Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site - 2 Days Tour
About this tour
Visit the underground test field, test facilities, the atomic lake, a bunker, the airbase, ICBM launchers, and some other special sites. Tour starts in Semey and takes us to the test site. Guides with special knowledge in nuclear field. Radiation safety provided.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Semey to Kurchatov
Underground test site Balapan: Presentation of the test site; Political and historical context; Review of international agreements about nuclear arms; Economic applications of atomic energy in USSR; Atomic lake; Spot of the last Soviet nuclear test; Sank borehole; Elevator silo of the underground laboratory; Command point (bunker) for underground tests; ICBM launcher; Private stories from veterans of the test site; Drive to Kurchatov. On the way review of Soviet space program, demonstration of the collection of Soviet post stamps about space or atomic industry. Overnight in Kurchatov.
Day 2: Kurchatov to Semey
Next day starts with history of aerial tests and political context of that time, history of Kurchatov and Soviet nuclear project. My knowledge is greatly extended by the collection of private stories and memories of people realted to those developments.Excursion in Kurchatov: First settlers tent camp site; Former KGB office; Statue of academist Kurchatov; Polygon HQ; Guest house of academist Kurchatov; Guest house of Beria; First capital buildings in Kurchatov; Mobile command point; National Nuclear Center (from outside); TOCAMAC (from outside). Long range bombers Chagan (abandoned): Fuel base; Canteen; Runway; Special laboratory; Zenith cannons unit; Other runway; Fuel truck hangars; Ghost town. Drive to Semey. If we finish early enough a city tour in Semey comes as a bonus: Stronger than death monument; Victory park; Big Lenin statue. Safety: wherever necessary all safety measures will be taken: professional dosimetrist service, safety suit, gloves, masks, boots. Pricing: it heavily depends on number of people. IN this profile I can certainly say only about constant part of the cost, the guide. Other costs will be quoted individually. Logistics: it is possible to arrive in Semey by airplane, bus or train from Almaty, Astana, Pavlodar or Ust-Kamenogorsk. I can assist with it too. As an option, it is possible to arrive directly to Kurchatov, then the agenda will be reorderd, but with the same content and with minor difference in price. Meals, transport, accomodation, any fees are not included at this stage. Permissions are included. Guides speak fluent Enlgish. One is a journalist, with education related to Soviet nuclear industry. Other one lectures Radiology and its medical applications in the university, very relevant knowledge for this tour indeed!
What's included
Due to location, this tour can be cofortably combined with visiting Telkem site, it takes an extray day.
What to know
Closed shoes, long sleeve shirt, long trousers, if cold warm jacket, good camera (a drone will be very useful). This tour can be extended in a way of visiting the site of building long trenches. Trench technology was demanded to redirect waters of Siberia rivers to the Caspian Sean and Central Asia. One of two (in total) tests resulted in making 140 meters long and 16 meters deep trench, made by small capacity nuclear charges (just 240 kg of TNT equivalent).
Route & locations
Semey to Kurchatov