Baikonur 5-Day Tour

Your visit to Baikonur cosmodrome starts in the capital of Kazakhstan Nur-Sultan (former Astana) where you meet your guide and from where we fly together  to Kyzylorda (international airport), south of Kazakhstan. From there we will take our van or bus (with A/C) to the desert of Kazakhstan where the Russian owned cosmodrome Baikonur lies (3 hour drive). ChernobylX takes care of all the permits for stepping at the Russian rented territory for you. We will gladly help you to find flights from your local airport, if you need. We also care about the other formalities that are a part of entering the busiest cosmodrome in the world. 

ChernobylX designed the 5- day program like a time machine: from the very first ideas of space exploration – including some of the Nazi technology artefacts like V1 and V2 engines, up to nowadays challenges and future plans of how the humans will become an intraplanetary specie. The story of the first spaceport in the world will be told by the most famous astronaut of all times – Yurij Gagarin. By visiting his home, the launchpad from where he flew in 1961 with Vostok 1 rocket to orbit, up to the true reason of his death which was revealed by Russia only a few years ago, you will step into the shoes of the challenging and glorious life of an cosmonauts.

Save some space in your camera for the slow roll out of the giant rocket that is being transported to the launchpad. It is moved very slowly with a speed of 5 km/h followed by Baikonur technicians and security officers. This is a unique single chance for visitors to watch the spacecraft close and make excellent pictures. After delivering to the pad the rocket is installed by a special erector. Watching this process is a highlight of the first day Baikonur Tour program at the cosmodrome.

Visit the star city of Baikonur, let’s take a tour together around launchpads and houses of other famous cosmonauts like the first man spacewalking Alexei Leonov, or first woman in space Valentina Tereshkova up to today’s cosmonauts and their missions in the space. Learn about the first dogs and other animals in space, proceeding humans, and how Soviets lost the Moon race. We will walk through the backstage of space tourism, seeing all launchpads for different carriers: Proton, Energiya, Zenit, up to Soyuz. We will see a meteorological and measuring facility, technological buildings and communication center. The highlight of our technical part is definitely visiting the Buran space shuttle from inside, Buran center from where the Buran Energia rocket was fueled. 

The Baikonur Tour is different each day – historical, technical, exploration – until the last day, when you and a few hundred other eye witnesses will see how humankind sends another spaceship to the stars. From Baikonur there were over 1200 sent already. For Baikonur it is another one, but for you it will most likely be the most exciting moment of your life. From Baikonur Tour visitors you will hear that they forgot to breathe once they saw the ignition of the rocket engines, feeling the trembling of the ground, hearing the blast and sensing the heat of flames. And when you watch the rocket rise to the blue sky, and you could barely hear it, there comes the sonic blast that will deaf you for a few moments, leaving you in a wow. Seeing the rocket launch life in Baikonur will cause you to never look the same on any Hollywood space movie or SpaceX missions. You are now part of human space exploration, leaving a footstep in Kazakh desert, just like Gagarin did before you. Disclaimer: Dates of rocket launches might change according to technical and weather circumstances, we can not guarantee that you will see the actual take off.

Baikonur Tour is an ideal family adventure, even kids can come and enjoy this “star wars” like experience with you, and they get a discount of 200-400 € (depending on their age). The whole Baikonur Tour is all inclusive – you do not need to take care of accommodation, dining or other things like connection to the rest of the world. We will accommodate you in a clean local hotel for all the 4 nights with WiFi and bar, we will dine in restaurant facilities around the Baikonur city. Please note that you might have limited possibilities to walk around freely in the town in the evening, as well as limited shopping possibilities. In case of allergies or intolerances, please inform us upfront so we will take care. ChernobylX guide and delegate will make sure you are fully covered and taken care of for the trip of your lifetime. We make sure your Baikonur Tour is a love letter to astronautics.

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