Bulgarian National Parks Walking Holiday

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 12 reviews.

trevor williams

BULGARIAN NATIONAL PARKS

Written September 2012
In my experience this holiday is right in the middle of the Challenging grading. The scenary was good without being spectacular but the accommodation and food was excellent. The highlight of the trip was the quality of the Leader. Vladimir was outstanding.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The fifth and most challenging day. Exhausted but very satisfied.
What did you think of your group leader?
Vladimir was professional, knowledgeable and friendly. His English was excellent and he made a good trip great.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take your swimming costume for the swimming pool at the Hotel in Goverdartsi.
Andrew Ritz

BULGARIAN NATIONAL PARKS

Written September 2012
Great views, warm people, some effort required
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Reaching the peaks and the views from them, taking in some of the previous days walks. The ability to relax at the end of the day, in calm surroundings.
What did you think of your group leader?
Vladi was a great leader, who understood the group very well, picking up on the banter and adding to it. Helpful, patient, always on hand; we were well guided and looked after by him.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Thought the climbs were harder than expected, but you got used to them by the end (challenging I guess). Not an issue if you are a mountain goat, or adjust well. Depending on the time of year that you travel, you might find it quite hot, well into the high 30's or even 40's.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Enjoyed the basic food which was so much tastier than in the UK. The mountains, towns, villages, were such a great place to wander around; very relaxing after the days walk, and you forget about work easily. We summited Mt. Musala during the nations public holiday, it was pretty busy; great to see so many people making the effort.
Phillip Mallery

BULGARIAN NATIONAL PARKS

Written September 2012
Great leader. Very tough walking but accomadation great, so would recommend separate gradeing of walking and accomadation.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
5 mountain tops in 7 days!
What did you think of your group leader?
Very good.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Be aware that walking is long days in hot conditions. Accomadation and food great but good level of fitness required.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Enjoy trip with great group. Our leader was brilliant and great fun with good local knowledge. Our driver was allways on time and drove very carefully. Accomadation was good with plenty of nice local food. Local food and drink also resonable priced.
Clare Elliott

BULGARIAN NATIONAL PARKS

Written July 2012
Well organised with professional and friendly staff, all in all a great trip with amazing scenery.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Reaching the sumit of Mt Vihren.
What did you think of your group leader?
Very professional, helpful, friendly - all round he was excellent.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Depending on the room you get at the hotel in Bansko you might need ear plugs. Most people didn't seem to have this but we were at the back of the hotel and there were dogs barking pretty much all night. Thank goodness I packed mine so it wasn't a problem.
One or two of the walks are either long or quite hard so make sure you are fit enough to enjoy them.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This was a really good trip, the walking was excellent with some challenging bits but that made it all the more satisfiying to do. I would definetly recommend this trip. The scenery was wonderful and the guide very knowledgeable. The Bulgarians were very friendly especially at the hotel in the Rila area. This was the best hotel with some really good traditional home cooking. The hosts there were really friendly and there is a pool, so you might want to take your costume.
Also after the longest walk the driver of the bus arrived to pick us up with cold beers! I have never enjoyed a beer so much. I would also like to add that both the guide and the driver were great - very friendly and helpful.
All in all a great trip - do it!
Anna Cheer

BULGARIAN NATIONAL PARKS

Written July 2012
This was a hard-work holiday, but so worth it. It was far more varied than we'd expected. Each mountain was very different, from bare-rock splendour to a weather and military station with a kiosk serving tea! Blazing sun to hail and thunder, beech woods to alpine meadows and pastures, village hotel with live local music and dancing to sightseeing in the capital city, culture to wildflowers, glacial lakes with romantic legends to ski resorts, weird rock formations to monastery buildings and, best of all, the incredibly varied scenery and views, oh, the views!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Reaching the summit of Mt. Vihren. We felt a huge sense of achievement and terribly proud of ourselves reaching this real top-of-the-world summit with breathtaking views after a steep ascent and a final bare rock 'long exciting scramble' (see Trip Notes). Mind you, 'long exciting scramble' became an in-joke term for serious understatement in our group!
What did you think of your group leader?

Vladimir was superb. He was efficient, knowledgeable, cheerful, professional, encouraging. His obvious experience as a guide, along with him being an excellent psychologist, really helped us to complete all the walks despite being inexperienced mountain walkers. He was accurate and solidly realistic about what we would be facing each day. We felt that if he thought we could do it, we could, but that he would certainly have dissuaded us if he thought we couldn't (but oh so courteously!).
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Use walking poles. Those long ascents and descents are VERY hard on the knees!
Although we are keen walkers, we had little mountain experience and were very apprehensive about our trip. We worked hard on our fitness in the gym and were extremely glad that we had. These are long days at a good pace and you can be walking steeply up and still be doing so hours later!
We really wished we had had those back-pack hydration systems with drinking tubes. We had regular short drink/snack/rest stops, but it was hot and thirsty walking at times.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Work on your fitness, listen to your group leader's advice and then enjoy a challenging, varied, rewarding and interesting trip.
Sally Light

BULGARIAN NATIONAL PARKS

Written September 2011
This was a great trip. Excellent walking, a great tour leader and fascinating country. Highly recommended.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The walking was challenging but the views wonderful and it was great to return to a big meal and nice hotel each evening.
What did you think of your group leader?
The tour leader Vladimir was excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable about his country, it's history, culture and wildlife. On the last day in Sofia he took time to show us around the city, which was an added bonus.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Providing you are fit enough for the walking this is an excellent trip for people who enjoy a challenging week but want to return to some comfort at night. Bulgaria is a wonderful place and is highly recommended.
david scott

BULGARIAN NATIONAL PARKS

Written August 2011
Lovely mountains with beautiful plants and wildlife. The guide and driver went out of their way to be helpful and the hotels were friendly and welcoming.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Walking through a mist shrouded forest and then emerging onto a sunny plateau
What did you think of your group leader?
Excellent leader. He gave me a memory stick full of Bulgarian folk music after we discussed listening to local musicians.