How To Plan Your Trip To Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone
UPDATE: Can you visit Chernobyl in 2024? No. As of March 2023, Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone is closed to visitors, due to the ongoing war between the Ukraine and Russia.
If you’ve seen my posts recently, or checked out my Instagram in November, you’ll know already that last year, I visited Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone. And it was incredible. Fascinating, haunting, surreal and incredible.
Particularly after the recent HBO series (which I speed-binged in the week leading up to my trip), tourism in Chernobyl has seen a major rise. In 2019, almost 100,000 people visited the Exclusion Zone.
In case you need a catch-up – on 26th April 1986, a reactor explosion occurred at the Chernobyl Power Plant, in the Ukraine. By the end of the following day, around 50,000 people had been evacuated from the area. As the radiation spread, more towns within a 30km radius were evacuated, with the residents mostly never to return.
Chernobyl now has been reclaimed by nature – the city of Pripyat overgrown with forest among the abandoned structures. The village of Kopachi buried underground, save for the Kopachi kindergarten building and one other. The power plant still has employees, working on the decommission process. Wolves, foxes and wild dogs roam free.
If you’re thinking of visiting Chernobyl, but not sure how to go about it, this post will help you plan your trip to Chernobyl.
Is it disrespectful to visit Chernobyl?
This is a question that’s been more asked in a wider context, rather than to me directly – but something I wanted to address regardless. Obviously, Chernobyl was the site of a major disaster, one which killed many, either straightaway or in years to come, and displaced tens of thousands. Which maybe, for some, makes the idea of rubbernecking tourists feel slightly off-kilter.
Around the world, people visit sites that represent some of the darkest atrocities in history – Auschwitz, Pompeii, the 9/11 Memorial in New York City, Cambodia’s killing fields…the list goes on. In ways, I think it’s important to address that human life hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows. Knowing and understanding these darker times is understanding the history, reasoning, and most importantly, the real people that they affected.
Obviously, visits to any of these places should be done out of respect and a will to understand our history, not just to get some pics for Instagram. Grinning selfies, disrespecting the places and not abiding by the rules of visiting aren’t really on. But I do think they should be visited, if the visitor is treading there respectfully with the right attitude.
Is it safe to visit Chernobyl?
Probably the most common question I’ve been asked since my Chernobyl trip!
And it’s completely understandable. Our group definitely got a little nervous if the doseometer (the thing used to measure radiation) beeped a bit more frantically.
But to put it into perspective, during a day trip to Chernobyl, visitors will receive a radiation ‘dose’ that’s equivalent to around 3-5 hours on a plane. Considering you probably flew there for about that long, it’s really nothing at all.
Not all areas of Chernobyl are equal, in terms of radiation – and the tours will avoid areas that may contain higher levels, or only spend a very short time in them. The majority of radiation is now in the soil, sinking deeper into the ground as time passes.
Unless you wander off into the woods on your own (don’t do that) or like…eat a load of radioactive soil (obviously, definitely don’t do that), you’ll be 100% fine.
Radiation exposure isn’t all about strength – length of time exposed is also a major factor. To put that into perspective, we met a self-settler who moved back to the outer exclusion zone months after the disaster. She’s fine at eighty, and her cute little dog is too.
Chernobyl takes radiation safety incredibly seriously, and you’ll be scanned by a dosimetric control machine upon entering and leaving, as well as at checkpoints during your visit. In the history of Chernobyl tours, there have been a handful of cases where visitors have had an item of clothing confiscated due to possible contamination. The fact that tens of thousands of tourists visit every year makes this a near-impossible scenario.
The unsafe structures are actually the real danger in Chernobyl, much more so than radiation, which is why going into the buildings is forbidden.
How to plan your visit to Chernobyl – including costs
Okay, logistics. Point number one – you’ll need to take a tour. You can’t just rock up in your car and explore the place freely, for obvious safety reasons. But on the plus side – as soon as you join the tour, everything’s planned and looked after for you. I visited Chernobyl with Exodus Travels (full disclosure – I work there, so got the trip at a discounted price), which included two days and a night in Chernobyl (including a rare power plant tour), flights, plus accommodation before and after the tour. But if you want to do a more DIY option, you can arrange your flights and tour of Chernobyl separately.
Your Chernobyl trip starting point: Kiev
The majority of Chernobyl tours will begin in Kiev, the Ukraine’s capital. Flights from the UK run daily across various airlines, and my flights if booked separately would have been £120 return. Day tours run pretty much every day, so if you’re doing one of those, you can work around when cheap flights run.
You’ll need to spend the night in Kiev as the tours begin early in the morning, but luckily hotel and hostel accommodation in Kiev can be pretty affordable – dorm rooms start as low as £6 per night, privates from around £20, and hotel rooms as low as £50. Kiev’s a pretty cool (and cheap) city, so you could always combine some sightseeing and eating with your Chernobyl tour!
How to find your Chernobyl tour
There are different options depending on whether you want to visit for a day or overnight, whether you’re happy to join a small group or prefer a private tour, and if you want to go inside Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant:
Full
Day Small Group Chernobyl Tour (£73pp) – best if you only want to visit for
the day
Full
Day Private Chernobyl Tour (from £174.94pp)
Two
Day All-Inclusive Small Group Chernobyl Tour (from £191.07pp – includes overnight
accommodation & meals in Chernobyl) – best if you want the overnight
experience I had
Two
Day All-Inclusive Private Group Chernobyl Tour (from £1,085.62 per group of
up to 5)
One
Day Private Tour Including Chernobyl Power Plant Tour (from £201.96pp,
based on group size) – best if you want to see the power plant and have a group
of 5+
Two
Day All-Inclusive Small Group Tour Including Chernobyl Power Plant Tour (€429pp,
and you can also upgrade
to visiting Control Room 4 on certain tours…) – best if you want to do it
all
3-5 Day Photography Tour – best for groups of photographers – it’s pretty pricey, although the price goes down the more people you take.
All tours above include transportation from Kiev, entry to Chernobyl Exclusion Zone including all documentation & permits, and a licensed tour guide.
It’s advised that you book at least 14 days in advance, in order to secure the necessary permits.
If you want something a little less mainstream (and, uh, maybe kinda illegal), you can also look into Chernobyl Urban Exploration tours.
What can you see in Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone?
There are lots of things to see dotted around the Exclusion Zone – these are some of the highlights, most of which you’ll see on your tour.
Chernobyl Town – which is where we stayed on our overnight visit. There are two hostels here, as well as some accommodation lived in by on-shift power plant workers and ‘self-settlers’ – the people that returned to Chernobyl after the evacuation. To supplement the locals and visitors, a convenience store operates, selling tinned food, bottled drinks, assorted general grocery items and…beer.
Chernobyl Power Plant – any Chernobyl tour will at least take you to outside the infamous power plant, and you’ll be able to see the ‘sarcophogus’ housing Reactor 4. On my visit, we were able to tour inside the power plant – but this is only on a few specific tours and costs a fair bit more than a regular experience (see above). If you get the chance though, it’s definitely worth it.
Pripyat – The city most people think of when they hear ‘Chernobyl’, around 50,000 residents were evacuated from here shortly after the incident at the Power Plant. The city was built for plant staff and their families, and you’re able to walk around (outside) the now-abandoned infrastructure, including shops, hospital, kindergartens and housing blocks, as well as the iconic amusement park.
Read More: Exploring Pripyat – the Ghost City of Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone
Kopachi – Most of the town of Kopachi is actually underground, buried after the disaster. Only two buildings remain – one of which is the Kopachi kindergarten, which you’re able to visit and look around.
Read More: Chernobyl’s Kopachi Kindergarten in Pictures
Red Forest – the 10km square area surrounding the power plant, said to be one of the most contaminated areas in the world – although 90% of the radiation is underground in the soil. Most tours visit the less contaminated areas, though! Wildlife has thrived here with an absence of humans. We didn’t spot any, but wolves, beavers, deer and birds have been seen in the area.
Duga Radar Station – this towering duga radar, hidden deep in the forest, served as an early warning system for enemy missiles.
Monuments/Memorials – there are a fair few of these dotted around, including the ‘Monument of the Third Angel’, dedicated to the firefighters that died during the disaster.
Can under 18s visit Chernobyl?
Nope – it’s against Ukranian law.
Can I visit Chernobyl without a guide?
Nooope. It’s illegal for tourists to visit the zone unaccompanied by a guide. I guess, technically, people do sneak in, but there are police and checkpoints all around so unless you fancied walking through radioactive forest, that’s not an option. And also not very safe, or sensible. Our guide provided not only direction around the zone, but also the Geiger counter to measure radiation and loads of information about Chernobyl’s history. Pretty helpful, really.
What time of year should I visit Chernobyl at?
Tours of Chernobyl run all year round. Temperatures are relatively similar to the UK and the rest of Europe, although probably a bit colder. In December, January and February, temperatures can go as low as -10 to -15°. From June-August, expect highs of up to 25°.
I visited in early November – although it was pretty chilly at night, the eeriness of the fog and bare trees made it incredibly atmospheric.
What to wear when visiting Chernobyl
Basically, you’ll need to cover up – no shorts, skirts or short-sleeved t-shirts. Long sleeves, trousers and comfortable, closed shoes. If you’re visiting in winter, layers are advisable as it gets pretty cold, and in any season, it doesn’t hurt to pack a rain jacket as you’ll be outside for a fair bit of the tour. For my Chernobyl trip, I just wore my usual jeans, t-shirt, jumper and coat, with a hat and gloves for when it got cold.
If there are any areas where you need specialist gear (e.g hats/masks/shoes to protect from dust in the power plant), these will all be provided in a full range of sizes. No, you don’t need any kind of haz-mat suit!
Eating and Drinking in Chernobyl
There are strict rules against eating and drinking in the open – but it’s fine to do this on your tour bus. For lunch, your guide will likely take you to the Chernobyl Power Plant Canteen, where all the workers eat. If you’re staying overnight, one of the hotels in Chernobyl Town has a casual restaurant where you’ll have dinner and breakfast.
The restaurant does sell alchohol (including a ‘Chernobyl beer’) between the hours of 7 and 9, and the small shop in town sells drinks too.
Animals in Chernobyl
Since the abandonment of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, animals have thrived. Wolves, foxes, birds and other animals have made the forest their home.
Chernobyl is also home to a lot of ‘wild’ dogs, descendants of the pets left behind after the evacuation. And…yep…puppies! The first question is probably ‘can you pet them?’. The official advice is, don’t, however the guides seem to ignore this and pet the dogs themselves, and allowed us to do so. If you do decide to pet them, just make sure you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards and use some hand sanitizer.
The dogs around built up areas are very used to humans, and will usually go about their business ignoring you unless you choose to give them attention. Goes without saying, if you see any other animals, probably stay away from them.
What to bring to Chernobyl
- Your passport, which you’ll need to join a tour and enter the zone
- A camera/phone
- Snacks/drinks, only to be consumed on your tour bus (see below)
What NOT to do in Chernobyl
- Don’t stray from the required paths, and definitely don’t go
- Don’t take anything from the zone.
- Don’t eat or drink in the open air – check with your operator, but on a bus is fine.
- Smoking/vaping in Chernobyl – although I read that this isn’t allowed, I did see people (including tour guides and local workers) doing it around the tour.
- Don’t sit on the ground or place your belongings there.
Giving Back: Chernobyl Charities
Chances are, you’ll probably be pretty moved by what you’ve seen visiting Chernobyl. If you want to give something back to support those affected by the disaster, Chernobyl International and the Chernobyl Children’s Project support children living in the aftermath of the disaster.
If you want to help out the dogs of Chernobyl, check out the work that Clean Futures Fund do.
A visit to Chernobyl is eye-opening, haunting and fascinating, and if you’re a fan of the show, or just interested in the world’s darker history, I’d recommend it completely. Hopefully this guide has helped plan your visit to Chernobyl, and if you have any more questions, please do leave them in the comments!
