Bulgaria self-guided walking and spa holiday

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This walking holiday in Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains is, by its very nature, slow and sustainable, with guests walking 5-24km per day, in ancient forests that provide a vital carbon sink for this Balkan region. The Rhodope Mountains are considered of great importance for biodiversity, with Rewilding Europe earmarking them for preservation and restoration because of their bird, bear, wolf and jackal habitats. Most recently, they introduced 14 black vultures, which disappeared from the region in the early 1990s.

With all of our tours, we offer a facility for our guests to travel to Bulgaria using bus and train. When possible, we recommend public transport transfers on our hiking and cycling holidays, but as this is not viable on this particular tour, we use our local driver to transfer customers from place to place.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

The Rhodopes are part of the Rila-Rhodope massif, the Balkan peninsula's oldest landmass. In the area, fifteen reserves have been established, some of which are protected by UNESCO. The mountains are well-known for having the biggest coniferous forests in the Balkans, mild relief, rich vegetation in the western regions, and an abundance of predatory birds in the eastern regions. Throughout the past few years, efforts have been made in order to protect the area’s vulture population. One of the numerous dangers that vultures and other birds in the Eastern Rhodopes encounter on a daily basis is unsecured pillars. Sadly, collisions occur when vultures and other birds are unable to see the wires in front of them. The year 2020 saw the installation of new electric pole insulation in Bulgaria's Rhodope Mountain as part of initiatives to save the Cinereous and Griffon vultures that call the area their home. We promote this goal and raise awareness of wildlife conservation by introducing sustainable tourism to the region.

Many of the routes used in this tour have been either developed (or existing trails selected) in collaboration with local authorities and local communities. A number of the trails have also been way-marked and are regularly maintained; an important measure taken in order to prevent people from straying from the intended routes, therefore reducing any damage to the immediate surroundings of the trails.

We have an in-house responsible tourism expert, who shares tips and advice with our guests in trip notes, blogs and newsletters. For example, on how to practise responsible hiking with regards to the environment and wildlife, giving tips on environmental charities they can support, practising responsible wildlife watching and taking care to protect the marine environment when hiking or swimming. Before departure, guests are also encouraged to bring their own water bottles and to avoid single-use plastic during their trip.

We remind guests to always practise Leave No Trace throughout their holiday, especially as we are aware that waste management has been a point of contention for Bulgaria since joining the EU. We remind guests not to add to the problem by bringing lots of packaging with them or buying single-use plastic while they are there.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Only breakfast is included on this walking holiday and so we encourage our guests to buy lunches and snacks in local shops. As this holiday takes guests into some rural areas, this directs tourist spend directly into local Bulgarian’s family coffers, a world away from the mass tourism of Bulgaria’s all inclusive coastline resorts. All of our host accommodations provide picnic lunches too, paid for locally, and we work closely with them to avoid single use plastics when packaging them. We always advise our guests to bring their own reusable sealable lunch box, and refillable water bottles of course.

Directing guests to local food in the Rhodope Mountains is important to us, not only so that they have an enjoyable cultural experience, but because they are also supporting the local gastro-economy. Katya, our tour manager, knows all the best places to find local specialities such as patatnik potato dish, cheverme or slow cooked lamb, smilyan beans and kapama, a spicy hearty mountain stew. In addition, our daily trip notes direct guests to good local eateries. Katya also reminds guests to always practise Leave No Trace throughout their holiday.

This walking holiday includes a visit to Shiroka Laka, famous for its 17th-century traditional stone and wooden houses, which line the riverfront here. This village is not only in the heart of trekking land, it is also an important architectural and cultural artery, and we are proud to contribute towards sustaining it. Folklore is fundamental here, and The National School of Folk Arts was established in Shiroka Laka in 1972. Every first Sunday in March, there is a mummers festival, which is a cultural eye opener for visitors.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

All of our partners in Bulgaria are locally employed and play an essential role in contributing to the local economy. At home, we have a strict policy to pay all our own employees and team members a living wage and fair wage, with holiday entitlement. In the hiring process, we prioritise experience, qualifications and passion, emphasising that race, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality are not factors of consideration. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace based on skills and expertise. We also endeavour to support any guests with visible and non-visible disabilities or any special requirements, when possible.