CROSS COUNTRY CAMP

X-country Camp – dirt roads, single tracks and tiny bits of asphalt, beautiful ascents and pure pleasure on the descents.

•Duration: 8 days (6 days riding)

•Distance per day: 30-50km

•Elevation per day: 350 – 800 m

• Technical difficulty: moderate (off-road cycling experience required, including steep and technical dirt roads and easy single tracks)

• Physical difficulty: moderate (good physical conditions, frequent sport activities required)

•Accommodation: mountain hotels and family-run guest houses

Detailed itinerary

DAY 1

Arrival at Sofia Airport, Transfer to the hotel in Sofia and check-in Get together meeting and short discussion Optional: Evening visit and dinner in city downtown, accompanied by our guide Overnight in Sofia

DAY 2

Breakfast in the hotel Transfer to the village of Lokorsko, 30 min Route Distance: 24 km Start point/Finish point: Lokorsko/Lokorsko Start/Highest/Finish altitude: 588m/1060m/588m Duration: 3,50 hours Description: Warm-up day on a classic cross-country route, starting near the village of Lokorsko, north of Sofia. The route makes a loop up the southern slopes of Sofia Mountain, which is part of the long Balkan Mountain Range. After the smooth ascent, we have a few kilometers of ridge riding with excellent panoramas towards the Balkan Mountains, Vitosha Mountains, Mountains and Sofia. For a descent we have several ridges, with different difficulty, that will take us down again, near the village of Lokorsko. Here we have options to choose between different dirt roads and single tracks depending on the group riding level. Accents: warm-up and get used to the bike, excellent rides in Sofia`s best XC area, day of contrasts between mountain environment, a monastery, several impressive, huge and abandoned communist structures Transfer: back to Sofia, 30 min Free time or optional visit of any of Sofia cultural and historical locations. Dinner in the hotel. Overnight in Sofia.

DAY 3

Breakfast in the hotel Transfer to Belmeken Dam, Rila Mountains, 2,30h. Route Distance: 33 km Start point/Finish point: Belmeken Dam/ Treshtenik area Start/Highest/Finish altitude: 1915m/2020m/1715m Duration: 5 hours Description: The second day of riding offers us a significant challenge. Ahead of us is a short, but tough route. The terrain is constantly changing from smooth to stony high mountain road, which requires attention on the descents and good physical condition on the ascents. Anyway the effort is worthy as we will get high enough in the mountain to enjoy stunning views towards Mountains and the alpine environment of Rila Mountains. Today’s riding starts at altitude of 1915m, near Bulgaria National Sport Academy training center, located at Belmeken Dam. We quickly leave the civilization behind, riding above Cherna Mesta Valley, covered with thick deciduous forest. Though it is stony, the flat start allows us to progress quickly with several panoramas towards Pirin Mountains. Not before long we start the first stony ascent, which takes up to a house of secluded shepherds, followed by the impressive Djendem River Canyon and a descent. The second tough ascent is ahead of us, which follows by some downhill riding until we reach the asphalt, which will take us to our hotel. Accents: high mountain riding, Panoramas of Pirin, Rila and , Djendem River Canyon, mountain shepherds Dinner in the hotel Overnight in Treshtenik

DAY 4

Breakfast the hotel Route Distance: 35-45 km Start point/Finish point: Treshtenik area/the village of , Southern Rila Mountain Start/Highest/Finish Elevation: 1715m/1894m/880m Duration: 4-5 hours Description: The third day is the ultimate descent. We start straight in front of the hotel with a short section of climbing on asphalt. As we gain some more altitude we turn southwest on the route going to Semkovo Chalet. It is here where today’s descent starts. Mainly we ride on forest roads, with a few sections of single tracks. Soon we turn off of the main road to Semkovo and start riding down on a panoramic ridge which descents until the small mountain town of Belitsa. Here we stop for a refreshing break. For the rest of the day we have an option either a sightseeing afternoon with a visit of Belitsa Dancing Bears Park and Dobarsko Church from 14th century or some more riding until we reach our final destination. Accents: a day of pleasurable XC descent, panoramas towards Rila and Pirin Mountains, Belitsa Dancing Bears Park, overnight in traditional family-run house Free time and walk around the village Dinner in the family-run house Overnight in the village of Godlevo

DAY 5

Breakfast in the family run-house Transfer to the village of Avramovo, 1 hour Route Distance: 48 km Start point/Finish point: the village of Avramovo/the town of Velingrad Start/Highest/Finish Elevation: 1290m/1705m/760m Duration: 5 hours Description: Another classic XC day with accent on the descent. The day starts in the village of Avramovo, famous for being the highest train station on the Balkan Peninsula. Today’s route will take us through series of sandy dirt roads with variety of steepness. Moreover, this route has culture value as well, as it passes through an area populated with Pomaks. Pomaks occupy mainly Rhodope Mountains and parts of Greece and Turkey. They were Christian Heretics and accepted Islam during the Ottoman presence on the Balkan Peninsula. Nowadays, they live in picturesque villages up in the mountains. The first part of the route climbs up to Velijtsa peak through fields of rye and potatoes afterwards we descend to the village of Ortzevo, where we stop for a break. We continue on a section with constant ups and downs as long as we get to the point for the final descent. It will take us down to the asphalt between Velingrad and Sarnica. The road has scarce traffic and we descend a bit more towards the town of Velingrad , where we stop for the night. Accents: cycling on smooth sandy road, Pomaks villages, highest train station on the Balkan Peninsula Free time and walk around the town Dinner in the hotel Overnight in the town of Velingrad

DAY 6

Breakfast in the hotel Transfer to Beglika Dam, 45 min. Route Distance: 46 km Start point/Finish point: Beglika Dam/the village of Borino Start/Highest/Finish Elevation: 1510m/1560m/1145m Duration: 4,50 hours Description: The route takes us on a panoramic tour around some of Rhodope mountain most beautiful dams and finishes with a nice descent towards the village of Borino. The support car leaves us near Beglika Dam and we warm up with a few kilometers of asphalt when reaching Goliam Beglik Dam. Soon we turn off of the asphalt, continuing on a forest road with no major elevation changes. We follow the road until Shiroka Poliana Dam and then we take a smooth ride along its nice shore. In few kilometers we start to descent in the beautiful valley of Sarnena River, which is one of the biggest rivers in Southern Bulgaria. The last few kilometers the cycling route continues on asphalt road, which ends in the village of Borino, where we stop for overnight. Free time and walk around the village Dinner in the guest house Overnight in the village of Borino

DAY 7

Breakfast in the guest house Transfer to the village of Chala Route Distance: 30 km Start point/Finish point: the village of Chala/the village of Trigrad Start/Highest/Finish Elevation: 1430m/1560m/1310m Duration: 4 hours Description: The last day is dedicated to the most beautiful caves in the Rhodope Mountains. The route starts from the village of Chala, situated on a picturesque place, not far from the Greek border. From the surroundings of the village reveals an impressive panoramic view towards Videnitsa Peak, which is assumed to be the sanctuary of Dionysus, the God of the wine and merriment in the Greek mythology. The route almost touches the border with Greece in the village of Buinovo and then descents towards the valley of Buinovska River to the Yagodinska Cave, which is the longest cave in the Rhodope Mountains and it’s famous for its cave pearls. There is a ritual hall in the cave, where people get married. From the entrance of the cave the road continues climbing to the village of Yagodina and then turns to a forest road which ends in the spectacular canyon of Trigrad River. In the deepest part of the canyon the river is hiding deep in the Devil’s Throat Cave, where forms a magnificent waterfall. Our last cycling day finishes with a farewell dinner in the village of Trigrad. Free time and walk around the village Dinner in the family-run guesthouse Overnight in the village of Trigrad

DAY 8 Breakfast in the family-run guest house Optional: depending on the flight departure, guided visit of Plovdiv, Belintash Thracian Sanctuary or the natural rock Miraculous bridges. Transfer to Sofia, 2,50 hours