You may also meet some nomadic gypsies, picking mushrooms and berries in the woods, as well as some local Muslim inhabitants growing tobacco and potatoes, or herds of sheep or goats coming down from the mountain at the end of the day.  

Tour highlights:

• The mystic Rodopi mountains – the oldest mountain on the Balkans
• Peaceful mountain sceneries and rich biodiversity
• Typical mountain villages architecture and vivid local life
• 5 of the biggest and most beautiful mountain dams in Bulgaria
• Stunning natural phenomenas – gorges, caves, rock bridges, lakes
• The second biggest and famous Bulgarian monastery – Bachkovo monastery
• The old town of Plovdiv city – one of the oldest European cities

Itinerary:

Day 1. Arrive at Sofia or Plovdiv Airport and spend the night in Sofia or Plovdiv depending on your arrival time. Please note that the starting point of the trip is between these two cities so you may meet the rest of the group on the morning of Day 2 prior to Stage 1 of the tour.
Day 2. Transfer  to the starting point of the tour, some 10 km away from Kostenets. The road goes deep into Rila Mountains with the first village - Sestrimo appearing on the way. Further up you continue to Belmeken dam through old coniferous woods, before reaching the peak at 2,000 m. (the highest point of the whole tour). After 2 km of steep descent, the blue eye of the Belmeken dam will appear. Then you continue ctycling on the banks of the dam, with superb views over the Belmeken waters and the surrounding peaks. The Bulgarian national sports team complex is situated here. Passing through the Yundola Pass meadows (the geographical border between Rila and Rodopi Mountains), a nice descent will take you to the town of Velingrad, where we stay overnight.
Cycling specifics: distance: 76 km (47.2 miles); time: 5,30 hrs; uphill cycling: 500m (1,640 ft); downhill cycling: 1,300 m (4,265 ft)
Day 3. Today's cycling begins at the hotel in Velingrad. You pass through the picturesque landscape of Tsigov Chark countryside (with hotels, holiday huts and restaurants) and then by the Batak dam. Leaving Batak, the road starts rising steeply for the next 10 km, until reaching the highest point of the stage – the countryside around Kartela (1,700 m). From this point on the road descends for most of the way. Further on, the road passes by the Beglika dam, leading slightly uphill to the wall of the Goliam Beglik dam. Some 45 km from the start, you will reach a section where the dam can easily be viewed – and accessed through the forest. It's a good spot for a picnic and siesta in the fresh air. After that the road takes you to another jewel in the Rodopi Mountains – the Shiroka poliana dam – before continuing on to the town of Dospat where we stay overnight.
Cycling specifics: distance: 71 km (44.1 miles); time: 5 hrs; uphill cycling: 600m (1,968 ft); downhill cycling: 700 m (2,296 ft)
Day 4. After breakfast the tour resumes in the centre of Dospat where the track climbs steeply for a while. Then it begins to descend, before continuing its undulations through pastoral areas, a Roman bridge, spruce woods and potato fields. The first bigger settlement along the road is the town of Borino, primarily inhabited by Muslims. This route affords beautiful views over the central parts of the Rodopi Mountains, with the cycling accompanied by a natural phenomenon – the Buynovsko Gorge, which also acts as the gate to our next stop, the Yagodina Cave. Be prepared for the low temperature inside the cave (6 C) during our cave tour, which will take about an hour. Afterwards you can have lunch in the restaurant just opposite the cave, beyond the river. The road now continues to Trigrad village, passing between the 250 m high cliffs of the Trigrad Gorge. Here another sinister cave – The Devil's Throat, housing one of the highest underground waterfalls in Europe – awaits you. A kilometre or so further on you will find the village of Trigrad, where you will stay overnight in a small family hotel
Cycling specifics: distance: 50 km (31 miles); time: 4 hrs; uphill cycling: 950m; downhill cycling: 800m
Day 5. A pleasant descent along Trigradska River brings you to the village of Grohotno and the natural rock phenomenon "The Elephant". Then we continue upstream Shirokolushka River to the village of Shiroka Luka. We stop here to savour the spirit of this architectural reserve, famous for its preserved houses dating back from the Bulgarian Revival Period. We pass by the beautiful Smolyan lakes and finsh cycling in Smolyan town.
Cycling specifics: distance: 66 km (41miles); uphill cycling: 950m; downhill cycling: 800m
Day 6. Cycling from Smolyan to the historic place Rozhen. After a short rest you go uphill to a big picturesque meadow at 1700m which marks the beginning of a gentle downhill ride in direction to Laki town through “Momina voda” protected area. Nerby is the picturesque village of Borovo and the famous religious place with chapels and healing springs – Krastova Gora. Overnight in Borovo. Cycling distance: 39 km (24 miles); uphill cycling: 400m; downhill cycling: 1300m
Day 7. The downhill ride continues along the picturesgue Jugovska River valley to the main road Smolyan-Plovdiv. Short transfer brings you to the Wonderfull Bridges rocky phenomenon for short sightseeing. After that you cycle back downhill towards the road to Plovdiv. The next village on the way is the spa centre of Narechenski Bani. After 5 km you reach the second largest monastery in Bulgaria –Bachkovo. Here we have lunch and the cycling ends. After this, you travel by car to Plovdiv for overnight.
Cycling specifics: distance: 80 km (50 miles); time: about 5 hrs; uphill cycling: 100 or 650m (depending on the group’s mood); downhill cycling: 1,250 m (4,100 ft)
Day 8. After breakfast you will be transferred to Sofia or Plovdiv Airport for departure (transfer time: 20 min to Plovdiv Airport or 2 hrs to Sofia Airport)

PRICE: 630 euro

Included in the price:  equipped bike (helmets and saddle bags are provided upon request only); English-speaking guide/driver with a supporting vehicle; map; roadbook; transfers from/to Sofia airport; accommodation and boarding as mentioned above; VAT and all local taxes.
Price of extra services:   single supplement: 80 euro; rent of a helmet: 10 euro/7 days; rent of a rear saddlebag: 10 euro/week; rent of a handle-bar bag: 5 euro/week;
Accommodation:
We stay in family-run hotels /guesthouses (days 1, 4, 6 and 7) and 3-star hotel (days 2, 3 and 5) with private facilities on halfboard (breakfast & dinner included)
Practical information:    
BIKES: You can choose (depending on the availability) from 2 types of bikes: 1 hardtail performance mountain bike “RAM” with road tires, 24 gears and 80mm front suspension fork and 2. quality road touring bike “DRAG” with 21 gears, 28 inch rims and Shimano components.
TOUR INFO: All bikers receive a detailed roadbook and map. The guide with the supporting vehicle and the luggage inside checks several times a day if everything is OK with the group, waiting by crossroads, accompanying them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and giving them talks by the most interesting sites en-route. The guide is also responsible for the technical support of the bikes. Bikers can always skip some harder stages using the supporting vehicle.
ROAD CONDITIONS: We use two-way roads (one band per direction) with an asphalt covering (the latter usually not brand new!). The country roads are quite peaceful, sometimes without any cars. The road surface in these areas may be not very smooth at some stages. The traffic might be a little bit heavier at some sections but only for a short while.
RECCOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: We strongly recommend you wearing a helmet during the cycling. You can bring your own helmet or rent one from us. Cycling gloves are also advisable.
EXTENSION AT THE BLACK SEA COAST: we have a unique proposal, which gives you the opportunity to stay on a sea holiday for extra week after your active tour at an incredibly low price in Sozopol, Nessebar, Sunny Beach, Lozenets, St. Vlas, Golden Sands etc. and all this with arranged transportation right after your tour and before your departure flight. For more information please check "Vacation extensions" below. LOW COST FLIGHTS TO BULGARIA: please check: Wizz Air - http://wizzair.com/; Sky Europe - http://www1.skyeurope.com/; Easy Jet - http://www.easyjet.com/; Germanwings - http://www.germanwings.com/; My Air - http://www.myair.com/; Penguin Travel – http://www.flybulgarien.dk/; Norwegian Air Shuttle - http://www.norwegian.no/. 
CONNECTING THE TOUR: In summer time there are loads of opportunities to book a cheap flight to Bourgas or Varna Airport instead of landing at Sofia Airport. We can arrange for you a bus or train ticket to the starting point of the active tour with transfer to the central bus/railway station in these towns, picking you up at the airport upon arrival or vice versa at the end of your tour (this would only cost you appr. 20-30 Euro per car + the bus/train ticket price itself). For detailed information and prices, please look at the trip dossier.

Tour type: IT + / GT
Difficulty grade: Moderate/Difficult. Tour for experienced bikers.
Best period:  May – October
Group Size:   min. 2 persons