Introduction

It was a warm day 13 June 2010 year…

Our journey we started in two from Drohobych, the rest of the group (yet 13) went from Lviv, and more exactly, went earlier on 9th, because they had tickets for the train.

We are waiting to visit the amazing and beautiful and really unique region of Ukraine – Crimea. Personally for me it was still unexplored lands, but part of the group there were more than once already.

Itinerary in the Crimea

They suggested the following route:

• Lviv – Dzhankoy (train Lviv-Simferopol),
• Dzhankoy – Kerch peninsula, staying in Kerch,
• Kerch – Feodosiya,
• Feodosiya – Ordzhonikidze.
• After a few days in Ordzhonikidze by mountains, reach the Koktebel,
• from there reach town Sudak , stay in Sudak for a few days,
• visit Novy Svit,
• from there go to Alushta,
• from Alushta go to Mramornoye, in Mramornoye visit caves,
• then to Simferopol, from there to Sevastopol and stay for several days in Balaklava, exploring nearby places.

Tickets for the Ukraine weight in gold…

Ticket are a separate story. Since the beginning of July to 9th August it was no longer possible to buy anything, (because tickets for 500 hryvnia didn't suit us), so if you can buy tickets in a great advance, particularly in August, a lot of buyers, and Ukrainian railways, perhaps artificially create the deficit… with us, unfortunately it was not possible to plan in advance, so we were just lucky with them getting in a few days before the planned travel.

This luck was because, often people return tickets for trains at the station at the ticket office, for various reasons, So just as we were at the station someone wanted to give back tickets for the 13th. Better late than never;)

If this happens, that you have arrived to Lviv and it turned out, that there is the lack of tickets, Please look for ticket offices where tickets are returned, wait until someone returns the ticket. There's customer service office(At this point I do not remember the exact name) there they may find indirect connections, but for every ticket you have to pay more 20 hryvnia. At the same time before the departure of the train can be a lot of vacant seats (without guarantee;).

Worth a read THE PURCHASE OF RAILWAY TICKETS IN UKRAINE

There is an alternative- buses, are more expensive starting from 200 hryvnia (as for year 2010) and the journey rather less comfortable than the train. Tickets can be purchased at tourist offices.

There are also flights. But at this point there are only expensive lines. Formerly from Lvov flew Wizair Ukraine, At this point it seems, that ceased to fly in these directions. ( to check on the carrier)

Own car also you can go, the car is more convenient, but it is a long way to drive.

Returning to the story…

What's in your backpack to the Crimea?

• The most important thing is backpack. Volume is not so importaint, most important is comfort. In fact,, there are many places where you can buy almost anything, which may be helpful in the expedition to the Crimea, so you should take the necessary minimum.
• Sleeping bag ( simple summer is ok) or tent.
• Tent (i have tested „2 seconds” for 3 people from Decathlon) caused mixed feelings, sets rapidly, literally 2 seconds, is a great asset, if you move a lot, but unfortunately it is not transported comfortably. So this year, giving up the tent for this trip.
• For clothes, as a minimum enough you should have shorts, swimming trunks and a T-shirt, and comfortable shoes (sandals), possibly, in addition flaps. Polar rarely used. Other change clothes are not necessary.
• Other things associated with hygiene.
• Of course the camera, lenses, for lovers of landscapes quite useful will be tripod. At least 2 batteries and capacious memory card would be an advantage. There are really a lot of places to take pictures.
• Cell range is good, it is worth to buy a package of Kyivstar (expensive, but better coverage) or Life (free calls in the network, worse and sometimes poor coverage in less populated areas, lack of coverage in some parts).
• Charging equipment is difficult, but there is a possibility for 2-5 hryvnia for piece charging in bars, sometimes possible to free.

Weather

In August the weather is rather great, so either sleeping bag or tent, take two things make no sense. My tent was often used for storing things. You could sleep in a sleeping bag under the sky. The whole two weeks it rained only once. Just in case you can have a cheap cape rain.

Food

When you wand to cook hot meals by yourself, of course everything, which will help in this is worth taking, and knife, fork / spoon and cup. Preparing your own meals for larger group will save really big part of the money.

Medications

It should prepare a first aid kit, most necessary, including: bandage, hydrogen peroxide, Aspirin, medication for stomach, etc.

Mood

Good mood and attitude is first and foremost guarantee a good rest.

In summary: The less baggage the better and easier to move. Footwear is the foundation.

Finance and purchasing

THE STATE OF THE 2013 YOU NEED to MULTIPLY THESE VALUES on at least 1.5-2 times!

The amount of cash is difficult to calculate, it's personal. Depends, for what you set.

In season, prices are very high compared with other regions. Even the water, which costs in Lviv 3 hryvnia, in Crimea may cost 10 for 1,5 l. Although in smaller towns it is ok and on the market are fairly normal prices, and in bars, you can also dine quite fine. For example, in a bar in Ordzhonikidze for 30-50 hryvnia you can eat two dishes, drink beer, tea, coffee for 5, in the Novy Svit the same dinner ends with spending twice as many. advise against taking Salads, are negligible portions, the money to the wind. It is better to go on the market to buy vegetables. There is a great choice of fruits. I reveal the secret, on the market you can bargaining with sellers, sometimes even have a plate on each side with a different price;). Markets next to the beach, of course, the most expensive markets, So the less popular and further away from the beach, more cheaper.

As an indication, at a minimum expenditure should be enough like 100 hryvnia per day. Using accommodation or dinning, this value will increase significantly. The train from Lviv to the Crimea is of the order 150 hryvnia. The trips on buses is worth 50 hryvnia per 100 km ( plus the money may be charged for luggage, approx 5-10 hryvnia) and about 400-500 for 100 km taxi ( 4 people). Gasoline prices are rising, so the price of transport and also.

Important! Prices are constantly growing in Ukraine, so it is worth to have more.

Finding a place for accommodation in Crimea

If traveling with a tent that you need to know, that not everywhere is allowed to place tents. So, before choosing the route, it is necessary to find such places before. On site it is best to check in the morning. At night ( from my own experience) this is the most extreme, but interesting. In the fields of camping charge a fee of about 15 hryvnia for person. In the woods, if the fire alarm is declared it is forbidden. It is best to not meet with foresters, because if you do not know your rights they can extort mandate. We unfortunately managed to hit a period of alarm and protection of forest, so really a lot of difficulties. Well, it was close to a mandate, just a tent 2 seconds was really handy – we were prepared for visit;) Oh, even, if an alarm is declared, you can stay near the water safely, i don't advise setting a tent unless, that before 5 in the morning you go away. The mandate is high, approx 1000 UAH of the tent. Recall, that just said before is about regions covered by the protection, woodland. Before the departure might want to check whether it has been announced.

And if someone does not like tents and similar goodies?

With finding accommodation should not be a problem. As for the price it's hard to say, are different, very cheap in this period will not be for sure.

To shop around for the nights we invite you to take advantage of our multiwyszukiwarki accommodation.

Safety

Of course the trains is a place where you have to be vigilant, bus stations, concentrations of people, i think, that we all know that, but often we forget.

Don't advise to Agree to suspicious offers, the more, if someone knows poorly the language. The tourists unfamiliar with the area often used by locals. Generally good to have a little distance to everything and do everything thoughtfully. Of course we must remember, that we are guests in these places, worth, to respect the customs, culture and the prevailing rules in the Crimea, which are different from those, to which we are accustomed.

On Crimea the knowledge of Russian language in any case will help, so you should learn some phrases. Although the official language is Ukrainian, most of the information and interpersonal communication is carried out in Russian.

Part of the second story of the departure for the Crimea in August

And you, what do you think, what to take with yourself on such a journey, how to prepare, how to plan your trip. What is the best train, bus, own car or airplane? And where better to spend the night, outdoors, tent, or in a comfortable hotel? Please comment on this subject in the comments.

ARTICLE TAGS

Crimean Mountains, Crimea, airport, Azov Sea, Black Sea, travel, Crimean peninsula, tourism, trip