Road Cycling in the Rodopi Mountains

Guided Tour 8 Days / 7 Nights

The Rodopi Mountains are located in the oldest part of the Balkans where some of the loveliest coniferous woods in the country are. The landscape is gentle and rounded, consisting of high ridges and deep river valleys and gorges.

Along them cyclists can see traditional means of transportation: wooden carts pulled by horses, donkeys or cows. You may also meet some nomadic gypsies, picking mushrooms and berries in the woods, as well as local Muslim inhabitants growing tobacco and potatoes, or herds of sheep and goats coming down from the mountain at the end of the day.
 
 

Your Journey

Day 1:

Arrive Sofia

Day 2 Sofia - Belmeken Dam - Velingrad Spa town (42 km):

Cycle through lovely old coniferous woods to Belmeken dam (2000 m). Continue past mountain meadows before descending to the spa town of Velingrad.

Day 3 Batak Dam - Beglik Dam – Dospat (71 km):

Delightful cycling through picturesque countryside with numerous blue-green dams to the town of Dospat.

Day 4 Yagodina Cave - Devil's Throat Cave – Trigrad (48 km):

Bike to the Buinovsko Gorge and Yagodina Cave to see its impressive stalagmites and stalictites. Pass between the 250 m high cliffs of the Trigrad Gorge to reach Devil's Throat Cave, with one of the highest underground waterfalls in Europe.

Day 5 Shiroka Laka - Smolyan Lakes – Smolyan (66 km):

Descend along Trigradska River to the natural rock phenomenon "The Elephant". At the traditional village of Shiroka Luka see the wonderfully preserved houses from the Bulgarian Revival Period.

Day 6 Rozhen – Borovo (58 km):

Cycle from Smolyan Lakes, to a picturesque meadow at 1700m then downhill to Borovo and Krastova Gora, a place of healing springs.

Day 7 The Miraculous bridges - Bachkovo monastery – Sofia (56 km):

Continue downhill along Jugovska River valley. Transfer to the Miraculous Bridges rock arches for short walk. The next stop is Bachkovo Monastery (the second largest in Bulgaria). Transfer to Sofia.

Day 8 Departure:

After breakfast transfer to Sofia or Plovdiv airports.

Terrain

Moderate to energetic. This tour will take you to altitudes of around 2,000 m with some long climbs. Days are between 55 – 7 hours. Most of the mileage is done on mountain roads, with relatively little traffic. A support vehicle is available if you need a lift at any time.

Meals

Breakfast daily, 5 dinners.

Trip Notes / Dates / Prices 2020

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    Auckland 0622, New Zealand
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