Bulgaria in Summer

Bulgaria’s exceptional natural history is well known to those Naturetrek travellers who have previously joined our popular spring and autumn tours. This holiday allows us to enjoy the highlights of the equally interesting summer season, concentrating on the birds, insects and alpine flowers to be found in the beautiful Pirin Mountains. This time we will stay in just two centres and visit a contrasting range of upland habitats as our explorations take us from the drier southwestern slopes of this picturesque region to the high alpine meadows in the northeast of the Pirin range. With few long drives and most of each day spent on foot exploring the forests, meadows and rocky peaks, this is an ideal choice for those with a penchant for a general natural history tour amidst spectacular scenery.

The Pirin Mountains lie in the southwestern corner of Bulgaria, close to the border with Greece. This is a landscape of exceptional natural beauty, boasting 100 high peaks over 2,000 metres, alpine meadows dotted with glacial lakes, forested hillsides, spectacular rocky gorges and precipitous cliff faces. After flying from London to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, we drive to the small town of Melnik where we will be based for the first three nights of the tour in the shadow of the mountains. Melnik is famous for its locally produced wines and over the years has witnessed the passage of the Thracians, Romans and Byzantines, each of which have left their mark on the town’s unique and attractive architecture.

The character and physical appearance of the mountains change significantly from the dry, Mediterranean habitats of the southwestern slopes to the wetter, pine-covered hills of the north-east. Melnik is situated in the former region and we begin our natural history walks in the Struma River Valley and Kresna Gorge, part of which is protected within the Tissata Reserve, a reserve classified as an ‘Important Bird Area’ by BirdLife International. The Mediterranean flora here is matched by a wonderful selection of butterflies and birds, including among the latter, both Lesser Grey and Woodchat Shrike, Roller, Beeeater, Red-rumped Swallow and Blackeared Wheatear, together with such typically Balkan species as Sombre Tit and Barred Warbler.

Hot thermal springs are a feature of the volcanic Rupite Hills which occupy the third day of our tour. Once again the climate and flora are predominately Mediterranean in this dry, rocky terrain which is dominated by the huge crater of the inactive volcano Kujuh. Another interesting selection of birds is in prospect with such species as Egyptian Vulture, Long-legged Buzzard, Levant Sparrowhawk and Crested Lark to look for. The sunny conditions are also likely to encourage a variety of butterflies and dragonflies to take wing and add their colour to the displays of wild flowers. Great Banded Grayling, Swallowtail, Freyer’s Purple Emperor and Hungarian Glider are just a few of the butterflies recorded from here.

Insects, and in particular dragonflies, are also well represented at our next destination, a series of small freshwater lakes and ponds in the Struma Valley. Here the aquatic influence is reflected by birds such as White Stork and Great Reed Warbler, but the patchwork of woodlands and meadows bordering the ponds also provides habitat for a wider range of birds such as Olivaceous Warbler, Hoopoe, Cirl Bunting and Spanish Sparrow. The variety of butterflies is particularly diverse with Large Copper, Lesser Spotted Fritillary, Krueper’s Small White and Bulgarian Marsh Fritillary among the attractions.

After three full days in the south of the mountains we drive 120 kilometres to Bansko, a town that nestles in a valley on the north-eastern slopes of the range. We will be based in Bansko for a further three nights and will follow a similar programme of day walks and excursions into the surrounding mountains in order to best appreciate the diversity of the various habitats. Bansko is the gateway to the huge Pirin Mountains National Park which straddles the highest peaks in the range, reaching a maximum elevation of over 2,900 metres. Here we find ourselves in a completely different landscape to the south as we walk amid lush pine forests and high alpine meadows, venturing into the subalpine zone, framed by a myriad of rugged peaks and ridges. The avifauna and flora is as exciting as the scenery and some of the birds we hope to see in this northern sector include Golden Eagle, Crag Martin, Alpine Accentor, Firecrest and Grey-headed Woodpecker. Butterflies also abound in these high altitude meadows with the striking Apollo one of the most impressive species.

All too soon it will be time to take our leave of the Pirin Mountains and return to Sofia for our flight to London, but like many before us we will doubtless have been captivated by the unspoilt beauty and abundant natural history of this wonderful region.