Rila Mountains Ride

Introduction
Mountains Bulgaria

Welcome to the Rila Mountains in Bulgaria
This ride begins at the Iskar hunting estate in the foothills of the Sredna-Gora mountains. We will walk, trot and canter along the large Lake Iskar, past the ski resort Samokov into the foothills of the Samokov mountains. A highlight is the hunting castle of the Bulgarian Czar. Continuing on through wide trails in forests and meadows covered with wildflowers- we'll climb up to 8,100 ft above the tree line through the mountains of the Maritscheni National Park which abound with rich alpine flora. A narrow mountain path takes you to the Ropalitza river spring and we ride along the corse of the river.

The ride continues at an elevation between 6,600 and 8,100 ft past several remote mountain lakes offering breathtaking views, especially from the top of Kovach pass . Along the Rila river we'll ride to the Rila cloister where we overnight in monastic cells. Then, we will follow a mountain trail through beech forests onto the high plateau of the mountains with a wonderful view over the seven Rila lakes. Then descend along the rivers Djerman and Pravi-Iskar back to the lake of Rila. The ride ends at the Iskar hunting estate.

Accomodation

Accommodations are at the Iskar Ranch and at various mountain huts and guesthouses.  All meals are provided. Alcoholic drinks are not included.

Riding

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Sofia and transfer to the Iskar Hunting Reserve. Overnight at the Hunting Lodge.

Day 2: Today we set off along lake Iskar, the largest inland lake in Bulgaria.  We ride across the Samokov mountain range through rolling hills to our destination in Borovets. The horses stay here tonight and we transfer back to Iskar for overnight.

Day 3: Our first destination is Bistritza, home to the hunting seat of the Bulgarian Zaren. Next on our journey, we ride to Zavratchitza mountain hut (approx. 2,200 m). After lunch, we ride on mountain paths to Maritscheni National park. Overnight accommodation is in a mountain hut.

Day 4: Our ride today takes us on elevations of 2.200 to 2,700 m - along high mountain lakes and through villages that have demonstrated a long tradition of Christians and Moslems living in harmony. Overnight in the mountain village of Semkovo.

Day 5: Today's ride leads us through some of the most impressive valleys of the Balkan - from the canyon of the Iliyana River to the famous Monastery of Saint John of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery. Founded in the 10th century, this monastery has attracted Orthodox church pilgrims from around the world for centuries. Rila Monastery is a national historic monument and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983. If you like, you can overnight in one of the monk’s cells.

Day 6: This morning we visit the cloister and the museum at the Monastery experiencing the stunning architecture and beautiful frescoes. The ride continues along mountain paths through vast forests to the high plateau of the mountain chain - about 2.600 meters.
Here you can enjoy fantastic views over the seven Rila lakes - incredibly beautiful.  Then the descent leads us through the Djerman river valley. Along the Pravi Iskar river we reach a mountain village- Govedartsi. Our final destination is the tiny village of Nadzhare, the horses get excited as they sense the stables are near! The horses remain here overnight and we transfer back to the Iskar hunt reservation.

Day 7: This morning we ride out along the Beli Iskar River to the town of Samokov – we have reached the starting point of our ride! We say good bye to our horses. Farewell dinner at the Iskar hunting lodge. We spend our last night in Bulgaria here.

Day 8: Transfer to Sofia and journey home.

subject to change

Rates and Dates for Rila Mountains Ride

Dates Note: Saturday-Saturday.

Other Info
Meeting: Samokov
Airport: Sofia
Transfer: From Sofia included.

Climate:

During spring the climate is continental. Summers are hot. The summer temperatures are about 28 degrees Celsius. Autumns are mild and wonderful covering the leafs of the trees with different colours. Marked by four distinct seasons, Bulgaria enjoys a generally favorable climate that is one of the country's best features. Although located at the same latitude as southern New England, Bulgaria's climate is noticeably more temperate. Summers are typically hot and dry, but rarely oppressive, with moderate relative humidity. Winters are cold but not bitterly so. In the south and Black Sea coastal regions, Mediterranean influences temper the harsher continental climate of the interior. The country's half-dozen mountain groups also play a significant part in determining regional variances.