Thracian Trail

After breakfast rides will be transferred by cars to the horse base in Novakovo. There you’ll meet the horses, have a short briefing, saddle up and ride out to start the trail. Today’s part is pretty long, we have 32 km to cover, which will take us around 5 hours. The terrain is predominantly mountainous, with forest sections and panoramic views of the region. On the way we’ll reach a village called Dushka, stop for a short break and snacks and then continue our ride. Upon reaching our destination, Sarnitsa village, we will enjoy an open-air lunch surrounded by beautiful scenery: a lake, traditional fountains and old wells. Then we’ll transfer to Nikolovo village, check in the hotel and in the evening we’ll have a traditional Bulgarian dinner together.

In the morning we will return to our horses in Sarnitsa. We have a shortes riding day of the trail ahead of us, some 23 km (around 3.5 hours) and today’s part combines riding with visiting one of the region’s signature historical highlights. The trail will take us over hilly and flat terrain, following the route via The Five Fountains towards Beli Plast village through an area known for striking natural formations, including the Rock Mushrooms phenomenon. After unsaddling in Beli Plast, we’ll transfer by car to the nearby village of Stremtsi for lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon we’ll visit Perperikon with a professional English-speaking guide. The place is one of Europe’s most fascinating ancient complexes—an atmospheric rock city associated with Thracian heritage.  If the nature cooperates we’ll try to catch a memorable Rhodope sunset there, too. In the late evening we will head back to Nikolovo for dinner and night.

In the morning, after breakfast, we’ll drive to Beli Plast, saddle up and ride out. We have about 26 km to cover, which should take around 3,5 hours. The path runs through mixed hilly and flat ground to reach the Trakiets Reservoir, a large artificial lake on the Harmanliyska River. Primarily a source of industrial and farming water, the reservoir is a wide, open landscape of water—an ideal setting to rest after the ride. After unsaddling near the shore, we’ll enjoy an open-air lunch and free time. If you’ll be up for some additional activities there are two kayaks available for paddling on the reservoir. In the evening we’ll drive to Nikolovo, have dinner and stay for the night there.

After breakfast we’ll go back to our horses, saddle up and ride out. Today we have 25 km to cover, which will take us around 3,5 hours. First we’ll circle the resevoir and then head through fields and forested areas. The trail runs nearly entirely on flat land, so we’ll speed up every once in a while. In the afternoon we’ll arrive to the village of Bryastovo, set at the foothills of the Eastern Rhodopes. After lunch we’ll have time to relax: the guesthouse offers a small spa area with sauna and jacuzzi. If you want to stretch your legs, an eco-trail toward the Garvanitsa view point begins nearby. For adrenaline seekers, the host can arrange a 2-hour ATV off-road tour. In the evening we’ll have a traditional Bulgarian dinner.

Today our horses get a well-deserved rest and we are off to Plovdiv. We’ll have a guided tour of Plovdiv’s Old Town with a professional English-speaking guide. Plovdiv is one of the oldest living cities in the world and holds the title of the oldest city of Europe, with visible layers of Thracian, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman heritage. The Old Town is really something: cobblestone streets and Renaissance houses, the Ancient Theatre, the Roman Stadium, and Dzhumaya Mosque (described as one of the oldest functioning mosques in the Balkans, built over older foundations) are just some of the highlights. After the guided walk we’ll have some free time, have lunch and enjoy the afternoon in the Old Town. In the evening we’ll return to Bryastovo for another traditional Bulgarian dinner, a folklore surprise, and overnight at the guesthouse.

It’s our last day in the saddle on the trail and it’s a pretty long one. We have 32 km in approximately 5 hours to cover, with mostly mountainous terrain ahead of us. We’ll have plenty of panoramic views on the way, riding along line where plains and Easter Rhodopes meet. In the middle of the ride we’ll stop for a short break and a snack and then ride the last part to reach the horse base in Novakovo. There we’ll thank our horses and have a late lunch at the stables. Then we will transfer by cars to Plovdiv where we’ll settle in a hotel. Once refreshed we’ll head out to the city center to enjoy the atmosphere and have our last dinner together.

It’s time to leave Bulgaria and head home. After breakfast, at pre-arranged times, all riders will be transferred to the airport in Sofia or Plovdiv. In case of later departures a separate, private transfer can be arranged.