Make your way to your hotel in Sofia. The remainder of the day is free to explore the city. We can assist with a private transfer from the airport to the hotel on request - please ask for our rates.

Meals:  Nil

This morning after breakfast (own arrangements) you will be picked up from your hotel in Sofia and drive to Golyam Izvor village, the starting point of our ride. We start cycling towards the town of Teteven. We will have an optional detour to the Glozhene monastery. After reaching Teteven, we will take a short break to explore the town and visit the local historical museum and church. Alternatively, you can opt for a short bike and hike tour to a nearby eco-trail. Afterwards, we continue cycling to Ribaritsa village where we will spend the night. Ascent 620m, Descent 510m

Meals:  D

We start today's ride with an ascent from Ribaritsa village to the highest point for the day - Bogoi pass (1185m a.s.l). From here, we continue cycling all the way down to the town of Troyan. We will pass through the village of Shipkovo, where you can take a refreshing bath in the mineral water swimming pools. After lunch in Troyan town centre, we will visit The Pottery and Craft Exhibition "Oreshaka" nearby and the famous Troyan monastery. We will spend the night in the small town of Apriltsi. Ascent: 970m, Descent: 1060m

Meals:  B,D

Today's ride begins in the Ostrets district of Apriltsi and follows quiet paved roads through the picturesque foothills of the Central Balkan Mountains. We cycle through rural landscapes and forested areas on our way to Batoshevo Monastery, one of the most important spiritual and cultural landmarks in the region. Continuing towards Gabrovo, we stop for lunch before heading to the nearby Etar (Etura) Architectural-Ethnographic Complex. Here, we will spend more time exploring the open-air museum, famous for its traditional crafts, water-powered workshops, and beautifully preserved Bulgarian Revival architecture. Instead of walking in the open-air museum you can cycle an additional 6km to the nearby Sokolski Monastery. After the visit, we return to Gabrovo for the night. Ascent: approx. 900m, Descent: approx. 850m

Meals:  B

Today we ride east from Gabrovo through the wooded foothills of the Balkan Mountains towards the picturesque town of Tryavna. The route follows quiet paved roads with rolling terrain and scenic views. Upon arrival, we will have time to explore Tryavna's well-preserved old town, renowned for its Bulgarian Revival architecture, traditional woodcarving school, and charming central square. After lunch, we continue to the nearby village of Bozhentsi, one of Bulgaria's best-preserved architectural and historical reserves. Surrounded by forests and cobbled streets, Bozhentsi offers a glimpse into the atmosphere of a traditional Bulgarian mountain village. Overnight in Bozhentsi. Ascent: 1010m, Descent: 1000m

Meals:  B,D

A transfer in the morning brings us to the Dryanovo monastery. We will explore the beautiful Orthodox monastery and visit the cave nearby. Today's ride starts from the village of Yalovo. We continue east along quiet country roads through rolling countryside, forests, and traditional villages and along the magnificent Iovkovtsi dam. On the way, you have a possibility for an optional detour to the village of Rayuvtsi. There you will see an exclusive open-air exhibition of hundreds of sculptures of important for Bulgaria historical figures. Overnight in Elena, one of Bulgaria's most charming historic mountain towns, renowned for its preserved Revival architecture and rich cultural heritage. Ascent: 800m, Descent: 800m

Meals:  B,D

Starting from Elena, we continue cycling to the last point of the trip – Arbanasi Architectural Reserve. Today's landscape includes green meadows, vast pastures, cultivation lands, shrubby hills and finally the beautiful plateau over Veliko Tarnovo. We will take a short break for lunch in Arbanassi, before continuing to Veliko Tarnovo. Here we will do a sightseeing tour to learn more about the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. Afternoon transfer to Sofia, followed by drop-off at your preferred location. +760m/2493ft, -560m/1837ft The trip concludes on arrival in Sofia. We strongly recommend staying overnight in Sofia, as arrival times can be quite late depending on the cycling pace, sightseeing, traffic, and other factors along the route. For this reason, we do not recommend scheduling a flight on the same day as the tour ends. We can assist with booking extra nights in Sofia on request.

Meals:  B