High Balkan Trail Ride

Introduction
Mountains Bulgaria
This adventurous trail ride follows part of the famous E-3 hiking Kom-Emine route. The trail features wild mountain landscapes and steep hillsides reaching Balkan highest grasslands, home to wild horses in the summer. If we are lucky enough, we may get to spot a few! You will find yourself captivated by the stunning high mountain views with landscapes stretching as far as your eyes can see. Bulgaria is a stunning country still untraveled and kept well-preserved from the hoards of tourists- you will feel the peace of wilderness around you and the simple happy culture the Bulgarians possess. The ride, offering long days in the saddle, is suitable for confident and experienced riders. There will also be occasions where you need to dismount and lead your horse for short periods (20 – 30 min) – this can be both uphill as well as downhill so you will need to be reasonably fit. We offer a mixture of accommodation types from hotels to guesthouses with locals to mountain huts to allow our fellow riders to experience all aspects of the trip and get to know our country. Part of the enjoyment of this ride is spending time with the local people the last two days on the trail. This will certainly be a trip you will never forget!

Accomodation

Accommodations
This is a progressive ride, so nights will be spent in different locations. You will be staying in 6 different locations total.

Description
You will stay overnight at local guesthouses and small family-run hotels. Two nights involve shared bathrooms.

Accommodation Itinerary - subject to changes based on availability
Night 1: Hotel in Sofia
Night 2: Guesthouse  in Golyam Izvor
Night 3: Guesthouse in Lopian
Night 4: Paskal Hut
Night 5: Momina Polyana Hut
Night 6: Hotel in Teteven
Night 7: Hotel in Sofia

Hotel in Sofia
You will be warmly welcomed in this small family hotel. There is a beautiful garden with many flowers, where guests can relax. The hotel has 15 rooms, all equipped with TV, telephone and bathroom with toilet, shower or bath. Internet is also available at this property.

Guesthouse in Golyam Izvor
The guesthouse has recently been renovated. It provides a cozy atmosphere and is located on the banks of the Oselna River. It can house up to 8 people in 5 different rooms (3 double and 2 single). Bathrooms are shared and there is no internet.

Guesthouse in Lopyan
This charming guesthouse is located in a beautiful building made out of wood and cement. The owners want to preserve the local traditions while respecting the surrounding environment. Each private room features Wi-Fi access, a TV and a private bathroom.

Paskal Hut
This mountain hut is located on a hill just above Zlatista village. The rooms (dormitory style) are located in a two-storey building. Shared sanitary facilities are located in a separate building.  The building has electricity and drinking water and is heated with fuel. There is no internet connection available.

Momina Polyana Hut
Momina Polyana hut is located on the western slope of Mount Mominski. The building is large and has three floors with a capacity to accommodate up to 80 people in dormitory style rooms. There are toilets and bathrooms (shared) and the building also has water, electricity, and heating. The chalet has wireless internet, which is available free of charge for tourists as well as a satellite TV.

Hotel in Teteven
This hotel offers various sporting facilities (soccer field, tennis court, wrestling hall and more) as well as an outdoor swimming pool. The rooms are simply decorated and all feature air conditioning, a TV, free Wi-Fi access and a private bathroom.

Room Occupancy
Single supplement is mandatory if we are unable to find another rider to share.


Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. Also included are 4 lunches (from day 3 to day 6) and 4 dinners (day 2 - 5 ).
The food is locally grown and you home-style.

Alcoholic beverages are not included in the rates.

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to dietary restrictions given prior notice.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding


Riding Level
The ride, offering long days in the saddle, is suitable for confident intermediate riders. There will also be occasions where you need to dismount and lead your horse for short periods of time (20 – 30 min) – this can be both uphill as well as downhill so you will need to be reasonably fit.

Horses 
Most of the horses are crossbreeds between the local East-Bulgarian and Karakachan with a mid-height of 150 cm. They are well known as thoughtful and tough, and are thus extremely well-adapted to the mountainous region of the Stara planina (Balkan).
They we are well behaved and are used to each other so you will not experience any trouble with them walking, trotting or cantering in a group together.

Itinerary


Sample Itinerary - subject to changes

Day 1 (Saturday): Arrive Sofia
Arrival and transfer from Sofia airport to the hotel for overnight.
Meals included: -/-/-/
Overnight at Hotel in Sofia

Day 2 (Sunday): Ride to Glozene Monastery
Transfer from Sofia to Golyam Izvor village in the Teteven Balkan (one hour drive).
Here we get acquainted with our horses. We start riding heading North through meadows and mixed beech and oak forest. We will ascend Mt Lissets above the village where we will see the first beautiful view of the central ridge of Stara Planina and the town of Teteven surrounded by rocky peaks. Then we through an ancient beech forest at the end of which Glozhene Monastery is located. Perched on a high rock, it reveals an even more spacious view of the Danube plain. After visiting the church and the little museum we start riding back to Golyam Izvor following another trail.
Riding: 4-5 hours
Meals included: B/L/D
Overnight at Guesthouse in Golyam Izvor

Day 3 (Monday): Golyam Izvor to Yamna
Our ride today goes South-West following in the beginning shortly an asphalt road. Then continues along a dirt road with possibilities for some trot and canter. We pass the small deserted village of Slatina before starting climbing among ferns and pasture land. After 3.5 hours in the saddle we reach Chertigrad where we stop for lunch. Chertigrad is an ancient fortress built by the Thracians in 4-3-rd century BC. There is not much left from the fortress but the place offers stunning views over the Balkan range. We arrive in the village of Yamna after another 1.5 hours ride South-West. We leave the horses in Yamna village and have a short transfer to Lopian village. 
Riding:5-6 hours
Meals included: B/L/D
Overnight at Guesthouse in Lopian

Day 4 (Tuesday): Yamna to Paskal Hut
Today we are heading to the crest of Central Balkan to join for the next two days one of the longest European mountain trails Kom-Emine. 
Riding: 6-7 hours
Meals included: B/L/D
Overnight in Paskal Hut

Day 5 (Thursday): Paskal Hut to Momina Polyana Hut
The next two days we will spend riding through the Central Balkan National Park thus providing superb view towards the Thracian Plain to the South and the Balkan Mountains to the North. Good possibilities for canter crossing the grass highland. We follow the way marking of E-3 at an altitude of 1500-1900 m.
Riding: 5-6 hours
Meals included: B/L/D
Overnight in Momina Polyana Hut (1640 m.)

Day 6 (Friday): Momina Polyana to Cherni Vit
We leave the high mountain trail E-3 descending through thick beech and oak forests and pasture land along the Cherni Vit river. On some steeper descents we have to dismount and lead the horses. Our ride will end in the village of Cherni Vit (800 m) early in the afternoon, where our vehicle is waiting and after a short drive we reach the cozy town of Teteven where we stay overnight. We can enjoy the rest of the day by the hotel pool or exploring the town. 
Riding: 6 hours
Meals included: B/L/-
Overnight at Hotel in Teteven

Day 7 (Saturday): Cherni Vit to Golyam Izvor
In the morning, transfer back to Cherni Vit, where we have left the horses the previous day. On that last day of ride we will climb once more one of the many ridges from where we will have a last look of the scenery we have admired in the past week. We say good-bye to our horses and guides in the village of Golyam Izvor. Transfer back to Sofia (1 hour) for overnight.
Riding: 5 hours
Meals included: B/L/-
Overnight at Hotel in Sofia

Day 8 (Sunday): Departure
Transfer to Sofia airport and departure.
Meals included: B/-/-

*B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Rates and Dates for High Balkan Trail Ride

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Sofia
Airport: Sofia International Airport (SOF)
Transfer: Sofia International Airport (SOF)

Climate:
                                                    Sofia area

• Hard-toed boots with a heel
• Long jeans
• Gloves for hand protection
• Riding helmet (available to borrow, but please ask ahead of time)
• Spurs (only when necessary!)
• Fleece headband
• Lightweight windproof riding jacket
• Light casual shoes for walking and/or for travelling
• Loose, casual trousers
• Waterproof trousers
• Raincoat (must have)
• A set of T-shirts, sweatshirts and long sleeved shirts, preferably not cotton
• Warm shirt, possibly fleece and/or pullover
• Fleece windstopper jacket
• Windproof, waterproof outer shell garment (breathable if possible!)
• Hat or cap for sun protection
• Sunglasses with UV protection
• Sunscreen lotion and lip balm
• Repellent (for mosquitoes, flies and ticks)

• Personal basic first aid kit to include essential items
• Torch (head mounted preferable)
• Large handkerchief/bandana for neck
• Binocular
• AltimeterCompass
• Photo camera