Redesigned

Cycling Bulgaria: Sofia to the Rhodope Mountains

DestinationsBulgaria
Tour MeetsSofia, Bulgaria
Tour EndsSofia, Bulgaria
Fly in toSofia Airport (SOF)
Fly out ofSofia Airport (SOF)
Group Size2-16 riders
Minimum Age18 (on scheduled departures)
360kmTotal cycling distance
60kmAvg distance / day
700mAvg climbing / day

Trip Profile

We ride a total of 374 km over six days of cycling, with up to 900 metres of elevation gain per day (the average gain is 683 m). However, all days except one feature more descent than climbing, meaning there is ample opportunity to recover from the climbs. Days 2 and 3 are challenging, while the climbing eases off on a longer, flatter Day 4. Days 5 ,6, and 7 once again present more climbs, but always spread out over distances of 50 km to 70 km. We all ride at different speeds, and our progress may vary depending upon how we feel on the day. The guides tend to ride through the group, but stop on the top of passes to regroup. It is not essential that you try and keep up with everyone. Just ride at your own speed and enjoy it. Remember, the vehicle is there for you, driving behind the group.

Suitability: This trip is suitable for anyone with a reasonable fitness level. Average climbing per day is 683 m spread over distances averaging 60 km. This trip is not too arduous, but there are climbs every day, so the fitter you are, the more you will enjoy it.

Biking Conditions: This tour follows a mixture of good sealed roads with occasional rougher road surfaces for short distances. No off-road riding experience is required. We will ride mainly on quiet countryside roads, but sometimes we will enter towns and villages which may have moderate traffic. A support vehicle is almost always available to help you, and you will have your guides nearby you at all times. Bulgaria can be hot during the day, and cooler at night, so you may want to have a layer or two for the mornings along with your light cycling gear.

What's Included

  • SpiceRoads jersey
  • Water bottle
  • Support vehicle
  • Guide(s)
  • Meals (as indicated)
  • Accommodation
  • Snacks and drinks

What's Excluded

  • International flights
  • Airport pick up
  • Airport drop off
  • Visa fees
  • Alcohol
  • Tips

Nuts & Bolts

Bikes

Because some people can't imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, we do not provide them as part of this tour. However, you can hire bikes locally for the price listed in the tour pricing section.

If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a mountain bike or gravel bike in good mechanical order, with any specific spare parts and tools you may need.

Bike Repairs

Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.

Safety

Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.

Guides

You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.

The Nitty Gritty

Passports and Visas

Travellers from Australia, the United Kingdom, US, EU and all foreign nationals who have a valid multi–entry Schengen visa, type “C” or “D”, or a valid residence permit in one of the Schengen member states do not need a visa to Bulgaria for a visit of less than 90 days. Click here for the list of countries that are exempt. Please check with the Bulgarian Embassy for further details.

Health

No vaccinations are not considered necessary however you may wish to consider cover for Typhoid & Hepatitis A. Fountains in town parks and outside monasteries and churches provide fresh drinkable water as well as the Cheshma (water spouts), found along main roads, which also offer constant supplies of fresh, delicious and safe water.

Weather

Bulgaria enjoys a temperate climate with hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters, often with heavy snow. Sofia’s climate is generally favourable, with average daytime highs of around 28°C in July and August and 3°C from December to February. Rainfall is highest in the mountains and rural life is often disrupted in winter by huge snowfalls. Southern Bulgaria and the Black Sea coast can be very hot and sunny from mid-June to early September. A fleece and long trousers for the evening are recommended. Rain is a possibility, therefore you will need to bring a waterproof jacket and pants. Sun cream is a must, as is a covering for your head.

Food

Bulgarian food shares characteristics with other Balkans cuisines. Most dishes featured vegetables, herbs and fruits. Rich salads are served at every meal also a variety of hot and cold soups, an example of a cold soup being tarator. Bulgarian cuisine is also noted for the diversity and quality of dairy products and the variety of Bulgarian wines and local alcoholic drinks such as rakia, mastika and menta. There are many different Bulgarian pastries as well such as banitsa to indulge in.

Drink

Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. But you may also want to bring electrolytes in powder or tablet form. Alcoholic drinks are available everywhere, but are NOT included in the price.

Solo Travelers

SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for travelling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveller of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.

Extra Expenses

We recommend that you tuck away a few extra euros for possible incidentals that might arise. It is always wise to have some paper currency in case of ATM absence or credit card problems. This will save you a lot of unnecessary worries. It is also customary to tip local tour guides and drivers; however, the amount you give should be dependent on the level of service you receive.

Money

The local currency is the lev (plural: leva) ATMs that accept major credit cards can be found in all sizable towns and cities. It’s best to use credit cards as a backup for cash in case an ATM swallows your card - more likely if the card is issued outside Europe. There are many foreign exchange offices in every city and town and at major attractions. The best currencies to take are Euros, GB Pound Sterling and US dollars.

Be Aware

Overall, the level of petty crime is much less than in most Western countries. However, take the usual precautions about avoiding rowdy political demonstrations, not flashing money around and being aware of pickpockets in crowded places.

General booking info

If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:

FLEXIBLE BOOKING CONDITIONS

Booking a SpiceRoads cycling adventure is easy and we try to do everything possible to make sure you have full flexibility and peace of mind. We do not require a deposit to hold your place on a tour and once full payment has been made your money is protected in our client account and you have the flexibility to cancel or change your booking if needed.

CONFIRMING YOUR BOOKING

Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.

You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.

TRIP STATUS

There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.

BOOKING ONLINE

From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).

If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.

BOOKING OFFLINE

Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.

DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS

We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.

The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.

In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.

In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.

The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.

FULL FLEXIBILITY FOR TOUR CANCELATIONS

If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).

If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).

Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.

If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.

Loyalty Riders Club

For those who have been on several long tours with us, we reward customer loyalty by offering repeat customers a special discount off the tour price (excludes single supplement and bike rental). If this is your fourth scheduled tour or more you will receive a 5% discount. If this is your eighth scheduled tour or more we will extend a 10% discount. The discount will be reflected in your online booking, but please contact us if any questions. Loyalty discounts cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Note: Only tours of 7 days or more will be applicable for a loyalty discount.

International Flights

International flights, to and from the start and finish points are not included in the tour price. Once your tour is Guaranteed to Depart you can book your flight. Please contact us for advice before arranging flights for the best arrival and departure times. We would only cancel a trip for an extreme circumstance, but in that case, where we cancel your trip, we cannot be liable for losses incurred relating to any flight booking you have made. Please claim any losses from your travel insurance that you acquired when you booked your holiday.

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