A tour designed to explore both the natural and cultural merits of the Rodopi Mountains – century-old coniferous woods which fill your lungs with fresh air; deep gorges banked with vertical cliffs more than 250 m, or 820 ft, high; green meadows decorated with a colourful carpet of flowers; sinister caves; the blue waters of mountain dams and unique local architecture and habitats.
This tour has a guide and is vehicle supported, but self-guided option is also possible upon request.
Tour highlights:
• The mystic Rodopi Mountains – the oldest mountain on the Balkans
• Peaceful mountain sceneries and rich biodiversity
• Typical mountain villages architecture and vivid local life
• 3 of the most beautiful mountain dams in Bulgaria
• Stunning natural phenomenas – gorges, caves, rock bridges, lakes
Itinerary:
Day 1. Plovdiv - Batak dam - Beglik dam - Dospat
After a transfer from Plovdiv ( 1.5 hours) we begin cycling few kilometers from Velingrad, from the picturesque landscape of Tsigov Chark (1000 m a.s.l.) countryside by Batak dam (1170 m a.s.l.) to the town of Dospat . On the way we go round the blue-green waters of Goliam Beglik (1525 m a.s.l.) and Shiroka poliana dams before reaching the town of Dospat (1358 m a.s.l.) and its dam, where we stay overnight in a hotel.
Cycling distance: 52km
Day 2. Dospat - Yagodina cave - Devil's throat cave - Trigrad
The biking starts from Dospat via Borino town to the Buinovsko Gorge, which is also a gate to the next stop - the Yagodina Cave (1015 m a.s.l.). Here we make a cave tour before going further to Trigrad village, passing among the 250 m high cliffs of the Trigrad Gorge. Here another sinister cave is expecting us - The Devil's Throat Cave, housing one of the highest underground waterfalls in Europe. Overnight in Trigrad (1240 m a.s.l.) in a family hotel.
Cycling distance: 50 km
Day 3. Trigrad - Shiroka laka - Smolyan - Plovdiv
A pleasant descent along Trigradska River brings you to the village of Grohotno (800 m a.s.l.) and the natural rock
phenomenon "The Elephant". Then we continue upstream Shirokolushka River to the village of Shiroka Luka (1058 m a.s.l.). We stop here to savour the spirit of this architectural reserve, famous for its preserved houses dating back from the Bulgarian Revival Period. We pass by the beautiful Smolyan lakes and finsh cycling in Smolyan town(1000 m a.s.l.), from where a car takes us back to Plovdiv (1 hour).
Cycling distance: 66 km
Price includes:
Two nights at family run hotels/guesthouses incl. breakfast, rooms with private facilities, 2 lunches (lunchpacks), all transfers, luggage transport, English speaking driver/guide with a supporting vehicle.
The price does not include: ►flight tickets ►insurance ►drinks and meals not mentioned ►entrance fees ►tips ►accommodation in Sofia ►personal expenses
Price of extra services: ►single room supplement: 30 EUR ► rent of a helmet: 10 euro; rent of a rear saddlebag: 10 euro; rent of a handle-bar bag: 5 euro
Bike rental - Drag Grand Canyon TE: 40 EUR, Cross: 25 EUR, Our bikes
Recommended travel period of the year: April - October
Links to additional information:
http://cyclingbulgaria.com/ Road cycling and mountain biking in Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Croatia
Supplement per person at 2-3 bikers ins agroup: 40 EUR
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