Cycling Tour in the Rhodope Mountains

Welcome to Bulgaria! Arrive at the Sofia Airport where your guide will meet you. Travel deep into the Rhodope mountains to Velingrad, a lovely town known as the spa capital of the Balkans. Check into your hotel where you’ll receive a short tour briefing before enjoying dinner and a comfortable night.

Your first cycling day will be an easy route to help you warm up and adjust to your surroundings. Ride through the western Rhodope mountains surrounded by old pine forests until you reach one of Bulgaria’s largest dams which forms the Batak reservoir. This vast, beautiful lake is surrounded by rugged peaks and vibrant green ridges. Stop here to enjoy a picnic lunch in this scenic location. Then hop back on your bike to cycle around the coastline to the nearby town of Batak. This historic town is a symbol of the historic struggle for Bulgarian freedom from the Ottoman empire. Eat dinner and spend the night in this lovely town in a family-owned hotel.

Today’s scenic ride begins from your Batak hotel after breakfast. From forests of centuries-old pines and beeches to broad meadows to sparkling mountain lakes, your route today leads you through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the Rhodope mountain region. Stop for a picnic lunch along the way. You’ll come to Beglika Lake (1,550 m / 5,085 ft) during the afternoon with time to enjoy the area. This lake is part of the extensive reservoir system in this area, and is widely considered to be the most impressive and picturesque. You’ll be served a traditional dinner here and spend the night in a forest cottage that’s typically used by local hunters.

Your route today is longer but rewards you with incredible scenery at every turn. You’ll continue to explore the great Rhodope reservoir system, including a visit to Dospat Lake. Dospat Lake is the largest of the lakes in the system and the views are absolutely breathtaking. Head to the town of Dospat, not far from the lake shore, to eat lunch at a local restaurant (not included). Dospat is home to the Pomatsi, a unique community of Bulgarians who converted to Islam during the time of Ottoman rule. After lunch, continue cycling through a lovely valley to the central Rhodope village of Borino. Check in to your hotel in Borino for dinner and a good night’s rest.

The landscape around you changes today as you explore a breathtaking series of gorges and canyons. Start the day with a downhill ride through the rocky valley to reach the opening of the Buynovo canyon. Ride through this canyon that is just 15 m wide and 8 km long. The road feels as though it is being squeezed between the vertical rocks on each side, which meet above you and block the sky. After riding through what feels like a tunnel, you’ll reach the popular Yagodina Cave. Stop here for a picnic lunch and to visit the cave. After lunch, continue riding to reach the impressive and famous Trigrad gorge. Here you can also visit the incredible cave known as the Devil’s Throat, a mysterious and dramatic cave that has given rise to a number of myths and legends. Spend the night in a hotel in the local Trigrad village.

Today’s downhill ride is the easiest day of the tour. As you leave Trigrad, follow the Vacha River through the forest, passing through a series of fascinating villages that are seemingly untouched by the passing of time. Stop along the way for a picnic lunch, then continue cycling past a striking landmark rock formation known as the Elephant. End the day with dinner and a hotel stay in the town of Devin.

Begin the day with an uphill climb to reach the higher areas of the mountains. Once you have gained elevation, the road levels somewhat to wind among the Rhodope mountain ridges, eventually reaching an altitude of 1,700 m (5,577 ft). Pause for a picnic lunch, then continue riding to pass Batashki Snejnik (2,082 m / 6,831 ft), one of the tallest peaks in the massif. Descend into a village to end your tour and leave your bike. Return to the historic town of Batak and the familiar hotel you stayed in previously to celebrate the end of your tour with a traditional dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to the capital city of Sofia for a short tour of the city before returning to the Sofia Airport for your departure.