Contact us: office@balkantrek.com

WALKING & WILDLIFE IN BULGARIA
NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PIRIN & RILA MOUNTAINS

Testimonials

2012

'I have never been on a holiday like this. It was a fantastic experience. Valdimir was an exceptional leader. Fun, articulate and knowledgeable. Very welcoming and approachable..'W.H.

'This trip went beyond my expectations. Our leader was the best I have had! He was very knowledgeable about the mountains and his country; able to answer anything we needed to know..'P.W.

'This had everything I wanted from a holiday. I had a great time. We had an excellent tour leader. No faults at all. Really enhanced the whole experience.'B.H.

'This tour exceeded my expectations and offered a great holiday in a country I did not know much about, but has lovely mountains and very friendly people.'T.I.

'A great trip, great scenery, organization, transport and leader. Can't ask for much more. Vlady is an excellent leader. So helpful and informative. His interaction with the group added to the holiday even more.'A.R.

'Vlady's English was superb and his organizational skills excellent. His knowledge about the countryside really made a good trip. The Balkan Trek tour leaders have really set the benchmarks and standards high! I have had a fabulous holiday and would recommend this trip to others!'M.T.

2011

'Vladimir was interested, knowledgeable and informed. He shared information easily and ensured the groups needs were met…..The trip met and exceeded expectations - very enjoyable.'C.L.

'I thought Vladimir was an exceptionally good leader. His knowledge of the area was extensive; very easy to get on with and his leadership skills superb.'S.G.

'A first class leader who was very informative, spoke excellent English, warned us of any potential dangers on the routes. He was a good naturalist, mountain leader, well aware of pro-green issues. Vladimir was well versed in the long history of Bulgaria and was also a fount of knowledge about the legends and cultural history of the areas we visited.'J.H.

'Vladimir's knowledge of the walks, mountains and lakes was exceptional.'L.M.

'The tour leader was very approachable, friendly and made me feel comfortable in his ability to care for the group.'D.G.

'The tour leader was excellent, knowledgeable, and informative. He made the holiday even better'J.P.

'The final day's walk to Musala was glorious, but all the walks were of a good length and difficulty and offered fine views.'R.B.

'The tour exceeded my expectations. It was a very enjoyable holiday, one that I would recommend to other people.'J.N.

'Enjoyed all the walks for both challenge and views. Neli was fantastic, friendly, knowledgeable, professional and great company.'N.R.

'Each walk was different and all excellent.'A.C.

'The variety of the walks made each day unique and special.'R.S.

'A challenging walking holiday but worth every minute of it. Lots of diverse wildlife, scenery and amazing views. It was very well organized….The leader was superb. Very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Always gave a good clear briefing before every walk. Very passionate about the mountains and local environment and this shone through throughout the trip.'A.S.

2009

'The leader was experienced and an excellent guide. Its always tricky when there is a single guide for a large group and he coped extremley well. He was sociable, freindly and i think he aquitted himself admirably.'S.D.

'The leader was excellent, he has been walking these mountains for years and his knowledge was extensive.'E.C.

2007

'Terrific group leader, knowledgeable about all aspects of Bulgaria's culture, history, flora and fauna. Excellent grasp of English to the extent of even understanding our jokes. He was always patient, understanding and most caring, especially when some of the group were a bit ill. He saw us as more then just clients and he enhanced the holiday enormously.'J.C.

2006

"I will have good memories from Bulgaria and of the Pirin and Rila mountains in particular. The walking and scenery has been of the highest order." S.P.

2005

"I would like to congratulate the guides who looked after us so well on the trek. They were intelligent, extremely enthusiastic and nothing was too much trouble for them. I have been on dozens of treks but I can honestly say that the staff on this holiday were easily the best I have encountered." J.B.

2002

"I thought the whole trip was wicked and incredibly relaxing!" N.M.

"I greatly enjoyed the trip, and my companions and the mountains will be in my thoughts for some time to come."A. T.

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, butterfly holidays, botanic tours and 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 the Black Sea.