Emerald Summer Camp

The Emerald Summer Camp was once a bright and happy place for children to spend their holidays in the woods. This hidden spot near the Chernobyl Power Plant sits deep in the forest, far from the busy city. You can still see the colorful ghosts of the past painted on the walls of its tiny cabins.

The camp is located behind the village of Lelev, right on the banks of the cooling pond. Before the 1986 disaster, life here was very peaceful. The families of the military men from the secret Chernobyl-2 town loved to visit. Workers from the nuclear plant also brought their children here to relax. It was a beautiful place with fresh air and plenty of room to play under the tall trees.

Tiny Houses and Cartoons
The site had over one hundred small wooden huts for the guests. Each cabin featured bright murals of famous cartoon characters and fairy-tale heroes. Even though the camp was in the woods, it had everything people needed. There was a library for reading and a ballroom for dancing. Families could visit the cinema, shop at the local store, or take a boat out onto the water. A tall metal water tower stood right in the center of the park.

From Holidays to Liquidation
After the nuclear accident happened, the camp did not close its doors right away. Instead of children, the liquidators moved into the wooden huts. These brave workers needed a place to sleep while they cleaned up the area around the power plant. The site remained standing for many years after the workers left. It became a popular spot for people to visit because the paintings on the houses were so unique.

The Fire of 2020
Sadly, the story of the Emerald Summer Camp has a dark ending. In 2020, massive forest fires swept through the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The dry wooden cabins caught fire quickly and burned to the ground. Today, the colorful characters and the cozy huts are gone. Only a few charred remains stay behind to show where the children once played.

The forest has reclaimed the land where the happy sounds of summer camp used to fill the air.