Bulgaria


Wolves and Vultures in the Eastern Rhodopes

Thursday 20^th – Tuesday 25^th January 2011



Cost per person according to group size:

This tour is run using our unique sliding price scale, where the more people who come on a trip, the less you pay – this makes our tours truly great value as our starting price for 2/3 participants already compares favourably to that of similar trips.

Also, if you have travelled with Altiplano before, you will get a 5% discount on the prices below.

5-6 participants - £725

4     participants - £745

3     participants - £880

2     partcipants - £925     (2 booked so far - max. 4 places left)

‘Call one wolf and you invite the whole pack.’

                                                                         Bulgarian Proverb


This 6-day tour visits the Eastern range of the Rhodope Mountains, bounded by the valleys of the rivers Arda and Maritsa in southern Bulgaria, near the border with Greece. This area hosts an exceptional biodiversity – a result of the impact of the Mediterranean and continental climate. It is the realm of Wolf packs and holds one of the densest populations of Wolves in Bulgaria.

The most spectacular birds of the region are the vultures – Griffon and Black Vultures.

Golden Jackal, Wild Cat and Otter are also common.

Wolves are extremely difficult to see in the wild and sighting them requires both time spent in the field and a bit of luck.

To get the most from the area and its wildlife, as well as looking for wolves, we shall seek out their tracks and other signs of their presence including listening for them howling. We’ll also learn about the wolves’ status, behaviour, hunting strategies and main prey.

We shall meet the local staff of the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds who run the Vulture Visitor Centre in the town of Madzharovo and support the local vulture populations by regularly bringing carcasses to the feeding tables. The introduction of such feeding stations became necessary because of the decline of stock breeding in the last two decades, which was driving the local vulture populations towards extinction.

Other mammals likely to be seen during the tour include Fallow Deer, Wild Boar, Roe Deer, Red Fox, Badger, Brown Hare, Stone Marten and European Wildcat.

The main species of birds to be seen during the tour are Griffon Vulture, Black Vulture, Eastern Imperial Eagle, White-tailed Eagle and other resident species such as Golden Eagle, Long-legged Buzzard, Chukar, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Syrian Woodpecker, Rock Nuthatch and Sombre Tit.

Itinerary - Wolves and Vultures in the Eastern Rhodopes

Day 1

Arrive at Sofia Airport and drive to the Eastern Rhodopes.

Days 2–4

Day walks in the area, preferably early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

Day 5

Watching vultures and other birds of prey at the Vulture feeding station.

Day 6

Drive to Sofia, birding en route, for our flight home.