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Summer Activities       Rest & Relaxation - Trips & Excursions - Adrenaline & Adventure

Bansko, located within the boundaries of The Pirin National Park with its outstanding natural beauty is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Surrounded by the Pirin, Rila and Rhodope mountains Bansko is not only shaping up to be one of Europe's top ski destinations but people from all over Europe are now starting to flock to the area appreciating the year round attractions and new facilities of the area.
If you think you need sand and sea for an enjoyable summer holiday then after you have visited Bansko your opinion will be changed forever. Everyone has different ideas on what makes a memorable holiday. Bansko is guaranteed to have something for everyone.

Trips & Excursions

There are many opportunities for both independent or organized trips and excursions, and here at Explore Bansko we have negotiated some deals with the companies and can organise some for you.

Very popular for families is the Bear Park located around 30 miles from Bansko at Belitsa. The bear park is sponsored by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and is home to 20 former dancing bears which have been rescued from their owners and moved into the sanctuary to live out the rest of their lives with dignity and respect. No entry charge is made although donations are appreciated.

Horse Riding	village of Bachevo	€15
	Horse Riding is located two kilometers from the village of Bachevo in the region Stranne. They have 15 horses: pure Arabic, English - Arabic, Eastern Bulgarian, pinto / spotted. Nothing can replace the pleasure of riding in mountainou terrain - mountain slopes, clean air, beautiful views, quiet way of the horse or gallop through green meadows and clear streams enjoying the song of birds ... Explore bansko will take you to the horse riding for only 15 euros. Horse Riding is then payable by the hour currently €13 per hour please contact us for the latest prices
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Rila Monastery	largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria	€15
	The Monastery of Saint John of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery (Bulgarian: Rilski manastir) is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments. The Rila Monastery is located near the town of Blagoevgrad, about 90 km away from Bansko up in the mountains.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Melnik	Famous for its strong wine since 1346	€20
	The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are cultural monuments. With a population of 385, it is the smallest town in Bulgaria, retaining its city status today for historical reasons. The unique architecture of the place and the nearby Rozhen Monastery (located 6 km southeast of Melnik) make it a popular tourist destination for Bulgarian and foreign visitors. The town is also associated with the impressive natural sand pyramids in various forms, resembling giant mushrooms, ancient towers and obelisks, spread in an area of 17 km² near Melnik, Kurlanovo and Rozhen. The town has also been famous for its strong wine since as far as 1346. The local wine was reportedly a favourite of Winston Churchill.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Adrenaline & Adventure

The Pirin National Park and its surrounding mountains, Pirin, Rila and Rhodope and offer something for everyone.

Camping - Hiking - Trekking or Climbing - The Pirin National Park is a must and its right on your door step. Situated in the highest reaches of the Pirin Mountains, Pirin National Park encompasses rugged alpine peaks that rise above 8,202ft (2,500m) and more than a hundred glacial lakes spread at their feet. The magnificent landscape is made up of old forests, waterfalls, caves and there is an abundance of rare and endemic species of plants and animals, and the unique environment is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural and National Heritage site.

The Pirin mountain range with its lakes, waterfalls, caves and pine forests along with some 70 glacial lakes scattered throughout offer fantastic hiking trails to suit all levels of ability. Everyone, from the social walker enjoying the outdoors, to the most dedicated hiker will find a trail to suit their requirements , whether it be a couple of hours, a day or even a 5 day hike you will be guaranteed breathtaking views with the added bonus of breathing pristine mountain air.

Easy Hike - Takes 1-2 hours	Hiking to Okoto lake	€31
	Hiking to Okoto lake, near Vihren hut and a visit to the oldest tree in Bulgaria (Baikusheva Mura). Easy hike, takes 1-2 hours. Price includes transport, guide and packed lunch.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Medium Hike - Takes 3-4 hours	Hiking from Vihren hut to Muratovo, Ribnoto and Okoto lakes	€31
	Hiking from Vihren hut to Muratovo, Ribnoto and Okoto lakes. Three of the biggest and the most beautiful lakes in Banderitsa valley. Medium hike, takes 3-4 hours. Price includes transport, guide and packed lunch.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Medium to Hard hike - Takes 4-5 hours	Hiking from Vihren hut to Damianitsa hut	€36
	Track from Vihren hut to Damianitsa hut. A medium to hard track which goes through one of the most beautiful places in Pirin mountain. Takes 4-5 hours. Price includes transport, guide and packed lunch.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Hard Hike - Takes 5-6 hours	Hiking to Vihren peak (2914 m) - highest peak in Pirin	€36
	Hiking to Vihren peak (2914 m) - highest peak in Pirin and second highest in Bulgaria. Hard hike, takes 5-6 hours. Price includes transport, guide and packed lunch.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Hard Hike - Takes 5-6 hours	Mountain track from Damianishka valley to Bezbog hut	€36
	Mountain track from Damianishka valley to Bezbog hut. A hard track that starts near Bansko and goes to a hut next to the town of Dobrinishte. Takes 5-6 hours. Price includes transport, guide and packed lunch.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Easy Hike - Takes 1 day	One day hike from Bansko to Damianitsa hut and back.	€31
	One day hike from Bansko to Damianitsa hut and back. Very beautiful and easy hike by Damianishka river - the biggest in the moutain. Price includes transport, guide and packed lunch.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Easy to Hard Hike - Takes 2 days	Two day hiking from Bansko to Bezbog Hut	€77
	Two day hiking from Bansko to Bezbog Hut. Starting point Bansko. Day one: going by bus to a place in the mountain near Demianitsa hut. A long hike to Tevnoto lake - the highest in the mountain. Takes 5-6 hours through easy terrain. Overnight at Tevnoto lake. Second day: Walking from Tevnoto lake to Bezbog hut and going down by chair lift and a bus to Bansko. Takes 4-5 hours. Hard hike. Price includes transport, guide and two packed lunches.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Medium to Hard Hike - Takes 3 days	Three day hiking from Vihren hut to Bezbog hut	€98
	From Vihren hut to Bezbog hut: Day 1 - starting point Vihren Hut. Track to Demianitsa hut. Takes 4-5 hours. Overnight. Day 2 - walking from Damianitsa to Tevnoto lake. Takes 4-5 hours. Overnight at Tevnoto lake. Day 3 - walking from Tevnoto lake to Bezbog hut. 4-5 hours again. Going down to Bansko using chairlift and then bus. Hard track. Price includes transport, guide and three packed lunches.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Mountain biking	Downhill biking from Vihren hut to Bansko	€28
	Downhill biking from Vihren hut to Bansko. Starting point Vihren although this is a very easy one we'll go down slope number one (ski road). Price Includes transport, guide, bike and helmet.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Mountain biking	Mountain bike rental only €15 for a whole day	€15
	Mountain Biking is hugely popular with 100's km's of marked mountain trails, there are marked trails to suit all levels of ability. Here at Explore Bansko we can offer an exclusive Mountain bike rental of only €15 for a whole day to book this exclusive offer please contact us. Price Includes bike and helmet.
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Rock climbing	Near Bansko	€44
	Rock climbing from very easy to challenging routes. Bulgaria's mountainous terrain means that the opportunities for climbing are practically limitless. Price Includes instructor, equipment and transport. .
	To Book or for further information please email us using this link

Rest & Relaxation

Why not watch the world go by from one of the many pavement cafes located along the tree lined strip just off the main central square! You will be spoilt for choice by the numerous mehana's located on and around the cobbled streets of Bansko, many of which have delightful gardens. You must try 'The Hoe' with its very own stream running through its garden! Remember too it's so very cheap to eat and drink in Bansko , with a large beer or a glass of wine typically costing less than 2 Levs (65p) and a 3 course meal with drinks will cost a little over fiver a head you will not be breaking the bank !! Tip- try the local Shopska Salad.

Dobrinishte is approx 4 miles from Bansko and takes around 10 minutes in a car to reach. There you will find a huge open air free form swimming pool. Dobrinishte is the spa resort in with 17 mineral springs with the temperature of the water between 30C and 43C, the pool is fed by this same mineral water and is said to have Healing Powers. Whilst there you may like to take advantage of the swim-up bar or lunch in the poolside snack bar. Entry is around £2 and that includes a sun bed and a parasol !!

Whatever you do you simply cannot visit Bansko without taking the Dobrinishte chair lift up the mountain. The 3.7 km ride, taking around 25 minutes takes you to an altitude of 2020m, it would be no exaggeration to say the scenery is simply breathtaking .This is a starting point for some of the hikes in the region which enable you to discover amazing crystal clear lakes, the first being Bezbog Lake, only a few strides from the lift arrival point. This is a very popular place for a picnic or a barbeque. The lift operates throughout the year and costs 10 levs for an adult with a discount for children.

There are over 120 cultural and historic monuments in and around Bansko including the world famous Rila monastery. Built in its present form between 1816 and 1846 the monastery was first created in the 10th century as a refuge for hermits.

For music lovers and especially jazz fans, the "Bansko International Jazz Festival", is the oldest and one of the most prestigious music events in Bulgaria. The 5 day festival is held annually and typically starts during the 2nd week in August. The festival brings together famous jazz performers from all over the world. Whether it be the large central stage in the town square, the nightclubs or bars, jazz seems to fill almost every corner of the town. Many of the performers, when not on stage can be found holding jamming sessions inside the local mehanas ! 2007 celebrated the 10th anniversary of the festival and its getting bigger every year. Best of all this is a free event !!

Pirin Golf and Country Club - Situated in the beautiful Razlog valley Bankso, this site will become the second largest mountainous golfing site in Europe, offering alpine golf, PGA Golf Academy and complete infrastructure.

Website link to the Pirin Golf and Country Club

The first Bansko Razlog golf course designed by Ian Woosnam was opened in 2008 and international golf events are currently held here. The second Bansko - Razlog golf course is planned for construction over the next 2-3 years. Both courses are designed for championship golf, capable of hosting international golf events and tournaments.

Winter Activities

Bansko in recent years has benefited from a 50 million Euro investment and is now the most modern ski centre of all the Bulgarian Resorts. Bansko also provides some of the best value skiing and snowboarding in the world. The Pirin Mountain with 3 peaks towering above 2900m offers Alpine quality skiing at Bulgarian prices with diverse, newly renovated, wide tree-lined pistes that give you a variety of skiing for any level, coupled with the best Après-ski in Bulgaria.

Bansko Snow and Pistes

Bansko has the best snow record and the longest ski season (mid-December to mid-April) of all Bulgarian ski resorts. Bansko now boasts the amazing count of 160 snow cannon. Each unit is able to maintain around 400 line meters of piste, which is one of the best densities in Europe. In reality, there will be no single corner or fraction of a piste that cannot be covered by artificial snow. Bansko is well equipped for winter sports with 14 pistes totaling 70 km of perfectly groomed and efficiently secured ski runs offering the best opportunities for ski enthusiasts of all levels, from the absolute beginner to the extreme high performer. These include 4 blue, 11 red and 1 black run also a 5 km long cross country track. There are also a number of ski roads that wind their way through the mountains and the majority of the pistes run through alpine trees with long wide runs. The range of blue runs gives beginners a great place to learn. The red runs vary in difficultly a little so both intermediate and advanced skiers have somewhere to practice their stuff. The Alberto Tomba black run, so named after the legend that opened the resort, offers the advanced skiers something more challenging.

Difficulty scale distribution is as followed: 35% Beginners, 40% Itermediate and 25% Expert.

Bars and restaurants are located conveniently around the mountain.

Snow Boarding

Half Pipe: The half pipe was built for the first time for the 2005/06 ski season, which shows the ongoing commitment Bansko has as a resort to snowboarders. Approximately 90m long the half pipe offers snowboarders with passion for the extreme somewhere to practice their skills.
Fun Park: Bansko is home to the first fun park in the Balkans. This area is popular with those for a passion for the extreme. Skiers and Snowboarders alike can build their own jumps and kickers to practice on.

Night Skiing

Night skiing or boarding is available in Bansko throughout the season with 7km of floodlit piste open between 6.30pm and 9.30pm.

Bansko lifts

Bansko has a new, very modern and efficient lift system able to keep queues at the lifts to an absolute minimum. Bansko has around 26km of lifts in total. The lift system in Bansko includes a brand new Dopplemayer 8 person gondola. The gondola takes about 20 to 25 minutes and floats you up through alpine trees and stunning scenery to the Chalin Valog peak at 1467m, then on through yet more unforgettable views to the Bunderishka Polyana ski area at 1635m. From there a series of 3 and 4 seat chair lifts, the longest of which is over 2½ kilometers long, conveniently whisk you further up the mountain, to a total height of 2560m. Drag lifts then allow further access higher up the mountain.

Lessons

If you require lessons there are 3 main ski schools in Bansko. Email us for our discounted prices

Equipment Hire

We can arrange discounted equipment hire and there are several large rental shops close to the lift station that stock an abundance of top quality brand name equipment.

Après-ski

Bansko although steeped in tradition is a thriving modern resort. Reputably with over 120 traditional Bulgarian Taverns (locally known as mehanas) many of which have live music, finding somewhere to eat and drink in Bansko is simply not an issue!

Also to be found are English style pubs showing Sky Sports, Irish bars, discos and night clubs which stay open well into the early hours. Indeed The Lions Pub is open 24 hours a day!!  * this is for your convenience and is not compulsory!!

Also to be found are two casinos.

Maybe best of all is the price; expect to pay around £1 for a large beer and around £5 for a nice meal.

Other Attractions we can book Include

• Paragliding in Bansko
• Heli-Skiing
• Snow Mobiles Hire
• Tobogganing
• Ice skating Rink

  

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