The Balkan Range

The mountain which gave its name to a peninsula - THE BALKAN PENINSULA, and life to a state - BULGARIA, the biggest and longest mountain chain crossing the entire country, highest peak Botev (2,376 m), 700 km long mountain ridge, ideal for hiking tours, steep rocks and intriguing caves, of equal attraction to tourists, mountaineers and speleologist,picturesque National Revival towns and museum villages, offering excellent possibilities for ecotourism: Kotel, Zheravna, Tryavna, Arbanassi, Bozhentsi, Etura.

Balkan Range is like a backbone for Bulgaria. It separates the country in two parts, stretching form its western border to the Black sea. The high mountain range stops the strong western winds, thus protecting the southern part of the country from their negative influence. It is notorious for its abrupt weather changes. The extremely strong Western winds may bring dense fog and rain in less then half an hour!

Topography Balkan Range covers a total area of 11,600 square kilometres, one tenth of Bulgaria's total land mass, and stretches across the country from the Serbian border in the West to the Black Sea in the East. The Balkan Range can be subdivided into three sections, each composed of individual massifs: Western Balkan Range, Central Balkan Range, and Eastern Balkan Range.
Western Balkan Range stretches for 190 kilometres between the Belogradchik Pass and the Zlatitsa Pass, encompassing an area of 4200 kilometres. Most famous and beautiful here is the massif of Vrachanski Balkan.
Central Balkan Range stretches for 185 kilometres. Its area is 3400 square kilometres. Here is the highest peak in the range-Mt. Botev (2376 meters).
Eastern Balkan Range stretches for 155 kilometres between the Vramik Pass and Cape Emine, encompassing an area of 4000 square kilometres. Its average altitude is only 385 meters, the highest peak is Mt. Bulgarka (1181 meters).

Nature Balkan Range has spots of truly untouched nature. This is due to the very difficult approach to them. Today, most of these spots are declared reserves, in which the centuries old beech forests, waterfalls and deep gorges, in the country are protected. The number of endangered species that are met only here is very large. These reserves also give protection to the wild life, which is quite varied. Central Balkan Range is one of the main living spots of Brown bear in Bulgaria. But, take it easy, they do not attack people... nearby...