8 independent reviews for Bulgaria self-guided walking and spa holiday
Reviews for Bulgaria self-guided walking and spa holiday
Jane Davies review 22 Jul 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The natural environment was really impressive. Somebody had gone to lengths to find short but memorable walks for some of this holiday. The Canyon of Waterfalls and Smolyan lakes were interesting, peaceful and well marked out. The trip to Varbovo was good and the Strulitsa Eco-Path was the highlight of these walks. We extended our time in Devin so that we could explore more of this region and this river. Shiroka Laka was fantastic. We enjoyed becoming regulars at one of the restaurants in town. A lovely little place. The hotels in Smolyan, Shiroka Laka and Devin were great. Our taxi drivers were amazing guys. Nothing was too much trouble for them and they took genuine pride in sharing their love of the Rhodope mountains. Their driving was respectful and careful.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Two nights in Plovdiv was too much. We wanted to spend as much time in the Bulgarian nature as possible so we felt that two nights in the city was time away from what we had wanted. This was basically a city break. As a transport hub and international trade centre, too much of Plovdiv is given over to wide roads and the rapid transit of people from one part of the country to another. An afternoon to enjoy the old town and streets would have been plenty. Ego hotel wasn’t suitable for this kind of holiday. It’s a businessperson’s hotel catering mostly for the trade fairs. Run on a shoestring with overworked staff, very unappealing breakfast, no common areas to relax in, overlooking a grim park full of dog mess or a 1980’s era demolition site doubling as a car park. There are no staff on site between midnight and 8 am. A bad start to what was supposed to be a walking holiday. Information about all parts of the tour was scant in the extreme. It was unusual to have anything other than the GPS location with two word directions. We expected much more than this: things to look out for, historical sites, interesting people, wildlife or places to explore and so on. We increasingly made our own itineraries as the information you provided was so arid. The biggest concern and major disappointment was what you offered for day 4 as the Shiroka laka circular. This was in fact a simple download of the Thracian Ultra, an extreme sport road run through the area, including directional photos from their site3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It benefitted local people i.e. taxi drivers and local restaurants and shops. If there were fewer locations with more suggested activities in each one, it would reduce petrol and give us more chance for a thorough exploration. It highlighted the eco trials.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Overall we really enjoyed it and just put in the downsides so you can get even better evaluations in the future.Dave Burrows review 2 Jun 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The final walk, out of Devin, was wonderful. Different types of terrain, waterfalls, a ruined Roman fort, views over the mountains, forests and walkways over the streams.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be careful when you read "easy". We are in our mid 60s and found some walks challenging, especially the Canyon of Waterfalls at Smolnya.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I'm sure it was economically beneficial to local hotels and restaurants. Beyond that, I couldn't say.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Good. The hotels were very good overall and the spa facilities very enjoyable, though the food available in the hotels was generally not as interesting as that in restaurants nearby (in Shotokan Laka and Devin).Read the operator's response here:
Thank you very much for your review, Dave. We are delighted you enjoyed your tour and that the itinerary effectively showcased the Rhodope Mountain's natural beauty for you. We hope you returned with lovely memories and a strong sense of achievement. We appreciate that tours with a mixing grade (easy to moderate, moderate) can be more open to interpretation, and some clients may find the tour falls more into one category than the other. The tour has been designed to focus on family-run businesses that benefit the local community by keeping investment in the area, and we are pleased a sense of this positive impact came across. We are also confident that a walking tour will have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents. Thank you for choosing to travel with us, and we hope to welcome you back again soon!
David Brandman review 11 Jul 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Staying in local villages, hiking in the wilderness, coming across wildlife in the natural environment & seeing local villager culture.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Embrace it, enjoy it, make the most of it!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
100%. Pleased to have gone off the beaten track to destinations we simply would not have gone to had we organised this ourselves. Delighted that our tourism money spent benefited locsl hotels, local taxi drivers, local restaurants, local shops. Felt like money well spent.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Outstanding. Already thinking about where our next destination will be & would book a trip like this again for sure.Amba Harbour review 4 Jul 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The beautiful walks and waterfalls - path around the gorge2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Good walking shoes3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
A little as we were based in localised areas4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great - two days need to be given more thought on the walking offered especially one involving lots of winding road walking just to visit a deserted village. Also had a taxi driver without suitable seat belts or head rests - so was a safety concernRead the operator's response here:
Thank you very much for your feedback!
We are thrilled to receive such positive comments, and our product team have noted your feedback on where the walks could be improved for future itinerary adaptations. We are concerned to hear that a certain taxi ride did not come with suitable seatbelts or head rests. All private transfers reserved by us will require these when we contract these services, and we shall make further checks with the transport firms to ensure they are available.
We hope that you return with great memories of Bulgaria!
Suzanne Hubner review 9 Sep 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
N/a2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Prue Mitchell review 19 Aug 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were beautiful meadows in the forests, fantastic flowers and incredible insects. The walking guides were very clear.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring a spork. The spa hotels are not the same as British spa hotels. Slightly limited food options.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was very relaxing, with beautiful scenic mountains and forests.Morven Jenkins review 13 Aug 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Walking from Yagodina to Trigrad - the path was easy to follow and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. To be so high up in the mountains with nature and eventually descend to overlook Trigrad on the way down was amazing.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Some of the walks are quite treacherous especially if it has been raining. We turned back from finding the highest waterfall at the eco-trail in Devin as the path was unsuitable and very high for navigating with 2 children.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, we loved eating out at the local restaurants and buying gifts and fruit from the local traders. Hotel food was all very good and breakfasts were substantial with a good selection.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Highly recommended, no stress - the majority of the walks are available but not compulsory. We chose to spend one day at the waterpark in Devin and only did half of the eco-trail. The scenery is outstanding and the people are very helpful and friendly and all hotels we used were clean, comfortable and accommodating.Jo Cohen Jones review 21 May 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Walking in the mountains through unspoilt meadows where the only sounds were birdcalls and an occasional sheep bell was balm to the soul.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for your hosts to speak no English and to carry your own bags! People are friendly beneath a somewhat dour exterior with a terrific sense of humour but expectations of service differ.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Hard to say, not sure it's my place to judge.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent.Holiday Reviews
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