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+44 (0) 845 3000 247 |
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DATES |
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FLEXIBLE DEPARTURES 25 April - 30 June 13 Days / 12 Nights |
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SPECIES LIST Potential Highlights |
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Common Crossbill, Rock Bunting Pallid Swift. White Stork Honey Buzzard. Hoopoe Syrian Woodpecker Red-backed Shrike |
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Wallcreeper. Alpine swift Crag martin. Black Redstart Nutcracker, Peregrine |
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Golden, Imperial, Booted & Short-toed Eagle Long-legged Buzzard Black, Egyptian & Griffon Vulture Peregrine, Saker & Eleonora's Falcon Pallid Swift, Rock Nuthatch Rock & Blue Rock Thrushes Roller, Bee-eater, Hoopoe Red-rumped Swallow Lesser Grey & Woodchat Shrikes Sombre Tit, Spanish Sparrow Cirl, Black-headed & Ortolan Buntings Barred, Subalpine, Sardinian & Orphean Warblers Scops Owl |
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Masked Shrike, Olive-tree Warbler Lesser Spotted Eagle, Montagus Harrier |
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Pygmy Cormorant Night, Squacco, Purple & Grey Heron Little & Great White Egret Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis White Pelican Slender-billed, Mediterranean & Little Gull Avocet, Black-winged Stilt Grey-headed Woodpecker Middle Spotted Woodpecker White-tailed Sea Eagle Lesser Spotted Eagle Honey Buzzard Short-toed Eagle |
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Middle, Greater Spotted, Black & Grey-headed Woodpeckers Short-toed Treecreeper White-tailed Sea Eagle Honey Buzzard, Booted Eagle Semi-collared Flycatcher |
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Great, Mid & Lesser spotted Woodpecker Grey-headed, Green, Black, Syrian & White-backed Woodpecker Short-toed Treecreeper, Golden Oriole Bee-eater, Roller, Hobby Levant Sparrowhawk Eagle owl, Paddyfield Warbler Collared Pratincole Spotted & Little Crakes Pygmy Cormorant Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill Ferruginous Duck Little & Great Bitterns Gull-billed & Caspian Terns Bearded Tit Red-footed Falcon Long-legged Buzzard Calandra & Short-toed Larks Isabeline & Pied Wheatears Stone Curlew Lesser Grey & Red-backed Shrikes Black-headed & Corn Buntings Rose-coloured Starlings |
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Dalmatian Pelican Ferruginous duck, Pygmy cormorant Red-necked & Black-necked Grebes Purple, Squacco & Night Herons Marsh Harrier, Penduline Tit Goshawk, Ruddy Shelduck |
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Whiskered Tern Red-necked, Black-necked, Little & Great Crested Grebes Pygmy Cormorant, Dipper |
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This list is far from comprehensive and concentrates on the more unusual species we may encounter |
Birdwatch Bulgaria 13 days - Spring 2004
The flexible nature of these tours makes them ideal for individuals or groups alike
SPRING - 10 DAYS SPRING - RHODOPES AUTUMN - 10 DAYS FLIGHTS CAR HIREDAY 1
Arrive Sofia airport and transfer 250 km to the Central Rhodope Mountains.
Your hotel is situated amidst pine forests at an altitude of 1500m. Plenty of opportunities for birdwatching en route and in the vicinity of the hotel.
DAY 2
After an early breakfast we'll pack up and head for a magnificent gorge. This area is part of the Rhodope Mountains but is different to the rounded hills covered with coniferous forests surrounding the hotel.. The first thing that impresses the visitor are the huge cliffs towering above and the deep rocky valley, where the meandering river can barely be seen. Strange trees of a local subspecies of Black Pine (Pinus nigra) grow right out of the rocks where there is no soil for their roots. Unfortunately, this is only a poor and sketchy description of this extraordinary place with its caverns and the rumble of its waterfalls. One can hardly imagine the beautyof the gorge if one does not see it with one's own eyes. This exceptionally beautiful area is 1200 m above sea leveland is one of the best and most accessible places in Europe for observing wallcreepers - a short and easy walk along the road for about 2 km brings us to an excellent observation point. Packed lunch for the day. Dinner and night at the same hotel.
DAY 3
After breakfast we will travel 180 km to the Eastern Rhodope Mountains. You will notice the continuous changes in the montane environment, the coniferous forests are replaced by mixed one then by pure deciduous stands, and the trees become smaller and stunted. Then come the shrubs followed by bare rocky hills and finally huge basalt cliffs. This is an excellent location for Birds of Prey. Packed lunch then on to the Kala village region and Krumovitsa river, again ideal for large birds of prey and also Black and White Storks. Dinner and night at the local hotel.
DAY 4
After breakfast we head for an exceptional birdwatching locatiom, 25 km from our hotel. The area is of ancient volcanic origin with stony ground, huge rocks scattered around, small stunted shrubs and almost complete lack of wild growing mature trees. This region of the Eastern Rhodopes is well known as one of Europes most important regions for birds of prey, and are home to at least 4 species of eagles in addition to vultures and buzzards. We will spend all day birdwatching here. See right for likely species today. Packed lunch. Dinner and night at the same hotel.
DAY 5
Again a long but necessary transfer, this time to the lowlands along the southern stretch of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. We will stay for 3 nights at our hotel, which is just outside the local town, close to very interesting Nature Reserve. This is the most important area in Bulgaria for large and small migrating birds from the huge region of Central and Eastern Europe during the spring and autumn migration. While on the move we will have plenty of time for birdwatching.
DAY 6
After the breakfast we will be in the area around the local freshwater lakes, with the extensive reed-beds on their lakesides. There are flooded water meadows, marshes, low hills, and oak forests in the surrounding countryside. These diverse habitats make this region one of the best in Europe for wetland and other species of birds. Packed lunch for the day. Dinner and overnight at the same hotel.
DAY 7
Today we visit an important reserve comprising wetlands, a river and a mountain habitat, with broad-leaved forests, sand dunes and a stretch of coastline. Once again, a superb location for a day birdwatching. Packed lunch. Dinner and night at the same hotel.
DAY 8
We head north along the Black Sea coast and enjoy lunch in a foresters' restaurant - appropriate as this area is excellent for woodpeckers, including the rare White-backed Woodpecker and Short-toed Treecreeper - both of which we will be looking for today. The following 2 nights will be spent at a nice hotel, in a wooded valley, facing the sea with excellent opportunities for bird-watching
DAY 9
We visit a nearbySteppe Nature Reserve. This is a coastal headland with white and reddish cliffs descending over 200 m to the sea. Inland, we will spend time in a different habitat - rolling steppe, home to larks, wheatear and stone curlews, and occasionally rose-coloured starlings. Lunch at the local cave restaurant . In the afternoon we visit an impressive gorge and a rocky coast reserve. Dinner and night at the same hotel.
DAY 10
An early breakfast then on to a visit a freshwater lake . Its a very important wetland area for the breeding, migrating and wintering birds with its extensive reed-beds and open water area. After a packed lunch we will visit another small marshland
DAY 11
Driving inland today, we reach Danube river, where well visit a very interesting lake reserve. Its extensive reed-beds give perfect shelter for the threatened Dalmatian Pelican, and many more rare species. Lesser Spotted Eagle, Levant Sparrowhawk, Goshawk breed in the broad-leaved forests around the lake. The Ruddy Shelduck also breeds in the banks of the small dry valleys around the lake. In the afternoon we will visit the Danube river proper. Dinner and night at a local hotel . The hotel is a small one, situated in a small village, close to Danube itself. The cuisine is perfect, offering local specialties.
DAY 12
Driving west along the Danube we reach a new marshland. Initially the area was a typical Danube riverside marsh, then it was turned into a fish farm during the communist regime, and today it is a partially restored marshland again. A good place for watching Whiskered Tern, Grebes and Pygmy Cormorants. Packed lunch. In the afternoon we head south to the open-air museum of Etara near the town of Gabrovo. We will stay overnight at Etara hotel (built in the traditional Bulgarian architectural style). There is a restaurant at the hotel offering Bulgarian national dishes and drinks. At the open-air museum those interested can have a look at our old Bulgarian crafts and buy some typical Bulgarian souvenirs.
DAY 13
Transfer to Sofia. Lunch and transfer to the airport for your return flight.
Please note: lunch would not be included on the last day if flying
Bulgaria Air due to early departure.
CONTACT US
+44 (0) 845 3000 247
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FLIGHTS |
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British Airways scheduled service: Heathrow 08:55; Sofia 14:00 Sofia 15:05; Heathrow 16:20 Daily service or Bulgaria Air scheduled service Gatwick 10:30 - Sofia 15:35 Sofia 07:45 - Gatwick 09:15 Service is not daily Regional departures on request |
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WEATHER |
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Daily temperatures are almost always above 18 25 0 C. Rainfalls possible, but as a whole it is a fair, sunny and steady weather. Depressions occur very rarely and then temperatures fall down to 80-100 C. |
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CLOTHING |
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Clothes appropriate for the season, wind-proof jackets and a pair of good walking shoes. Yet bear in mind the there is a possibility of the temperatures in late spring to autumn. It wouldnt be bad to take your sunglasses and even a hat. |
Check out our other
Bulgaria Birdwatching holidays:
* Spring 2004 - 10 days
* Spring in the Rhodopes 2004
* Autum 2004 - 10 days
PRICE INCLUDES
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>Number in Group
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>2 - 5
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795
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94
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| >6 - 9 |
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779
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94
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| >10 - 14 |
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747
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94
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| >15 or more |
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724
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94
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| >2 - 5 |
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785
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94
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| >6 - 9 |
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759
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94
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| >10 - 14 |
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727
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94
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>15 or more
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|
697
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94
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- Schedule flights
- Airport & airline taxes
- All ground transport
- Accommodation in 2 - 4 star hotels
- Half-board (as above)
- Professional, english-speaking guide
- Mineral water in the bus
- All Park and Reserve taxes
Adult Prices are per person
per night sharing a double room
in £ Sterling (GBP)