7 days mountain biking vacation in Bulgaria, small groups, 200 years authentic house, family hotels, local guides

7 days mountain biking vacation in Bulgaria (6 days riding + one day off riding), season 2018

authentic Bulgaria	Koprivshtitsa town	small groups	fully guided	bikes for rent	thermal springs	kayaking, rafting	valley of rouses
healthy and tasty food	Rila mountain	airport transfers	local guide	spare parts	borovets bike park	Rila monastery	Trakian tomb

This vacation offers cross-country style routes. We will bike mostly on forest roads, and - where possible – we choose singletracks without technical difficulties.
The average length of the rides is 32-42 km per day, with 400-1200 m gain/loss.
Propper season - from mid of April till the end of October

If you are interested in higher technical level routes (АllМmountain, Enduro), please, let us know beforehand, so that we can adjust the program.

Included in the package: 1/ 6 riding days (fully guided):
- Three days biking in Sredna Gora Mountains Sredna Gora is among the less touristic mountains, known for its milder slopes, climate and landscape, offering perfect conditions for mountain biking. The Real Sredna Gora offers a broad range of landscapes – from the bare ridges with panoramic views of the Balkan and the Thracian Valley, through the coniferous forests dispersing the sweet smell of pine resin, or sun baked rocky and sandy slopes, to beech and oak forests and the ever-damp gullies. The sandy soils form almost no mud and allow biking even in rainy days, and the summer is fresh even in August. The mountain reaches 1604 m ASL at Bogdan Peak, raising with 1100 m over the surrounding valleys and plains.
- Three days biking in Rila Mountain Rila – the highest mountain on the Balkans, reaches 2925 m at Musala Peak. It is rougher, with alpine landscapes and rocky steep tracks, under the shadow of thick spruce forests. Its name means “the water mountain”. Rila’s rivers never dry up, and spring brings water everywhere. There are more than 200 lakes in the mountain, 189 of them of glacial origin.

2/ Accommodation: 6 nights
- For the first half of the vacation, you are kindly invited to stay at our place, No Name Guest House in Koprivshtitsa town. This is a 200-years old traditional Koprivshtitsa house. It is located in the town, preserving the atmosphere of the National Revival, an architectural and historical museum, 1000 m ASL in Sredna Gora.
During you stay, you can enjoy the cobblestone streets, the stone-walls, and the cozy houses with colorful facades painted in the typical Koprivshtitsa style. The program includes a short guided tour in the museum houses.

- During the second half of the vacation, we will be based in the village of Govedartsi, at Dzhambazkata House family hotel. The village is located in the foot of Rila’s northern slopes, in the Cherni Iskar River valley. The altitude is 1000 m ASL and this location secures a fresh summer. Some of the greatest mountain biking routes in this mountain meet there.
Dzhambazkata House is a small family hotel built and catered by Dzhambazki family. It offers clean and cozy rooms, beautiful green garden with a small open-air pool in the yard. The hotel features a sauna and a Jacuzzi.

3/ Food.
The package includes all breakfasts and dinners offered by the respective guest-house/hotel, and the lunches are picnic type. Wherever possible, we’ll have lunch in a restaurant. The fourth day’s lunch (the day off riding) is not included in the price.

The food at the No Name House will certainly be one of the highlights of this vacation. The hostess Snezhana is a wonderful cook, offering rich and healthy meals. You can enjoy traditional – and not only – Bulgarian kitchen. Bread, yoghurt, jams and lyutenitsa are all home-made. We use quality products, selected from the local Friday market, from local producers. There are no portions in our place. The meal is served at the table and everyone helps himself/herself with whatever they like.
If you are vegetarian/vegan, or observe the kasher traditions, or you have specific food preferences, please, let us know, so that we can act accordingly.

4/ Transport.
The package includes the entire transport in Bulgaria – from the meeting point at Sofia airport to the departure from there. This includes the airport transfers, the transfers before and/or after every route, including the day off riding transfers.

The minibus is equipped with air-conditioning and has a big trunk, and the bikes are being transported in a special trailer.
The bike bags (or cartoon boxes) stay in the hotel.

5/ Day off riding.
According the common standards, the fourth day in all MTB vacations is a day off riding. It is dedicated to museum visits in Koprivshtitsa and Sofia, sightseeing, shopping (if you want), and transfer between Koprivshtitsa and Govedartsi. Also on offer, in case you desire, are lake kayaking, whitewater rafting, paragliding - tandem flight, visit to the Rila Monastery or a short hiking in Rila. If the group prefers, we can also do a short biking.

6/ More...
The package includes the entrance tickets for the mineral pools after biking (Streltcha and Separeva Banya), entrance tickets for the museum houses in Koprivshtitsa with an English speaking local guide, one-way lift ticketfor the bike park in Borovets, and one visit the sauna and jaccuzi in Djambazki house hotel

Rented bike is not included.
If you want to rent a bike for the vacation period, we can offer a full suspenssion mountain bike (RAM Trail and AllMountain). The price is 156 Euro. Including a helmet and gloves. Our bikes are equipped with flat paddles. If you prefer clips paddles, please bring your own.

Detailed program and route info

Sredna Gora Mountain and the Balkan Mountain (1st - to 3rd day)

day 1

Transfer from SA to Koprivshtitsa, riding in Sredna Gora Mountain

Transfer from Sofia Airport to Koprivshtitsa town

1 hour 30 min

Accommodation, presentation of the vacation plan, lunch. Unpacking the bikes. Preparation for riding

Circle route in Sredna Gora, Koprivstitsa area. The duration of the biking depends on the arrival time of the guests. The route offers flexible biking options.

The general plan provides climbing the main ridge of Sredna Gora along forest roads and singletrails. (the distance to the main ridge is 5 km with 400 m elevation). 3-4 km biking along the ridge follows, through mountain pastures offering unforgettable views towards the higher Balkan crests. The descent back to town is along a singletrack, left from the time when big sheep herds were bred there.

toal distance - 18 km (min/max 15/36 km)
elevation gain/ lost - +600/-600 (max 1000 m )

first night

No Name Guest House, Koprivshtitsa town

No Name Guest House informs: We offer four bedrooms – 11 beds, overall. There are three more options for accommodation in the living room, in a corner typical for this type of houses, where coaches loaded with large parti-coloured pillows line the glass walls, from where you can see the magnificent mountains. Inside the house and out in the garden two red-haired cats abide – cats who adore clean bedsheets. And our fragrant bedsheets are made of unbleached calico, trimmed with cotton lace.
Our blankets are warm, the heating system works perfectly and Time has stopped.
We will cook for you delicious and abundant dinner, lunch and breakfast. Butter, olive oil and brown sugar is what we use for cooking; if you want to try the traditional deep fried mekitsa, we are here for you. Also, ask for our aromatic coffee, raspberry wine, bulgarian yogurt, golden homemade honey and creamy fresh milk. Taste the irresistible freshly kneaded bread that we bake ourselves in a real oven. And if you decide to try the unique local river trout, our neighbor, Uncle Mitko, will catch several for you and we’ll cook them with home-grown rosemary…
The house is authentic and 200-years old so we’ve chosen not to smoke inside – that’s what the inviting garden is for. We don’t have a TV set but our bookshelves overflow with books in different languages.

day 2

Riding from Koprivshtitsa to Streltcha town

Leaving for the day after breakfast. We’ll ride along the route of the “Bloody letter” with which the revolutionary Kableshkov announced the burst of the revolution in Koprivshtitsa. The route climbs the steep narrow gully of Byala Reka through a fabulous coniferous forest, followed by a beech one still higher. The climb to the main crest is 5-6 km; the elevation is 400 m. A relatively flat section follows and then another short climb to the highest point of the route (1490 m) – the mountain pastures at the crest. If you still have a breath after the climb, you will totally loose it at the top, upon seeing the panoramic view over Thracia to the south and over the Balkan spine. The next part of the ride is mostly downhill. The road winds among massive rocks and old beech trees. The descent is varied - mostly on forest roads, - but there are some rather challenging tracks. This route ends in the town of Streltcha, where we can relax in a hot mineral water pool.

26 - to 36 km
+ 500 m / -1100

The lunch is a picnic. We will carry the food by ourselves along the route.

The transfer back to Koprivshtitsa will take about 30 min.

30 min

second night:

No Name Guest House, Koprivshtitsa town

day 3

Riding from Koprivshtitsa to Hisarya town

Today we will ride along the main ridge of Sredna Gora, from Koprivshtitsa to Hissarya. We will ride along winding forest roads and will go downhill along tracks. We will have lunch at Chivira Hut. The ride ends with a savage downhill ride towards Hissarya, where we can relax again with mineral water and a fresh drink.
The town of Hissarya hosts 17 centuries of history. It was established by the Roman emperor Diocletian, who was impressed by the mineral springs and by the favourable climate. He was the one to turn the ancient village into a town. During his time, the city wall was built, together with an amphitheater, baths, commercial complex and the ruins of all that is to be seen today.

40+ km
850 uphil
1480 dh

The lunch is a picnic. We will carry the food by ourselves along the route.

Transfer back to Koprivshtitsa - 1 hour. The road passes along the rose plantations of Karlovo Valley.

1 hour

third night

No Name Guest House, Koprivshtitsa town

day 4

A day off riding

Today we leave Sredna Gora and enter Rila Mountain. But before leaving Koprivshtitsa, we will pay a short visit to the local museums, accompanied by a local tourist guide. He will tell us the town’s history and will introduce facts about the organization of the revolutionary movement against the Ottomans. We will visit a historic venue – the First Shot Bridge. The transfer to the next hotel takes 3 hours, but a short stop in downtown Sofia is provided for some sightseeing. If you want, we can also spare some time for shopping.

Other options:
1/ Kayaking in Dushantsi Dam Lake. (30-minutes drive from Koprivshtitsa). A couple of hours flat water kayaking is a great option for this day. Dushantsi lake is located in the valley of Topolnitsa River, right under the main crest of Stara Planina. The full circle takes around 2 hours, but with a stop for a picnic, it might be closer to 3+ hours. The price is 26 Euro per person. An experience is not required. It includes transport, a guide, the necessary equipment and a short tutorial for the people who don’t have any experience.
2/ WW Rafting in Struma River (April, May, June)
(1-2 hours, 10 km whitewater rafting through the rapids in Kresna Gorge, Struma River. All the equipment is provided, together with a guide.
Minimum 4 persons. Price - 40 Euro per person (incl. transport). An experience is not required.
(a visit to the Rila Monastery is an option)
3/ Rila Monastery sightseeing: the Rila Monastery is among the greatest cultural monuments in Bulgaria, a Bulgarian symbol, included in the UNESCO world heritage list. Built in 927 – 941 AC. It is located in the heart of Rila Mountain, 1.5 hours from Sofia and 3.5 hours from Koprivshtitsa. The organized touristic tour costs 23 Euro per person. (It can be combined with rafting along Struma River).

The lunch will be arranged according to the program. The cost of this lunch is not included in the package.

fourth night:

Hotel Djambazki House, Govedartsi village

Rila Mountain (5-th to 7-th day)

Mountain biking in Rila Mountain Bulgaria

day 5

Riding through Lakatishka Rila (a part of Rila Mountain)

Govedartsi - Sapareva Banya town
This route features all necessary elements to be entitled perfect. It starts with 11 km mild climb along the vale of the small Lakatitsa stream. The climb is only 100 m, which is perfect for warming up the muscles. Then comes the real climb up – 6.50 km. The route takes us to Zekiritsa Peak (1730 m) offering a magnificent panoramic view to the higher Rila crest. Here’s the place to have a short coffee break and then we go again. After a series of uphill and downhill ride, with prevailing descent, we reach the place for picnic at lunch time – the rocky formation called Obesen Kamuk. After the pleasure of having lunch at the crest of the mountain and the well-deserved rest, we keep on our route. We have ahead of us 14 km descent with 700 m displacement. There’s a wonderful track here across the forest, for the lovers of higher level of technical difficulties.

The descent ends in the village of Saparevo with its free zone, a natural bike park of a sort immediately above the village. After Saparevo, we will continue on the asphalt road leading to Sapareva Banya. We will relax in the open-air mineral pools there.
The thermal spring of Sapareva Banya is 102.3 С hot. The water (actually is steam) is captured and used for the hotels’ pools in the town. The open complex offers 7-8 pools with different water temperature, water jets, climbing wall, a bridge with loops over the water, chaise-longues, sunshades, two bars. All this is the perfect ending of the bike ride.

36 - to 42 km
950 m uphil
1100

The lunch this day is a picnic in the mountain. Upon leaving, we will distribute the food in our backpacks and will carry it with us.

Transfer back to Govedartsi

40 min

fifth night:

Hotel Djambazki House, Govedartsi village

day 6

Riding in Rila Mountan (the area Malyovitsa - Samokov)

Today we will bike along Iskar River Valley. We start with a 14 km ascent towards the central mountain school Malyovitsa. (1700 m ASL). Part of the ascent is along an asphalt road. If you don’t like biking on asphalt – no problems. We will “ascent” this section in the minibus. A very short ascent follows (500-600 m) along a forest road, and then we take the tracks down to the village of Govedartsi. 14 km descent to the village among beautiful coniferous forest, across streams and glades, and the last 5 km: by the river Cherni Iskar.
We will have lunch in the hotel in Govedartsi. The second part of the route leads us to the town of Samokov. We will ride along the forest roads and tracks to the place where the rivers Beli and Cherni Iskar meet, then the track above the river will lead us straight to the town’s park.
We will certainly have a beer in Samokov, and then the minibus will bring us back to the hotel.
Where the hot sauna, the Jacuzzi or the pool will be waiting for us.

last night:

Last night - same hotel
If you like, we can arrange a folklore night with live music at the hotel. The price is 120 BGN, divided among the participants in the group.

day 7

Riding in Rila Mountain - the area of Borovets Resort and Borovets Bike Park

Short transfer to Borovets Resort

15 min

We will have a short transfer with the minibus to Borovets. There are various options, depending on the group’s level. We will use the lifts of the resort in order to arrange a downhill ride.
The lunch is at the hotel. Time for dismantling and packing of the bikes, a shower and SA transfer.

If you are a small group and prefer a program customized for your needs, different from what we offer, be sure to contact us and we will consider your wishes.

Lunch in the hotel, packing the bikes, shower, checkout from the hotel

Transfer till Sofia Airport

1 h 30 min

departure

Proper season: from May to the end of October
Prices:
Group size	A single price in Euro	Dates	Availablilty
4 person	850	21 - 27. 05. 2018	full
5 person	800	2 - 8. 07. 2018	8
6 person	760
7 person	760
8 person	760
If your group is bigger than 8 person plesase ask.
Includes 6 riiding days (fully guided), one day off riding, accommodation - 6 nights, all the breakfasts and dinners, and 6 lunches during the rides, entrance fees for the thermal pools, a single ticket for Borovets bike park (the cabin or chair lift) and some more extras.
An extra night - 50 euro pp.
Rent-a-bike - 156 Euro per week (full suspenssion bike)
Possible extra payments during the day off riding: - kayaking at Dushantsi lake -26 euro per person - whitewater rafting on Struma River - 40 Euro pp, - Rila Monastery sightseeing - 23 euro pp. A short bike riding at this day will not cost you extra money.

day 1

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