Bulgaria: Realm of the Brown Bear

• Seven hotel nights, all rooms en suite
• Travel by private minibus, 4×4 and on foot
• Six days with bear-tracking walks
• Group: Normally 5 to 12, plus leader. Minimum age: 16

Hotel Yagodina is renowned for its delicious traditional local cuisine, offering generous servings of hearty, healthy food, much of it made from home-produced or locally sourced products. Typical meals in the mountains will comprise of: Breakfast: Tea, coffee and milk, with bread, jam, honey and cheese, supplemented in Yagodina by fresh home-made yoghurt and traditional local specialities such as katmi (thick pancakes) and rodopski klin (a rice-based dish). Lunch: Picnic lunches in the mountains typically include bread, cheese, salami, salad, a chocolate bar and fruit. Many guests also like to bring an extra portion of the local speciality served at breakfast. Dinner: Will be in the hotel restaurant, and will normally include three courses comprising either a salad or vegetarian soup, followed by a main course, and a dessert of fruit, ice cream, or cake/pudding. The cuisine reflects a mixture of Bulgarian, Greek, Turkish and Slavonic influences. We sample many traditional local specialities including smilyanski fasul (a delicious bean soup) and patatnik (made with grated potatoes, onions and cheese, then seasoned with mint and other herbs). Jugs of tap water will be provided on the table with the evening meal. Bottled mineral water, soft drinks and alcohol are not included but can be purchased. There are several Bulgarian wines you may wish to try, including an excellent red Mavrud from vineyards on the northern slopes of the Rodopi Mountains. Vegetarians and vegans: Bulgaria produces excellent fresh vegetables and fruit, so vegetarians are usually well catered for, although in the mountains the variety may by limited to what is seasonally available. Eggs and dairy produce, especially cheese, form the staple part of the diet in the Rodopi region, and are included in most traditional meals, so vegans may find their daily menu more restricted and less varied. Likewise special gluten-free products are not available, so clients with a wheat/gluten intolerance should, if needed, bring something to replace the local bread and pastries that make up the breakfasts and picnic lunches.

Spring and summer days are usually warm and sunny, with a refreshing mountain breeze that moderates temperatures; please note, changeable weather and cold temperatures can be encountered at any time in the mountains. Occasionally during spring and summer, there are sudden short storms, which means suitable waterproof clothing should be carried on all walks, and which may force minor amendments to the itinerary; however, there is often a prolonged period of settled weather after such storms. Later in autumn, overnight frosts and misty dawns typically give way to beautiful sunny days, but it is always worth keeping a pair of gloves and a spare warm layer in the pack for shadier paths or when picnicking on breezy rock outcrops.

Seasonal wildlife

In normal years, brown bears are active here from mid-March until the end of December. Rain does not normally interrupt bear activity and can make finding footprints more likely. Therefore, our bear-tracking walks are not usually affected by bad weather unless it is very severe, in which case routes may be shortened or amended.

Patches of late-lying snow at the end of April and beginning of May also offer a good canvas for prints. During late spring and early summer, wildflowers in the Rodopi Mountains reach their peak, the meadows a patchwork of colours, and the edges of forest paths often holding a selection of rare and beautiful orchids. This is also the time when the variety of butterflies is most striking, and at the height of the nesting period, many of the birds become most conspicuous.

With the onset of autumn, the deciduous trees change colour and the mountain landscapes are at their most photogenic, especially after a frosty night and with the typically golden morning sun. The forests and scrubs are full of wild fruits and nuts at this time of year, with the bears busily feeding on them, fattening up for winter, as are many of the resident birds, especially thrushes and finches. If one is lucky, autumn is also the time to see unusual raptors migrating south along one of the gorges. Many attractive fungi also start to appear on the forest floor and are harvested not just by the locals, but also by roe deer, Balkan chamois, wild boars, red squirrels and many other smaller rodents.

The trip has been rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate) and has a Safari rating of 4.

This exciting holiday explores brown bear country, which is dominated by remote forested ridges and gorges, studded by glades and rocky karst terrain. It offers a unique opportunity to observe wild brown bears, discover more about their lives, and contribute to their conservation. Guided by bear expert Julian Perry, you will learn how to find, identify, interpret and record signs of bear presence and activity, while helping to gather vital data about their ecology and behaviour.

Our daily bear-tracking activities and wildlife observation will involve exploring the mountains on foot. The pace is mostly relaxed, allowing time to record signs of brown bear activity, and provide opportunities to observe and photograph any other wildlife we may encounter. However, the holiday also involves some strenuous walking in fairly rugged mountainous terrain, where trails are rarely flat, and typically rough and stony. To get the full enjoyment out of this holiday, therefore, you should be prepared for some long steady ascents as we climb over ridges, and be confident in your ability to make steep descents over rocky paths as we drop into deep valleys and gorges.

The reward for this effort is a unique chance to venture into remote bear habitats and observe a wonderful variety of rare European wildlife. Needless to say, the flora and fauna varies from season to season, and it is impossible to guarantee what wildlife observations one will be lucky enough to make on any day or week.

Furthermore, although brown bears and other wildlife are regularly seen at the bear hide, it is important to remember that these are truly wild animals. They forage freely in their natural habitat and are not reliant on the small quantities of corn put out as a supplementary snack for them near the hide, so there may be occasions when they do not show. However, our guide will enthusiastically pass on his skills and knowledge about the bears and other flora and fauna of the region, thus ensuring a highly rewarding, memorable and informative wildlife experience.