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  • Adventurous Danube - Black Sea <br />Bike Tour
    Adventurous Danube - Black Sea
    Bike Tour

Adventurous Danube - Black Sea Bike Tour
7 days

Adventurous Bike Tour in Bulgaria

Review

Cycle 40-60 miles daily distances and gain 1000-1300 m elevation each day on moderate to challenging terrain. Riding this route we’ll encounter a lot of demanding climbs and varied road surfaces suitable for our touring bikes. Conquer the alternating plateaus of Southeastern Europe stretched from the Danube River bank at Ruse to the Black Sea coast at Varna. This adventure bike tour combines riding on stronger pace with enough stops to enjoy the unique cultural sites, natural landmarks and spicy local food.


The vast tableland between the port cities of Ruse and Varna hide one of the most valuable cultural highlights of Europe, which don’t have any parallels throughout the continent. Here we will find the paintings of Alexander the Great in the Thracian Sveshtari Tomb, the rocky bas-relief of Madara Rider, the medieval rock-hewn churches of Ivanovo, all of them UNESCO World Heritage Sites and also the world oldest golden treasure from Varna, the ruins of the medieval capital Pliska and the Alevi religious complex Demir Baba Tekke.


Bike trails go along picturesque wetlands, lakes, marshes, river canyons, the famous Danube bank and the stunning Black Sea coast at least.


Map

Adventurous Danube - Black Sea Cycling Tour MAP
Cycling Tour: Adventurous Danube -
Black Sea
TYPE: Guided
LENGTH: 462 km (287 miles)
DURATION: 7 days
NIGHTS: 6 nights + 1 bonus
LOWEST POINT: 0 m (0 feet)
HIGHEST POINT: 418 m (1371 feet)
DIFFICULTY: ADVENTUROUS

Highlights

 

 

Itinerary


Day 1 Arrival in Ruse.

Transfer with the bus or pedal the bikes to the hotel, placed in Park Lipnik, some 15 km away from the city center. The next step is to test and adjust the bikes on terrain.

Day 2 Cycling from Park Lipnik Ruse to Tutrakan (distance 85 km; elevation 600m)

Cycling through Eliya plain along the Danube. Visit a yoghurt dairy farm in Yuper, an Orthodox monastery near Syanovo village and enjoy the nature around Kalimok-Brashlen Protected area. We stay for the night in a family-run hotel on the Danube bank.

Day 3 Cycling from Tutrakan to Vetren (distance 68 km; elevation 1000m)

After the obligatory delicious fishing soup for breakfast we take the hilly road by the great River. Breathtaking views, wooded islands and ancient Roman road are on our way to the beautiful Malak Preslavets Lake, a home of the biggest water lilies colony in Bulgaria. We stop for rest on the Danube bank at a cozy recreational area. The rest of the route is a dirt road and we pedal to our lodging place in Vetren village.

Day 4 Cycling from Vetren to Isperih (distance 76 km; elevation 1010m)

In the morning we ride by the Lake of Srebarna - the jewel of the wildlife in Lower Danube with its Dalmatian pelican colony and a lot of other rare species. Leaving the Danube we head south into the vast Ludogorie Plateau. The region is perfect for cycling with alternating woods, open spaces, deep valleys and rocky canyons. Discover the spectacular pilgrimage site near Ruino – caves, shelters and burial buildings related to the life of the medieval Alevi preacher Demir Baba.

Day 5 Cycling from Isperih to Pliska (distance 81 km; elevation 1050m)

From the town of Isperih we take a circle trip to Sboryanovo where we find the amazing Thracian King’s Tomb, the ancient sanctuary in the courtyard of Demir Baba tekke and the Alevi religious complex itself. Here are also the ruins of “polis Helis”, a major center of the Getic kingdom in the Antiquity. The rest of the day we cycle across the ridge of Ludogorie Plateau and passing through a wooded gorge we approach the small town of Pliska.

Day 6 Cycling from Pliska to Provadia (distance 72 km; elevation 1100m)

Today we ride through the heart of the First Bulgarian Kingdom. We start at the remains of the first Bulgarian capital, situated on the plain north of Pliska then we visit the spiritual center of the kingdom at the high Madara rocks. Here is cut the Madara Rider – bas-relief monument, which is UNESCO World Heritage Site without any analogues throughout Europe. We have a lunch in the charming traditional village of Kyulevcha. In the afternoon we cross the gorgeous canyon of Provadiiska River and finally arrive in Provadia, which is dominated by the walls of the medieval Ovech Fortress on the rocky plateau in the town.

Day 7 Cycling from Provadia to Varna (distance 80 km; elevation 1200m)

Last three difficult ascents separate us from the Black Sea coast. En route we get close look to the medieval church in Dobrina and the Roman Marcianopolis in Devnya. Amazing landmarks are scattered along the wonderful road by the Varna Lake shore. At last we cycle the downhill to the Black Sea and then following the coastal trail we finish on the beach in Varna City. Varna is the ancestor of ancient Odessos with a lot of sites and things to be seen. The city is also full of party spots to entertain or quite places to relax.

What’s Included

 

  • Transfer from/to Varna airport to your accommodation at the day before and the day after the tour. Transfers in two directions from/to Burgas airport will cost 35 € per person and from/to Bucharest airport 85 € per person (min 3 persons). One way transfers will cost respectively 20 € and 45 € per person
  • 24-gear lightweight trekking Bike without helmet (Helmets at your disposal by renting +20 Euro per tour)
  • English/Russian speaking ride leader with local knowledge
  • Map
  • Accommodation during the tours at hotels and family run lodgings at the quality of 2** and 3*** including breakfasts
  • Entrance fees
  • Four Picnic lunches, two yogurt tastings
  • Refreshing drinks (non alcoholic) during the cycling time
  • Support vehicle and luggage transfer
  • Permanent technical bike support
  • Medical insurance for Bulgaria
  • Bonus for direct booking on our site after-the-tour accommodation in the itineraries and cost-free transfers to/from Burgas Airport

Price and Dates

 

TOUR DATES: --- ask ---

 

PRICE: 740 €