Bulgaria Winter Photography Tour – Sofia, Plovidv, Pernik, and more.

Itinerary

Day 1: City to Village

Stop At: St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral, Aleksander Nevski Square, Sofia Bulgaria
Today we'll get to know each other, figure out what your photography goals and obstacles are, and then prepare for a beautiful sunset photo shoot at Sofia's most photogenic landmark… the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Municipality Koprivshtitsa, Koprivshtitsa, Lyuben Karavelov St 16, 2077 Средна махала, Koprivshtitsa, Bulgaria
We'll be arriving late to Koprivshtitsa, so photography opportunities may not be the best. However, we'll talk about the village, why its considered an "architectural reserve", and what makes it unique. You'll also have a chance to ask any questions from your first shoot in Sofia.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: All accommodations and transport included.

Day 2: Photographing Monuments

Stop At: Municipality Koprivshtitsa, Koprivshtitsa, Lyuben Karavelov St 16, 2077 Средна махала, Koprivshtitsa, Bulgaria
We will rise early for a morning shoot of the unique architecture and charming structures within the village of Koprivshitsa.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Monument "Arch of Freedom", Арката на Беклемето, 35, 4337, Bulgaria
Following breakfast, we will head up to Beklemeto Pass high in the Central Balkan Mountains. Atop this 1500m pass, towers the gargantuan 35m high concrete “Arch of Freedom” erected during the communist era in commemoration of Bulgarian freedom fighters. The sheer scale of the monument is fascinating and the 360 degree views of the Central Balkans are breathtaking.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Buzludzha Monument, Central Stara Planina, Kazanluk 6100 Bulgaria
If we are lucky with the weather and have clear skies, we will head for probably the most bizarre of Bulgarian Monuments. Buzludzha Monument looks like a giant flying saucer and again overlooks stunning panoramas in all directions.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: All accommodations and transport included.

Day 3: The Hot Air Balloon

Stop At: Bulgarian Posts, ul. "General Kartsov", 4330 Sopot, Bulgaria
This morning will begin with a photo shoot from hot air balloon in the region of Sopot at the edge of the Balkan Mountains. Workshops will be about about aerial photography, perspective and more.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Plovdiv Old Town, Plovdiv 4000 Bulgaria
By lunch we will be in the ancient city of Plovdiv, one of Europe’s oldest cities and the second largest city in Bulgaria. Plovidiv has a lower elevation the last few stops, so you'll find it gets considerably warmer in the city.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Sitovo inscription, 4104 Rodopi, Bulgaria
After Plovdiv, we'll drive towards the Rhodope Mountains, making a quick stop at the Sitovo Waterfalls before stopping for the night in the small village of Kosovo.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: All accommodations and transport included.

Day 4: Sled Dogs

Stop At: The Wonderful Bridges, Smolyan Bulgaria
This morning we will begin the day with a shoot at the “Wonderful Bridges”, a unique set of open cave formations. You'll learn how to capture scale in your photographs, work with bracketing, and get more comfortable using a tripod.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Pamporovo Ski Resort, 4703 Smolyan, Bulgaria
After the caves, we'll transfer to Pamporovo, a ski village in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains. Here we will be spend the late afternoon photographing a group of sled dogs. When you're done taking pictures, the dogs will take you on a quick tour of the resort.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: All accommodations and transport included.

Day 5: Above the World

Stop At: Snezhanka Tower, к.к. Пампорово, 4870 Vr. Snezhanka, Smolyan, Bulgaria
Most likely this day will begin with a chairlift ride up Snezhanka Peak to the 156m observation tower that offers views out over the Rhodope mountains and also west towards the Pirin and Rila mountain ranges as well. If the weather is exceptionally good, a second option is the observation deck at Eagle Eye; however, access to this peak is very unpredictable and virtually impossible if there is too much snow and ice.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Telenor, ул. „Освобождение“ 31, 5000 Devin, Bulgaria
The plan for this afternoon is the Eco Trail at Devin, a beautiful series of falls and rushing water accessible by boardwalks. You'll learn about long exposure photography and how to perfectly capture moving water.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: All accommodations and transport included.

Day 6: Unique Rila

Stop At: Pirin National Park, Pirin Bulgaria
This morning we have a long transfer ahead of us out of the Rhodope Mountains, through the Pirin range and arriving finally at Rila Monastery in the Rila Mountains. On our way, we will make a stop at the mountain village of Pirin for a photoshoot of this very rural, rustic village.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Rila Monastery, Rila 2643 Bulgaria
By afternoon, we will have arrived at Rila Monastery, probably the most well known of all tourist sites in Bulgaria. We will have the unique privilege of spending the night in the actual monastery.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: All accommodations and transport included.

Day 7: The Kukeri Festival

Stop At: Telenor, ul. "Targovska" 12, 2300 Tsentar, Pernik, Bulgaria
After breakfast, we'll head for Pernik where the Surva Carnival (Festival of Masquerade Games) is taking place. This is an international festival of folklore masks where the Kukeri (masked dancers) dress in elaborate costumes and perform traditional rituals intended to scare away evil spirits and ensure good harvest, health and happiness for the village.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: All accommodations and transport included.

Day 8: Return to Sofia

Stop At: Sofia International Airport, bul. "Christopher Columbus" 1, 1540 Sofia, Bulgaria
Today, we spend the morning photographing the last of the Kukeri dancers. By afternoon we'll head back to Sofia to wrap up the trip, talk about your photos, and say goodbye.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: All accommodations and transport included.