Zeugnisse

  • Thomas, Germany

    Ich möchte die Tour sehr empfehlen und Andriy danken. Es hat alles perfekt funktioniert. Er war sehr hilfsbereit und verlässlich. Die Kommunikation (Englisch) hat super funktioniert. Unterwegs ist er er ein offener und interessanter Gesprächspartner, der einem seine ehrliche und fundierte Perspektive schildert, das habe ich sehr geschätzt. Die Berge der Karpaten, Verchovyna und die Tradition der Hutsulen sind wirklich interessante Dinge, die sich lohnen zu erleben. Für mich als Einzelreisenden war es sehr intensiv. Die Musik und das traditionelle Essen inklusive Wildschwein sind einzigartig. Die Tour mit Slaviks Pferden und die Nacht in der Schäferhütte werde ich nie vergessen. Verchovyna hat mir sehr gefallen, besonders die Unterkunft Krokus war wirklich klasse und auf sehr gutem Standard. Ein großes Lob, ich komme bestimmt wieder.
    ————–

    I would highly recommend the tour and thank Andriy. Everything worked perfectly. He was very helpful and reliable from the beginning to the end. Communication worked great. On the way, he is an open and interesting conversation partner, who describes his honest and well-grounded perspective, which I have greatly appreciated. The mountains of the Carpathians, Verchovyna and the tradition of the Hutsul are really interesting things that are worth experiencing. For me as a single traveler it was very intense. The music and the traditional food including wild boar are unique. I will never forget the tour with Slaviks horses and the night in the shepherd’s hut. I really liked Verchovyna, especially the Krokus accommodation was really great and of a very good standard. A big compliment, I will definitely be back soon.

    Best regards – Herzliche Grüße

  • Ahmed, Saudi Arabia

    لقد كانت تجربة صيد رائعة . لقد كانوا يستخدمون تكتيكات مختلفه عن ما اعتدنا عليه . ولاكن غالبية تكتيكاتهم افضل . لقد كانوا يحضرون في تمام الموعد المتفق عليه سواء في الفجر او المساء . مطاعمهم تقوم بتنظيف الصيد وطهيه وتقديمه حسب طلبنا . الطهي لذيذ وفوق المتوقع بكثير . دائما يهتمون بالضيف كثيرا . استضافة جيده وانصح بهم بشدة

  • Kent, USA

    Visiting the Ukraine was a tremendous experience as we progressed from Kiev to Odessa, into the Carpathians and back into Lviv with the only problem being that we needed more time!

    Meeting Andriy for a stay in a traditional Hutsul village home that included fishing, horse riding and a trip into the mountains was the icing on the cake. Babba, our ‘house mom’ could not have been a more gracious host sharing her house, farm and country style bath/ sauna with us.

    The food, company and Andriy’s coordination were first class and I look forward to making the trip again.

  • Mara, USA

    My husband and I cannot rave enough about Green Ukraine’s mushroom tour in the Carpathians. Andriy, the tour operator, was knowledgeable, friendly and extremely attentive at all times. We stayed with a charming and welcoming family in Shybene village, an idyllic setting in the mountains. We enjoyed days of hiking and mushroom hunting with an experienced forest guide. His wife, an extraordinary cook, incorporated the mushrooms we found into our meals, which were consistently delicious. Another day included a picturesque trip up into the mountains to visit a working cheese farm. It was both an invigorating and relaxing way to experience this stunningly beautiful part of the world!

  • Kim and Björn, Belgium

    Dear travelers among us!

    Ever thought about visiting Ukraine? Please DO!! You will not regrett it!
    We, a couple from Belgium, just spend a week in the Carpathians in Ukraine and every day was like a new adventure in a beautiful environment full of peace and tranquility…
    From a visit to a local shepherd-family on one day to picking the largest mushrooms in the forest the other day, trying to catch trout in the river on a beautiful spot surrounded by the Green forests of Ukraine

    What else to expect? Very nice people to meet with an incredible hospitality who love to introduce you into their lives and their lovely dishes.

    All of this, a perfect cure to reduce your stress and to feel your batteries reloaded!!

    Andriy, thanks again!!

  • Glenn, Australia

    There are few places that offer such a unique and captivating experience in a raw environment in freezing conditions. My guide Andriy from Green Ukraine was incredibly easy to deal with to have this trip arranged. I had visited a few different countries in eastern Europe before arriving in Ukraine in the dead of winter and then deciding – on a whim- to get lost in a village somewhere and experience something extraordinary. I stumbled upon this gem, and it did not disappoint!

    Winter activities like horse riding, skiing, and quad biking in thick snow spearheaded by Ukrainian adrenaline junkie – who was hell bent on recreating a scene out of The Revenant – are all great. However, the simple things are what really interests me; the enchanting walk through dense forests surrounded by snow covered trees, the mesmerizing white view of the Carpathian mountains from a distance and the engrossing stories that were told over proper Ukrainian moonshine that will warm you up…amongst other things. The hearty homemade food is the icing on the cake – pardon the pun. Everything from basic homemade bread and delicious soup and dumplings to the extreme boar, river trout and if you’re game enough…. wild rabbit and deer liver.To say the family I stayed with are accommodating is an understatement, they really go out of their way to make sure you’re comfortable and enjoy being in their presence – and they enjoy being in yours. Yes, at times it was bitterly cold at this time of year and in this part of the world, but I could not have felt more warmer surrounded by this family – the large Hutsul stove in their house helped a bit as well.

    My experience was further enhanced meeting different people in the village who straight away felt welcoming. Andriy himself is incredibly friendly and always willing to guide you along the way. It’s no secret that he is very knowledgeable and has strong ties to the Shybene community. He is the perfect guide – honest and he will let you know what’s worth experiencing or not. He is more than willing to translate for you and inform you of the interesting traditions of the Hutsuls.

    If people are ever unsure whether to have this experience in winter, I’d say just layer up, get out there and do it! The wild and wonderful is waiting for you!It’s a gorgeous part of the world to experience in this lifetime. Thanks to Andriy and to the host family for this… escape.

  • Paula, USA

    I had spent months this spring planning and researching our trip to Ukraine.  But I kept looking for something that would be a WOW factor for my two grandchildren who were accompanying me.  What luck to find that Green Ukraine offered horse riding and lodging with a Hutsul family.  Perfect!  I immediately emailed the owner, Andryi,  and asked if he could accommodate us on the one night we had free while in the Karpaty.  He answered in only a few hours and had a plan.  Then I wanted to include fishing a long with the horse ride and again he quickly adapted our 2 days to include river fishing.  We all LOVED staying at the farm home…………the kind hosts, delicious meals, and of course the special „Hamam“ in the evening.  But the cherry on the top was the following morning Andryi somehow organized an old Soviet dump truck.  The kids jumped in the open back and we rumbled up the mountain to the „dairy“ at the top.
    Thank you Andryi .

  • Ulrich, Deutschland

    Trotz Krieg als Tourist in die Ukraine??? Gerade deshalb, auch um zu zeigen, dass auch es so was wie Normalität in diesen – für uns Europäer – schwierigen Zeiten gibt. Und es lohnt sich allemal – zumindest in die sichere Westukraine mit Lviv als Zentrum. Die Anreise aus Deutschland war mit dem Fernbus leicht zu bewerkstelligen und die Menschen hier sind unendlich freundlich und hilfsbereit. Von Lviv aus war ich 1 Woche mit Andrij unterwegs, drei Tage mit dem Pferd in den Karpaten und drei Tage bei einer ukrainischen Familie in einer ukrainischen Ortschaft, bei der ich mich dem sprichwörtlichen „Do Nothing“ Aufenthalt hingeben konnte. Es war eine grandiose Woche, mit atemberaubenden Landschaften, trittsicheren, konditionsstarken Pferden, einer Superverpflegung, gepaart mit überschäumender ukrainischer Gastlichkeit und Andrij als Führer, der sehr aufmerksam und professionell auf die Bedürfnisse seines Gastes einging (und mich von Lviv abholte und dorthin zurückbrachte). Ich kann Andrij als Tourguide nur wärmstens empfehlen, die Kontaktaufnahme über die Green Ukraine Website war unkompliziert und recht schnell haben wir uns auf einen – für mich – optimalen Verlauf der Tour verständigt. In jedem Fall wurden meine Erwartungen weit mehr als erfüllt….

  • Alex, USA

    In early October I planned a trip to Ivano-Frankivisk, Ukraine, to find my father’s birthplace and research family ancestry. At first, I thought I would do this on my own. However, considering my non-Ukrainian language capabilities and lack of transportation, I decided to find a local guide to help me with this challenge. I found Andriy Gnytka and his tour company Green-Ukraine through the internet. Andriy speaks excellent English, knows the area well and he had a car. In only one day I saw everything I needed. We drove to my father’s birthplace town, met local people and Andriy shared my reason for being there. The local people were able to show us hidden gravesites, forgotten churches and much more. I could never be able to find these things on my own. I even found two cousins I never knew I had!
    After talking to Andriy I find his local guide service extends far beyond the Ivano-Frankivisk area. Andriy can organize guided tours from the Carpathian Mountains to Kiev. He can provide theme tours such as hunting, fishing, local culture or historical knowledge-based tours. In his words, “any tour a person dreams up.” Andriy was a real asset to my Ukrainian experience. Someday I hope to go back to Ivano-Frankivisk to see my new-found relatives and get Andriy to organize another tour event for me. Hmmm, maybe a balloon ride in the Ukrainian Carpathians near the Borzhava mountain range…
    Really, give Andriy a call at +38 063 7707874 or see his website www.green-ukraine.com to help assist you with your own Ukrainian adventure.

  • Nori, Japan

    今回ウクライナへは3回目の訪問でしたが、友人に勧められカルパチアへ行きました。
    ガイドのアンドリーには事前にメールで要望を伝え、希望通りに冬のカルパチアでゆっくりと過ごせました。
    宿泊したコテージでは、家主夫婦が手料理を振舞ってくれて、ウクライナのカルパチア地方の伝統料理を満喫出来ました。
    また、秋に収穫した乾燥ポルチーニ茸を大量に家主に売ってもらい良い土産になりました。空気が澄んで、騒音も無く、物価が安い。
    大好きなウクライナの文化をまた少し知ることが出来ましたが、もう少し長く滞在したかったです。
    また、いつか時間が取れたら夏や秋のカルパチアに訪れたいです。

  • Michelle, England

    Andriy of Green Ukraine provided an excellent service to help me track down any living relatives of my late father, who was born in a village near Ivano-Frankivsk. Andriy did some initial groundwork, talking to people who remembered my father there, and I discovered details about my father’s life that we had not known. We visited Ukraine September, and I used his services again, this time as an interpreter, guide and driver to the village, where we had a wonderful day with my late father’s in-laws. Andriy was so patient and professional, translating everything but not interfering, and letting the day run as we wanted. It was really beyond my expectations and I would definitely recommend his services!

  • Patrick, USA

    Testimonial for „Green Ukraine“ and Andriy by Patrick from the United Nations in Baghdad, Iraq

    I just spent two wonderful and truly memorable days horseback riding in the Carpathian Mountains with Green Ukraine, and want to give my very best compliments to Andriy and his tours. First of all, I was definitely asking to ride in the off-season, but my tight schedule with work in Iraq would not allow me to get away until mid-November; nevertheless, I had every desire to see this part of eastern Europe after reading about it in Henryk Sienkiewicz’s “Fire and Sword”, and to see the real Ukraine up close. What a superb experience. Andriy met me early on the 14th of November and took supreme care of us for the next two days. Probably the best part of the trip was simply talking to Andriy about his country, and particularly about Verkhovyna nestled in the mountains of western Ukraine. You couldn’t ask for a more pristine environment. At every meal, Andriy would ask, “What would you like?” To which I would say, “Anything…but make it as Ukrainian as possible.” And Andriy would deliver each and every time…starting with hot borscht before the first ride. “Say ‘Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr’ when you need Layksa (my first Hucul horse) to stop,” Anton, our 17-year old horseman told me, “and if you need her to move forward, just say, ‘Viay, Layska’!” Freezing rain, then snow as we get at higher altitudes. It’s such a beautiful countryside. Picket fences…green fields…dogs barking…cows in the mist…little Ukrainian Catholic chapels or shrines every few kilometers…I just love it. Layska is my trusty horse on the first day, and Lubcha takes her place on the second day. Both were excellent, strong horses. Love them. Then, at short notice, Andriy had no problem with arranging for me to drive back to Lviv at the conclusion of the 2nd day…which really helped me out, and allowed me to have a full-day of sightseeing in Lviv on the 16th. Overall, I couldn’t be happier. I have had three awesome days in Ukraine…I definitely would come back, and maybe even at a milder time of the year (!)…but even November riding was memorable. I need to come back to the Carpathians for more horseback riding, mushroom picking, and listening to some traditional Ukrainian music, complete with Hucul bagpipes! Thank you, Andriy…and thank you Anton and your horses. Duzo Djakuju! Do pobačennja, Patrick.

  • Nogah Engler, London, UK

    We have spent a week in the region of Kosiv in the carpathian mountains in the Ukraine.
    Our experience was exceptionally good due to the organization of Andriy from green Ukraine and the guidance of Roman. Roman showed knowledge, attentiveness to our specific requests and interests, devoted him self to the task and expended the possibilities constantly with a very warm and generous hospitality. We highly recommend his guidance.

    בלינו כשבוע באיזור הקרפטים שבאוקראינה. החוויה שלנו היתה מצויינת בשל הארגון המקצועי של אנדרי מחברת אוקראינה הירוקה וההדרכה של רומן. רומן גילה ידע נרחב, קשב והיענות לעיניין המסויים שלשמו הגענו לאיזור, הוא הקדיש עצמו לכך וניסה להרחיב את האפשרויות תוך אירוח חם ונדיב. אנו ממליצים בחום על הדרכתו.

  • Tom, USA

    Over the top! Wonderful! Once in a lifetime. Book it!!!

    Attendees: myself, my brother in law and our interpreter from Kiev
    Duration: 3 nights and 2 full days.

    Website: awesome, informative and well laid out.
    Booking: easy, no issues.
    Payment: wiring money for deposit was a bit risky but easy enough. Balance with fishing guide, Ivon
    Directions to fish camp : perfect.
    Fishing guide: speaks no English but we brought our our interpreter
    Road to: rough – 60 kilometers in 3 hours.
    Food: excellent home cooking, good assortment absolutely fresh.
    Lodging: Ivon’s house (fishing guide), authentic Hutsul house. Warm family. Basic but clean- no running water – outhouse 100 feet away. banyan for showering.

    Scenery: unsurpassed.

    Fishing: first day. Disappointing – 4 small fish total. May have been us, may have been clear river or may be overfished based on river conditions. Don’t know but Ivon responded.

    Sightseeing: Since we did not want to fish a second day Ivon quickly arranged a truck ride up the mountain towards the Romanian border. Imagine three grown men were hanging on for dear life and screaming like teenage girls. ‚Let’s do it again.‘ was our exit cry.
    The scenery was beautiful. Lunch was cooked over an open wood fire.
    The quick visit to the „cheese factory“ is another story- I would not recommend it.

    Return visit: yes, absolutely.

    Cost / value. Good.

    Recommendation: save enough energy to river raft on the way back.

  • Ahmed, Saudi Arabia

    أنصح بزيارة (Ivano-Frankivsk) والقرى المحيطة بها (يارامشا و فارخوفينا وبوكافيل)، الطبيعة جميلة مشابهه لإندونيسيا تستحق الزيارة، (Green Ukraine Tour ) أسعارهم مناسبة والخدمة ممتازة يمكن ان يقومو بترتيب الرحلة حسب رغبتكم.

    شكرا اندري،
    تحياتي

  • Monica, Canada

    Dear Andriy
    Words cannot express my sincere appreciation for the effort you made in making our jouney in the Carpathian Mountains possible. My group still talk about it and have posted many photos on Facebook. I know it was a stressful morning for you but you managed to make it enjoyabke for all of us. We leave for Canada tomorrow. When I am rested I will write a story and post it on your Web-site. I will also pass your name and Green Ukraine to my friends in the travel industry.
    We were once strangers to each other but now I would like to think we are friends for life.
    May God keep you and your family safe

  • Jonelle, USA - UAE

    On a whim I searched for a mushroom hunting tour (knowing it was a bit off season) and found the Green Ukraine. They are super lovely, quick to respond, and incredibly accommodating with our group and finding something to work for us so last minute. We had the best day out, wonderful real Carpathian Mountain life experience with a morel mushroom education and hunt. I will definitely call upon Green Ukraine again each time we come back to the area and look to experience something new with each trip and season.
    Top notch service! Thank you!

  • David, Brazil

    Sou descendente de ucranianos e a Green Ukraine com muita segurança e alegria me ajudou a realizar este sonho. Andriy, o guia e proprietário montou um roteiro de quatro dias conforme meus desejos. Me deu várias dicas que me renderam tempo e economia, pois estava vindo da Polônia. Foi muito correto (tudo que foi combinado foi cumprido, sem cobrar nada a mais do que o combinado) e flexível (conseguiu acrescentar um passeio a cidade de Vyzhnytsa em cima da hora). O melhor de tudo é que Andriy foi uma grande companhia com muita conversa e conhecimento histórico! GRATIDÃO Andriy!

  • Moritz, Gremany

    Deine Seite habe ich durch google gefunden und schon der erste Kontakt mit die per Mail war unkompliziert und so wie ich mir es wünsche. Auf meine wünsche bist du eingegangen und hast so eine perfekte Reise für mich zusammengestellt. Die Unterkunft mitten in den Bergen war wirklich wünderschön und so wie ich mir es gewünscht habe. Auch das Angeln und die Suche nach den Pilzen im Wald war ein Traum für mich. Der Besuch bei den Hirten und dass Grillen war alles super. Die ganze Tour war super. Andriy du bist ein super Guide hast mir sehr viel gezeigt und von der Geschichte der Ukraine erzählt. Es waren 5 super tolle Tage in den Bergen. Und die Gerichte im Gasthaus waren wirklich super lecker ein großes Lob an die Köchin. und die Hausbesitzer sollen bloß nichts an ihrem Haus verändern ihr Haus war genau das was ich gesucht habe. Das Waschhaus mit dem Holzofen und der einfachen Dusche war das beste. Alle die jetzt noch überlegen ob sie mit Andriy verreisen wollen sage ich nur zögert nicht schreibt ihn an. Eine schnelle Antwort bekommt ihr gewiss und all eure wünsche werden umgesetzt. Andriy vielen Dank für die tolle Zeit.
    Beste Grüße

  • Ina, Germany

    We are a famliy with 2 teens from Germany. We spent 4 nights in august 2019 at a huzul family in Shebeny. We could expierenced by ourself how people live. We had time for doing nothing and on the same time did some trips around the area, for example: we visiteded the cheese farm, the water source in Borkuta, the little church in the village, did rafting tour and grill, collected berries.

    Andriy was with us all the time. He organised the tours, he acteded as a translator and as a driver. The family with the kids and the grand ma were very kind. The husband explained us how their little farm works. The wive cooked every times very good dishes several times a day. The children helped all the time. The house is styled in a special local taste. They should not change it! It is located on a top of the mount and has a very beatuful view. It is a very special holiday for us!

  • Louise, UK

    I would thoroughly recommend Andriy as a friendly and capable guide for your holiday in Ukraine. I had a wonderful time horse-riding in the Carpathians. It was an astonishing experience. I particularly enjoyed seeing the different way of life and the fairy-tale environment we trekked through. The local people who we met and trekked with were very welcoming and the hospitality in the simple surroundings was heart-warming. The mountain top farm where we stayed was enchanting. My horse was well-behaved and incredibly sure-footed. Andriy was the perfect guide, professional, easy-going and very well organized. His language skills are impressive. He made sure we had everything we needed to stay well-fed and warm. Overall it was excellent in every way and great fun!

    (August 2017)

  • Biju, India

    The backpacks were ready for another globe-trotting and this time it was Ukraine. The Carpathian regions of Ukraine were beckoning us and the zeal of submersing with nature put us across ‘Green -Ukraine’ helmed by Andriy in no time. We became cognizant of how attentive Andriy could be in understanding what we sought out in exploring the region from the initial repartees itself. The synergy buoyed further when we met Andriy in person at Lviv and were bowled over by his professionalism, commitment and flexibility. The jovial guy he is and we were friends of long time apace.

    A travel through the picturesque Yaremche and we were at Verkhovyna from where our real quest of the Carpathians began. A horse riding trip was what Andriy had in store for us and couldn’t have asked for more; something which we have longed for quite some time. A bit apprehensive though, we were soon assuaged of our worries by Slavic, the Man Friday for the mountains. The horses Zirka and Sultana showed no signs of tardiness and we were striding through the dicey mountain paths which alluded as a much acclimatized routine for them. Stopped for lunch enroute in a swamp place surrounded by dense grass and pine trees which it’s everywhere in the valley and we soon lurched into the murkiness of forests. The misty mountains and some landloping cows and horses came into light in between and we were finally at a wooden house after 6 hours of trudging.

    The homemade cheese, warm hospitality and the serene milieu we experienced at the wooden house hosted by veteran Ivan reflected the resonance of the whole region. Not much of communication barriers hindered our lengthy chats with all as Andriy was quite enjoying donning the role of a well versed Interpreter. The farm, the surroundings and the stories had almost exalted us to being the next Cowboys there but eventually we had to bid adieu to one of the abundant dwellings we ever had been to.

    The journey from the highlands downwards was no less of excitement. At times on the horse, at times on the foot, it was another exciting day through the backwoods downwards. The steep descending tested the horses too but nothing affected the alacrity of Slavic, the man who could walk through the mountains hours and hours. Andriy would have also a learnt a trick or two as he showed no signs of lassitude although he was also on his foot for the last two days. Dark woods paved way to lush green outfields and we could see houses distantly nestling on the foothills of the beautiful valley.

    Back in Verkhovyl we continued our journey towards Ivano-Frankivsk with Andriy on his wheels. We had to catch hold of the night train to Kiev and Andriy made sure that we were comfortable in all aspects. A big thanks from us for making this trip a worthwhile experience which will be in our minds forever.

  • Gregg, USA

    I would like to share some of my experience with Andriy and Green Ukraine for folks looking at this web site and considering touring with him.
    I can say honestly and without exaggeration that I had one of the most remarkable adventures of my entire life. I was attracted to this site by the emphasis on Hutsul culture, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors being my all time favorite movie. I also wanted to visit the birthplaces of my mother’s parents in Kolomijja and Horodenka. I have a background in Yiddish cultural activities in New York and New Jersey and wanted to see places that I had heard or read about.
    I asked Andriy to let me take his Hutsulschyna but also include Horodenka and several towns in Bukovina. After a wild rough ride on neglected roads to Vyzhnytsa we met a local guide that Andriy had made arrangements with. We were taken into a pristine nature area to a holy site where the founder of Hasidism, the Baal Shem Tov preached from a rock in the river. Then we had a fascinating walk through the town where there amazing sites: the Vyzhytsa Tsaddik’s palace, a Hutsul wood carving school founded by master artists, the church were Ivan Frank’s parents were married and so much more. It was a profoundly positive experience.
    In Horodenka, we also had an amazing time, getting a tour of the town museum and town give by the museum decent, and we even had an opportunity to talk to the mayor.
    We met another associate of Gregg Ukraine in Chernivtsi, who took me to a Jewish cemetery where we found the grave of an important Yiddish writer known to me from my activities back in the USA. That same gentleman rode with us to Khotin and Kamenetz Podolski where he explained the history of each castle in detail.
    I found Andriy to be amazingly honest and responsible and he took care of every possible detail. We were together for four days and we got to share many impressions of life in our two countries.
    I did not even tell you about half of the things we did, but you can read abut them on the Green Ukraine tour descriptions. If you want more information from me, Andriy can tell you how I can be reached.

  • Michael, USA

    I wanted to leave a quick testimonial for Andriy and Green Ukraine for the benefit of any prospective clients looking for external references.
    I travelled with Andriy from 17th-21st August to do some hiking and fishing in the Carpathian Mountains.
    I found Green Ukraine following a Google search and got in touch with Andriy over email. Andriy was extremely accommodating to my requests and prompt and courteous in our correspondence. He proposed an itinerary which would not have been possible with another tour operator- a tour of an area in Karpaty which is off the tourist trail and still “authentically” traditional. We stayed in the home of a local family and Andriy acted as a guide and interpreter for the duration of the trip.
    Andriy has strong ties with the local region and knows specialists for all imaginable activities, in whatever standard of travel and accommodation you are used to – from camping under the stars to staying in 5 star hotels. If you give him a scope to work with, he will deliver.
    His pricing is extremely fair and there are no hidden fees once you get here – we agreed a detailed schedule for the trip and how much he would charge months in advance. Nothing changed from that.
    Following our trip,I’ve come away with a better understanding of the local history and culture of the Karpaty/ Carpathian region, with new friends that I could never have imagined meeting (!!), and with many once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
    Andriy was extremely professional at all points during the trip, he communicated fluently in English (and can also speak Portuguese) and was a great travel companion. He has a fantastically good sense of humour, is personable, reasonable, and above all a good host.
    I would highly recommend Green Ukraine to anyone looking to visit this hugely interesting and beautiful country, and would personally endorse Andriy’s services. I will certainly be coming back again.
    If anyone would like to know more about my experiences or would like me to answer any questions on a discreet basis, I would be more than happy to oblige. I’m not associated with Andriy or Green Ukraine on any other basis than as a previous customer and can speak only based on my own experiences.

  • Michael, London, UK

    I want to add my testimonial here, I spent two days horse riding in the Carpathians (a lifelong dream of mine) with Andriy and a local guide Slávek (sorry if I spelled the name wrong).
    These two days were fantastic, the sun was shining on us luckily the whole time, we rode up and down hills and mountains, with hardly another soul in sight save the local herders and shepherds,
    The villages and chapels along the way were beautiful and felt like i’d traveled back to another time, one thing I really liked about the tour was the fact that Andriy was so easy going and easy to talk with, if you wanted the freedom to ride ahead a little and feel like you were alone you could, and if you wanted to talk and chat with the guides about anything they were there, you have a great sense of freedom and it was a truly special experience, I couldn’t recommend Andriy highly enough as a guide, he can speak English Russian Ukrainian and Portuguese perfectly, is very honest and upfront and welcoming, at every point I felt welcome and part of a great group of people, Andriy organised everything perfectly and I felt as soon as I was off the train that I was totally relaxed and at ease, I don’t want to give away too much about the tour itself (you will find lots of great experiences and surprises there) because everyone enjoys things in their own way. But I was lucky enough to meet my guides family and drink some local moonshine, eat delicious home made food (the best I had in Ukraine) and see the way of life of the dairy farmers and hunters in the hills, Andriy acted as interpreter and I got a great insight into how things are done and how life is in the region, overall I would give this experience 5 stars and recommend this to anybody, I would definitely come back and try the various other activities that there are to offer, thank you Andriy, I left with a great feeling and fantastic impression of the people and the place :)

  • Daniel, UK

    Anfang September habe für eine Woche die West-Ukraine besucht.
    Da ich die Ukrainische Sprache nicht beherrsche und mich in diese Gegend auch absolut nicht auskenne, habe ich nach einem Guide gesucht und bin bei Green Ukraine, Andrij Gnytka in den allerbesten Händen gelandet. Die Verständigung erfolgte völlig problemlos in Englisch, obwohl meine Englisch Kentnisse nicht die allerbesten sind. – Nach Ankunft in Lviv hiess es erst einmal ausruhen, bis am nächsten Tag die gebuchte Führung durch die wunderschöne und hochinteressante Stadt stattfand. Dann wurde ich pünktlich von Andrij vom Hotel abgeholt und unsere Reise durch die West-Ukraine, in das Gebiet rings um Ivano-Frankivsk begann. Wir haben soviel gemeinsam unternommen …. dies kann ich nicht alles im einzelnen aufzählen. Ich möchte nur sagen: Jeder Wunsch (obwohl ich eigentlich kaum welche hatte) wurde erfüllt. Alle Vorgaben, alles was im Vorfeld per eMail verabredet wurde, wurde auch eingehalten. Es war alles einfach wunderschön – erlebnisreich – sehr interessant und ich würde diese Reise jederzeit gern wieder unternehmen. Ich kann Andrij nur sehr loben und uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen. Stets hilfsbereit – auf jede Frage eine Antwort – und dabei völlig unkompliziert. Jedem, der ein klein wenig Englisch spricht und sich allein nicht zutraut, dieses wunderschöne Land zu besuchen und zu bereisen empfehle ich: Andrij ! – Herzlichen Dank nochmals für eine sehr sehr schöne Zeit !! – Ich kommen wieder :))

     

  • Ralf, Germany

    Anfang September habe für eine Woche die West-Ukraine besucht.
    Da ich die Ukrainische Sprache nicht beherrsche und mich in diese Gegend auch absolut nicht auskenne, habe ich nach einem Guide gesucht und bin bei Green Ukraine, Andrij Gnytka in den allerbesten Händen gelandet. Die Verständigung erfolgte völlig problemlos in Englisch, obwohl meine Englisch Kentnisse nicht die allerbesten sind. – Nach Ankunft in Lviv hiess es erst einmal ausruhen, bis am nächsten Tag die gebuchte Führung durch die wunderschöne und hochinteressante Stadt stattfand. Dann wurde ich pünktlich von Andrij vom Hotel abgeholt und unsere Reise durch die West-Ukraine, in das Gebiet rings um Ivano-Frankivsk begann. Wir haben soviel gemeinsam unternommen …. dies kann ich nicht alles im einzelnen aufzählen. Ich möchte nur sagen: Jeder Wunsch (obwohl ich eigentlich kaum welche hatte) wurde erfüllt. Alle Vorgaben, alles was im Vorfeld per eMail verabredet wurde, wurde auch eingehalten. Es war alles einfach wunderschön – erlebnisreich – sehr interessant und ich würde diese Reise jederzeit gern wieder unternehmen. Ich kann Andrij nur sehr loben und uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen. Stets hilfsbereit – auf jede Frage eine Antwort – und dabei völlig unkompliziert. Jedem, der ein klein wenig Englisch spricht und sich allein nicht zutraut, dieses wunderschöne Land zu besuchen und zu bereisen empfehle ich: Andrij ! – Herzlichen Dank nochmals für eine sehr sehr schöne Zeit !! – Ich kommen wieder :))

     

  • Stan, Australia

    A big thankyou for your time and help when we visited Ivano-Frankivsk in April.
    Without your guidance and help in driving us around, interpreting and showing us around the major sites in IF, and help in revisiting the Stanislavov sites my father remembers as a child before they left in 1943, we could not have had such a rewarding and rich experience.
    It is something we will never forget.
    Thank you for the history you also shared with us about the places we visited and monuments we saw.

     

  • Petra, Hamburg, Germany

    Back home, the head is already working, the heart is still in the Carpathians. Green Ukraine has brought me and my family a fantastic time with several exciting activities in a unique landscape. Without the (truly full-service) support we would not have seen these special places beyond the tourist path and we would not have met these inspiring people living there. Andriy was an always attentive and open-minded companion, it was such a pleasure!

     

  • Kevin van der Meeren, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    The first week in august we had an amazing trip with Green Ukraine. We had a last minute request for a 2 day horse trip in the Carpathian Mountains.
    During the 2 days we saw the most amazing views. It was really relaxing after Kiev en L’viv. But it wasnt only the views we enjoyd. Also the warm welcome in the farmer house was a good experience. It was very special to milk the cows and see the life of the locals. And the food, oh boy, the food. After what we thought that was the maincourse, we got the maincourse. Fresh meat from the self made BBQ. It was lovely.
    We ended up with some local drinks :) «wink»
    It was the perfect end of our vacation.