Butterfly Holidays in Bulgaria
Butterflies of the Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains
Balkan Trek's unique and highly rewarding butterfly holiday in Bulgaria offers a thorough exploration of many of the most rewarding butterfly sites in the Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains. This butterfly holiday takes in traditional flower-filled hay meadows, damp riverside grasslands, woodland edge and karst limestone outcrops and gorges, offering a privileged chance to find and photograph many of Bulgaria’s most sought after butterfly species. By the end of this butterfly holiday in Bulgaria, you will not only have had the chance to find and photograph a spectacular variety of butterflies, but also have had a memorable insight into both the outstanding biodiversity of the Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, as well as the traditional way of life and rural heritage which helps to preserve the wealth of butterfly habitats in this part of Bulgaria.
| Holiday Highlights - Beautiful remote mountain landscapes encompassing an ever-changing patchwork of butterfly habitats. - Several sort-after Papilionidae including: Apollo, Clouded Apollo, Southern Festoon, Eastern Festoon. - An amazing diversity of Lycaenidae such as: Ripart’s Anomolous Blue, Grecian Anomolous Blue, Kolev’s Anomolous Blue, Lang’s Short-tailed Blue, False Eros Blue, Osiris Blue, Zephyr Blue, Alcon Blue, Chequered Blue, Geranium Argus plus the striking Balkan Copper. - Several beautiful heaths such as: Pearly Heath, Chestnut Heath and Eastern Large Heath. - A varied selection of ringlets including: Ottoman Brassy Ringlet, Black Ringlet, Woodland Ringlet, Large Ringlet. - Numerous attractive fritillaries such as: Queen of Spain, Nickerl’s Fritillary, Weaver’s Fritillary, Knapweed Fritillary, Eastern Knapweed Fritillary, Niobe Fritillary, Cardinal, Silver-washed Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary, Glanville Fritillary, High Brown Fritillary. - Remote villages preserving unique vernacular architecture. - Opportunities to observe and experience a traditional rural way of life. - Delicious traditional Bulgarian cuisine. - An experienced, knowledgeable and highly informative naturalist guide. NB: Unlike many other wildlife holiday companies in Bulgaria who attempt to cut costs by making their guides have to double up as drivers, we employ separate professional drivers with licensed vehicles for all our butterfly holidays in Bulgaria as we believe it is not only safer to have a driver fully focused on the road, but also allows our guides to concentrate fully on looking after you and finding you the wildlife! Further Inspiration During the course of this butterfly holiday, you will have the chance to explore five of Bulgaria’s specially designated Prime Butterfly Areas. These Prime Butterfly Areas, incorporate a wide variety of butterfly habitats, providing excellent opportunities to observe and photograph some of Bulgaria’s rarest and most beautiful species. Having been met by the guide and driver in Sofia, we set off for the Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, and begin our butterfly holiday in the Dobrostan Prime Butterfly Area. As well as being an excellent region for Apollo, it also offers the chance for other attractive species such as Eastern Festoon, Southern Festoon and Yellow-banded Skipper, as well as Mazarine Blue, Osiris Blue, Northern Wall Brown and Eastern Large Heath. A couple of days can then be spent searching for butterflies in the Western Rodopi Prime Butterfly Area, offering a chance for the unusual looking Nettle-tree Butterfly as well as attractive Lycaenidae such as Lang's Short-tailed Blue, Short-tailed Blue and Long-tailed Blue, as well as Green-underside Blue, Balkan Copper and Purple-shot Copper. Other interesting butterflies include Hungarian Glider, Weaver's Fritillary, False Grayling, Pearly Heath and Clouded Apollo. A visit to the Mursalitsa Prime Butterfly Area should turn up several Erebias including Ottoman Brassy Ringlet and Woodland Ringlet, as well as Chestnut Heath and Eastern Large Heath. Other unusual butterflies here are Alcon Blue, Nickerl's Fritillary, False Eros Blue, and further chances for more Apollo and Clouded Apollo photography. Two days are recommended to explore the Trigrad Prime Butterfly, which although only small in terms of area, offers a fantastic variety of butterflies. As well as Ripart's Anomolous Blue and Grecian Anomolous Blue, we will also seek out butterflies such as Tufted Marbled Skipper, Orbed Red-underwing Skipper, Black Ringlet, Escher's Blue, Turquoise Blue, Zephyr Blue, Large Blue, Mountain Small White, Southern Small White, Woodland Grayling, Tree Grayling, Eastern Rock Grayling. To end our one-week butterfly holiday in the Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, we can visit the Devin Prime Butterfly Area, where it is usual possible to find some lovely beautiful butterflies such as Poplar Admiral, Hungarian Glider, Chequered Skipper, Chequered Blue, Meleager's Blue, Geranium Argus, Nickerl's Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary and Twin-spot Fritillary. Further Information If you are interested in a tailor-made butterfly holiday in the Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains, then please email Balkan Trek with more details of your own special requirements and plans, and we will be happy to design and organize for you a rewarding and memorable butterfly holiday observing and photographing the outstanding butterflies of the Western Rodopi (Rhodope) Mountains! Responsible Tourism Promise All our butterfly holidays in Bulgaria are operated in accordance with our strict Responsible Tourism Policy, ensuring that the butterfly holidays we offer in Bulgaria are not only of the highest quality but also help preserve the natural habitats and traditional way of life of the local Bulgarian people. |
