8-Day Rodopi Mountains Cycling Tour with Caves, Lakes and Monasteries

• Arrive at the Sofia airport and transfer to the hotel.

• Drive to Sestrimo. 
• Starts cycling few kilometres before the village of Sestrimo and up to the Belmeken Dam (2000 m) through old coniferous woods. 
• Cycle on the road that passes through Lundholm's mountain meadows in the afternoon 
• Descend to the spa town of Velingrad, where we will stay overnight in a hotel with a mineral water swimming pool.

Cycling distance: 76 km

• Begin few kilometers from Velingrad, passing through the picturesque landscape of Tsigov Chark countryside by Batak dam to the town of Dospat. 
• Go round the blue-green waters of Goliam Beglik and Shiroka Poliana dams before reaching the town of Dospat and its dam, where we stay overnight in a hotel.
• Cycling distance: 71 km

• Start biking from Dospat via Borino town to the Buinovsko Gorge, which is also a gate to the next stop - the Yagodina Cave. 
• Take a cave tour before going further to Trigrad village, passing among the 250 m high cliffs of the Trigrad Gorge. 
• Visit the Devil's Throat Cave, housing one of the highest underground waterfalls in Europe. 

Overnight stay in Trigrad in a family hotel. 

Cycling distance: 50 km

• Descend along Trigradska River which will bring you to the village of Grohotno and the natural rock phenomenon "The Elephant". 
• Continue upstream alongside the Shirokolushka River to the village of Shiroka Luka. 
• Savour the spirit of this architectural reserve, famous for its preserved houses dating back from the Bulgarian Revival Period. 
• Pass by the beautiful Smolyan lakes and finish cycling in the Smolyan town, where we stay overnight. 

Cycling distance: 66 km

• Cycle from Smolyan to the historical place of Rozhen. 
• Go uphill to a big picturesque meadow at 1700m which marks the beginning of a gentle downhill ride in the direction to Laki town through “Momina Voda” protected area. 

Nearby is the picturesque village of Borovo and the famous religious place with chapels and healing springs – Krastova Gora. 

Overnight stay in Borovo. 

Cycling distance: 39 km

• Take a downhill ride that continues along Jugovska River valley to the main road Smolyan-Plovdiv. 
• Transfer to the Miraculous Bridges Rock phenomenon for a short walk and sightseeing. 
• Stop by the Bachkovo Monastery, the second-largest monastery in Bulgaria.
• Transfer to Plovdiv for overnight stay. 

Cycling distance: 80km

• Transfer to Sofia or Plovdiv airport for departure after breakfast.