ChernobylX
x.tours PRESIDENTS ROUTE
Visit the sites where presidents and delegates go to witness the war crimes
HERO WITH YOU
Meet and talk to the defenders and survivors of the war
HELP THAT COUNTS
You hand the food and material help to people affected face to face
SAFE
Proven routes, local guide and a Geiger-Muller counter (dosimeter) with you
WAR EXPEDITION LIKE NO OTHER
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR UKRAINE AT WAR GOODWILL EXPEDITION
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SMALL GROUPS (4-10), NO BIG BUSSES
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VISITING 3 LIBERATED CITIES AND KYIV
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ALL PROCEED USED FOR HUMANITARIAN HELP
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PROVEN SAFE ROUTES
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MEETING AND TALKING TO LOCALS
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TOURS IN ENGLISH
The Day That Will Change Everything
GOODWILL EXPEDITION FOR THE ONES WITH GUTS AND HEARTS
The most heavy-hearted tour in the world. Ukraine at War Goodwill Expedition will not show you the “cinematic” consequences of the war, but the reality that changed the world on 24th of February. This full-day charity group tour will catch your heart and soul. Visiting the sites in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, as well as Irpin, Hostomel, and the Bucha town – tragic places that uncover the nonhuman face of the war, the fate of people fighting for their liberty in the 21st century. This tour is strictly charitable, all proceeds are used for buying and bringing food, medicaments and materials for rebuilding their destroyed communities.
What’s the purpose? To help remember, and to show you the price Ukrainians are fighting for freedom and independence. Together we are contributing to rebuilding the communities around Kyiv to make them thrive again. Live, where everyone will want to have a house, engage in active tourism, taste delicious Ukrainian food from local farmers, or retire to an ethnic estate in nature. But the world will never be able to forget what happened.
DISCLAIMER:
Ukraine at War Goodwill Expedition is an expedition around places affected by the Russian invasion to Ukraine, it is not suitable for highly sensitive people. No profit is made on this charitable effort. At least 85% of your goodwill expedition donation is used for the expedition organisation and buying goods for the destroyed local communities you will visit, and bring in person during the expedition. Your Ministry of Foreign Affairs probably does not recommend you to visit Ukraine. The borders are open for you both ways and always will be. By traveling to Ukraine you are entering a country in an active war conflict (the front line from Kyiv is around 500 km away) which may result in the loss of your health, belongings, and life for which ChernobylX does not bear any responsibility.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Silence. Tranquility. Emptiness. Places that were destroyed by the shelling, gunfire, or rockets are witnesses of the tragic story that unfolded for the first time in the 21st century in Europe. Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine, first in 2014 by hybridly taking over the Crimea peninsula, also helping Donetsk and Luhansk separatists, and in 2022 an open Russian aggression started in South, East and North of Ukraine. Russians were in the suburbs of Kyiv within a few days from the first rockets that fell on Ukraine. But they were stopped. By the army, by volunteers, and by citizens who simply deny living under the Russian autocracy.
Kid’s bike left in Irpin car cemetery, Kyiv region, 2022.
Photo: ChernobylX
ChernobylX invites you to witness the major turnaround of the war, when the Russian army retreated from the Kyiv suburbs back to Belarus. After the Ukrainian army freed the cities and villages, another story was uncovered. A story of ruthless violence, cruelty, and theft you will see, hear, and learn about. It is a deeper touch of everything you saw in the news, whether you watch TV or believe in conspiracies, this will become the defining moment of truth for you.
See, feel, and experience the spirit of the famous paratrooper battle that took place in Hostomel. Witness what is left from the apartment buildings, the shrapnel of a bomb, the destroyed hangars of Hostomel airport. Honor the inhabitants of Bucha where the mass murdering of civilians took place. Visit a shopping mall just like any other, yet this one in Irpin is not just empty, it is burned and partially destroyed. The shelled Railway station, a soccer stadium full of grenade holes, the Culture house with a missing roof, and even a church full of bullet holes.
Destroyed car in Irpin town, Kyiv region, 2022.
Photo: ChernobylX
Before returning to Kyiv to see the Russian tanks and machinery that was brought here, we have to accomplish our mission. It is to bring supply – food, medicaments, and materials for rebuilding – to locals, the ones who were lucky not to lose the most precious thing – their lives. In their eyes you are not just a foreigner, you are a friend – a good friend who came to help and support. And when they feel your support, they will feel the support of the whole world.
We have been on a mission to CHALLENGE YOUR WORLDVIEW since 2008.
Ukraine at War Goodwill Expedition Safety
Visiting the cities of Irpin, Bucha, and Hostomel, as well as Kyiv are safe to much extent, however you need to be aware that there are air raid alarms a few times a month being heard, and seldomly rockets hitting (military) objects in Kyiv. Your trip to Kyiv, stay in Kyiv, and the tour itself is near Kyiv, which means there are risks involved, as Ukraine is at war. Be aware that the situation might change abruptly and that the supply and accessibility to some products and services are limited. However, Kyiv as well as the cities you will visit are getting back to normal life, being rebuilt and all security, first aid or bank services are operating.
The Ukraine at War Goodwill Expedition is designed around safe routes and trails, sometimes you might see bomb shrapnels, destroyed buildings, burned cars etc. There is no active ammunition or threat (mines) around the trails and places you visit. Together with meeting local inhabitants, talking to them, bringing them help, this tour is not suitable for sensitive people, but also people who would like to come for selfies, showing off etc. We have the right to refuse such travelers from our tours.
Due to actual constraints, civil safety, local security announcements or weather conditions in the places visited, ChernobylX keeps the right to change the program of the itinerary, informing you about any constraints.
IS IT SAFE TO VISIT UKRAINE?
No, it is not safe to visit Ukraine, although there are no active fights happening in most of the territory, and certainly in the places we take you to during the Ukraine at War Goodwill Expedition. Many foreign leaders, presidents, and journalists are visiting Kyiv, Ukraine, and this might give you an impression that there are no risks involved. Ukraine is at war and basically all Ministries of foreign affairs do not recommend traveling to Ukraine. The borders are open for you both ways and always will be. By traveling to Ukraine you are entering a country in an active war conflict (the front line from Kyiv is around 500 km away) which may result in your loss of health, belongings and life for which Xtours does not bear any responsibility.
You are all covered on the Trip of your lifetime
DONATIONS INCLUDES
- Visiting Irpin, Bucha, Hostomel, and Kyiv
- Professional English Guide (for other languages please contact us)
- Geiger Muller Counter (dosimeter) rental
- Meet up with locals and defenders
- Charity goods and materials - we will source this for you
- Comfortable transportation with A/C, Wi-Fi
- VIP tour spots for other X destinations: Namibia, Iceland, Georgia,...
WAR I UKRAINE CHARITY TOUR
Frequently Asked questions
It is a first-hand experience to see the War in Ukraine that will be there just for a short time before everything will be rebuilt and cleaned up. Most importantly, it is a chance to directly help people you will meet, and hand them over supplies that they desperately need. It is not an excursion, a traditional tour, this is a mission, real expedition to a destroyed land.
One of Gostomel cats who lost their home, Kyiv region, 2022.
Photo: ChernobylX
Dress comfortably, with shoes that will handle long walking and protection from the sun. Cameras and video cameras are welcomed, drones are very limited (please write to us before bringing). Although we will bring all the charity supplies with us on the tour, you are welcomed to bring anything small from your homeland as a gift to locals.
The citizens of the following countries do not need a visa for a stay of up to 90 days (some for up to 30 days): Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Chile, Denmark, Dominica, Estonia, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Hong Kong, Israel, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea (South), Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, South Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Uruguay & Uzbekistan.
If you are a citizen from a country not listed in this list, you will not have a problem obtaining a tourist visa. Ukraine has issued electronic visas since 2018, the cost is 20-30 USD and they are eligible for treatment, activities in the field of culture, science, education, sports, in order to perform official duties of a foreign correspondent or representative of a foreign media. If you are asked for an invitation for your visa application, which is usually automatically issued by any of the Kyiv hotels upon booking, do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to help you with your visa invitation in order to get you to Kyiv.
We recommend booking your Ukraine at War: Humanitarian Mission in advance (at least 1 month), as last minute bookings might not be accepted, or may not have access to all the great visited sites, especially those where entry need to be booked ahead of time.
In the case of booking, please inform us at least 1 day before the tour.
We reserve the right to cancel or interrupt any tours at any time. A full refund will be given if you have paid in advance and if your tour was cancelled before departure for unplanned causes*. Unfortunately, there will not be a refund if the tour needs to be interrupted (during the tour) due to these grounds*. We may not be held responsible if you miss your flight or you have incurred any unforeseen expenses connected to the tour**
*in the case of extreme weather, forecast of extreme weather, an accident, road closure, natural disaster, or any other reasons that might endanger our staff or customers’ safety.
**for example, booking new accommodation, extra flight fees, or lost baggage.
By travelling to Ukraine, you need to provide:
- a negative result of a PCR test or a rapid antigen test (no more than 72 hours before crossing the border);
- or a COVID-19 certificate proving that the person has been vaccinated against COVID-19 (validity period 270 days) with vaccines approved by WHO or that the person has recovered from COVID-19 (validity period 180 days).
Please, always check the updated information before travelling here: https://ireland.mfa.gov.ua/en/news/covid-19-updated-information-requirements-entering-ukraine