Trans Balkan Mountains Hike - Guided

This trek is in two mountain chains with Balkan Peninsula's highest peaks, enormous national parks, rare vegetation and rich animal life. The trip is made in such a way as to bring the participants out in remote regions with beautiful and unspoiled natural sceneries and waste landscapes. If you do not have the time for trekking in the world's biggest mountain chains, this tour is warmly recommended to you. Here you can enjoy elements of physical challenge in alpine landscapes above the tree border, as well as the cultural treasures of Bulgaria and the warm hospitality of the local people.

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Rates  include accommodation, breakfast and dinner, English speaking guide, all transfers
8 Days/ 7 Nights   $ 725   Single +120
-- based on  Euro 460 /75   
2008 Dates:
06/21-06/28    07/12-07/19    08/02-08/09
08/16-08/23    08/30-09/06    09/13-09/20

Airport:  Sofia or Plovdiv airport
Meeting: Beklemeto
Transfer:  from Sofia or Plovdiv
                 airport included
Not included: map (could be requested in advance when booking the tour), tips, alcohol drinks and other personal expenses.
 

Minimum:  4 participants
Difficulty Level: 
2 - Easy  (days 2& 4)
3 - Moderate  (days 3, 5, 6 & 7)

Accommodation:
We stay in 3-star hotels (days 1, 2 & 3) and guesthouse (day 7) with private facilities and in a mountain huts (days 4, 5 & 6) with shared facilities on HB (breakfast & dinner included). Lunch packs are included for the mountain treks during the days 5, 6 & 7.

SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Balkan Mountains (highest peak: Mount Botev 2376 m a.s.l.) are the longest (550 km) and the biggest of all mountains in Bulgaria.
Cherni Osam is a village, perched on both banks of the Cherni Osam River and an excellent base to explore the National Park Central Balkan.
Chiflik is a village located at the upper stream of the Beli Iskar River.
Troyan Monastery "Assumption of Virgin Mary", being the 3-th largest in Bulgaria, is built in the style of the Bulgarian Renaissance.
Beklemeto Pass (1320 m a.s.l.) is a mountain resort very popular for summer and winter mountain marches in the high part of the mountains.
Plovdiv (160 m a.s.l.) ranks as the second Bulgarian city in population and size. The old town of Plovdiv is one of the oldest European towns contemporary to Troy and Mikena.

 

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival at Sofia or Plovdiv airport and transfer to Beklemeto Pass in the Balkan Mountains where we stay overnight.

Day 2. In the morning we start from Beklemeto (1320 m a.s.l.) towards the peak parts of the mountains to Troyan pass (1525 m a.s.l.), continuing west after that to Kozyata Stena reserve. From now on we have about 7 km to reach the village of Chiflik (600 m a.s.l.). Then we have transfer to our hotel on Beklemeto. The whole trek takes about 5-6 hours. Uphill walk - 250 m; downhill walk - 950 m.

Day 3. After breakfast we head from Beklemeto to Dermenka hut (1504 m a.s.l.). Nice descent along the stream of Cherni Osam River through the Steneto Reserve is expecting us to the village of Cherni Osam. Then we have a transfer to Troyan Monastery for a short sightseeing tour. In the afternoon we leave for Apriltsi, where we stay overnight. Uphill walk - 450 m; downhill walk - 650 m. The whole trek takes about 7 hours.

Day 4. In the morning we make short sightseeing trip in Apriltsi (506 m a.s.l.), providing a good insight into the local way of living. Around noon we make a walk along one of the new local eco-paths to Pleven hut (1390 m a.s.l.) where we stay overnight. Uphill walk -900 m; downhill walk - 100 m. (1-4 hours walk).

Day 5. From Pleven hut the path goes through a beech forest, reaching a place, called "Murgata". Then it continues by the foothills of the "Milk Peak" to "Hristo Botev" refuge (2050 m a.s.l.). Further on we cross the river bed of Haidushka River, followed by a walk through alpine meadows to "Vasil Levski" hut, where we stay overnight. The whole trek takes about 6-7 hours. Uphill walk - 900 m; downhill walk - 300 m.

Day 6. Walking by the ski-runs near Vasil Levski hut, the waymarks lead to the highest peak of the Balkan Mountains - Mount Botev (2376 m a.s.l.). From the peak the track weaves among the rocky slopes of the mount, providing excellent view to the precipice of the Southern "Dzhendem". Then we continue to "Rai hut" passing by the Heavens Waterfall ("Raiskoto pruskalo"). We stay overnight in Rai hut (1560 m a.s.l.). The trek today takes about 4-5 hours. Uphill walk - 1000 m; downhill walk - 900 m.

Day 7. The route starts with a descent along the stream of Toundzha River to the resort settlement "Panitsite" (about 4 hours). Six kilometres away from here is the town of Kalofer (600 m a.s.l.), where the bus is waiting for us to take us to the city of Plovdiv, where we stay overnight. Uphill walk - 20 m; downhill walk - 970 m.

Day 8. After breakfast you will have transfer to Sofia or Plovdiv Airport for departure (transfer time: 20 min to Plovdiv Airport or 2 h to Sofia Airport).

Extensions: Black Sea
This is a unique proposal, which gives you the opportunity to stay in Bulgaria for one week more at the incredibly low price! We can offer a great variety of means of accommodation - from home stays (no meals) to 2, 3 and 4-star hotels (BB or HB) on the Southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast:
- Sunny Beach - a big modern resort with hundreds of hotels, cafes, pubs, casinos, water-sports facilities etc.
- Nessebar, Sozopol - small towns (founded by the ancient Greeks) with picturesque Old Quarters and a specific atmosphere.
- Lozenets -a peaceful small village with a beautiful beach. Only 4-5 km from the forests of the Strandzha Mountains where you can go walking, biking or riding horses.

B= Breakfast included    D= Dinner included