BULGARIA - Orpheus Mountains Self Guided Trek
This trek passes through some of the most spectacular parts of the Rodopi Mountains (the Trigrad Gorge, Yagodina Cave, The Miraculous Bridges and so on), this trip gives you the opportunity to explore the mountain without being escorted by a guide, relying just on your own ability to handle exciting and surprising situations! Pre-arranged accommodation and luggage transportation during the whole trip ensure the pleasure of unrestricted walking through the wilderness of the mythical Orpheus' native lands. The trail affords breathtaking views over high rocky cliffs, dense woods, alpine meadows and the tiny villages where tradition is kept alive.
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Orpheus Mountains self-guided trek
Every day from May to September
Special highlights:
Rodopi Mountains The Rodopi Mountains (with highest peak: Golyam Perelik
2191m) are the oldest mountains on the Balkan Peninsula.
Trigrad (1250 m) is a small village in the central part of the Rodopi
Mountains.
Yagodina Cave is among the longest caves in Bulgaria (more than 10 000m
mapped so far), considered to be one of the most beautiful in Europe
with its outstanding stalactites, stalagmites, columns, ponds and cave
pearls in them.
The Devil's Throat Cave has its name from a legend. It tells that if
you let something flow in the cave river it will never come out again.
And there is a cave waterfall - one of the highest underground waterfalls
in Europe, 42 m high.
The Miraculous bridges (1450 m) are 2 unique rock formation about 40
m. high.
Bachkovo Monastery is the second largest Bulgarian monastery.
Itinerary:
Day 1. Arrival at Sofia airport and transfer to Yagodina village for
overnight (3,30hrs drive).
Upon arriving at your hotel the driver will continue on with the unnecessary
luggage to your hotel in Trigrad, where you will stay on Day 2, so please
keep the things that you are going to need for the walk on Day 2 and
leave the rest in the car.
/dinner/
Day 2. Today you will have a short walk to the Yagodina Cave and back
to Trigrad village (walking distance - 15 km, or 9,3 miles.). After
the cave tour (be prepared for the temperature inside the cave which
is only 6oC), the path continues through coniferous woods, potato fields
and along the upper edges of the high cliffs of the Trigrad Gorge to
Trigrad itself, where you will stay overnight.
Uphill walk: 600 m; downhill walk: 250 m.
/breakfast, dinner/
Day 3. Starting from the hotel in Trigrad, the trail leads to the remote
village of Vodni Pad and back to Trigrad village (walking distance -
20 km). This stage provides you with a good overview of the way of life
experienced by the local people, combined with the serenity of the coniferous
forests en route.
The path is a good one, passing through coniferous woods the entire
time. After ascending to the summit region of the mountains, the track
follows its highest points affording views on the right-hand side of
potato fields and green meadows. You can stop in Vodni Pad for lunch
and a siesta. The return journey is a real delight, tracing the Trigradska
River all the way back to Trigrad village.
Uphill walk: 400 m; downhill walk: 450 m
/breakfast, dinner/
Day 4. The walk today starts from Trigrad village, and continues through
alpine meadows and old forests to the Chairski Lakes before heading
back to Trigrad - via the Trigrad Gorge and The Devil's Throat Cave
(walking distance - 22 km. As the trek is a bit long you will need to
make an early start in order to complete all the stages. At first the
path heads up over the opposite hill of Trigrad village. Then following
the ridge it goes down along green meadows, full of orchids during summer
time, to the dirt track that leads on to the Chairski Lakes. Having
visited the lakes, the path goes back down to another point of the same
dirt track. Then along the Livadnitsa River, flowing in into Trigradska
River at the beginning of Trigrad Gorge itself, you continue uphill
along the asphalt road through the gorge. You just have to walk between
the 250 m (or 820 ft) high cliffs of the gorge to The Devil's Throat
Cave and further on to Trigrad. You will stay overnight in the same
hotel in Trigrad.
Uphill walk: 900 m; downhill walk: 700 m
/breakfast, dinner/
Day 5. An early morning transfer to Beden village (1,150 m) will deposit
you at today's starting point. Your luggage will continue with the car
and will be waiting for you at the guesthouse in Liaskovo village, where
you will stay overnight (walking distance - 24 km). From Beden, the
path travels up to the ridge by the Dry Peak, weaving northwards through
picturesque hills and affording superb views across the mountains to
Liaskovo village (1,185 m). This is the most panoramic day of the program.
Uphill walk: 350 m; downhill walk: 315 m.
/breakfast, dinner/
Day 6. After breakfast you start your trek from Liaskovo to the Skalnite
Mostove Hut (1,620 m), a 15 km walk through century-old coniferous woods
and hidden meadows. Your luggage will be taken from Liaskovo and will
be waiting for you at the end of the day when the guide meets you by
the hut. After a visit to the rocky phenomenon of The Miraculous Bridges
(which is most probably a result of an ancient cave collapsing during
an earthquake), you will make the short transfer (30 km) to the village
of Kosovo, where you will stay overnight.
Uphill walk: 635 m; downhill walk: 200 m
/breakfast, dinner/
Day 7. In the morning you will have time for a short stroll around
the village. Then you will be transferred to Plovdiv via the Bachkovo
Monastery (there we will make a short stop). In the afternoon you can
go on a sightseeing tour in Plovdiv's Old Town, which still possesses
ancient houses and monuments. You will stay overnight in Plovdiv.
/breakfast/
Day 8. Depending on your departure time you will have transfer to Sofia
Airport (transfer time: 2 hrs).
/breakfast/
DETAILED ROAD BOOK AND MAP WILL BE PROVIDED UPON ARRIVAL
Accommodation:
You will stay overnight in small pensions and guesthouses with en-suite
facilities on HB (breakfast & dinner included except for day 7 when
no dinner is included). Ordering lunch packs is available in each of
the pensions if necessary for the day walks (at the amount of 5-6 Euro).
Luggage transportation:
A daypack for carrying personal items during the daily treks is necessary.
Unnecessary luggage will be transferred as follows:
Day 1: from Yagodina to Trigrad upon arrival in Yagodina
Day 5: from Trigrad to Liaskovo (after leaving you in the village of
Beden)
Day 6: from Liaskovo to the village of Kosovo
Day 7: from Kosovo to Plovdiv together with you
Difficulty grade: B
Best period: May-September
Weather:
Temperatures expected for this period are between +15 and +30oC. Sometimes
noontime could be a little exhausting for trekking on open territories.
Rainfalls or short but heavy showers are possible, being a bit prolonged
during spring and late autumn.
Equipment and clothing:
Necessary items: daypack (35 l); walking waterproof boots with suitable
ankle support; sunscreen lotion; mobile phone (ESSENTIAL! In case of
emergency in the mountains). Fountains with drinking water are available
during the daily walks.
For full list with recommended items see "General".
Vaccination:
Optional. See "General" for more information.
Group size: Minimum 2 persons
The price includes: all ground transfers including pick up/drop off
at Sofia Airport; detailed road book with map; luggage transfers, accommodation
and boarding as mentioned above; VAT and all local taxes.
The price does not include: tips, lunch packs and other meals, entrance
fees, alcohol drinks, cigarettes and other personal expenses.
Joining instructions:
Low-cost flights to Bulgaria: please check: Wizz Air - http://wizzair.com/;
Sky Europe - http://www1.skyeurope.com/; Easy Jet - http://www.easyjet.com/;
Germanwings - http://www.germanwings.com/; My Air - http://www.myair.com/;
Penguin Travel - http://www.flybulgarien.dk/; Norwegian Air Shuttle
- http://www.norwegian.no/.
Joining the tour: in recent days there are loads of opportunities to
book a cheap flight to Bourgas or Varna airports instead of landing
at Sofia Airport. We can arrange for you a bus or train ticket to Sofia
or Plovdiv, where most of the tours start. Here are some approximate
prices for transfers:
By bus: Bourgas or Varna to Sofia - appr. 15 Euro/person one way (appr.
5-7 hrs drive)
By train: Bourgas or Varna to Sofia - appr. 10 Euro/person one way (sleeping
compartments +10 Euro). For train schedules please check: http://bdz.creato.biz/en
(appr. 7-8 hrs drive)
By plane: Bourgas or Varna to Sofia - appr. 100 Euro/person one way
(for schedules and prices please check: http://www.air.bg/en) (appr.
1 hr flight)
Private transfers: Bourgas airport - Sofia (appr. 4 hrs drive): 150
Euro/car (1-3 pax); 190 Euro/bus (4-7 pax); Varna airport - Sofia (appr.
6 hrs drive): 170 Euro/car (1-3 pax); 210 Euro/bus (4-7 pax)
Transfers from Bourgas or Varna airport to the railways/bus stations
in these cities - 25 Euro per car one way (1-3 pax), 45 Euro per bus
one way (4-7 pax)
GENERAL
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TOUR TYPES & GRADES
We provide different varieties of tours as regards to their types and
difficulty grades! Whether you will choose individual and group tours
with a guide or combined tours with a guide for some part of the trip
depends on you. We emphasize on using local experienced guides with
knowledge of the local language, culture, history, art, etc. The tours
are conducted in the English language. Guides in other languages are
available upon request. Tour types Our tours are divided in different
tour types, regardless of being guided or not or if someone travels
alone or in a group. We have prepared your vacation so that you can
concentrate on new impressions and experiences, awaiting you all the
time. Here is a description of the various tours: IT: Individual tours
There is no guide on this tour. You travel individually and we are responsible
for the hotel overnights and /some/ transfers. Sometimes you will travel
together with other people. If you wish a guide can be arranged, if
ordered. We take it for granted that you can read maps, provided by
us upon arrival. -----------------------------------------------------
Difficulty grades To prepare yourself for the best of your vacation
we recommend that you start planning it in an advance. Good physical
condition is required. In order to achieve it we advise you to start
walking, jogging or cycling everyday. Swimming a couple of times a week
is also highly recommended. You do not need much to get yourself in
shape. And don't forget that the most important tip for an unforgettable
active holiday is to choose a trip which corresponds to your physical
condition!
B: Moderate Most of you, who are used to walking during a long weekend,
will be in condition to cope with a tour of this level. You should be
in good health condition and not too bad physical condition. We have
successive days of longer and more difficult walking and days of lighter
walking. Some parts of the day routes are done at a higher altitude.
The paths are in good condition. We walk for 5-7h a day. You are free
to skip some walks and have a rest.
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