The
mountains rise high in the distance and the sun beats down from clear
blue skies. The air is fresh and clean and the only sound is that
made by your horses’ hooves as he carries you clear of a line of
trees and you come across a vast, sparkling lake. If that sounds
like paradise to you, why not think about a horse riding holiday in
unspoilt Bulgaria?
Horse
riding holidays offer a tremendous release from the stresses and
strains of modern life and can also be a great way to meet new people
from different backgrounds...and where better to leave modern life
behind than the unspoilt mountain ranges of the Balkans and the
winding rivers and gentle lakes of Bulgaria? This is a countryside
that is virtually untouched by civilisation yet it is right here in
Europe, just a three hour flight from the UK. The terrain, the
climate, the Balkan cuisine and wine all await...together with a warm
welcome for which Bulgarians are renowned.
Below
we list some interesting horse riding tours that you might wish to
consider, from long eight day tours, shorter tours, one day tours and
even a one-hour ride for the absolute novice. Please, in choosing
your tour ensure that you use an experienced provider and are
adequately insured against the risk of accident...and please use the
correct riding safety equipment.
Long
Tours
The
Orpheus Trail
This
ride commences about 90 minutes from Sofia Airport and is a six
day ride through the Rhodope
Mountains and deep valleys, passing through magnificent rock
formations, thick forests and beautiful meadows. Stop offs are in
remote villages with local people offering hospitality, food and
wines. The tour commences in the oldest city in Europe, Plovdiv.
The High Balkan Trail
This
ride takes us high into the highest Balkan grasslands where horses
run wild. You will feel like a cowboy out on the trail with full day
rides that are intended for experienced riders. At various stages it
is necessary to walk the horses up or down steep inclines, so riders
must have an appropriate level of fitness.
Balkan
Rides (Stationary Holiday)
This
holiday allocates accommodation near to the horses and riders take
different trails each day.
This
holiday has a set, 8 day itinerary commencing with settling into the
accommodation and taking a short, three hour ride to begin with and
working up to longer rides. Highlights include a riding trip to a
monastery for lunch, picnic lunches by the side of a river and a
lunch at the Vidima
Waterfalls. Tours like these allow the riders to really build up a
relationship not only with the horses but also with their fellow
riders. Aside from the riding, there are opportunities to visit
local areas of interest, historical monuments and museums...really
taking in the culture of this amazing region that seems to be from
another age.
The
Thracian Trail
For
history lovers, this one-week tour takes in several Roman and
Thracian ruins as well as several historic cities. Plovdiv has been
designated one of the 2019 European Capitals of Culture, Hissar is an
ancient, walled town
which has
many Roman ruins and Koprivshtitsa
is full of brightly
coloured houses and cobbled streets.
Starting in the
Sredna Gora Mountains the tour takes a route through forests in which
small towns and villages are hidden. Then the tour comes across hot
springs that were used for bathing in Roman times. This is a tour
for more experienced riders.
Sunny Beach
Many
visitors to Bulgaria spend the entirety of their stay enjoying the
sea and sand of Sunny Beach. But would you care for a change of
scenery for a day or two of your stay? Kosharitca Village is only 5
kilometres from Sunny Beach and here you can ride horses for 1 or 2
hours along a secluded beach. The horses used here are very sedate
and can be ridden by very inexperienced riders. The prices charged
are very reasonable and include collection and return to the resort.
Article provided by Penguin
Car Hire, a trusted European car hire firm with many options and
locations across Bulgaria.
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