Pripyat day tour - visit of the abandoned city of Chernobyl nuclear disaster

One of the peculiar activities that can only be done in Ukraine, is to go for a one day tour of Pripyat ghost town, the city that used to host the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. About 3 hours drive from Kiev, typically leaving at 8am, with a few hours guided tour, and back to Kiev before the end of the afternoon.


Pripyat day tour visit

One of the peculiar activities that can only be done in Ukraine, is to go for a one day tour of Pripyat ghost town, the city that used to host the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. About 3 hours drive from Kiev, typically leaving at 8am, with a few hours guided tour, and back to Kiev before the end of the afternoon.

Chernobyl exploded in 1986, and an exclusion has been setup since then. As the nuclear isotopes reached their mid-life, some parts of this zone can now be safely visited, without more effect than taking an intercontinental flight.

The tour is framed by a guide, and knows the places that can be safely visited.

Kiev: Find local activities

It starts by seeing the Chernobyl entry sign, and seeing in the distance the never completed reactors 5 and 6 with their cooling tower.

Then, entering the city of Pripyat, founded in 1970, and now deserted, the tour can begin in the small town that used to have close to 50 000 residents, that have all been evacuated after the incident.

The main hotel, that was designed to host visitors and scientists, is now slowly decaying like all buildings around – some of them which have still been partially used for some years by wandering people.

In what seems like another life, the remains of the Pripyat amusement park are not making up for a surreal walk, between the bumper cars track, and the iconic 26 meters Ferris wheel. The park, scheduled to be opened on May 1st, 5 days after the catastrophe, has never been used.

Many abandoned buildings can be seen from outside, but one of them worth being visited, the former school. It gives a chilling feeling, as it gives a perfect glimpse on how fast the city has been evacuated, as the classrooms, deserted in a hurry, are showing.

Continuing the tour, more abandoned things, like cars in the street, can be seen left to rot in the open.

Then, approaching the exclusion zone, another relic from the soviet union can be seen, the anti ballistic missile radar Duga.

Leaving the zone, some painted propaganda can still be seen on a wall.

A unique experience, touring the ghost town of Pripyat is both frightening and inspirational, as it was a source of inspiration for a lot of entertainment in popular culture, from video games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, to novels and movies like Chernobyl Diaries.

A Chernobyl national museum dedicated to the accident can also be visited in the center of Kiev, the Ukrainian capital.

Pripyat day tour - visit of the aba...
Pripyat day tour - visit of the abandoned city of Chernobyl nuclear disaster

The abandoned city of Chernobyl

A Chernobyl Tour is an experience that cannot be forgottten, and it is recommended to have a chernobyl guided tour, as the pripyat trip can be dangerous and security measures have to be respected.

The Chernobyl disaster on 26th of April 1986 led to the unfortunate creation of one of the most interesting deserted cities in the world.

An ukraine chernobyl tour can be done from Kiev as a day tour, with a two hour ride to get to visit pripyat, the abandoned city of Chernobyl.

Chernobyl day tours from Kiev and prices

Chernobyl tour

Chernobyl accident site, and the Pripyat tour, which is the Chernobyl city where workers were living, Chernobyl being only the site of the nuclear power plant, can be visited.

Visit chernobyl with a Chernobyl excursion, as a Chernobyl tour is the main way to get there safely, with proper equipment and avoiding contaminated areas of the Chernobyl disaster.

Chernobyl abandoned amusement park

The Chernobyl amusement park the most iconic site of the city of Pripiat, with its ferris wheel, bumber cars.

The most recognizable abandoned building of the Chernobyl tour is probably the hotel of the city.

Where is Chernobyl

Chernobyl is situated in Kiev region, 134km North of the capital, about 2 hours drive by car.

Directions from Kyiv to Pripyat, Chernobyl city, on Google Maps

Chernobyl Diaries

For a little fright before visiting the the abandoned city of Chernobyl and its Chernobyl amusement park, see the 2012 American horror movie Chernobyl diaries.

Chernobyl Diaries movie is of course a fiction, but will give you a glimpse of what you can expect there, in the abandoned city of Pripyat, as Chernobyl Diaries movie shows a lot of the deserted city.

The Chernobyl HBO series

How accurate is the Chernobyl HBO series? Well, it actually is very accurate. It dit replace some characters, in order to simplify the story – there was actually thousands of people involved, and the main characters are a synthesis of them, as it would be nearly impossible to show them all on a series.

The Chernobyl miners really went to work on the exploded core to save us all from radiations, and many people involved in the accident were real heroes.

Most of the facts depicted in the Chernobyl HBO series actually really happened, and are as accurate as possible from the reality.

HBO's Chernobyl: What Each Episode Title Really Means - Screen Rant
Every single episode of the superb Chernobyl is available to watch for free

Valery Legasov was a real scientist that really investigated the Chernobyl core explosion. This character is as accurate as possible. He really worked with Boris Shcherbina on solving the crisis.

Valery Legasov – Wikipedia

Boris Shcherbina from Chernobyl HBO series is based on a real person of the same name, that really was a leader of the Soviet Union and helped solve the crisis of the Chernobyl core explosion, working with Valery Legasov on this matter. However, his character has been scripted to fit better the Chernobyl HBO series.

Boris Shcherbina On 'Chernobyl' Is Based On A Real Person, But Stellan Skarsgard Stayed Focused On His Scripted Character

How many episodes of Chernobyl exist

The Chernobyl HBO series consists of only 5 episodes, and not one more actually. All of them have already aired.

They mostly depict accurate events that happened in Chernobyl, as best as it was possible to recreate it, with some characters created for the series.

List of HBO Chernobyl episodes

Chernobyl (miniseries) – Wikipedia
Watch Chernobyl Season 1 Episode 5 Online: Vichnaya Pamyat | HBO

Why take iodine pills for Chernobyl

Taking iodine pills for Chernobyl radiations is useful because radioactive iodine has been released by the Chernobyl catastrophe. This radioactive iodine is being absorbed by the thyroid, an internal organ.

By taking iodine pills that consists of stable, non radioactive, iodine, the thyroid will be saturated in clean iodine and won’t be able to absorb the radioactive one that has been released by the explosion of the Chernobyl core.

Why Did Chernobyl Victims Take Iodine Pills And Should I Take Them?
CDC Radiation Emergencies | Facts About Potassium Iodide (KI)

Distance from Kiev to Pripyat is 134km on the North of Kiev, which is about a two hours drive by car or bus, the only way to get there.

Frequently Asked Questions

What unique insights and experiences can visitors expect from a Pripyat day tour, and what safety precautions are in place?
Visitors to Pripyat can expect a poignant insight into the impact of the Chernobyl disaster, viewing abandoned structures and learning about the event's history. Safety precautions include guided tours to avoid hazardous areas, dosimeter use to monitor radiation levels, and restrictions on touching objects or entering certain buildings.

Michel Pinson
About the author - Michel Pinson
Michel Pinson is a Travel enthusiast and Content Creator. Merging passion for education and exploration, he iscommitted to sharing knowledge and inspiring others through captivating educational content. Bringing the world closer together by empowering individuals with global expertise and a sense of wanderlust.



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