Mystic Ukraine Tour Style: Signature Dates: October 17 November 1 Duration: 16 Days/ 15 Nights Start Kyiv End Lviv TOUR HIGHLIGHTS: Mystical ancient sanctuary-cult complexes and places of power in Ukraine inspire a lot of people to visit them and to discover not only the history of the country but also to learn more about inner features of our own personality and power of natural energy around us. Forgotten gods, stone idols, giant altars, wooden statues, bizarre constructions and really powerful energetically places were the center of cultural life of our forefathers. And till nowadays there are a lot of sacral areas in Ukraine which can open some secrets to us and some new horizons of our past and our future and tell us more about the power of nature. This will be an unforgettable experience that will stay with you for a lifetime! Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites throughout Ukraine in Lviv, Kyiv and Chernivtsi Discover mystical buildings of Andriyivsky Descent Visit Bakota vanished village, that you can`t find on the map Plunge into the largest gypsum cave in Europe See Hogwarts like Chernivtsi University Climb Pysanyj Kamin - historical and geological monument with a magnificent panorama of ridges and peaks Visit Ukrainian Stonehenge Ternoshorska Lada Discover mysterious Lviv with night
Day 1 Wednesday, October 17 Welcome to the ancient capital of Ukraine! Kyiv is more than 1530 years old. This ancient city keeps a lot of secrets and has a number of really mystical places. We will help you to explore some mysterious areas in the city! Upon arrival, you ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Check in. After some time to rest and cool your heels after the long flight, explore the golden domed streets of Kyiv, Ukraine s capital city with ancient charm and modern flare. In the evening, we ll treat you to a delicious welcome dinner in one of our favorite local restaurants. Day 2 Thursday, October 18 We will start our adventures from the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Founded in 11th century Lavra Cave Monastery is a significant sacred and historical site. One of seven wonders of Ukraine and UNESCO World Heritage Site - the monastery's cluster of gold-domed churches is a feast for the eyes and the underground labyrinths lined with mummified monks are exotic and intriguing. We will continue discovering the extraordinary construction in front of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine - House with chimaeras. We will walk down to Khreschatyk street and continue our tour discovering secrets and legends of this area. Stroll in the Baikove cemetery. Feel the mysterious and ancient spirit of it. The tombstones of the most prominent citizens of the city amaze with greatness. Day 3 Friday, October 19 Podil area is really the most mysterious in the city due to its antiquity. Here, at Andriyivsky Descent, one of the most romantic, but at the same time mystical buildings of Kyiv is located. It is well known as Richard s Castle. Beautiful but lonely this building is a kind of carte-de-visite of Andriyivsky Descent. Lysa Hora in translation from Ukrainian means a mountain without plants or trees. It has not faced any changes for hundreds of years. According to myth, witches and other mystical creatures used to meet on the spot for the coven. They kindled fires, danced around it and performed rituals. Nowadays, the mountain is an attractive place for tourists and curious locals. People climb there to watch the sunset or have a picnic. The energy is strong and the panorama is fascinating. Dnipro Hotel http://www.dniprohotel.ua/en 2 Nights Kyiv
Day 4 Saturday, October 20 The different peoples and cultures that have lived in Kam ianets-podilsky have each brought their own culture and architecture. We ll learn the city s history on a city tour through the ancient fortress, that has inventory of heroic tales and numerous legends, secret tunnels and ghosts who have inhabited its old walls for centuries. We will have a tour to the most famous tourist attractions, the cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, the City Hall building and numerous fortifications. Taras Bulba Hotel http://taras-bulba.com.ua/ 3 Nights Kamianets-Podilsky Day 5 Sunday, October 21 We will have day tour to the vanished village on the banks of Dnister river Bakota. Unusually beautiful place, which is impossible to find on the map of Ukraine. This "nonexistent paradise" is called by the name of the city (later the village), which is destined to disappear. Bakota has an ancient Orthodox cave monastery, which includes ancient frescoes and paintings dating back to the 12th-14th centuries, as well as preserved remains of monks. Day 6 Monday, October 22 Next we will travel to the village Kryvche, where Crystal Cave, the largest gypsum cave in Europe located. Today this place is fully investigated and marked 23 km of tunnels. Cave washed groundwater about 20 million years ago. Cave walls are covered with crystals of gypsum: white and all colors of the rainbow. These crystals gave the name of the cave. Arrangement of crystals and lighting create the impression that the walls are visible silhouettes of animals - elephants, eagles, buffalo, lizards and other. We will come down to the caves and see all this mysterious beauty on our own.
Chernivtsi Day 7 Tuesday, October 23 Travelling to Chernivtsi and on the way we will stop in another place with a great and glorious history and numerous legends the fortress of Khotyn, both beautiful and mysterious place. Arrive to Chernivtsi in the afternoon. Enjoy a leisurely walk around this beautiful, multicultural city and learn its long complicated history. Next we will visit the local University - the architectural ensemble of the main campus of the university, the Residence of Bukovinian and Dalmatian Metropolitans are included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This architectural stone miracle was build on the Habsburg Mountain, named after the Austrian dynasty. Locals called it Pumpkin Mountain - in the old days it was a place for executions, and the cut off heads of the prisoners rode down to the ground, like pumpkins. AllureInn Hotel http://allureinn.com/en/ 2 Nights Day 8 Wednesday, October 24 We will visit old Jewish cemetery, that is considered one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. Monuments and tombstones are simply impressive: there are steles, sarcophags, lofts and obelisks. Epitaphs are written in Hebrew, German, Russian and Ukrainian languages. Next stop is so called Drunked Church, we will learn the horrifying story of the building and discover why the domes are twisted.
Carpathian Mountains Day 9 Thursday, October 25 Travel to the land of Molfars - Mystic Wizards and Guards of Ukrainian Ethnic Code in Carpathian Mountains! First we will make a stop in the village of Pistyn`. You will visit 16th century wooden gutsul church, location is very picturesque and mysterious for the reason and we will share this legend with you. On our next stop Sheshory - enjoy walk to waterfall and have lunch in a traditional restaurant on the bank of mountain river. Being in Sheshory we will visit the disciple of the famous Carpathian Molfar and maybe he will share some secrets with us. Arrive in Kosiv in the evening. Day 10 Friday, October 26 Today we will go hiking to the mountains - have a trip to mysterious place Pysanyj kamin` - interesting historical and geological monument with a magnificent panorama of ridges and peaks. From the ancient times the surrounding mountains were populated by the tribes of Carps, which gave the name Carpathians. These were gigantic people, that were endowed with extraordinary power as mythical titans. So, they drew these stones to immortalize the memory of their stay here, buried their treasures and covered them with stones. Since then, people walk here to worship the mighty spirit of their ancestors. Sokilske Hotel http://sokilske.com.ua/ 4 Nights Day 11 Saturday, October 27 Today you will visit unique rock complex, named after legendary Ukrainian Robin Hood Oleksa Dovbush. These rocks are an obvious fortress of 10th century. Bizarre complexes of sandstone rocks were formed more than 70 million years ago on the bottom of warm sea. These strange natural formations saw all geological, biological and historical epochs from trilobites to men. According to the legends, in 17-18th centuries there were located camps of freedom-loving Carpathian noble robbers, platoons of Oleksa Dovbush. They used caves as a treasury for goods, captured from moguls and moneylenders. Day 12 Sunday, October 28 Today we will travel to Ukrainian Stonehenge Ternoshorska Lada. This is one of the largest natural sculptures in Ukraine, hidden in the thicket of the age-old trees. At the very peak of the mountain of Ternoshora you will find rare for the steppe grass of thyme and beautiful flowers - wild crocus. Hutsul people live here, those who keep traditions and crafts of their ancestors. The Ternoshora rock sanctuary emits a lot of positive energies which have healing properties. Having visited here, near these megalithic stone depths, a human receives a charge of joyful energy for a longer time.
Lviv Day 13 Monday, October 29 Welcome to Lviv, the city where almost every building downtown has some mystery or legend! Check-in to your hotel and take some time for rest. Often referred to as the last undiscovered European gem, the city got this name for a reason a princely state, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and then of the Polish Kingdom, today Lviv is a modern European city that has, nonetheless, preserved a very special old-european feel. Take a city tour on a retro train and discover more! Rudolfo Hotel http://www.dniprohotel.ua/en 3 Nights Day 14 Tuesday, October 30 We will take you to amazing trip today, visit three marvelous castles Olesko, Zolochiv and Pidhirtsi, also known as The Golden Horseshoe of the Lviv region. These castles are great examples of the fortification architecture and you will uncover many secrets of the past, exploring their territory. You will learn the historical facts and beautiful legends about the events that took place in each castle. Day 15 Wednesday, October 31 First we will take you on a Bus City Tour, taking you to tourist-worthy sights outside of the city centre, visit the Lychakiv Cemetery a UNESCO World Heritage Site and many more! We will then have lunch in a mysterious and enigmatic place - House of Legends - mystical charms house, which gives insight into the ancient legends of the old city. At the entrance visitors are welcomed by the legendary Lviv sweep, however, the exciting adventures await you inside. When once you cross the threshold of the house, your visit to the ordinary restaurant turns into a fascinating journey to another mystical world of the mysterious city of Lviv. In the evening we have something special for you - unexpected meetings, scary legends, ghosts, secret rituals, mysterious streets, fire show against the magnificent Lviv Buildings on a Lviv Night Guide Tour following by the great Halloween party in a misterious place! Day 16 Thursday, November 1 After some free time to stock up on souvenirs we will transfer you to the airport where, sadly, it s time to go back home or continue on to new exciting destinations
WHAT S INCLUDED: Escorted tour from beginning to the end All Events included in the Itinerary 2 big meals a day + snacks All land transportation in an air conditioned quality bus with professional driver 14nights in comfortable character rich 3&4 star hotels and quality villas, 1 overnight train ride Internet in hotels when possible Full time tour leader Special events exclusively for Cobblestone travellers Cobblestone Freeway t-shirt NOT INCLUDED: Extra days before/after the tour Events and Services not included in the itinerary or marked as Optional Some meals and beverages Airport Transfers if you re NOT travelling with a group Travel Insurance Laundry & Telephone Services OPTIONAL ADD-ONS: Extend your trip Upgrade your room / Get a single room Do a side trip visit Family, have your Family History researched MORE QUESTIONS If you have any question or requests regarding your trip big, small or downright quirky please call or e-mail us. We are happy to help! *You will be charged for additional services at the end of the trip *Unforeseen events and new discoveries may result in changes to this itinerary, but only for the better! None of the activities listed are guaranteed at this point. You will receive a more detailed itinerary closer to departure dates.