Visiting Kyiv during a war is not like visiting most cities. Not dramatically different — but different enough that a few practical preparations matter.
This is the actual list. Not the cautious hedging you will find on travel advisory websites. What a guide who lives here thinks you should bring.
The essentials that differ from a normal trip
A portable power bank — large
This is the single most useful item you can bring that you might not normally pack.
Kyiv’s power grid has been targeted repeatedly since October 2022. Scheduled outages — deliberate load-shedding to manage grid stability — occur in some areas. During heavy attack periods, outages can be longer and less predictable.
Your phone is your shelter alert system, your navigation, your emergency contact. Keeping it charged is not optional.
Recommended: 20,000 mAh minimum. This runs a modern smartphone through three full charge cycles. It also lets you charge on the metro platform during a shelter stay if needed.
The Air Alarm Ukraine app
Download before you arrive. It is the official Ukrainian air alert system, and it is what everyone here uses.
The app shows alerts by region, gives you a second or two more warning than the physical sirens, and has a map so you can see what is incoming and where. It is available on iOS and Android.
Set notifications to loud. The default is quiet.
Offline maps
Download offline Kyiv maps to your phone before you leave — either Google Maps offline or Maps.me. Mobile data is reliable in Kyiv, but you may end up underground for an extended period, or in a shelter with poor signal.
Knowing where the nearest metro station is when the siren sounds is useful information to have cached locally.
Practical clothing
Layers
Kyiv’s weather is continental — cold winters, warm summers, significant variation in spring and autumn. If you are visiting in shoulder season, the range between a clear sunny afternoon and an evening in an unheated shelter can be 15 degrees.
Layers solve this. A light down jacket that compresses well is more useful than a heavy coat.
Comfortable shoes suitable for rubble
The Irpin and Bucha sites involve walking on uneven terrain — broken pavements, construction debris, partially demolished areas. This is not a hiking excursion, but it is not a city stroll either.
Trainers or walking shoes with ankle support. Not sandals. Not dress shoes.
Something warm for metro stays
Metro stations at depth maintain a relatively constant temperature year-round — roughly 15–17°C. In summer this feels cool. In winter it feels warm. If you are visiting in summer and spend a night alert in Arsenalna station, a light jacket is the difference between comfortable and cold.
Documents and money
Cash in Ukrainian hryvnia
Kyiv is a card-friendly city. Most cafés, restaurants, and transport options accept contactless payment. However:
- During a power outage, card terminals may be offline
- Small vendors and market stalls often prefer cash
- Having ₴2,000–3,000 (€45–70) in cash at any time is practical insurance
ATMs are widely available and accept Visa/Mastercard. Withdraw on arrival.
Travel insurance that covers war zones
Check your policy. Many standard travel insurance products exclude active conflict zones. There are specialist insurers that cover Ukraine — it is worth the premium.
Keep your policy number and emergency contact number in your phone notes, not just in an email you have to load.
Photocopies of your passport
Keep a digital photo of your passport and entry stamp in your phone’s camera roll. Ukrainian checkpoints are not problematic for tourists, but having documentation is always simpler than not having it.
Medications and medical
Prescription medication for your full trip plus extra
Supply chains in Kyiv are good — pharmacies are open, most medications are available. But if you take something specific that may not be a standard Ukrainian stock item, bring enough for your stay plus a buffer.
Ibuprofen and antihistamines
Not because of anything war-specific — just because Ukrainian pharmacy packaging can be unfamiliar and you may not want to navigate that with a headache at midnight.
Basic first aid
A small kit with antiseptic wipes and plasters is sensible for any extended travel. The Irpin sites involve walking around areas that are still partially in reconstruction.
Technology
A universal power adapter
Ukraine uses Type C/F European sockets (same as most of continental Europe). If you are coming from the UK or North America, bring an adapter.
Noise-cancelling earphones or earplugs
For shelter stays. Metro platforms during an extended alert can be loud — conversations, children, the particular acoustic of a long tunnel. Earplugs cost nothing and add significantly to a night shelter experience.
VPN app installed
Some Western streaming services and news sites have geographic restrictions in Ukraine. A VPN resolves this if it comes up.
What you do NOT need to bring
A gas mask or helmet — you are a tourist, not a soldier. These are not part of the practical visitor kit and will cause unnecessary complications at checkpoints.
Huge quantities of cash — Kyiv is not expensive and cards work almost everywhere.
A full pharmacy — Kyiv has very good pharmacies stocked with European and American brands.
A satellite communicator — mobile coverage in Kyiv is excellent even during power outages (towers have backup power). This is warranted for travel to frontline areas, not the capital.
The mindset preparation
More important than any item on this list: calibrate your expectations correctly before you arrive.
Kyiv is a functioning European capital that also happens to be at war. The things that make cities livable — restaurants, transport, culture, coffee, internet — are all here and functioning well. The war is present in specific, concrete ways: the sirens, the shelter stays, the destroyed buildings on the Irpin tour, the drone fragments on display in public spaces.
It is not a disaster zone. It is a city that has adapted to extraordinary circumstances and is getting on with life.
Your job as a visitor is to do the same: take the shelter procedures seriously, follow your guide’s instructions, and pay attention.
Everything else you will figure out when you are here.
Questions before you arrive? Message directly via WhatsApp — fastest response. Or send a message via the contact form. Private guided tours of Kyiv available year-round.