Day 1: Arrive Sofia and drive to Asenovgrad, a small historic town situated at the gateway to the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains. Here we stay in a beautifully restored 19th century town house.

Day 2: A short drive brings us to the Bachkovo Monastery, one of the largest and most atmospheric monasteries in Bulgaria. As well as visiting the monastery itself we will walk along an ancient pilgrimage trail to seek out tiny chapels hidden away in a nature reserve in a secret valley behind monastery. Continuing our journey on into the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains we make our way to the village of Shiroka Laka, an architectural reserve preserving fine examples of local vernacular architecture. Here we will be welcomed in traditional Rodopi (Rhodope) style and have an introduction to local folk crafts and customs. We then have just a short drive to the tiny village of Gela where we will be based in a small family-run hotel for the next three nights.

Day 3: We will start the day with a snowshoeing walk in the meadows and forests that surround the village of Gela. The village is located on the northern slopes of the Perelik massif beneath the highest peaks of the Rodopi Mountains, a region which usually has a good covering of snow in the winter. The picturesque rolling landscape around the village means there is a variety of nice slopes around the hotel where during the afternoon we will be able to have fun tobogganing. We will also have a snowman building competition with special prizes.

Day 4: After breakfast, we drive to Pamporovo, one of Bulgaria's premier ski resorts, where there will be chance for full day on the pistes skiing and snowboarding. After picking up a ski pass and being fitted out with boots, skis and/or snowboards, experienced skiers are free to ski as they like on the local runs, while for beginners and novices private or group ski lessons can be arranged. At the end of the day we will drive back to our hotel in Gela.

Day 5: Leaving Gela we transfer east through the Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains to the spectacular Trigrad Karst region. Here we will start the day in the dramatic Trigrad Gorge, visiting the 'Devil's Throat' Cave, a giant cavern which contains a thundering waterfall and in winter is usually home to a huge colony of hibernating bats. According to legend, this was the cave by which Orpheus emerged from the Underworld after his tragically failed attempt to reclaim his wife Eurydice. Driving round the mountain and into the equally spectacular Buinovo Gorge we then visit the Yagodinska Peshtera, one of the most beautiful caves in the country. We will spend about an hour walking through the cave, marvelling at the great variety of cave formations which include stalagmites, stalactites, draperies, flowstones, dendrites and cave pearls. If we are lucky, we may also have a chance to get a close-up glimpse of hibernating bats. A short drive away from the cave is the village of Yagodina, where we will be based in a wonderfully welcoming family-run hotel for the next two nights. During the afternoon there will be a cookery lesson with children and parents having the chance to prepare themselves a traditional local speciality for their dinner!

Day 6: After breakfast we drive into the mountains to meet up with a local wildlife ranger who will lead us animal tracking and trying to observe some of the wild animals such a Balkan Chamois, Mouflon, Roe Deer, Fallow Deer, Wild Boar and Wolf, which inhabit this wild and rugged region. The area is also home to Brown Bear, but these are likely to be hibernating at this time of year. Depending on weather conditions and the likely location of the animals we may need to access remoter parts of the mountains with an exciting ride in jeeps before setting of on foot to try and locate the animals. Later in the afternoon we can visit one of the mineral swimming pools in the nearby town of Devin, and enjoy a relaxing and well-earned swim after the excitement and exertions of the previous days! Finally, back at our hotel in Yagodina, we will have the chance to end the day trying some traditional folk dancing.

Day 7: Leaving Yagodina, we start the long but interesting drive back to Sofia where, on arrival, there will be time for some sightseeing.

Day 8: The tour ends after breakfast in Sofia.