CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER STATION

Chernobyl nuclear plant

In 2009 the magazine «Forbes» declared the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station as the most exotic destination for tourism all over the world, taken the lead over the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica, the capital of the North Korea, the tree "Dragon Blood" on the island of Socotra, Takstanh monastery in Bhutan as well as Tuva in Russia where the master of throat singing have been living till now.

The first tourists came to the exclusion zone in the mid-90s, and in 2010 it were decided to open the Zone for all interested (visiting the Zone till that time was limited). Research results have shown that the one can stay at the 30-kilometer Zone up to 4-5 days without any harm to health, and for a day at the 10-kilometer zone.

Standard one-day tour program includes visiting: sightseeing platform of Chornobyl NPS with a view of Ukryttya (Shelter) object; seeing the Prometheus monument and memorial plaques to those who died during the accident; visiting Chernobyl cooling pond and feeding of catfish; walking the streets of the Prypiat (accompanied by guides), including visiting the Recreation Center "Energetic", Children's park, etc..; having dinner at the "Chornobylinterinform" canteen.

Other programs lasting two days may include visiting an observation pavilion overlooking the Chernobyl "Ukryttya" (Shelter), night at the hotel "Pripyat" (the only hotel there), visiting the graveyard of the machines which were involved in accident management - "Buryakivka" and "Rozsokha", visiting numerous monuments (more than a dozen) on the territory. When moving from Chernobyl to Pripyat you can see the "Bridge of Death" and "Red Forest".

The visitors can be divided into several categories:

1) the largest one- foreign researchers who conduct research in cooperation with the relevant Ukrainian scientists;

2) journalists;

3) people who still live in the exclusion zone and come to tidy the graves of their near and dear ones;

4) those who have decided to look at the accident of global scale on their own.