Originally from New York, Katie is used to a fast-paced lifestyle. Tours of Chernobyl are not something that you can do last-minute for cheap. NEW tours in 2020! Chernobyl has a flourishing tourism industry. "We spent about 30 minutes in a bus going through generic radiation safety instructions and rules about not sitting, putting your stuff on the ground during the tour, picking up items, illegal smuggling, mostly forbidden drone usage. Well, I think its very interesting to visit Chernobyl. There are some areas (like the red forest) where radiation is incredibly high. For those who were closest, mainly those who lived in Pripyat, the damage was done as soon as the reactor exploded. In the car from Ukraine's capital Kiev to Chernobyl, the guides showed him a video describing the different levels of radiation and the best way to stay safe during the trip. The question most people ask is usually surrounding safety. "I may sound arrogant in saying that, but there seems to be a disturbing rise in trashy tourism to Chernobyl," McDowall added. They Say Copenhagen, Denmark Is A Walkable City: What The Ultimate Tour Looks Like, If You're Still Bored At Home, These Hobby Subscription Boxes Are Worth The Money, These Dishes Are Hailed As The World's Greatest Comfort Foods. If you chose to visit Chernobyl by tour, stay safe with these tips and plan in advance. February 13, 2016 SophiS Reply. February 13, 2016 SophiS Reply. Leaving the Soviet imagery in place serves a certain political function as well as an economic tourist one. How radiation-safe are short-term trips to the Chernobyl Zone? ┆ Excursions to the ⚛ Chernobyl nuclear power plant. You even get a geiger counter for the day. Reply. Today, nature has repossessed the Exclusion Zone and where Pripyat once stood, and a collection of dreary, abandoned buildings filled with rubble have become an unusual attraction. Are Tourists Safe For Chernobyl? It is not possible to visit Chernobyl on your own, and this is the reason why; the guides’ knowledge is essential to ensure you stay safe throughout your visit. At the same time its very dangerous. To continue reading login or create an account. The answer is Yes. Tanya. I was thinking of it as this strange thing to do that I couldn't do anywhere else. Whereas Hiroshima was designed to detonate on impact and release all the contained energy in one shot, shortly dispersing afterward, Chernobyl fell under the unfortunate instance of ground absorption. Surprisingly, while humans were unable to inhabit the land (although there are some who have since moved back to the outskirts), the wildlife around the exposed area has simply exploded. I took a day long tour to Chernobyl and Pripyat It was a very interesting experience. Chernobyl: 34 Years Later, Is It Actually Safe To Visit? There are places in Chernobyl, like the machine cemetery of Rossokha village, which are still considered dangerous to visit. My guide said when she brings groups here in summer she often urges her group to 'run!' On average, the response to when Chernobyl and, by extension, Pripyat, will be habitable again is about 20,000 years. In order for tours to be possible, certain areas have been designated as 'safe' with reasonable levels of radiation that are comparable to that of a long plane flight. You will need to show your passport and a permit to enter. Experts Explain the Risks It's Hard To Define What "Safe" Means. Chernobyl tours from Kiev: Is It safe to visit Chernobyl? The only place to satisfy all of your guilty pleasures. "I saw several types of tourists, but one of the main types of tourists was actually from the former Soviet Union. Local tour companies insist that, after 30 years, the site is safe to visit. Maria. People probably interesting to look stunning even in this godforsaken place. I will visit Chernobyl in March 2016!!! Safe tours to Chernobyl zone and ghost town Pripyat, from kiev. The Chernobyl tours follow “safe” routes through the zone. Some information was already available on the organizer's website before the tour.". ", You have 4 free articles remaining this month, Sign-up to our daily newsletter for more articles like this + access to 5 extra articles. While on a Chernobyl-Pripyat tour, you are expected – well rather required – to obey a set of simple but important tour rules. Share. Tourists from around the world wander around the exclusion zone with Geiger counters to measure radiation. You must book a tour to visit Chernobyl. Сall me back. Visiting Pripyat is a once in a lifetime experience and you will … These machines included the “mobot”, shown above, which was used to push highly radioactive debris off of the rooftop at the nuclear power plant. Tours Through Chernobyl. Chernobyl private tour from Kiev – this tour is the best option if you’d rather be in a smaller group. Constantine. Join us on a full-day tour for a complete immersion journey throughout the Zone and an … The answer is a little more complicated than a simple "yes.". She has been writing professionally and has been published since the age of 19, and for nearly a decade has covered topics in entertainment, lifestyle, music news, video game reviews, food culture, and now has the privilege of writing and editing for TheTravel. Before our visit we were sure to ask whether is it safe to visit Chernobyl and we were given a detailed response. Jacques argues that keeping Pripyat unchanged makes it an attractive tourist destination, but there are also political and ideological reasons for keeping the area maintained like a time capsule. Although on a two-day tour to Chernobyl, visitors will be exposed to a lower level of radiation than on a long-haul flight, there are safety checks in place. Safe trips to Chernobyl. But Franka Hummels, a Dutch author and journalist who wrote a book about Chernobyl, said some tourists are driven by genuine nostalgia for a bygone era. loves 2 things in life - delicious food and the Chernobyl Zone +38(099)274-74-81. 1-DAY TOUR PROGRAM: Duration of our standard Pripyat-Chernobyl tour: 12 hours; we will leave Kyiv at 7:45 (Kyiv time) in the morning and will … Hence, I didn't feel concerned for my safety at all since I realized that the guides and the people that work there are fine.". In several-day tours, in addition to more detailed acquaintance with the most famous objects (the Chernobyl NPP, towns of Pripyat and Chernobyl) you get a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the wonderful nature of the Zone untrodden nooks, meet very peculiar people – selfsettlers-samosely – and discover their way of life, which is so close to nature.