Randonnée équestre en Bulgarie

STATIONARY STAY IN BALKANS (in March, April, beginning of May, end of September and October)

Day 1 - Saturday : Sofia
Meeting with the guide at the airport and transfer to the riding centre (3 hours drive - 180km).

Dinner and night in Apriltsi. Depending arrivals, we meet our riding guide for the introduction of the ride.

Day 2 - Sunday
After breakfast, we meet the horses and have a short introduction. In order to familiarize with our horse, we start with a short trail around the riding centre. Picnic lunch at the stables and afternoon ride around Apriltsi (3h).

Day 3 - Monday
We find our horse this morning to discover new tracks joining green pastures. We profite this open space to test our horse paces and have a trot and canter. We next join a charming place crossed by a river to have lunch. We ride back to our base in the afternoon for the dinner and the night.

Day 4 - Tuesday
Today we climb up the montains where we discover a wonderful and very rich biodiversity. Our road drive us to average 1000 m altitude. Picnic lunch in the mountain. And ride back to the riding centre in the afternoon.

Day 5 - Wednesday
Today, we ride from the summit of the hills of Ostrets and Peperi, under the Black Peak Summit (1500 m altitude) to a small monastery. Picnic lunch is made in a unique place : the garden of the Monastery.... We ride back to the base in the afternoon through fields, hills and along the river.

Day 6 - Thursday
Today, we will discover the National Park. We reach the village of Vidima and his famous waterfalls (1350 high). We can follow by foot the small track to visit this place during the time our horse have a rest. After lunch we ride through the park to discover all hidden treasure of nature.

Day 7 - Friday
Now we know very well the surroundings of the base, we offer you two possibilities : a trail ride across the mountains or a trail ride to discover the small villages of the region, monastery or other site.

Whatever the choice you'll make, scenaries are beautiful.

In the evening, a nice last dinner is cooked for you !

Day 8 - Saturday : Sofia
After breakfast, we leave our horses, and our guides. Transfer to Sofia airport.

COMBINATION STAY / MINI TRAIL (late May, June, August and September)

Day 1 - Saturday

Meeting with the transfer guide in the airport and drive to the mountains. Private accommodation in double rooms. Dinner.

Day 2 - Sunday

In the morning first meeting with the horses in Riding base Balkan and you ride out in the wonderful terrains around the little town of Apriltsi. We ride about 10 km and we will have a picnic near one of the rivers. After lunch and a rest we ride back to Riding base Balkan in different paces. We overnight in Apriltsi.

Day 3 - Monday

The trail starts in the morning and we ride through the outskirts of small villages and at a creek we’ll have our lunch. After lunch the trek is starting and we ride into the National Park. We ride up in mountains roughly 3 hours to Mandrata in about 1450 m. – a former dairy – now renovated with rooms with own shower/toilet. We enjoy the dinner at the fire and watch the sun going down behind the mountain peaks.

Day 4 & Day 5 - Tuesday and Wednesday

Two days are totally devoted to riding in the “Central Balkan National Park”. Explore the park on a horse back or on feet. Meet one of the rangers passing by and get information about the flora and fauna. Possibility to ride to the mysterious mount Maragidik (1889m) or may be Mt. Botev (2376m) – this is depending on the conditions and the riding skills on the day and the riding guide will let you know. Another option is to ride out to look for the wild horses. Together with the riding guide you plan the day. How many hours, at what time – etc. the group decides on spot.

Day 6 - Thursday

After breakfast we ride in the northern direction. We ride down the mountains, leave the national park and come down in Apriltsi. The ride of the day is about 5 hours and we end in Riding base Balkan. We will overnight in the same house as the first 2 nights.

Day 7 - Friday

Today’s ride is over the hill top of Ostrets and Peperi – under the Black Peak (1500m) to a small monastery. We eat our lunch packages in the monastery garden. Back to the riding base Balkan through fields and meadows and along the river.

Day 8 - Saturday

Breakfast and good-bye to the horses. Free time until departure for the airport.

FAMILY STAY "NATURE AND ADVENTURE"

In July, we establish our summer camp in Sveschen chalet, around 1000 m altitude in the heart of the Valley of Roses. This program is particularly well adapted for families with children. We accept children from 9 years old. Non riders are welcomed.

Day 1 - Saturday

Meeting in the airport and transfer to the riding base. Dinner and introduction to the activities during the week. Overnight.

Day 2 - Sunday

After breakfast we meet the horses together with the riding guides. We have plenty of time to get acquainted and our riding guides will tell you about the life of the horses in the mountains, how you ride in the mountains and how to ride in a western saddle. We ride out on the meadows behind the base and in the afternoon we ride down to the little see for a swim. We have dinner at the terrace, enjoy the sun going down behind the mountains and the day is ending with pancakes made on open fire.

Day 3 - Monday

Today we ride out on a mini trail. We ride on the top of the mountains for a couple of hours and have lunch with panoramic view. After lunch we slowly descend the mountains to the place at a small see. At this perfect spot we can fish and relax until we build the camp for the night. We overnight in big tipis (tepees) - have a western like dinner and enjoy the camp fire. This is outdoor.

Day 4 - Tuesday

When we have taken down the camp and saddled up the horses we ride along the river, through valleys and a very old wood. There is a long distance between the horses and we are alone with the horses in the wild nature. We have lunch during the ride and in the afternoon after 4-5 hours in the saddle we are back in Hizha Svezhen.

Day 5 - Wednesday

Today we are on an excursion to the town and if you like do some shopping. If the group is more for another kind of experience it is possible to try real mountain climbing on a 1200 m long adrenalin climbing path. A professional mountaineer will take you through the canyon over a river. The climbing gear is for rent on spot. We continue to a small monastery situated at the foothill of the Balkan Mountains where we will have lunch in the garden. After lunch we’ll walk on a very exiting eco-path in the Central Balkan national Park. On the path we will get information about the wild life. After an exiting day we drive back through the Valley of Roses to Hizha Svezhen.

Day 6 - Thursday

We ride out in the mountains. We ride to the village and explore the life as it is in a living museum. We see the grocery, the library, the old school, the small church and other interesting sights. And we’ll find time to a drink at the inn before lunch in the garden of an old farmer family.

Day 7 - Friday

Today we follow the tracks of the wild life and we make a stop at a high seat. We continue to the “rocket square” from where the clouds are moved under special climatic conditions. After this special experience we ride back to the see for bathing. In the evening we have a farewell dinner.

Day 8 - Saturday

After breakfast we say good bye to the horses. Transfer to the airport.

Hiking or cycling:
All riding days could easily be changed with hiking or cycling, if this is more interesting. The terrain is mountainous. Activities depending on the weather will be changed accordingly.

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

Stationary stay in Balkans

Accessible to all riders, from novice to advanced riders. Groups will be constituated depending riding levels.

Combination Stay / Mini Trail
Recommanded if you're intermediaire to advanced rider and great if it's your first experience in trail

Family Stay

For all riders from 9 years old. Beginners accepted. groups of level.

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.