Top Ukraine Tours & Vacations 2024/2025 [reviews & photos]

Ukraine Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

0 Ukraine trips. Compare tour itineraries from 5 tour companies. 131 reviews. 4.9/5 avg rating.

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Top Ukraine Attractions

  • Take in an opera or ballet at the world renowned Opera House in Odessa.
  • Hit the slopes and go skiing in Bukovel.
  • Explore the UNESCO old town of Lviv, admiring the colorful townhomes, grabbing a quick bite at a corner café, and strolling the cobbled streets.
  • Learn about the history of Ukraine in the National Museum of the History of Ukraine.
  • For dedicated hikers, hike the tallest mountain in the Ukranian Carpathians at Hoverla.
  • Take a tour of Chernobyl and the abandoned town, Pripyat, the sight where the Reactor number 4 exploded, resulting in the town being abandoned for the last three decades.
  • Shop the bazaars and immerse yourself in the culture, while chatting (and supporting) the local merchants.

Ukraine Tours & Travel Guide

Ukraine Attractions & Landmarks Guide

Not counting neighboring Russia, whose vast territory also stretches across Asia, the Ukraine is Europe’s largest country, extending all the way from the Polish border to the Black Sea. With Russia’s effective annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine has lost a popular resort area, but the Ukrainian city of Odessa still provides Black Sea access, and you can cruise the Dnieper River from Ukraine’s capital of Kiev to Odessa via small ship, watching for traditional wooden architecture and gilded churches.

What to see in Ukraine

If you’re heading to Ukraine, you have to make stops in the three top cities – Kiev, Lviv, and Odessa. Most tours make stops in all three of these cities. The scenery is different in each place, and it’s a great way to experience the different sides of Ukraine.

Kiev is the capital of Ukraine, and known for its architecture and history. Lviv is the “western capital” of Ukraine, and is a great blend of central and Eastern Europe, pulling from Polish and Austrian architecture, with a taste of Italy and Germany.

There is also Odessa, a port-city on the Black Sea, known for its beaches, making it a great getaway from the big cities. Each city has such diversity, especially in architecture, so make sure you hit all three to see what all Ukraine has to offer.

Ukraine Cultural Activities

As with most countries, the culture you are about to experience will differ in some ways from what you are accustomed to at home. Before you head off on your adventure, consider studying up on Ukraine culture, including the etiquette and commonly used phrases.

Connect with the locals! The best way to experience culture is through the local people. When you’re shopping at the bazaars, take an opportunity to chat with the shopkeepers. Looking for tours or activities that are led by local people, whether it be history tours, a cooking class, a weaving class, etc. Even better, look for an opportunity to give back, such as a volunteering! Not only are you doing good, it gives you the chance to meet more local people and immerse yourself in the daily life of those who live in Ukraine.

Another benefit of traveling is the opportunity to support the locals and the communities. You can help the economic state by shopping at the bazaars and markets, and in return, you can bring home great, authentic souvenirs. NOTE: The prices are mostly firm in the Ukraine, compared to other parts of the world where you can bargain.

Outdoor Activities in Ukraine

Ukraine has such diverse geography, which makes it an awesome place to visit. Water is plentiful – there are two rivers, the Dnipro and Dniester. If you’re looking to stick your toes in the sand, you can also visit one of the seas that line the Ukraine coast, the Black and Azov seas.

You can visit coastal cities such as Odesa to get in some beach time, or take the time to visit the Carpathian Mountains, which cross through Ukraine. Nature reserves also fill the country. Some days you just need to escape the city life, and there are plenty of outdoor options in Ukraine!

For those looking to spend some time up in the mountains, here are some must visit spots in Ukraine’s Carpathians:

1. Bukovel - this is the largest ski resort in Ukraine, and is often visited by tourists. This isn’t only a place to visit in the winter (though the skiing is awesome and the snow-capped mountains are gorgeous), the summer offers wellness and spa retreats. Bukovel is awesome year-round, and whether you’re there for snow sports and you’re hoping to breath in some fresh mountain air in the summer, you’ll be met with incredible mountain views.

2. Valley of Daffodils - If you’re visiting in the spring, make sure you check out the Valley of daffodils. The valley joined the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve back in 1992, making it a protected UNESCO site. People from across the globe travel to Ukraine every May to view this unique sight, since it is the only place in the world where the flowers can grow at a 200 meter altitude.

3. Hoverla - For avid hikers, and those who enjoy adventure travel activities, make sure to add Hoverla to your bucket list. The highest mountain in the Ukraine Carpathians, standing at a 2,061 meters tall, tourists have been climbing this mountain since the 1880s. On clear days, you can the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, which is nearly 100 miles away. On the other side of the mountain, you can see the city of Sighetu Marmatiei in Romania.

Must Try Ukrainian Food

One of the highlights of traveling is all the great food you get to try! As with most cultures, food is an important part of Ukrainian culture.

Some classic Ukranian dishes include:

1. Borshch - a sour soup with beetroots being one of the main ingredients, giving it it’s red color.

2. Holutbsi - Ukraine’s stuffed cabbage, often filled with combinations of meats, vegetables, and grains.

3. Nalysnyky - these are similar to Swedish pancakes/crepes. They are often filled with cheese, but other fillings include ground meet, mushrooms, or fruits.

4. Pampushky - Basically a donut, they can come with no filling, but some are filled with poppy seeds or fruits.

5. Salo - White pork fat.

6. Syrnyky - Another type of pancake, made with cottage cheese, but these are topped with sour cream, jam, honey, or apple sauce.

Side note – Ukraine is also known for its chocolate and it’s coffee! In Lviv, there is an awesome experience at Lviv Coffee Mining, where you can tour a building to understand how coffee was mined in Ukraine.

For the chocolate lovers, check out the Lviv Chocolate factory. Tour the factory and learn about the tradition of the chocolate. Sip on your coffee or snack on some chocolate on the rooftop of the Lviv Chocolate Factory, and soak in the views of the city.

Train Travel Through Ukraine

Ukraine is the second biggest country in Europe, right behind Russia. Many visitors like to explore the country via train, and rightfully so. Train travel is extremely affordable, and comfortable.

There are three types of trains in Ukraine: The Elektrichka, the Pasazhyrsky poyizd, and intercity.

The Elektrichka are suburban trains that connect smaller towns and is great for regional travel. The most common type of travel is on regular speed train, the Pasazhyrsky poyizd. For those who want to get to their destination quicker, there are intercity trains, or express trains, which serves limited destinations. They will cost you more, sometimes double the price, but the high speed cuts the travel time in almost half.

There are also different classes for train travel. Depending on your travel destination and the length of your trip, you may want to splurge for a higher class. Classes range from private berths (with a bed) to just chairs to sit in.

1st class: Known as Splany Vahon (SV for short, sometimes referred to as a lLux) The most comfortable way to travel. These cabins have two berths, and offers great privacy and comfort.

2nd class: A Kupe (Kupeny) Four berths fill this “cabin,” and there is an option to close the cabin which will give travelers more privacy. Popular routes sometimes offer female or male only sections, so if you’re interested, ask the person selling the tickets when you buy it.

3rd class: This section, referred to as a Platskart, usually has six berths The “carriages” are open, so there is a lack of privacy, but this is great for those who like to be social.

4th class: This is suitable for short-term travel, or for those who are really looking to save a buck. This section, known as the Zahalny vahon, is sometimes reserved for students only. There are no seat assignments, and there are usually only chairs, rather than beds to sleep on.

Ukraine Reviews & Ratings

4.9/5  Excellent
131  Reviews
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Excellent
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António

Sep 2019

Written on

Amazing experience

Excellent price/quality ratio. See almost everything to see in visited countries.

N

Norhayati

Sep 2019

Written on

Well organised

It was a good trip. Well organised. Great company. Luben was a wonderful guide. Always going the extra mile and is very patient handling and attending to this bunch ...

S

Sandra

Aug 2019

Written on

Absolutely brilliant tour

Absolutely brilliant tour. There were so many highlights like Transnistria, visit to missile museum in Ukraine, visit to Chernobyl as well as lots of interesting cit...

J

Julian

Jun 2019

Written on

The people on the tour were great.

I have been on a lot of Eastern European tours and this one was the best. Our guide was excellent. The people on the tour were great. I would recommend this tour to ...

M

Morley

Jun 2019

Written on

The tour was excellent

The tour was excellent except for a few hiccups - problems with a couple of hotels, a local tour guide, a local restaurant, etc. As the tour leader, Vera did an extr...

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