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Say Yes to Exclusive Flora
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What's included
- Accommodation in twin room
- All meals
- Facilities as described in the program
- Rental car/bus, driver excluded
- Rental car/bus, driver included
- Specialist English speaking tour guide
- Unlimited bottled water
- Flights to Bulgaria and back
- Medical insurance and emergency insurance
- Personal expenses
- Services not specifically stated in the itinerary
- Tips to guide and driver
Bulgaria is a small country featuring great biodiversity, strongly influenced by the extremely diverse landscape. It is one of the top Natura 2000 destinations in Europe with exclusive habitats in mountainous areas, lush forests, and large rocky complexes along river valleys.
Main species to be found on the route of this botany tour:
Trees: Black pine (Pinus Nigra), Populus nigra, Salix alba (White willow), Alnus Glutinosa (Black alder), Carpinus Orientalis, Hungarian Oak, Oriental Hornbeam, Fraxinus ornis (Flowering ash).
Wild orchids such as: Orchis papilionacea (Pink Butterfly Orchid), Ophrys Cornuta (Woodcock Orchid), Ophrys apifera (Bee orchid), Ophrys mammosa (Early spider orchid), Anacamptis pyramidalis (Pyramidal orchid), etc.
Endemic plants include: Carduus thracicus (Musk thistle), Potentilla regis-borisii (Cinquefoils), Armeria rumelica (Thrift).
More interesting flora like: Verbascum Rupestre, Verbascum Humile (Mullein), Scilla bifolia (Two-leaf squill), Hypericum rumeliacum Boiss, Galium velenovsky (Galium Aparine/ Cleavers), Black maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris), Syringa vulgaris (Lilac), and Cornus mas (Cornelian cherry).
Mediterranean Flora:
Juniperus oxycedrus (Prickly juniper), Lathraea rhodopaea (Rhodope Toothwort), Verbascum humile, Verbascum roripifolia, Fritillaria pontica (Pontic fritillary), etc. Some of the plant species included in the Red list of Bulgaria are: Lathraea Rhodopaea, Haberlea Rhodopensis, Hippomaratum cristatum, Stachys serbica, etc.
Wildlife Is Everywhere
The Eastern Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria are famous with the abundance of wildlife. While on a tour you never see just one species – all parts of the ecosystem is in front of you. Thus, being part of this botany tour, you also enjoy the species of common interest like Land Tortoises (Testudo graeca), Stone Marten, Wild Boar, Fox, Roe Deer, Fallow deer, Montpellier snake, Common Tree-Frog, Green Lizard, Balkan Wall Lizard, Balkan terrapin, Snake-eyed lizard, etc.
Interesting birds to be seen within the route of this Botany tour:
Nyxticorax nyxticorax, Little Owl, Egretta Garzetta,Phalacrocorax Pygmeus, Ixobrychus Minutus, Griffon Vulture, Black Stork, Black-eared wheatear, Subalpine Warbler, Masked Shrike, Western Rock Nuthatch, Roller, Blue Rock Thrush, Black Headed Bunting, Short-toed Eagle, Black Stork, Chukar, Subalpine Warbler, Cirl Bunting, Monticola Saxatilis, BlueRock Thrush, Woodchat Shrike, Booted Eagle, Sombre Tit, Long-legged Buzzard, Rock Nuthatch.
This tour program and these dates are just an example. We usually tailor the itinerary according to the customer’s request. So, don’t hesitate to send an enquiry and wish a tailor made tour to the exclusive flora of Bulgaria.
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3,4,5
- Day 6
- Day 7
- Day 8
- Days 9 and 10
Meeting and transfer
Meeting at the Airport Sofia. Transfer (3 hours) to the Eastern Rhodope Mountains. Accommodation in a beautiful guest house at the bank of the lake Studen kladenets.
Studen kladenets
All day to spent in a nature site with beautiful rocks, pastures, shrubs and oak forests at the bank of Studen Kladenets lake.
Studen Kladenets is a huge reservoir, built in the fifties. It is surrounded by mixed forests of hornbeam and oak, combined with interesting rock complexes. The landscape resembles a mosaic made up of prickly juniper, lilac and rosehip, and wildflowers, including white jasmine and wild peonies.Madzharovo
Nature area between Studen kladenets and Madzharovo offers a great biodiversity. A lot of insects, reptiles, raptors and mammals are roaming around. Vultures and eagles watching during their feeding at a special site for observations will be organized. You will hike on the upper border of the extinct volcano in the bottom of which Madzharovo town is situated. High cliffs, screes, mixed oak forests, mediterranean shrubs and pastures will surround you. Accommodation in Madzharovo area.
Travel to Ivaylovgrad
Transfer to the most southern parts of the Eastern Rhodopes nearby the Greek border. Here grows the rare forest of Platanus orientalis, which is enlisted on the Red Data Book of Bulgaria. This forest is also home to the Olive-tree warbler.
The nature area is called The Meanders of Byala Reka. These are one of the richest herpetological places in Bulgaria. Here, 19 reptile and 7 amphibian species occur. Among them are the threatened Snake-eye Lizard, European Glass Lizard and Mediterranean Spur-thighed Tortoise. Spacious fields are habitat to rare orchids like the lovely Dactylorhiza romana. Accommodation is in Ivaylovgrad area.
Ivaylovgrad
Nature areas surrounding Ivaylovgrad feature the extremely beautiful landscape including many Mediterranean species as Phyllirea Latifolia, Asparagus acutifolius, Cistus incanus, Arbutus andrachne tree, etc. Next to the wildlife adventure will be the interesting visit of ancient villa from Roman period and some old churches made of stone.
Arda river
Short travel to a picturesque carst region with many caves, niches and arks. It is a rough rocky landscape with rich variety of birds and reptiles. The accommodation is at a rural cottage at the bank of lake Studen kladenets.
Travel to Sofia
Departure to Sofia (3 hours drive). Possibility for a sightseeing tour. Accommodation in the city center.
Early transfer to the Airport Sofia.
More about Bulgaria Discover Bulgaria
More about Eastern Rhodope Discover Eastern Rhodope
More about Ivaylovgrad Discover Ivaylovgrad
More about Madzharovo Discover Madzharovo
More about Studen kladenets Discover Studen kladenets
More about this tour
- Tour type: Guided tour. Experienced nature guide. English speaking. Small groups.
- Group size: Up to 12 people
- Period: May – June
- NOTE: This nature tour could be tailor made according to your wishes.
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