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8-day Balkan villages horseback trek in Bulgaria
Join a certified mountain guide to venture on this 8-day horseback trek in the beautiful Balkan villages in Bulgaria.
Group
Balkan Mountains
8 Days
Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Occasional
Intermediate
Highlights
- Ride on Stara Planina, the longest Bulgarian mountain to enjoy stunning views.
- Explore the rich biodiversity of the Central Balkan National Park.
- Visit the mineral springs in Chiflik and Shipkovo.
Description
Out of the varied mountainous regions in Bulgaria, Teteven Balkan is undoubtedly the best as it combines picturesque valleys with gushing rivers and ancient forests with vast meadows. Join us on this 8-day trip where we will take you on a thrilling horseback trek through the beautiful Balkan villages. We’ll not only ride over high ridges but also witness spectacular views of the crowned peaks and lush valleys.
The tour has so much to offer. Along with horseback riding, you’ll enjoy local cuisine and also get a glimpse of the unique culture of this area. Get ready to enjoy some home-made rakiya and tasty appetizers along with witnessing exceptional views of the Balkans.
The trail leads along the Stara Planina, the longest Bulgarian mountain which is especially popular among explorers for its diverse plant life.
We’ll begin from Sofia and head towards the quaint village of Golyam Izvor where you’ll meet your horses. It will be truly enjoyable to ride past the Central Balkan National Park, the Glozhene Monastery, Troyan Monastery, the Saeva Dupka cave and the mineral springs in Chiflik and Shipkovo during these 8 days.
We’ll ride at a low elevation on Stara Planina – between 400m to 1100m. The trail leads onto a rugged terrain along dirt roads. You’ll also have an option to trot and canter in this picturesque setting.
We’ll spend between 4 and 6 hours riding every day and don’t worry as the route and the duration of the ride can be altered taking into consideration your needs and abilities.
So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch now to have a memorable experience of riding in the Balkan villages in Bulgaria. We’ll be waiting for your message. Also, check out our page for some more adventures.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Sofia
Transfer to our hotel for overnight stay.
Day 2: Head towards Golyam Izvor
After breakfast, we’ll drive for about 1.5 hours to reach the village of Golyam Izvor in Teteven Balkan. Here, we’ll meet our horses. Our first ride is in the vicinity of Golyam Izvor.
Includes: B/L/D
Duration of ride: 3-4 hours
Day 3: Golyam Izvor to Glozene Monastery
The road passes through meadows and mixed forest. We will ascend the heights above the village where we will see the first beautiful view of the central ridge of Stara Planina and the town of Teteven surrounded by rocky peaks. Then, we will descend through a beech forest to reach Glozhene Monastery. Perched on a high rock, it reveals an even more spacious view of the Danube plain.
Includes: B/L/D
Duration of ride: 5 hours
Day 4: Trek from Golyam Izvor to Brusen & Lopian
The route starts with a dirt road along one of the ridges in the region, passing through Brusen village. Then, we’ll head off southwest to the village of Lopian where we’ll have late lunch and stay overnight. An optional tour to the Etropole Monastery and the waterfall near it (30 min drive) can be made.
Includes: B/L/D
Duration of ride: 5-6 hours
Day 5: Ride from Lopian to Cherni Vit
The trail leads through mixed forests uphill. We will then ride along unwooded ridge and further descend to the village of Cherni Vit. In the afternoon we will have a trip by car to Saeva Dupka cave which is known for its beautiful formations. Overnight in a guest house in Cherni Vit.
Includes: B/L/D
Duration of ride: 4-5 hours
Day 6: Head from Cherni Vit to Teteven
Starting from Cherni Vit, the route leads to the Boatin Reserve which is part of the Central Balkan National Park. The afternoon will be spent sightseeing Teteven.
We can also make an optional trip to Troyan Monastery (80 km) by car and Chiflik Spa. Overnight in a Hotel in Teteven.
Includes: B/L
Duration of ride: 4-5 hours
Day 7: Return from Teteven to Golyam Izvor and then back to Sofia.
Transfer to Cherni Vit village. On this last day of the ride, we will climb one of the many ridges from where we will have a last look at the breathtaking scenery of the Balkans. Transfer back to Sofia for overnight at a hotel.
Includes: B/L
Duration of ride: 5-6 hours
Day 8: Departure
Transfer to Sofia airport for departure.
Includes: B
Details
Accommodation 3 Nights in Hotel (two in Sofia and one in Teteven)
4 Nights in Guest Houses |
Photos
About the guide
We are a tour operator founded in Denmark in 1989. We have established ourselves as leaders on the Scandinavian and Bulgarian adventure tours field. With offices in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria and Russia, our company offers trekking, cycling, cultural, equestrian, fishing and photo tours in more than 50 countries, across Europe and in some of the world’s remotest locations.
Our focus has always been on taking our clients to remote and unexplored destinations for unique and exciting adventures. Our trips always include the maximum interaction posible with local communities, as we believe that discovering completely different cultures and places is an absolutely enriching experience for every traveler.
We have a team of adventurous and highly experienced guides, with a deep knowledge of the routes and logistics of each of our trips. We are mainly focused on organizig trips for small groups, looking to offer a personalized experience and the most flexible itineraries possible.
What people are saying about Explore-Share
Teodora Jugrin
5.00
Nov 19, 2021
I had a very good experience booking the hike through Explore-Share. Communication with the team was prompt and clear and the booking process was seamless. The trip itself was also just perfect. Uroš was a fantastic guide, highly skilled and talented. The hike felt safe at all times, even on more exposed routes, thanks to him. He was always up to date on the weather forecast and planned the days around it, checked the conditions on the route ahead of me, if needed, discussed and adapted the routes to my level and always made sure I was safe and comfortable. I highly recommend him, as well as Explore-Share.
SG
5.00
Oct 25, 2021
Explore Share is a really usefull website that has a great overview of reviewed guides for a (in our case) hiking/climbing trip. During the booking I got assigned an assistent for Explore Share that helped solve questions that I might have. Great customer service, and I will come back again.
Dan Laufer
5.00
Oct 17, 2021
Explore-share was easy to use and the staff and guide w ere very responsive. The trip descriptions were accurate and the pricing reasonable. I would definitely recommend the site for people looking to do guided hiking.
Mac
5.00
Oct 13, 2021
Excellent!! Great guide and service. I had a very good experience. Id do it again.
Amanda Gardner
4.00
Sep 14, 2021
Guide was very experienced and very patient with us. We learned a lot and he tried to fit in all the knowledge he could in one day, super awesome. A little tough going back and forth to get the trip set up hard to tell if the site is sketchy until you see reviews but all worked out. Ended up with an awesome day with an awesome guide. Overall pretty satisfied and thankful!
Meret Schädler
5.00
Sep 14, 2021
The whole experience was great! The customer service of explore-share was really good. I always got an answer very quick. I would absolutely recommend to use explore-share if you are looking for a great guide in a foreign country. 5 stars!
john mcevoy
4.00
Sep 10, 2021
What a trip, fantastic guide who picked me up and dropped me off. Would use again.
Catherine Derroitte
5.00
Aug 25, 2021
It's the 2nd time we have been booking with Explore-Share. The booking was super easy and both Explore-Share and the guide were fast in their responses. We did rafting as a family with 3 kids for the first time in Slovenia. The guide (José) was super nice. He was doing everything he could to make everyone at ease with rafting (he gave clear explanations), have a great team spirit (we were joined by 2 other girls) and have a good time. We had lots of fun and the nature there is so beautiful. Thank you Explore-share and Soca splash for the great afternoon! I would recommend this activity to anyone without a doubt. My kids immediately told me they want to do rafting again soon !"
Aditya Kumar Jha
5.00
Aug 2, 2021
Best platform for mountain sports services. Easy to use, great personalised service and support.
Ibolya Kovacs
5.00
Jul 5, 2021
I am very pleased to have booked with this group. All of my mails have been answered in no-time, I felt really safe on the rock and the atmosfere of the whole group helped a lot not to mind about stressing. Will be back for more!
Prices per person
Group of 1 | EUR 691 Each |
Group of 2 | EUR 691 Each |
Group of 3 | EUR 691 Each |
Group of 4 | EUR 691 Each |
Group of 5 | EUR 691 Each |
Group of 6 | EUR 691 Each |
Group of 7 | EUR 691 Each |
Group of 8 | EUR 691 Each |
Want a different number of travellers?
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Accommodation included
- Luggage transfer
- Permit and entrance fees
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Price details
Price per person. Minimum of 2 people and Maximum of 6. Price Includes: All meals according to the Itinerary, Saddled horses and Airport transfers.
Not Included: Flight tickets, Tips, Insurance, and Optional trips.
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