Bulgaria: Rodopi Mountains

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking the plank at the Eagle's eye

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fantastic and inspirational. Passionate and happy to share his extensive knowledge of the country and region. Excellent walk leader - pace and support for strugglers.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a microfibre cloth to dry the bathroom floor. Take tea bags - although the herbal tea is fine, really missed a good cuppa. Consider adding an extra day or two at the end to explore Sofia.

Suggestions

My first Exodus experience, all positive.

Most Inspirational Moment

This isn't the sort of trip that has one stand out moment, the experience and enjoyment builds through the week to give you a really satisfying glow at the end.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We were lucky, we had two, both of whom were excellent, on the top of their game, and with a great sense of humour. Svetla was always cheerful, knowledgeable and helpful. Here unusual academic background in anthropology and a host of other subjects meant that she could impart a lot of very interesting insights into the social as well as natural environment. Julian has an encyclopedic knowledge of the area and years spent in bear research which gave us the bonus of having his enthusiasm and expertise, as a result of which I can now identify a worrying number of species by their poo! They were both great fun to be with and I would very happily sign up for a trip knowing they were the leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Come and enjoy it! Make sure you have a reasonable level of fitness, bring a plug for the wash basin and think about doing an extra couple of days in Sofi,a either at the start or the end of the trip, it would be time well spent. Mountain weather can be variable, so come prepared.

Suggestions

The Rodopi mountains are a spectacular location and the people we met were lovely. If you like walking in mountains, have an interest in wildlife and enjoy discovering local food this is a great trip to sign up to. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Oh yes, one last thing everybody in our group got along really well together which made it an even more enjoyable experience, so a big thankyou to them too.

Most Inspirational Moment

Everyone mentions the lunch stops - but it was so lovely looking at the wildflowers, the birds and the views. There are not many places left in Europe that are so unspoilt. We rarely saw other people when we were out walking. Finding bear paw prints on a walk through some woods was unexpected!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nelly was excellent. One of the best guides I have encountered on a holiday. She spoke English fluently and was a good communicator with the group. Her knowledge of the local flora and fauna was extensive. She gave us a lot of background on the history and culture of Bulgaria. She was very helpful and attentive to the needs of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I spent an extra day in Sofia and I can recommend this. There is a lot to see in the city centre. The Metro system is easy to use and cheap. Be prepared for showers when out walking and take lots of sunscreen.

Suggestions

I wish I had tried to learn a few words of Bulgarian before the holiday. If you are not flying direct to Sofia make sure you have enough time to make your connecting flight. One hour was not enough when flying from Manchester due to delays.

Most Inspirational Moment

All the walks were lovely, but the lunches among the wild flowers, sitting in a high meadow, were something special.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Neli was an outstanding leader. She was attentive to the needs of her party, patient, and was a great source of knowledge about Bulgaria, its history, politics, and culture. She really knew her local flora and fauna, and even knew all the names in English! She also boasted just about the best English language skills I've come across in a local guide, indeed her vocabulary would have put many native speakers to shame! Most importantly however, she was absolutely passionate about Bulgaria, and the Rodopi in particular.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring a waterproof, it showered on most days, although only in the afternoon. Bring binoculars for the wildlife. Bring at least a one-litre water bottle - it can get hot, and although the walking is not arduous, the days were quite long. If you get Exodus to book flights with a stopover, check the timings. They wrecked our first day by allowing just one hour at Frankfurt airport. The plane was late taking off in the UK, and mayhem ensued. We eventually arrive many, many hours late, after many changes in flights! This was the only negative about the whole holiday however!

Most Inspirational Moment

The consistency of how beautiful the views were each day when we lunched. The other aspect that really appealed to me was how natural the food we ate during the week was and how little processed food was served during our stay at Hotel Yagodina.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nelly's command of the English language is the best I have ever experienced in a non native speaker. Her willingness to help and accommodate people in the group was outstanding. Her passion and knowledge of the flora, fauna, folklore and history of Bulgaria was unsurpassable. I believe she has found her forté as a guide and I intend to nominate her in the Exodus Annual Leader Awards.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Some of the group members who didn't spend a night or two in Sofia either at the beginning or the end of the holiday regretted their decision. I really enjoyed my two day stay in the capital and saw more of it than I imagined I would when I joined an organised cycle tour of the city that covers about 20kms and lasts about three hours.

Suggestions

If in doubt, just book it. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sitting and gazing across the valleys and gorges from 6,000 feet up.

Thoughts on Group Leader

A fantastic leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring binoculars.

Most Inspirational Moment

Lunch most days was in beautiful meadows with masses of colourful Spring flowers and great views of the mountains - a real joy! The traditional Bulgarian singing and dancing on our final night was very enjoyable - Maria's mother and her team were an inspiration, and it was nice to see three generations of the family joining in the fun.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Svetla is excellent, and her passion and affection for the area were infectious. She is very well organised, always cheerful and positive, and has a great sense of humour. Her style in leading the walks was relaxed, whilst highly professional and she always ensured that all members of the group were comfortable with the pace.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you have time, stay an extra night or two in Sofia but make sure you join the group at the airport for the transfer to Yagodina - this can be arranged via the Exodus Office when you book. Sofia is an interesting and historic city, with impressive Roman ruins, a thriving music and cultural scene and some excellent restaurants. It is compact and easy to get round with a modern metro system. There are free city walking tours, which are highly recommended - tips for the local, well-informed, English-speaking guides are optional but well deserved

Most Inspirational Moment

Realising that bears were probably within a kilometre or so of us as we walked through the forest. Julian's enthusiasm about all things 'bear' was catching. His expertise was not, however, limited to bears. The most photographed moment was on the last night when a small group of ladies from the village came to share traditional songs and dances. Seeing fellow walkers joining in with enthusiasm was a special moment.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Julian is a superbly knowledgeable leader. His long association with the region makes him an expert in the area's cultural heritage, as well as in local flora and fauna. His extensive knowledge of the mountain tracks and paths meant that there was always an alternative possible if weather conditions dictated a change of route.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for changes in the daily routes - the mountain weather is unpredictable and thunderstorms meant we had to abandon one climb for a more sheltered walk. Late snow also meant we did not reach the highest point described in the trip notes. The alternative were always carefully explained and fascinating. Bring waterproofs. Delicious four course meals can become a habit. Be prepared either to keep up the strenuous walking routine at home or suffer hunger pangs for the first few days at home.

Suggestions

This is a great way to visit Bulgaria. You could add on a day or so to see Sofia but the mountains are sufficient to justify the trip. The orchids were plentiful and the traces of bears were a wonderful reminder of the varied wildlife that makes its home in the region.

Most Inspirational Moment

It is difficult to choose one moment as the whole trip was so beautiful. But I really enjoyed Sveti Ilia hike, the views were breathtaking and we even managed to see some wall creepers!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was great, very informative and knew the area really well. Nothing was too much trouble, she was always willing to help. It was easy to see that she was passionate about what she does and that she really enjoys showing her country to foreign visitors.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You might want to bring a lunch box with you. And don't forget a sunscreen!

Suggestions

You will never be hungry - every meal I had in Yagodina was absolutely delicious and the portions were huge. It was good to try local dishes, it was all home-made and very tasty. Alcohol was very cheap, everybody was pleasantly surprised at the end of the stay that our bills were so low!

Most Inspirational Moment

The walks were a little "samey" as many of the individual views are masked by the extensive conifer plantations but the viewing platform from St Elijah (Sveti Iliya) Ridge on Day 6 gave an impressive and unique aspect and from where we saw wall creepers on the rocks just below and could watch their red flashes in flight. Later the Yagodina Cave was an impressive side attraction.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good. Cheerful and willing - mixed well with the entire group. (Danced really well!)

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you take a large lunch box. The food is hearty but dull (a lot of cheese with every meal - especially breakfast!) - I would seriously suggest taking a bottle of ketchup or favourite brown sauce plus a supply of your favourite tea bags if you are not an avid coffee drinker. Beer, wine and coffee is very cheap - your bar bill will be a pleasant surprise!

Suggestions

The scenery is potentially stunning - much more dramatic than my favourite Derbyshire. However, some limited management of the trees is required to provide more open vistas and specific viewpoints, especially in and above the steep gorges. Imagine going to the English Lake District and being unable to see the lakes? As a consequence I am unlikely to return .