- Engage in a vital brown bear conservation project
- Join daily bear-tracking walks with a brown bear expert
- Hunker down in a hide to observe wild brown bears
- Spot other elusive mammals, birds, butterflies, reptiles and rare orchids
- Explore remote landscapes in the Rodopi Mountains
- Sample delicious traditional local cuisine
Bulgaria: Realm of the Brown Bear
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Wildlife
Activity Level
Moderate
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you
Comfort Level
Classic
Scour the remote Rodopi Mountains for wild ‘ursus arctos’
Join European brown bear expert Julian Perry for a wildlife-watching adventure in the mystical mountains of Bulgaria. We’ll go on daily hikes, recording tracks, scats and other signs of bear activity as part of vital conservation work by local NGO, Wild Rodopi. On two evenings, we visit a bear-watching hide for a good chance to see the animals we have been monitoring. We will also be collecting images from several camera traps set up in the forests. By the end of this trip, we hope you will have seen wild brown bears and gained an understanding and appreciation of these mysterious, often misunderstood, animals.
Highlights
Key Information
- Accommodation: 7 Classic nights (Yagodina Family Hotel)
- Travel by private minibus, 4×4 and on foot
- Group normally 5 to 12, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
- Countries visited: Bulgaria
What's Included
- All breakfasts, six lunches and seven dinners included
- All accommodation
- All transport and listed activities
- Tour leader throughout
- Group arrival and departure transfers available
What's Not Included
- Travel insurance
- Single accommodation (available on request)
- Visas or vaccinations
Day 2
11 km / 6.8 miles
Day 3
14 km / 8.7 miles
Day 4
13 km / 8.1 miles
Day 5
10 km / 6.2 miles
Day 6
16 km / 9.9 miles
Day 7
10 km / 6.2 miles
Itinerary
Sofia Sofia
Fly to Sofia; transfer to the village of Yagodina in the remote Rodopi Mountains
Setting off from Sofia Airport, we begin an interesting four-hour transfer to the Rodopi Mountains. Our destination is the remote mountain village of Yagodina, our home for the next six nights. During dinner, our leader will give a welcome briefing about the week ahead and the work of Wild Rodopi, whose brown bear research and conservation project you will be assisting.
Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)
Start Sofia Airport; transfer to the village of Yagodina in the remote Rodopi Mountains
Setting off from Sofia Airport, we begin an interesting four-hour transfer to the Rodopi Mountains. Our destination is the remote mountain village of Yagodina, our home for the next six nights. During dinner, our leader will give a welcome briefing about the week ahead and the work of Wild Rodopi, whose brown bear research and conservation project you will be assisting.
Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)
Introductory bear tracking walk in the forests above Yagodina; evening visit to bear hide
Set off on our first bear-tracking walk in the meadows and forests surrounding Yagodina. During the day, you find out about the history of the village and the complex human-wildlife entanglements that exist here. In particular, learn about the necessary requirements for convivial human-bear coexistence, and how this adventure makes a direct contribution to local bear conservation.
After dinner, there is the first opportunity (for a maximum of six people) to visit the bear hide. Visiting the hide usually necessitates having an early dinner so we can be in position before darkness falls. Depending on the amount of activity in the clearing, we may stay until around 10.30pm or, with the agreement of the group, slightly earlier or later.
Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)
Track bears and wolves in the ‘Zone of Death’; evening bear hide visit
After breakfast, we drive to a nearby village, where we set off on foot through the border zone. During the Cold War period, access to this region, the so-called ‘Zone of Death’, was tightly restricted, and the border itself closed off with a barbed wire fence that was impenetrable to wildlife. With the fencing now removed, this border area is now freely roamed by wolves and bears, allowing Greek and Bulgarian populations of these species to intermix, thereby enhancing gene flow and their long-term health and viability.
During our walk, we see remnants of the former military installations, and learn about their impact both on the wildlife and local people. After dinner at the hotel, there will be a second opportunity (for a maximum of six people) to visit to the bear hide.
Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)
On foot through core bear habitats; evening bear hide visit
Today we make an exciting exploration in a core region for brown bears. During our walk, we should see numerous signs of their activity, including several of their scent rubbing posts, and learn about the key role these trees play in bear society and reproduction. The bears share this region with a host of other carnivores, including wolves, red foxes, European badgers, pine martens, stone martens, least weasels and European wildcats. Recently, the tour leader Julian also discovered the presence of a golden jackal. On the trail of these animals, we pass through beautiful and remote landscapes, crossing streams, butterfly-filled meadows and peaceful forests, before finally plunging into the depths of a gorge. After returning to the hotel, and dinner, there is a third opportunity (for a maximum of six people) to visit to the bear hide.
Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)
On the trail of Balkan chamois and bears in rugged and rocky karst terrain
Setting off on foot from our hotel, we make a steep, steady climb up the stony flank of the mountain ridge above the village. Here in spring and early summer, there are several interesting species of orchid to be found, as well as numerous butterflies. On reaching the ridgeback, we follow an eroded track to a wonderful cliff-top viewpoint. The rocks here are home to several typical cliff-dwelling species of bird including the beautiful wallcreeper, peregrine falcon, rock thrush, crag martin and alpine swift. At certain times of year, it is also possible to spot other raptors gliding over, such as golden eagle, short-toed eagle, booted eagle, long-legged buzzard, Eurasian hobby and common kestrel. The wonderful views remain with us throughout the day as we continue our walk, zig-zagging steeply down into the depths of the Buynovsko Gorge on a rough and stony path that leads through a favoured feeding region for both brown bear and Balkan chamois.
This evening, the second half of the group will have their second visit to the bear hide.
Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)
Circular bear tracking walk through remote carnivore habitat
After breakfast we set off from the hotel on foot, beginning a long and strenuous, but highly rewarding bear tracking adventure. Having left the village pastures behind, we begin a long steep climb that sees us enter a forested region that is regularly patrolled by brown bears and grey wolf. Especially exciting is the fact that Balkan lynx, a species considered extinct in Bulgaria for almost a century, has very recently been recorded here again! The forests here also harbour many secretive birds such as hazel grouse, black woodpecker and crested tit. The midpoint of our trail leads us out onto a spectacular rocky crest, from where there are stunning views towards Greece, across waves of forested ridges that make a perfect trans-border corridor by which the large carnivore populations of Bulgaria and Greece can intermix.
Having traversed the crest, our descent then leads us steeply down through more silent forest, and finally back out into the meadows and cultivations above Yagodina.
Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)
Forest and riverside walks in search of orchids, butterflies, reptiles and amphibians; transfer to Sofia
Leaving Yagodina on foot, we start the day with a short walk along a beautiful forest path, which in spring and early summer sprouts an exceptional variety of orchids. An ancient Thracian packhorse route, this path is often used by bears feeding in the surrounding forests on beech mast and ants. After meeting our bus, a 45-minute drive brings us to the beautiful valley of the Devinska Reka, where we spend a couple of hours walking a delightful riverside trail. As well as being home to Eurasian otters and a variety of riverine birds, such as dipper and grey wagtails, the valley also forms the heart of a specially designated Prime Butterfly Area and provides the perfect habitat for many rare and beautiful butterfly species. Having enjoyed a picnic lunch beside the river, we then complete the transfer (3hr 30min) back to Sofia.
Accommodation: Boutique Hotel Crystal Palace (or similar)
Fly to London
Fly to London.
End Sofia
This trip draws to a close after breakfast. If you want to spend a bit more time in the city after our wild adventures, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
Essential Info
Joining Instructions
Key information
Start hotel: Hotel Yagodina
Airport: Sofia Airport (SOF)
Getting to the start hotel
The start hotel is approximately a 3hr 30min drive from the airport. Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK.
You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. A taxi to the hotel costs about 595 lev (US$330) and there is no connecting public transport. Therefore, we highly recommend you join the group transfer from the airport.
Please note, the group meets for the transfer at Terminal 2, but many low-cost airlines fly into Terminal 1. There is a free airport shuttle bus connecting the two terminals, which departs every 30 minutes.
Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times or to arrange a private transfer. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.
Catching your return flight
There’s a group departure transfer to the airport for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Sofia
Location end: Sofia
Yagodina Family Hotel
Our base for six nights is Yagodina, a traditional rural village known for its self-sufficiency and hospitable inhabitants. Home to around 500 people, it is secluded in the Trigrad Karst region, one of the most remote parts of the Rodopi Mountains.
Here, we stay in the Yagodina Family Hotel, a small accommodation with comfortable twin and single rooms. It’s owned and run by a local family and most of the food (including milk, cheese, butter, jam and honey) is either home-produced or locally sourced.
Reviews
Add your own reviewBrilliant trip
The trip was absolutely wonderful. Julian Perry is so enthusiastic and so so knowledgeable about the wildlife and flowers of the Rodopi mountains it is impossible not to have a great great holiday. The hotel is comfy and the food is delicious and Mari and her team can’t do enough to make sure you enjoy your stay.
Most Inspirational Moment
All of it! The scenery and the wildlife are out of this world.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian Perry is just brilliant, not just knowledgeable about the wildlife and the Rodopi mountains but is so interesting. He was also calm and caring when some of the group had problems with their flights. But best of all is his love & enthusiasm for the wildlife and people of the Rodopi just shines out
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a warm jacket if travelling in May it was unusually chilly!
Excellent trip
Enjoyed all aspects of holiday, accommodation and hotel staff, excellent and friendly guide, welcoming local people, beautiful countryside, interesting facts on Bear , Wolf and other wildlife presence.
Most Inspirational Moment
whole holiday
Thoughts on Group Leader
excellent
Advice for Potential Travellers
If travelling via Vienna with Austrian Airlines be prepared for rush between terminals. As travelling at weekend if bag in cargo hold misses flight you are not likely to get it back until Monday at earliest, so have walking gear and essentials with you in cabin.
An entrancing holiday, whether you see bears or not!
This was a wonderful walking holiday with the added bonus of following the “theme” of the bears which live in the Rodopi mountain area. The walks were Moderate, but Julian led at a relaxing pace to ensure that we could explore the beauty of the flower meadows, butterflies and other wildlife. The hotel in the village of Yagodina was brilliant, with substantial and varied local cuisine, rooms to a good quality, and freindly staff. Despite four evening vists to the bear hide (we were only a small group) we didn’t actually see any bears, but finding signs of them during the walks, such as footprints, marking treees, etc made us really feal that they were probably “behind you” all the time! Overall, a peaceful, relaxing and rewarding walking holiday.
Most Inspirational Moment
For me, it was the simple fact of being in a remote Bulgarian village, within a wonderful landscape, with great food and exercise.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian was a fantastic leader, and his incredible knowledge about bears and other flora & fiuana enthused the whole group. He made sure that the pace of the walks was relaxed to allow for opportunities to appreciate the flora and fauna.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Think about adding a couple of days in Sophia at the end. The group hotel for the last night, the Crystal Palace, is really in an excellent position, but there is no time to explore the capital city if you return on the group flight to Heathrow. We stayed on in the Crystal Palace Hotel, which is in the Embassy area of the city and within easy walking of all the main sights., for another couple of nights and were pleased we did. . Walking poles were useful on some of the steeper descents.
Excellent
Very enjoyable trip, excellent guide and guiding, great exploration of local flora, fauna and foods.
Most Inspirational Moment
The whole experience.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian was an absolute font of knowledge on everything relating to the Rodopi mountains, always sharing his knowledge with enthusiasm. His knowledge was far greater than bears also a bit of an Orchid expert. The bears are elusive and don't perform on command. We didn't see any in the first couple of viewings but Julian managed to arrange an extra evening in the hide for us.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The trip is far more than the bears. The mountains are stunningly beautiful, think Swiss alpine mountain and there is an abundance of other flora and fauna.
In the Realm of the Brown Bear
This trip was even more that the brochure suggests. Every day was an experience and adventure, every mountain trail an education and sometimes a challenge. A really great opportunity to experience nature at its best!
Most Inspirational Moment
The stand out moments of the trip were having the opportunity to actually see Brown Bear, Chamois and wild boar in their natural environments and to learn so much about their behaviour and habitats.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian is an absolute authority on the Rodopi mountain area of Bulgaria and the ongoing conservation of the wildlife therein. He enthusiasm for this project was contagious and he was more than happy to share his knowledge with the group at all times.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Read the trip notes. This is much more than your average walking holiday!
Brilliant trip
If you enjoy walking in pristine mountains , are interested in bears in particular , wildlife in general and eating local food then this is the trip for you
Most Inspirational Moment
We were so lucky to see a bear from the hide but even if we didn’t the wildflowers and orchids in meadows in late spring were an unexpected delight
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian was just fantastic . So enthusiastic and excited to share his incredible knowledge of bears in particular and the Rodopi in general. Simply an outstanding group leader.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bears are very elusive ( even if the signs they leave of their presence generally aren’t) so don’t judge the success of the trip on seeing one . The Rodopi mountains are simply such a very special environment , a visual delight to make you smile .
Brilliant!
We enjoyed our week with Julian down in the Rodolpi Mountains, trekking the hills and meadows, on the lookout for the wildlife of the region. We loved it all. The landscape (sort of alpine-esque) is gentle in places and vigorous in others. Every day the walks took us to new areas and vistas. People have impressions of what Bulgaria is going to look and feel like and this week resets those expectations completely. We summoned up the energy to head to the hide a couple of times and loved it there – a real “in the moment” way to spend three hours. The hotel was welcoming and comfortable with ample delicious local specialties to fuel our efforts. Travelling in September we were surprised by how many flowers were still out, the butterflies and insects, the huge range of funghi, not to mention the very varied bird and mammal life of all sizes. There was the familiar, and the new, at every corner.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian was a highlight in his own right! He patiently dealt with our curiosity on everything from the bears to the political situation in Bulgaria and everything in between. With his fluent Bulgarian he took care of everything, my only decision to take was the daily choice of lunch sandwich filler. He managed different abilities in the group and as "informed" amateurs, he kept us brimming with facts and figures. Blagodarya Julian!
Advice for Potential Travellers
The terrain is quite varied, sometimes stable and level forest path, other times quite broken large stone paths, get some rigid shoes and walking sticks! Some of the days we set off up hill quite rapidly, to reach meadowtops, be ready for that but there's always a good gentle patch to catch your breath. Go with an open mind and a love for what's around and you'll not be disappointed.
An extra special wildlife based holiday
From sitting in a hide observing a glittering night time scene , to searching for Chamois from a hillside viewpoint , this trip encapsulates the world of the Brown Bear explained by the expert Julian Perry . He leads the group across an outstandingly scenic mountain terrain and presents the techniques to track and record the presence of Brown Bears in a non-intrusive way .
We were very adequately accommodated in a centre-based family run hotel from where we walked or were driven to local forestry trails and areas used by Bears.
With a tremendous knowledge of the ecology of the region , the leader identified and enabled us to observe and photograph flora and fauna including many wildflowers , birds , reptiles , mammals , amphibians and insects.
Most Inspirational Moment
The trip to the Hide at night , lit by moonlight lighting effects , and seeing what was identified by our Leader as a Wildcat at the end of that first evening . Seeing Brown Bear prints and learning of the age and gender . Seeing other signs of Brown Bear presence , like hair , scratch marks in trees . Seeing signs of other mammals such as wolf , pine martin and hedgehog. Identifying wildflowers and butterflies with the leader and other group members.
Thoughts on Group Leader
A leader who can speak fluently the language of the host country , and with an outstanding experience and knowledge of the wildlife , specifically the Brown Bear based on qualified research , who can present this to and lead a range of walkers and interested wildlife enthusiasts is fantastic . He is very informative and respectful of the history of the region and its people. He is always helpful and made the trip the most special week .
Advice for Potential Travellers
Read and look up information on Mountain animals and wildlife . Go on some wildlife survey work voluntarily with your local group beforehand if you can . It was the first time I had used binoculars but that was not a problem for me because I had some previous experience of wildlife surveys. Enjoy the leaders knowledge . Enjoy the groups knowledge . We were lucky to also have a Badger expert in our group .Enjoy the scenery , natural world and the food and company!
A superb week of walking in beautiful scenery
Our base in a small, traditional village in the mountains was perfect for walks into the surrounding area. The biodiversity of the Rodopi mountains is amazing and our exceptionally knowledgeable leader helped us identify mammal scats and tracks, birds, reptiles, insects and plants, many of which were new to me. The walks were at a gentle pace, allowing plenty of time for photography.
Most Inspirational Moment
I'd chosen the trip hoping to see a bear, but there was so much more to it than that. The number and variety of reptiles and butterflies amazed me. The variety of mammal scats and tracks along the forest paths was remarkable, and Julian was able to identify them for us and tell us about the different species. I loved the evening trips to the bear hide and although we didn't see a bear, we did watch wild boar which I'd never seen before.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the local fauna and flora. He was well organised, spoke clearly and, being fluent in Bulgarian, communicated easily with the local people too, ensuring that the trip ran smoothly. During breaks on our walks, he gave short talks covering aspects of bear biology and his research work, as well as the traditional farming practices which have maintained diversity in the meadows and forests.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The walks are at a sensible pace, but the terrain is steep in places, so a reasonable level of fitness will make the trip more enjoyable. At the end of April temperatures varied widely during the day, so be prepared with layers of clothing to add or remove as required.
A Fascinating Adventure!
This was a truly wonderful trip that combines hiking, wildlife and scientific research, in a unique blend of ‘eco-research-tourism’. Exodus – please offer more tours like this!
Most Inspirational Moment
The whole trip was inspirational, though the most inspirational part is learning about the bears and other wildlife that live in these mountains, then slowly starting to understand how it all fits together. In addition, the Rodopi mountains are beautiful, particularly in Autumn - there are some great hikes in this trip, with fabulous views. The hotel and food were also great, with local milk, cheese and honey straight from the village. It was also good to be based in a single hotel for the week, with lots of walks starting and finishing right on our doorstep.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about all aspects of biology, particularly bears. He is clearly well-known and connected in the local area, and did a great job of making everything run smoothly. One of the highlights of the trip were daily 'lectures' from Julian, usually during our scenic picnic lunches, about the various aspects of bear ecology.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you have a reasonable level of fitness and have some hiking experience, you should be fine on this trip. A typical day would comprises leaving the hotel with a packed lunch at 08:30 and returning at around 16:00, hiking slowly in the mountains in-between. We totaled 75 km and 3500 m height gain over our 6 days of walking, with hikes ranging from 8 - 14 km. So, the pace is pretty slow, as we were constantly stopping to look for wildlife / change camera traps etc. Julian will adjust the pace and route depending on the groups fitness level and interests anyway. That said, the terrain is fairly steep and rocky, though the trails are good. So, if you have new gear or are relatively inexperienced at hiking, it would be a good idea to put in a bit of practice beforehand so that you get the most out of your trip.
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