BIKE-HIKE BULGARIA 2010
"The Best of Balkan Europe"
SEPTEMBER 3 - 12, 2010
$1399 early booking rate per person (in twin room) if full payment made by Mar 1
$1499 per person for full payment by July 1; single room supplement $299
(**Roundtrip airfare USA - Sofia is additional)
Fairytale fortresses, hidden mountain villages, pristine eco trails, healing mineral springs, picturesque monasteries, stalactite caves, & wonderfully fresh cuisine…Join The Trip Chicks™ on an active vacation in the oldest country in Europe & one of the continent’s best-kept secrets. We’re heading for Bulgaria, home to striking gorges, ancient rock drawings, lush valleys, bountiful salads, delicious dairy products, & the tasty plum-based rakia liquor.
A Balkan Peninsula nation, Bulgaria is sandwiched between Greece & Turkey to the south, with the Danube River & Romania to the north. To the west of the country lie Macedonia & Serbia & the Black Sea is to the east. Packed with folk traditions, friendly shepherds, eye-popping scenery, & healthful meals, our unique cycling & hiking adventure whisks us away to corners of “old world” Europe still under the typical tourist’s radar. Don’t miss it!
We spend two nights in 7,000 year-old Sofia, the Bulgarian capital. Then we begin exploring the best that the western Balkan mountain region has to offer. Our moderate-level adventure is suited for travelers comfortably able to hike between 2 & 3.5 hours a day & cycle from 15 to 40 kilometers a ride. Enjoy daily breakfast & dinner in cozy family-run inns. Our scenic excursions are by bus, on foot, & by bike, & highlight village life, great insider discoveries, & picture-perfect natural wonders. Discover this special slice of Europe. Sign up today for “Bike & Hike Bulgaria” & enjoy the beauty of Balkan Europe! Space is limited to just twelve travelers. Our trip includes:
- 3 Nights’ hotel accommodations in Sofia (with private facilities)
- 5 Nights’ lodging in family-run country guesthouses (private facilities)
- 9 Breakfasts (B) & 7 dinners (D)
- Daily excursions by bike, on foot, & by van with local English-speaking tour guide
- Use of sturdy 24-gear road bicycle with small saddle bag
- Support vehicle with local driver
- Walking tour of Sofia, visits to ancient monasteries, fortresses, caves, & mountain villages
- Free time to shop & roam
** Contact us for details on recommended Travelex travel insurance & optional airfare.
Please see “Terms & Conditions” page for exclusions, including suggested tips, etc. Accident insurance & helmets are required of all travelers joining us on our biking/hiking adventure.
Phone Ann or Wendy at The Trip Chicks™ today: 404-320-3033 or 770-454-7205.
Daily Itinerary(may change slightly based on weather for best travel experience)
Thurs./Fri. Days 1/2 U.S.A. - Sofia Depart on our overnight transatlantic flight. Welcome to Bulgaria! If it’s Friday, it must be Sofia. Meet “The Trip Chicks” in the airport arrivals hall. Then hop the bus for a transfer to our hotel. Rest up from jet lag before an optional dinner together. Early to bed tonight. (2B)
Sat. Day 3 Sofia After a relaxing breakfast, enjoy a walking tour of Sofia’s most photogenic sights, including gold-domed Alexander Nevski Cathedral, iconic emblem of the capital & largest in the Balkans. St. Sofia, dating from the 5th century, is the city’s oldest Eastern Orthodox church. Hotel dinner. Tomorrow, adventures await. (B/D)
Sun. Day 4 Sofia – Lakatnik - Vratsa Board our van for the 1-hour drive to Iskar Gorge cliffs. Then hike up to Lakatnik Rocks for a superb panorama of the Iskar River Valley. A slow descent brings us to Petranitsa River & further downstream, to Lakatnik village. From there we bike the gravel road past lovely meadows & forests to the village Bov. Stop at 14th century Cherepish Monastery, perched on the rocky river bank. Overnight in Vratsa, a picturesque ancient town founded by Thracians & nestled in the foothills. Hike 8 k. Bike 20 k. (B/D)
Mon. Day 5 Vratsa – Varshets See impressive 1,000 year-old stalactite & stalagmite formations during our tour of LedenikaCave, once filled with water. Now only the small “Lake of Wishes” remains. Legend says if you dip your hand in the ice-cold lake water, your wish will come true. Hike the tranquil eco-trail to Borov Kamyk waterfalls. After a steep path through a beech forest, we pick up our bikes for a downhill ride to Varshets, a popular old spa resort in northern Bulgaria famous for its curative mineral springs, mild mountain climate, & stunning scenery. Hike 6 k. Bike 37 k. (B/D)
Tues. Day 6 Varshets – Berkovitsa Today we transfer by van to the Petrohan pass, stopping en route at 13th century Klisurski Monastery. Reaching the pass, we cycle downhill on a gentle dirt road to the town of Berkovitsa, a ski resort in northwestern Bulgaria mentioned for the first time in Ottoman documents in 1488. Jaw-dropping scenery abounds & we have a full view of the Western Balkan mountain massifs. Bike 40 k. (B/D)
Wed. Day 7 Berkovitsa – Kopren - Chiprovtsi This morning our van brings us to Lopushanski Monastery, the most beautiful National Monument of Culture in northern Bulgaria. Next we hike along a nature trail, passing cascading waterfalls & unusual rock formations. Along rural byways, past verdant meadows & tiny villages, we bike to Chiprovtsi, a riverside settlement close to the Bulgarian-Serbian border. Founded in the Middle Ages as a mining & metalsmithing center, the small town is our overnight stop. Hike 5 k. Bike 12 k. (B/D)
Thurs. Day 8 Chiprovtsi – Belogradchik Visit 10th century Chiprovtsi Monastery, which remained a vital religious center throughout the ages despite frequent raids by marauding tribes. Next we visit Belogradchik Fortress, first constructed during Roman times. An imposing stronghold, it is one of the best-preserved in Bulgaria & is considered a cultural treasure. Bike to Belogradchik Rocks, a group of bizarre sandstone & limestonerocks more than 600 feet high. This afternoon explore Magurata Cave, site of animal cult rituals. The expansive cave is
world-known for its remarkable prehistoric cave drawings originating from 3,000 to 1,200 B.C. Like to sip the special Bulgarian wine produced within the cave? It resembles French champagne. Hike 3 k. Bike 15 k. (B/D)
Fri. Day 9 Belogradchik – Chuprene – Sofia Our hike through the peaceful coniferous-forested Chuprene Reserve, on the ridge of Chiprovska Mountain, is the perfect way to end the active part of our Bulgarian tour. Back to Sofia in time for our farewell dinner & our final overnight in beautiful Bulgaria. Hike 7 k. (B/D)
Sat.. Day 10 Sofia – U.S.A. Transfer to the airport for our return flights to the U.S.