Visiting Chernobyl
I love Ukraine. I visited just over a year ago and quickly fell in love with the breathtaking architecture, the amazing nightlife, and most of all, the kind and resilient people. Needless to say it is one of the most underrated countries in Europe.
My heart aches for the 44 million people living in Ukraine right now. Families who are currently listening to the sounds of sirens and explosions, with uncertainty as to what will happen tomorrow. I don't understand the politics behind it all and absolutely don't know why there's a need to start another war. Haven't we learned from our past mistakes and the consequences of destruction? Maybe if politicians and world leaders traveled a bit more, there would be no wars.
My thoughts and prayers are to all the families going through this and for all the friends out there. Wishing for peace.
This massive country is only 30 years old if you are counting from when it finally gained independence. I knew nothing about it before arriving. Just all the stories from a sweet Ukrainian lady, who sold candy outside of my grade school, and kept me company whenever my parents were late to pick me up. I told her one day I would visit her country and sure enough, it has captured my heart in every way.
First impressions? I still felt a strong Soviet influence, as this young nation had just gained it's independence from the USSR in 1991. It is not part of the EU, and urban areas still seem very gray and stoic. Everything is written in Cyrillic so it's a bit difficult to navigate. It's definitely not the land of smiles, that's for sure. The locals often come off as very cold and not open, but I promise, the people here are actually really kind! It's just a cultural difference. After-all, the country did live through two World Wars!
Ukraine was full of surprises for me! From the deepest underground metro station in the world located in Kviv, to all the beautiful architecture and diverse neighborhoods in Lviv!
To the secret underground restaurants and cafes that you'll need passwords to enter! And hidden speakeasies that are impossible to find unless you talk to the right people! There is so much history and so many layers to unravel in this amazing country.
Visiting Chernobyl is harder than most places. Forget about the radiation, we've already established that it was safe. A short term tour exposes you to less radiation than a transatlantic flight!
It's a heartbreaking experience to walk through the ghost towns that were very much alive and well just 35 years ago, before the nuclear disaster. Families were forced to relocate with just as much as they could carry, and worse, they had to endure the effects of radiation for the rest of their lives.
A little background context for you:
On April 26th, 1986, reactor number 4 in the Chernobyl power plant exploded, spilling huge amounts of nuclear radiation through the region. The town of Pripyat was the closest to the explosion and 350,000 people were evacuated , to this day it is still not safe to live there. Up to 500,000 people have been reported to have died from radiation-induced cancers since then. Although it is not a cheap place to visit and involves some paperwork since you need a permit to enter, it is definitely a place every backpacker should explore.
Where is Chernobyl?
The Chernobyl nuclear disaster is in modern day Ukraine. About 200 km north of Ukraine’s capital city, Kiev, in the North East border close to Belarus. The Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor that exploded was actually in the town of Pripyat, not Chernobyl itself.
Is it safe to visit?
Yes, when you go on a Chernobyl tour, you’re issued with a small hand-held Geiger counter that allows you to measure radiation to avoid areas where levels are still high. You also do a safety brief, explaining where you can and can’t go. Radiation is still present but like I said before, a short term tour exposes you to less radiation than a transatlantic flight! A day trip from Kiev or even a 2 day tour is safe, just don’t stay too long!
Can you visit Chernobyl today? How do you visit Chernobyl?
Yes, you can. To access the ‘Exclusion Zone’ you need permits. It’s within the Exclusion Zone where all of these photos were taken. The Ferris wheel for example is in Pripyat, as are all the dolls, abandoned schools and hospitals. It is impossible to visit Chernobyl without booking a tour. They will organize all your permit issues. A tour is not cheap and will cost you $237 for a 2 day and 1 night visit. To visit the actual power plant control room is very expensive and will cost $699, and require an additional special permit.
Why visit Chernobyl:
The main reason to visit Chernobyl is an interest in ‘dark tourism’ and modern history. Many of us have seen and heard the names surrounding Chernobyl through social media, zombie movies, and video games, but we should always maintain a deep level of respect for all the people who have lost their lives during this tragic event.
It's not easy to wander the empty streets, the fully furnished apartments, and eerie classrooms with text books still open, kindergarten schools empty cast iron and wire beds still in place with old teddy bears and plastic dolls. Olympic pools, baseball courts, and supermarkets that are all abandoned. All left so hurriedly, with shopping trolleys still in their place. Everything is still frozen in time. So why visit? Even though dark tourism is never easy, I enjoy history and witnessing how people lived. The accident was so sudden and most things were left unaltered after all these years. It felt like the closest thing to time traveling. Providing a window into this unique Soviet "Utopia", to learn about our history and from our mistakes.
Would you visit Chernobyl?
