Bulgaria
Highlights
Sofia, Belogradchik, Veliko Tarnovo, Velingrad, Devin, Bansko
Duration
9 days, 8 nights, 6 riding days
Total Distance
1600 km(994miles)
from
1900 EUR
Tour Overview
About 1500 km ride on a motorcycles through the mountain area of Bulgaria: Balkan Mountains, Rhodopes and Rila. Stunning rides along picturesque roads, old capital of Bulgaria – Veliko Tarnovo, full day relaxation at the SPA capital – Velingrad, the city of Devin known for its healing mineral waters and biggest ski resort of Bulgaria - Bansko. Numerous dams, lakes, rivers and reservoirs, historical and cultural monuments, strange creations of nature and amazing landscape of all kinds are waiting for you during the trip.
Tour dates:
13 - 21 May 2023
27 May - 4 June 2023
10 - 18 June 2023
1 - 9 July 2023
12 - 20 August 2023
- Start/Finish: Sofia
- Accomodation: 4 Star Hotels, 5 Star Hotels
- Tour dates: Calendar
- Highlights: Sofia, Belogradchik, Veliko Tarnovo, Velingrad, Devin, Bansko
- Duration: 9 days, 8 nights, 6 riding days
- Guide language: English, Bulgarian, Russian,
- Group: 6 - 8 members
- Terrain character: Mountains, Panoramic Roads
Day by day schedule:
Day 1. Arrival in Sofia.
Welcome! You arrived to Sofia - largest city and the capital of Bulgaria. We meet you at the airport and bring to the hotel. During evening meeting you will meet other participants of the tour and members of KHL crew. We will describe our rout and rules of the tour.
Day 2. Sofia – Belogradchik – about 240 km.
Our adventure begins. The road passes along the ridge of the Balkan Mountains and reaches the Belogradchik Rocks – a natural phenomenon formed more than 200 mln years ago. On our first day we will visit one of the most picturesque Bulgarian caves – the Magura Cave. It is famous for its prehistoric rock paintings from the Bronze Age, only of a kind in South-eastern Europe.
Day 3. Belogradchik – Veliko Tarnovo - about 400 km.
We leave the western part of the Balkan Mountains and head to the Central Balkan Natural Park. Somewhere in the middle of our route, we will stop at the Beklemeto pass at an altitude of 1595 m to see the panoramic view of the valley. Beklemeto pass is crossed by a Romain road built during the reign of the emperor Trajan. It was made by Romans to connect the ancient town of Ulpia Oescus from the north and Philippopolis (today’s Plovdiv) on the south. The final destination of the day is an old capital of Bulgaria – Veliko Tarnovo. For almost two centuries (from the end of the XII till the XIV century) this city was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. The most interesting site of the city is the fortress of Tsarevets – one of the symbols of Bulgaria.
Day 4. Veliko Tarnovo – Velingrad - about 340 km.
Our adventure takes us to the most famous pass in Bulgaria – Shipka. But before that, you will enjoy a curious meeting with Etara - an open-air ethnographic museum, which will show you the daily life and sources of work of the Bulgarians during the second half of the XVIII century and in the XIX century. Reaching to the top of the pass, we will face the stunning view of Shipka Monument of Freedom – a memorial honouring those who lost their lives for the freedom of Bulgaria. Just after getting down from Shipka pass we climb highest Bulgarian mountain – Rila. Undoubtedly, Rila is one of the most picturesque mountains, which opens breath-taking views from its tops all year round. In the afternoon we head to one of top known places in Bulgaria, which in July 2009 was declared as the SPA capital of the Balkan peninsula - city of Velingrad.
Day 5. Velingrad.
A whole day of well-deserved relax at a SPA centre in Velingrad.
Day 6. Velingrad – Devin - about 220 km.
In the morning, we will set off to Batak – a historic city, which is well known in Bulgarian history for the April Uprising of 1876 and the heroism and self-sacrifice of its citizens. We will pass around the remains of Asen’s Fortress to reach Pamporovo – the southernmost ski resort in Bulgaria. It is located 1650 m above sea level, at the foothills of the peak of Snezhanka (1926 m) in the Rhodopes. We will have lunch at the architectural reserve of Shiroka Laka, a village famous for the Rhodopes-style architecture of its houses, its musical traditions and history. We will spend the night in Devin – a city famous for its mineral water of miraculous properties.
Day 7. Devin – Bansko about 160 km.
Our route in the Rhodopes will continue through the Trigrad Gorge. It was formed as a result of the destructive forces of the Trigrad River, which has cut its way into the rocks and has formed this natural phenomenon of impressive proportions. We will visit Dyavolskoto garlo (the Devil’s Throat cave), which is connected with the myth of Orpheus, who descended to the underworld from here to search for his beloved Eurydice. We will visit Orlovo oko (Eagles’ Eye) – a peak in the mountain with a cantilever bridge jutting out of the abyss. Standing over it, you will feel weightless. Our route continues along the southern parts of the Rhodopes to the city of Gotse Delchev. Driving along the Mesta River, we will soon reach an amazing place, where three mountains join together – Rila, Pirin and the Rhodopes. There, we will find the biggest ski resort in Bulgaria – Bansko, where we will spend the night. The city of Bansko itself is always crowded with tourists. The summer season starts immediately after the end of the winter season, which starts in December and ends sometimes in May. Mountain hikers, bikers, extreme sports and horse-riding lovers arrive then. The folklore festival and the international jazz festival are the most important cultural events in the city, which attract thousands of tourists.
Day 8. Bansko – Sofia about 180 km.
We will drive right through the heart of the Rila Mountain – the Rila Monastery, the most popular spiritual centre in Bulgaria, one of the biggest active monasteries for men in the world. It is located in the north-western part of Rila, in the valley of the Rilska River, 1150 meters above sea level. A winding road leads to the monastery, which ends on a relatively level area, where the visitors find themselves in a completely new world: in front of them they see the view of an impregnable fortress with a church located in its centre surrounded by a colonnade. The monastery was built on the place where Saint Ivan of Rila - the patron saint of the Bulgarian people died and was buried. We set off to Sofia along a picturesque road in the mountains, along Iskar Reservoir – the largest by area and volume reservoir in Bulgaria, which supplies the capital with drinkable water. Our tour will end in Sofia, where you will enjoy your final dinner with us and you will be able to share your impressions and pictures with the other participants of the tour.
Day 9. Sofia – take-off.
Your flight back home is on this day.
What is included in the tour
- Transfer to and from the airport
- Accommodation in first class 4-5* Hotels
- Breakfast and dinner
- Lunches while driving
- Escort car
- Motorcycle rental
- Professional guide on a motorcycle
- Tours along the route
- Souvenirs
- Ferry tickets
- Road taxes
- Petrol
Include:
- Airplane tickets
- Personal expenses
- Alcohol and drinks
- Lunches on rest days
Not included:
Tour pricing:
- BMW F 850 GS: 2600 €
- BMW R 1250 GS: 2700 €
- BMW R 1250 GS Adventure: 2800 €
- Own motorcycle: 1900 €
Price per rider:
- Passenger: 1900 €
- Single room: 400 €
- Deposit motorcycle: 2000 €
- (The deposit is refundable at 100% upon return of the bike without damage after the end of the tour)