Summer
Jazz Festival
The traditional Summer Jazz Festival and the
Bulgarian Folk Festival are also held here during the summer months.
Mineral baths
These
exist all over Bulgaria
and the nearest to Bansko (6 km south), in the village
of Dobrinishte, are 17 mineral springs with water temperature between
30-43 degrees C. Scientific studies rank Bulgaria among the
foremost in Europe for hydrothermal, bioclimatic and mud treatments, sea cures and other
health resources. Bulgaria is a world
leader with its exceptional diversity of medicinal herbs and the excellent curative properties of its apian products.
Rafting
Go
rafting with your own personal guide along two of Bulgaria’s most
beautiful rivers - the Struma and Mesta Rivers. Instructor, equipment, and lunch included.
Horseback
Riding
Visit
the horseback riding school and check out the numerous riding routes. Enquire about the horseback riding tour which includes
transport, lunch, and a personal guide. The trip takes you through breathtaking
scenery in the Kresna gorge on horseback.
Hiking/walking
Pirin Mountain is a tempting site for every hiker. The mountain offers magnificent scenery, numerous crystal clear lakes,
and interesting species of flora and fauna! If you are planning to go hiking
independently you should visit the Bansko tourist office for hiking maps, advice, and a personal guide should you wish.
Mountain Bike Trips
Enjoy
the magnificent scenes of Bansko and surrounding area by mountain bike; all levels of experience welcome. Experience unforgettable and breathtaking scenery along specially marked trails. The tourist office and various other places in Bankso have a range of imported models available for hire. From a climatic standpoint mid-June to late September is the ideal time for biking
in the Pirin, while in the Rhodopes it's feasible until mid-October.
Day
Trip to Rila Monastery
UNESCO
World Heritage Site, Rila monastery, played an important role for the preservation of the national spirit and faith during
the Ottoman rule. Day trips are available for you to explore this amazing and
beautiful site.
Paragliding
Paragliding
can be organised locally and costs around ₤35 (52 EUR) as opposed to ₤350 (520 EUR) in other parts of Europe! Contact www.skynomad.com
Rock
Climbing
Bulgaria's mountainous terrain means that the opportunities for climbing are practically
limitless. The most popular areas with mountaineers and rock climbers are Mt Malyovitsa in the Rila Mountains, the karst region
to the north of Mt Vihren (in the Pirin range), and the Blue Rocks outside Sliven. At the time of writing no foreign operator
offers package trips for rock climbing however you can hire equipment and a personal guide from Odysseia-In in Sofia at a cost of approx ₤12-15 (18-22 EUR) per person per day. See Links page
on this site for Odysseia-In contact info.
Cave
Exploring
Of
the hundreds of caves in Bulgaria (mostly
in the Stara Planina and western Rhodopes), several have been fitted with walkways and lighting and are open to the public.
The most famous are the Magura Cave with
its... read more
Bird
Watching
Bulgaria is great for bird watching and is a nesting ground for most European species in
spring (May–June) and on the migratory path of many Asian ones in autumn (Sept to mid-Oct). In total there are around 400 species. There's plenty to see at any time, owing to the diversity of ecological
niches and the fact that farmers use less pesticides and insecticides than in Western Europe. For further information contact the Bulgarian
Society for the Protection of Birds which can recommend local guides and advice on all matters ornithological.
Zoology,
Botany and Geology
Aside
from birds, Bulgaria's fauna includes
most of the Balkan and Mediterranean reptiles (over fifty species) and mammals. Mountainous areas are the habitat of bears,
boars, wolves, wild cats, deer, foxes and badgers, while... read more
Dancing
Bear Park
Visit
the world’s largest and most sophisticated rehabilitation park for bears. The
park is located near the small town of Belitsa. Learn more about the “Four Paws” charitable foundation for the protection of animals. Thankfully the bears are not paraded around by chains attached to their noses any
longer as done for 300 years; now they are respectfully cared for in the park. 18
bears in total to see.
Paintball
A
fun game for the whole family! Contact us for a wide range of games and activities
on offer.