Day 1 Thursday 28 May

Arrival in Sofia – 1 night in a hotel, sharing in twin rooms. If the group arrives earlier in the day or in the afternoon – a city tour could be organized visiting the city center, Roman ruins, Cathedral, etc.

Day 2 Friday 29 May

In the morning – meeting in Sofia with Rosen Vasilev /director/ and experts from Bulgarian Biodiversity foundation /discussions on state environmental policy, formation of protected areas and nature parks, the role of NGOs in environment management, discussion on Natura 2000 and local people, etc./. Buying food for picnic, and about noon  – drive north of Sofia, picnic on the way. Visit to a cave named Saeva dupka with a local guide – interpretation of the underground natural resources and their socialization and protection; also looking at the Adventure park close by the cave. Drive via Teteven to the village Ribaritsa at the feet of Central Balkan National Park /about 140 km from Sofia/. Accommodation in a hotel in Ribaritsa. In the evening – meeting with Rayko Raykov – a teacher in woodcarving at the Professional Forestry school in Teteven, participant in FREETT project and trainer to the U.K. students from TICATEC project.

Day 3 Saturday 30 May

Walk to the mountains /4-5 hours/ in Tsarichina strictly protected reserve with Stoyan Hristov – Senior ranger form Central Balkan National park /forestry expert and local person/, who will introduce the group to the cultural landscape /remains of old shepherd`s shelter, similar to shieling/; visit to natural beech forest; discussions on nature protection and economic activities in the forests /timber production, clear fells, picking forest fruits, ATV riders, etc./. Also in the afternoon we can see the working horses and mules coming down from the mountains loaded with firewood. Night in Ribaritsa.

Day 4 Sunday 31 May

Drive to Troyan and Cherni Osam /80 km/ – visit to Nature museum and Central Balkan National park visitors center and if possible /as it is Sunday/ – a meeting with teachers at school for mountain guides.  Visit to the National Crafts exhibition /good possibility to by ceramics and souvenirs and discuss organization of events/ and to the Troyan monastery /if the group is interested/. Depending on time – a quick visit to local ceramic atelier. Drive via Devetaki plateau – walk along the eco-trail at the Krushuna waterfalls and meeting local people and mayor /discussion on the rural development/. In the evening – arriving for the night in the town Belene at the Danube. Please have in mind that it is possible to arrive late.

Day 5 Monday 1 June

Early morning walk along the river Danube. Boat trip on the Danube river for Bird watching in Nature park Persina – to see water birds in breeding season /cormorants, pelicans, gulls, white-tailed eagle, etc./, meeting with local park experts and visit to the park visitors center. Drive to Gabrovo and night in Etara architectural and ethnographic complex. Meeting with Silvia Hinkova – executive director of the Regional tourism association Stara Planina in the evening /discussion on the organization of the association, role, tourism potential and marketing of the region, partnership with local communities/.

Day 6 Tuesday 2 June

Meeting with experts from Nature park Balgarka /discussion about children programs for environmental education/. Crossing Shipka pass, possible stop at the top of the mountains for watching birds, beech forest and flowers. Visit to Kosmatka Thracian tomb /interpretation of new excavations of ancient Thrace culture and development of cultural tourism/ near Kazanlak and drive to Kalofer. Night in Kalofer. Meeting people from the local organization named Eco-center Central Balkan – Kalofer /discussion on the contacts between the park authorities and local people; nature protection and common benefits/.

Day 7 Wednesday 3 June

A day in the mountains – walking tour at Byala reka eco-trail /4-5 hours/ - interpretative route for everyone. Lunch - picnic. In the afternoon – a visit to Hissarya /a spa town with Roman walls/ and to Starosel Thracian temples complex /adaptation of heritage places for cultural tourism/ and wine tasting in local vinery, constructed with support from EU rural development programs. Night in Kalofer.

Day 8 Thursday 4 June

Drive to Sofia and flight home.  Depending on the time of flight – possibility to stop somewhere on the road or city tour of Sofia.