attractions

We really loved this place. There a tons of nice camping spots and paths for walking around. Warning, it can become over crowded on the weekend so if you want some quiet peaceful time check it out on a weekday.Buky Canyon remains one of the hidden gems of Ukrainian attractions. Located in the heart of Ukraine, about 180 km away from Kiev and 30 km away from Zhashkiv. This is relatively small, approximately 5 km (or 3 miles) long, 20 m (22 yd.) deep and anywhere from 20 to 40 m wide. This canyon was formed by the Hirs’kyi Tikych river.If you look around you will find the remains of an old flour mill that worked until the rise of the Soviet Union and the arrival of the Bolshiviks.A little further down the canyon you will find the remains of the first hydro electric plant built in the Soviet Union. Put online in 1929 HPP Buki is now just a shell but still very interesting to explore!
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If you like nature this is a cool place. Its gravel roads to get here and the last kilometer is a dirt trail through the forest. If it has rained recently DO NOT attempt to go the last kilometer in your vehicle unless you have a huge off road vehicle. Large stones that were most likely put here as glaciers retreated thousands of years ago. Local legend says that in this place used to be a very rich village. Where the lord visited as a traveler begging for food. When he was just given scraps of food he became angry and turned everything and everyone in the village to stone.
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The name says it all! If you love beautiful settings and a small lake to swim in than this is the place for you! Its mostly gravel roads to get here but they are not in terrible shape and unless it rained recently any vehicle can manage it!Bring lets of mosquito replant!
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The roads to get here are gravel but should be good for any car as long is its been dry recently.This is an old Granite quarry that is giant. It is now a beautiful lake that you can go to for camping and hiking. Absolutely beautiful the roads to get here are gravel but in good shape.
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This is another location where they took granite and left a huge hole which then filled with water. This one is easily accessible from the main road. The last 500 meters is dirt but not problem. On the weekends expect it to be filled with people camping and just relaxing and swimming. There is even a place where you can jump from the top of the cliffs into the water! 
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It used to be a rock quarry that, as legend goes, the workers left one day and when they came back it was flooded! We were moderately impressed with this place. Lots of very nice places to set up a tent. We were there during the week but it appears by the number of obvious camping spots that on the weekend it might be busy A former granite quarry that has now been flooded. There are many walking paths and also a small damn that you can check out while spending your time relaxing.
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We found this place on accident and it was impressive if for nothing else that to see the, more than, 1000 year old oak tree! With a circumference of over 8 meters it is a monster! In 1997 the oak started to wither. To try to save it scientist dug holes under it and buried dead cows and behold the tree started to come back to life. There is a church here also that claims to be the first church in Ukraine to start its teaching and prayers in Ukrainian Language after the Soviet Union. 
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This was a wonderful place! TO find the best camping spots though you are need to drive about 4 km of dirt roads that aren’t horrible but if it rained recently it will be hard. If you just want to see the waterfall its not to bad to get to. Nearby there is a granite quarry that you can also see. This was one of the highlights of Dnepro Oblast. This is the only waterfall on the plains in this area. It also has some historical importance as it was used as a winter home during the Cossack times.  
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An amazing natural setting where you can camp and enjoy the solitude. We did have a difficult time getting here but later found that if you go from the town of Ingulckoe, to the north of Monastarichye, the road is a not to bad dirt road that any car can manage. Along the river here there are many rocks protruding from the ground. On some of the rocks you can see there are man made grooves carved into them. Scientist think this place was used as an ancient ritual or spiritual place where sacrifices would have been made. Now there is a wishing tree growing from one of the rocks so be sure to bring a ribbon to tie to the tree so your wish will come true! 
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This is a man made lake. Originally planned to just be a small lake once it was created the salt in the earth was leeched out by the water and now there is a salty lake. People come from kilometers around to go to this lake for its natural healing properties. We visited it and were able to find many nice camping spots for anyone to come check out the lake and spend the night.
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Just south of Kherson we hear of a place that had amazing nature, a lack of industry and was difficult to reach. Of course we had to try to see it! The road to the city Geroicki (Heroic) was paved but from there the pavement stops and it is just sand track through the rest of the peninsula so we decided to turn back. Was it worth it? Yes we saw a lot of wildlife including birds and deer plus the remoteness gives the area a special feeling.  First mentioned by the Greeks this place was a sacred area for the Scythians where they performed rituals and left treasures for the gods. Today there are over 400 lakes on this peninsula and it is home to many kinds of birds including swans, pelicons, eagles and pheasant. The main industry is now tourism. 
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It took us two tries and two days to finally give up and call a tour guide to show us how to get into the sands themselves so we could see the desert in its full glory! Was it worth it… That’s debatable we enjoyed it but it was not as much desert as we thought. There is plenty of green throughout the desert but it is interesting and worth a stop if you are in the area Oleshky sands is the only desert in Europe, though sometimes its categorized as a semi-desert due to the amount of precipitation it receives. Surrounding the desert is a very dense forest that was planted to keep the dunes from moving. When airplanes were just in their infancy they used them to fly over the desert and through seeds out of in hopes of stopping the desert from growing. During the Soviet Union a large forest was planted around the dunes. It was also used as a bombing range for Soviet Pilots. 
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Very beautiful with many places to camp. Don’t be scared because of the location in Donestk Oblast we had no issues with anyone. Beautiful granite rocks that are protruding from the ground on both sides of the Kalchik river. The village nearby has about 200 people living in it.  
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We came to the village of Skelki to try to find the caves. We stayed for two nights due to the beauty of the cost in the area. The Skelki Caves are not really caves but old mines. It is said there are over 20km of tunnels below the village. When you get to the village you notice that everything is made from stone. This was like their business card to show that stone came from this village. Now a days the mines are no longer working. There are multiple entrances to the mines just be careful as its easy to get lost and not so easy to find you! 
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We roamed around this area for a while trying to find the rocks that are shaped like Donkey Ears. We never found them but the scenery here is amazing! Located on the river Berda here we found the river down in a canyon that was filled with tall grass. As the wind swept down the canyon it made the grass sing. Just a very peaceful place for any nature lovers it was amazing!
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We heard about this waterfall so thought to visit it. When we got to the sight we didn’t understand because it looked just like a field with trees and very flat. We wouldn’t of found the waterfall if not for a couple little girls that were out feeding theirs cows. The waterfall itself is beautiful but there is no place to camp near it and we were warned about snakes by the little girls who showed us to the spot.  
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This place was amazing! A natural canyon in a nice rural setting! The roads to get there were very good except the last 4 km were cobble stone roads with the last 200 meters being dirt tracks through a field.When you enter the town of Aktove they have the electrical posts painted with arrows leading the way to the little track to take you to the canyon. The canyon was amazing! Very clean and many places to camp and hike! This should be a must see place on anybody’s list of things to do in Ukraine! 
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If you love the outdoors you will love this place! Part of the Bug Guard National Park. This is another canyon carved by the Southern Bug River. Although we found that there was a lot of trash laying around in the areas people normally use to camp in general it was a beautiful area.  Not only is this place a beautiful but it is the location of many archeological discoveries. The canyon stretches for almost 70km and is absolutely stunning! You can go rafting if you like there are zip lines set up and also hiking trails. A great place for the nature lover 
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The largest Estuary in Ukraine! This lake is 39km long and 15 km wide with a maximum depth of 5.5 meters. The waters were clean and warm but the bottom of the lake was very rocky. Access to the lake for swimming is hard to find but is doable! This is the only drinking water for the near by towns and villages. In the lake there are over 40 species of fish. We also saw pelicans along with a myriad of other birds and wild life.  
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These are two small pools of water. It would appear as nothing special at first but upon further inspections they are rather beautiful. One lake is a pool is rather shallow and a very beautiful blue color. The other lake was almost black but the depth is tremendous, or so we were told by locals. The colors of the pools are supposed to change through out the year as the algae living inside them goes through its life cycle. The local people call the windows, the village near them is also called window. Window to what I am not sure but the blue lake was crystal clear and rather beautiful. 
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Ternopil Region a known around Europe for its caves. Many of them you must have prearranged tours and usually can only visit on the weekends. Kristovala is the exception. It has lights installed inside and for a measly 25 greiven you can walk through it at your own pace. We would still recommend to bring a flashlight as the cave could still use more lights inside. At the parking lot for the cave are people selling souvenirs and a couple reasonably prices ladies selling very good homemade food! It takes about 1.5 hours and 3 km of walking but its not bad. Most of the cave is around 2 meters tall, or taller. As you walk through there are signs telling you about each section you are in. Each room you enter has a different name and the signs point out the different animals and figures you can make out in the rock. There is a lot of gypsum in the cave which makes it rather beautiful. Its worth stopping for if your in the area. 
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We were lucky enough to visit this cave. The cave is still an archeological sight and still being excavated to this day. When we arrived some of the archeologists were there and were just finishing up for the day. They allowed us into the cave and gave us a tour for 150 grieven. We recommend to bring a flashlight even though there were working lights in the cave.It is one of the few caves in Ukraine that its known people lived here. Not just a family or two but it appears a whole village was located underground at different periods of time. Then the caves were lost to the world until in the 1800’s a local rich person was out hunting and they were chasing a fox then the fox disappeared. Upon further inspection, they found an entrance to the cave and the rest is history. Most of the very nice things that have been found here are now in display in Poland, is it was Polish territory when they cave was rediscovered.  
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A very nice waterfall just be careful the road to get here can be treacherous. If it has rained recently it would be nearly impossible to get to the waterfall without a big truck or tractor.  The waterfall is very beautiful and rather peaceful. There is a small building here where you can buy snacks and beer if you like. There are plenty of places to set up a tent and stay for the night. The people who sell beer and snacks also do a good job of keeping the area mostly free of trash. 
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A waterfall all the way in the southern part of Ukraine along the Romanian border. The roads to get here are rather rough. We did see every type of car you can imagine on them but they are mostly roads covered with rock and dirt so be careful. The waterfall itself is very beautiful and there is enough place beside it for one or two tents. It is in the middle of the village and right off the road.
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The tallest mountain in Ukraine at just over 2,000 meters. You can hike to the top of the mountain in a day no problem. Be warned the last 9km or so to get to the official starting point of the hike is very difficult on your car.  We recommend going up using the hard trail and come down using the slightly longer easy trail. The easy trail is rather difficult these days as it is used by thousands of people every year and very worn out. All told the up and down of the mountain can take between 5-7 hours depending on your shape and how long you spend at the top. There are plenty of little shops at the official starting point to the trail where you can buy water and food but we recommend bringing your own if you can. 
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This is a very beautiful site near the Bukovets pass. You can drive to within 1.5km of the painted rocks but be warned the last 8km or so is all on dirt roads driving on top of mountain ridges. You should have a car with a decent amount of ground clearance to do it. The rocks have an ancient story. On the top of the rocks there are 9 “dishes” carved in to the rocks. Scientist think this would have been for ancient sacrifices but are not sure. There are also carving left behind from the likes of Ivan Franko and other famous Ukrainians. Over all it is a very beautiful place that was well worth the visit! 
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A waterfall situated just off the road. It is not the biggest or the most beautiful waterfall you have ever seen but it might be one of the easiest to get to in the area. Just above the waterfall there is a monument to Taras Schevchenko.
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A geyser! Yes that’s right in Ukraine a geyser! We are not sure of the history of this place but its pretty interesting in general. The geyser goes off every 2-2.5 hours. It is cold water that is loaded with minerals. The geyser erupts through a pipe in the ground. All around the area they have turned it into a very nice picnic area and camping spot.  There is no signs pointing to it so you just have to go and you will have to use the GPS Coordinates. Its worth the stop to wait and see and play in the water as it erupts if you like! 
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Manyava waterfall one of the easiest accessible, biggest and most beautiful waterfalls in Ukraine. The last 5 km of road to get here is rather rough and we recommend to walk the last km but in general its not to bad. There are also typically trucks at the Manyava Monastery that will take you to the waterfall if you like for a fee. The waterfall is at its most beautiful in June or early July when the snow melt water is still coming. We were there in August and its still impressive. Its worth the time to walk to the top of the waterfall there are picnic table and you can go right up to the edge of the waterfall to look over. 
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The largest plateau in the Carpathians. This is a huge flat plateau area of 1100 hectares. This place is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area.The road to get to the top of the plateau is a two lane concrete slab nightmare. Its not horribly bad by motorcycle but it is rather rough. We saw every kind of car imaginable doing it so it is doable just go slow and be careful.  On top of the plateau is an abandoned radar station. You can still see the old buildings that would of housed the military radar station. Now they are just ruins but the view from here is spectacular.  It took us a while to go here but it was worth the struggle! After head over to Lumshory for a relaxing dip in their hot tubs! 
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An incredibly touristy place. This waterfall is one of the most well known in Ukraine. At this point it has infrastructure built up all around it. You can buy food to eat or souvenirs here no problem. You do have to pay to come in, 20 grieven.  Is it worth it? In our opinion it was not what we thought. We had to wait in lines to get the few pictures we got. People were everywhere and it wasn’t enjoyable. 
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One of the most famous lakes in Ukraine! This is a must-see sight for all Ukrainians and it leaves most foreigners speechless! We came to Synevir and left astonished that something this mundane and underwhelming could attract so much attention. Honestly neither of us are that impressed with this place. The lake can be walked around in about 15 minutes… To call it a lake is a stretch of the imagination its more of a pond. Synevir Lake is the largest lake in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The level of the lake can change up to 4.5 meters depending on the season and how much rain has been recently. There is a small island in the center of the lake.  Be prepared for hundreds of tourist and people trying to sell every souvenir imaginable to you. The road to get here is very good though with amazing views! 
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Another beautiful waterfall just off a main road in the Carpathians. As you pass it is worth stopping to snap a few photos and enjoy the scenery.
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This place was awesome! Just amazingly beautiful! You felt like you are in another world. It used to be a quarry, they are still doing work nearby, now it is just a small lake with these amazing columns of basalt rising up towards the sky! Most of the columns have 7 sides and rise to various levels so you can use them like steps to get down to the water. There weren’t many places for camping at the quarry here, but a great place to come for a picnic!
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A very clear lake in Rivne region that is a draw for many people to go camping and swim. The water is clear down to 2.5 meters visibility is great! The water also has many different minerals, making it a great place to go relax and heal a little in its waters. The area around the lake is all sand so it can be tough going on your vehicle. The road leading to the lake is a mix of asphalt and cobblestone roads, then the roads circumventing the lake are just trails through the forest. Go for a weekend and relax and enjoy the weather!
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As we approached this place our eyes were drawn to the monastery standing further up the hill. Once we found Devils Rock though we were mesmerized by it. The rock juts out of the ground and is the only thing around. You can go to the top and find carving in the rock in the shape of a bath tub. The rock is 16 meters tall. Legend says it fell from the sky in ancient times. Since then it has had many roles from being an idol to being a burial place. The scenery around it is stunning. Definitely worth the time to get here just be warned the last kilometer or so to get here is rather rough so it might be better to walk. Also near the rock are some very interesting caves you can go explore. 
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This is a giant working sand pit. The whole area is sand and there is now a very beautiful lake where they have removed the sand from the ground. There is some great camping spots here but be careful to stay out of the way of the workers.
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A very nice pond in the village of Kuzimevka. We camped here one night underneath 5 apple trees. The pond is beautiful and filled with fish. The area around it is perfect for camping and enjoying the stars. 
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Amazingly beautiful white chalk cliffs along the Desna River. If you looking for a great camping spot in northeast Ukraine look no further than here. You have your choice to camp at the top of these cliffs and look out over the river below or camp at the bottom of the cliffs and enjoy them towering over you.
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A nice little pond and a beautiful waterfall hidden in a canyon. We had that feeling that somebody had moved a little piece of Thailand to Ukraine 😊The road leading to the village is bad but can be driven with a normal car if you go slow.
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