Strangely when I went, I'd planned if mine had of become 'Radiated', I was hoping to still take them home (somehow)....

Lucky, this wasn't the case and as Cora stated, its rather unlikely providing you follow the rules and instructions of your guide...

You're not really going to get a chance to get your shoes too dirty tbh. The tours are lightning speed and you spend a lot of time on the truck rather than walking around.

Unless it's really bad weather and muddy etc or you try to get them dirty you shouldn't have a problem. At the end of the tour you pass through a device that measures your radiation on your hands and shoes etc. and as Cora said, if you're not good to go then you'll need to sort it out before leaving the zone.

Evan, it's almost impossible to absorb notable quantity of radioactive material on your shoes while you follow the planned route.

Along the allowed routes all road cover is deactivated, in places where deactivation was not possible - soil was replaced. But this titanic deactivation works were performed only on road but not around. That is exact reason why it's strictly forbidden to go off the roads in Exclusion Zone. Walking sometimes even few steps aside can really cause the thing you afraid.

>>> I'd planned if mine had of become 'Radiated', I was hoping to still take them home (somehow)....

Hi Tim,

I don't think there was a way. Apart from radiation control at the exit from the zone, there's also a radiation control in KBP.

It was only recently that a Vietnamese citizen was detained there for an attempted import of a radiated item.

Contrary to a previous comment we did a lot of walking and spent close to 4 hours at the reactor site and Pripyat. Our guide told us where we could go and where we couldn't and he carried a Geiger counter to show us the different levels of radiation in different areas.

On the way out we stopped at 2 checkpoints and passed through radiation monitors which I assume would show if we had taken something from the site which could be harmful.

I figured as much Cora, Plus really the thought of wanted to keep radiated shoes is a little loopy, even coming from me :)

I must add to the comment above also from beentheredonethat53, I'd say we spend a good 3-4 hours walking around during our tour of Chernobyl also, maybe this is dependent on the guides...

None the less, even though I didn't come out with contaminated shoes, I still enjoyed it...

Hey, which company did you go through? I might jump on to one of their tour groups so I can get more time on the ground.

We spent maybe 20 mins at reactor 4 and about about hour or so in Pripyat. 30 mins at the kindergarten etc. I would have just liked to be able to absorb the atmosphere a bit more rather than just driving around everywhere.

I went with 'Solo east', back in 2012. Like their reviews I found them great overall and professional..

Plenty of time spend in the area, ended up being a long day all up, I think we left around 8am and got home around 6pm....

Highly recommend them.

I guess your only other option is to book a solo tour, just yourself and the guide, least then you may get more time in the areas you wish and be able to taken more in...

Or book an overnight tour....??

I went with Solo East too - last year. Perhaps it just depends on the guide. An overnight trip might be a good option.