Mountain Biking Tour
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PIRT Mountain Biking Tour PROMOTING INNOVATIVE RURAL TOURISM IN THE BLACK SEA BASIN REGION 2014 Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Itinerary 2. Bulgaria-Turkey ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Additional Sites Included in the Itinerary Nr. 2 ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 Introduction For a ticket to adventure, bring your mountain bike to the Black Sea Region. The four countries around the Black Sea- Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia and Armenia, are a paradise for mountain biking with innumerable cycle routes on gravel roads, in the mountains and along rough cart roads. Their dramatic natural landscapes offer challenging and rewarding slick rock trails, lush green single track, ruins of ancient civilizations, canyons and secret paths to explore. The mountain biking in and around Black Sea is some of the best trail riding in Europe. There are no restrictions on using bikes on the routes. Most of the routes are suitable for energetic mountain biking. Mountain biking is best between May and June or September and October. Itinerary 2- The “Black Sea Discovery” Route is a scenic cross-border mountain biking route from Burgas to Istanbul. This 735 kilometer long north- south route uses mostly unpaved backroads and passes through a number of iconic locations including the Tsonevo Dam, Natural Landmark Chudnite Skali, Strandzha Nature Park-the largest protected area in Bulgaria with its typical villages, Dupnisa cave, İğneada Swamp National Park and Durugol lake. Itinerary 2. Bulgaria-Turkey Day Stops Timing Distances Total (approx.) 01. • Varna • Arrival to Varna. Varna city tour. Transfer to • Varna – Grozdyovo (57 km, 1 h 10 min) 57 km, 1 h 10 min • (House of Crafts, Priseltsi) Grozdyovo village. Possible stop at the House of • Eco-Complex Sherba, Grozdyovo village Crafts in the village of Priseltsi. • Accommodation: Eco-Complex Sherba, Grozdyovo 02. • Eco-Complex Sherba-Eleshnitsa Reservoir- • The trail goes from the Eco-Complex Sherba to • Sherba-Asparuhovo (45 km) 45 km Tsonevo Reservoir-(Goat’s River Mouth)- Eleshnitza Reservoir, then continues around the • Side trip to the Goat’s River Mouth (8 50 km (including Chudnite Skali-Asparuhovo south side of Tsonevo Reservoir till Chudnite Skali km) the side trip to the Natural Landmark, to finally ends in Asparuhovo Goat’s River village. The route passes mostly through forest, Mouth) using forest and old paved roads. Possible side trips (presented in light blue color) include the trail to the Goat’s River Mouth and alternative way from Chudnite Skali to Asparuhovo, along an old railway track. • Accommodation: Guesthouses in Asparuhovo The bridge over Goat’s River The old road Nature around Tsonevo Dam Tsonevo Dam Eco Complex Sherba-Asparuhovo 03. • Asparuhovo-Dobromir village-Balaban Creek • Transfer from Asparuhovo to the starting point • Asparuhovo-starting point (7 km, 10 min) 7 km, 10 min Gorge-Sini Rid village-Rock phenomenon located 1.7 km from Dobromir village. • Dobromir village-Kozichino (40 km) 40 km Dobrovanski Mushrooms-Kadish puddle- • The route passes through Balaban Creek Gorge, • Alternative route via a hill above Chudnite 45 km Kozichino village and then turns east to Sini Rid village and the rock Skali (11 km) phenomenon Dobrovanski Mushrooms. It ends in Kozichino village • Alternative sections of the route are presented in light blue color Accommodation: in Kozichino village Balaban Creek Rocks in the Balaban Gorge Road through Balaban Gorge Road near the Kadish puddle Dobromir-Kozichino Alternative section of the route via a hill above Chudnite Skali 04. • Kozichino- Dyulinski Prohod Pass - • The route goes from Kozichino village to Cape • Kozichino-Elenite (53 km) 53 km (Kosharitsa)-Emine Mountains-Cape Emine- Emine, which is the easternmost point of the • Alternative section via Kosharitsa village 59 km Elenite Balkan Mountains, and then descends to Elenite. (7 km) 12 km, 20 min • Nesebar • Possible stops include the village of Kosharitsa • Elenite-Nesebar (12 km, 20 min) (presented in light blue color) • Transfer from Elenite to Nesebar • Accommodation: in Nessebar near Erketch near Dyulinski Prohod Pass Cherkovishte peak Elevation 363 m Cape Emine near Emona village Kozichino-Cape Emine-Elenite Alternative route via Kosharitsa village 05. • Nesebar • Cycling rest day. • Nesebar-Boiar, Pomorie (20 km, 20 min) 121 km, 1 h 50 • “Boiar” Winery, Pomorie • Morning: the ancient town of Nesebar (UNESCO • Boiar, Pomorie-Ravadinovo (47 km, 40 min • Castle of Ravadinovo, Ravadinovo Heritage) tour. Boiar Winery tour with wine tasting. min) • Ropotamo River Reserve • Lunch: Boiar winery • Ravadinovo- Ropotamo River Reserve • Villa Philadelphia, Sinemorets • Afternoon: Castle of Ravadinovo sightseeing. Boat (13 km, 15 min) ride within the Ropotamo River Reserve. • Ropotamo River Reserve-Sinemorets • Depending on the preferences of the group other (41 km, 35 min) possible sightseeings can be included, such as a visit to the Salt Museum in Pomorie, wine tasting in the St. John Monastery in Pomorie, birdwatching in the Nature Conservation Center “Poda” or the Thracian sanctuary “Beglik Tash Observatory” sightseeing. • Accommodation: Villa Philadelphia, Sinemorets 06. • Sinemorets-Kosti-Gramatikovo • There are two possible routes from Sinemorets to • Sinemorets-Brodilovo-Kosti (26 km) 44 km Kosti village: • Kosti-Gramatikovo (18 km) 47.5 km a) Via Brodilovo-following the Veleka River •Sinemorets –Kosti (29.5 km) (pink) b) through forest (light blue) Accommodation: in Gramatikovo village a) Road near Brodilovo Road near Kosti b) Road through forest Sinemorets-Brodilovo-Kosti Kosti-Gramatikovo Sinemorets-Kosti (through forest) 07. • Gramatikovo-Bulgarian/Turkish border- • Transfer from Gramatikovo to Dupnisa Cave. • Gramatikovo-Dupnisa Cave (80 km,1 h 102 km, 2 h 15 Dupnisa Cave-Istranca-Balaban-Demirkoy- Dupnisa Cave tour. 40 min) min Hamdibay-Palivor Ciftligi-Limankoy • The route from Dupnisa Cave to Palivor Ranch goes • Dupnisa-Palivor Ciftligi (53 km) 53 km through Istranca forests, using mostly forest roads or • Palivor Ciftligi-Limankoy (22 km, 35 paved roads with low traffic. min) • Accommodation: in one of the guesthouses in Limankoy River near Dupnisa Cave Istranca forest road Landscape near Balaban 08. • Limankoy-Igneada-Igneada Forests- Hamam • Accommodation: Kiyikoy • Limankoy-Kiyikoy (56. 5 km) 56.5 km Lake- Saka Lake- Panayır Iskelesi-Kiyikoy Igneada forests Panayır Iskelesi Road near Kiyikoy Limankoy-Kiyikoy 09. • Kiyikoy-Kastro-Pirates cove (Korsan koyu’ndan)- • The route between Kiyikoy and Yalikoy uses • Kiyikoy-Yalikoy (37 km) 37 km Çilingoz water reservoir-Çilingoz -Kuzuludere mostly unpaved backroads and offers easy acces to water reservoir-Yalikoy several beatuful beaches and coves. Kastro bay Road near Kastro Pirates cove Kiyikoy-Yalikoy 10. • Yalikoy-Terkos basen-Evcik beach-Ormanli- •There are two varints for the section between Yalikoy • Yalikoy-Karaburun (43 km) 43 km Durugol lake-Karaburun and Ormanli: • Yalikoy-Karaburun (48 km) –variant b 48 km a) along beach (18 km) • Karaburun-Istanbul (64 km, 1 h 10 64 km, 1 h 10 b) via forest paths min) min From Ormanli village the route continues between Durugol Lake and the Black Sea coast and ends in Karaburun. • Transfer from Karaburun to Istanbul. • Accommodation: in Istanbul Evcik beach Evcik beach Durugol Lake Yalikoy-Karaburun 11. • Istanbul • Istanbul city tour • Departure Map nr. 9. “Black Sea Discovery” Mountain Biking Tour, Bulgaria Map nr. 10. “Black Sea Discovery” Mountain Biking Tour, Turkey Map nr. 11. “Black Sea Discovery” Mountain Biking Tour Additional Sites Included in the Itinerary Nr. 2 Additional Sites Included in the Itinerary Nr. 2 Nr. Name Description Location/Address Contact/ Email/Skype Telephone Website/Facebook 01. Eco-complex Sherba Eco-resort Sherba is situated in the forest nearby Grozdyovo village, Grozdyovo village, (+359) 523 94 972 reservations@grifidh 70 km from Varna city. The complex consists of 19 elegant and cozy Varna Province, (+359) 897 01 66 84 otels.com rooms (2 suites, 3 junior suites, 8 double rooms, 6 double deluxe 9000, Bulgaria rooms); 3 neat small villas (two 2-bedroom villas and one 1- http://www.bulgaria- bedroom); there are also 2 family houses (big family house – 5 GPS coordinates: hotels.com/en/varna/ rooms, private tavern, kitchen utensils and cutlery; small family 42° 59′ 23.1″ N eco-complex-sherba/ house – 3 rooms). The complex also comprises: a restaurant with 27° 29′ 39.07″ E open terrace, conference room, multifunctional sport field (tennis, (42.989858, football, volleyball, basketball, badminton), fitness room, SPA center 27.493638) with 3 saunas (classic, herbal therapy with herbs from the local eco- environment, chromo therapy); masseur; steam bath; jacuzzi; effect showers; mini waterfall. The forest of Sherba is known for its unique richness of flora and fauna. The biodiversity will meet you with big red deer populations and stag of a fallow deers, does, moufflons and wild-boars. Sherba’s plant kingdom represents a different world with plenty of rare species.