Pirin and Rodopi Mountains Trekking

Crossing a creek

Explore Bulgaria's most remote regions

This tour combines the high and challenging Pirin Mountain's beauty with the serenity of the Rodopi Mountains. Explore some of Bulgaria's most remote and forgotten regions. Mountain border villages, which in the near past had been closed for foreign visitors, enable the tourists to experience a part of the original Bulgarian culture and life in the countryside.

Accommodation:We stay in 3-star hotels (days 1, 2 & 6), a family-run hotel (days 4 & 5), a guesthouse (day 7) with private facilities, and in a tradional old-fashioned house (day 3) with shared facilities on HB (breakfast & dinner included). Luggage transportation:Luggage is taken care of throughout the whole trip. A small rucksack for carrying personal items during the day-walks is necessary. It is possible to skip some of the walks and to take the bus with the luggage instead.

HIGHLIGHTS:
- The Pirin Mountains are the second highest in Bulgaria after Rila Mountains and the third in the Balkan Peninsula.
- The Rodopi Mountains are the oldest mountains on the Balkan Peninsula.
- Bansko (925 m) is one of the biggest winter resorts in the country.
- Gela village (1,500 m) is more than 3,300 years old, believed to be the birth place of the legendary musician Orpheus.
- Shiroka Luka (1,060 m): An architectural, ethnographic and folklore reserve with numerous houses preserving the typical Rodopean architecture, speech, songs and customs of local people.
- The old town of Plovdiv is one of the oldest European towns contemporary to Troy and Mikena. Plovdiv (160 m) ranks as the second Bulgarian city in population and size.
-Yagodina cave is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Europe with its outstanding stalactites, stalagmites, columns, ponds and cave pearls. It is among the longest caves in Bulgaria (more than 10,000 m mapped so far).
- The Devil's Throat cave has its name from the fact that if you let something flow in the cave river it never comes out again. There cave waterfall is 42 m high - one of the highest underground waterfalls in Europe,.
-Bachkovo Monastery is the second largest Bulgarian monastery.

ITINERARY:

(subject to change without prior notice)

Day 1 - Arrival

Arrival at Sofia or Plovdiv airport and transfer to Bansko for overnight (about 3 hours).

Day 2 - Pirin mountain lakes

After breakfast, have a little walk through the streets of Bansko. Early in the afternoon, we visit Muratovo, Ribnoto, Dulgoto, Zhabeshkoto and Okoto lakes  at the foothills of the Pirin Mountains above Vihren hut (1,950 m). This walk will take about 3-5 hours, depending on the weather conditions. Return to Bansko by bus with a short stop by the oldest tree in Bulgaria (more than 1,300 years old).
Uphill walk: 300 m; downhill walk: 300 m.

Traditional stable

Day 3 - Mt. Polezhan - Kovachevitsa

In the morning we are transferred to the Gotse Delchev hut, from were we take the chairlift up to the Bezbog hut (2,236 m), the start of today's trek. Today's final destination is Mount Polezhan (2,851 m).On the way to the top and from the summit itself, you have incredible views, at one particular point including 17 glacial lakes, ione of them being the biggest lake in the Pirin Mountains - Popovo Lake. Walking time is approximately 5 hrs. We return to Gotse Delchev. and proceed to our next meeting with  in the villages of Leshten and Kovachevitsa, we see traditional Bulgarian architecture. The overnight in Kovachevitsa will be preceded by a short walk along the paved streets and the stony walls of the ancient houses of both villages.
Uphill walk: 650 m; downhill walk: 650 m

Day 4 - Dabrash Ridge

After breakfast, visit the chapel of St. George above Kovachevitsa (hike of about 2-3 hrs). Walking on Dabrash Ridge, we will meet remains of old houses and pens, scattered among meadows, woods and interesting rock formations. From the ridge's peak, you can see the valley of Mesta River, the Slavianka Mountains and the southern slopes of the Pirin Mountains. Afterwards, our bus will take us to Trigrad village where we stay for the next two nights.
Uphill walk: 350 m; downhill walk: 350 m

Day 5 - Along Trigradska River

Today, we continue southeast to the ridge's peak to Vodni Pad village. The return journey is a real delight, following Trigradska River all the way to Trigrad and Trigrad Gorge (1,450 m),.
Uphill walk: 400 m; downhill walk: 450 m.

Day 6 - Yagodina

After breakfast, we leave Trigrad on a nice dirt road, following the upper edge of Trigrad Gorge, leading to the village of Yagodina (850 m). At Yagodina Cave, we have a little cave tour (about 45 min). The bus iat the entrance of the cave is waiting to take us to the village of Shiroka Luka (1,060 m), where we stay overnight.
Uphill walk: 250 m; downhill walk: 600 m.

Stop for a chat

Day 7

In the morning, we start north of Shiroka Luka for a final 2,5 hrs trek among the dense beech woods of the Red Wall Reserve where we visit the Slivodolsko Padalo waterfalls. Further up, the river has created a natural Japanese garden of mossy riverbed and cave-like rock formations. We arrive for lunch and sightseeing at Bachkovo Monastery. Most of the afternoon will be spent in Plovdiv. Make a sightseeing trip along the paved streets of the Old Town of Plovdiv. We stay overnight in Plovdiv.
Uphill walk: 650 m; downhill walk: 650 m

Day 8

Early transfer to Sofia or Plovdiv Airport for departure.