Orthodox Christmas in Ukraine - Limited Edition

7 days
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4.7/5 Excellent
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Small Group Tour
From the cobbled streets of Lviv, travel to the furthest edges of Western Ukraine to experience a snowy Orthodox Christmas in the highlands. As scenic as it is remote, travelling into the Carpathian Mountains feels like a true adventure. With difficult territory providing protection from the reaches of much USSR policy, the Hutsul people who live here remain ...

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy

Highlights

    • Enjoy an unforgettable orthodox christmas eve dinner with your hosts in the highlands, complete with candles, carols and more.
    • See the historical and surprisingly beautiful town of lviv lit up with lights for the festive season.
    • Witness storybook scenes in the carpathian mountains, where forests of spruce and pine are dusted with powdery snow and rolling hills turn white in winter.
    • Stay with a hutsul family in a community where many still live their lives according to a mixture of christianity, folklore and respect for nature.
    • Head to the markets and watch some vertep, a form of portable puppetry with a rich tradition as a form of political and social satire.

What's this trip about?

    From the cobbled streets of Lviv, travel to the furthest edges of Western Ukraine to experience a snowy Orthodox Christmas in the highlands. As scenic as it is remote, travelling into the Carpathian Mountains feels like a true adventure. With difficult territory providing protection from the reaches of much USSR policy, the Hutsul people who live here remain remarkably traditional in dress and custom. You’ll get to spend an Orthodox Christmas eating, drinking and living with the locals in a traditional farmhouse, joining them for symbolic feasts and market trips.

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Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start CityLviv
End CityLviv

Travel Themes

  • Cultural

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Ukraine

Activities

  • Culture

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Lviv

Once an important stop on multiple historical trading routes and playground for renaissance-era rich and famous, Lviv has managed to retain much of the diverse architectural charm. This delightful city awaits after a complimentary airport transfer, so make sure you pr...

Day 2 Lviv

Lviv is Ukraine’s biggest surprise, a place where a myriad of flamboyant buildings remain despite the former-Soviet desire for modernism and aversion to the baroque. After breakfast, explore the city on a guided tour, taking in the cobblestone streets and learning all...

Day 3 Rohatyn / Halych / Carpathian Mountains

The frosted spruce forests and snowy peaks of the Carpathian Mountains await. Break up the long journey with a few historic stops along the way. First, visit Svirzh Castle, before continuing to Rohatyn, a historically important town that was part of Poland until WWII....

Day 4 Carpathian Mountains

Merry Christmas! Visit the festive local market, where you can browse everything from elaborately embroidered clothes favoured by many locals to fresh bread, all while the lilting sound of koliada (Ukrainian carolling) carries through the chilled air. Stop to watch so...

Day 5 Carpathian Mountains

Make the journey to the picturesque village of Kryvorivnya, the heart of Hutsul country. This ruggedly beautiful town was a source of inspiration for the Ukrainian literati in the 19th-century, and is now home to many restored or faithfully recreated traditional build...

Day 6 Kosiv / Lviv

Bid farewell to your hosts and begin the return drive to Lviv. Just under halfway, stop in the picturesque town of Kosiv and experience a slightly more urbane version of the Christmas markets. Crafts from the surrounding hill are imported to Kosiv, making it the ideal...

Day 7 Lviv

After breakfast, bid “boovay” to this winter wonderland. After checking out, you’re free to leave at any time, as there are no activities scheduled for today. If you're looking to extend your stay, additional accommodation can be arranged when you book this trip (subject to availability). If you'd like to continue travelling, it's easy to take a train to Kiev or other destinations in Ukraine.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,235
Price per day$319
Last Updated: 12/29/2019

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Peregrine Adventures.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Peregrine Adventures

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It’s been more than 36 years since our first small group set out to discover Nepal. It’s this heritage and our reputation that keeps travellers coming back time and time again.

We appeal to the well-travelled, discerning traveller. The one who chooses value over price, and wants to immerse themselves in a place instead of just ticking landmarks off a bucket list. The type of person who would rather stay in a family run B&B built in a 16th century Venetian convent than a forgettable hotel. We’re for travellers who want inclusions along the way instead of fiddling around for loose change.

Almost 20 years ago, Peregrine led an industry revolution by solely employing locally born leaders. This innovative approach gives our travellers a deeper insight into the countries they visit. Doorways are opened and a true understanding of the place is fostered.

At Peregrine, we travel in intimate groups and take the time to get under the skin of a destination. Of course we all want to see the Taj Mahal in India. But imagine then heading to a remote Rajasthani village and learning about rural life while in the company of locals. Seeing the famous sites is a must, but it’s often the memory of wandering through a small village or sharing dinner with a local family that will leave a lasting impact.

We promise to share our knowledge and expertise with you, and ensure you will come home with stories you will tell for years to come.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Comfortable hotel (3 nights),Farm stay (3 night),

Transportation & Flights

Private vehicle,

Transportation & flights

Private vehicle
Guides
All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. We endeavour to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. When travelling on a group trip, you won't be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24 hour emergency contact number has been seen by your leader. If you have credit card insurance your group leader will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country.
Visa requirements
Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important that you check for the latest information. Please visit the relevant consular website of the country or countries you’re visiting for detailed and up-to-date visa information specific to your nationality. Your consultant will also be happy to point you in the right direction with acquiring visas. Visas can take several weeks to process, so familiarise yourself with any requirements as soon as you have booked your trip to allow for processing time. Ukraine has recently relaxed its visa regime, and citizens of the USA, Canada and EU member countries can now visit up to 90 days without a visa. Australian and New Zealand passport holders still need to obtain a visa before arrival, however an invitation letter is no longer required in order to apply, and since April 2018 it is also possible for these nationalities to apply for an e-visa online. Please find more details here: https://evisa.mfa.gov.ua/Help. Please note that on the visa application form you will still be asked for an 'inviting party'. Once you are confirmed on your trip we will be able to provide you with these details. It’ll normally take at least 14 calendar days for the visa to be issued, so please make sure that you are planning ahead with your visa application, especially if you’ll visit multiple countries on your trip. Please note that a visa on arrival at Ukraine's international airports is no longer available.
Health & Safety
Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trip. We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your leader will accompany you on all included activities, however during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your leader will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your itinerary, and we make no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your Leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. FIRE PRECAUTIONS: Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. TRAFFIC AND DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD: Depending on where you come from please note that drivers in this part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to. Look both ways before crossing any road. Traffic can be a little more chaotic than you might be used to at home. Be aware! SEAT BELTS: Please be aware that local laws governing transportation safety may differ from those in your home country and not all the transport which we use is able to provide seat belts. PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY: While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing.
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Hotel Astoria Lviv
  • Horodotska vul 15
  • Lviv
  • UKRAINE
  • Phone: +38 032 242 27 01
Trip ID
peregrine-PEOC

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