Kharkiv groups meets in Przemysl, a border town in Poland, early morning and travels to Ukraine. After a short stop in Lviv the group takes an overnight train to Eastern Ukraine. Full details are to be sent to registered participants.

This schedule might be subject to a minor change. All group members will be accommodated in 4 pax. comfortable compartments.

Upon arrival to Kharkiv, we shall have breakfast and a short briefing from a local representative. Then we’ll join one of the Kharkiv NGOs on their humanitarian missions into the surrounding area which stayed under the Russian occupation for around six months and is still in a bad state with lots of damage.

After visiting the deoccupied territories, we’ll come back to Kharkiv for a night in a comfortable hotel.

This entire full day is dedicated to Kharkiv, the second largest city of Ukraine with a prewar population over 1,5 million residents. The frontline and active fighting was concentrated along the outskirts of the city for several months.

Kharkiv downtown is badly damaged. However, the local residents are doing their best to keep the city running, showing remarkable resilience.

During this day we’ll also visit Saltivka, once the largest residential neighbourhood in Ukraine with a prewar population of around 400,000 people. Unfortunately not a single building remained untouched by war in North Saltivka, the area where local residents are starting to return slowly and bringing back some life.

Afterwards we’ll take the evening fast train to Kyiv with the night in Ukraine’s capital. Expected schedule Kharkiv – Kyiv (17:10-22:07).

Founded in the 5th century, Kyiv is the cradle of East Slavic civilisation. The city is a remarkable metropolis which is standing strong during its toughest times in recent history.

This day will be mostly focused on Kyiv’s landmarks and understanding the history of Ukraine. We’ll also try to arrange a meeting with local authorities and community leaders. The second night in Kyiv will be spent in the same hotel.

Everyone has now heard of Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka. These are the towns west of Kyiv where the initial Russian invasion was stopped in March 2022. Unfortunately these (and not only) settlements suffered greatly.

At the same time the reconstruction is going on at full speed and some previously destroyed placed are not recognisable anymore.

There is still a lot of work ahead. By visiting Bucha, Irpin and Borodyanka we’d like to explain how the initial Russian invasion was heading towards the capital, what made it possible to prevent the fall of the Ukrainian capital and to pay a tribute to those who gave up their lives for it.

This entire day will be by bus and will eventually be finished in Lviv late evening the same day. All participants will check into the hotel in Lviv for three nights.

Lviv is the largest city of Western Ukraine. Being located far from the frontline, it plays a crucial role as the main logistical hub of the country. For example, during the initial months of the full-scale war, over 50,000 refugees and internally displaced people transited through the city.

Because of its position Lviv is considered somewhat a safe haven. Life on the streets might look somehow normal like nothing is happening. Thus many events and high profile meetings take place in Lviv due to its strategic position only 1 hour drive away from the EU and NATO border.

During this day we’ll focus on multiple landmarks of Lviv which mirror a turbulent history spanning over 750 years.