Our Destinations

Letter Randocheval

Why travelling with Randocheval ?

BULGARIA : IN THE HEART OF THE BALKANS AND VALLEY OF ROSES...

Itinerary - Extensions - Horses and required riding level
Guiding - Accommodation - Dates and rates - More infos / booking

ITINERARY

Day 1 - Saturday : Sofia
Meeting with the landlord/landlady in the airport and drive to the mountains.

Day 2 - Sunday
In the morning the riders choose their horse in the riding center ”Balkan” and you ride out in the wonderful terrains around the little town of Aprilzy . After lunch the trek is starting and you ride up in mountains roughly 3 hours to the first chalet.

Day 3 - Monday
The trail continues through the National park over the Balkan Mountains and Mt. Botev and from this high the Mariza plains open up the horizons. After 6-7 hours ride the day end at a small monastery where the riders and horse will find a rest for the night.

Day 4 - Tuesday
In the morning we have time to explore the monastery and life in the small town. After lunch the trail is passing through the Valley of Roses ” and after nearly 5 hours we are over the Sredna Gora Mountains where we will overnight in the chalet Sveschen.

Day 5 - Wednesday
The whole day is for riding in the terrains around the riding center “The Valley of Roses”. Play, fun and games with the horses – a ride to the village – relax at the edge of a small lake. In the fantastic meadows you have all possibilities to break into trot or gallop or to be a pathfinder together with the riding guide in the waste surroundings.

Day 6 - Thursday
After breakfast we are facing north through other trails and after nearly 7 hours we reach the place where we will overnight.

Day 7 - Friday
We continue over the mountains to Aprilzy where it all started. After 6 hours ride you can see the stables and the ring making the trail is about to finish.
Farewell dinner in a restaurant.
Night in Aprilzy.

Day 8 - Saturday : Sofia
Breakfast and good-bye to the horses. Free time until departure for the airport.

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

Horses
First and foremost we ride the local race East Bulgarian horses and crosses between East Bulgarians and Arabian Full blood. The East Bulgarian breed is well known as tough, thoughtful and wise, and in harmony with the famous strength and power of the Arabian it gives a combination that fully satisfies the riders and the challenges in the nature. We work with healthy horses, we are taking good care of them and of course they are used to the mountains and the several of terrains the daily riding is going through. Our horses know exactly where it’s preferable to walk along the mountain and where it’s preferable to walk directly over a hillside. Our horses are in average of 160cm.

Horse welfare and quality in riding are concepts discussed all over the world. We are very interested in quality in the fodder and for instance we are not afraid of driving several hundred km to buy up the right hay. We book up the horses after a clever system. The main point in this system is giving the horses days off, in order to secure that they are always ready to be on tour with our riders. That’s just some of our viewpoints and we have more than these. Another point of ours is that we use a Bulgarian way of the philosophy about horsemanship. With no technical details it is our way of following the natural behavior of the horse and building up and maintaining safe and secure conditions for our horses. It’s a process taking place every day regardless the tours in the surroundings and the trails over the mountains… that is the seed of the real adventure.

Tack Western style. We have several models within the Australian and the American style. Don’t worry even if you haven’t tried to ride in a western saddle – in a few minutes you’ll feel at home. Believe us! We have seen it many times. Saddle bags provided for dry socks, your camera, your drinking jar and may be some ”sweets” for you or the horse.. Don’t bring spurs and horsewhip – you don’t need it.

Required riding level
From experienced beginners and up.
For these rides you need to be in a position of natural curiosity, in good physical condition and your health must be in a shape fitting the challenges. You know what’s up and down on a saddle and you have been riding before. You are impatient about spending the days in the mountains with the horses.

On our rides there is a weight limit of 14,2 stone (approx. 90 kgs). If your weight is over the limit and if your weight changes significantly prior to your holiday you must contact us. Sometimes it doesn't mean that you can't participate, but you need an acceptance in advance.

YOUR GUIDES

The riding guides together with the horses are the foundation in all tours. They are together all over the year; our guides know the funniest details about the horses, they know exactly what they can expect of each horse and they know the mountains like the back of one’s hand. Some of them speaks English others German or French. Before you ride out, the riding guides explain to all riders the commandos used during the ride.

All our riding guides are grown up in the mountains with horses as a natural part of their daily life. Some of them have an agricultural education with horses as a specialty – others are autodidact. The common between all people around the horses is, that we think it’s nice to be with the horses, around the horses and that we all should have a nice time together.

The riding guides are always with the riders in the country and no one is riding out on her or his own. The riding guides in the mountain are almost as a captain of a ship; they are taking the final decision, they decide the speed (in cooperation with you and the rest of the group) and make the course. But the captain is a good captain, having a satisfied crew and happy passengers only if he’s able to combine everything needed to return safely into port in the right way. That’s why the cooperation in the country is carried out in a reasonable collaboration between all parts involved.

ACCOMMODATION

Balkan Trail (The Balkan Trail is based on 7 nights.)

Saturday: Overnight in Aprilzy - private accommodation shared double room. Shared facilities. Sunday: Mountain chalet - 2-3 bedded with shared facilities. Monday: Monastery 2 dbl.rooms sharing bathroom. Tuesday and Wednesday: Mountain chalet shared triple room (normally used as doubles depending on the group). Shared facilities. Thursday: Mountain chalet - shared doble room. Shared facilities. Friday: Overnight in Aprilzy - private accommodation shared double room. Shared facilities.

DATES AND RATES

Departures confirmed from 4 riders booked.

Other departures can be planned at others dates with a minimum of 4 riders.

- single room supplement if requested : 90 €
Single room may not be available.

Flights to Sofia
Please contact us.

RATE INCLUDING

- the trail ride as it is described, on full board basis
- transfers from and to airport
- drinks : tea, coffee, mineral water.
- the financial guarantee of the deposits you send to Randocheval

RATE NOT INCLUDING

- flights to Sofia,
- any other service,
- tips,
- extra drinks,
- visa if needed,
- optional insurance : more information.

BOOKING - INFORMATION

Contact Anne for any inquiry !

PRATICAL INFORMATIONS

COUNTRY

Bulgaria.

1 - Singing Rocks National Reserve

1bis - Stationary rides and family program
2 - Balkans and Valley of Roses Trail

LENGTH

Balkan trail
From saturday to saturday.

8 days / 7 nights / 6 days on horseback

LANGUAGE

GROUP SIZE

ACCESS

Arrival in Sofia airport.

Arrival on saturday before 18.00 and departure on saturday after 12.00.

Pick up and drop off is arranged in the best possible way for all riders. (3 hours transfer)

CLIMATE

Maybe Bulgaria is less known as a country for riders than many other European countries. That could be the reason why riding, summer and sun are closely connected. At least Bulgaria is known for the pleasant weather, but actually all seasons have their charm – also for rider and horse:
The long and cold winter with lots of snow, inviting to skiing up in the high mountains in the south and in the Balkans inviting to riding through valleys and on the hillside with the crispy and crackling snow under the hooves.

Spring time is something special. When the snow is melting and the water has found its way down the mountains, everything is starting to trickle and crawl. The crowns of the tree are slowly changing from barran shadows over budding filled and tense branches to a light green blossom.
The Bulgarian summer is long, dry and hot. The active outdoor life starts early. It’s a question about being out in the fresh morning light and not many experiences are to be compared with saddling up together with the sunrise in the mountains. In the middle of the day, when the sun is highest all life get the southern way of relaxing. Here it’s still allowed to calm down – and it happens that the powernap becomes a little longer. The afternoons are long and with the typical Bulgarian snack in the stomach rider and horse are ready for riding until twilight. And after that the warn summer evenings are tempting.
Autumn is rather short. In the country side all kind of winter supplies are prepared from the vegetable garden. Relatives and family from the cities suddenly find time to cook and prepare the winter in a scale we didn’t knew existed. May be the freezer will take over these activities, but the different feeling between opening a cold bag and ready glass with fruit are not comparable. And after the harvest and when the grapes are safe in the wineries Mother Nature once again shows us all the great colours in the golden light covering the mountains.

Formalities
Check with your local embassy according to your nationality.
European citizens need only an identity card or valid passport. No visa.

Vaccines-Health
No specific vaccination, we recommend you to be up to date concerning your usual vaccinations, in particular for the tetanus vaccine.
Remember that a repatriation travel insurrance is compulsory.

REFERENCE :

CH08-bulgaria