Bulgaria small group holidays

Planet

On this tour we spend time visiting and walking in pristine protected environments such as in the Balkan Mountains and the Rhodopes Mountains. We also have the opportunity to visit numerous sites inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Rila Monastery and Bachkovo Monastery but also pride ourselves to get off the beaten tracks to meet with villagers in Kalofer and Melnik. This itinerary is extremely varied and we do everything possible to contribute to the local economy and diffusion of the Bulgarian culture. As instances, we pay a visit to a micro-farm where we observe the farmer producing white traditional cheese, meet with a bagpipe master who performs some traditional tunes, visit several workshops including a small-scale rose distillery and honey producer and from where travellers can learn all from the processes and can buy hand-made local products to bring home, and we even offer the possibility to men to get a shave from an expert barber. This tour has everything to appeal, and we go beyond all limits to ensure experiences which will benefit to both the locals and the travellers.

On this tour we exclusively use small-scale accommodation and include or recommend local cafes and restaurants, most of which favouring short food supply chains and promoting the rich food traditions.

In all the cities and villages we visit on this tour, we incorporate walking tours rather than being reliant on private transportation - not only reducing our carbon footprint but we believe leading to a more enjoyable and intimate experience for our clients. Furthermore, all vehicles used on the tour have low carbon emissions. We work closely with our local suppliers to highlight best practice in terms of environmental issues.

We do everything possible to reduce our waste while travelling, and encourage all our travellers to bring their own water bottles rather than purchase plastic. For those who forget to bring their own bottle, a flask will be lent at the start of the tour. Fountains with drinkable spring water can be found regularly along the journey. Guides will brief travellers on appropriate behaviour, both cultural and environmental, and we make a point of ensuring that we leave no permanent traces of our stay behind, taking all rubbish with us.

We only employ local staff and unlike many operators we believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint. We believe that locals know best. We work with our local partners to ensure that they operate in an environmentally friendly manner as much as possible.

Our groups to Bulgaria are very small (averaging less than six travellers), and many tours operate on a private basis with just two to five travellers. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Finally to emphasis our commitment to Responsible Tourism all clients will receive a copy of our Travellers Code of Conduct with their travel documents.

If you would like to avoid taking flight, we are happy to book trains for you - reaching the start point by train is an enjoyable option and a real alternative to flying.

People

Our philosophy is to only use small and locally owned suppliers, meaning that the income remains within the country and creates a real economic contribution. We also feel that the passion inherent within such suppliers means that your experience will be enhanced.

We only employ local staff and unlike many operators we believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint. We believe that locals know best. Our local operators only use locally owned accommodation. This means your money stays in the area to benefit the local community.

On this tour we visit Karlovo, the hometown of the 19th century revolutionary Vasil Levski, as well as the former important trade hub Plovdiv, and besides small villages classified as of national heritage importance, we also spend time in the beautiful capital, Sofia. Most of the places we visit on this tour have an important significance to the Bulgarian people. Visiting these sites and cities allows our clients to learn about the strong culture of this once closed-off city.

By visiting micro-farms, various workshops, rose distillery, or even music teacher, we are supporting the local community and their livelihood. Clients also have the opportunity to purchase local souvenirs, ensuring the money is kept within the local community.

We believe that tourism is a double edged sword that needs to be wielded very carefully. Our philosophy is to have a limited amount of departures – usually between one and three a year - for each of our itineraries. By limiting our presence in areas where local culture can be quite fragile, we hope to avoid as much as possible the phenomenon whereby an area changes in character due to repeated and prolonged exposure to tourism. We want to visit an area as friends, not intruders and to ensure that what we see will also be there for others to enjoy for many years to come.

We only employ local staff and unlike many operators we believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint. We believe that locals know best. Our local operators only use locally owned accommodation. This means your money stays in the area to benefit the local community.

Our groups to Bulgaria are very small (averaging less than six travellers), and many tours operate on a private basis with just two to five travellers. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Finally to emphasis our commitment to Responsible Tourism all clients will receive a copy of our Travellers Code of Conduct with their travel documents.