“Explore the unique nature of Bulgaria on horse”
8 Day The Wild Land of Central Bulgaria Horse Riding Tour
Incanto Hotel, Housing Complex Mitko Palauzov 27, Sevlievo, Gabrovo, Bulgaria
Breathtaking Horse Riding Tour Bulgaria
Explore the unique nature of Bulgaria on horseback, meet the local traditions and culture, discover the ancient history, and taste the delicious food and wine. This trail takes you to the North side of the Balkan mountain - free and open land without any fences.
Key information
- Rider Weight Limit: 209 pounds / 95 kilograms
- Horse Height Range: 150 - 165 centimeters
- Tack Type: Western and Endurance high-quality saddles - Ortho-Flex and Podium. Some of the horses are ridden in bitless bridles
- Horse Breed: Shagya and pure-bred Arabs, East-Bulgarian breed, and cross-bred with Arab horses - all very well-trained, spirited, and easy to control
Meet the instructors
Maria
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Highlights
- 6 riding days
- Daily riding time: 3 to 5 hours
- Ride along the valleys, lakes, beautiful forests, and open fields
- Enjoy a great view of the Balkan mountain
- Visits to Etara complex and Bacho Kiro cave
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily meals and drinks
- Airport transfers
Skill level
- Beginner
Styles
6 days with instruction
Group size: 4-10 participants
Airport transfer included:
Sofia Airport
Accommodation
During the trail, you will be accommodated in nice traditional guesthouses, where you can enjoy homemade delicious dishes, fine wine, fruits, and vegetables from the local gardens. Guesthouses offer traditional Bulgarian breakfasts. Rooms are mostly twin with an en-suite bathroom. If a single rider wants to share a room with somebody else, but there is no other suitable person to share, then he or she will have a single accommodation and has to pay its additional tax.
Program
During the tour, you have the chance to explore the greatest historical, cultural, and natural landmarks in the area. This experience is supplemented by fine Bulgarian wines and delicious traditional dishes, fruits, and vegetables from the local farms and gardens. Alfa Riders LTD & Alfa Centaur LTD understands that enjoying your horse and feeling safe are some of the most important things for a riding holiday. That is why they carefully select their horses and train them to be reliable, easily controllable, and brave.
Your horse will be carefully chosen, according to your requirements and abilities. The guides will prepare the horse for you every day, so you can just relax and enjoy your tour. The terrain is diverse, but mainly smooth and pleasant, allowing you to ride free from strain and to enjoy with all your senses the amazing natural scenery. You will ride along the valleys, lakes, beautiful forests, and open fields. It is obligatory to have a riding helmet. They also recommend: riding boots or chaps, raincoats and warm clothes, insect repellent, and sunscreen.
Riding consists of 40% walking, 30% trotting, and 30% cantering. This proportion could be changed according to the requirements and the abilities of the riders or weather conditions. There are two guides (professional riders) with one leading the group and the other following with a jeep and all luggage. Accompanying children and young people over 12 years. All accompanying non-riders will get the chance to participate in additional activities. The arrival time required is between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. or something very close to this time.
The clients, arriving outside the appropriate time should have a special transfer. The departure time required is between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. or something very close to this time. The clients, departing earlier than the appropriate time, should have a special transfer. The clients, departing later than the appropriate time will not have to pay for a special transfer, but they will be left at the airport together with the earlier departing riders.
- Ability: novice to higher ability riders
- Average hours in the saddle: 3 to 5 hours
- Guides: experienced and professional, perfectly know all horses and routes
- Meeting point: Sofia Airport
- Terrain: Pace - varying from walking on steeper slopes to a fast pace in open spaces
Daily itinerary
From Riding Club ”Alfa”, located near the town of Sevlievo, to the Novakovtsi village (two nights), the Rocky Chain Vitata Stena, the village of Zhivko, the village of Gesha, ”Etara” Ethnographic complex, Gabrovo, Dryanovo monastery, Gostilitsa village, and back to the Riding Club.
Day 1
Pick up from Sofia Airport and transfer to Sevlievo, located 190 kilometers northeast of the capital. Arrival in the town of Sevlievo. Arrival in the town of Sevlievo and accommodation in Hotel Incanto, which has a sauna and jacuzzi. Initial instructions by the guides can be done the next morning, depending on the arrival time. Dinner and rest in the hotel.
Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel. Packing up the luggage and heading to the Riding Club. Arrival at the stable. Introducing the horses to the riders, final preparations, and instructions by the guides. A round of riding for about two hours through hills and beautiful forests with small creeks. Lunch at the Riding Club. After lunch, another ride in the area of the stable for about two hours. Dinner and night in a guest house “St. George” (two nights).
- Distance: 18 kilometers
- Duration: 4 hours
Day 3
Breakfast at the guest house. Riding through forests and open fields giving opportunity for nice canters, disclosing great view of the Balkan mountain. Picnic near Armenite village. Riding towards the village Novakovtsi where you will spend the night in the quiet guest house “St. George”. Dinner at the guest house.
- Distance: 25 kilometers
- Duration: 4.5 hours
Day 4
Ride to the small and well-hidden village of Zhivko. Riding alongside the foot of the famous rocky chain ”Vitata Stena” (10 kilometers long and more than 120 meters high), which is a nature reserve. Along the ride, you will have an amazing view of the Balkan mountain. Picnic outdoors at a lake over the rocks. Arrival at Zhivko village. Visit by car of the Ethnographic complex “Etara” near Gabrovo city.
The complex represents a village from the 19th century with the main crafts developed at that time. The old machines work with the power of running water and the present craftsmen produce traditional pots, garments, food, musical instruments, tools, and souvenirs on them. Dinner and night at a beautiful traditional-style guest house in Zhivko village.
- Distance: 20 kilometers
- Duration: 4 hours
Day 5
Breakfast at the guest house. Pack up and ride in the wilderness towards Gesha village. Picnic outdoors near Yantra River. Arrival at Gesha and spend the night in a nice guest house with a swimming pool.
- Distance: 21 kilometers
- Duration: 4 hours
Day 6
Breakfast at the guest house and visit by car Dryanovo Monastery and the “Bacho Kiro” cave above it. The Monastery survived after being set on fire by the Ottoman army in one epic battle with the rebels of the biggest Bulgarian uprising against the Turkish occupation in 1876. Ride north, enjoying nice canters along the wild meadows. Picnic near Skalsko lake. Arrival at the beautiful Guest House Gostilitsa with a swimming pool. Dinner and rest at the guest house.
- Distance: 22 kilometers
- Duration: 4 hours
Day 7
Breakfast at the hotel. Start an amazing ride back to Riding club ”Alfa” through the wilderness and along the beautiful forests, creeks, and fields of the Southwest. You will enjoy the breathtaking view all around. Picnic in the wilderness. Arrival at the stable, saying goodbye to the horses. Farewell dinner and night in the hotel Incanto.
- Distance: 20 kilometers
- Duration: 4 hours
Day 8
Breakfast at the hotel. Leaving for Sofia. Departure from Sofia Airport.
The horses
Shagya and pure-bred Arabs, East-Bulgarian breed, and cross-bred with Arab horses - all very well-trained, spirited, and easily controllable. The height of the horses varies from 150 to 165 centimeters.
Instructors
Maria Toneva
Maria will be one of your guides during this tour.
Location
The horse riding tour will start from Riding Club Alfa, located near the town of Sevlievo, to The Rocky Chain Vitata Stena, the village of Zhivko, the village of Gesha, Etara Ethnographic complex, Gabrovo, Dryanovo monastery, the village of Emen, the old capital Veliko Turnovo, and back to the riding club. Bulgaria is one of the best-kept secrets of Europe, a beautiful mountainous country that offers travelers untouched villages, rich spiritual traditions, spectacular granite peaks, deep rivers, green valleys, blue sea, and an old-world culture with an impressive history.
Bulgarians were deeply connected to their horses. History tells curious facts. The great Hungarian scholar Professor Geza Feher (1890-1955) said in his writing, in "Strategicon" by Psudomavrikius (seventh century), it is written: "The horses, which the Bulgarians use in battle, graze freely on the meadows and nobody can ride them except in wartime. If they catch someone riding them at other times, they would kill him".
If you wish to enjoy exciting moments, ride in this splendid different world, and go wherever you like with no forbidden roads, come to this lovely country! The relief is smooth and pleasant, and you will see the spectacular sceneries of the land in the best possible way from the horseback.
Food
All meals are included. Midday meals are in the open-air - picnics - during the passages and they consist of warm homemade food, beer, and cold and hot drinks. The package offers ecologically clean food and international and traditional Bulgarian cuisine.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Alcoholic beverages
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
- Bow-shooting
- Cultural tour around the historic landmarks
- Massages every night
- Visit of the Ethnographic complex Etara
What's included
- 6 days of riding
- 7 nights accommodation
- All meals and drinks (including beer and wine)
- Transfers from and back to Sofia Airport
- Entry fees as per the itinerary
- Professional guides’ assistance
- Luggage transfers
- Jeep vehicle support
What's not included
- Airfare
- Hard drinks
- Additional activities
- Private transfers from and to Sofia (220 EUR)
- Small group supplement fee to The Wild Land of Central Bulgaria and Balkan National Park (350 EUR)
- Small group supplement fee to Magic gallops in the Devetaki Plateau and The Kingdom of Thracians (400 EUR)
- Sleeping bag hire (20 EUR)
How to get there
Recommended Airports
SOF
Sofia Airport
142 km
Transfer included
Airport: Sofia Airport
Airport transfer included: Sofia Airport
No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
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