Tour Update | June 2024

The GRHC offered ancestral heritage tours to Ukraine from 1996-2019, and over 650 people have joined us to visit the villages of their German-Russian ancestors. Through these tours, we have developed many lasting friendships, professional relationships, and a great love for the people of Ukraine. We are deeply saddened by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Our sincere thoughts for safety, courage, and resolve are with our friends and colleagues in Ukraine.

Due to the ongoing conflict, all future tours are postponed indefinitely. We do not know what the future holds for Ukraine – but we hope one day we will be able to visit our friends again.

 

Tour Update | August 2, 2021

The decision has been made that the Journey to the Homeland Tours will remain on hold for the immediate future. We anticipated offering a tour in May 2022, but with current information regarding the ongoing pandemic, it has been determined that it is not yet safe to do so. We hope that the situation continues to improve in the near future so we can consider options to offer a tour in Fall 2022 or Spring 2023.

While much of the United States is experiencing a “return to normal,” many parts of the world have not reached the same goal, including Ukraine. The vaccination rate in the US far exceeds the rate of vaccination in Ukraine, where only 4.2% of the population are currently fully vaccinated (as of July 29, 2021). Ukraine also remains in an adaptive quarantine and spikes of the COVID-19 continue to spread. I assure you that this decision was not made lightly and that many additional factors and considerations were taken into account prior to making the final decision.

We know this is likely a disappointment to many of you who hoped to visit the villages of your ancestors in 2022, but we hope you agree that it is with your best interest, and the best interest of the people of Ukraine, that we made this decision.

We look forward to future tours and hope to have you join us when that time comes! Until then, please do not hesitate to contact us at Jeremy.Kopp@ndsu.edu or Michael Miller at Michael.Miller@ndsu.edu.

View the Brochure 

Travel Dates

Example Dates From Previous Tour:

 May 12*  Depart USA for Berlin, Germany
 May 13-16  Berlin, Germany
 May 16  Berlin to Odessa, Ukraine
 May 16-20  Odessa, Ukraine & former German villages**
 May 20  Odessa to Stuttgart, Germany
 May 20-23  Stuttgart, Germany (May 21 – day tour in Alsace, France)
 May 23  Depart for USA

*You may wish to depart earlier to ensure an on time arrival in case of any flight delays.
**Travel to the former Crimean, Volga, Mennonite, Volyhnian and Hutterite villages are not included in this tour.

FutureTour Dates TBD

Tour Price

Double Occupancy - $4,300* 
Single Occupancy - $5,100* 

*Price per person, subject to change at any time

Registration & Payments

 

Payment Due Date
(2021 Tour)		  Amount
 (per person)		  More Info:  Refundable?  Make Payment
 Due at   Registration  $600  Registration Deposit  No Not yet available
 December 1, 2020  $1500  1st Tour Payment  Until Mar 1, 2021  
 February 1, 2021  $2200  2nd Tour Payment  Until Mar 1, 2021  
 March 1, 2021  $800  Single Room Charge
 (If requesting single room)		  Until Mar 1, 2021  

 

Registration for future tours is TBD.

Please be aware that our tour fills up very quickly and it is recommended that you register as soon as possible after registration opens. Initial registration deposit is due immediately upon registration and all registrations must be completed online. The tour registration deposit must be made with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or Electronic Check (ACH). All additional payments cannot be made by credit card and must be made by Check, Money Order, or Electronic Check (ACH). ACH payments can only be made from United States bank accounts. Once payment options are available, there will be links in the "Make Payment" column in the above table.

Late payments: All late payment will be charged a $50 fee.

Check or money orders can be made out to NDSU Libraries and mailed to the following address:

Journey to the Homeland Tour
NDSU Dept. 2080
PO Box 6050
Fargo, ND 58108-6050

Refunds
Should a reservation need to be canceled for any reason, a full refund less your $600 per person deposit will be made for cancellations received prior to March 1, 2021. If a cancellation is received after March 1, 2021, there will be no refund given. If we do not secure 20 paid registrations before February 1, 2021, we will be unable to offer the tour and you will receive a 100% refund.

Required Forms

All registered tour members are required to complete the following form:

 

What's Included

The package includes:

  • Welcome Supper in Berlin
  • Three (3) nights lodging in Berlin
  • Four (4) nights lodging in Odessa
  • Three (3) nights lodging in Stuttgart
  • Nine (9) buffet breakfasts
  • Two days of ancestral village visits. Includes translator, driver, and bag lunch
  • Tours of Berlin, Potsdam, and Odessa with professional guides
  • Visit to a Germans from Russia museum in Stuttgart, including lunch
  • Excursion to Alsace, France; including light lunch at a traditional Alsatian cafe
  • Group bus transfer from hotel to Berlin Airport 
  • Group bus transfer to and from Odessa Airport
  • Group bus transfer from Stuttgart Airport
  • Tips for all group activities (drivers, tour guides, translators, wait staff, etc.)
  • Flight from Berlin to Odessa returning to Stuttgart

Sites you will visit:

  • Brandenburg Gate
  • Checkpoint Charlie
  • Berlin Wall
  • Odessa Opera House
  • Potemkin Steps
  • Shores of the Black Sea
  • Your Ancestral Villages
  • German Russian Museum
  • Outdoor Markets
  • Historic Churches
  • Alsatian Architecture
  • Much more!

*International airfare is not included. See 'Airfare Information' below for more information.

**Inclusions subject to change at any time and are not cause for refund

Airfare Information

International airfare is not included with the land tour price and must be purchased separately. Details regarding airfare booking will be provided to tour members upon successful registration and once registration deposit is received. Cost of international airfare will vary depending on your departure city. Once you have successfully registered, please book your international airfare at your convenience. We recommend booking with Cheyenne at All Travel Matters at 701-891-8135 or cheyenne@alltravelmatters.com. Cheyenne is familiar with our trip itinerary and can best assist you in this process but you may book your airfare on your own. Once you have booked your international airfare, please provide your itinerary information to Jeremy Kopp at 701-231-6596 or Jeremy.Kopp@ndsu.edu.​

Arrival: In Berlin, Germany, before 3pm on arrival day.
Departure: From Stuttgart, Germany, any time on the final day. Recommended departure is 10am or later.

Airfare tips: The tour begins in Berlin on Arrival Day with a Welcome Supper at 6pm. We recommend arriving in Berlin before by 3pm on arrival day  so you are able to check-in to your room and get settled. Additionally, if you are able, we strongly recommend arriving in Berlin at least one day early so that no group activities are missed if your scheduled flight is delayed for any reason. In the past, we’ve had tour members scheduled to arrive on arrival day and their flights were delayed until day 2. All hotel accommodations for early arrivals or late departures must be booked on your own (we can provide recommended hotels).

The flight from Berlin to Odessa and returning to Stuttgart is included with the tour price. We will use your registration information to book group airfare for this flight so it's important that you accurately register with your name EXACTLY as it appears on your passport, current passport number and expiration date, and your birth date.

You must also submit a copy or scan of your passport by March 1, 2021.

 

Additional Links & Information

 

Tour Highlights

Journey to the Homeland Tour Highlights

 

If you have any questions, please contact:

Jeremy Kopp, Outreach & Operations Coordinator
701-231-6596 | Jeremy.Kopp@ndsu.edu

Michael M. Miller, Director & Bibliographer
701-231-8416 | Michael.Miller@ndsu.edu