Find a Tour Company

While you can visit Chernobyl these days, it is actually illegal to do so as a tourist unless your expedition is led by a tour company. Be sure to do your research before going in order to find the best prices and the expedition that you like best.

Decide How Long You Want to Say

Some trips to Chernobyl last longer than others, with some being day trips that leave from Kyiv and others being multi-day trips which include a hotel stay in the area. Decide which one suits your plans and wants best, and be prepared to pay more the longer you stay.

Private vs. Public Tours

If you are really looking to have a personalized Chernobyl experience, you might want to pay for a private tour of the site. This will give you more freedom in terms of what you will see and where you will go during your time there, but will also cost significantly more.

The post Planning Your Visit to Chernobyl appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

It’s now possible to see the abandoned city of Pripyat and even observe the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant from up close—but there are some secrets involved. Here are a few facts you probably didn’t know about visiting this fascinating destination.

Radiation Measurement Checkpoints

As you’ll be visiting a site that is off-limits for humans to live due to a nuclear disaster in 1986, you’ll be screened with a radiation dosimeter upon entering and leaving the zone to ensure you have not been exposed to too much radiation during your visit.

Dining in the Plant’s Cafeteria

Would you believe that part of a standard tour includes eating in the former nuclear plant’s cafeteria? It sure does, and you’ll be served traditional Ukrainian dishes that are thankfully made with ingredients from outside of the nuclear zone.

The Levels of Radiation are Astoundingly Low!

Despite the radiation checkpoints and the specter of a relatively recent disaster, this area is completely safe for visitors, because its radiation levels are now so low. In fact, you’ll be exposed to more radiation on a transoceanic flight than you will be if you spend a whole day visiting.

The post Secrets of Visiting Chernobyl appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

It is not safe to venture into certain areas around the former Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This is due to high levels of radiation, but many of the zones are safe to visit with a guide.

To visit the site, you must book a tour, which typically leaves from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. These tours cost about $99 and are very comprehensive. 

A tour with the company Chernobyl Tour will take you into the now-abandoned Zalissya village, Pripyat, the Exclusion Zone, and many other important sites around the former nuclear plant.

Each of these places tells the story of the disaster and gives visitors a glimpse into the past. The tour ends with a meal at the Chernobyl state canteen—for some authentic Soviet style food. Don’t worry, the food is brought in from Kyiv and not grown nearby.

It is important to remember what happened at Chernobyl and visiting the surroundings allows visitors to learn from the past. There is a haunting beauty to the site, and the forest and animals have slowly begun to take over the abandoned villages. Chernobyl has to be one of Eastern Europe’s spookiest tourist destinations.

The post The Spookiest Travel Destination: Chernobyl appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

However, there are some things about visiting Chernobyl that will probably surprise you when you go. Here are three things that you might not even believe.

You Have to Pass Government Checkpoints

Even though the amount of nuclear radiation still present in the area surrounding Chernobyl is generally quite low, the Ukrainian government still maintains checkpoints to ensure that workers and visitors in the area don’t leave the area with a potentially dangerous amount of nuclear radiation in their bodies.

You Can’t Enter Any Buildings

While many people dream of exploring the abandoned buildings in Pripyat and its nearby villages, the reality is that it isn’t even legal to do so. In order to reduce potential risks related to nuclear fallout and building damage, you’ll have to observe from outside.

You Can Eat in the Nuclear Plant Canteen

Tour guides which take visitors to Chernobyl typically take the opportunity to take them to the Chernobyl Power Plant canteen for lunch, where visitors are served a traditional Ukranian meal and eat alongside the personnel who continue to work at the site to keep it safe.

The post 3 Things You Didn’t Know About Touring Chernobyl appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

Find a Tour Company

While you can visit Chernobyl these days, it is actually illegal to do so as a tourist unless your expedition is led by a tour company. Be sure to do your research before going in order to find the best prices and the expedition that you like best.

Decide How Long You Want to Say

Some trips to Chernobyl last longer than others, with some being day trips that leave from Kyiv and others being multi-day trips which include a hotel stay in the area. Decide which one suits your plans and wants best, and be prepared to pay more the longer you stay.

Private vs. Public Tours

If you are really looking to have a personalized Chernobyl experience, you might want to pay for a private tour of the site. This will give you more freedom in terms of what you will see and where you will go during your time there, but will also cost significantly more.

The post Planning Your Visit to Chernobyl appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

It’s now possible to see the abandoned city of Pripyat and even observe the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant from up close—but there are some secrets involved. Here are a few facts you probably didn’t know about visiting this fascinating destination.

Radiation Measurement Checkpoints

As you’ll be visiting a site that is off-limits for humans to live due to a nuclear disaster in 1986, you’ll be screened with a radiation dosimeter upon entering and leaving the zone to ensure you have not been exposed to too much radiation during your visit.

Dining in the Plant’s Cafeteria

Would you believe that part of a standard tour includes eating in the former nuclear plant’s cafeteria? It sure does, and you’ll be served traditional Ukrainian dishes that are thankfully made with ingredients from outside of the nuclear zone.

The Levels of Radiation are Astoundingly Low!

Despite the radiation checkpoints and the specter of a relatively recent disaster, this area is completely safe for visitors, because its radiation levels are now so low. In fact, you’ll be exposed to more radiation on a transoceanic flight than you will be if you spend a whole day visiting.

The post Secrets of Visiting Chernobyl appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

It is not safe to venture into certain areas around the former Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This is due to high levels of radiation, but many of the zones are safe to visit with a guide.

To visit the site, you must book a tour, which typically leaves from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. These tours cost about $99 and are very comprehensive. 

A tour with the company Chernobyl Tour will take you into the now-abandoned Zalissya village, Pripyat, the Exclusion Zone, and many other important sites around the former nuclear plant.

Each of these places tells the story of the disaster and gives visitors a glimpse into the past. The tour ends with a meal at the Chernobyl state canteen—for some authentic Soviet style food. Don’t worry, the food is brought in from Kyiv and not grown nearby.

It is important to remember what happened at Chernobyl and visiting the surroundings allows visitors to learn from the past. There is a haunting beauty to the site, and the forest and animals have slowly begun to take over the abandoned villages. Chernobyl has to be one of Eastern Europe’s spookiest tourist destinations.

The post The Spookiest Travel Destination: Chernobyl appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

However, there are some things about visiting Chernobyl that will probably surprise you when you go. Here are three things that you might not even believe.

You Have to Pass Government Checkpoints

Even though the amount of nuclear radiation still present in the area surrounding Chernobyl is generally quite low, the Ukrainian government still maintains checkpoints to ensure that workers and visitors in the area don’t leave the area with a potentially dangerous amount of nuclear radiation in their bodies.

You Can’t Enter Any Buildings

While many people dream of exploring the abandoned buildings in Pripyat and its nearby villages, the reality is that it isn’t even legal to do so. In order to reduce potential risks related to nuclear fallout and building damage, you’ll have to observe from outside.

You Can Eat in the Nuclear Plant Canteen

Tour guides which take visitors to Chernobyl typically take the opportunity to take them to the Chernobyl Power Plant canteen for lunch, where visitors are served a traditional Ukranian meal and eat alongside the personnel who continue to work at the site to keep it safe.

The post 3 Things You Didn’t Know About Touring Chernobyl appeared first on Traveler Dreams.