References

My recent trip to Ukraine was great!

I visited Kiev and Kharkiv, and both cities were excellent places to visit. With the Ukraine currency being low (US$1 = 25+ Ukr. Hryvna), many things are at a discount especially in restaurants and supermarket. Besides that most local people are friendly and helpful too!

Before I arrived at Kharkiv, I was a little concern about the current political situation. Upon arrival I was very pleased to see that it is just another safe and peaceful city like Kiev. People in Kharkiv just go on with their regular daily activities – going to work, shopping, meeting people, etc.

I have used UkraineTour service for more than 4 years and they always provide excellent services. Their drivers and managers were always polite and punctual. I will definitely recommend using UkraineTour if you are planning to visit Ukraine.

Their manager in USA, Dmytro provides excellent services as well.

In  May of 2016 I decided to travel to Ukraine with  my  wife, as a tourist…Before all my  trips  to Ukraine were   business trips which left  me very little time for sightseeing.

My itinerary included Kyiv, Lviv, Ternopil and Vorochta in the Carpathian  mountains. I was surprised what  I saw and  experinced. In  Kyiv the walking tour outlining what happened on the Maidan during the revolution of DIGNITY was  very  informative and very moving. In my mind I visualised the sniper attacks and the burning  tires. We also did  a tour of Pecherska  Lavra. Since  it was  a Sunday we were able to listen to the beautiful chants. Again our  guide was vey informative and gave us much information. We also did a private tour to Baturyn and Kanev – the  burial place  of  Taras  Shevchenko. Looking at the Dnipro river from the statue of Taras Shevchenko, I now understand why Shevchenko  wanted to  be buried at that spot.

Next  stop  was  Lviv, a city  that  always  reminded  me of  Vienna. Shoping, restaurants and cafes  galore. And  talk about  a cheap place. If one compares the cost of eating in Lviv to Europe,  then Lviv and not just in Lviv, but all of Ukraine is DIRT  CHEAP!!!!! If Europe was made aware of how  cheap it is for tourists, then millions  would  be coming to Ukraine. Unfortunately the government after 25 years of independence STILL does not understand the value or  importance of tourist and as aresult Ukraine remains unknown as a tourist destination… Lviv,  because  it  was not  damaged during the war, has a along list of churches,museums  to  visit. And by the way Lychakiv  cemetary is a must !!!

Finally we made  our  way  by car to the Carpatian  mountains. What  beauty, what  serenity!! Itwas truly  BREATH-TAKING!!!!

On our way  back to Lviv we stoped  off at a little  known place called  SKELI DOVBUSHA. This is a must see as the rock formation is truly  something to  behold.

In spite  of the fact that there is an actual WAR going on 600 km east of Kyiv, Ukraine is a very  safe place. The trains are clean and modern and on time. Yes the roads need repairs, but  this should not stop tourists from coming. With the  low  prices Ukraine has TOO much to offer, too much to see…  Thank you UkraineTour and Dmytro for making all the  arrangements and there is no doubt in my mind who will be in charge of my next trip to Ukraine.

Just a note to let you know how much we enjoyed our Ukraine/Moldova trip which you arranged. The cities and sights were most memorable and the guides you selected were outstanding! You stayed within our budget and even the weather was outstanding! Thanks again!

We were overall very pleased with Ukrainetour. Ukraine is a little tough to get around if you do not speak the language.  I’ve traveled to many other countries and have been able to get around on my own and I don’t think I would have been able to do so in Ukraine without help. They were able to organize a nice custom made tour of several cities for us to see, and took care of all our logistics so it was seamless to transfer from city to city  and tour by bus or train or airplane. We even made some changes midway in the trip and they were very flexible to help us rearrange plans. And all of this at a very fair price.

Thanks!

It has been about a month since we returned from our 16-day adventure to Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kiev and we are still talking about how wonderful the trip was. First I wanted to comment on how all of the logistics went smoothly. We were met at the airports and hotels for our transfers with clear signs and always on time. We were especially impressed when we arrived by train in St. Petersburg and were not just met at the station, but on the track, right outside our car. The tour guides (Nikolai — Moscow, Anna & Mariia — St. Petersburg and Helena — Kiev) were all outstanding. They were so knowledgeable, friendly, personable, flexible and patient (we stop for a lot of photos). They answered all our questions and were helpful in finding great restaurants and planning our free time.

Their in-depth descriptions about the exhibits and artworks in the museums, palaces and churches; and of their cities’ histories, amazingly displayed their extensive knowledge about them. They all seemed to take a personal interest in making sure we got the most out of our experiences.

The hotels in Russia (especially Moscow) and the apartment in Kiev were all terrific. Their locations were very convenient to many of the principle sights and main streets. We were fortunate, as well, that the American dollar was particularly strong against the ruble and hryvnia. This fact enhanced our enjoyment; especially in Kiev.

Finally, I’d like to thank Dmytro for handling all of the arrangements and working with East/West Tours to create a remarkable itinerary at a reasonable price (especially given that it was peak season). As I said, everything went off flawlessly and he was always available to answer my phone calls or promptly respond to my emails and voice messages.

We will definitely recommend Ukraine/East/West Tours to others who might be considering a trip to the region in the future.

All the best!

We are sitting on the steps of the Hotel Ukraine waiting for the taxi to take us to the airport for our flight to Krakow. We are sad to leave Ukraine – we have had an awesome time – fantastic people, countryside, sights & experiences. We hope to return! The Opera was outstanding – the ballet was wonderful and the sea‎ts just terrific!

I enjoyed the trip to Kaniv & the countryside – Taras Shevchenko’s Museum & Burial Monument, a tour of Lower Kiev, a cruise on the Dnipro & of course, the Lavra Monastery, St. Sophia’s & St. Michael’s. It was Kiev Days this week – great street markets, entertainment & bike races.

Thank-you to our wonderful Ukrainian family & guides who made the trip so very special.

You have done a wonderful job!

To anyone thinking about a visit to Ukraine, I recommend the services of UkraineTour. They worked fairly with me when I needed to make some last-minute changes to my original schedule. And when I did finally go to Kharkov, their pick-up and drop-off at the airport was flawless. The apartment I rented overlooked Schevchenko Park, which was the perfect location for me. I was able to walk to many very interesting attractions in the city from there. The apartment itself is well-kept, and a much better deal then any hotel can ever be. If I am lucky to go to Kharkov again, I intend to use UkraineTour, and stay in the same apartment.