Walking holiday in Bulgaria
| country: | Bulgaria |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2009: 12 Jul, 26 Jul, 16 Aug, 30 Aug, 13 Sep 2010: 17 Jul, 7 Aug, 28 Aug, 18 Sep |
| price: | From £699 - £729 (8 days) including flights from the UK. From £429 excluding flights. Local payment £60. Optional single supplement £55 |
| offers: | If you organise a group of 6 – 9 people onto one of our adventures we will give you £50 off per person. If you organise a group of 10 or more people onto one of our adventures one person will go FREE. Offer can not be combined with any other promotion. The booking must comprise of a minimum of 6 people, with 1 lead passenger who all the booking correspondence will be sent to. Adult prices must be more than £900 per passenger. Valid on all trips departing before 30 Sept 2009. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Your on foot exploration of Bulgaria's Rila Mountains begins in the north of the range, in the celebrated Seven Lakes area. Here you’ll make an ascent of Mt. Maliovitza (2729m) and wander amongst the many high lakes, streams and waterfalls. A gentler day starts with breakfast in the company of a mountain shepherd and ends relaxing in an open air thermal pool.
For many the highlight of the trip will be the two-day expedition through the mountains to reach the beautiful 14th century Rila Monastery. On the way you’ll pass through some of the wildest and most remote parts of the range and overnight at a traditional mountain refuge - a great place to meet and swap tales with fellow walkers. The beautifully preserved monastery slowly reveals itself as you descend from a ridge above – a memorable last day of walking.
For many the highlight of the trip will be the two-day expedition through the mountains to reach the beautiful 14th century Rila Monastery. On the way you’ll pass through some of the wildest and most remote parts of the range and overnight at a traditional mountain refuge - a great place to meet and swap tales with fellow walkers. The beautifully preserved monastery slowly reveals itself as you descend from a ridge above – a memorable last day of walking.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly to Sofia; drive to Rila National Park |
| Day 2-3: | Guiletchitza; walks to Strashnoto Lake & Maliovitza summi |
| Day 4: | Walk from Guiletchitza to Seven Lakes area |
| Day 5: | Breakfast with local shepherd & short walk to Sapareva Bania to visit thermal baths |
| Day 6-7: | Overnight expedition to Mt. Kabul; descent to Rila Monastery |
| Day 8: | Transfer to Sofia for return flight to UK; sightseeing (flight schedules permitting) |
how this holiday makes a difference
|
On this trip: This trip benefits many local Bulgarian people, from the hotel owners to our local family-run agency, the Group Leader and drivers. Groups spend time at a local visitor centre and share breakfast with a local shepherd, providing an opportunity to gain an insight into modern day Bulgarian life and culture. This area of the Rila mountain range, away from the Borovets ski station, is largely undiscovered by foreign tourists and the people you do meet are more likely to be locals or visitors from other parts of Bulgaria. The fees from a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Rila Monastery, contribute towards the upkeep and further restoration of this historic site.
Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Other charities that we work closely with include Born Free Foundation and The Travel Foundation, a UK charity that has been established to promote responsible travel practises throughout the whole of the travel industry. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |