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Chernobyl Tour From Kyiv

Yes, you can visit Chernobyl from Kyiv which was once the site of one of the greatest nuclear disasters in history, and it’s seriously spooky.

The Chernobyl disaster happened in 1986 in the former Soviet Union in the north of Ukraine.

A reactor exploded discharging radioactivity into the atmosphere and killing 37 people within a few days, as well as countless more victims in the future due to radioactive poisoning.

The area became unliveable and the 70,000 civilian residents of the nearby city of Pripyat were evacuated, as well as other settlements in the region.

Pripyat has since become an eerie ghost city.

There is a 30km exclusion zone around the whole area, but you can go there on short visits, and in the more dangerous areas you don’t stay that long.

Still visiting a nuclear disaster site is not exactly something you do every day.

Going on a tour to Chernobyl is one of the most interesting things you can do in the area around Kyiv.

There were a few nerves going on at times when the radioactive levels spiked on the Geiger counter though.

 


chernobyl tour from Kiev

The Ghost City of Pripyat

Pripyat is a really haunting place as everything was left behind when the people evacuated.

The old school is littered with gas masks that are everywhere.

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Gas masks are left in boxes.
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Abandoned piano.

The whole place has fallen apart and left to rot.

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An old school classroom left in a hurry.

Children’s books and hair combs are an acute reminded how fast the people left.

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Abandoned shoes.
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Broken dreams of travel.

The indoor swimming pool is one of the more astonishing sites on the Chernobyl tour that you will see..

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Swimming pool.
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Diving board.

Time stood still.

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In the sports hall there is nothing left.

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Sports hall in Pripyat.

More gas masks lying around.

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So many gas masks.
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Someone got creative.

The haunting fun fair area is where some of the most iconic pictures of the area come from..

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Bumper cars.
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The rusting ferris wheel.
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Nature is taking over the city as trees and plants grow all around.

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Abandoned housing block.
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Children crossing.

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Supermarket left with nothing.

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Face mask.

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Street art on walls shows signs of past happiness.

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The Village Kindergarten

On the way to Pripyat, there is an abandoned village with a kindergarten. This was seriously saddening to visit seeing the children’s things lying around.

At the entrance to the kindergarten, there is a radioactive hotspot. Normal radiation readings would measure up to 0.3. There it reached up to 12!

The guide explains the radiation risks and how the area is becoming more ‘livable’ than before.

Believe it or not, people have come back to certain areas to try and live again.

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Geiger counter reading.
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Nuclear sign.

Inside the kindergarten, you can see the young children beds.

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When a child leaves a doll behind you know it was a hurry out of there.
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More childrens toys.
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So sad to see the young shoe.
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The Soviet Radar Complex on The Chernobyl Tour

The Soviets had an early warning nuclear missile radar station nearby Chernobyl called Duga-1.

It’s 90 metres high and 250 metres wide and is seriously impressive to get up close to.

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Nearby buildings still have Soviet paintings on.

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This says something like “Soviets need you”!

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Soviet propaganda in Chernobyl.

The entrance area to the radar site.

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chernobyl tour from Kiev

The Chernobyl Tour From Kiev

The entrance sign to Chernobyl.

chernobyl tour from Kiev

Visiting Chernobyl would fall under the category of “dark tourism“, but it does give a deep insight into one of the worst nuclear disasters in history (the most recent one being Fukushima in Japan) so it’s worth going to get a knowledge of that.

Taking a tour of Chernobyl and Pripyat should be high on your list when visiting Ukraine and Kyiv.

It’s a very unique and haunting experience to do.

I recommend using SafetyWing Travel Insurance for your trip, just in case, it’s best to be prepared.

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chernobyl-tour from Kiev

7 thoughts on “Chernobyl Tour From Kyiv”

  1. Wow, incredible photography. I’ve always found Chernobyl to be fascinating. How long do they let you stay in the area for the tour? I can’t believe people sneak in those abandoned buildings to sleep at night!

  2. Thanks! It depends on what tour you take. I did the one day and stayed 7 hours in the 30km exclusion zone, but only short times in the main radioactive area. Pripyat and Chernobyl are safe enough. It’s only certain areas that you go to only for short time.

  3. Hi! Finally someone with similar interests! Keep up the good work! How much was the tour to Chernobyl? Are there any alternative ways than spending ~100USD p.P. for getting there?
    Cheers!

  4. Pingback: The 10 Best Travel Documentaries (Epic Travel Adventures)

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