Activities
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Skiing/ Snowboarding |
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Ski-doo Expeditions A thrilling Safari experience you won’t forget. The snowmobile treks are all about adventure, exploration and excitement. The tours give you the opportunity to see this winter wonderland inaccessible by any other route. The mountain trails will take you to some of the most breath taking scenery in the Pirin Mountains to see the frozen mountain lakes and iced waterfalls. The Ski-doo team offers fully guided and supported trips for beginners and experienced riders. From 3+ hours to full day adventures, lunch included. |
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Cross country skiing The Bansko ski domain has a 5km cross-country track at an altitude of 1530m above sea level.It’s the location of several annual biathlon competitions and a challenging circuit that makes the most of the mountainous terrain.Local guides can also be engaged to take you off-piste and in to the Pirin Mountains for ½ day and full day tours, visiting some of the glacial lakes and mountain huts.
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Ice Skating |
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Para-Ski You really don’t want to miss this! Your chance to fly in tandem with a professional paraglider and see the mountains from the air.Catching the thermals you will glide over the ski domain and the snow covered Pirin National Park before landing on your skis on the piste.
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Spas and Mineral Pools With over 70 hot mineral springs, the Razlog Valley has a number of newly built outdoor thermal pools all offering unique healing properties.In addition there are several world class resort hotels offering fantastic 5 star spa facilities with indoor and outdoor mineral pools open all year round, sauna’s, steam rooms, Turkish baths, massage and treatment facilities and much more.Bansko doesn’t have to be all about outdoor adventure.It can also be about relaxing, unwinding and treating yourself to a memorable luxury spa day.
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Hiking The Pirin Mountain National Park is a UNESCO world Heritage site. It offers some of the most accessible alpine walking in Europe. With hundreds of Kilometres of marked trails, magnificent scenery, 118 crystal clear glacial lakes, 98 peaks, a wealth of flora and fauna including many endangered species and a selection of mountain huts offering basic overnight accommodation and food, it truly makes for a beautiful destination for both novice and experienced hikers alike. GPD maps can be purchased in Bansko and Hiking tours can be arranged with a number of experience guides.
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Mountain Biking Whether you are a downhill thrill seeker or cross country cyclist, The Pirin Mountains offer a range of marked tracks and trails to suit all levels of experience. What better way to see the foothills of the Pirin National Park, its rivers and the local villages. Bansko is host to the annual “Road to Nowhere” competition which attracts some of Europe’s leading Olympians in addition to many entrants with no experience at all. Mountain bikes can be hired locally.
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White Water Rafting (April/May/June) Based on the Struma River, just 30 minutes from Bansko is the Kresna Gorge and its raging white waters. A team of professionally qualified instructors will provide you with a safety briefing and all of the equipment required to get you on the water for a half day of paddling, riding the waves and swimming in this scenic valley. A professional photographer will take photographs of you along the way to ensure it’s an experience that you will always remember.
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Horse Riding The foot hills of both the Pirin and Rila Mountains provide an array of trails to suit all ability levels. With a guide to lead the way anything is possible from a gentle ride to multi-day expeditions across the mountains with pack horses and provisions. The riding school offers lessons for complete beginners and also more technical lessons for riders who are looking to improve their horseback abilities. It is a great way to see the breath taking mountain scenery. All safety equipment is provided. |
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Water Sports (Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Jet Skiing and Sailing) Just an hour form Bansko is Lake Iskra, Western Bulgaria’s water sports capital.This large tree lined lake is surrounded by mountains and is a fabulous location to hire equipment or learn a variety of water sports with qualified instructors.All equipment and safety briefings provided.
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Paintball With two arenas – urban and forest – this is a great active for the whole family or a group visit. A 3 hour package provides instruction, safety equipment and 100 paintballs per person. |
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Fishing With an abundance of valleys with meandering rivers and over 100 crystal clear glacial lakes, many of which are stocked with trout, the Pirin Mountain and Razlog Valley offers a both fly and course fishing. Gillies can be hired to take you to the most remote fishing spots in 4X4’s and give you a taste of what South-western Bulgaria can offer for both leisure and extreme anglers alike. |
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Golf Just a 10 minute car ride form Bansko brings you to the gem of the Razlog Valley- the famous Ian Woosnam designed Pirin Golf Course and Country Club.This elite club offers guests a fantastic 18 hole, Par 72 championship course.It’s pine-lined fairways with spectacular views of the Pirin Mountains’ most dramatic peaks, additional new 5 hole Pine Course, Driving Range andsophisticated video training equipment, make this Easter Europe’s leading Academy and must visit location.
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Vineyards With a temperate climate Bulgaria has the perfect growing conditions for an array of grape varieties. Wherever you travel, south facing slopes are a collage of manicured rows of vines. Melnik is one of the most famous growing areas in South-Western Bulgaria and combines an historic old town, the famous Melnik Pyramids (natural sandstone rock formations found only in this area) and numerous chateaus dating back centuries. Tours of the vineyards and cellars along with wine tasting trips can be arranged.
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Narrow Gauge Railway Starting at the neighbouring village of Dobrinishte and passing through Bansko on its way to Septemvri, this mountain narrow gauge railway (760mm) with its steam locomotive attracts visitors from all over the world. Opening over 100 years ago and still in use today, the 106 km long track meanders through stunning mountain scenery and picturesque river valleys, 35 tunnels and the highest train station in the Balkans (Avramovi Kolibi located at 1267m above sea level). This railroad is considered one of the most-beautiful in the world, and a round trip only costs about £3!
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Clay Pigeon Shooting Enjoy the fresh mountain air and a selection of stands to challenge all levels. Located just 20 minutes from Bansko the shooting lodge will provide a full safety briefing, shotguns, cartridges and clays. It’s also possible to arrange a BBQ to complete the day.
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Belitsa Bear Park The dancing bear park is an international charity project (Four Paws Foundation). Established to rescue many of Eastern Europe’s mistreated dancing bears, this is now a sanctuary to re-integrate them in to their natural habitat. Built across 120,000 M2 of forested terrain on the slopes of the Rila Mountains it now houses 24 bears of varying ages. The sanctuary is divided in to seven sectors and offers its inhabitants dense forest, meadows, swimming pools and dens for hibernation. Visitors to the Belitsa Bear Park can wonder through fenced paths unaccompanied and see the bears in their natural environment or book on to a guided tour which operate hourly. There is also a picnic area.
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Water Parks |
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Buggy Safaris Off road Mountain Buggies offer you both excitement and safety. Using 250cc two-seater buggies with 4-point racing harnesses, you will be fully escorted with experienced guides who know all the best routes. 90% of the Buggy routes are across country tracks, forest trails and mountain tracks, so you are guaranteed max off road experience and water crossings in this exhilarating activity.
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Go Karting This specially designed racing circuit with high speed karts gives you the feel of taking part in a real Grand Prix. Overalls, helmets and instruction are provided and night racing is available. The facilities include a cafe, floodlit track with starting grid and overhead red/green start lighting.
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Bird Watching Bulgaria is a paradise for birdwatchers. Lying on the Balkan Peninsula it is one of the most strategically important points for bird observation in Europe. There is superb birdwatching almost all the year round, |
