Itinerary:
Day 1. Sofia - Plovdiv
Your journey to South Bulgaria starts with a 2-hour transfer to the second biggest Bulgarian city. This is Plovdiv - the oldest continuously inhabited European city that has a lot to offer for the senses. Millennia-old historical sites, traditional restaurants, craftsmen workshops, romantic Revival-period houses, galleries and museums form the irresistible appeal of the Old town. The guided tour will take you along the cobbled streets and reveal to you all the major cultural and historical highlights of Plovdiv. Visits to the Ancient Theater - one of the notable symbols of the city and the Ethnographic museum are included. The guide will go even further taking you to the hipster neighborhood Kapana with chic bars, fancy coffee shops, and bizarre-looking graffiti.
Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Plovdiv.
Day 2. Plovdiv - Madzharovo - Birdwatching
On this day you will head for the Eastern Rhodope Mountains a wildlife refuge, considered a paradise by the birdwatchers. A highlight of the experience there is observing Griffon Vultures flying over and inside the caldera of one of the last active Bulgarian volcanos. The area around the town of Madzharovo is simply fantastic - clean air, birds of prey, pastures with grazing lazy cows, a meandering river, steep rugged rocks… A visit to the Bulgarian Society for Protection of Birds' information center is also included. You will have lunch with delicacies prepared with local eco-products at a village located on one of the plateaus towering the area. Transfer to the town of Stara Zagora for the overnight.
Day 3. Stara Zagora - Bourgas lakes - Bourgas
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the town of Bourgas, where you will have a guided tour with a local birdwatching guide of the nearby lakes. The southern Bulgarian coast is a bottleneck of the famous Via Pontica flyway - a migratory route used by millions of soaring birds each autumn. In October, there are peaks in the migration of birds such as the Lesser-spotted eagle. Each lake has its own appearance and inhabitants. Atanasovsko lake is hyperhaline and ideal for waders. The shallow Vaya lake - the largest in Bulgaria is preferred by fish-eating birds such as Dalmatian and White Pelicans. The Poda protected area offers the best from the salt waters of the Black sea and the fresh waters of Madra Lake. In the afternoon you will head to Bourgas for a cultural tour and time on your own to explore the second largest Bulgarian city on our Black Sea coast.
Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Bourgas.
Day 4. Transfer from Bourgas - Kazanluk - Koprivshtitsa - Sofia
It will be a day dedicated to historical and cultural sites as you are transferred back to Sofia. The route is tracing the southern foothills of the Balkan Mountains. While crossing the Valley of Roses you will stop to visit the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (UNESCO) and the one-of-a-kind Museum of Roses. The next highlight of today’s journey will be the museum town of Koprivshtitsa - a combination of beautiful architecture, charming cobbled streets, rich history, and spectacular surrounding mountains. You will have a guided tour with visits to some of the most notable houses there and free time to explore the enchanting Koprivshtitsa by yourself. The tour ends at your hotel in Sofia.