Dnieper (Ukraine) - European River Cruise Routes

The Dnieper River, the third largest river in Europe, flows 1,370 miles from the heart of the Ukraine to the Black Sea. Whereas in the past, Viking Cruises was the only English language cruise company covering the Dnieper, there are now others, as well as some local options if you're feeling adventurous!

The Ukraine as a nation dates back to the days when the Vikings, locally known as the Rus, arrived and conquered local Slavic tribes. Centred in Kiev, these tribes then spread their influence north into Russia and reigned supreme until Genghis Khan’s Golden Horde poured out of Asia, conquering all in its path. After the retreat of the Asian invaders, the legendary Cossacks re-established the Ukrainian state and after the Soviet disintegration it regained an uneasy independence.

Most Dnieper River cruises start in Kiev (Kyiv), Ukraine's capital city, and visit the Monastery of the Caves. Founded by St. Anthony of the Caves in the mid-11th century, this religious complex was built above an underground network of tunnels and caves excavated by monks; fortunately, these are not too claustrophobic (unlike those Vietnamese tunnels). There's also the chance to see a folkloric performance in Nova Kachovka or a Cossack horseman show in Zaporozhye.

Most Dnieper River cruises also sail to Yalta (of WWII conference fame and where Chekov spent his last days) where you can visit palaces like the White Palace and Aloupka Palace, tour the Tsar’s Imperial winery at Massandra and visit the botanical gardens. The White Palace was built as a summer residence for Tsar Nicholas II. Sevastapol on the Crimean Peninsula, end of the line for the Moscow-Crimea Railway, is another popular destination. Eisenstein fans will also enjoy Odessa and seeing the famous Potemkin Steps.

This is certainly a Russian, or rather Ukrainian, tour with a difference; Viking call it "In the Footsteps of the Cossacks" which is rather romantic. One thing to remember is that this is a multi-lingual cruise, smoking is allowed in some public areas, and the need to get to Kiev may require you spend an extra night in a hotel before or after the trip.

Typical Dnieper River Cruise route

OUR ADVICE: concentrate on the ship you want to travel on and the route you want to travel, rather than the tour aggregator (of course, there's also price!). Be sure to check out our "Things to watch for" page too!

Next page: typical Dnieper River Cruise route

You may prefer to read our account of our Odessa-Kyiv trip here:
Itinerary, comments and Photos of the cruise we took from Odessa to Kiev