Meet at the hotel in Sofia. A group transfer from Sofia Airport to the hotel is included. If you arrive in the morning it is very easy and low cost to get a taxi from the airport to the hotel. Depending on your arrival time you may have time to explore the centre of Sofia and take in some of the sights that this interesting capital has to offer. A must see in Sofia is The Crypt Icon Museum in the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral which holds one of the largest collections of Orthodox icons in Europe, a total of 200 icons dating from the 10th to 19th Century. This impressive basilica, the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world, can hold up to 6000 people and its showcase is a beautiful gold plated dome. Our orientation meeting is at 15h30 in the lobby of the hotel. We'll take a walking tour of Sofia before heading to a local restaurant for dinner.

After breakfast we have a 40-minute transfer to the Aleko Mountain Centre in the Vitosha Natural Park which overlooks Sofia and is an important ski area in winter. Here, at an elevation of 1700 metres, we'll have a walk on the high mountain plateau of Vitosha where we will see several rivers of boulders; a most unusual landscape feature. Nearby, we will also be able to visit the UNESCO-listed, 13th Century Boyana Church which has an incredibly beautiful interior; colourful frescos and murals decorate the walls of this small church almost hidden from view. Close to the church, we can also visit the National History Museum which is housed in a former communist presidential palace. It has over 650,000 exhibits and is one of the largest historical museums in the Balkans. The museum includes an eclectic collection of folk costumes, gold treasures and icons. In the afternoon we will transfer (2 and a half hours) to the town of Vratza, passing through a rich karst landscape cut by deep river gorges.

This morning we start with a 20-minute transfer up to the Vratchanski Balkan Nature Park which is the second largest nature park in Bulgaria. Declared a protected area in 1989, this is one of the most incredible landscapes in the Balkan chain. Famed for its stunning karst landscape, here we'll be rewarded with views of the impressive limestone ridges and cliffs. The park is also famous for its caves which number up to 500. We'll enjoy a walk in this wonderful area as we take in the beautiful landscape and tranquillity which is home to almost 1000 species of flora including over 80 rare species. Alongside the flora the park has a wonderful variety of fauna which includes over 160 different types of birds - storks, vultures and eagles. Before leaving the area we can visit the Regional History Museum in Vratza which houses the fascinating Rogozen Treasure. The Rogozen Treasure, called the find of the century, was discovered by chance in 1985 by a tractor driver digging a well in his garden in the Bulgarian village of Rogozen. The 165 objects are silver with golden gilt and a total weight of more than 20 kg. In the late afternoon we'll transfer eastwards (2 hours and 30 minutes) into the Central Balkan National Park where we will check in for a 3-night stay at a small and charming guesthouse in the village of Apriltsi. The guesthouse has a small pool, traditional cuisine and panoramic views of the Central Balkan Chain.

After breakfast we take a short transfer (30 minutes) to the Northern Djendem Nature Reserve located on the slopes of Mount Botev and home to 28 peaks above 2000 metres. This protected landscape is wild and beautiful and we walk up to the Pleven Hut which at 1400 metres elevation offers wonderful views of the area. Here, we can enjoy a break as we take in the wonderful surroundings and it's a great opportunity to visit a local mountain hut. After enjoying the views we head down to the valley, meet our transport and return to the hotel in Apriltsi. There is the option of taking a detour via the National Arts and Craft Exhibition in Oreshaka. This exhibition shows off the work of traditional craftsmen and includes embroidery, textiles, pottery, wood carvings and copper and gold handicrafts. It is a good place to find traditional souvenirs. Dinner and a second night at the Apriltsi accommodation.

After breakfast, we'll transfer to the great Troyan Monastery. This is the third biggest monastery in Bulgaria and dates from the 17th Century. It has an impressive 5-storey bell tower, decorative balconies and wonderful frescos. After this visit we'll drive to the Beklemeto Pass (1520m) in the Central Balkan Chain. Almost 60 percent of this UNESCO-listed reserve area is forested and the latter part of today's excellent walk will take us amongst century-old oak woodland and stands of fir, beech, sycamores, hazel and chestnut trees. As well as its rich vegetation, this area also provides a home for wolves, wildcats, Balkan chamois and lots of bird species, including imperial eagles. Our walk today initially traverses an open and scenic ridge above the treeline to the mountain hut on Kozia Stena Peak (1560m). We'll stop for a picnic lunch and then descend steeply to meet our transport at the Khaydushka Pesen Hut which is tucked away on the richly forested northern slopes of the range. We will return to spend a third night in Apriltsi.

Today we leave the Bulgarian mountains and head to VelikoTarnovo, the Bulgarian City of Tsars. Located on the Yantra River and surrounded by rich forest, VelikoTarnovo was a medieval kingdom and rival to Constantinople with its fascinating citadel and 'Old Town'. As one of Bulgaria's oldest towns, we'll explore the magnificent restored fortress, meandering cobbled streets and the little hidden 18th Century Transfiguration Monastery. Arriving on the outskirts of the town, we'll visit the Eastern Orthodox Transfiguration Monastery nestled in a gorge on the Yantra River. This hidden gem has a towering bell tower and a colourful collection of frescos including those depicting the Wheel of Life and the Last Supper. The monastery is just 3 kilometres from Veliko Tarnovo so we'll take the opportunity to walk into the town before completing a walking tour of the highlights. Ulitsa Gurko is the town's oldest street and a wonderful place to wander on account of its ancient and colourful houses. After our walking tour, the rest of the afternoon will be at leisure for you to stroll and enjoy the town. A good place to start is the Tsarevets Fortress which is one of Bulgaria's most beloved monuments. Once the former seat of medieval tsars, you'll visit the scenic Tsarevets Museum Hill Reserve which overlooks the town, before heading out to for dinner.

After an early breakfast we leave Veliko Tarnovo and start our journey towards neighbouring Romania. We have some light lunch with wine tasting in Bulgaria, and the chance to visit the UNESCO-listed Ivanovo rock-hewn churches, before crossing the River Danube which marks the border between Bulgaria and Romania. Early afternoon we arrive in Bucharest, the capital of Romania and after checking in at the hotel we'll head out on a walking tour. Described as Little Paris, Bucharest is elegance layered with history and has a wonderful mix of architecture from Orthodox churches to the enormous Palace of the Parliament, the world's second largest administrative building (after the Pentagon). The creation of former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, the building has 20 floors (8 are underground), was designed by 400 architects and covers over 300,000 square metres. The city has a rich variety of architecture which we'll explore whilst walking. In the evening we'll have dinner in a local restaurant.

After breakfast the morning is free for you to wander through Bucharest's streets before we transfer (2 hrs) to Sinaia and visit Peles Castle. Nestled at the base of the Bucegi Mountains, Peles Castle is a masterpiece of German Renaissance architecture and looks like something out of a fairy-tale with its wonderful turrets, stained glass windows and beautiful gardens. Commissioned by King Carol in 1873 and completed in 1883, the castle was used as the summer residence of the Romanian royal family until 1947. After visiting Peles Castle we'll check in to our eco-guesthouse situated at the foot of Piatra Craiului Mountains, and where we spend the next two nights.

Today is our first day in the Romanian mountains as we walk in the Piatra Craiului National Park which is located in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania. This beautiful park is home to the longest and highest limestone ridge in the country running for almost 30 kilometres. The park has one of the largest biodiversity of flora and fauna in the country including 300 species of funghi and over 1000 species of plants (a third of all the plant species in Romania). Wolf, brown bear, lynx, chamois, wild boar, red and roe deer, red squirrels, woodpeckers and owls all call the park home which is surrounded by spectacular gorges. Our trail takes us through the impressive Zarnesti Gorges and alongside crystal-clear springs before we make our way up to the mountain refuge of Curmatura. The refuge has a lovely relaxing position in a forest clearing and once here we'll enjoy a tasty mountain lunch and a spot of homemade apple pie. Depending on the group and weather conditions we may have time to head up to the main ridge before descending back down to the valley and returning to our guesthouse.

Today we start in the village of Magura (1000m) right sitting in the middle of the Piatra Craiului National Park. Less than 50 years ago this village could only be reached by foot or with horse and cart and even today local traditions are still very much alive. The area is popular for grazing livestock during the summer months when rich meadows keep the animals happy whilst they are watched by shepherds and their dogs. Here in the Romanian mountains a shepherd's life is hard as they live away from family for the summer months. Living and working with their flocks for 24 hours a day, these hardy folk are generally accompanied by magnificent mountain dogs that are brought up alongside the sheep and offer protection from bears and wolves. This is a landscape where meadows are still scythed and you're more likely to see a horse-drawn cart than a car. Vegetables and salads are grown in colourful gardens whilst meat, milk and eggs are provided from farmers in the village. Today we'll also get to try the shepherd's bulz - a traditional mix of sheep cheese and baked polenta which is then cooked in a charcoal oven. From here we hike to Ciocanu, the most remote village in the region which is where we stay for tonight. Staying here means we can really appreciate a true rural village in Romania.

This morning we start in Ciocanu and walk through a charming area of scattered houses. This whole area has a historical tradition of cheese making which is still preserved today. Passing through several small hamlets, we'll stop to visit one of the houses and to taste some of the famous smoked cheese made in this area. We'll also have the chance to meet the people still living in one of the oldest houses. We will overnight in a guesthouse in Moieciu de Sus at the foot of Bucegi Mountains. We'll be able to check out the owner's adjacent smallholding and tonight we'll get to sample traditional Romanian sarmale made with produce from the farm.

We'll start today with a traditional horse and cart ride which takes us to the start of our trail. For our final day of walking we can enjoy a longer day in the mountains as we head up to an elevation of 2000 metres close to the Bucegi Ridge. This is a fantastic opportunity to get an overview of the places where we have been walking in the last few days. There are many trails for us to enjoy and the leader will decide on the best one to finish the week depending on the weather and on the group's aspiration. One thing is for certain that the surrounding hills, lush valleys and limestone ridge creates a breath-taking panorama for us to enjoy.

After breakfast we say goodbye to rural Romania and start our transfer to Brasov. Along the way we'll enjoy a rest stop near Bran Castle, known as Dracula castle and we'll also get to visit the village of Vulcan, one of Romania's Saxon villages. In the afternoon we arrive in medieval Brasov, a gem of a town bursting with wonderful architecture and a labyrinth of colourful streets. Brasov has historical links to the Pied Piper of Hamlin and it's easy to imagine him piping his way through the charming back streets. The town is also known for Vlad the Impaler's romantic interludes! Tonight we'll head out to a local restaurant for our final dinner and to celebrate a fantastic adventure in Romania and Bulgaria.

An early start for the group transfer to Bucharest Airport.