After an accident in 1986, the huge part of Ukrainian territory was abandoned due to the deadly impact of a peaceful atom. Residents of small villages and cities such as Pripyat and Chernobyl were forced to leave their homes with no hope of returning to the place where they were born and raised. Now, they can come back there but only as tourists, being a part of the Chernobyl tour group. Moreover, foreign guests are also allowed to visit the empty area where the spirit of the past is walking everywhere – in half-destroyed buildings, quiet streets of the ghost town, and endless forest and fields with rare wild animals. The most exciting fact is that most people who have been there before wish to come back to breathtaking locations to see them once again.
4 crucial things to remember during Chernobyl tours
Dangers and rules of behavior. The first life-saving tip is to stick to the recommendation of the guide. All rules must be obeyed strictly, otherwise, the whole group may suffer due to the irresponsible behavior of others. For example, it is prohibited to photograph some objects. You are also not allowed to take souvenirs like old books or photos that are possible to find in abandoned houses. Such temptation is considered as illegal actions and can be punished by Ukrainian law. In addition, it is forbidden:
- deviate from the established trip route;
- picking berries, apples, mushrooms, etc.;
- touch unknown things.
Radioactive particles and dust. Of course, if you take a dosimeter with you, then, there is a chance to detect radioactive exposure 10-20 times higher than the norm. But there is nothing threatening in staying for a while in such a place. For comparison — during the accident, the radioactive background was about hundreds of thousands of times higher. This can really hurt your health. But tours to Chernobyl zone can be easily compared to an airplane flight or the planned annual fluorography. You don’t even have to bring a gas mask or a respirator with you unless you want to take a spectacular selfie near the nuclear power plant. In that case, or just to be on the cautious side, check out the powered air purifying respirator papr.
Contaminated clothing and shoes. There is no need to burn clothes after visiting as many might think. Obviously, there are still some highly contaminated places. However, no tourist can visit them. Each path and site that is included in the Chernobyl tour won’t harm a human. It is impossible to step into radioactive muck. In any case, you will not have time to be irradiated during the excursion. Moreover, you will pass dosimetric control after your nuclear journey. But the probability of taking out some kind of dangerous chemical element is zero.
Wildlife. If you are lucky, you will meet unique Przewalski’s horses, beautiful and friendly foxes who wait for some tasty snacks from zone’s guests, or the Red Book species of birds on the verge of extinction. In addition, there is a cooling pond near the station with impressively huge catfish. You will have a chance to feed them. The Chernobyl zone is the site of the man-made disaster that has transformed into a nature reserve comparable to the heritage of UNESCO.
Want to see the beauty of the ghost town Pripyat and its post-apocalyptic surroundings? Ukrainian Chernobyl tour is a really life-changing experience. Booking a trip, choose only the reliable agency like Go2Chernobyl. Passionate guides will help you to delve into the world where the destructive power of an invisible atom left its mark forever.
