12-Day Hike Along Bulgaria’s Mountain And Heritage Trails

• Transfers to and from Sofia Airport (on first/last tour date only)
• Accommodation
• Catering
• English-speaking mountain guide
• Entry charges to caves and museums and all local taxes

• Extra food and drink
• Mountain maps
• Medical insurance
• SPA procedures

The program includes hiking treks of low or medium difficulty (up to 10-12 km / 6-8 miles or 2 to 3 hours), as well as walking tours at cultural heritage sites along the route.

Day 1 - Arrival

The tour meets you at Sofia Airport and transfers you to the hotel where the group will overnight.

Day 2 - Roman Serdika

A tour of the city centre takes you across Sofia’s 2000-year history. See the ruins of Roman Serdika, the early Christian rotunda of “St. Georgi”, the former Tsar’s palace, the Orthodox cathedral of “Alexander Nevski”, the Mosque of Banya Basi, the Synagogue – the biggest in the Balkans and the administrative buildings constructed during the communist regime. In the afternoon, you cross the central Balkan ridge to visit the Troyan Monastery, the largest in Northern Bulgaria. The region’s famous plums brandy is also produced by the monastery itself and you can taste this during supper. Stay overnight at Troyan or Apriltsi in the northern foothills of the Balkan ridge.
 

Day 3 - Veliko Tarnovo

To this day, the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire retains all attributes of royal and patriarchal authority. Tour the magnificent Tsarevets Castle on its hill between the meanders of the Yantra River, the Arbanasi architectural reserve (the Konstantseli fortified house built in a typical 17th century style and the small church of “Nativity of Christ”, which despite its ascetic outward appearance, hides a richly decorated interior), and the Preobrazhenski Monastery. There are two overnight stays at Veliko Tarnovo.

Day 4 - Etara

Today, the stress is on the trades, architecture, and commerce of 19th Century Bulgaria, into whose atmosphere you immerse yourself at the Balkans’ largest open-air ethnographic museum, Etara. As you walk along the cobble street skilled craftsmen will make you feel part of Bulgarian folk traditions in metalworking, leather crafting, potting, wood carving, wool spinning and working with other types of material. Next stop is Bozhentsi, a charming architectural reserve. From there, a forest walk which offers views of the Balkan range takes us to the town of Tryavna, renowned for its icon-painting and woodcut traditions.

Day 5 - Shipka Pass

Again crossing the Balkan range, halt at the Shipka Pass, site of the most epic battles for Bulgarian liberation during the 1877 Russian-Turkish War. Then continue south to the Valley of the Thracian Kings and visit the Kazanlak Tomb: Bulgaria’s original UNESCO-listed site. The afternoon is devoted to Plovdiv. In the Old Town, follow in the footsteps of history around the remains of the ancient Thracian city of Eumolpia, the Antique Theatre and the Roman Stadium, through to the colourful National Revival Period houses which comprise the charming architectural profile of the Three Hills. Stay overnight at Plovdiv.

Day 6 - Bachkovo Monastery

The Rhodope Mountains, the birthplace of the mythical musician Orpheus, await us. First tour the Bachkovo Monastery (the second biggest in Bulgaria), known for its richly muralled refectory and the miracle-working icon of Virgin Marry. A panoramic walking tour traverses the idyllic Rhodopes with the ultimate destination of the Shiroka Laka architectural and ethnographic reserve. There are two overnight stays at a spa hotel in Devin.

Day 7 - Dyavolsko Garlo

A transfer to the Trigradsko Zhdrelo Gorge takes you to the mystic Dyavolsko Garlo (The Devil’s Throat) Cave, sheltering the Balkans’ sheerest underground waterfall is (42m/138ft). We continue on foot to the edge of the gorge through a mosaic of an ancient deciduous forest to the Yagodinska Peshtera Cave: one of Bulgaria’s longest and most beautiful. This is a particularly pleasant hike, which immerses us in the traditional lives of the local people and the idyll of rolling crests and forests.

Day 8 - Dolen

Meandering Rhodope roads take you to the village of Dolen. Its sheer remoteness has helped preserve magnificent masterpieces of Bulgarian National Revival Period architecture. In the afternoon, you arrive at Bansko in the foothills of Mount Pirin, where shall stay overnight.
 

Day 9 - Banderishki Lakes

Head for the alpine parts of the Pirin and the captivating Banderishki Lakes. You might be left breathless along the way, not because of any physical strain, but because of the 360-degree panorama of Cirques with 16 picturesque glaciers, lakes huddled in them. After this, a coach takes you to the hot mineral springs resort of Sandanski for two overnight stays at a spa hotel.

Day 10 - Melnik

Today,  you visit Bulgaria’s tiniest city of Melnik, huddled among the sand peaks of its celebrated natural pyramids and replete with the authentic beauty of National Revival architecture. Some of Bulgaria’s most distinguished wines, another Melnik specialty, mature in cool cellars deep under the sandhills. An idyllic trek takes us to the Rozhen Monastery with its wonderful views of Mount Pirin.
 

Day 11 - Rila Monastery

On the way to Sofia, the tour drops by on the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery: Bulgaria’s largest and best-known Christian abbey. A ramble across a shady beech wood takes you to the cave once inhabited by Bulgaria’s first recluse monk, Sveti Yoan Rilski, founder of the Rila Monastery. In the afternoon, enjoy free time in Sofia. Stay overnight in the city.

Day 12

Transfer to Sofia Airport.

Hiking time: hiking time only is mentioned on each day (not including stops for pictures, picnics, breaks, etc.); these are based on an average hiker’s speed of 4-5km/hr on flat terrain, additional 30min for each 300m elevation gain, and a backpack weighing not more than 10-15% of your body weight. Still, this varies a lot on the terrain and hiking experience of each client.

Accommodation: three and four-star hotels; en-suite rooms; breakfast and supper included.

• Traventuria Ltd. shall not be held liable in cases of “force majeure” circumstances, herewith described as events which we or our subcontractors cannot predict or avoid, such as terrorist activity, strike, war or threat of war, riot, civil strike, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire, road accidents, traffic jams, vehicle breakdown, etc. Traventuria Ltd. will act and do whatever is possible to the best of its abilities in order to minimize the impact on the clients’ journey in such cases.
• Claims for missed flights, only partially or totally unused other services as a result of such circumstances will not be acknowledged in such cases.

• All cancellations should be made in writing to Traventuria Ltd. on our corporate email: info@traventuria.com
• Cancellations advised verbally to a company staff (i.e. drivers, tour guides, resort representatives) or in writing to other email addresses will not be considered as valid
• The following cancellation charges (as a percentage of the total cost, but not less than the deposit) apply for cancellations made by clients for services in Bulgaria, booked through Traventuria Ltd.:
  • > 30 days – 30%
  • 29 – 15 days – 50%
  • 14 – 9 days – 70%
  • 8 days or less – 100%
• The following cancellation charges (as a percentage of the total cost, but not less than the deposit) apply for cancellations made by clients for services outside Bulgaria, booked through Traventuria Ltd.:
  • > 41 days – 30%
  • 40 days or less – 100%.
• For bookings, where a flight ticket is included, the clients should pay the charges levied by the airline concerned
• If a ground service provided by Traventuria Ltd. is omitted by a client (e.g. transfer, tour, etc.) due to last-minute illness, flight cancellation, etc. this is considered “no-show” and no refund will be made
• The same rule applies if a client decides to leave the holiday before its end. We will issue all the required documents, verifying the cancellation, which you can use for your insurance company

All customer cancellation & refund requests are also subject to our website’s own refund conditions.