Period: 6 - 17 May 2006, 20 May - 31 May 2006
Suitable period: May - June
During this tour we can visit the best birdwatching places in all the country. On this trip we will visit different biotopes - mountains, wetlands, Black Sea Coast and we can enjoy many interesting birds like Levant Sparrowhawk, Long-legged Buzzard, Rock Partridge, Pygmy Cormorant, Ruddy Shelduck, Semi-collared Flycatcher, Masked Shrike, Olive-tree and Paddyfield Warblers, Rock Nuthatch, Sombre Tit and many more birds. On this tour we can observe more than 200 species of birds. See the itinerary for more detailed description of the tour.
Day 1
Arrival at the Sofia Airport and transfer to the hotel in Vitosha Mountain. After accommodation in the hotel we are going to birdwatch around the more than 100 year-old forest. Common Crossbill, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Nutcracker, Black Woodpecker, Pallid Swift.
Day 2
After the breakfast we will travel to the South part of Bulgaria. We will spend the time exploring the Kresna Gorge and the Struma River Valley. This gorge is a part of the famous bird migratory corridor called Via Aristotelis. In Tissata natural reserve, a landscape with predominantly Mediterranean Flora we can observe many birds, and especially Rock and Blue Rock Thrushes, Somber Tit, Red-rumped Swallow, Syrian Woodpecker, Barred, Subalpine and Orphean Warblers, Lesser Grey, Red-backed and Woodchat Shrikes and many others species. Late in the afternoon we will arrive in the town of Melnik. Melnik is a picturesque historic village famous for its locally produced wines. Overnight in a hotel - architectural museum.
Day 3
Today we will cross the Mountain of Pirin. In the middle of the day we will arrive at the Rodope Mountain and the Trigrad Gorge. This spectacular gorge is one of the best places to watching the Wallcreeper in Europe. We can observe also Peregrine falcon, Golden eagle, Pallid and Alpine Swifts, Crag Martin, etc. After a picnic lunch we will continue our trip through the Rodope Mountain. After several stops for birdwatching we will arrive in the town of Smolyan in the Central part of the Rodope Mountain. Accommodation, diner and overnight in a local hotel.
Day 4
After breakfast we will continue our tour along the Rodope Mountains. We will make a several stops for birdwatching. Late in the afternoon we will arrive in our hotel on the board of Studen Kladenetz Dam.
Day 5
Early in the morning we will go to the region with the unique breeding colony of Griffon vulture in Bulgaria. We visit also the feeding place when we can observe Egyptian and Black Vultures, Golden and Imperial Eagles, Long - legged Buzzard, Levant Sparrowhawk, Black Stork, Rock Nuthatch, Subalpine, Orphean and Sardinian Warblers, Somber Tit and many other birds. In the afternoon we will visit the Krumovitza River Valley. In this very interesting valley we can observe Egyptian and Griffon vultures, Black Stork, Stone Curlew, black-headed bunting, Bee-eater, Roller, Golden Oriole, Rock Nuthatch, Red-rumped swallow, Somber Tit, Masked and Lesser Grey Shrikes, etc.
Day 6
This day after breakfast we will make a long transfer to the Black Sea coast. We will stop a several places for birdwatching. We will cross the Mountains of Sakar and Strandja - the largest Natural Park in Bulgaria. We can observe many birds and especially Lesser Spotted Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Montagu's Harrier, Booted Eagle, Black Kite, Olive-tree Warbler, Masked and Woodchat Shrikes, Isabelline Wheatear, Black - headed Bunting, Spanish Sparrow etc. Late in the afternoon we will arrive in a small and comfortable hotel near to the Black Sea Cost. We will spend two nights there.
Day 7
After breakfast we will go to visit the lakes around Burgas - Mandra and Atanassovo. On these lakes we can observe many birds and especially White-tailed Eagle, Lesser spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzard, Short - toed and Booted Eagles, Goshawk, Marsh Harrier, Pygmy Cormorant, Squacco, Night, Purple and Grey Herons, Little and Great Egrets, Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, etc. In the afternoon we will visit the Ropotamo River reserve. In this reserve we can observe many water birds, Woodpeckers, Short-toed Treecreeper, etc. Late in the afternoon we will return to our hotel.
Day 8
Today we continue our tour with a transfer to the north part of the Black Sea coast. We will stop on the Pomorie Lake. In this place we can observe Avocet, Shelduck, Sandwich and Little Terns and many other birds. After a lunch in the historical town of Nessebar we will stop for birdwatching in Goritza forest. In this place we can observe Semi-collared Flycatcher, Woodpeckers, etc. Late in the afternoon we will arrive at our hotel on the Black Sea coast. We will spend there two nights.
Day 9
We will visit the lakes Durankulak and Shabla - the wintering places for the world population of Red-breasted Goose. We can observe many birds and especially Red-footed falcon, Red-necked Grebe, Little Bittern, Whiskered and White-winged Terns, Collared Pratincole, Paddyfield Warbler, Pied Wheatear, etc. After a lunch in a local fish restaurant on the board of the lake we will go to birdwatching on the steppe. We will visit a breeding place of the Eagle Owl. If we are lucky we can observe the Pallid Harrier a very rare breeding bird on the steppe. We will observe a Peregrine Falcon, Red- footed Falcon, Mediterranean Shearwater, Mediterranean race of European Shag, Rose-coloured Starling, Calandra and Short-toed Larks and many other birds. Late in the afternoon we will return in the hotel for the second overnight.
Day 10
This day we will go to the region of Dobrudja - the unique conserved natural steppe in Bulgaria. We will visit the biosphere reserve "Srebarna" a site included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We can observe the colony of endangered Dalmatian Pelican, Ruddy Shelduck, Red-necked Grebe, Squacco Heron, Whiskered Tern, Lesser Spotted Eagle, Black Kite, Marsh Harrier and if we luck White-tailed Eagle, etc. Overnight in a small local hotel.
Day 11
After breakfast we will visit a breeding colony of Bee-eaters. We can observe also Lesser Spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzard, etc. After a short transfer by bus we will stop to a typical Danube Valley Marshes. We can observe Black-necked Grebe, Pygmy Cormorant, Little Bittern, Penduline Tit, Bearded Reedling, etc. After a lunch to a restaurant to the Danube board we will continue our road to the Central Balkan. Late in the afternoon, after many stops for birdwatching we will arrive to an ancient historical small village. Overnight in a hotel - typical Bulgarian house from XVIII century.
Day 12
Early in the morning we will continue our road to the town of Sofia (about 200 km). Depending of your departure time we will stop for birdwatching around Sofia.
Group size: 4-14 persons 880 EUR
Individual: 1-3 persons 960 EUR
Single room supplement: 160 EUR
Price include: Transport with comfortable bus and coach, Accommodation in good hotels with private facilities, full board, professional guide and entrance taxes.
The price does not include: Airfares, travel insurance, alcohol drinks and cigarettes, room service, telephone calls.
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