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From Odessa to Kiev - WALKING THROUGH UNDISCOVERED CRIMEA

Journey Highlights:

Explore scenic cave towns of Criema
Take breathtaking views of the Black Sea and Jalta
Experience everyday life in Ukrainian villages
Visit Odessa - famous Black See port
Kiev: take a walk through the famous Lavra Monastery above the Dnepr River
Enjoy excellent hotels and indulge in traditional Tatar meals

Introduction

UKRAINE

Ukraine, formerly part of the USSR, has a land surface of nearly 604,000 km2 - making it the largest country in Europe proper. The population is about 46 million people. The Ukrainian capital, Kiev, has existed since the ninth century AD when a Viking tribe established a centre there. A century later it had become a powerful centre of learning and Orthodox practice. It was overrun by the Mongol army in the thirteenth century and then subsequently came under Polish control. In the seventeenth century the eastern part of Ukraine fell to the Russians who eventually absorbed the whole of the country into their empire. Despite attempts to establish a separate state after the 1917 Revolution, the country was subdued by the Soviet army and remained part of the USSR for another 74 years. In the 1950s, the Russian territory of Crimea was annexed to form the present boundaries of the country.

Ukraine declared its independence in 1991 as the Soviet Union began to break up and is now a democratic republic with a directly elected president as head of state. Although retaining close links with Russia, Ukrainians have asserted their independence in recent years and now favour closer ties with Western Europe. It became a member of the World Trade Organisation in 2008 and has an Association and Cooperation Agreement with the EU.

Geography

Formerly referred to as the 'granary of the Soviet Union' most of the Ukraine consists of fertile chernozem (black-soil) plains that produce an abundance of wheat and other cereal grains as well as vegetables, fruit and fodder crops. Surrounding it are seven other countries, namely; Russian Federation, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova. It has a southern coastline on the Black Sea and on the almost land-locked Sea of Azov. There are mountainous areas in the south-west where the Carpathian mountains sweep down from Poland, and also in the Crimean Peninsula. The Dnieper River flows through the heart of the country and empties into the Black Sea. In its northern plain there are large stretches of marshland and many forest-rimmed lakes. In the south, bordering the Black Sea, much of the landscape is a semi-arid treeless plain or steppe.

Religion

Predominantly Orthodox Christian, with substantial Roman Catholic, Jewish and Muslim minorities.

Languages

The official language is Ukrainian but much of the country, especially in the holiday area, uses Russian. Both languages use the Cyrillic alphabet. In addition, Odessa has significant populations speaking Romanian and Bulgarian.

Health

There are no special medical precautions necessary for travel to Ukraine although routine protection against Polio, Hepatitis A and Typhoid are recommended. If you take medication, please ensure you know the dosage and active ingredient(s) or bring the descriptive leaflet, in case of loss. Ukraine has an excellent system of pharmacies with 24-hour availability, but the local trade names of drugs often differ.

Currency

The local currency is the Hrivnya (Grivna); US$1 is roughly UAH 10. Cash in US dollars or Euros can be easily exchanged everywhere. In addition, most towns have cash machines (bankomats) that accept bank or credit cards, with English instructions (just remember your PIN).

Travel

Citizens of the USA, Canada, Japan, EU and EFTA do not require a visa to enter Ukraine for stays up to 90 days. This makes it very easy to visit this as yet undiscovered destination.

CRIMEA

The Crimean peninsula is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea and on the western coast of the Sea of Azov. Crimea's total land area is 26,100 km2 (10,038 square miles), with a population of two million. The capital of Crimea is the city of Simferopol.

Crimea has had many masters throughout its history: from Greeks, Huns, Bulgars, Kazaks, and the city state of Kiev Rus in its early history, to the Crimean Khanate and Ottoman Empire in the 15-18th centuries, the Russian Empire in the 18th-20th centuries, and now the newly independent Ukrainian state, within which Crimea is an autonomous republic. It is the homeland of the Crimean Tatars, an ethnic minority who now make up about 13% of the population. The Crimean Tatars were forcibly expelled to Central Asia by Stalin, but are now returning to their homeland.

Our newly designed walking tour will combine the peninsula's rich cultural heritage - historic towns, Greek and Russian Orthodox churches, castles and chateaus, and mosques - with the Crimean Mountains rising directly from the Black sea. These mountains are famous for their white cliffs, canyons and the unique medieval monuments called cave towns. During our walking tour we will meet the extremely hospitable and friendly local people.

Outline Itinerary:

VARIANT A/

DAY 1. Arrival Odessa
DAY 2. Odessa area walking Tour, famous Delfinarium visit
DAY 3. City walk Odessa, Transfer to Cherson
DAY 4. Transfer to Crimea, Bakhchisarai area, initial walk
DAY 5. Walking through Crimean Cave Towns
DAY 6. Transfer to Sevastopol, ancient Khersones, walking in Black river canyon
DAY 7. Ai Petri ridge walk, transfer to Jalta
DAY 8. Jalta visit and walk
DAY 9. Walk in Nikita Botanical Garden, Black see Cruise, sleeper train to Kiev
DAY 10. Kiev city tour
DAY 11. Walking above Dnepr river through Lavra Monastery
DAY 12. Departure

12 days, 11 nights, EXTENSION AVAILABLE - visit of Chernobyl
Walk Rating: easy-moderate, 5-9 miles per day
Meeting Point: Odessa (Ukraine)
Departure Point: Kiev (Ukraine)

VARIANT B/

DAY 1. Arrival Simferopol, transfer to Bakhchisarai area
DAY 2. Bakhchisarai area, initial walk
DAY 3. Walking through Crimean Cave Towns
DAY 4. Transfer to Sevastopol, ancient Khersones, walking in Black river canyon
DAY 5. Ai Petri ridge walk, transfer to Jalta
DAY 6. Jalta visit and walk
DAY 7. Walk in Nikita Botanical Garden, Black see Cruise, sleeper train to Kiev
DAY 8. Kiev city tour
DAY 9. Walking above Dnepr river through Lavra Monastery
DAY 10. Departure

10 days, 9 nights, EXTENSION AVAILABLE - visit of Chernobyl
Walk Rating: easy-moderate, 5-9 miles per day
Meeting Point: Simferopol (Ukraine)
Departure Point: Kiev (Ukraine)

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