Birdwatching Holidays in Bulgaria | Western Rodopi Bird Monitoring Tour

This unique 8-day birdwatching holiday in Bulgaria has been organised in conjunction with the NGO 'Wild Rodopi', a specialist wildlife research and conservation organisation operating in the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains. During the course of this unique bird monitoring tour, you will not only visit some of the most outstanding Important Bird Areas in Bulgaria's Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, but also experience the excitement of exploring and surveying potential new bird habitats where important as yet unknown populations of rare bird species may be discovered. Unlike other standard birdwatching holidays, on these bird monitoring study tours you will not only enjoy the chance to observe and photograph some of the rarest and most interesting birds in Bulgaria, but also have an opportunity to contribute directly to bird conservation in Bulgaria by taking part in important bird surveying and monitoring projects which will help improve knowledge about the distribution and conservation of bird species in Bulgaria's Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains.

Key Target Species: Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus), Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), Hazel Grouse (Bonasa bonasia), Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca), Corncrake (Crex crex), Grey-headed Woodpecker (Picus canus), Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris ssp. balcanica), Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris ssp. subalpina), Isabelline Wheatear (Oenanthe isabellina), Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush (Monticola saxatilis), Sombre Tit (Parus lugubris), Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria). Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator).

Best Months

The most rewarding months for this birdwatching holiday are:

June, July, September, October

Land Only Prices

1 person = 1795 Euros

2 people = 995 Euros per person

3-4 people = 795 Euros per person

5-6 people = 595 Euros per person

Single supplement = 90 Euros

Inclusions

* 7 nights B&B accommodation in twin rooms with en suite toilet/shower

* Services of English-speaking wildlife guide and conservationist

* Services of licensed private vehicle and professional driver

NB: Unlike many other wildlife holiday companies who attempt to cut costs by making their guides have to double up as drivers, we employ separate dedicated drivers for all our trips as we believe this is not only safer but also allows our guides to concentrate fully on looking after you and finding you the wildlife!

Itinerary

Day 1: From the airport at Sofia, we transfer east across the Thracian Plain, making our way to a village at the northern foot of the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains. Having checked in to our hotel, we can immediately begin birdwatching in the surrounding region which looks very promising for a variety of interesting wheatears and shrikes.

Day 2: A whole day spent focused in the outstanding 'Dobrostan' Important Bird Area. This beautiful karst limestone region offers a surprising variety of habitats, which account for the fact that at least 149 species of birds have been recorded within this rugged massif.

Day 3: Heading on south into the heart of the Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, we make our way to the Perelik Massif, the highest part of the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, where we begin our explorations of the 'Trigrad-Mursalitsa' Important Bird Area. Some 141 species of birds have been reported as breeding in the region, but the actual number is likely to be higher than this, and hopefully our recording and monitoring efforts can help confirm some new species for the region.

Day 4: Today's birdwatching and monitoring efforts in the 'Trigrad-Mursalitsa' Important Bird Area will be focused on ancient coniferous forests, lush hay meadows and high mountain pastures, which may produce an interesting and surprising variety of birds including such contrasting species as Hazel Grouse and Corncrake.

Day 5: Still in the 'Trigrad-Mursalitsa' Important Bird Area, but today a completely different landscape, as we focus our birdwatching and monitoring in a stunning karst region. This area is world renowned for its breeding pairs of Wallcreeper, and we will spend some time observing them at their favourite haunts, as well as recording the other birds that frequent this region.

Day 6: Our final day in the 'Trigrad-Mursalisa' Important Bird Area will be focused on trying to locate new, as yet unrecorded breeding pairs of Wallcreeper, as well as searching for other elusive species such as Rock Partridge and Rock Thrush.

Day 7: Today we must make the long journey back to Sofia, but our journey through the 'Western Rodopi' Important Bird Area, will offer us more birdwatching en route, as we plan to stop at various less visited but potentially interesting birdwatching sites.

Day 8: The tour finishes after breakfast at the hotel in Sofia.

Responsible Tourism Promise

This birdwatching holiday in Bulgaria is being operated in conjunction with the wildlife research and conservation NGO 'Wild Rodopi'. Not only will the observations and research data gathered during the course of this birdwatching holiday in Bulgaria contribute directly to bird research and conservation efforts in the the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, but all profits from this birdwatching holiday in Bulgaria will be donated to the NGO 'Wild Rodopi' to help fund their bird research and monitoring projects.

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