Touren in Bulgarien - Spring Birdwatching Tour

Sofia - Vitosha Nature Park - Western Rhodopes - Trigrad Gorge - Devil’s Throat Cave - Devin - Eastern Rhodopes - Madzharovo - Studen Kladenets Dam - Sakar Mountain - Sliven - Bourgas - Bourgas Lakes - Cape Emine - Kavarna - Northern Black Sea Coast - Shabla and Dourankulak - Dobrudzha Plain - Srebarna Lake - Sofia

The tour offers a complete trip around Bulgaria and traces habitats from the alpine zone to the Black Sea coast. It is designed to appeal to those looking for experiences that combine long species list and delicate taste of local traditions. Visiting famous birding spots and some of our guides’ “secret” watch points provides the adventure of spectacular views of rarities such as Wallcreeper, 3 species of vultures, Dalmatian Pelicans, Pygmy Cormorants and many more...
Dates: May and June

Day 1

After welcoming you at Sofia airport accommodation in hotel located 1700m. a.s.l. in the heart of Vitosha Mountain. Around the hotel Pallid Swifts, Black Woodpeckers, Black Redstarts, Crag Martins, Dunnocks, Alpine Accentors, Water Pipits, Common Crossbills and lots of Nutcrackers. Overnight in a hotel in the Vitosha Mountain.

Day 2

In the morning we start our journey southwards into the heart of the Western Rhodopes. In the region of the beautiful Trigrad Gorge we can spot the elusive Wallcreeper. We will be heartily welcomed by the hostess of our hotel, where Rhodopes delicacies will be served for dinner. Overnight in a hotel in Devin.

Day 3

After visiting the Devil’s Throat Cave in the Trigrad Gorge and admiring the Dippers, Alpine Swifts, Crag Martins, Black Redstarts and Rock Buntings inhabiting the vicinity of the Gorge, we will depart for Eastern Rhodopes. On our way to the town of Madzharovo a few stops for refreshments and birdwatching will assure a species list containing Grey-headed, Syrian and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, numerous Hoopoes, Bee-eaters, Rollers, Masked and Lesser Grey Shrikes, Olivaceous Warblers, Black-headed Yellow Wagtails, Golden Orioles, Spanish Sparrows and Black-headed Buntings. Overnight in a hotel in Madzharovo.

Day 4

In the morning we begin the exploration of the European realm of raptors. There we will have short strolls to a few watchpoints near the magnificent Studen Kladenets Dam and the vulture restaurant by Potochnitsa village. Egyptian, Griffon and Black Vultures, Long-legged and Honey Buzzards, Short-toed Eagles and Peregrine Falcons are all present in the area. Barred, Orphean, Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers, Cirl and Rock Buntings, Eastern Bonelli's Warblers, Red-rumped Swallows, Blue Rock Thrushes, Black-eared Wheatears and Rock Nuthatches Olive-tree and Olivaceous Warblers, Red-backed, Woodchat Shrikes can be seen and heard in the scarce Mediterranean vegetation. Overnight in a hotel in Madzharovo.

Day 5

The area around the town of Madzharovo offers close distance sights of Black Storks, Egyptian, Griffon and Black Vultures, Long-legged and Honey Buzzards, Lesser Spotted, Booted, Eastern Imperial and Short-toed Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. Near the vultures’ colony Blue Rock and Rock Thrushes, Black-eared Wheatears and Rock Nuthatches are numerous. Overnight in a hotel in Madzharovo.

Day 6

In the morning we depart from the Eastern Rhodopes to visit Sakar Mountain. Lesser Spotted, Short-toed, Eastern Imperial and Booted Eagles and passerines such as Olive-tree and Olivaceous Warblers, Barred, Orphean, Sardinian and Subalpine Warblers, Red-rumped Swallows, Isabelline Wheatears, Woodchat, Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes, Eastern Bonelli’s Warblers, Cirl and Black-headed Buntings can all be seen in one day. Overnight in a hotel in Sliven.

Day 7

From the Bulgarian mountains now we start exploring the vital for Via Pontica flyway wetlands. Migrants as Pygmy Cormorants, White and Dalmatian Pelicans, Whiskered Terns, Slender-billed and Mediterranean Gulls and many others can be seen on passage in Mandra Lake and Poda Lagoon. Along with the numerous migrants we can enjoy the sight of breeding rarities as Spoonbills, Glossy Ibises, White-tailed Eagles, Little Terns and many water species. Overnight in a hotel in Bourgas.

Day 8

Atanasovsko Lake with over 310 species registered in it is an excellent birdwatching place. In the salt pans of this Ramsar site Collared Pratincoles, Avocets, Black-winged Stilts and Great Snipe. Great Egrets, Spoonbills, Curlew Sandpipers, Penduline Tits, Black-headed Buntings, Night and Squacco Herons are small part of the wetland’s avian richness. Overnight in a hotel in Bourgas.

Day 9

This day we will make a trip north visiting famous birding spots – Pomoriisko Lake, Cape Emine and Goritsa forest. Avocets, Sandwich and Little Terns, Pied Wheatear x Black-eared Wheatear, Slender-billed Gulls, Whiskered and White-winged Terns, Bee-eaters, Syrian, Lesser Spotted and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, Common Nightingales, Golden Orioles are part of the various habitats planned to be visited. Overnight in Kavarna.

Day 10

The steppe habitat of Eastern Dobrudzha Plain and the steep cliffs of the Northern Black Sea coast are home to Rose-coloured Starlings, Stone-curlews, Alpine Swifts, Calandra and Short-toed Larks, Tawny Pipits, Lesser Grey Shrikes, Pied Wheatears, Barred and Olive-tree Warblers, Black-headed Buntings. Sea watching from the archeological reserve Yialata can contribute to our species list the Mediterranean race of European Shag and Mediterranean Shearwear. Overnight in Kavarna.

Day 11

In the morning we will visit another two wetlands – Shabla and Dourankulak. Along with many water-connected birds such as Red-necked Grebes, Little Bitterns, Purple Herons, Ferruginous Ducks, Red-crested Pochards, the main tempting target species is the Paddyfield Warbler. Overnight in Kavarna.

Day 12

Transportation to Srebarna Lake, one of the most prominent wetlands along Danube River. Red-necked Grebes, Dalmatian Pelicans, Pygmy Cormorants, Little Bittern, Squacco, Night and Purple Herons, Little and Great Egrets, Glossy Ibises, Spoonbills, Ferruginous Ducks, Pochards, Whiskered Terns are breeding in the reserve. Foraging White-tailed Eagles, Black Kites and Levant Sparrowhawks and many more can also be spotted along the Danube River. Overnight in Nava Cerna.

Day 13

We start our return trip to Sofia with stops at heronries of Night and Grey Herons and many beautiful spots in Dobrudzha Plain. Overnight in a hotel in the Vitosha Nature Park.