Travel with us through one of the countries of the former Soviet Union.
A world of the Cyrillic script and the East Slavic languages. A world, where sometimes time stood still.
Ukraine has beside a multitude of culture a lot more to offer. The beautiful nature of the Carpathian Mountains and the picturesque views of the Black Sea with de spectacular coastline of Crimea, many beautiful Orthodox churches, but also magnificent monasteries and palaces.
Drive with your motorhome through the second largest country of Europe and experience the diversity of nature and culture, in a completely different world for us, and that is only at little distance from Europe.
Our motorhome journey through Ukraine is a versatile and adventurous journey through one of the countries of the former Soviet Union. A world, where sometimes time stood still. A world of Cyrillic script and the East Slavic languages. Ukraine has culturally a lot to offer, as beautiful churches, Orthodox churches, precious monasteries and palaces.
Ukraine has beside a multitude of culture a lot more to offer. The beautiful nature of the Carpathian Mountains and the picturesque views of the Black Sea with de spectacular coastline of Crimea, the steppes and the area around the Dnjepr river. Amidst the beautiful nature, we will find many authentic villages in the Ukraine with welcoming and friendly local people.
Of course we will visit several highlights as the Lavra Monastery in Kiev, the Khan palace (the only Tatar palace in the world), the Assumption Cave Monastery, not to forget to mention Crimea with the famous Swallow’s Nest and Livadia Palace, where Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt came together and determined the future of Europe.
We will also visit less known highlights such as the Tchaikovsky museum and the Wehrwolf museum. In this museum the Ukrainians show their history of World War 2. We also visit a very mystical place, accessible after the end of the Cold War. Here you come face to face with the dismantled nuclear missiles, pointed at us for many years and if you dare you can descend to the underground command post, from where the missiles could be fired.
And there is another place that has been untraceable for the rest of the World for a long time. Even the most sophisticated satellites of Americans could not perceive this place. It is a submarine base and repair site for nuclear submarines from the Soviet era, deeply hidden in caves.
Very unknown is the wine production of Ukraine. We go wine tasting at the biggest and best-known wine producer in the Ukraine, called Inkermann. Furthermore, we make a cycle tour through Odessa, visit the ruin city Chufut Kale, make a safari on the only remaining steppe of Europe and make a boat tour over the Dnjepr near Cherkassy.
• An ‘Individual Guided Adventurous Overland Journey’© of 40 days
• With horse and carriage over the Puszsta in Hortobagy
• Guide excursion in L’Viv
• With a chairlift , go for a walk in the Carpathian Mountains
• Khotyn Castle in Kamianets’-Podil’s’kyi
• Tchaikovsky- and Wehrwolf Museum.
• The Sofijivsky Park in Uman
• Museum of the Strategic Rocket Forces
• Odessa, pearl at the Black Sea
• Wild camps at the beach near Yevpatoriia
• Khan-Palace and the Assumption monastery in Bakhchysarai
• Winetasting at Inkermann
• Greek ruin city at the seaside in Sevastopol
• underground nuclear submarine harbour
• Visit Yalta and Livadia Palace, Alupka-Palace and Swallow’s Nest
• Leisure at the beach in Sudak
• Jeep-Safari over the last remaining natural prairie of Europe
• Boot tour over the Dnjepr at Cherkassy
• City tour in Kiev
• Wander through the picturesque Luts‘k
This journey is guided by a professional team and various local guides. This team has been carefully selected to make this journey to an unforgettable adventure.
• National Park Hortobágy
• Centre of L’viv
• Prehistoric beech forest of Carpathians
• University of Chernivtsi
• Painting art of Petykivka
• Centre of Kiev
• City centre of Zamość
• Per person: € 1.795- based on 2 persons per vehicle
• Extra person: € 595,-
• Solo traveller: € 2.395,-
• Traveldata: 11 April till 20 May 2015
• Number of days: 40*
• Start location: Boedapest, Hongarije
• End location: Zamość, Polen
• Amount of kilometres ca. 5000 km
• Suitable for motorhome | campervan | 4×4 travel vehicle
• Number of participants: minimum 6 – maximum 12 vehicles
• Experienced guidance of the journey
• ‘Individual Guided Adventurous Overland Journey’© of 40 days
• Roadmap of Ukraine
• Maps for navigation device of Hungary, Ukraine and Poland with the track which we will drive
• Overnight stays, excursions, entrance tickets and meals according the programme
• Information- and introduction day participants between 6 and 8 weeks before departure
• Fuel- and toll costs
• Parking costs and any cost related to the vehicle
• Entrance tickets, excursions and meals outside the programme
• Personal expenditure and tips
• Costs for the journey to the start location and back home from the end location of the journey
• Sim cards for mobile phone | internet
• Navigation device
• Travel- and cancelation insurance
• Travel Insurance incl. repatriation, and cancelation Insurance are obligated
• Participant is in sufficient physical and mental good condition to participate to the journey “Versatile Ukraine”
• The vehicle of the participant is in excellent technical condition
• No mandatory convoy driving, border crossings excluded and when local authorities oblige this
• Participant takes part in traffic with his/her own vehicle at your own risk
The registration is not possible at the moment. As soon as the political situation makes it possible again we going to do this journey. Changes reserved on the route and itinerary.
Ukraine was once a part of the former Soviet Union, and therefore it feels like a destination that is much further away from home than it really is. The border with Ukraine is only about 1900km drive from London. (1900km from London | 1250km from Frankfurt)
The intention of this tour is not only to let you enjoy a relaxing holiday, but also to let you get to know the population and wealth of culture of the Ukraine, but mainly we are travellers. You will get to meet local people much easier by travelling in your own motor home. These people are very friendly, welcoming and also curious about us, as well in rural as urban areas.
You will drive this journey with your own vehicle at your own risk.
To make this journey not only to a beautiful adventure, but also organizational to a good result, we use during this journey the guidance of a good and knowledgeable team of highly experienced overland travellers. The guidance will be assisted by local guides and interpreters where necessary and they will possibly travel along with us for a part of the journey. This journey is organised by Expedition Far East.
The terms and conditions of Expedition Fare East are valid.
Our Individual Guided Adventurous Overland Journeys© go through a countries with very different customs and habits then we are used to. Our Western expectations can often not be fulfilled and the Ukraine is not a country with luxurious campsites. Therefore a journey like this demands a flexible altitude of the participants, a good physical and mental condition and health. Also the vehicles have to be in good condition.
You drive every day in your own way and at your own pace. You will receive a road book with detailed directions and all the necessary information on attractions and interesting sites and the GPS coordinates to drive to the next overnight place. We don’t drive convoy, unless it is absolutely necessary or when it is obliged by the local authorities, to give you individual liberty. You can leave in the morning whenever it is convenient to you and stop along the route as often as you like. To be short, you have plenty of time to fully enjoy and for the evening you don’t need extra time to search for a safe overnight stay!
During the journey there are always travellers who prefer to travel together with a couple of vehicles. This is of course a free choice for everyone. But even if you drive individual, in case of emergency or a breakdown or accident, there are always fellow travellers along the route, who are a kind of back-up in the immediate vicinity.
An ‘Individual Guided Adventurous Overland Journey’© of Expedition Far East has many advantages. One of the most important is that we are travelling with small groups; maximum up to 12 vehicles. Further advantages are: always a back-up from a fellow traveller and tour leader, the sense of security in a different country and culture, support by experienced guidance, the complicated border crossing we do together as a group and where necessary we will be assisted by local guides, a safe overnight location and of extra big value, cosy and spontaneous evenings together, where we are able to share our experiences with our co-travellers.
The itinerary of the journey is designed with all interesting tourist highlights included along the route and with a maximum choice of possible sights listed. Many are all ready included in the program, others are optional. Of course we did our best effort to find the most unique and beautiful overnight stays possible. The daily stages range from 75 to 300km per day and are so divided that we have enough time to visit the sights, to take a break, to do some shopping and to leisure. Obviously there are many days we do not drive, so you can organise the day yourself. You will receive a detailed road book with information on each specific day and lots of tips, interesting sights and overnight camping location related information and the required GPS coordinates.
This journey can be made with an average camper. Ground clearance and good shock absorbers are important. You don’t need to have a 4×4 , but it can be comfortable.
We almost always drive on paved roads. The roads in Ukraine are of varying quality, from very good to very bad. Asphalt is not always like we are used to in Western Europe. And if it’s been repaired, this is usually done poorly. Potholes in the roads, which have not been repaired, can be avoided by driving zigzagging around them. This ‘dance’ on the asphalt by other road users warn you what is coming up. Anticipating and quit driving is important.
We stay on this journey only a few times at a campsite, because of the simple reason that there are hardly campsites in the Ukraine. Mostly we are on safe parking’s at hotels or attractions. A couple of time we overnight in the wild.
The sanitary facilities, such as toilets and showers are of varying quality and do often not meet to our European standards or are even not present.
On this journey there are almost no facilities, where we can empty our grey water and toilet in a descent and environmentally friendly way. We are often designated to a place in the nature. It is important to do this at a discreet and appropriate manner, which causes no nuisance to the local residents and their live stock and crops. The use of chemical liquids is strongly discouraged. Instead of using chemicals for the toilet, there is a system on the market, called SOG; what is a good alternative to having to use no more chemicals.
The voltage is 220 volts, sometimes a little lower. Electricity is usually present on campsites, but sometimes to a limited extent. At parking lots at hotels we will have to loop often, so the capacity will be very limited. In addition to using gas, solar panels will often offer a simple solution for your own power supply.
ATM’s are often available and can be used by debit or credit cards. Check with your bank for details of your cards. Changing cash is not a problem. The currency of Ukraine is the Grivna. 1 Euro is about 16 Grivna. It is not allowed to import or export Grivna.
1 EURO = 16 UAH 1 UAH = 0,06 EURO
1 CHF = 13 UAH 1 UAH = 0,08 CHF
1 GBP = 19 UAH 1 UAH = 0,05 GBP
In Ukraine, the coverage of the mobile network is stunningly good. Even in remote places, there is often a signal. To avoid high roaming costs, you can buy a SIM card for your phone, even for the use of internet on your Smartphone.
In the Ukraine is the risk to getting sick not much bigger than in Western Europe. No specific vaccinations are required. However, Hepatitis A and DTP are recommended. If you did not have the measles or the vaccinations against the measles, a MMR vaccination is recommended. Furthermore, is a vaccinations against tick-borne encephalitis recommended, when you go into the nature for hiking or camping for more than 3 days, from March to November. Please check with your doctor or public health services for the latest information.
Taking your pet on this journey is possible. You must have an EU-passport with chip number and vaccinations must be listed and updated. Your pet must be leashed, during the entire journey and may not walk freely at the overnight places. During the journey you are responsible for your own pet and this may not cause any nuisance for fellow travellers. Pets can never escort you during excursions and dinners.
