Getting to know the Mid-Rhodope Mountain Range in Southern Bulgaria can be unforgettable experience for anybody fond of wildlife and high adrenaline.

The valley of Arda River, for example, can offer horse trekking. The region abounds in horse-riding centres with well-trained horses. From the village of Gorna Arda you can ride horses to the spring of Arda River near Bulgaria’s border with Greece. The place is picturesque with a camping site where, should you arrange things in advance, you can enjoy home-made delicious meals prepared by the local people. Recreational off-roading is another desired attraction in the region. The steep and hardly penetrable mountain slopes near the village of Smilyan called Garga Dere are also worth visiting. An alpine trolley, 145m in length, is stretched over the shoulders of the canyon of Garga Dere, with the icy waters of Essenska River meandering underneath. If you are afraid of heights, this is the perfect place where you can overcome your phobia and experience moments of euphoria.

“The ride with the Alpine trolley lasts for some 20 minutes”, Alexander Inev from Moursalitsa Club of Extreme Tourism told Radio Bulgaria. You fly over at a height of 6 to 7 meters, being above water all the time. We haven’t had any accidents so far. Everybody screams with joy and has a lot of fun! We can guarantee that if you are scared before doing the trolley ride, you will have overcome your fear after that”.

On the right bank of Essenka River, near the Alpine trolley, one can find the impenetrable maw of the water cave Goulobovitsa 2. To enter the cave, tourists receive special equipment including rubber boots, life jacket, helmet, etc. Some 3 km away from the village of Mogilitsa one can go to the cave of Uhlovitsa, which is famous for its beautiful karst formations. To get there you will have to climb more than 180 steps, which is a small challenge in itself. “In the Mid-Rhodope Range tourists can be cave adventurers, climbers and explorers at the same time”, Alexander Inev said. He also recommended yet another extreme experience, the so-called Alpine pendulum, which is a long rope hanging down from a certain height. The pendulum in the Mid-Rhodopes hangs from the dome of the Kaleto Cave, which is not far away from the village of Koshnitsa. Those who dare to try out the attraction receive equipment, tie themselves around the rope and swing leftwards and rightwards, like the pendulum of a gigantic clock.

Uhlovitsa Cave

“People think this is bungee, when in fact it is a simple pendulum. You fly over the forest at a height of some 10-15 meters depending on how strong you can swing. The amplitude is about 25 meters, which creates the impression you are flying”, Alexander Inev concluded.

The valley of Arda River is also interspersed with magnificent rock formations. The local club of extreme tourism will most certainly suggest that you climb up along the so-called Via Ferrata. This is a 140-meter-long metal road carved into the rock, which is made from rope-supported iron steps. That and other attractions will turn your vacation in the Mid-Rhodope Range into a real, unforgettable adventure.

English version: Vyara Popova