Rodopi Mountains Road Cycling Tour

A lake in the mountains

Experience Bulgaria's culture and nature by bike

The Rodopi Mountains' landscape consists of high ridges and deep river valleys with gorges, river basins and valleys. Here one can also find 70 % of the world minerals as well as 600 caves. The Rodopi Mountains house also some of the loveliest coniferous woods in the country.

This road cycling tour will take you even higher, at about 2,000 m. Most of the mileage goes along main, asphalt roads with relatively little traffic, that are well-suited for biking. Along them you can see some old-time transportation means: wooden carts pulled by a horse, a donkey or a cow. You can also meet some nomad gypsies, picking mushrooms and berries in the woods, some local Muslim minorities living on tobacco and potato cultivation or herds of sheep or goats coming down from the hills at the end of the day.

We stay in family-run hotels (day 4) and 3-star hotel (days 2, 3, 5 & 6) with private facilities and in guesthouses (days 1 & 7) with shared facilities on HB (breakfast & dinner included).

A detailed roadbook will be provided upon arrival. Luggage is taken care of throughout the whole trip. A small rucksack for carrying personal items during the day is necessary. There is a supporting vehicle with a guide, that meets the tourists few times a day to check if everything is OK. It is possible to skip some parts of the stages for the day and to travel with the luggage instead.

ITINERARY:

(subject to change without prior notice)

Day 1: Arrival

Arrive at Sofia or Plovdiv Airport and accommodation in Sofia or Plovdiv depending on your arrival time. Please note that the starting point of the trip is between these two cities so you may meet the rest of the group on the morning of Day 2.

Day 2:Sestrimo - Velingrad

The cycling starts a few kilometers outside the village of Sestrimo. It will take us up to Belmeken dam (2,000 m) through old coniferous woods. In the afternoon, the road passes the mountain meadows of Iundola before descending to the town of Velingrad, where we stay overnight.
Biking distance: 76 km,  about 5,30 h. Uphill/downhill cycling - 500m/1,300 m

Day 3: Velingrad - Dospat

We start passing through the picturesque landscape of Tsigov Chark by Batak dam to the town of Dospat (1,200 m). We circle the blue-green waters of Goliam Beglik and Shiroka Poliana dams before reaching the town of Dospat where we stay overnight.
Biking distance: 71 km, taking about 5 hours. Uphill/downhill cycling - 600m/700 m.

Roadside stop

Day 4: Dospat - Trigrad

After breakfast, we start from the centre of Dospat via the town of Borino to the Buinovsko Gorge. The next stop is the Yagodina Cave. Here we make a cave tour before going further to Trigrad village, passing among the 250 m high cliffs of the Trigrad Gorge (1,450 m). Another fascinating cave is expecting us .The Devil's Throat Cave is  housing one of the highest underground waterfalls in Europe. We stay overnight in Trigrad.
Biking distance: 50 km, taking about 4 hours. Uphill/downhill cycling - 700m/800 m.

Day 5: Grohotno - Shiroka Luka - Pamporovo

A pleasant descent along Trigradska River brings you to the village of Grohotno and the nature phenomenon "The Elephant" - a 10 m high rock formation. Then the biking continues upstream along the Shirokolushka River to the village of Shiroka Luka (1,060 m, or 3,477 ft). We stop here to savour the spirit of this architectural reserve, famous for its preserved houses dating back from the Bulgarian Revival Period. Eventually the trip ends at Smolyan Lakes. Transfer to Pamporovo resort for overnight.

Day 6: Rozhen - Laki - Borovo

Cycling from Pamporovo to the historic place of Rozhen. After that, you start climbing up until 1,700 m. Up there, a big picturesque meadow with a junction marks the beginning of a gentle downhill ride in the direction of Laki town with a protected area called "Momina voda". In the vicinity, stop at the picturesque village of Borovo and another famous religious place with chapels and healing springs - Krastova Gora. Overnight in Borovo.

Bachkovo Monastery

Day 7: Jugovska Valley - Bachkovo Monastery - Plovdiv

The downhill ride continues along Jugovska River valley to the main road Smolyan-Plovdiv. A short transfer brings you to the "The Miraculous Bridges", a unique nature phenomenon. Pass through the spa resort Narechenski Bani. 5 km further, you will reach the Bachkovo Monastery (the second largest in Bulgaria). The cycling ends in the town of Plovdiv.

Day 8: Time to say Goodbye

After breakfast you will be transferred to Sofia or Plovdiv Airport for departure.
Transfer time: 20 min to Plovdiv Airport or 2 h to Sofia Airport.