A stroll through the park of the Kachanivka estate

Route map

Map © OpenStreetMap.

About the route

Kachanivka in Pryluky District is a former gentry estate with a palace and a huge landscape park, one of the largest in Europe. Today, it is the Kachanivka National Historical and Cultural Reserve. There is no separate eco-trail here, but the reserve runs four excursion routes across the territory and park, each taking two to three hours. We suggest a walk from the palace to St. George's Church via the main park landmarks — about 3.5 km.

Estate outbuildings and park entrance — Outbuildings and park entrance. Photo: Valentyne Kovalov, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Park Route

Courtyard of Honour with the "Heraldic Lions" and the Central Alley.
The Palace — the heart of the estate.
Glinka's Arbor.
Romantic ruins and arched bridge.
Suspension bridge over the Pusta Krynytsia ravine.
Mykola Hohol's Oak.
"Star" Glade.
St. George's Church, built in 1818–1824.

Park bridge over a ravine among trees — Park bridge in the Pusta Krynytsia ravine. Photo: Mandrivnytsia, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

History of the Estate

The estate was founded in the 1770s, and its first owner was Count Petro Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky. From 1808, it was owned by Pocheka: he rebuilt the palace in the classicist style and laid out the park. In the late 19th century, the estate passed to the Kharytonenko family. The reserve was established here in 1981, and in 2001 it received national status.

The lower plateau of the park features twelve ponds, pavilions, sculptures, bridges, artificial "ruins", and an amphitheatre. The largest water bodies are the Great and Maior ponds, and the Axis Alley crosses the park.

Kachanivka Palace in the evening. Photo: SnizhokAM, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Tips

The reserve is open, and tickets are sold online. The excursion season runs from May to mid-November. You can also stay overnight on the territory — in the reserve's hostel located in historical buildings. Nearby, in the same Parafiivka hromada, is the Trostianets Dendrological Park, so it is convenient to combine both parks into a single trip.

How to Get There

The address of the reserve is 1 Hlinka Street, the village of Kachanivka. The nearest town is Pryluky, from where you can take a bus; the schedule is on the Pryluky buses page. The map track is approximate: it is laid along park alleys through the main sites, and the tour may follow a different order.

Before you go

Polissia is flat: there are hardly any climbs, but there are swamps, sandy roads and long stretches of forest with no mobile signal and no water. Plan on 4 km per hour, 3 km on sand and rough ground.

Water. There are few springs, and water from rivers and swamps is not safe to drink. Take at least 1.5 litres per person per day; you can refill in villages — at a shop or ask at a well.
Swamps and floodplains. Do not leave the trail in wet places: peat bogs and floating mats can be deep. In spring after floods and in autumn after rain some roads may be under water.
Ticks and mosquitoes. From April to October wear covered clothing, use tick repellent and check yourself after the walk. In June–July there are many mosquitoes and horseflies near swamps.
Fire danger. In summer forests are often closed to visitors because of fire danger — check announcements of the forestry or community. Do not make fires outside designated places.
Explosive objects. Since 2022 mines and munitions may be found in the forests of northern Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Zhytomyr regions. Stay on well-used paths and roads and do not pick anything up. If you see a suspicious object, keep away, mark the place and call 101 or 102.
Signal and navigation. Mobile signal in the forests is weak. Download the GPX track and an offline map before you go, take a power bank and tell your family where you are going and when you will be back.
Chornobyl zone. The exclusion zone is closed to free visits — do not enter it without an official permit.

Emergency: 112 — free from any phone.