Nature, history, culture
Discover the world from the saddle of your mountain bike. From Sofia, through the highest mountains of Bulgaria, visiting the most notable monasteries and towns. Six days of pedalling, immersed in the uncontaminated and green nature.
Day by day
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1
Arrival in Sofia
Meeting with our guide of mountain bike at Sofia Airport.
Transfer with private van to city downtown to buy local currency.
Hotel accommodation and dinner.
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2
Distance: 53 km, Ascent: 1015 m, Descent: 1000 m, Level: medium
From Sofia to Dren
Breakfast at 07.30. Setup of the bikes for the next 6-day trip. Departure at approximately 10.30. Soon the trail leads us into the intense green of the forests of Mount Vitosha.
Arrival at Dren in the afternoon. Accommodation in a farmhouse that has two comfortable apartments for guests. Dinner prepared with typical products made exclusively at home. Overnight stay.
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3
Distance: 30.5 km, Ascent: 690 m, Descent: 580 m, Level: easy
From Dren to Bistritza
Breakfast at 08.30, prepared with home made products. Departure at 09.30. Our route crosses agricultural fields and small, isolated villages.
Arrival in Bistritsa in the afternoon.
Hotel accommodation and dinner.
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4
Distance: 46 km, Ascent: 1130 m, Descent: 1100 m, Level: medium
From Bistritza to the Rila Monastery
reakfast at 08.00. Departure at 09.00.
The route leads us through the woods of pine, oak, hazel and alpine meadows to the town of Rila. Rila is the native village of St. Ivan of Rila (the holy founder of the largest and most important Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria).
Arrival at the Rila Monastery in the afternoon.
Visit of the monastery.
Accommodation at the hotel.
Typical dinner for this valley: the brook trout.
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5
Distance: 70 km, Ascent: 1585 m, Descent: 1630 m, Level: difficult
From Rila Monastery to Bansko
Breakfast at 08.00. Departure at 09.00.
We proceed towards the mountain hut Makedonia, situated at 2166 m, passing through the highest point of the whole journey - a mountain pass at 2185 m. above sea level. The climb is pedalable, except for a portion of the road damaged by the river, where we have to push the bikes for approximately 2 km. Once at the Makedonia hut, a long descent of approximately 20 km awaits us. Short uphill and again downhill to the village of Bania. From here to Bansko we have approximately 6 km of uphill.
Arrival in Bansko in the afternoon.
Accommodation at the hotel.
Visit of the city’s historic district. (Bansko is a strong fortress of the renaissance of Bulgaria and the largest ski resort on the Balkans).
Dinner in the typical restaurant “Bariakova Mehana” (winner of the Gold Award for the best cuisine in Bulgaria).
Overnight stay at the hotel.
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6
Distance: 38 km, Ascent: 730 m, Descent: 650 m, Level: easy
From Bansko towards T. Poliana
Breakfast at 08.30. Departure at 09.30.
Arrival at destination in the afternoon. (A private guest house, surrounded by trees, grass and flowers.)
Accommodation in the hotel rooms, rest, dinner and overnight stay.
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7
Distance: 64.5 km, Ascent: 1490 m, Descent: 2100 m, Level: difficult
From T. Poliana to Melnik
Breakfast at 07.30. Departure at 08.30.
A sequence of ascents and descents in the woods of Mount Pirin leads us for lunch at a modest restaurant in the mountains. Another short uphill and a long descent brings us to the village of Rojen, where we stop to visit the monastery of the same name (Rojen monastery was built in the XII-th century AD and is the oldest monastery on the territory of Bulgaria).
In the late afternoon we reach the picturesque town of Melnik, a city famous for centuries for its fine wines and wine culture.
Accommodation in the hotel. Dinner - there will certainly be a tasting of delicious wine and grape brandy.
Overnight stay.
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8
Melnik and Sofia
Visit of the town of Melnik and a wine house converted into a museum.
Trasfer to Sofia and a guided tour of the Bulgarian capital.
Hotel accommodation, dinner and overnight stay.
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9
Return
Transfer to Sofia airport. Return flight.
