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SNOWSHOEING IN BULGARIA
WINTER WILDLIFE IN THE RHODOPE (RODOPI) MOUNTAINS

Holiday Itinerary

Day 1: Leaving Sofia Airport we set off for the Rhodope (Rodopi) Mountains. Our journey takes us through the Sredna Gora Mountains and across the Thracian Plain, before arriving at Asenovgrad, a small town nestled in at the foot of the Rhodope (Rodopi) Mountains. Our accommodation for the night is a beautifully restored 19th century town house.

Day 2: Drive on south into the heart of the Rhodope (Rodopi) Mountains where we spend the afternoon getting accustomed to our snowshoes as we walk through the meadows and forests between the beautiful villages of Shiroka Laka and Gela where we will be based for the next four nights in a warm and welcoming family-run hotel.

Day 3: A full day spent snowshoeing on the northern flank of the Perelik massif, a region which normally accumulates deep snow during winter

Day 4: A second full day spent snowshoeing on the Perelik massif beneath Mount Golyam Perelik (2191m), the Rhodope (Rodopi) Mountain's highest peak.

Day 5: Today we attempt an ascent of Mount Golyam Snezhnik (2188m), the second highest peak in the Rhodopi Mountains, enjoying a wonderful panorama. The peak is renowned as one of the best viewpoints in the whole of southern Bulgaria.

Day 6: Transferring back to Sofia, we stop off at the beautiful Bachkovo Monastery, one of the largest and most atmospheric monasteries in Bulgaria. As well as visiting the monastery itself, we will also enjoy a gentle walk in the peaceful valley behind, part of the 'Chervenata Stena' Nature Reserve.

Day 7: The tour ends with individual departures from the hotel in Sofia.

Balkan Trek is at the forefront of responsible tourism in Bulgaria, and recognised as one of Bulgaria's leading mountain adventure and eco-tourism operators. We are specialists in small group walking holidays, trekking holidays, snowshoeing treks, cultural tours, monastery tours, village holidays, wildlife holidays, natural history trips, birdwatching holidays, botanic tours and flower photography holidays. We operate trips in Bulgaria's Rhodope (Rodopi) Mountains, Rila Mountains, Pirin Mountains, Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains), Strandzha Mountains, Sredna Gora Mountains, Vitosha Mountains, as well as at Bulgaria's Black Sea coast.