Everyone has a story to tell. This is ours.
I’ve always believed that digging in the past, learning about our heritage, and exploring our ancestry helps us understand the present and who we are today. Because of this, and since I live in a region with such a rich history and enticing culture, I knew I wanted to share it with others who are looking to go on a journey in time.
Just like the roots of a tree, history acts like an anchor for our lives.
I’m often asked if I’m passionate about history to be doing genealogy research and heritage tours. I am interested in the past, absolutely, but there are other driving forces behind why I’m doing this work.
My background is in education and I am motivated by continued learning and sharing knowledge with others. I’m also an avid traveller. Discovering new places, different cultures, and local lifestyles keeps me constantly exploring the world around me. And finally, I love working with people and helping them discover their ancestral story and see how it’s shaped who they are today.
I wanted to find a way to bring these things together into a fulfilling career. And I’m so fortunate that I’ve found a way to do that.
I started Western Ukraine Tours in 2009 and worked as a genealogy researcher and an English-speaking tour guide and driver. As my business grew over the years, I connected with other tour guides and researchers throughout Ukraine to share their regional expertise and knowledge with my clients. Western Ukraine Tours made a significant achievement in 2014 when the Lonely Planet Ukraine Guidebook included Western Ukraine Tours as one of the top local tour companies.
So, driven by my love of travel and in the spirit of finding what my clients were looking for, I expanded into Poland and Slovakia. Each country has its own unique character but also shares common features with Ukraine in culture, traditions, food, language, and people due to our proximity and shared history. With this expansion came a name change to better reflect our work and its value. So, here we are…Dorosh Heritage Tours.
We’ve worked with clients from all over the world, including Canada, the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, who have some level of curiosity about their heritage.
Who were my ancestors? Where did they come from? What was their life like?
Discovering the answers to these questions through genealogy research and heritage tours is the most fulfilling part of our work, especially giving clients that sense of wonder when they learn a family story they hadn’t heard, yet. We also offer virtual tours for those who want to explore from the comfort of their home.
Of course, some are simply interested in experiencing Ukrainian culture, people, traditions, lifestyle, dancing, and food. We share that too with customized cultural tours.
It’s all part of our mission to act as a doorway to the past and take our clients on an unforgettable journey to uncover their roots.
Want to hear what our clients are saying? Have a look at our testimonials.
Local knowledge matters. When my business expanded, I knew I’d need a team with expertise on their home region so that our clients would have the most authentic experience possible. I also knew that anyone who joins the Dorosh Heritage Tours team would have to be as committed as I am to deliver the highest standard of service. Today I work with a network of 25 genealogy researchers and tour guides throughout Ukraine, Poland, and Slovakia. Each one of them brings their own personal story to Dorosh. I am so proud to serve you alongside this incredible team.
The work we do is very personal, for you and for the locals we interview as part of our research. We build genuine connections that often last beyond the end of a tour or research project.
Looking into your family history can be emotional and frustrating at times when you can’t find what you’re looking for. We’re here to work with you so you don’t have to find your way alone.
What we do is highly rewarding from the emotional point of view. We are really happy to have a chance to make other people really happy: our clients and their newly found family.
We create everything, from Family Genealogy Reports to Heritage Tour Itineraries, based on your specific needs and interests to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience, every time.
It feels like I’m carrying a legacy forward for my grandparents.
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