FAMILY WILDLIFE HOLIDAY IN BULGARIA
GO WILD IN THE RODOPI (RHODOPE) MOUNTAINS!
Holiday Itinerary
Day 1: Leaving Sofia, we drive south-east to our hotel in Dolna Banya, where a small outdoor swimming pool awaits us.
Day 2: After a short drive we catch a narrow-gauge train for an exciting and twisting ride into the Rodopi Mountains, the train rattling and rolling its way through a narrow gorge and a succession of tunnels. Having disembarked from the train we rejoin our bus and drive on deeper into the mountains, making several stops for nature spotting and orienteering games. Eventually we arrive at the remote village of Yagodina where we will be based in a friendly family-run hotel for the next 3 nights.
Day 3: We start the day walking in the footsteps of the Romans, as we follow an exciting and picturesque two-hour trail, which leads from the hotel to the Yagodina Cave. The orchid-lined path leads gently through the forest to a panoramic viewpoint, then makes a steep stony drop down towards the Buinovo Gorge. Here we will then explore the Yagodina Cave, one of the most spectacular in Bulgaria, filled with beautiful stalactites, stalagmites and other interesting cave formations. As we walk through the cave we will learn about the formations and also about the bats and other creatures, which inhabit it. Returning to the village in our bus for lunch, we will then have a cookery lesson and try our hands at making a traditional local dish. Once this has been baked, we can then take it with us for an afternoon snack when we go on a horse and cart ride to the village meadows and fields where we can participate in some seasonal agricultural activities such as hay-making, potato-harvesting or herb gathering. In the evening there will be an opportunity to have a go at some traditional folk dancing.
Day 4: We begin the day with a spectacular drive round the mountain to the neighbouring Trigrad Gorge, home to the beautiful Wallcreeper, an elusive bird with crimson wings, which flutters about the cliffs and crags like a giant butterfly. Here we will enter the 'Devil's Throat' Cave, an enormous chasm into which the river plunges as a thundering waterfall, and learn about the tragic legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. We will also keep our eyes open for the many bats, which inhabit the cave. Having emerged from the cave, we can then visit a small museum to learn about the life of brown bears, a majestic species that still roams the region. Then after lunch, there will be a nature-focused arts and crafts session. If the weather is good, then this evening, after dark, we can go out for a night walk and stargazing.
Day 5: From Yagodina, we drive east via the picturesque village of Shiroka Luka, an architectural reserve, preserving many fine examples of traditional Rodopi houses. After a short look around and a visit to the local information centre we drive on over the Prevala pass to the Smolyanski Ezera, a group of small mountain lakes, where we can do some pond-dipping and learn about their interesting flora and fauna. Resuming our journey, we make our way to the nearby village of Smilyan, where we will stop to see a special exhibition dedicated to beans for which the village is famous. Our hotel for the next 2 nights is located in the neighboring village of Mogilitsa.
Day 6: Today we make an adventurous wildlife exploration of the Kainadisnki Massif. As well as hunting for butterflies, grasshoppers and other fascinating insects in the meadows and pastures, we will also explore the streams, wading through the water, bathing in natural pools, and trying to reach a remote waterfall by using exciting log bridges and ladders. During the day there will also be a chance to visit one of the many caves for which this region is famous.
Day 7: Leaving Mogilitsa we start our drive back to Sofia, breaking up the journey with several interesting activities and visits. Our first stop will be near the Pamporovo ski resort where we can walk along the Nevestata nature-trail. Resuming, we then drive on the Bachkovo Monastery, one of the oldest and most picturesque monasteries in Bulgaria. Finally as we leave the mountains we can visit the ruins of the Asenova Fortress, spectacular perched on the cliffs at the entrance to the Chepelarska Gorge. We then complete our transfer back to Sofia where we will spend our final night.
Day 8: The tour ends after breakfast in Sofia.