Most Inspirational Moment
Glimpsing a large male Brown Bear sauntering slowly from the dark shadows of the Rodope mountain forest into the moonlit clearing in front of the hide. This precious moment was greatly anticipated & further enhanced by the fact that on the two previous evenings spent in the hide, Jays were the only wildlife that we saw. For me the fact that viewing of Brown Bears is never a guaranteed experience, re- enforces that they are extremely wild animals whose behaviour is still relatively un -influenced by the presence of humans and small scale tourism. Our group were therefore very honoured and privileged to be able to then watch him on this third night in his natural habitat for well over an hour - an emotional, awe inspiring & humbling experience where the previous unfruitful hours were soon forgotten.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian Perry - is a dedicated conservationist who is more than willing to inpart his knowledge about Bulgarian wildlife to anyone who shows an interest. He is also a kind, patient, calm group leader whose attention to detail and organisational skills are second to none. Thank you Julian, you made a potentially good holiday into an awesome one!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Ensure you read the Exodus trip notes. Written by Julian himself, in my opinion these notes describe the holiday and activities perfectly and therefore you can judge if this holiday is your cup of tea or not? Take at least one hiking pole, if not a pair. My pole helped me negotiate some of the steep mountain paths more confidently and safely and it was the one piece of equipment I am glad I packed.
Suggestions
This holiday benefits the local rural remote community by using a small intimate family run village hotel who serve local produce, and display and sell local crafts. Julian and The Bear conservation project also serve to educate the local residents about the facts and myths associated with these large carnivores to encompass a symbiotic living relationship.