Welcome to the South of Ukraine

Kherson region is one of the Three Southern regions of Ukraine. It occupies the territory of about 28.5 thousand square kilometers (4,7 % of the territory of Ukraine). Population of the region is 1237,1 thousand inhabitants.

Our region is washed by the Black Sea in the Southwest, by the Sea of Azov in the Southeast and Syvash Lake in the South. Kherson region borders on Dnipropetrovsk region in the North, Zaporizhya region in the East and Mykolayiv region in the West. On the South it borders with the Crimea.

The region has an advantageous geographical location, unique natural and climatic characteristics, more then 200 kilometers of the sunny sea coast and developed resort industry, rich history, big industrial and agricultural potential. Here ocean vessels are built, quality sorts of wheat are grown, grain combines are assembled, wine-making is practiced. Fishermen are attracted by picturesque flood-plain of the Dnieper river, hunters – by the islands named Biryuchyi and Dzharylhach, archeologists – by Scythian grave-mounds and cities of ancient settlements, blocks of old buildings of Kherson, Beryslav and Skadovsk, two well-know biosphere reserves "Askania-Nova" and Chornomorskyi reserve.

The city of Kherson is an administrative and industrial center of Kherson region. It is situated in the lower reaches of the Dnieper river on its right bank. Kherson occupies the territory more then 90 square kilometers. Its population is about 320 000 inhabitants.
This land was touched by a high antique civilization from the VI century B.C. Numerous old Greek monuments of that time can be seen in the Local Lore Museum now.

Kherson was founded in 1778 for the defense of the Southern borders of Russian Empire from Turkish-Tatar invaders, as a town with a fortress and admiralty, were in 1783 the first ship of the Russian Black Sea Navy "Glory of Catherine" was launched.
Remains of ramparts, the stone gates, the buildings of the fortress' arsenal, along with a well and a powder magazine have been preserved on the territory of the city-fortress historical center. There is also the St. Catherine Cathedral (1786), which was built to the design of the famous architect Ivan Starov. General-Fieldmarshal, Prince Hrihoriy Potyomkin, the founder of Kherson, was buried at the territory of the Cathedral.
History of the city connected with the names of such well-known people as the Great Russian military leader Alexander Suvorov and Admiral Ushakov.

If you come to Kherson, you may stay in Fregat hotel, which is located in the quiet city center on the bank of the Dnieper river. There are 180 rooms (apartments, suites, single-, double- and triple-rooms), restaurant and several bars, Turkish bath and sauna with a pool, hairdresser's saloon, guardian parking place and service center.

Tourist complex "Fregat" creates all the conditions for unforgettable rest in the sunny Kherson region: interesting excursions around the city, water trips, wine-testing, visiting to the biosphere reserve Askania-Nova, etc.

"Askania-Nova" Zoo has a territory for about 30 sq. km., were Przhevalsky horses peacefully graze together with droves of black bison, Gravy's zebras, blue antelopes and Turkmenian koulans. The Askania steppe is the only place in Europe, where American buffaloes are kept. The distinguishing feature of the Zoo - lack of cages.
There are more then 1000 animals of different species and hybrid forms in Askania virgin steppe.

The birds kingdom represented by white and black swans, flamingoes, graylags, bar-headed and white geese, mallards, pochards, mandarin ducks, etc. The personnel of the reserve oversee their nesting and hatching, and provide feed. Exotic or rare species are kept in open-air enclosures: African ostriches, emus, nandus, pheasants, willow ptarmigans, and eagles, crowned cranes, parrots.

A dendrology garden of the reserve amazes numerous tourists coming to Askania. This garden was founded in the former unwatered steppe. More then 200 species of foliaceous and coniferous plants were brought from different parts of the world and planted in the period from 1885 to 1902. It is a monument of landscape architecture of the XIX century. Nowadays the garden zone of the biosphere reserve, which bears the name of its founder F.E.Falz-Fein, has been enlarged by more than 100 hectares.

One of the most precious parts of the natural reserve is the largest in Europe area of the reserved Festuca Stipa steppe. About 600 higher plants (both perennial and annual), 16 species of which were entered to the Red Data Book of Ukraine, have been preserved in their primary natural form.

Tourists complex "Fregat" offers the complete set of services for the tour to Askania-Nova: transfer, feeding, residence, meetings with specialists, guide services, individual tours, tours to virgin steppe by horse and by mini-bus.