Ukraine Tours

Private English-Language Tours in Western Ukraine

Ukraine Roots offers Private English-Language Tours out of Lviv, Ukraine:

Ukraine Roots offers English-language tours of Ukraine lasting from one to several days. We drive in Ukraine to see farms, rural towns and villages, cemeteries, and other landmarks. The guide, who is also a driver, is knowledgeable in Ukraine’s history and current affairs. The guide will gladly answer any questions related to history, politics, farming, economy, and other aspects of life in Ukraine in English.   

Whether you are seeking a trip to your ancestral area to reconnect to your roots, a trip to the Carpathians near Lviv, off the beaten path in the rural countryside, or a focus on a specific location or town – we will try to provide exactly what you are looking for in a tour tailored to your interests and time.   

The tour itinerary can be flexible, and the guide has no memorized script. Ukraine tours on this page are for illustration. Our Ukraine Tours are for those who have some interest in learning about Ukraine and its history. We can start the tours at your chosen location. A vehicle to fit the size of a tour group is provided. The guide/driver is experienced in driving safely in Ukraine, and the transport is air-conditioned, with seat belts, and conventional safety features.

Choose from the following selection of Tours in Western Ukraine:

One-Day Countryside Tour near Lviv:

A journey through the Ukrainian countryside to visit old churches, synagogues, castles, and cemeteries in towns and villages near Lviv. 

On this trip, you will relish the rural scenery along the way and gain a glimpse of Ukrainian country life and fertile fields in one of the world’s best farming areas. View the One-Day Countryside Tour on Google Maps.

If you're in Lviv and wondering how to fill in an extra day, why not join Lviv Ecotour on a Tour to the Ukrainian Countryside Outside of Lviv? The area around Lviv is brimming with amazing attractions. It's one of the few places in Europe that offers the most authentic tourist experience.

The Tour includes visits to wooden churches in villages near Lviv, two castles, and two small towns east of Lviv with old synagogues and Jewish cemeteries, among other things. On this trip, you'll relish the rural scenery along the way and gain a glimpse of Ukrainian country life. The Lviv Countryside Tour is designed for individuals or small groups.

What you will see:

The wooden churches featured in this Tour epitomize a unique style of Ukrainian folk architecture. Constructed from sturdy oak wood, they have endured for centuries. One of the wooden churches on the Tour dates back to 1697. It remains well concealed behind country houses, barns, and vegetable gardens. A narrow dirt path, mostly traversed by chickens and farm animals, leads up to the church from the village street. When the church suddenly emerges from the clutter of rural objects, the sight is breathtaking. Several wooden churches in Ukraine and Poland have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The several Jewish cemeteries and synagogues visited on this Tour serve as poignant reminders of the culture that vanished from Galicia after the Holocaust. An ancient Jewish cemetery on the outskirts of Brody is particularly remarkable, with tombstones standing in long straight rows amidst tall grass. The Brody synagogue is an impressive structure that endured wartime bombing and decades of exposure to the elements, having remained without a roof since the War.

About one hour from Lviv, you will be able to see two castles. One of them, Olesko Castle, dates back to the 13th century. It is the oldest of the castles in the area and is known as the birthplace of the famous Polish king Jan III Sobieski, who altered the course of world history by defeating the Turkish army near Vienna in 1683. Olesko Castle is a museum featuring 16th and 17th-century art. It is an intriguing site rich in history, with interiors adorned with furniture and paintings that reflect the lifestyle of its residents from centuries ago. If you enjoy old paintings and furniture and plan to visit the castle museum, note that it is closed to visitors on Mondays. There is an entry fee for the museum, payable at the castle gate. Olesko Castle also boasts a restaurant and restroom facilities.

Brody is one of the two towns near Lviv that can be visited on this Tour. At one point in time, Brody was a thriving Jewish community at the eastern border of the Austrian Empire. It is the birthplace of Joseph Roth, who wrote the novel Radetzky March. Sigmund Freud’s mother, Amalia Nathansohn Freud, was also born in Brody in 1835. The town features a Market Square, remnants of an old fort, and a number of century-old buildings, serving as evidence of the town’s once-prosperous past.

Two-Day Cultural and Scenic Tour:

Ukraine’s Highest Mountains and Local Tourist Attractions.

Visit a UNESCO-listed wooden church, the ruins of an ancient fort in what was once the powerful capital of a medieval Slavic kingdom, a Museum of Easter Eggs, a scenic part of the Carpathian Mountains, and shop for souvenirs at a large market overlooking the waterfalls in a Carpathian resort town.

See the Two-Day Cultural and Scenic Tour on Google Maps.

DAY 1: We begin by driving south of Lviv on a winding scenic road through small towns, villages, and open fields. One hour out of Lviv, we reach Rohatyn with its beautiful wooden church dating back to the 1500s, and a statue of Roksolana on the main town square. The next town, Burshtyn, is a monument to the Soviet industrial period with its giant smokestacks spewing clouds of black smoke from a coal-fired power plant. Here, we can visit an old Jewish cemetery, the only reminder of Burshtyn’s once-multicultural past. Shortly afterward, we arrive at Halych. Ruins of an old fort on a hill overlooking the area date back to the days of the mighty Kingdom of Galicia. Next on our route is one of the main urban centers of Ukraine, the town of Ivano-Frankivsk. An hour away is Kolomiya with its famous Museum of Easter Eggs. Also in Kolomyya, we can visit the Hutsul Art and Crafts Museum.

DAY 2: We observe spectacular mountain views while the road gets bumpy at times on the way to Verkhovyna. This is the heartland of the Hutsul country. To better experience the local culture, we can stop for a demonstration of musical instruments by a local musician. Then, we continue through the mountains towards Yaremche. Here, we visit a souvenir market overlooking the waterfall. Afterward, we drive for approximately 4 hours to Lviv. If you are into hiking and are fit for long walks, a Day 2 option could be a hike to the highest mountain in Ukraine, Mount Hoverla, or another less strenuous hike in the area.

Three-Day Tour of Western Ukraine:

Visit Ukraine’s Carpathian Towns and Enjoy the Mountains.

This tour will take you through a town with some remaining Art Nouveau architecture, over the mountains into Transcarpathia, to one of the wine-producing areas of Ukraine with a more temperate climate, Europe’s last remaining virgin beech forests, and a picturesque mountain lake in a national park.

See the Three-Day Tour of Western Ukraine on Google Maps.

DAY 1: Sambir is the first sizable town on our way out of Lviv. Its glory days date back to the discovery of oil in the nearby mountains. The good old times are still recognizable in once-rich Art Nouveau mansions in quiet streets radiating from the Market Square. An old synagogue and a Jewish cemetery are interesting landmarks in Staryi Sambir, which is the next stop along the way. We enter the Carpathian foothills where there is a wooden church in Rozluch, originally built by German settlers before World War I. After Turka, the road climbs, offering beautiful views of the surrounding mountains, including the high peaks of the Bieszczady in Poland. We drive in very close proximity to the Polish border. Even though Poland on the other side of the road appears only a few steps away, this is a heavily monitored area, being the Eastern frontier of the European Union. Next, the road dives into the Transcarpathian part of Ukraine, and suddenly everything gets a tint of Hungarian flavor. The UNESCO-listed St. Michael’s Church in Uzhok can be seen on a hill to the right. Before reaching Uzhhorod, the Castle in Nevytske is an interesting short detour.

DAY 2: When Stalin and the Western Allies redrew maps of Europe after World War II, they placed Uzhhorod only a hair’s breadth away from the Slovak border. Until recently, the giant statue of a Soviet soldier still looms over the border crossing on the western edge of the city. Uzhhorod is a quiet town cut in half by the river, with an embankment where many people like to rest on benches in the shadow of large trees in the summer. Our next town, Mukachevo, looks very much like a smaller sibling of Uzhhorod, both being distinctly Hungarian in appearance. The town Berehovo, where Hungarian is the first language for the majority of people, has thermal springs that draw tourists to a spa resort nearby. Vynohradiv and Khust on our way both have ruined forts dating back several centuries. From Khust, the road takes us into the higher mountains towards Lake Synevyr.

DAY 3: Lake Synevyr is situated in a beautiful setting amid forested mountains. It is reached from the highway by a scenic road. Some distance away is another natural attraction, Shypit Waterfall, surrounded by mountains with a beech forest. Next, we are on the main West-to-East highway of Ukraine, heading to Drohobych to see one of its wooden churches, now on the World Heritage list by UNESCO. Drohobych also boasts a town hall, an old Gothic church, and a large restored Choral synagogue. The town has preserved its quaint old-time look, which has been lost in Lviv with the arrival of crowds of tourists.

Four-Day Tour of Western Ukraine:

A Tour Designed to See the Best Parts of Western Ukraine.

Travel through Ukraine’s farming heartland to the powerful Kamyanets-Podilsky fortress, continue to the capital of the former Austro-Hungarian province of Bukovina, proceed to the scenic Hutsul Carpathian Mountains, visit a souvenir market overlooking the waterfalls, Ukraine’s largest ski resort, and return to Lviv via Transcarpathia.

See the Four-Day Tour of Western Ukraine on Google Maps.

DAY 1: We drive east from Lviv towards Ternopil. As we approach the area of Ukraine known for its black soil, farms become larger, and fields gradually turn into an endless sea of crops. In the town of Ternopil, we stop to view Ternopil Lake and then drive south towards Kamyanets-Podilsky. On the way, we cross the small river Zbruch, which just over 100 years ago served as the border between Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire. To a trained eye, the division is still visible today. We stay overnight in Kamyanets-Podilsky, where you can enjoy the famous Castle and the Old Town.

DAY 2: After Kamyanets-Podilsky, we stop to admire the Fortress of Khotyn overlooking the mighty Dnister River. Once an impenetrable fortress, it is now a museum with great views of the surrounding plains and the river near the historic junction of three international borders. This was a tri-border intersection for the USSR, Romania, and Poland before WW2. The road takes us further to the capital of the former Austrian province of Bukovina. Although somewhat run down, Chernivtsi still retains some of its past European glory. Then, we proceed to Ukraine’s most peaceful town of Kolomyya to visit a Museum of Easter Eggs. Between Kolomyya and Yeremche lies the most picturesque stretch of the road in the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine. If time permits, we stop in Verkhovyna at the Museums of Hutsul musical instruments. The owner is an accomplished musician and will demonstrate local folk tunes. We overnight in Yaremche with its souvenir markets and summer crowds of tourists.

DAY 3: We travel south deeper into the Carpathian Mountains, towards the Romanian border. At your choice, we can take a loop road through Ukraine’s best ski resort, Bukovel. In winter, its well-groomed slopes can rival Alpine resorts of Austria and France, owing to an investment by one of Ukraine’s oligarchs. An all-year-round lift runs to a summit with a view of Ukraine’s highest mountains, including Mount Hoverla at 2016 m. After another hour on a winding road and over a mountain pass, we reach the Geographical Center of Europe marked by a monument at the side of the road. Get your passports ready at a checkpoint as we start driving in close proximity to the Romanian border. During the night, the Tysa river that runs to our left, separating Ukraine from Romania, is used to bootleg tobacco and spirits into the European Union in a constant hide-and-seek game with the border patrol on both sides. A short hike to a ruined castle overlooking the town of Khust can be an opportunity to break a long drive and stretch your legs. This area of Ukraine is closely linked to Hungary, and the Hungarian language rivals Ukrainian in many local communities. We stop for the night in Mukachevo.

DAY 4: Mukachevo is located in the Transcarpathian Lowland on the great Hungarian plain. From here, it’s a straight road to Lviv over the Carpathian Mountains. But first, we stop at Palanok Castle. The area around the town of Mukachevo is to Ukraine what California is to the USA. Being sheltered from cold northerly winds by the mountains, it is the source of early fruit and vegetables for other parts of Ukraine. Vineyards are common here, although local wine is produced mainly for the local market. At your choice, a 2-hour (60 km) detour can be taken to visit Shypit Waterfalls in the Carpathian Mountains on the way to Lviv. We arrive in Lviv in the afternoon of Day 4.

Hiking Tours in Ukraine

MOUNTAIN HIKING TRIPS

Guided Carpathian Mountain Walks for Individuals or Small Groups

Ukraine Roots offers guided walking tours in the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains, accessible from Lviv for a day of hiking. We welcome individuals, couples, families, and larger groups. You have the flexibility to choose the time and place of departure.

Our Ukrainian Carpathian Hiking Tour includes a driver-guide and a vehicle with fuel. An English-speaking guide/driver will accompany you on the hike, pointing out places of interest and assisting with orientation. Generally, a high level of fitness is required. No special gear is needed, but dress according to the weather—wear sneakers with good grip or hiking boots, and bring sun protection or rain gear, water, and snacks.

For those not interested in hiking, we offer driving trips to scenic spots in the Ukrainian Carpathians. These trips are suitable for everyone and include rides on year-round ski lifts or visits to Carpathian waterfalls.

Choose from the Carpathian Hiking Tours below, or opt for custom tours tailored to your preferences, timeframe, physical preparedness, and weather. 

Carpathian Hiking to Mount Parashka near Lviv

Mount Parashka on Google Maps

Mount Parashka offers an excellent one-day hiking experience from Lviv. The lower sections of the trail wind through lush forests, while higher elevations provide stunning panoramic views. The final stretch of the hike follows an open and level ridge. Situated in the Skole Beskydy National Park, Mount Parashka's proximity to Lviv makes it a popular destination among hikers. It stands as one of the highest peaks in the Beskydy range. During the summer months, hikers can delight in the abundance of wildflowers and berries along the trail, complemented by picturesque vistas.

Carpathian Hiking to Hoverla – the Highest Mountain of Ukraine

Location of Mount Hoverla on Google Maps

The steep slopes of Hoverla present a challenge that attracts many amateur hikers each year. As the highest peak in the Ukrainian Carpathians, Hoverla is a popular hiking destination. A small fee is collected at the entrance to Chornohora National Park. After navigating a rough drive over the final several kilometers to reach the trailhead, hikers encounter a steep ascent, first through spruce forests and then over alpine meadows at elevations above 1400 m. Due to the intensity of the Hoverla hike and the long driving distance from Lviv, it is recommended as a 2-day trip. This allows time to visit local tourist attractions along the way, such as wooden churches, castle ruins, a museum of Ukrainian Easter eggs, and a souvenir market.

Carpathian Hiking To Mount Kinczyk Bukowski on the Border of Ukraine and Poland

(Note: This hiking train is temporarily closed until further notice.)

Mount Kinczyk Bukowski on Google Maps

Mount Kinczyk Bukowski straddles the Ukrainian-Polish national border and can only be accessed from Ukraine. The adjacent area on the Polish side is a National Park closed to all human activity, including hiking. The area along the hiking trail is exceptionally beautiful, representing one of the few remaining wilderness areas in Europe. The lower part of the trail passes through a UNESCO-listed old-growth beech forest, while the summit offers panoramic views of grassy mountain slopes and the dense forest of the National Park below. Hikers must obtain a permit from the border patrol authorities to hike in the area of Kinczyk Bukowski, with applications submitted at least 10 days before the trip. We can assist with the application process by filling out the necessary paperwork with the border office. During the drive to the trailhead from Lviv, we stop at one of the Carpathian World Heritage Sites—St. Michael’s wooden church in Uzhok.