Bulgaria trekking vacation, guided

Planet

We encourage travelers to save paper – try to gather as much information possible online and print trip information sparingly. We do not require them to show a printed voucher of any kind.

We strongly aim to deliver a product which leaves no more than a human footprint as an impact to the natural environment. Your guide will provide you with general guidelines, involving staying on trails, gathering your waste in your backpack and maintaining set distances away from wildlife. Our groups do not remove any objects, plants or animal products from nature.

Our guides and groups will never leave litter behind and are cautious about the impact their presence has on the ecosystems of the Rila and Pirin mountains.

In terms of transportation, thinking about the reducing the carbon emissions during your travel, starts at home. While in Bulgaria, we always use vehicles with low carbon emissions, your vehicle will be no exception.

All our guides demonstrate environmentally protecting behavior and are inducing such behavior as a standard for the whole group. When shopping or ordering day packs for the groups, we make sure we minimize the packaging and focus on recyclable materials. We encourage energy and water saving while in the accommodation. Always turn off your lights and heating when you leave the room. Minimize the time and water you spend in the shower.

The family-run pensions we work with in Govedartsi are environmentally cautious.Towels are not changed every day, but once every three days. All food you consume in the pensions is made with local products. Breakfast food, such as jams, honey, cheese, are not served in plastic packages.Staff is of local origin as well.

Of course, following eco-practices and socially established norms is not enough. That is why besides our responsible travel policy, we have our environmental protection initiatives, to which we are zealously committed, so we know that we are also giving back. We make donations or directly help our partners WWF Bulgaria – The Danube Carpathian Program and BALKANI Wildlife Society in their work for wetland restoration and mitigation of the conflict between large carnivores and humans.

People

You will spend some nights in Govedartsi village, which is a traditional settlement, known for the production of the local kind of potatoes called ‘kompir’ and livestock breeding, from where the name of the village originates. The hotel is family run and all goods served are locally grown or purchased from the nearby producers. Although generally more basic, homestays provide an invaluable insight into the local lifestyle.The staff and family members in Govedartsi are all locals, very friendly and willing to share their hospitality and culture.

Our ambition is to deliver a full experience mixing the authenticity of Bulgarian nature and culture. You will taste a lot of typical for the region, locally made dishes, witness the products of local craftsmanship in Bansko, witness traditional mountain housing.

We believe that we will achieve our aims far more effectively if we involve local people and organizations wherever possible.This is why your accommodations in Bansko and Govedartsi are locally owned. Whenever we need to use a transport service to reach the starting point of our route, we employ a member of the local community.

Most of our guides are locals, originating from the Pirin or Rila mountainous regions. They always act as an example of how to behave and what is appropriate. They will inform you about what the locals are sensitive to and how to respect their wealth of traditions.