Bulgarian Mountain Guides
Julian Perry 
Co-founder
and joint Managing Director of Balkan Trek, Julian was born and
raised on the south-east coast of England. After graduating from
Loughborough University with a First Class degree in Sports'
Science, he became involved in the International Olympic Academy
and in 1996, for the centenary Olympic Games in Athens, was given
the honour of participating in the Olympic Torch Relay, running
with the flame through the heart of the Taygetos Mountains. Meanwhile,
Julian had already developed a passion for Bulgaria, and his detailed
explorations and researches quickly gained him recognition as
one of the leading authorities on the Bulgarian mountains.
Julian has written many articles for newspapers and magazines about
the Bulgarian mountains and wildlife in Bulgaria, and is also the author of
'The Mountains of Bulgaria',
a pioneering walkers' guidebook detailing long-distance hiking trails in the
Bulgarian mountains, and more recently 'Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks',
a uniquely authorative guide to the best walking and wildlife watching opportunities
in the 'Central Balkan', 'Rila' and 'Pirin' National Parks. Balkan
Trek's most experienced guide, Julian currently focuses
most of his time developing and leading our ever-expanding range of wildlife holidays. |
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Siya Cholakova 
Co-founder and joint Managing Director of Balkan Trek, Siya was
born and raised in Sofia. Mainly responsible for the day-to-day
operation of our treks and tours, Siya now finds herself confined
to the office more than she would really like, but when she gets
the chance to escape, she can be found working as a guide with both
snow-shoeing and summer trekking groups, particulary in her beloved
Pirin Mountains. As a mother of two children, Siya is also passionate about
developing and expanding our range of family wildlife and multi-activity holidays. |
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Mihaela Yordanova 
Although from Sofia, Mihaela is certainly not a city girl, and loves
nothing better than being out in the mountains and away from the
hustle and bustle of urban life. Speaking both German and English,
Mihaela graduated from the Botany Institute and for several years
worked at the Bulgarian Academy of Science. Her passion is Bulgarian
nature, particularly its plants, and she is actively involved in organising
and leading our botanic tours. However, she is also an experienced
mountain guide, and can also be found leading trekking groups both
in summer and winter.
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Tsveta Misheva-Aleksova 
One
of our most experienced and popular mountain guides, Tsveta has
a rare mix of skills and expertise. Having graduated from Sofia
University in Psychology, she went on to focus her post-graduate
studies in the sphere of Sports Psychology. She is also a natural
linguistic, speaking a wide assortment of languages which range
from English, German and French, to Polish and Romanian. However,
her real claim to fame is in the mountains, and she is widely respected
as one of the top mountaineers in Bulgaria, having participated
in expeditions around the world.
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Eleonora Ilieva 
Eli has a passion for her native country which makes her one of
our most effervescent and popular guides. Knowledgable and enthusiastic
about everything, she is the perfect all-round guide. Whether she
is guiding a snow-shoeing group through the mountains in the depths
of winter, or leading a summer cultural tour round Bulgaria’s
most important archaeological sites, Eli always ensures that the
group will enjoy the perfect combination of discovery and fun. She
is also very interested in nature, and an especially keen bird-watcher,
so in spring and autumn she is often found accompanying ornithological
groups. |
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Dimitar Petrakiev 
A graduate of Sofia’s Mining and Geological
University, Mitko has a passion for mountain sports, and when he
is not leading groups, spends the majority of his free time trekking,
climbing and caving throughout Bulgaria. As well as a detailed knowledge
of the geography and geology of his native country, Mitko also has
a great enthusiasm for its natural and human history, and this makes
him equally at home whether leading trekking parties over the highest
peaks and ridges, or guiding a cultural tour around Bulgaria’s
outstanding historical and archaeological sites. |
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Svetoslava Toncheva 
Svetoslava may be our youngest guide, but she has quickly proved herself one of our most dedicated and popular, with a wonderful sense of humour and an infectious enthusiasm for everything. She speaks English and German, and is a great all-rounder who is interested in and knowledgeable about most subjects, and enjoys working with both mountain walking and cultural groups. As an ethnologist, Svetoslava is able to impart to her groups a great deal of fascinating ethnological and ethnographic information about Bulgaria’s folk traditions, customs and mythology, as well as about the complex issues of ethnicity and religion in the region. In addition, to being a mountain girl, Svetoslava also has a passion for swimming, and is a qualified lifeguard.
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Neli Radkova 
Neli is one of our most effervescent and energetic guides, and someone who puts a hundred percent effort into everything she does. She must also be one of our fittest guides, apparently effortlessly able to hike through the highest mountains from dawn to dusk with a permanent smile on her face. She has twice completed the famous Kom-Emine traverse, a gruelling 650km hiking route along the ridge of the Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) between the Serbian border in the west and the Black Sea in the east. As well as her impressive long-distance walking achievements, Neli is also a top level competitor on the Bulgarian orienteering and mountain-biking circuits.
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