This is an 8 day wildlife tour to the Bulgarian part of the Rhodopes – one of the largest mountain massifs on the Balkan Peninsula with extensive deciduous and unique coniferous forests. The western part of the mountain is rounded, with pine-clad hills occasionally cut by streams and rivers running through deep gorges. It is the main refuge of the Brown Bear in Bulgaria. The mountain is also home to the Grey Wolf, the European Wild Cat and the Balkan subspecies of the Chamois.

The eastern part of the Rhodopes is very different, both in terms of landscape and climate. This is an area of exceptional biodiversity, the result of a mixture of Mediterranean and continental climates. With its craggy peaks, towering cliffs and sparsely vegetated, boulder-strewn slopes, it is the realm of four of Bulgaria’s “Big Five” mammals – European bison, fallow deer, roe deer and red deer. The most spectacular birds there are the raptors. Eurasian Griffon Vulture, Eurasian Black (Cinereous) Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Black Kite, White-tailed Eagle are frequent visitors to the feeding sites.

Tour itinerary:

3rd April

Arrival in Sofia and transfer to the south-east – to the Eastern Rhodopes, where we will spend four nights near the town of Momchilgrad.

On the way we can either stop in other parts of the country for wildlife viewing or go straight to the Eastern Rhodopes where we will spend the rest of the day.

04 April, 05 April & 06 April

During these three days we will take short drives and walks in the area of a local game reserve, exploring a mosaic of habitats including volcanic cliffs and arid areas, dry deciduous forests and shrublands dominated by oak trees, old orchards and colourful meadows. We will see various species of birds of prey and other birds, as well as a good variety of mammals, including European Bison, Fallow Deer, Roe Deer, Red Deer, Golden Jackal, Red Fox, European Otter and, if we are lucky, a Wildcat or Grey Wolf. This area has one of the densest wolf populations in Bulgaria. To increase the chances of seeing wolves and other predators during one of the nights, we will use a hide in the game reserve.

The largest wild population of the Eurasian Griffon Vulture in Bulgaria has survived in the Eastern Rhodopes. Here is also the main part of the breeding population of the Egyptian Vulture in Bulgaria. Other interesting birds in the Eastern Rhodopes are the Eurasian Black Vulture, the Black Kite, the White-tailed Eagle, the Golden Eagle, the Short-toed Eagle, the Long-legged Buzzard, the Black Stork, the Chukar Partridge, the Scops Owl, the Black Woodpecker, the Middle Spotted Woodpecker, the Red-rumped Swallow, the Woodchat Shrike, the Cirl Bunting and other bird species.

07th April

Today we head west – into the higher Western Rhodope Mountains with stops along the way for birding and mammal watching. We arrive in Yagodina in the afternoon and check in for three nights.

08 April & 09 April

On these two days we will take day walks in the Brown Bear habitat, looking for bear tracks and markings, and with a bit of luck we may see a bear during the day. However, the main approach to bear watching will be to stay in a hide in front of a Wild Boar feeding area frequented by bears and, with luck, watch them from about 20-30 metres away. We need to enter the hide about two hours before dark. We stay in the hide as long as you wish, although it is preferable to stay there until the morning to increase the chances of seeing bears and other mammals. In addition to Wild Boar, there is a good chance of seeing Roe Deer, Red Deer, Red Fox, Stone Marten, Pine Marten and Balkan Chamois in this area.

There will also be good chances to see a wide variety of birds such as Hazel Grouse, Black Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Eurasian Pygmy Owl, Spotted Nutcracker, Ring Ouzel (ssp. alpestris), White-throated Dipper, Barred Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Sombre Tit, European Serin, Rock Bunting, Crested Tit, Willow Tit, etc.

We will also explore the limestone gorges in search of the locally breeding Wallcreepers.

April 10th

Transfer (3 hours) to Sofia for departure. Time permitting, we will stop on the way for bird watching and wildlife observation.