Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(1:100,000) from the Pamporovo, Chepelare or Smolyan tourist offices. They detail hiking trails of three to five
hours, plus five mountain-biking routes. Kartografia also has an excellent
Rodopi
map (1:100,000).
Julian Perry's
Mountains of Bulgaria
describes (but with poor maps) a five- to seven-day trek from Hizha Studen-
ents, near Pamporovo, to Hizha Rodoposki Partizanin, near Hrabrino, about 14km southwest of Plovdiv.
Hizhas
are
available.
For shorter hikes, base yourself in Devin. Nine marked trails, including one to Chepelare, via Kukuvitsa (two to
three hours one way) and another to Mt Golyam Perelik (five to six hours), begin here. Other excellent hikes along
marked trails:
Batak to Hizha Teheran
About four hours.
Chepelare to Hizha Igrev
About three hours. From there, continue to Shiroka Lûka (three hours) or Pamporovo
(seven hours).
Pamporovo to Progled
An (easy) five-hour return trip across the lovely Rozhen fields.
Smolyan to Hizha Smolyanski Ezera
About three hours one way.
Chepelare
03051 / POP 5412 / ELEV 1150M
A laid-back village and ski centre with 20km of runs, modest Chepelare has plans to
(someday) link up to the far larger and louder Pamporovo, 6km down the road. Till then, it
makes a perfect getaway for family-friendly skiing (downhill and cross-country) without
the nightlife and other distractions of Bansko. In summer, the nearby mountains offer ex-
cellent hiking.
Activities
Skiing
Chepelare is a humbler, more family-friendly place than Bulgaria's big ski resorts.
However, it does offer world-class skiing: the two most famous trails, Mechi Chal I
(3150m), a black-level super giant slalom course, and Mechi Chal II (5250m) are among
Bulgaria's longest, and have hosted international competitions.
Heights of total ski terrain range from 1150m to 1873m. Chepelare's three main trails
equal 11.4km; a fourth, gently sloping trail is, so the tourist office humorously states,
'suitable for women and children'.
