From the Danube in the north, the Black Sea to the east, and the mountains of the central Balkan and Rila national parks, Bulgaria ranks among the most biologically diverse countries in Europe. During a cruise to Bulgaria be sure to visit some of the country’s 3 national parks, 11 natural parks, 89 natural reserves, and 2234 natural sites. The environment supports 94 species of mammals, 36 reptiles, 16 amphibians, 207 Black Sea and freshwater fishes, an estimated 27,000 insects and other invertebrate species, between 3,550 and 3,750 species of vascular plants, and more than 6500 nonvascular plants and fungi. Bulgaria is also one of the best places for bird watching in Europe, offering more than 400 bird species.
A Bulgaria trip should include a tour of some of the regions 40,000 historical sites, seven of which are a part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. These sites originate from various eras throughout the country’s history. Areas of interest include prehistoric sites, Thracian and Bulgarian monuments, Greek and Roman ruins, and more than 120 scenic monasteries and architectural reserves.
Bulgaria’s three National State Parks, Pirin, Rila and Central Balkan, make up more than one-third of all protected areas in Bulgaria. The parks are public and are managed and administered by the Ministry of Environment and Waters. These national parks are identified by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as Category II protected areas. The Management Plans for Rila and Central Balkan are the first modern conservation management documents of their kind in the Balkans.
Particularly important to Bulgaria are the various renewable resources that provide a source of revenue and cultural value for people living in close proximity. There are also vital links between sustainable non-timber resource harvesting and economic development opportunities for the country.
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
7 hours ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
22 hours ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
5 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
6 days ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.