About us

About us

Khortytsia is one of the most famous places in Ukraine, its pride and shrine. This is the largest island of the Dnipro river. Its area is about 23.5 square kilometers, which is almost 10% of the territory of the modern city Zaporizhzhya. The island is 11.2 km long and 2.5 km wide.

The island was formed as a result of several geologic faults, the last of which occurred about 2.5 million years ago. The age of its geological basement (a massif of granitoids – a combination of granites and their varieties) is about 3 billion years. The height difference within Khortytsia island is 56 meters. In the north, the height of the granite blocks is almost 30 meters above the water edge, and in the south they are far below the water edge.

The southern outskirts of the island is the part of the Zaporozhzhya Velyky Luh (Great Meadow) flooded by the Kakhovka reservoir. This is a picturesque floodplain, with bays, canals and floodplain forest.

The reserve “Khortytsia” received the status of the national reserve in 1993. At present, it submits to the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine. Since 2007, the National reserve “Khortytsia” has been headed by the candidate of historical sciences Maxym Ostapenko.

Today the National reserve “Khortytsia” includes: the island of Khortytsia, adjacent islands (Baida, Try Stohy, Dubovy, Rasstebin), the rocks Serednya and Blysnyuky, the tract Vyrva on the right bank of the Dnipro, and also a historical monument of national importance “Kamyanska Sich” in the Kherson region.

The visiting rules:

1. Do not litter the area.
2. Do not make a fire (except for specially designated places – a tourist beach and recreation areas near sanatoriums and recreation centers).
3. Do not drive off the asphalt road.
4. Do not pick plants, flowers, fruits, moss and mushrooms, and do not plant anything without permission.
5. Do not fish or hunt in the reserve.
6. Do not bury pets.
7. Do not disturb the peace of visitors and animals with loud sounds and music.
8. Do not excavate or disturb the soil.
9. Do not visit the areas of absolute wildlife conservancy in the southern part of the island (plavni\floodplains) without the accompaniment of the institution employee. The presence of land and water transport in the flooded area is strictly prohibited!

Take care of Khortytsia, and you will be rewarded!!!

Share in social networks:

Latest news

All news
13.03.2024

Winners of the children’s drawing contest “Actual Taras Shevchenko”

Congratulations to the winners! The children's drawing contest "Actual Taras Shevchenko," organized by the Khortytsia National Reserve, lasted from February 1, 2024, to February 29, 2024. The contest winners in...

Read in full
27.02.2024

Children’s drawing contest to commemorate the 210th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko’s birth

CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURE OF THE CHILDREN'S DRAWING CONTEST "MODERN TARAS SHEVCHENKO" The contest's purpose is to actualize the work of the national poet Taras Shevchenko in the context of the...

Read in full
27.02.2024

Lecture “The Phenomenon of the Zaporozhian Cossacks”

We invite all history lovers to attend a popular science lecture, "The Phenomenon of the Zaporozhian Cossacks," on February 10, 2024. Why did the Wild Field give rise to the...

Read in full