Bulgaria: Realm of the Brown Bear

Bulgaria: Realm of the Brown Bear

352 Views
8 Days From

$2475

$2401

Bulgaria: Realm of the Brown Bear

8 Days Starting and ending in Sofia

Visiting: Bulgaria

Tour operator:

Exodus Adventure Travels

Tour code:

WBB

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

5 - 12

Physical rating:

Moderate

Age range:

16-99

Special diets catered:

Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements

Tour operated in:

English
From: $2475 $2401 Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$74

NB: Prices correct on 10-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

See local operators tour description
- Sign In

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

Join European brown bear expert Julian Perry for a wildlife-watching adventure in the mystical mountains of Bulgaria. We’ll go on daily hikes, recording tracks, scats and other signs of bear activity as part of vital conservation work by local NGO, Wild Rodopi. On two evenings, we visit a bear-watching hide for a good chance to see the animals we have been monitoring. We will also be collecting images from several camera traps set up in the forests. By the end of this trip, we hope you will have seen wild brown bears and gained an understanding and appreciation of these mysterious, often misunderstood, animals.

Highlights

  • Engage in a vital brown bear conservation project

  • Join daily bear-tracking walks with a brown bear expert

  • Hunker down in a hide to observe wild brown bears

  • Spot other elusive mammals, birds, butterflies, reptiles and rare orchids

  • Explore remote landscapes in the Rodopi Mountains

  • Sample delicious traditional local cuisine

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1 : Start Sofia Airport; Transfer To The Village Of Yagodina In The Remote Rodopi Mountains

Meals Included: Dinner

Setting off from Sofia Airport, we begin an interesting four-hour transfer to the Rodopi Mountains. Our destination is the remote mountain village of Yagodina, our home for the next six nights. During dinner, our leader will give a welcome briefing about the week ahead and the work of Wild Rodopi, whose brown bear research and conservation project you will be assisting.



Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)

Day 2 : Introductory Bear Tracking Walk In The Forests Above Yagodina; Evening Visit To Bear Hide

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Set off on our first bear-tracking walk in the meadows and forests surrounding Yagodina. During the day, you find out about the history of the village and the complex human-wildlife entanglements that exist here. In particular, learn about the necessary requirements for convivial human-bear coexistence, and how this adventure makes a direct contribution to local bear conservation.



After dinner, there is the first opportunity (for a maximum of six people) to visit the bear hide. Visiting the hide usually necessitates having an early dinner so we can be in position before darkness falls. Depending on the amount of activity in the clearing, we may stay until around 10.30pm or, with the agreement of the group, slightly earlier or later.



Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)

Day 3 : Track Bears And Wolves In The ‘Zone Of Death’; Evening Bear Hide Visit

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we drive to a nearby village, where we set off on foot through the border zone. During the Cold War period, access to this region, the so-called ‘Zone of Death’, was tightly restricted, and the border itself closed off with a barbed wire fence that was impenetrable to wildlife. With the fencing now removed, this border area is now freely roamed by wolves and bears, allowing Greek and Bulgarian populations of these species to intermix, thereby enhancing gene flow and their long-term health and viability.



During our walk, we see remnants of the former military installations, and learn about their impact both on the wildlife and local people. After dinner at the hotel, there will be a second opportunity (for a maximum of six people) to visit to the bear hide.



Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)

Day 4 : On Foot Through Core Bear Habitats; Evening Bear Hide Visit

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we make an exciting exploration in a core region for brown bears. During our walk, we should see numerous signs of their activity, including several of their scent rubbing posts, and learn about the key role these trees play in bear society and reproduction. The bears share this region with a host of other carnivores, including wolves, red foxes, European badgers, pine martens, stone martens, least weasels and European wildcats. Recently, the tour leader Julian also discovered the presence of a golden jackal. On the trail of these animals, we pass through beautiful and remote landscapes, crossing streams, butterfly-filled meadows and peaceful forests, before finally plunging into the depths of a gorge. After returning to the hotel, and dinner, there is a third opportunity (for a maximum of six people) to visit to the bear hide.



Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)

Day 5 : On The Trail Of Balkan Chamois And Bears In Rugged And Rocky Karst Terrain

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Setting off on foot from our hotel, we make a steep, steady climb up the stony flank of the mountain ridge above the village. Here in spring and early summer, there are several interesting species of orchid to be found, as well as numerous butterflies. On reaching the ridgeback, we follow an eroded track to a wonderful cliff-top viewpoint. The rocks here are home to several typical cliff-dwelling species of bird including the beautiful wallcreeper, peregrine falcon, rock thrush, crag martin and alpine swift. At certain times of year, it is also possible to spot other raptors gliding over, such as golden eagle, short-toed eagle, booted eagle, long-legged buzzard, Eurasian hobby and common kestrel. The wonderful views remain with us throughout the day as we continue our walk, zig-zagging steeply down into the depths of the Buynovsko Gorge on a rough and stony path that leads through a favoured feeding region for both brown bear and Balkan chamois.



This evening, the second half of the group will have their second visit to the bear hide.



Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)

Day 6 : Circular Bear Tracking Walk Through Remote Carnivore Habitat

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast we set off from the hotel on foot, beginning a long and strenuous, but highly rewarding bear tracking adventure. Having left the village pastures behind, we begin a long steep climb that sees us enter a forested region that is regularly patrolled by brown bears and grey wolf. Especially exciting is the fact that Balkan lynx, a species considered extinct in Bulgaria for almost a century, has very recently been recorded here again! The forests here also harbour many secretive birds such as hazel grouse, black woodpecker and crested tit. The midpoint of our trail leads us out onto a spectacular rocky crest, from where there are stunning views towards Greece, across waves of forested ridges that make a perfect trans-border corridor by which the large carnivore populations of Bulgaria and Greece can intermix.



Having traversed the crest, our descent then leads us steeply down through more silent forest, and finally back out into the meadows and cultivations above Yagodina.



Accommodation: Yagodina Family Hotel (or similar)

Day 7 : Forest And Riverside Walks In Search Of Orchids, Butterflies, Reptiles And Amphibians; Transfer To Sofia

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving Yagodina on foot, we start the day with a short walk along a beautiful forest path, which in spring and early summer sprouts an exceptional variety of orchids. An ancient Thracian packhorse route, this path is often used by bears feeding in the surrounding forests on beech mast and ants. After meeting our bus, a 45-minute drive brings us to the beautiful valley of the Devinska Reka, where we spend a couple of hours walking a delightful riverside trail. As well as being home to Eurasian otters and a variety of riverine birds, such as dipper and grey wagtails, the valley also forms the heart of a specially designated Prime Butterfly Area and provides the perfect habitat for many rare and beautiful butterfly species. Having enjoyed a picnic lunch beside the river, we then complete the transfer (3hr 30min) back to Sofia.



Accommodation: Boutique Hotel Crystal Palace (or similar)

Day 8 : End Sofia

Meals Included: Breakfast

This trip draws to a close after breakfast. If you want to spend a bit more time in the city after our wild adventures, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

What's Included

  • All breakfasts, six lunches and seven dinners included

  • All accommodation

  • Free group arrival and departure transfers available

What's Not Included

  • Travel insurance

  • Visas and vaccinations

  • Single Supplement

Food

Hotel Yagodina is renowned for its delicious traditional local cuisine, offering generous servings of hearty, healthy food, much of it made from home-produced or locally sourced products. Typical meals in the mountains will comprise of:



Breakfast: Tea, coffee and milk, with bread, jam, honey and cheese, supplemented in Yagodina by fresh home-made yoghurt and traditional local specialities such as katmi (thick pancakes) and rodopski klin (a rice-based dish).

Lunch: Picnic lunches in the mountains typically include bread, cheese, salami, salad, a chocolate bar and fruit. Many guests also like to bring an extra portion of the local speciality served at breakfast.

Dinner: Will be in the hotel restaurant, and will normally include three courses comprising either a salad or vegetarian soup, followed by a main course, and a dessert of fruit, ice cream, or cake/pudding. The cuisine reflects a mixture of Bulgarian, Greek, Turkish and Slavonic influences. We sample many traditional local specialities including smilyanski fasul (a delicious bean soup) and patatnik (made with grated potatoes, onions and cheese, then seasoned with mint and other herbs). Jugs of tap water will be provided on the table with the evening meal. Bottled mineral water, soft drinks and alcohol are not included but can be purchased. There are several Bulgarian wines you may wish to try, including an excellent red Mavrud from vineyards on the northern slopes of the Rodopi Mountains.

Vegetarians and vegan diets: Bulgaria produces excellent fresh vegetables and fruit, so vegetarians are usually well catered for, although in the mountains the variety may be limited to what is seasonally available. Eggs and dairy produce, especially cheese, form the staple part of the diet in the Rodopi region, and are included in most traditional meals, so vegans may find their daily menu more restricted and less varied.

Gluten intolerance: Special gluten-free products are not available, so those with a wheat/gluten intolerance should, if needed, bring something to replace the local bread and pastries that make up the breakfasts and picnic lunches.

Accommodation

Our base for six nights is Yagodina, a traditional rural village known for its self-sufficiency and hospitable inhabitants. Home to around 500 people, it is secluded in the Trigrad Karst region, one of the most remote parts of the Rodopi Mountains.  



Here, we stay in the Yagodina Family Hotel, a small accommodation with comfortable twin and single rooms. It’s owned and run by a local family and most of the food (including milk, cheese, butter, jam and honey) is either home-produced or locally sourced.  





Our final night is at Boutique Hotel Crystal Palace, a conveniently located four-star hotel in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia. The 63-room accommodation is in the downtown area, close to city landmarks, including the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. It also has a restaurant serving French, Italian and Spanish dishes, plus a lobby bar with cocktails, coffee and more. 

Videos

Check out our Q&As

  • What is the maximum group size?

    12

  • Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?

    We are happy to assist with pre and post tour accommodation. Please enquire for detailed information.

  • Is there a supplement for solo travellers?

    If you would like to be paired with a tour member of the same gender, there is no additional charge. A single supplement can be requested if you would like your own room.

  • Are children permitted to take part in the tour?

    Minimum 16 year age people can go this tour.

  • Are flights included in this tour?

    International flights are not included with this tour.

  • Are vaccinations required for this tour?

    There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Yellow Fever. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice.

  • Do you require a visa for this holiday?

    Visas are not required for Bulgaria for British and other EU passport holders. Other nationalities should check with the relevant authorities.

  • Who is Exodus Travels?

    At Exodus Travels, we've been exploring the world for nearly 50 years. From Walking and Trekking, Cultural and Cycling, Responsible Wildlife, to Polar and our new Premium Adventures, we are proud to offer award-winning small group and self-guided tours to 100+ countries worldwide.

  • Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?

    yes.

  • Are airport transfers included in this tour?

    Yes, Transfers for group flights.

  • What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

    If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Exodus has been trading since 1974

  • What documents will I receive before I travel?

    Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.

Reviews from travellers on this tour

Beartastic!

This is a thoroughly enjoyable holiday if you enjoy the outdoors, walking, sampling local cuisine and of course tracking and even seeing bears! Our week could hardly have been better, from the very comfortable and friendly hotel, which served local dishes for every meal, to our expert guide and to the stunning scenery and wildlife which surrounds the lovely village of Yagodina. It was great to be able to walk from our hotel and experience such diversity of habitats, including lush open meadows filled with wild flowers, a mind boggling diversity of butterflies and even Corncrakes, beech woodland, rocky escarpments offering fantastic views of the countryside as well as raptors such as Hobbys and Peregrine Falcons and of course pine forests where the evidence of bear activity is all around you. Seeing bears during the day is extremely difficult but we had great success up at the hide where we saw big, solitary males and mothers with their young cubs. We even saw a sounder of Wild Boar complete with a young family of beautifully marked piglets. However the highlight was undoubtedly when we were fortunate enough to spot a mother bear with 2 of this year's cubs in an open area below us. They were entirely oblivious to our presence and we could watch them behaving entirely naturally. Something I will never forget.

What's not to like?

Lovely hotel with super staff (Thank you Maria and team) good local food and beautiful scenery. Interesting and scenic walks punctuated by examination of scats, bear 'mesage'; trees, orchids, birds and mammals,

An entrancing holiday, whether you see bears or not!

This was a wonderful walking holiday with the added bonus of following the "theme" of the bears which live in the Rodopi mountain area. The walks were Moderate, but Julian led at a relaxing pace to ensure that we could explore the beauty of the flower meadows, butterflies and other wildlife. The hotel in the village of Yagodina was brilliant, with substantial and varied local cuisine, rooms to a good quality, and freindly staff. Despite four evening vists to the bear hide (we were only a small group) we didn't actually see any bears, but finding signs of them during the walks, such as footprints, marking treees, etc made us really feal that they were probably "behind you" all the time! Overall, a peaceful, relaxing and rewarding walking holiday.

A great introduction to the wildlife and way of life in the Rodopi mountains

A brilliant and unusual combination of great walking and wildlife interest. On holidays these are usually separated but this worked so well, as you really came to appreciate the environment in which these animals,plants,reptiles etc flourished. Julian did a fantastic job in explaining everything and I think we learnt a lot in a week - he went over and above what was necessary in a leader. The hotel was lovely and everyone very friendly and helpful. The bears and wild boar were the highlight, also the short cut in the truck on the way home from the hide!!!

A Fascinating Adventure!

This was a truly wonderful trip that combines hiking, wildlife and scientific research, in a unique blend of 'eco-research-tourism'. Exodus - please offer more tours like this!

Brilliant!

We enjoyed our week with Julian down in the Rodolpi Mountains, trekking the hills and meadows, on the lookout for the wildlife of the region. We loved it all. The landscape (sort of alpine-esque) is gentle in places and vigorous in others. Every day the walks took us to new areas and vistas. People have impressions of what Bulgaria is going to look and feel like and this week resets those expectations completely. We summoned up the energy to head to the hide a couple of times and loved it there - a real "in the moment" way to spend three hours. The hotel was welcoming and comfortable with ample delicious local specialties to fuel our efforts. Travelling in September we were surprised by how many flowers were still out, the butterflies and insects, the huge range of funghi, not to mention the very varied bird and mammal life of all sizes. There was the familiar, and the new, at every corner.

An extra special wildlife based holiday

From sitting in a hide observing a glittering night time scene , to searching for Chamois from a hillside viewpoint , this trip encapsulates the world of the Brown Bear explained by the expert Julian Perry . He leads the group across an outstandingly scenic mountain terrain and presents the techniques to track and record the presence of Brown Bears in a non-intrusive way . We were very adequately accommodated in a centre-based family run hotel from where we walked or were driven to local forestry trails and areas used by Bears. With a tremendous knowledge of the ecology of the region , the leader identified and enabled us to observe and photograph flora and fauna including many wildflowers , birds , reptiles , mammals , amphibians and insects.

Excellent

Very enjoyable trip, excellent guide and guiding, great exploration of local flora, fauna and foods.

Walking walking walking

This was my first walking holiday and must admit it was a title too much for me. But to put that into context I had a pacemaker fitted 5 weeks prior to the trip and didn't want to cancel. The holiday was mostly walking up and down mountains looking for signs of bears - including trees, paw prints, log movements, and the obvious thing all bears do in the woods! So if you like walking and hiking then you will enjoy this part of the holiday. The hotel was fabulous, food was lovely, staff were excellent, rooms great, and overall much better than expected. The expert guide Matthew was great, helpful, funny, knowledgable and looked a little like a cuddly bear (don't tell him that) The hide you get to go on an evening to have the chance to see the Bears feeding is perfect. We were very lucky seeing bears on both evenings I went. The other half of the group saw bears also and this can't be guaranteed but was great. One thing to note is the journey to the hide was fun but very bumpy and so not great for anyone who is injured or getting over surgery. Organisation of the trip was perfect, everything ran to plan and very well put together and organised. So overall really good holiday, but be warned you will need to enjoy walking lots!

Wonderful bears!

Beautiful scenery, fantastic guide. Observing bears was a real highlight.

Read all 29 reviews

Save on this tour

Request your exclusive discount code now and unlock savings for your next adventure!

Send me one now.

1 Select your preferred date

Saturday - Saturday

May 10, 2025 - May 17, 2025
$2475 $2401

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$74

Saturday - Saturday

Jun 14, 2025 - Jun 21, 2025
$2475 $2401

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$74

Saturday - Saturday

Jul 05, 2025 - Jul 12, 2025
$3000 $2910

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$90

Saturday - Saturday

Sep 13, 2025 - Sep 20, 2025
$2475 $2401

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$74

Saturday - Saturday

Oct 04, 2025 - Oct 11, 2025
$2475 $2401

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$74

Saturday - Saturday

Apr 25, 2026 - May 02, 2026
$2700 $2619

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$81

Saturday - Saturday

May 09, 2026 - May 16, 2026
$2700 $2619

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$81

Saturday - Saturday

May 30, 2026 - Jun 06, 2026
$2700 $2619

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$81

Saturday - Saturday

Jun 13, 2026 - Jun 20, 2026
$2700 $2619

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$81

Saturday - Saturday

Sep 12, 2026 - Sep 19, 2026
$2700 $2619

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$81

Saturday - Saturday

Sep 19, 2026 - Sep 26, 2026
$2700 $2619

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$81

Saturday - Saturday

Oct 03, 2026 - Oct 10, 2026
$2700 $2619

Tourhub's Big Adventure Sale: -$81

Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.

    Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

Why book with tourhub?

Safe & Secure

Your money is held in a dedicated client account until you travel.

Visa logo Mastercard logo
apple pay icon google pay icon

100% Guaranteed Refunds if your trip is cancelled.


The safest way to make overseas, multi-currency payments.

Guaranteed Best Value

Industry leading discounts, we won't be beaten on price.


No cancellation or amendment fees from tourhub.

(Operator terms may apply)

Expert Knowledge

Reliable & unbiased advice from travel experts.


Direct contact with the tour operator via our messaging service.


Inspiration & advice from a community of 6000+ real travellers, influencers & content creators.

Trusted Service

Official partners & licensed agents of 1000+ tour operators worldwide.


Don't just take our word for it...

"Tourhub: Friendliness, Professionalism & Integrity I would happily give tourhub a 6* review if I could..."

Similar Tours

Travel Guru Features

Our Reviews