ferrets.”

Kopachi village kindergarten + hotspot

“Kopachi was the closest village to Chernobyl Power Plant and it was heavily contaminated by the radioactive fallout. The wooden houses were all buried under the ground within the next two weeks after the accident, so people could never return.”

Chernobyl Memorial Park

“The Chernobyl memorial park has162 tablets with the names of permanently evacuated towns and villages. And a postbox for all of the forgotten addresses.”

Lenin Monument

“Statues of Lenin were everywhere across the Soviet Union and our beloved city Chernobyl wasn’t an exception. Each kid was calling him “Grandpa Lenin”, even my daughter. Today, this is the last statue of Lenin in Ukraine.”

Chernobyl church of St. Elias

“The cleanest place in the whole of Chernobyl after the accident happened. My mom along with their neighbours, told the builders of the power plant back in 1970 that it was being built on the bones of fallen soldiers from the Great Patriotic War, and it will not have a good fate….they did not listen ....”

Chernobyl river port

”The river port in Chernobyl was always an important transport point - access to the Black Sea. The docks repaired ships even from Kyiv back in the days. For me Pripyat river was always a place to relax, I went fishing there almost every day. And my husband loved the fresh fish.”

Fire Station Chernobyl - Memorial to those who Saved the World

“Boys from Pripyat Fire department went to extinguish the fire at the Chernobyl Power Plant among the first with their 4 firetrucks. I remember, I went to get their captain to the site as he was celebrating his birthday.”

Pripyat city sign

“The entrance to the city dating its foundation back to 1970 which is the same year the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant started to be built. Tourists nowadays take pictures here, just like we did on our wedding day.”

Pripyat Fairground

“My daughter was looking forward to the opening of this grand amusement park on 1st of May, 1986 mostly because of the ferris wheel that usually was only privileged to larger cities around the USSR. This did not happen, however we were able to take a test ride in March 1986 and had a great view of the city"

Pripyat ferris wheel

“My daughters were begging me to get tickets for the ferris wheel opening during the May Day celebrations. They even told me that some of their dear friends had already taken a test ride. Because of the accident nobody ever rode on the ferris wheel.”

Abandoned Gym hall in Palace of Culture

“A large gym, swimming pool, sauna, and even a karate room were all keeping our teenagers busy. I was also coming here to play football after work sometimes.”

Abandoned police station

“The place where I used to work in the past. Our police station opened just 18 months before the Chernobyl accident. After the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant we were still doing our job. We were basically the only people left after the evacuation, protecting the city as before. My comrades and I left this Police station only in 2002.”

Jupiter Factory

“This factory since 1980 producing electronic devices, mainly for tape recorders, was a mystery to me. It had an electric fence around, the jobs were secret and well paid. Just after the accident we find out they also had a secret military program.”

Pripyat Greenhouses

“The Greenhouses in Pripyat were something mystical that soon became the pride of the city as they delivered fresh vegetables like tomatoes or cucumber in the winter to all of us living in Pripyat. The power plant supplied the greenhouse complex with heat and it was managed using just one computer.”

Aerial panorama view of Pripyat City

“This is the place which we usually picked for fishing - it has a great view of the Chernobyl Power Plant and in the cooling channel there were a lot of fish. From right to left you see all 4 units as they were built, from number 1 to the fateful one - number 4.”

Sunk houseboat

“Before embarking on any of the ships- either to Gomel or Kiev, you could have bought tickets here, have a drink or simply wait for your ship to come. Now, it is half sunk on the other side of Pripyat Bay”

16 story building Fujiyama

“This Japanese sounding name stuck after the evacuation when there were the only personnel of the zone and this was the building and rooftop where some of them gathered after work for a beer and to play a guitar, and somehow it got nicknamed, Mount Fuji in Japan. Probably because it is the tallest of all the buildings.”

Yubileinij Department Store

“Wanna get a haircut? Just 40 kopeikas and your hair is lit! The most expensive haircut was 1 ruble and 60 kopeikas. In this largest department store in Pripyat everything looked like a great deal.”

Elementary school no. 1 (collapsed)

“I lived next to this elementary school and in the morning I always stumbled on children going there, now it is a ruin, one of the first as the first roof collapsed in 2005.”

Pripyat truck garages

“A big parking lot and service garages were where we, the residents of Pripyat, could have the oil changed in our Ladas. Now we can find a scrapyard and trucks and tanks used during the liquidation works after the Chernobyl accident.”

Yanov train station

“The train station was our gateway to the whole Soviet Union, there were even trains directly to Moscow.”

Abandoned trains of Chernobyl

“All the trains here were used during the evacuation and it is where the contaminated are left behind. After some time, railroad engineers came here and said that the most precious thing – the gear with wheels – was clean and they could use it as spare parts for their trains. This is why most of them are now tipped over.”

Highly Radioactive Red Forest

“Nice pine forest, Great for a picnic and camping, with only one building – the county traffic police registration office where all the plates for your Lada were issued. All the trees turned red just a few days after the explosion.”

Abandoned kindergarten no. 5 "Medvezhonok"

“In Soviet kindergartens, everything was made to make this place a favorite one for children, with the nicest toys and the best playgrounds! My daughter loved this kindergarten, except the midday nap between 1 and 2 PM.”

Radioactive grab

“This is a part of the crane that cleaned up a large amount of graphite debris, which was thrown out from the core of the 4th unit during the liquidation work of the Chernobyl power plant site. This is still one of the most radioactive parts you can find on your tour…”

Piano shop after Chernobyl disaster

“This electronic appliance shop is where we bought our first TV set. Black-and-white, but we loved it.”

Chernobyl New Safe Confinement

“After exactly 30 years, we ensured the safety of Europe by putting this New Safe Confinement over the old sarcophagus. To build the old one in Soviet times took 7 months. The new one was done in 9 years. But it should last another 100.”

Chernobyl Power Plant excursion - visitors center (ADDITIONAL)

“The best view of the new safe confinement, the new sarcophagus, at the same time the only detailed model of the old sarcophagus with everything that is left inside. Get your questions ready!

Visit a Chernobyl Babushka - The Living Chernobyl Hero

“Visits from tourists from all over the world are the most exciting part of my day. I live alone with my dog, but after people visit me I feel a bit younger and happier.”

Dosimetric Control

“The last dosimetric control of today, checking if our clothes did not get contaminated and we are safe to get back to Kyiv. No hurry, take pictures if you want.”

Arriving back to Kyiv

“One last farewell or let's have a dinner together? It was unforgettable to have you on the tour! Hope to see you again soon.”

You are all covered on the Trip of your lifetime

Price includes.

• Full programme in Chernobyl incl. all permits
• Professional English Guide (for other languages please check options in CALENDAR)
• Geiger Muller Counter (dosimeter) rental
• Radiation safety training and dosimetric controls
• Meet up with a Chernobyl hero and babushka
• Comfortable transportation with A/C, Wi-Fi
• Health insurance
• Chernobyl Newspaper
• Online live- streaming Chernobyl Tour
• Ticket to Chernobyl museum in Kyiv
• Chernobyl Postcards
• Accommodation (1 night) based on your preference
• VIP tour spots for other X destinations: Namibia, Iceland, Georgia,...

Frequently Asked Questions

During 2 days in Chernobyl, you can see 3 times more than on a 1 day Chernobyl tour, also you have a chance to be alone in Pripyat and sneak into the non-touristy parts, as well as enjoy the most famous places (like the Ferris wheel, Swimming pool or Central square) completely empty. On top of that – spending a night in Chernobyl (or New Pripyat – Slavutych) is magical and unforgettable. If there is a slight chance you can expand your 1 day tour to 2 days, it will be the best invested day of the whole year.

You don’t need to worry, we have got your back. Everything is arranged for you (permits, transportation, Geiger Muller counter, dining, hotel, maximum safety, radiation safety controls, top pro-English speaking guides, etc). Grab your passport, your camera, some comfy shoes, a good mood, and let’s make some great memories!

The citizens of the following countries do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days (some for up to 30 days): Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Chile, Denmark, Dominica, Estonia, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Hong Kong, Israel, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea (South), Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, South Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Uruguay & Uzbekistan.

If you are a citizen from a country not listed in this list, you will not have a problem obtaining a tourist visa. Ukraine has issued electronic visas since 2018, the cost is 20-30 USD and they are eligible for treatment, activities in the field of culture, science, education, sports, in order to perform official duties of a foreign correspondent or representative of a foreign media. If you are asked for an invitation for your visa application, which is usually automatically issued by any of the Kyiv hotels upon booking, do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to help you with your visa invitation in order to get you to Chernobyl.

By travelling to Ukraine, you need to provide:

• a negative result of a PCR test or a rapid antigen test (no more than 72 hours before crossing the border);
• or a COVID-19 certificate proving that the person has been vaccinated against COVID-19 (validity period 270 days) with vaccines approved by WHO or that the person has recovered from COVID-19 (validity period 180 days).

Please, always check the updated information before travelling here : https://ireland.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/covid-19-updated-information-requirements-entering-ukraine

Useful downloads

• Itinerary 2 day tour
• Rules+checklist

This tour was easily the highlight of my holiday, well organised pick up and drop off from my hotel in Kiev. Hotel accomodation was so clean and comfortable with good Ukrainian food and very friendly staff. My tour guide Yuliia was extremely knowledgeable and passionate with the facts of the Chernobyl incident.

Amazing trip to an epic ghost town. It was organised great. Every time you might think you can not experience anything more amazing you just did. Unforgettable two days with so much to see.

I would highly recommend the 2 day tour if you have time. We saw so much, and never felt rushed or hurried. If you can brave the cold then winter is a great time to visit, we barely saw another person other than our tour team for 48 hours!

Everything was amazing from start to finish. Accommodation was spotless and clean. Food was great. It was a mind blowing experience and if you have any interest in Chernobyl at all you have to go on this two day tour. One day is not enough.

Private tour with CHERNOBYLwel.come and 6 friends was the best decision we made. Our own guide, who kept us away from crowdy places. A private bus and we could choose the sites we wanted to see. And it is not much more expensive than a tour with larger groups.

Everything was organised perfectly and I felt safe every minute of the trip. Our group consisted of 9 people which is not too big and was great for exploring Pripyat. I can fully recommend the 2-day trip and our guide Yulia. It was a wonderful and intense trip.

Visiting Chernobyl and Pripyat has been a bucket list item for me, and NOTHING about it disappointed me or fell short of my hefty expectations. Our guide, Natasha, was absolutely fantastic. Very appreciative for ChernobylX and Natasha for everything they did to make my journey out there memorable.

The Chernobyl Power Plant Tour

Wanna more.

After years of taking only scientists and photographers inside the heart of Chernobyl Power Plant, you can now enjoy this MUST SEE upgrade as well. Dress up like Leonid Toptunov, take a deep breath and enter the Control room of reactor number 2….

• × Breakfast Only - No dinner and lunch
• × Print your insurance covering Chernobyl trip (most travel insurance do not)
• × Hostel room, shared bathroom
• × No souvenirs
• × No Chernobyl museum ticket
• × No Chernobyl app with a map
• {% base_price %}
• You can upgrade to HERO at least 5 days before your tour
• Full Board Dining
• Obligatory insurance covering Chernobyl trip
• Hotel** room
• Cool ChernoWear t-shirt (automatically included in the cart)
• Chernobyl museum ticket
• Chernobyl app with a map
• {% hero_price %}
• You can downgrade to Backpacker anytime

Hello there

Meet your guides, your xtour upgrade, aditional tours, private underground kyiv tour, private missile base tour from kyiv, private kalashnikov shooting tour, if you waited for a sign, this is it....

Julia is the one who loves people and getting to know them. She loves exploring the zone and is also addicted to share it all with you. She loves to tell the stories about the zone and make you feel like you’re wandering with an old friend, as she’s very caring and friendly guide with who you’ll feel like you know each other for years.

At first sight, Olya looks like a smiling little girl with that kiddo expressions in her face. But don’t be fooled, she’s one of our most experienced guides with a lot of knowledge about the Zone. She’s super-fascinated by the radiation and sometimes declares herslef as a radiation hunter. Maybe that’s why she has time for guiding tours in English, Czech and German. She’s our little superhero!

This girl is obsessed with sharing her knowledge and emotions with people. She knows exactly how to make you feel the spirit of the Soviet Union and the horror of the Chernobyl disaster. First-time Yulia saw wildlife of the exclusion zone, it made an unforgettable impression on her vision of life. So be sure, with her help you’ll be stunned by the superiority of nature over man.

This girl got inspired by the abandoned places of Pripyat and the nature in the Exclusion Zone. Having visited these places for the first time with CHERNOBYLX, she was looking for the opportunity to spend more time in the Chernobyl Zone to reveal all its secrets. The best way to do it was to become a Chernobyl tour guide.

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My Overnight Chernobyl Tour – Safe But Scary

Would you dare spend the night in a nuclear disaster zone?

In 2018, I pushed my anxieties to the side and crossed one of my lifelong dreams off of my travel bucket list: I took a two-day Chernobyl tour.

I won’t lie – I was nervous about going, and my fears only increased on the bus ride between Kiev and the checkpoint that marks the entrance to the Chernobyl Nuclear Exclusion Zone.

However, when our tour bus drove past the iconic Chernobyl sign (shown above) my heart rate started to drop and I could feel the corners of my mouth turning up.  I was in Chernobyl. 

The next two days were a whirlwind of sightseeing, history lessons, photography and never daring to step away from the safety of the marked path.

And my overnight Chernobyl tour turned out to be one of my all-time favorite travel experiences.

In this post, I am going to explain everything that you can expect to see on an overnight Chernobyl tour.  In my opinion, it is an essential travel experience for lovers of adventure, history, technology and/or nature, and the two-day experience is indescribably richer and more authentic than the one-day excursions offered by some companies.  Read on to learn everything you can expect to see and do on a two-day Chernobyl tour!

Preparing for a Chernobyl Tour

There is a lot to think about when you choose your Chernobyl tour provider and itinerary.  For full details about the different tour operators, prices, when to visit Chernobyl and what to pack for Chernobyl excursions , check out my post about Preparing for a Tour to Chernobyl .  It is essential reading for anyone planning to venture inside the Chernobyl Nuclear Exclusion Zone.  While this post focuses on what you can expect during the tour, the companion post highlights everything you need to know before you go to Chernobyl .

Chernobyl Tour Meeting Point

Every Chernobyl tour operator has their own meeting point, but most are located close to metro stations in Kiev’s city center.  My tour was organized by Chernobyl Welcome, who meet at 8:00 am at the KFC on the southwest side of Kiev’s Central Railway Station ( Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi ).  Two restaurants within easy walking distance of KFC were open early and serving breakfast at 7:00 am – McDonalds and Puzata Hata .  The former is on the opposite side of the parking lot (but the same side of the train station – don’t cross the tracks) while Puzata Hata was directly in front of our bus’ parking spot.

Chernobyl Welcome had a greeter standing in front of KFC with a company sign.  He met each traveler, checked their names against a list and walked them across the street to the correct vehicle.  There, I met my guide, paid the remainder of the tour cost, put my bag in the back of the bus and chose my seat on board.

My tour company used small passenger vans as the primary mode of transportation during the tour.  Although there was seating for about twenty people, the group size was capped at fifteen so we had some empty seats (the entire back row).  I suggest that solo travelers choose one of the single seats beside the windows, but not the first one inside the door because everyone will have to climb over you to get on and off the bus.  If you’re a couple, any of the double seats are fine.  Our van’s interior was air-conditioned and had overhead storage (best for small purses and daypacks, as loose bottles tended to roll down and hit people in the head).

Other Chernobyl tour companies meet at different locations.  Chernobyl-Tour meets about one block north along the same street as Chernobyl Welcome, while SoloEast Tours meet at the McDonalds in Independence Square.

Entering the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

Kiev is approximately one hundred kilometers from Chernobyl, so your trip begins with about ninety minutes of drive time.  Your guide will begin by distributing a pamphlet about the disaster and outlining the rules for your tour.  There are a few super-important rules:

• Follow the dress code (read more about my dress code experiences below!)
• Do not drink alcohol (except at the hotel during designated drinking times)
• Do not smoke or use drugs
• Do not touch buildings, objects, plants or the ground

Then, your guide will turn on the documentary called “The Battle of Chernobyl”.  This documentary film explores the events that led to the Chernobyl disaster and the efforts to mitigate the impact in the hours, days, weeks, months and years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.  I found the film absolutely fascinating, as I was both very interested in the staffing processes and chain of command issues that led to the initial explosion taking place, and I was also horrified when I learned about the “bio-robots” – humans who were sent in to clean up the site after the radiation became too much for the mechanical robots.  I suppose that I knew about these “liquidators” in the back of my mind, but hearing them be called “biorobots” and understanding that they were literally sent into conditions too hostile for actual robots was really upsetting to me.  As I watched more of the film I actually started to regret my decision to sign up for a Chernobyl tour. 

Fortunately, before I threw myself off the tour bus we made a quick pit stop at a local gas station with clean toilets and snacks for purchase.  They were totally overwhelmed when several tours arrived at the same time, and we had to wait quite a while to purchase any food or drink.  It’s much better to bring some snacks with you from Kiev, but if you must purchase them here then you can speed things up by having cash.

After the gas station it’s just a few more minutes on the bus until you reach the entrance to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.  You will be allowed to get off the bus while your guide takes care of paperwork.  There are some toilets here, along with a gift shop operated by Chernobyl-Tour.  You are allowed to take photos of the surroundings, but not of the actual military checkpoint.

When your guide has cleared the paperwork with the security staff, your driver will pull the bus ahead and everyone on the tour will cross into the zone on foot, confirming their identity by showing their passport to one of the soldiers.  If all goes well, everyone will make it inside and your Chernobyl tour will officially begin! 

Chernobyl Tour: Day One

No two Chernobyl tours are the same.  Guides and tour operators work closely together to space out groups across the entire exclusion zone, staggering their arrival times at the main touristic sights.  This helps the site to feel just as abandoned and isolated as you would expect.

The first stop on my own Chernobyl tour was Zalesye , a tiny village just inside the boundaries of the exclusion zone.  Here, we walked along a dense forest path to what remained of the town’s buildings, including an auditorium, houses and a school.

Since 2012, it has been illegal to enter buildings inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.  Accordingly, “I found all interior photos online”. 

You can see from these interior photos that there is some logic behind not letting tourists explore inside the buildings, where the floors are often filled with holes and covered with broken glass.

In Zalesye, we quickly learned one of the secrets of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone:  All of those evocative forgotten items have been carefully moved to the most striking photographic locations.   It’s true that they were left behind when the villages were abandoned, but when the site was later opened to tourists those items were moved to create more of a narrative.  Nobody left their English textbook delicately perched on their windowsill, and nobody threw their gas mask into a pile on the floor before boarding one of the evacuation buses.

Chernobyl Open-Air Museum of Machinery

Our next stop was the Chernobyl Open-Air Museum of Machinery.  Here, we stood a safe distance away from the equipment we’d seen in the documentary on our bus.  These machines included the “mobot”, shown above, which was used to push highly radioactive debris off of the rooftop at the nuclear power plant.  When the radiation eventually rendered the mobot useless, human “biorobots” were sent in to finish the job.  Radiation levels were so high that they were only allowed to remain on the rooftop for forty-five seconds at a time.

All of the equipment in the museum is still highly radioactive, as indicated by the yellow warning signs. It’s essential that you follow your guide’s instructions and stay behind the barriers at the museum.

Kopachi Village

The third stop on the first day of our Chernobyl tour was Kopachi Village .  Kopachi was larger than Zalesye so there was more to see here, and it was spread over a larger area.

Apparently, most people head to Kopachi to climb on board its abandoned buses, which were made famous in a recent video game (I can’t remember if it was Call of Duty or S.T.A.L.K.E.R as I’m not a gamer…).  Our guide told us that people sneak into the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone especially to spend the night on board one of these buses.

They are braver travelers than me.

I drew the line at gingerly stepping into one bus and looking around before quickly heading back to the (relative) safety of the surrounding fields.  That being said, I see the appeal of the Technicolor bus interior.

For most of your Chernobyl tour you will stay in close proximity to your guide, but Kopachi Village was one area where we could explore more freely, walking about one hundred meters away from our guide without concern.  There were some buildings still standing, along with some abandoned farming equipment.

From here, we got back on the bus and drove towards the center of Kopachi, which was similar to Zalesye but more developed.  Our first stop was the town’s famous abandoned kindergarten.

The kindergarten was deeply moving. Even though the items left inside had obviously been moved to create particular photo opportunities, it was evident that they had once belonged to the children of the village.  Our hearts ached to think of the children who stayed in the village for one, two or three days after the nuclear meltdown due to the inefficiencies and dishonesty of the government at the time. 

Kopachi Village was also where our guide introduced us to one of our first nuclear hotspots.  These are places where the nuclear radiation levels remain dangerously high, and they’re usually invisible to the naked eye.   It’s essential that you stay with your guide throughout your Chernobyl tour, as something as innocuous as a tree trunk or stone could be emitting life-threatening levels of radiation.

The Chernobyl Sacophagus & New Safe Confinement

On our way to lunch we made a quick stop at the monument in front of Reactor #4.  Today, the actual reactor is covered by the New Safe Confinement, a domed structure built on top of the former sarcophagus that initially covered the source of the radioactive disaster.  Construction on the New Safe Confinement started in 2010 and it is estimated that when it is completely finished the total costs could reach as high as €2,000,000,000.  Yes, that’s two billion euros. 

For security reasons, vehicles are not allowed to stop at this monument for long.  Make sure you have your camera ready before you get off the van, and take your photos as quickly as possible! 

The Chernobyl Cooling Tower

After lunch, we took a short drive and then set out into the forest, following the train tracks to one of my Chernobyl tour highlights: the cooling towers.   These unfinished structures were built to cool the water in Reactors #5 and #6, which were never operational due to the disaster striking before they were ready for use.

Inside the tower, a graffiti artist has sprayed a harrowing recreation of a photo depicting Igor Kostin, a photographer from Kiev who was one of the few photographers allowed to take photos in the disaster zone in the days immediately following the meltdown.

I was so blown away by my surroundings that I accidentally let my guard down in the cooling towers.  In the quest for the perfect Facebook profile photo, I accidentally touched one of the cement pillars holding up the structure. 

I am happy to report that two months later I don’t appear to have acute radiation sickness, but I did feel pretty dumb for making such a stupid mistake.  Logic tells me that lots of people must touch way more stuff, and that the pillars have surely been washed clean by two decades of rain (according to my guide!) but I still felt my heart skip more than one beat when I realized what I’d done.  Chernobyl is safe to visit if you follow the rules, but for any traveler with even a little bit of anxiety, one wrong move can keep your mind from resting for weeks.  Please, be more careful than I was! 

Science Laboratories

From the cooling towers we headed towards the river to some abandoned science laboratories .  Our guide explained that they used to experiment on mink (in the cages shown above, on the left) and they also experimented on aquatic creatures like fish and lizards.

Oddly, some of the remaining specimens appeared to be stored in food containers (don’t tell me that blue jar wasn’t meant for mayonnaise!).  If ever there was a time I was glad to be a vegetarian, it was after seeing all these twenty-year-old “creatures”.

The Duga – Soviet Radar System

Should I be embarrassed that I had actually never heard of The Duga before I went to Chernobyl?  Either way, I had no idea that there was a giant Soviet radar system in Chernobyl , and I had no idea that I was going to see it until I turned a corner and found myself face-to-face with the structure that towers ninety meters high and seven hundred and fifty meters long.

The objective of the Duga radar system was to notify the Soviet Union of incoming ballistic missiles, and it was pointed directly at the United States.  The system was so powerful that it messed with radio signals all across Europe, despite the Soviet Union denying its existence right up until 1989.  There are still conspiracy theories about the radar to this day, with some people believing it was actually part of an elaborate Soviet mind control operation…

We also had the opportunity to explore the radar’s command center and training center .  These buildings had once been elaborately decorated, inspired by Soviet exploration into the cosmos, but today they are just as crumbling and abandoned as the rest of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

And with that, our first day in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone came to a close.   We jumped back in the van and drove to Chernobyl Town, where our hotel for the night would await.

Our Hotel in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

We were exhausted by the time we finally reached our hotel.  We were booked into Hotel Desiatka, which is considered to be the best hotel in the town of Chernobyl.  It’s not much to look at from the outside, but I was pleasantly surprised by how clean and comfortable the accommodations were.

Chernobyl Welcome offered travelers the option of paying a single supplement, but they couldn’t guarantee single rooms if the hotel happened to be full.  During our visit the hotel was full, so I’m glad I didn’t bother to pay extra to sleep alone.  Instead, I shared a simple double room with the only other solo female on my trip.   It was perfectly adequate, with clean linens, two towels per person, an electrical outlet beside each bed and a few places to hang our clothes around the room.

(As an aside, there was a couple on our trip who apparently wanted to conceive a child – loudly – in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.  They were really rude to our guide when they weren’t able to get a room with a queen-sized bed.  You’re in a literal nuclear disaster zone.  You take what you can get, folks, and there’s no need to be rude to the guide or hotel staff about it.  If you’re looking for a romantic getaway, consider an alternate destination.)

The hotel had several shared bathrooms in each section of the hallway (left, right, upstairs and downstairs). There was never a queue, and with a little trial and error you could always find a shower stall with hot (not just warm, I mean hot!) water.

Due to military regulations, once you check into the hotel for the evening you are not allowed to leave the hotel grounds until the next day .  Although I was quite tired (I believe I walked about 20,000 steps on the first day of our Chernobyl tour) I wasn’t really ready to go to bed immediately after dinner.  The hotel has some outdoor seating but it was mostly filled with smokers and a few street dogs that looked less than healthy, so I didn’t want to spend much time out there.  Fortunately, the hotel had (slow) WiFi, so I was able to upload a few pictures to Facebook and catch up on the news before I fell asleep around nine o’ clock.

Food and Drink in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

As you may recall, I am a vegetarian.  Going into the tour I wasn’t sure how dire the food situation would be, but I was prepared to tough it out for two days if need be.  In fact, I visited a supermarket in Kiev and picked up a few granola bars (which turned out to be gross, but that’s another story…) in case that ended up being all I could eat during my Chernobyl excursion.  Fortunately, Chernobyl Welcome and their partners were well-equipped to serve me some surprisingly good food (for a nuclear disaster zone!).

For me, eating at the actual Chernobyl Power Plant workers’ cafeteria was one of the highlights of our trip .  Although the nuclear power plant is now closed, there are still workers doing various jobs throughout the area.  On Day 1, our tour visited the cafeteria for lunch.  Before we could go upstairs to the food service area we had to pass through body scanners that checked each person for radiation.  Then, we grabbed trays and walked down the line as the smiling cafeteria matrons loaded more and more food onto our plates.

Food options inside the Chernobyl Nuclear Exclusion Zone are limited, so you need to communicate your dietary restrictions to your tour operator in advance (and confirm again on the morning of departure).  Before the tour I let my guide know that I was a vegetarian, so there was a modified vegetarian meal waiting for me in the cafeteria.  Everyone got a vegetarian soup and salad dish, while I was served the main course without the meat, plus some extra fruit.  There was also bread on the side, and two different types of fruit compote to drink.  It was way more food than I needed for lunch, but I appreciated the vegetarian option and the kind service.  (Please note that the cafeteria staff absolutely do not want their photos taken.  Please respect their wishes.) 

For the rest of our Chernobyl tour, we ate our meals in our hotel’s restaurant.  I wasn’t as impressed by the food here, but it was passable.  For dinner on the first day we had salad and rice pilaf (mine was meatless, but the regular version had meat).  Breakfast the next morning was a simple omelet with some sliced vegetables and bread.  I forgot to take a photo of our lunch on the second day, but it was a hearty stew of vegetables and potatoes (including a lot of mushrooms… I tried not to think about where they might have been grown!) with some more bread and compote.  The regular stew was made with meat, but mine was cooked separately.

There is a small Soviet-era supermarket in the town of Chernobyl that is still operational.  You can purchase a few souvenirs here, along with simple drinks and snacks.  Our tour stopped by on the first night (to grab beers) and the next morning (to replenish our bottled water supplies).  I bought a bottle of radler here, but when I went to drink it I discovered it had some chunks that were way too reminiscent of the science laboratory specimens for me to handle, and I ended up pouring it down the sink in our hotel.  You can also buy draft beer in the hotel restaurant, but only from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm as per military rules.

Chernobyl Tour: Day Two

Pripyat tour – exploring the abandoned town.

And now, what you’ve all been waiting for!

People ask about the difference between a one-day tour of Chernobyl and a two-day tour of Chernobyl.  Yes, on the two-day tour you get to visit more locations inside the Exclusion Zone, but in my opinion, the best thing about the two-day tour is the extended amount of time you get to spend on your Pripyat tour.   Once home to almost 50,000 residents, Pripyat was less than three kilometers from the nuclear power plant, and its residents were among the most affected by the disaster.  Today, it is a ghost town that is home to dozens of iconic, abandoned locations.

Pripyat Tour – The Pripyat Apartment Blocks

Our Pripyat tour started with a visit to some of the city’s apartment blocks.  The elevators were no longer functional, so anyone wanting to reach the rooftop for a panoramic view of the region would have to climb sixteen floors on foot, dodging dangerous debris at every turn.  Of course, I would never do this, as it has been illegal to enter buildings in the Zone since 2012…

On a clear morning, the apartment roof offers views over the town of Pripyat all the way to the nuclear reactor and the New Safe Confinement at Reactor #4.  It is abundantly clear just how close Pripyat was to the disaster, making it all the more shocking that the town wasn’t evacuated until two days after the explosion.

Pripyat Tour – The Sports Complex, Basketball Court & Swimming Pool

The second stop on our Pripyat tour was the town’s recreation facilities, including the abandoned basketball court and the abandoned swimming pool.  Here, everyone on my tour self-organized so that we were all on the same side of the facility at the same time, allowing us to capture some great photos without any people in them. 

Pripyat Tour – The Abandoned School in Pripyat

There are two different grammar schools that can be visited in Pripyat – #1 and #3.  They have more items inside than the kindergarten in Kopachi, including furniture, teaching resources and children’s possessions.  This is also where you can see some of the biggest collections of gas masks, like the pile shown above.  Of course, visitors need to remember that these gas masks weren’t actually abandoned in a massive pile in the middle of a classroom.   The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster occurred at the height of the Cold War, when every Soviet building was well-equipped with gas masks in case of attacks from the West.  The masks weren’t of any use during the nuclear disaster, so they were left behind when Pripyat was evacuated.  Years later, they were moved to central areas around the site to create photo opportunities for visitors on Pripyat tours.

Pripyat Tour – The Hospital and Morgue

Awkward moment: Our tour guide tells us that we’re going to the mall, and loudly say, “Cool!”  Everyone gives me a weird look, but I’m not surprised that a bunch of gamer boys would think it was weird that I was excited about going to the mall.  We walk over to the mall and I’m surprised by how small it is.  And how far from the center it is.  And how many weird, slab-like beds it had.  Yes, you guessed it.  Our guide didn’t say “mall”… he said “morgue”. Oops.

As it would turn out, the morgue was probably more safe than the hospital, which is home to one of the most dangerous nuclear hotpots in the entire Zone.  In the twenty-four hours immediately following the disaster, local first responders were brought to the Pripyat hospital, covered in radioactive material.  Their clothing, and the rags used to clean their bodies, were thrown into the hospital basement.  When the village was evacuated, the radioactive fabric was simply left behind.  It still emits seriously dangerous doses of radiation today, and some brave stupid rogue explorers brought a bucket of rags up to the ground floor, where your guide will measure the dangerous radiation levels with their Geiger counter for all to see.

Pripyat Tour – Exploring the City Center

Thoroughly grossed out, we left the small, dingy buildings for the wide open spaces of Pripyat’s former town center.  We started by looking at some of the entertainment hubs, like the Prometheus Cinema (shown above) and the Arts School , both of which had stunning Soviet mosaics on their facades.

From here, our Pripyat tour continued past one of the old administrative buildings for the nuclear power plant (with its foreboding “radioactive” sign still affixed above its front door) to the town’s hotel and cultural center.  I hope you appreciate the shot I took under the curved walkway, as I got stung by an inch-long Chernobyl Bee while I was taking it .  The bee then proceeded to terrorize the rest of my tour group until we left the area.

Although I somehow survived the Chernobyl Bee Sting of Doom, I was glad that I had a travel health insurance policy , and would recommend that you have insurance for the duration of your visit too.  You’re not likely to get sick from the radiation, but you are quite likely to get stung by a bee, bit by a dog or impaled by a camouflaged piece of broken glass or twisted metal on the pathway.

Pripyat Tour – The Famous Amusement Park

One of our final stops on our Pripyat tour was the famous Pripyat Amusement Park.   I was very surprised to learn that the park had never actually been fully operational.  Rather, it was scheduled to open on May 1st, 1986, just five days after disaster struck Chernobyl.  Rumor has it that the local government briefly forced the park to open on April 27, in hopes of distracting local families from the events occurring just three kilometers away.

The Claw of Death

One of the final things we saw on our Chernobyl tour was The Claw of Death .  This is one of the most radioactive objects left on the site, with radiation measurements reaching 336 µSv, which is way beyond the safe level.  Our group (guide included) kept a safe distance from this object, so I had to find the radiation level online on the blog of someone who has illegally explored the zone by themselves.  I’ve included a photo of my Geiger counter (Chernobyl Welcome offered one Geiger counter to share between two people, and I usually let my roommate hang on to it since I had no interest in pushing the limits of permissible radiation exposure), but I took that reading far away from The Claw. 

Chernobyl Factories and Reactors 5 & 6

On Day 2 of our Chernobyl tour, we spent more than five hours walking around Pripyat and the surrounding areas.   It was almost 3:00 pm by the time we returned to the hotel for lunch, and we were all pretty tired.  I’m not going to lie… by 1:30 I had to pee so bad that I thought I was going to die, and I was too scared to venture off the marked path into the potentially-radioactive grasses to pee in the woods.  So, I didn’t take too many photos at our final stops, which included an abandoned factory and Reactors #5 and #6, two reactors that were under construction at the time #4 exploded.  Still, I thought they were were among the most photogenic places we visited during the trip.

Chernobyl Town

Our tour ended in the town of Chernobyl, a few blocks away from our hotel.  Our guide took us to see some of the monuments that were erected in the town after the accident, including the Wormwood Star , the Alley of Memory and Hope (where each sign commemorates a town or village that had to be abandoned after the disaster) and a monument of paper cranes (a universal symbol of hope and healing).  There was also a recent memorial commemorating the nuclear disaster at Fukushima in 2011.

As my own tour came to a close and we prepared to return to Kiev, I realized that there was one thing I still wanted to do in Chernobyl.  Although I had purchased postcards inside the Exclusion Zone (at the supermarket in Chernobyl town), I had resigned myself to having to mail them upon our return to Kiev.  Until, that is, I noticed what appeared to be a mailbox on the wall at the town’s unstaffed post office.  I had brought my own stamps with me (see my complete Chernobyl packing list in my other Chernobyl post ) and was able to quickly duck across the street to mail the postcards from inside the Zone .  I figured it was fifty-fifty that they’d ever arrived, but worth the risk, and I was pleased to hear that they did finally arrive in Canada about five weeks after my Chernobyl tour.

Our tour van made one final stop at our hotel in Chernobyl, where our guide ducked inside and picked up a souvenir t-shirt for every visitor .  Shirts were available in male and female cuts, and sizes tended to run a little bit small (I wear a small t-shirt at The Gap in North America, but the medium souvenir shirt was slim-fitting on me).  If you’re a traveler of size, ask for your shirt to be a generous one or two sizes larger than you usually wear.

Returning to Kiev

We departed for Kiev at about 4:00 pm , stopping briefly along the way to photograph some abandoned ships in the Pripyat River.

A few minutes later we passed through the final radiation checkpoint.  Here, we left our bags on board the bus and walked inside the checkpoint to have our bodies scanned by the same type of machine that we first encountered in the cafeterias.  Fortunately, everyone in my group was given the all-clear and we were all able to leave quickly.

While we were scanning our bodies, members of the Ukrainian military were scanning the inside and outside of our van, including the bags we’d left on board.  It’s so important that you don’t put your bag on the ground at Chernobyl, as the guards here will confiscate your possession if they pick up radioactive materials that can’t be wiped or washed off.

Again, we were lucky and our vehicle was quickly approved to leave the Nuclear Exclusion Zone. From here, it was mostly a quiet ride back to Kiev as we looked at our photos and read the informational pamphlets provided by Chernobyl Welcome.  We arrived at the meeting place shortly after 6:00 pm, and with that, the tour was over. 

Bonus: Kiev Travel Tips

I stayed at Dream House Hostel in Kiev.  This hotel has a lot amenities, including an on-site restaurant and bar, a full kitchen, laundry facilities and a comfortable lounge.  They also offer great activities, including an evening walking tour (which is great in the summer heat) and bar crawls.  Dream House is located at the base of Andriyivskyy Descent, the most iconic street in Kiev, and it’s a ten-minute taxi ride to the starting point for most Chernobyl excursions.

If you would rather stay in a hostel, I would recommend looking for one in the same neighborhood.  If you prefer independent hotels, BURSA Hotel Kiev is a trendy boutique hotel with a complimentary a la carte breakfast.  The Radisson Blu Podil is also nearby, and it offers guests amenities including a fitness center and continental breakfast.

Kiev is full of excellent, affordable restaurants, including many that offer vegetarian and vegan options (clearly labelled, on English menus, to boot!).  Read all about my culinary adventures in Kiev .

Inspired to visit Chernobyl?  Seriously, you need to read my guide to preparing for a tour to Chernobyl .

Have you been to Chernobyl?  What was your favorite part of the experience?  Let me know in the comments!

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Your guide to visiting the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

How long can you stay in the chernobyl exclusion zone.

There are two exclusion zones in Chernobyl; a 10km inner and 30km outer Exclusion Zone. It is safe to stay in the outer Exclusion Zone overnight. There is a small hotel in Chernobyl town where our trips spend the night.   

On our  trips to Chernobyl  you'll spend two days exploring the abandoned ruins and the towns and villages that nature has reclaimed. Today there are around 200 people living within the outer Exclusion Zone.

Is Chernobyl safe to visit?

Chernobyl is now safe to visit, with very low radiation levels similar to those on a trans-Atlantic flight, but it is subject to very strict regulations. It is only possible to visit the Exclusion Zone with an official Chernobyl guide. Visitors to Chernobyl are scanned on entering and leaving the Exclusion Zone to check radiation levels. Occasionally - rarely - a reading will come back higher than recommended and in those cases you may need to leave behind an item of clothing in the zone.   

During the two days we spend in the Exclusion Zone you'll receive a dose of radiation comparable to a small dose from an X-ray scan: in numbers, you'll receive 5-7 micro Sieverts of gamma radiation, which is a non-harmful dose of radiation.

What do I need to pack?

Pack closed toe and comfortable walking shoes or boots. You'll be doing a lot of walking, and we recommend using older shoes that can be easily washed or thrown away in unlikely case they have a radiation reading on leaving the zone. In the Exclusion Zone there is often broken glass on the floor, so it is important to have shoes with sturdy tread.

Take long trousers and long sleeved shirts. July and August tend to be the hottest months so lightweight cotton clothing would be advised. In winter, temperatures can be as low as -10 to -15oc, so warm winter / ski gear is needed. We'd also recommend taking older clothes that can be easily washed or possibly thrown away and avoid clothing with lots of zips or metal poppers.

Make sure you have your camera or smartphone to capture some great photos. Keep a reusable water bottle handy for use outside the Exclusion Zone.  If you don't have one, you can purchase one of our  Explore Water-to-Go bottles  and save 15%.  

Can I take photos and videos?

What is the weather like in Chernobyl?

For less than $100, you can tour the abandoned towns around Chernobyl. Just watch out for radioactive trees and dogs, crumbling buildings, and the occasional selfie stick.

• On April 26, 1986, Chernobyl became the worst nuclear disaster in history when a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant , sending radioactive material into the air.
• Since the accident, only a few locals and a growing wildlife population have lived in the restricted area surrounding the power plant know as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone .
• But, in recent years, tourists have begun flocking to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Some have referred to it as " dark tourism ," a trend where tourists travel to sites marked by death and suffering.
• Guided tour companies have been taking visitors into the area since around 2000, and about 150,000 tourists are expected to visit Chernobyl in 2019, thanks, in part, to the popular HBO mini-series of the same name .
• While a nuclear waste expert told Business Insider that visitors can expect "very minimal" radiation exposure , they are still advised not to touch any dogs, artifacts, trees, or building walls during tours.
• We spoke to three people who recently visited the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to see what it's really like to tour the area.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

On April 26, 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant resulted in a cloud of radioactive particles spreading across parts of Europe.

Source: Business Insider , Adventure , BBC

The disaster has gone down in history as the world's worst nuclear accident.

Thirty-one people died in the explosion, and the areas surrounding the plant were permanently contaminated. They're now considered to be some of the most polluted areas on the planet.

Source: Reuters

As a result of the Chernobyl disaster, an exclusion zone was established in 1986 within a 19-mile radius of the power plant, and access to the area was heavily restricted for almost 30 years.

Source: Business Insider

Only a few locals still live within that area ...

Read more: Photos show what daily life is really like inside Chernobyl's exclusion zone, one of the most polluted areas in the world

... and there's a brimming population of wildlife, thanks to the lack of humans.

Read more: There's a thriving population of radioactive animals that have taken over the abandoned Chernobyl exclusion zone, even though the area is toxic for humans

But in recent years, the site has also become a hotspot for tourists looking to get a firsthand glimpse of the exclusion zone and what remains of the abandoned towns there.

The first wave of tourism started around 2011, which is when the area was opened for the first time to tourists traveling with a licensed guide. The Ukrainian government, however, warned at the time that tourists' safety wasn't guaranteed.

Source: CNN , The Guardian

But in July 2019, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the site would become an official tourist attraction. He said the area would become more accessible and tourist-friendly.

Source: CNN

"Until now, Chernobyl was a negative part of Ukraine's brand," Zelensky said as he signed the decree in July 2019. "It's time to change it."

Visitor interest is something that several local tour groups around Chernobyl are taking advantage of.

The guided tour company SoloEast has been taking visitors into Chernobyl since 2000, according to CNN. And the website for Chernobyl Tour advertises an "eye-opening experience of post-apocalyptic world."

Source: Chernobyl Tour and Chernobyl Welcome and CNN

When Taylor Zwick, a tourist from Prague, booked his May 2019 guided tour of the exclusion zone through Chernobyl Tour, he told Business Insider that he had to provide his passport number.

Ines Aguilera, a Spanish student living in Copenhagen, said tour guide officials from Chernobyl Tour were very strict about that before she visited the exclusion zone during a different tour in mid-May. "We had to show our passports many times," she told Business Insider.

Aguilera and a group of friends were studying abroad in Copenhagen when they decided to go. "It's like one of these weird things that you've always wanted to do as a kid," Aguilera said.

Zwick said it cost about $80 USD for a full-day tour, and Aguilera said her tour cost her about $88 USD. When we checked the Chernobyl Tour website in August, we found one-day trips priced at $99 and up. SoloEast's one-day tours are priced at $91 and up on its website, as of August.

Source: Chernobyl Tour and SoloEast

Zwick said he paid for part of his tour through PayPal when booking, and he had to pay the rest in person with cash. Aguilera told Business Insider that she had to do the same thing when she booked. She paid the second half in cash when she entered the shuttle bus.

They were given instructions upon booking. Aguilera said they had to wear long sleeves, long pants, and couldn’t have space between their pant legs and socks. They wouldn't be able to touch any metal or the ground while touring Chernobyl either.

Julia Czub, a student from the UK who toured Chernobyl in May 2019 with SoloEast tour company, told Business Insider that they weren't allowed to touch trees inside the exclusion zone and couldn't leave a bag or anything on the ground.

She said she booked the tour in December 2018, nearly six months before the HBO show was released, so interest in visiting Chernobyl certainly predates the successful mini-series.

A mix of visitors from nearby European countries were in all three tourists' tour groups. Zwick said he encountered a group from Sweden that had gone to Kiev for a bachelor party and decided to take a private tour of Chernobyl.

After booking online, visitors received a QR code, which is how they gained entry into Chernobyl, according to Zwick. The code was scanned when boarding the bus in Kyiv that took them to Chernobyl.

Zwick said he met the bus at Kiev's train station. It was a full-sized coach bus with about 40 to 45 people onboard. The bus left the train station at 8 a.m. ...

... and Zwick said it took about two hours to get to the Leliv checkpoint at the outer edge of the smaller, 10km (6 mile) exclusion zone surrounding the power plant.

Aguilera said that her drive wasn't the most enjoyable. "It was very uncomfortable because the roads were so bumpy," she said.

Before entering the exclusion zone, Zwick said they were given what looked similar to flash drives attached to green lanyards that they were to put around their necks.

The devices were meant to measure the different radiation levels they were exposed to while on their tour. Zwick said that the tour guides collect them at the end of the tour and give them to officials.

After stopping at the Leliv checkpoint, Zwick said they turned onto a side road toward Moscow's Eye, or the Duga-1 radar station, that Soviets intended to use as a warning system against US missiles in the Cold War era.

By about 1 p.m., Zwick said they drove the rest of the way to the Chernobyl power plant.

Czub said you're not allowed to take photos too close to the reactor, but she was still able to get near it. "I had no idea that we would be able to get so close to it," Czub said. "We were literally right next to it."

Zwick said he ate lunch at the Chernobyl Canteen where the workers eat, which is right next to the power plant. There's a workforce that lives nearby and works on the plant three weeks at a time before taking a break to avoid extreme exposure to the radiation.

Zwick said he saw dogs hanging out in front of the cafeteria. Czub said that she also saw many of the "Chernobyl dogs" around the zone during the tour.

Read more: Chernobyl workers are adopting the site's contaminated dogs, but not all of them are safe to pet 

Zwick said the food was included in the tour package he purchased. He was served mashed potatoes, chicken, and soup, and he said it was decent. Aguilera said she brought her own meal after reading so many bad TripAdvisor reviews of them.

Zwick said they stayed in the cafeteria for 30 minutes to an hour before heading to Pripyat, the abandoned ghost town that was once the shining star of the Soviet Union. The town housed plant workers back in the 1980s.

There were swimming pools, supermarkets, and other attractive amenities that have since spiraled into decay.

Czub said Pripyat was her favorite part of the tour. "I didn't expect the city to look so interesting," she said.

She said there was a cafe right next to the river with beautiful stained glass windows. They wandered around Pripyat for an hour to an hour and a half, Zwick said.

There were some areas that Zwick said their group's tour guide didn't take them. For example, they didn't see the swimming pool like Aguilera was able to.

"That was our highlight," Aguilera said of visiting the abandoned pool.

Zwick said the itinerary isn't super strict, it just depends on what everyone in the tour group wants to do.

Throughout the trip, Zwick said he carried a Geiger counter, a device that can measure radiation levels, that he rented from the tour company for $10.

Aguilera said she and her two friends also rented one to use throughout the trip.

Zwick said his readings fluctuated throughout his tour through the contaminated exclusion zone. In front of the reactor at the nuclear power plant, Zwick said his counter gave off normal readings

But at one point it reached 200 mSv near the Ferris wheel in Pripyat's amusement park. A normal radiation reading is 3 mSv.

Zwick said a tour guide told them that the reading near the Ferris wheel was because of a speck of radioactive dust that had traveled from the reactor to one of the Ferris wheel cars at the time of the explosion, and it's still there giving off a high radiation level.

Many of the buildings in the zone are made of concrete. Zwick said tour officials told him that most of the wooden buildings had to be demolished since wood traps radiation.

But Aguilera said even the remaining concrete structures are deteriorating.

"I don’t know how long these tours are going to be possible because the buildings are about to collapse," Aguilera said.

Many of the signs on top of buildings are in the Ukrainian language, but the signs inside an abandoned store were in Russian, Zwick said. He said that he was told that at the time, Russians were trying to usher out the Ukranian language, so they tried to include a lot of Russian when they originally built the city of Pripyat.

Pripyat was the last stop on the tour, Zwick said. After that, they started to head back to Kiev. At the checkpoint, they had to get out and go through radiation scanners.

Zwick said it was similar to walking through a metal detector. He said the point of it was to make sure each visitor didn't absorb an abnormal amount of radiation. "It was just like going through a door," Aguilera said.

He also said there wasn't even someone standing next to the scanner. "It looks like a very secure place, but at the end of the day, they were just sitting there," Zwick said.

Zwick said he felt like the radiation scanners were more of a formality.

Zwick said that at the various checkpoints, there were souvenir shops where you could buy sweatshirts, hats, snacks, and Geiger counters.

Czub also said she saw the souvenir stall, though she said it felt weird to her to purchase something. But "there were a lot of people buying things," she said.

Aguilera said she bought some postcards and a patch to put on her backpack.

Zwick said he was inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone for a total of almost nine hours. Aguilera said the same.

All three visitors that we spoke to also said tour guide officials told them that the radiation they were exposed to was minimal.

"We had more radiation going from Copenhagen to Kiev than in the exclusion zone," Aguilera said. "At least that's what they told us."

Zwick said he was also told that the radiation he was exposed to from spending the whole day there was the equivalent of a 3-hour flight and that a chest X-ray gives you 40 times more radiation than did the tour they were on.

As more and more tourists travel to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, some have viewed the visitors as insensitive to the gravity of the tragedy that left dozens dead and hundreds of thousands more without homes.

For years, some have referred to Chernobyl tourism as "dark tourism," a trend of visitors flocking to sites marked by death and suffering.

Photographer David McMillan has visited and photographed the Chernobyl exclusion zone at least 20 times over the course of 25 years. He told Business Insider that he's watched as tourism has grown increasingly common at the site.

Read more: A photographer visited the abandoned towns around Chernobyl more than 20 times over the past 25 years, and the captivating photos show just how suddenly time stopped in its tracks after the disaster

"They're there with their smartphones taking selfies," McMillan said.

But Czub said that, though she took photos throughout her tour, she tried to be mindful and respectful. A native of Poland, she said people from her country are specifically interested in Chernobyl because they're so close to the site of the disaster.

Zwick said his trip to Chernobyl taught him more about the history of the disaster and what happened in the aftermath.

And Aguilera said she tried to stay respectful throughout the tour and that she's always been moved by the story of the Chernobyl accident.

She also said she's seen the HBO mini-series since taking her trip through the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and that the show's recreation of the scenes inside the zone are realistic.

"I see my photos and then I see the TV show — it looks quite similar," Aguilera said.

Czub said the HBO show will likely keep drawing crowds, and so does the owner of the SoloEast tour group, who told CNN that he's seen an almost 40% increase in interest since the mini-series aired.

"I'm guessing there's going to be more and more coming now," Czub said.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to visit the exclusion zone, how big is the radiation in the exclusion zone, from what age is allowed to visit the exclusion zone, how to dress for tor to the exclusion zone, do you need special protective equipment, overalls, do i need a dosimeter or other similar equipment, in what language is the tour conducted, does pictures / videos allow in the exclusion zone, can i take a drone / quadrocopter, what are the rules for visiting the exclusion zone, can i book a tour for tomorrow / other day, can i go to the exclusion zone by my car, can i enter the exclusion zone on my own, are there special places to eat in the exclusion zone, what documents do you need to have when visiting the exclusion zone, where and when do you need to be on the day of the tour, why choose real chernobyl.

Home » Travel Guides » Ukraine » 15 Best Chernobyl Tours

15 Best Chernobyl Tours

In late April 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukrainian town of Pripyat had a catastrophic accident that caused one of the reactors to leak radiation at an alarming rate.

The plant and town were evacuated, and other than a brave group of scientists and construction workers, the area has been abandoned ever since.

The site lies to the north of the country’s capital and is now open to tours, nearly all of which begin in Kiev.

Guided tours are the only way to see the site, and the running historical narration you’ll get will add a tremendous value to the amazing sights you’ll witness.

Below are 15 of the best tours of Chernobyl and Kiev.

1. Private tour in Chernobyl

This convenient one-day tour begins in Kiev and includes the services of a professional guide, transportation to and from the site, and all the fees and permits you’ll need to visit the different exclusion zones.

In addition to the eerie but intriguing grounds of the power plant, you’ll enjoy a traditional Ukrainian lunch and a tour of the abandoned town of Pripyat the Kopachi Village, where the streets are empty – making it seem like the set of a post-apocalyptic movie.

When the tour is over and you’ve passed through the mandatory radiation control, you’ll be taken back to your Kiev hotel.

2. 1-Day Group Tour to Chernobyl from Kiev

The disaster area of Chernobyl is one of Ukraine’s most mysterious sites. It’s been shrouded in myth and secrecy for more than 30 years.

Before venturing into the exclusion zones, guests will watch a brief introductory movie that’ll set the stage for all the amazing sights you’ll see while inside the Chernobyl exclusion zones and the town of Pripyat.

In addition to learning pretty much all there is to know about radiation safety, you’ll visit a museum, church, and post office in the town that, although once-abandoned, is now the home of construction workers and even a small police force.

All permits and transportation are included but lunch isn’t.

View Prices & Reviews

3. 2-Day Tour to Chernobyl and Pripyat

This two-day tour is a great option for those who’ve got the free time and would like to get a thorough look into the area’s troubled past.

In addition to round trip transportation to and from your accommodations in Kiev, the tour includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and an overnight stay at a hotel in Slavutych.

You’ll visit the Chernobyl Power Plant for an exclusive behind the scenes look at the facilities, and hear a first-hand account that will describe how things went so tragically wrong so quickly in 1986.

The tour price includes all the fees and permits necessary to visit the sites as well.

4. Private Guided Tour of Kiev Pechersk Lavra

The Kiev Pechersk Lavra Monastery Complex is one of Ukraine’s most iconic and historically significant sites, it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The grounds include a church and bell tower that offers visitors who are willing to climb a few stairs the most panoramic and unobstructed views of the surrounding town.

After you’ve had your fill of the world above ground, you’ll have the opportunity to descend into the site’s subterranean cave complex that has a fascinating history in addition to its geological beauty.

This tour is pleasant and a convenient change of pace from the somber atmosphere of Chernobyl.

5. Day Trip to Chernobyl Zone and Pripyat with Lunch

Considered by many to be one of the greatest ecological disasters in the history of the world, the Ukrainian city of Pripyat and the nearby Chernobyl Power Plant are still popular destinations for brave visitors interested in experiencing a fascinating voyage into the past.

At one time during the Soviet reign, the city and plant were considered models of order and efficiency, but that all ended in 1986 when things went terribly wrong.

The full-day trip includes all transportation, and stops at the area’s most significant sites. You’ll get in-depth historical background from your professional local guide all along the way.

6. Chernobyl Tour from Kiev

From your hotel in Kiev, you’ll be transported to the Dytyatky Checkpoint, where you’ll receive a brief safety orientation. From there, you’ll head to the site’s famous exclusion zones to tour the facilities which were the disaster’s epicenters back in 1986.

Visits to Pripyat and Kopachi Village are included; though they’re nearly abandoned now, you’ll see and explore a crumbling kindergarten, hospital, and Soviet-era movie theater that are now overrun with weeds and animals that have recolonized the area.

Before heading back to Kiev after lunch, you’ll see an old Soviet radar station and pass through the mandatory radiation control facility.

7. Private City Tour of Lviv

The quaint and historic town of Lviv is one of Ukraine’s gems, and is best visited with a local guide who knows the places you’ll want to see.

The town’s most prominent attractions are the Gothic Latin Cathedral, Golden Rosa Synagogue, and High Castle Hill, which sits on a bluff overlooking the town.

The town’s old-world charm and architecture are a pleasant contrast to the stark and macabre scene at Chernobyl. The tour includes stops at the Lviv Opera house, a military academy, and an army museum that’s full of interesting artifacts, exhibits, uniforms and weapons from decades past.

8. Two-Day Group Tour to Chernobyl

Group tours are great ways to meet interesting travelers from all over the world. This two-day group tour to Chernobyl from Kiev is all-inclusive, which means you won’t have to worry about all the annoying details like lodging and transportation.

Day one includes a guided tour of the power plant and surrounding towns, and after a pleasant night in a local hotel, the tour will have a variety of options to choose from, which will determine what’s included on day two.

Two-day tours offer a more relaxed and customizable itinerary than one-day tours, so take advantage of it.

9. Shooting Gun Range in Kiev

Shooting guns is a lot of fun, and when you’ve got access to high-powered military-grade weapons that are usually off limits to all but professionals, it’s an even more exhilarating experience.

Whether you’re a seasoned gun lover or not, before sending bullets down range, you’ll get a thorough safety briefing from a professional; you’ll even have a few packages to choose from.

You’ll get all the safety gear you’ll need, like ear and eye protection. Previous guests have commented that it was one of the most memorable and exciting things they did while in Kiev, so don’t miss out.

10. Chernobyl Power Plant and Pripyat 2-Day Tour

In 1986, a massive fire sparked a chain reaction that would lead to the world’s greatest nuclear disaster. Though some say that title now goes to the Fukushima facility in Japan, visiting the Chernobyl Power Plant is one of the most poignant things most previous guests have ever experienced.

You’ll go near the control room and reactor on this two-day tour and will spend the first evening in a comfortable hotel in the nearby town of Slavutych.

The tour includes round-trip transportation to and from Kiev, lodging and meals as itemized on the itinerary, making it a convenient package.

11. Kiev Nighttime Private Tour

Kiev is a beautiful capital city that’s full of history and distinct architecture, drawing visitors from all over the world.

For those hearty travelers who want to experience the city from a unique perspective, this private nighttime tour would be a great way to do just that.

The tour includes a private guide and is limited in size, so guests will get a more intimate and personalized experience than they would with a mega-tour.

Stops include the Lacra Monastery, Paton Bridge, and other significant sites that are breathtaking when illuminated at night. Tours are customizable so you can see and do the things that interest you.

12. Ultimate 2-Day Chernobyl Tour from Kiev

The Chernobyl disaster is one that’s been cloaked in myth, legend and misinformation since that fateful day in 1986.

Though accounts can vary widely, seeing the facility and nearby towns with an experienced local guide will shine new light on the whole thing. This two-day tour gives guests an opportunity to delve into the region’s perplexing past in a way that few others will.

You’ll visit the Chernobyl exclusion zone, the town of Pripyat, and the reactor that malfunctioned causing a fire that sparked the whole incident. Unlike many tours, you’ll meet locals who will give first-hand accounts on how things played out more than 30 years ago.

13. Kiev Key Attractions Private Sightseeing Tour

With so much focus on ecological disasters and human tragedy, taking a short break from the Chernobyl disaster might be a good idea while visiting the Kiev area.

Ukraine’s most scenic city is full of wonderful sites that are best seen with a guide, and it’s possible to see all the hotspots in one day.

This private tour is a great option for those with limited time who’d rather sit back, relax, and let someone else handle all the pesky details.

The capital city is full of museums, cathedrals, galleries, historic areas and great restaurants, so don’t hesitate to tell your guide the things that you’re most interested in seeing.

14. All-Inclusive 2-Day Group Tour to Chernobyl from Kiev

This all-inclusive two-day tour from Kiev is the perfect option for travelers looking to immerse themselves in the fascinating – if ecologically depressing – event that occurred in Chernobyl more than 30 years ago.

Upon arriving at the site, guests will watch a historical documentary and learn about safety regulations while visiting the exclusion zones.

The procedures at Dityatki checkpoint can seem a bit spooky, but it’s all just precautionary. After that, guests will be taken to the largely abandoned city and village located near the power plant.

It’s a fascinating snapshot of an era that came to an abrupt end, and includes museums, schools and other Soviet-era buildings that have fallen into disrepair over the last few decades.

15. Full-Day Tour to Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

The Ukrainians are fiercely independent people. This tour is run by pleasant but outspoken guides who want to get the true story out as it relates to the Chernobyl disaster and the conditions that existed under Soviet rule.

The tour begins and ends in Kiev and lasts a full day, giving guests a unique view into the country’s past.

Your local guide will speak English and will be able to give you and your fellow travelers unique, first-hand accounts that are both intriguing and surprising.

This tour is great value for those with two days to dedicate to exploring the area.

15 Best Chernobyl Tours:

• Private tour in Chernobyl
• 1-Day Group Tour to Chernobyl from Kiev
• 2-Day Tour to Chernobyl and Pripyat
• Private Guided Tour of Kiev Pechersk Lavra
• Day Trip to Chernobyl Zone and Pripyat with Lunch
• Chernobyl Tour from Kiev
• Private City Tour of Lviv
• Two-Day Group Tour to Chernobyl
• Shooting Gun Range in Kiev
• Chernobyl Power Plant and Pripyat 2-Day Tour
• Kiev Nighttime Private Tour
• Ultimate 2-Day Chernobyl Tour from Kiev
• Kiev Key Attractions Private Sightseeing Tour
• All-Inclusive 2-Day Group Tour to Chernobyl from Kiev
• Full-Day Tour to Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

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Pripyat tour

• - Abandoned Zalissya village
• - Huge secret radar “Duga-1” and the Chernobyl–2 town
• - Almost fully buried under the ground village Kopachi and the still standing kindergarten
• - Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant covered by the new safe confinement – the Arch
• - The NPP cooling pond with giant catfish
• - The Red Forest
• - The fire station
• - The town of Pripyat
• Time-saving tour
• See more in short terms
• Day of traveling back in time
• Visiting Pripyat
• Dosimetric control
• De-occupied Cities Tour De-occupied Cities Tour
• 1 day tour Chernobyl 1 day tour
• 2 day tour Chernobyl 2 day tour
• 3 day tour Chernobyl 3 day tour
• Chernobyl Private Tour Chernobyl Private Tour
• NPP tour ChNPP Tour + Pripyat
• pripyat tour Pripyat Tour
• HBO tour HBO series Tour
• STRATEGIC MISSILE FORCES MUSEUM TOUR Missile Forces Museum

Pripyat Tours Reveal the History of the Ghost Town

Once this small town was bustling with life: residential buildings were being built, kindergartens and schools welcomed children, hospitals received patients, cultural centers organized cultural events and entertainments, and the locals had plans for the future. But that one day has changed everything forever.

Now, Pripyat is considered to be a ghost town with desolate streets where wild animals roam, where military vehicles used in the liquidation of the Chernobyl disaster are slowly rusting in the boneyard, with people as part of Pripyat guided tour groups wandering here and there.

Where Is Pripyat Located?

The abandoned town on the banks of the Pripyat River is located about 112 miles north of Kyiv and only two miles from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Being a typical Soviet town, it had residential complexes and apartment blocks, kindergartens, schools, hospitals, a cinema, as well as a variety of sports facilities. It had everything a community could want and more. But there was even more than that. Because of their status, the nuclear power plant workers had a better quality of life than many other residents of the Soviet Union. Thus, Pripyat was a place for people who worked for their future and had certain privileges which were very much enjoyed.

What Was Pripyat Built For?

It was established in 1970 together with the neighboring Chernobyl nuclear power plant. In the beginning, the settlement housed construction workers. Once the NPP was up and running, the town began to grow becoming a place of residence for the workers of the nuclear power plant. Scientists and engineers moved with their families to the brand new town with much joy.

What Happened to Pripyat after the Disaster?

In 1979, Pripyat became a city as the number of residents was constantly increasing, just like the number of apartment blocks, and reached 50,000 people. When the Chernobyl tragedy struck in April 1986, life in the city changed completely. The residents were unaware of the catastrophe. Even though the explosion had occurred, the government didn’t initiate an emergency evacuation at once and waited for over 24 hours. A thousand buses swarmed the streets of Pripyat on the morning of April 27 to announce that an accident had occurred at the nuclear power plant and that everyone was required to leave as soon as possible.

People were told that the evacuation was temporary, so families took no more than a suitcase full of necessities and many of them were relocated to the new town of Slavutych, 30 miles to the east. But they never knew they wouldn’t return to their homes.

What to See in Pripyat

Nowadays, tours to Pripyat have become a popular activity among local and foreign tourists, and there is actually a plethora of things to see there, including the following:

• Palace of Culture. It was a massive community center that included a theater, cinema, dance halls, gym, swimming pool, and library, dancing halls. Young people were frequent visitors at the discos, which made the Palace of Culture a prominent gathering place for amusement. Now, it looks like any other shattered building in the city, full of broken furniture.
• Amusement park. The park was built not long before the explosion in Chernobyl nuclear power plant. It is one of the most popular sights in Pripyat, and during a full-day tour to Chernobyl and Pripyat from Kiev tourists visit this place and admire its apocalyptic looks.
• Self-settlers. Some locals chose to return to their houses after being relocated from the Exclusion Zone. Only a few of them are still around, and they’re living on their own, with minimal assistance from the government. Visiting self-settlers may be part of a Ukraine Pripyat tour as it is often interesting to hear first-hand experiences of the explosion, evacuation, and life in the years that followed.
• Wildlife. In a strange twist of fate, the absence of people has benefited the animal world. There was no visible evidence of mutations in deer or boar populations, even though radiation levels were hundreds of times greater than usual. The number of animals rose dramatically, and deer and boar populations recovered nearly quickly. Wolf and lynx returned to prey on deer, elk, moose, and boar once the animals returned to their natural habitats. Today, the wildlife population is more like that of a national park than a containment zone for radioactive materials. As it turns out, for animals, a nuclear apocalypse is better than regular human existence, so during a Kiev Pripyat tour, you may be lucky to see some of them crossing the streets.

Pripyat Tour Price

Every tourist who has dreamed of visiting the ghost town is wondering about the Pripyat tour cost. It depends on the company that organizes a Pripyat tour. Average prices range between 40 and 90 USD and don’t include special clothing, food and drink, and rental of radiation checkers.

Pripyat tour FAQ

What is included in the pripyat tour.

The Pripyat tour is a guided visit to the abandoned city of Pripyat, located within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. You will explore key sites such as the amusement park, schools, residential buildings, and other areas that showcase the impact of the Chernobyl disaster on the city and its residents.

How long does the Pripyat tour last?

The duration of the Pripyat tour may vary depending on the tour package you choose. Some tours are focused solely on Pripyat and last for a single day, while others may be combined with visits to other areas within the Exclusion Zone and last multiple days.

Is transportation provided for the Pripyat tour?

Yes, transportation to and from Kyiv is usually included in the price of the tour. Pickup and drop-off locations will be provided by the tour operator.

What should I wear for the Pripyat tour?

Wear comfortable, long-sleeved clothing and closed-toe shoes to protect against potential exposure to contaminated dust or soil. It is also a good idea to bring a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun.

Are there any age restrictions for the Pripyat tour?

Yes, participants must be at least 18 years old to join the Pripyat tour.

Is it safe to visit Pripyat on a guided tour?

Yes, visiting Pripyat on a guided tour is considered safe as long as you follow the safety guidelines provided by the tour operator and your guide. Radiation levels in most areas are low, but some spots may still have higher levels of radiation.

Can I take photos during the Pripyat tour?

Yes, you are allowed to take photos during the tour. However, please follow your guide’s instructions regarding any restricted areas where photography may not be permitted.

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Chernobyl nuclear power plant tours have become a popular tourist destination due to the apocalyptic looks of the area and the atmosphere of silence.

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Visiting Chernobyl: A Guide (Rules, Safety + Things To Know)

July 22, 2021 | Views: 2,818

Visiting Chernobyl isn’t everybody’s cup of tea for a “holiday” and it leads to a lot of questions and assumptions.

Why would you want to go there? Is it still safe? These queries get asked even more so than when I am visiting patently dangerous countries .

In recent years, HBO produced a TV miniseries about the disaster, which piqued interest in visiting Chernobyl, and shined a light on a dark period for modern-day Ukraine and its neighbouring nations.

Let’s say you ask the other type of questions.

How does one get to Chernobyl? What is it like? Will I be safe if I go? 

I’ll do my very best to answer both types of questions above, as always based on personal experience, whilst attempting to use critical thinking over ego.

Edit: Due to the current war in Ukraine, life is sadly  very  different in the country since my visit and that should be taken into consideration before reading. I recommend this very detailed and well-written update about life in Chernobyl .

Table of Contents

What Exactly Happened in Chernobyl?

Let’s set the scene. It’s 1986 and Ukraine is still part of the USSR (only just).

Pripyat, a small town in north Ukraine is home to Chernobyl, a nuclear power plant, responsible for producing around 10% of Ukraine’s total electricity. 

In the cruellest of irony, during an experiment to test a new way of cooling the core in an emergency, the nuclear reactor experienced a surge of power causing a huge explosion. This explosion spewed huge hot lumps of graphite into the open air along with potent radioactive material.

Over the next few hours, radioactive waste poured out in the form of heat, steam and pure radiation; toxic material that was picked up from as far away as Norway and Denmark. 

In true “iron curtain” style, authorities didn’t deem the explosion an emergency straight away. It was only after a fair few radiation sickness incidents and poisoning cases that the Soviet powers were forced to organise an evacuation of the city a few days later. 

Since then, there have been no “legally recognised” residents in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

Due to the dangerous levels of radioactive material that remained in the Chernobyl power plant ruins and the wider city of Pripyat, the entire area has become a modern-day ghost town. 

Frozen in a freeze-frame of time, the city’s famous Ferris wheel, abandoned schools, and overgrown streets have become a symbol of eeriness and a reminder of the fall of Soviet power.

Where is Chernobyl Located?

You’ll find Chernobyl in the northern regions of Ukraine, not too far from the country’s border with Belarus. It’s very conveniently located just a couple of hours’ drive from the capital city of Kyiv, which is where you’ll need to base yourself to make a visit to this abandoned city. 

Chernobyl is still considered a volatile area, with high levels of radiation and a pretty dangerous exclusion zone, so you can’t visit without an official guide. Tours are easy to organise from Kyiv, and you’ll need to set aside at least a day or two for a worthwhile visit to Ukraine’s capital while visiting Chernobyl. 

If you have time, you can join a tour for two days, which includes an overnight stay (I did this and it’s one day and one night).

For the sake of understanding a usually confusing part of this story; Pripyat and Chernobyl are completely different cities. Pripyat is around 15km away, but most of the employees of the nuclear plant lived there and that’s where you see most of the famous Chernobyl landmarks online.

How Historically Accurate Was The HBO Chernobyl Drama?

Since the disaster took place, there’s been a lot of coverage on the causes and devastating consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Some of this has been focused through a western-centric lens, while other docu-series and books have been bravely written by Russian and Ukrainian writers.

One of the newest interpretations of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster is the 2019 HBO miniseries, Chernobyl. In the mainstream media, the series was praised for its masterful production and historical accuracy in both events and the overall look of the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

Despite this, it was also met with some criticism too; critics were unhappy with how the Soviet constructs of power were portrayed . For example, the Chernobyl mini-series claims that the Soviet authorities were reluctant to seek outside help. 

When, in reality, US acute radiation sickness expert Robert Peter Gale was invited to Moscow straight away. The guides seemed to be divided when I was asking all the questions while visiting Chernobyl, with some impressed by the show and others having a dig at any given opportunity.

For the most part, it seems that the HBO Chernobyl drama managed to accurately retell the events of 1986, but it’s worth keeping in mind that artistic license was definitely at play in some parts. 

Do People Still Live in Chernobyl Today?

After the explosion and the delayed evacuation of Pripyat, many locals simply refused to leave the area. Just a handful of them returned weeks or months later to find their homes and rebuild their lives. Amazingly, around 150 people live in Chernobyl today, and 7,000 people in the surrounding area. 

Due to the clean-up process, the site can never be completely abandoned. Security guards, maintenance workers, firefighters, and scientists work in shifts of either 15 days a month or 4 days per week to help minimise their exposure time to radiation. As for the residents of Chernobyl, most have lived into their 70s and 80s since returning and (surprisingly) have even outlived many residents who relocated .

Wildlife of Chernobyl (Mutated Animals?)

The higher powers of the USSR and Ukraine may have ordered the people of Pripyat to evacuate the town, but there was no stopping mother nature. With humanity abandoning the area, trees and foliage began to claim back the concrete and steel, turning the city into a jungle-esque wilderness frozen in time.

This drew back a bounty of wildlife back to the area, with surprising results. Levels of radiation fell as time passed and thousands of animals have returned to the area. Brown bears, wolves, lynx, bison, deer, moose, beavers, foxes, badgers, wild boar and raccoon dogs have all made the area around the city their new haven.

You may have heard reports of radiation mutating cells in animals, leaving you with images of two-headed horses and six-eyed deer. Sorry to disappoint, but you won’t come across anything of the sort during your visit. 

I did see the saddest-looking, skinny little fox though, but that could genuinely happen anywhere.

Small genetic changes right after the accident, such as partial albinism in swallows or a loss of insects in the area have been noticed, but the mutant radioactive monsters of imagination are just that. 

Although the long-term effects of the radiation fallout are hard to predict, the absence of human activity has provided better short-term outcomes for the wildlife of southern Belarus and northern Ukraine than could have been foreseen.     

How Safe is it to Visit Chernobyl Today?

The site of one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters has to be incredibly dangerous, doesn’t it?

Actually, not so much. 

Since Chernobyl has become such a tourist hotspot in Ukraine, safety measures are extremely tight, and the chances of absorbing a harmful amount of radiation are pretty slim. That’s as long as you stick to the rules…

There’s a 30km restriction zone around the Chernobyl site, and you’ll need a certified tour company to grant you a pass too. Around the nuclear accident site, there are more checkpoints where you’ll need to show your pass, so you won’t be able to wander off alone.

Other than off-limit zones with obviously fatal doses of radiation; the wider Chernobyl site isn’t as unsafe as you might think. Exposure to radiation is measured in sieverts, with a lethal dose of radiation measuring at three to five sieverts in an hour. 

During your tour of Chernobyl, you’ll be exposed to around 130 to 2,610 microsieverts per hour – that’s 0.00261 of one whole sievert – this is no more than the radiation you’re exposed to during a typical long-haul flight.

With a professional tour guide showing you where to and not to go and your trusted Geiger counter to monitor radiation as you walk around Chernobyl and Pripyat, you’ll come back just as you left.

Why Would Anyone Want to Visit Chernobyl Anyway?

To many, the thought of travelling across the world to visit a site of macabre destruction and tragedy is both senseless and even to the point of being in bad taste. And yet, this pure curiosity about the negative sides of humankind and our inherited interest in the major disasters and conflicts our species has faced is something quite universal. 

There are few places on this earth where a stronger example of humanity’s sudden departure can be seen. The vegetation that has swept through the town of Pripyat has a quality to it as if a lost civilisation has been stumbled upon, preserved down to the last school lessons found waiting for the children to return, which they sadly never did.

In my experience, some people seem to pick and choose what is right and wrong when it comes to where to travel, making it up as they go along with inconsistencies while hiding behind a faux-outrage and moral superiority.

There are some rather immovable critiques for visiting North Korea because pretty much all of the money goes to a brutal, totalitarian government , but I don’t see an issue with visiting Chernobyl, The Killing Fields of Cambodia , or Auschwitz.

It’s less about where we travel for me and more about how we travel (appropriate conduct for the place).

For myself, it is easy to see why thousands rush to visit the Chernobyl site each year, it is far more than morbid curiosity. As is the case with any other place where people have lost their lives, a sense of respect and caution should be adopted when visiting Chernobyl. 

I personally don’t see it as “disaster porn” or simply “dark tourism,” and I think those who assume the worst of people in these situations see the world through a very dark lens themselves.

Sure, there are some people who make very bad decisions with photos in places like this, but the vast majority do not have warped minds or nefarious intentions.

Chernobyl is still a reminder of death for many and as such, should be treated with the same solemn respect you would treat a cemetery. 

Charities that Support Chernobyl 

Even though it’s been 35 years since the Chernobyl meltdown, the effects are still felt today in the contamination zones (Ukraine/Belarus/Russia). For this reason, there are multiple charities set up to help local residents with medical aid and quality-of-life care. Additionally, some tours donate a portion of their proceeds to Chernobyl-related charities. 

• Chernobyl Children International – CCI helps children and families affected by the Chernobyl disaster through various humanitarian aid programs. 
• Aid Convoy – This charity provides aid via convoys to the Chernobyl region. 
• Friends of Chernobyl’s Children – FOCC provides aid (medical/dental/educational) to children that live in badly contaminated areas of Belarus. Once a year they will bring them to the UK to live for a month.
• Chernobyl Children’s Trust – CCT is run by Irish volunteers committed to helping impoverished children living in contaminated and disadvantaged areas of Belarus.
• Chernobyl Heart – This UK charity helps fund Gomel Children’s Hospital in Belarus, where many sick children require care from a desperately underfunded facility.

Can You Visit Chernobyl Without a Guide? (Includes Tour Options)

As I mentioned earlier, you can’t enter the restricted areas surrounding Chernobyl without the help of a local guide. Let’s be honest, who would want to wander around a radiation-infected city alone?

You’ll need to organise your tour at least a few weeks in advance, if not longer when you’re visiting in the peak season. This is because your tour guide will need to organise a pass for you to get through the restricted area, and this can take a while to sort out. 

Booking ahead will also guarantee that you actually get a place on a tour. You’ll only need one full day to see the entire Chernobyl site, complete with a night in Kyiv either before or after. Alternatively, you can join a tour that stays overnight in the accommodation near Chernobyl.

The high season in Ukraine crashes during summer and autumn; the months of  June, July, August and September. Not only is there far more foot traffic, but the weather is also at its hottest. Visit Chernobyl during the shoulder seasons of Spring and pre-Christmas, and you’ll enjoy temperate weather and far fewer crowds in the streets.    

With that being said, I went in August and there wasn’t an overload of people, I am guessing there are so many allowed at one given time.

How Much Does Visiting Chernobyl Cost?

This really depends on the type of trip you’re looking for, and where you’re travelling from. If you’re already in Kyiv, then you’ll simply need to factor in the price of the tour itself. For a day tour, you’re looking at around ₴2870 or $105 USD per person. If you want to experience a night in Chernobyl, then you’ll need to fork out around double that price for a 2-day, 1-night tour.

I stayed over for one night after a full-day tour, which is referred to as a 2-day tour. My guide picked me up at the hotel and I paid 210 Euros – make sure you don’t forget your passport , as it’s obligatory. 

Every single Chernobyl tour begins from Kyiv. If you’re already based in Ukraine, the handy train system will get you there pronto. Sleeper trains from the brilliant city of Lviv take around seven hours and cost between $10 and $25 USD depending on the class you choose. (If you’re after a decent amount of comfort, avoid third class, and opt for second).

Alternatively, if you’re flying into Ukraine, especially for Chernobyl, you’ll need to touch down at Kyiv’s international airport Boryspil International Airport. You’ll find direct flights here from most European capitals as well as from Georgia, Dubai and Turkey. 

Those travelling to Ukraine’s capital from outside of Europe can expect to make one stop off in either London, Amsterdam or Warsaw.

There are endless places to stay in Kyiv, from top-of-the-range hotels to humble Airbnb and hostels. Fitting perfectly with the perception of Eastern European economics, accommodation in Ukraine is extremely affordable. 

Some tours will pick you up from the local train station so getting accommodation here can be thoughtful, while other private tours will offer to pick you up from your hotel. (Mine did, they were called ‘Gamma Travel.’)

Safety Rules When Visiting Chernobyl

To save you from getting into trouble or causing offence, it’s worth following the safety rules set out by your tour guide. Some of these may not be obvious, but it’s good to know to avoid any weird situations like the suddenly half-naked guy who went into a restricted area and had to remove his jeans immediately.

In the Exclusion Zone, you cannot:

• Eat or smoke in the open air
• Touch any buildings or vegetation
• Sit on the ground
• Place photo or video equipment on the ground (bring protection for tripod legs)
• Take anything outside of the exclusion zone
• Violate the dress code (no open shoes, shorts, t-shirts, skirts)
• Stay in the Exclusion Zone without your certified guide

What to Wear When Visiting Chernobyl

What you wear to Chernobyl is pretty much dictated to you by the rules of the exclusion zone. You have to wear long trousers, long-sleeved tops and closed-toe shoes. The idea behind this is pretty simple; you’re about to enter an abandoned city that’s been left to the elements for three decades. 

You’ll walk past exposed brickwork, broken glass, splintering wood and plenty of radioactive debris. The last thing you want is any of this getting on your skin. 

Other than official requirements, it’s worth keeping the weather in mind too. In the winter months, so between December and February, temperatures in northern Ukraine can drop to as low as -12°C. If you’re visiting then, you’ll want lots of layers, a good coat, some warm gloves and a toasty hat. 

Footwear is pretty important too in Chernobyl – remember that this place hasn’t been touched in 30 years. A pair of hardy walking boots would suit you best when you’re walking around the abandoned city and grounds. 

As I mentioned earlier, it’s not unheard of to come across broken glass, exposed nails and all sorts of debris scattered across the streets, so having a hearty-soled shoe is a must. 

My Experience of Visiting Chernobyl (Including My Overnight Stay)

The build-up to visiting Chernobyl was pretty intense. On the day of travelling to visit one of the world’s most catastrophic nuclear disasters, it’s hard to put into words any particular kind of emotion.

I’d seen the show and read stories from survivors, so I thought I might know what to expect. But nothing really sets the scene as well as experiencing the place yourself. So, I set about joining a day-plus overnight tour from Kyiv.

After meeting my tour guide and the rest of the group at a pretty sketchy roadside, we were on the road for about two hours. It didn’t take long for the high rises and busy streets of Kyiv to disappear, and the open roads and cornfields of the Ukrainian countryside to appear. 

Two hours later, our tour van pulled up to the first security checkpoint, hidden somewhere in the rugged forest that surrounds Chernobyl. From this checkpoint, it’s another 10 miles until you actually get to the site of nuclear reactor number 4.

But, before we made a beeline for the scene of the crime, we made a stop off at some pretty eerie places. We started off in the main square of Pripyat, which had been completely taken over by nature. 

Instead of a busy town square filled with people, there were concrete slabs that had been upturned by roots, towering trees blocking the view, and hotel signs and adverts that had faded from the building side. 

Our tour guide took us down some steps and to the river – with pretty strict instructions not to touch, and definitely not to drink the water.

Away from the main square, our guide led us to the abandoned funfair – probably some of the most iconic images of the Chernobyl disaster. After seeing so many pictures of the fair, I didn’t expect this to be as eerie as it was. 

But there’s something about bumper cars hastily abandoned mid-course that just doesn’t sit right. Not to mention the huge Ferris wheel that still squeaks in the wind and makes a half-arsed attempt to move. 

Worse still – much of this amusement park was never actually used – Pripyat was evacuated before it could be.

After soaking up the sombre atmosphere in the “city centre”, we were driven to a small abandoned village on the outskirts of Pripyat. We stopped at what looked like a small hut, hidden in the forest. 

With remnants of children’s toys, it didn’t take too long to realise this was the village school. Inside were just four rooms; one filled with rusting bunk beds, the other with faded ripped posters inscribed with the Cyrillic alphabet, and another with decapitated dolls and broken toys dotted around.

After this was the main event; a fleeting visit to the problematic reactor. Nowadays it’s contained by a giant metal dome, which should (hopefully) keep the radioactive matter contained for a good number of years.  Visiting the reactor is pretty surreal, but you won’t see much – just a big metal structure from a safe distance away. 

A quick photo and a higher than average reading on my Geiger Counter while taking in the feeling of place, impossible to imagine the scenes that went on during those moments.

Before you leave the exclusion zone, you’ll have to go through a radiation screening to see if you’ll take anything nasty into the “real world”. This time I got the green light and was free to go, with all my clothes intact. 

There are three hotels in the Chernobyl area and I stayed at Hotel Desyatka. It had an intensely strong Soviet feel to it, which I guess is part and parcel of visiting Chernobyl.

Anthony Middleton

Hi, I'm Anthony!

In November of 2010, I took on a mammoth challenge against the clock in a quest to upgrade my miserable life. I went out of my comfort zone and turned it all around. Ten years later, I’m completely location independent…

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Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Overnight Tours Return! ☢️

We have just received some exciting news from our partners in Ukraine that it is now once again possible to embark on overnight tours of the Chernobyl exclusion zone. This new development, coupled with recently relaxed entry requirements into Ukraine and the removal of the hordes of tourists that stormed the zone in 2019 after the incredibly successful HBO miniseries “Chernobyl” means there has never been a better time to explore this fascinating area of our planet.

Overnight Tours in Chernobyl

Just a couple of hours drive from the vibrant capital of Kyiv sits the apocalyptic site of the world’s worst nuclear accident. This is a land that is stuck in time where a thought-provoking journey into a Soviet time capsule awaits you.

Our overnight tours into the Chernobyl exclusion zone promise an adventure like no other as you explore shipwrecks, abandoned military bases, gigantic radar systems which once acted as a safeguard against nuclear warfare during the cold war and take in the unique atmosphere of a place where nature has started to reclaim what humanity built and abandoned.

Starting from today these tours can be arranged at any time and tailored exactly to fit your group size, dates and budget. In addition to tours of Chernobyl, we can also arrange for guided tours across all of Ukraine taking in activities such as shooting trips out of Kyiv to firing high-powered weaponry, taking a tank out for a joyride in the stunning Ukraine countryside and visiting a recently declassified Soviet ICBM underground launch base.

For sample tour itineraries, pricing or general information please click here to drop us a line and mention “Chernobyl Tours” in your subject.

Ukraine Relaxes Entry Requirements

From March 2021 Ukraine has relaxed entry requirements to actively encourage tourists to once again visit the country:

• You must have an insurance policy issued by a Ukrainian insurance company or a foreign insurance company that has a representative office in Ukraine that covers health costs related to COVID-19 infection (We can assist you with this)
• Negative PCR test result which was done no more than 72 hours before entry to Ukraine.

These entry requirements apply to everyone regardless of your COVID-19 vaccination status for the time being.

Ukraine also has an incredibly easy visa policy with nationals from Canada, the USA and the UK just to name a few all being visa-free. You can check full visa requirements for Ukraine by  clicking here

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