Overview
An eight day Bulgarian self-guided adventure holiday, walking in the Balkan Mountains, which stretch across the country from west to east. Staying in hotels, the first four nights are in Veliko Tarnovo, a northern Bulgarian town on the River Yantra, celebrated as the historical and cultural capital of Bulgaria thanks to its being the centre of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It’s also the perfect place to get your Balkans Mountains adventures off to a great start, where every day brings ancient monasteries, gorges, waterfalls, as well as a stay in Bojentsi Architectural Reserve.
- Veliko Tarnovo
- Shipka Peak
- Dryanovo Monastery
- Transfiguration Monastery
- Bojentsi Architectural Reserve
- Open-air Ethnographic Museum
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Veliko Tarnovo
After arriving in Veliko Tarnovo, spend some time visiting Tsarevets Fortress, a former citadel of the Second Bulgarian Empire or stroll through the labyrinth of small cobblestoned streets in the Old Town, visiting local workshops and galleries or just relaxing in a café.
- Accommodation: Hotel Studio, Veliko Tarnovo or similar
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 2: Kartala Waterfalls and the Transfiguration Monastery | 13km
Your first hike is up to a superb viewpoint that takes in Derventa Gorge and the Yantra River. From here, the route descends towards two waterfalls, with an opportunity for a rest stop at each. After ascending a ridge, the route continues through a forest to Transfiguration Monastery, a sacred and tranquil place, well known for its Circle of Life mural on the church’s outer wall.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 13km, ↑707m, ↓705m
- Accommodation: Hotel Studio, Veliko Tarnovo or similar
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 3: Arbanasi | 8km
Today follows a quiet, shady trail to Arbanasi, located on a high plateau with views across to Tsarevets Fortress. Arbanasi reached the height of its prosperity in the 17th and 18th centuries when copper, gold and silver crafts flourished in the area. Visit the impressive Church of the Nativity, decorated with frescoes depicting over 3,500 figures, before returning via the same path to Veliko Tarnovo.
- Walking for the day: 3h, 8km, ↑289m, ↓289m
- Accommodation: Hotel Studio, Veliko Tarnovo or similar
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 4: Patriarchal Monastery of the Holy Trinity | 17km
Begin the morning heading through Asenov, a village inhabited since the era of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, before crossing Vladishki Bridge over the River Yantra. The route then takes you up to the Swing of Love, perched on the edge of a hill with far-reaching views over the river and surrounding areas. Continue on to Bozhur Hut, where you can stop for a quick rest before continuing onto the Patriarchal Monastery of the Holy Trinity, located at the foot of the Arbanassi Plateau.
- Walking for the day: 6h, 17km, ↑645m, ↓646m
- Accommodation: Hotel Studio, Veliko Tarnovo or similar
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 5: Dryanovo Monastery – Bojentsi Architectural Reserve | 13km
You are transferred to Dryanovo monastery (40mins), where you can spend some time visiting this historic site, founded during the rule of King Kaloyan, before continuing past Bacho Kiro Cave towards Bozhentsi Architectural and Historical Reserve. This village, with almost 600 years of history, has preserved the authentic architecture of the Bulgarian Revival Period and was declared a Reserve in 1964. This architecture features high stone walls, oak doors, narrow cobbled streets, stone fountains and bridges. Spend some time wandering around the village before heading to tonight’s traditional accommodation.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 13km, ↑684m, ↓430m
- Accommodation: Hotel Stranopriemnitsa, Bojentsi or similar
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 6: Bojentsi Architectural Reserve – Tryavna | 8km
A shady forest walk brings you to Tryavna, known for its woodcarving traditions. Spend the afternoon wandering around the cobbled stone streets or visit the town’s church museum and numerous old houses before heading to the central square.
- Hiking for the day: 3h, 8km, ↑213m, ↓327m
- Accommodation: Hotel Vazrozhdentsi, Tryavna or similar
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 7: Tryavna – Shipka Peak | 10km
You are transferred to Etara (40mins) to visit its Open-air Ethnographic Museum, showcasing traditional Bulgarian houses, workshops, woodwork and other crafts such as bell-making and baking. After exploring the museum, begin the walk towards Sokolski Monastery, following a forest trail up through the beech forests of Bulgarka Natural Park. From the monastery, the route climbs 500 steps to the Liberty Memorial at Shipka Peak, offering far-reaching views over the surrounding area. The monument commemorates Bulgarian and Russian defenders of the pass, who resisted Turkish troops on their way to the siege of Pleven in 1877. The day comes to a close with an afternoon transfer back to Veliko Tarnovo (1h 30mins).
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, 10km, ↑1041m, ↓243m
- Accommodation: Hotel Studio, Veliko Tarnovo or similar
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of three-star, mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
The holiday is suitable for regular walkers and requires a reasonable level of fitness. The trip covers an average of 12km (5h) of hiking per day with an average daily elevation gain of 545m (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from May-October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your holiday on any date during the season.
As this is mountainous terrain, temperatures vary depending on location and altitude. Even though temperatures can occasionally reach 35C in towns in summer, the mountains and forests remain cooler, dropping at night to between 15-20C. In July and August, the weather can be very hot as day temperatures can reach up to 35-40C, and you must take enough water for your walks.
For more information, see our blog, Best time to go to Bulgaria.
Getting there
Inclusions
Included
- 7 overnights in en-suite rooms
- 7 breakfasts
- Luggage transport (one item up to 20kg per person)
- All internal ground transfers listed in the programme
- Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions and maps (Please note, that the information pack for this tour is digital only and will be emailed to you prior to departure. Physical documents are not able to be mailed or provided on-site)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Airport transfers
- Extra nights in Veliko Tarnovo or Sofia
