Hiking Day-Trip in Stara Planina

About

A 1-day hike in Bulgaria’s Stara Planina mountain. This hiking trail takes us to the Beklemeto area in a picturesque mountain pass. We’ll walk to the Kozya Stena rock formation, climb mountain peaks, enjoy beautiful views in every direction. We’ll also have the option of sightseeing in historic towns Karlovo and Sopot.

Highlights

• Enjoy a nature-hike through Bulgaria’s Stara Planina

• Cross the Beklemeto mountain pass

• Visit the Liberty Arc monument

• Get a gorgeous view of Stara Planina from the Kozya Stena mountain ridge

• See the Kozya Stena rock formation

• Optional sightseeing in Sopot and Karlovo – two picturesque mountain towns

Description

We’ll be transferred by car to the starting point of the hiking trail – 100 km per direction.

The trek starts in the Beklemeto area (1525m above sea level) – the highest point of the Troyan-Karnare mountain pass. We can go sightseeing in Karlovo and/or Sopot on the way there (or on the way back) if you’d like, as we’ll be passing through these towns. We’ll take 30 minutes to visit the “Liberty Arc” monument, located east of Goraltene peak (1595 m). From there we’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful view of the surrounding mountainscape. After that we’ll follow the mountain ridge westward, all the while surrounded by gorgeous scenery. The view of the Kozya Stena (Goat Wall) rock formation is particularly stunning. From there we’ll go through the Kozya Stena (1670 m) and Baba (1707 m) mountain peaks, and along the border of the Kozya Stena nature reserve we’ll reach Kozya Stena Hut (1562 m) in 2h30min. From up there we’ll get a view of the breathtaking centuries-old beech, fir and mixed forests of the nature reserve and we’ll be able to see up close the delicate edelweiss flower that grows in the Stara Planina Mountains. If we’re lucky, we might also get a glipse of a few wild goats and birds of prey.

After that we’ll head back to the car (another 2h30min) that will take us back to Plovdiv.

The price includes

• Transfers to the start of the trail and back

• A professional English-speaking mountain guide

The price does not include

• Lunch

Notes

The total length of the hiking trail (in both directions) is 14 km.