Could you please provide the following information for a traveler interested in your tour? 1. Quote for one post-night accommodation. 2. Hotel name and address for each location. 3. Information on the type of coach used for travel. 4. How long it takes to get to airport from hotel and availability of airport transfer services.

1. What time does she need to arrive in Sofia on Day 1 to ensure she does not miss anything? 2. Will there be a pickup and drop-off on the first and last day of the tour? 3. Will the traveller visit Arbanasi? This stop is very important to her. 4. At what time will the group return to Sofia on the final day? She needs this information to book her departure flight accordingly. 5. Is it possible for you to send the traveller a printed or PDF document with the itinerary, timings, and general tour information?

We are 4 persons interested for a week in middle September around Bulgaria. Is there something available?

We can organise the Best of Bulgaria roundtrip with a starting date 20th of September. The cost is 790 EUR per person.

I am trying to confirm other tour bookings to the Balkans. I am coming from Romania by plane, hopefully on 19 Sept, but may be 20 Sept. I am definitely coming to Bulgaria.

I am still interested in this tour. You did not indicate that tour would be cancelled if I did not pay immediately. This is unprofessional. You did not indicate the urgency, considering it is 6 weeks away. I am confused. I need to sort out Romania leg which is what tourradar are doing.

Can you arrange accommodation in the same hotel if I reach Sofia on 19th Sep and leave on 28th Sep. How much will it cost?

Yes, we can arrange an extra night before and after the dates of the roundtrip. It cost 100 euro for a single room per night if you want transfer from us and 80 euro if you do not want transfer from/to the airport.

can you provide me with supporting documents after payment?

Yes, we can help with travel vouchers and invitation if needed for visa

What is the policy if you have inadequate reservations and the tour does not proceed?

If you cancel your booking. Should the client wish to cancel, cancellation charges will be imposed. These are calculated from the day written is received by the Company as a percentage of the total tour price per person canceling, excluding any amendment charges and insurance premium) a) 60 and more days before tour start date – retention of deposit b) 59-45 days before tour start date – 50% or retention of deposit if higher c) Less than 44 days before tour start date – 100%

Can I add two additional nights in the same hotel? I would like to visit Skopje by my own. Do you transfer to the airport at the end of the two additional nights?

Yes we can add additional nights in the same hotel (before or after the tour). If you decide to book the additional nights through us the transfer will be included in the price, and will be from/to the airport and from/to the hotel. You might mean Sofia the capital of Bulgaria, not Skopje.

Is this tour guaranteed? Does this tour go to the Koprivshitsa Folkloric Festival on 9 or 10 August....a special event held once in 5 years ? If this tour does not operate, could I transfer to "Enchanting Balkan Charm" Touradar Code #261801 ?. Can same gender travellers be placed in same room to avoid single supplement ?

Based on the dates of he tour the visit of Koprivshitsa will not be during the festival. At the moment the tour is not guaranteed. Regarding the single room supplement, if there is someone else also willing to share a room we remove the additional fee. If there is no one then the supplement is mandatory.

Interested to add tour for Romania Moldova in Oct

East European Discovery – Romania and Moldova's Transnistria and Gagauzia tour has a departure date 4 October 2025. Also optional tour date 20 September 2025 for Best of Bulgaria for 8 days.

I would like to spend 8 days in Greece. What are the conditions and prices, bearing in mind that I need to apply for a visa from Algeria for Greece in July?

We do not offfer 8-day cultural trip in Greece. If you are interested in combining these two countries, we can organise your trip in Bulgaria only.

From

US $884 per person

Best of Bulgaria Roundtrip

7 days

•

Start and end in Sofia

4.4

20 traveler reviews

View all
I had a wonderful time! Vera spoke excellent English, was very smart, drove very well and taught us a lot.
Anonymous, traveled in May
4.5
View all

From

US $884 per person

+ $118 Local Payment

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Gold Operator: Penguin Travel
In-depth Cultural: Immerse yourself in rich history and local traditions
Group Tour: Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided: An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Medium Intensity: Travelers should be comfortable with somewhat-demanding activities
Guided in English
Group Size 4 - 10
Ages 6+

Places You’ll See

Sofia
Rila
Plovdiv
Veliko Tarnovo

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

Explore Sofia's ancient sites and cathedrals
Visit Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Discover the Yagodina Cave's stunning formations
Tour Plovdiv, one of Europe's oldest cities
Experience traditional crafts in Etura village

Itinerary

View Full Itinerary

Introduction

Day 1 Sofia - Rila Monastery – Rupite - Melnik
Day 2 Melnik - Ribnovo - Bansko
Day 3 Bansko - The Rhodope narrow gauge railway to Varvara – Plovdiv
Day 4 Plovdiv
Day 5 Plovdiv - Kazanluk - Buzludzha - Etura - V. Tarnovo
Day 6 Veliko Tarnovo - Tsarevets - Free time in Veliko Tarnovo
Day 7 Transfer Veliko Tarnovo - Sofia.

What's Included

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Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Transport
Free eSIM
TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Operated by

Penguin Travel

4.4

(497 reviews)

Number of tours

Age Range

18 to 80 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

100%

Established in 1989 in the heart of Copenhagen (Denmark), Penguin Travel rose...

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Traveler Moments

Traveler Reviews

4.4

Overall rating based on 20 Reviews

Itinerary
4.3
Transport
4.3
Guide
4.7
Accommodation
3.7
Food
3.6
Tour Operator
4.4

Lesley
August 17th, 2025
5.0
Tour offered a wide range of experiences. Preliminary walking tour introduced major landmarks and buildings in Sofia...
Tour offered a wide range of experiences. Preliminary walking tour introduced major landmarks and buildings in Sofia and gave an outline of the nations history...from Roman times through mediaeval regime changes to modern political history. Tour visited the famous Rilla Monestery and a modern spiritual site then char Melnik village in the wine growing region. Next seen were the Pirin Mountain ranges of and the township of Bankso which was a base for hiking and skiing. A short ride on the narrow guage railway thrpugh the Rodope Mountain showed forest and river valleys. Nrxt conytast was the ancient city of Plovdiv which perservrs an old townming Mrlnick villthr eine growing region and travelled over mountsin passes eith brsutiful forrdt and included an ovetnoght stay in Bsnkso ehich is the site for srasonsl hiking and sking. A short journey of the narrow gauge railway through Rodope Mountsins showed mountsins and river ravines. Next thete wre opportunities to view archeytrcture and arts and crafts as wrll asShow more
Traveled in August 2025
E
Elena
July 12th, 2025
4.0
The tour was mostly good, although not everything was to my liking. 1. At least one hotel was so sub-standard...
The tour was mostly good, although not everything was to my liking. 1. At least one hotel was so sub-standard (Alexandra in Dobrinishte) that I have to move out an pay out of pocket for a different hotel. My assigned room at Alexandra had an awful quality bed mattress, but more to the point, NO AIR CONDITIONER. It was intolerable in the heat of over 93 degrees F. 2. I wish the itinerary was slightly different. a) The specific Thracian tomb we visited was not very interesting, while 20 miles away in Kazanlak was one with frescoes (or at least there was a fresco in the museum). If Kazanlak were on our itinerary, we could have also seen the roses. b) For some mysterious reason Arbanasi was missing from our guide's itinerary even though it was mentioned in the original brochure synopsis we received from Tourradar. c) It's not clear to me what the purpose was to include the Buzludzha Monument in the tour, or Vanga's placeShow more
Traveled in June 2025
Errol
May 4th, 2025
5.0
Did not go as on hospital
Traveled in May 2025
N
Norbert
August 19th, 2024
5.0
Great, varied tBulgaria our with an excellent, knowledgeable tour guide Lubo. Good accommodation and good tour van....
Show more
Traveled in August 2024
M
Mauro
September 7th, 2023
4.0
Good trip, tour guide very knowledgeable on history, art and culture of Bulgaria and all other balkan states.
Traveled in August 2023
Reply from: Penguin Travel
Thank you for your feedback, Mauro. We are looking forward to having you on another trip with Penguin Travel in the future.
Show more
David
May 14th, 2023
4.0
Was a really good trip The guide Nadya was brilliant , great driver , learnt so much about Bulgaria
Traveled in May 2023
Reply from: Penguin Travel
Hello, David. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your trip and appreciate your feedback. We are looking forward to having you on another trip with Penguin Travel in the future.
Show more
Norhayati
October 9th, 2022
5.0
It was really a good road trip atound Bulgaria. Our guide Lubo is excellent. A real gem. Very knowledgeable, always...
Show more
Traveled in October 2022
M
Mario Rodolfo
July 7th, 2022
4.0
Overall, it was a good , memorable experience. Something new I experienced and to remember for the rest of my life....
Overall, it was a good , memorable experience. Something new I experienced and to remember for the rest of my life. Every thing went well. No mechanical breakdowns of the tour van; not getting lost during the tour despite mountainous road trips; no accidents or getting sick and the tour guide and driver, Rado did his best to give us important historical and background information of the tour sites and places even though he is soft spoken. Aside from this, he was a patient guy, never got angry when we were late or behind during walking tours due to photo taking. He was helpful with the luggage in putting and arranging them in the van. And he is an excellent driver. He knows the directions well. The time given to us every morning to start the trip is adequate and acceptable. Except for a few occasions, we had to leave around 9 every morning giving us enough rest and sleep from the previous day. The downsides of the tour are : Most hotels have no lifts / elevators. So be prepared to carry your own luggage upstairs. Some hotels don't offer much amenities like hair dryers, refrigerators. But most are located in areas where you can access the village towns and cities easily especially the restaurants, groceries and souvenir shops. My most memorable experience of this trip is climbing the wet steep long stairs of a huge, partly lighted cave to exit to the other end. It was a thrill! This trip is really adventure, history and culture. An eye opening! You will learn a lot about Bulgaria. You will not regret it.Show more
Traveled in June 2022
J
Judith Theresa
September 17th, 2019
3.5
Lots of steps and hotels without elevators making it difficult for the older travelers. ]Also hotels were not...
Show more
Traveled in September 2019
Alan
September 16th, 2019
4.0
The best thing about our tour was our guide, Emil - helpful, knowledgeable and a very good sense of humour. The...
The best thing about our tour was our guide, Emil - helpful, knowledgeable and a very good sense of humour. The itinerary is good and quite varied. Emil also took us to the Tombs of the Thracian Kings which are not on the official tour, presumably because they have been opened to the public fairly recently, and were a highlight of the tour for us. On the not quite so good side, you do spend quite a lot of time travelling from one attraction to another and, apart from the occasional gorge or panorama, the scenery is not riveting. Also, the tour is rated as being suitable for people of up to 85 years - most of the accommodation did not have a lift and two or three of the attractions involve a steeper climb or stairs, which were a problem for one older woman in our group.Overall, if you would like to visit Bulgaria, we think this tour is a good option.Show more
Traveled in September 2019

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Upcoming departures

From Sunday
19 Apr, 2026
To Saturday
25 Apr, 2026
English
From:
US $884 per person
Multiple Room Types
Local Payment
$118
From Sunday
17 May, 2026
To Saturday
23 May, 2026
English
From:
US $884 per person
Multiple Room Types
Local Payment
$118
From Sunday
27 Sep, 2026
To Saturday
3 Oct, 2026
English
From:
US $884 per person
Multiple Room Types
Local Payment
$118
From Sunday
18 Oct, 2026
To Saturday
24 Oct, 2026
English
From:
US $884 per person
Multiple Room Types
Local Payment
$118

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What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.

All questions

We couldn't find results

Try a different search term or ask a question to this adventure's experts

C
Carole
Asked on November 13th, 2025
Could you please provide the following information for a traveler interested in your tour? 1. Quote for one post-night accommodation. 2. Hotel name and address for each location. 3. Information on the type of coach used for travel. 4. How long it takes to get to airport from hotel and availability of airport transfer services.
Accommodation
Flights / Transfers
Transport
- C
  Carole
  Traveler•Written November 2025
  1. What time does she need to arrive in Sofia on Day 1 to ensure she does not miss anything? 2. Will there be a pickup and drop-off on the first and last day of the tour? 3. Will the traveller visit Arbanasi? This stop is very important to her. 4. At what time will the group return to Sofia on the final day? She needs this information to book her departure flight accordingly. 5. Is it possible for you to send the traveller a printed or PDF document with the itinerary, timings, and general tour information?
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written November 2025
  1. Quote for one post-night accommodation - the price for a single room in Sofia is 70 EUR. 2. Hotel name and address for each location - The exact hotels will be provided in the voucher 14-10 days before the arrival date. We use 3/4 starts hotels. 3. Information on the type of coach used for travel - This information will be provided in the voucher 14-10 days before the arrival date. 4. How long it takes to get to airport from hotel and availability of airport transfer services - the transfers are not included in the package. The additional cost for a transfer is 20 EUR. The distance from the airport to the city center of Sofia is between 20 - 30 mins (depends of the traffic). 1. The tour starts in the morning around 9 am. We advice the client to book a night in Sofia before the tour. 2. The guide pick-ups and drop-offs each client to the location provided. 3. Only Veliko Turnovo is included, however after the visit there will be enough free time to explore. 4. Arrival in Sofia in the early afternoon.
- C
  Carole
  Traveler•Written November 2025
  1. Preferred travel dates: May 17th, 2025 or sometime in September 2. Single room accommodation 3. Request for a quote for 1 pre-night stay at the same hotel as the first night (please provide pricing for both May and September) 4. Information on the exact return time to Sofia on the last day, as she'll be looking to book her flight around 8 PM. Will this timing work? 5. How big will be the van? Is there enough space for everyone?
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written November 2025
  1. The tour starting 17th of May has already 6 people; the tour starting 27th of September has 1 person so far. 2. No problem, it will be SGL. 3. The price per night/SGL room in Sofia is 70 euro - both in May and in September. 4. The return to Sofia is in the early afternoon. If the flight is around 8 pm (around 20.00) - this should work perfectly. 5. Up to 3 people in the group we travel by car; Up to 8 people we travel in a van 8+1 places; For more people we will rent a bus for 15 people. We strongly advice our clients to have at least 1 full day in Sofia before or after the tour dates if they want to have time to walk around the city or book a tour of Sofia.
J
Jeffrey
Asked on August 9th, 2025
We are 4 persons interested for a week in middle September around Bulgaria. Is there something available?
Price / Availability
Tour Details
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written August 2025
  We can organise the Best of Bulgaria roundtrip with a starting date 20th of September. The cost is 790 EUR per person.
A
Ali
Asked on August 7th, 2025
I am trying to confirm other tour bookings to the Balkans. I am coming from Romania by plane, hopefully on 19 Sept, but may be 20 Sept. I am definitely coming to Bulgaria.
Tour Details
Travel Support
- A
  Ali
  Traveler•Written August 2025
  I am still interested in this tour. You did not indicate that tour would be cancelled if I did not pay immediately. This is unprofessional. You did not indicate the urgency, considering it is 6 weeks away. I am confused. I need to sort out Romania leg which is what tourradar are doing.
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written August 2025
  We had two other participants booked on this day, but they cancelled the trip. Based on our experience, it's not very likely that we reach the required minimum until the 20th of September, which is why we decided to close this departure date. We can suggest you joining our group on the 18th of October or look for alternative tours/operators that might have a group then if your dates are fixed.
C
Colin
Asked on July 9th, 2025
Can you arrange accommodation in the same hotel if I reach Sofia on 19th Sep and leave on 28th Sep. How much will it cost?
Accommodation
Price / Availability
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written July 2025
  Yes, we can arrange an extra night before and after the dates of the roundtrip. It cost 100 euro for a single room per night if you want transfer from us and 80 euro if you do not want transfer from/to the airport.
- C
  Colin
  Traveler•Written July 2025
  Please let me know the final price for the tour if I want to take the tour from 20-Sep to 27-Sep with 2 additional days (19-Sep - checkin and 28-Sep - checkout)
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written July 2025
  The price would be 790 EUR basic price + 180 EUR single supplement + 160 EUR 2 additional nights in Sofia = 1130 Euro. The situation with this date (20/09) is that it is not a Guaranteed departure. Would you like to make the same roundtrip but from 9th of August? For 20th of September we can book the roundtrip for you if you are a group of at least 3 people. We will keep you informed if more people request the 20th of September.
- C
  Colin
  Traveler•Written July 2025
  9th August is too early for me to apply and get a Schengen visa in time for the tour. I was really looking forward to the 20th September tour. Let me know if the 20th Sep tour gets confirmed.
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written July 2025
  The date is still not guaranteed. The date 18 OCT is available if you are interested?
A
Adrian
Asked on June 4th, 2025
can you provide me with supporting documents after payment?
Payments
Travel Support
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written June 2025
  Yes, we can help with travel vouchers and invitation if needed for visa
A
Alexander
Asked on June 2nd, 2025
What is the policy if you have inadequate reservations and the tour does not proceed?
Operator
Tour Details
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written June 2025
  If you cancel your booking. Should the client wish to cancel, cancellation charges will be imposed. These are calculated from the day written is received by the Company as a percentage of the total tour price per person canceling, excluding any amendment charges and insurance premium) a) 60 and more days before tour start date – retention of deposit b) 59-45 days before tour start date – 50% or retention of deposit if higher c) Less than 44 days before tour start date – 100%
- A
  Alexander
  Traveler•Written June 2025
  What is the policy if Penguin Tours cancels the tour?
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written June 2025
  If we are the ones to cancel the tour. we will refund everything you've paid to us. We do not refund flight tickets ot other additional expenses. This is why we recommend to wait for a final confirmation from us before buing your flight tickets (no later than 40 days before the trip.)
- A
  Alexander
  Traveler•Written June 2025
  Is the tour a GUARENTEED DEPARTURE? What is the policy if Penguin Tours cancels the trip?
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written June 2025
  This tour is not guaranteed departure yet. If Penguin Travel cancel the tour. we will refund everything you've paid to us. We do not refund flight tickets ot other additional expenses. This is why we recommend to wait for a final confirmation from us before buing your flight tickets (no later than 40 days before the trip.)
A
Amber
Asked on May 28th, 2025
Can I add two additional nights in the same hotel? I would like to visit Skopje by my own. Do you transfer to the airport at the end of the two additional nights?
Accommodation
Flights / Transfers
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written May 2025
  Yes we can add additional nights in the same hotel (before or after the tour). If you decide to book the additional nights through us the transfer will be included in the price, and will be from/to the airport and from/to the hotel. You might mean Sofia the capital of Bulgaria, not Skopje.
- A
  Amber
  Traveler•Written May 2025
  Do you offer 3 or 4 star hotels? Do you offer single rooms for solo travellers? And if so, is there a cost involved?
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written May 2025
  In our standard trip, we use standard 3* hotels. Single room can be arranged, the additional cost for it is 180 EUR.
K
Kate
Asked on May 19th, 2025
Is this tour guaranteed? Does this tour go to the Koprivshitsa Folkloric Festival on 9 or 10 August....a special event held once in 5 years ? If this tour does not operate, could I transfer to "Enchanting Balkan Charm" Touradar Code #261801 ?. Can same gender travellers be placed in same room to avoid single supplement ?
Single supplement
Tour Details
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written May 2025
  Based on the dates of he tour the visit of Koprivshitsa will not be during the festival. At the moment the tour is not guaranteed. Regarding the single room supplement, if there is someone else also willing to share a room we remove the additional fee. If there is no one then the supplement is mandatory.
R
Robert
Asked on May 5th, 2025
Interested to add tour for Romania Moldova in Oct
Tour Details
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written May 2025
  East European Discovery – Romania and Moldova's Transnistria and Gagauzia tour has a departure date 4 October 2025. Also optional tour date 20 September 2025 for Best of Bulgaria for 8 days.
- R
  Robert
  Traveler•Written May 2025
  Waiting for 2026 dates
R
Rachel
Asked on April 15th, 2025
I would like to spend 8 days in Greece. What are the conditions and prices, bearing in mind that I need to apply for a visa from Algeria for Greece in July?
Price / Availability
Tour Details
Visa
- Penguin TravelOperator•Written April 2025
  We do not offfer 8-day cultural trip in Greece. If you are interested in combining these two countries, we can organise your trip in Bulgaria only.

From

US $884 per person

+ $118 Local Payment

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 85182

Currency
лв.
Bulgarian Lev
Bulgaria
Plugs & Adapters
Vaccines
- These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
- Hepatitis A - Recommended for Bulgaria. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
- Tuberculosis - Recommended for Bulgaria. Ideally 3 months before travel.
- Hepatitis B - Recommended for Bulgaria. Ideally 2 months before travel.
Visa
- Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
- Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
Payment information
- For any tour departing before April 7th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after April 7th, 2026, a minimum payment of 30% is required to confirm your booking with Penguin Travel. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 60 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
- Some departure dates and prices may vary and Penguin Travel will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
- The following cards are accepted for "Penguin Travel" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
- Your money is safe with TourRadar, as we only pay the tour operator after your tour has departed.
- TourRadar is an authorized Agent of Penguin Travel. Please familiarize yourself with the Penguin Travel payment, cancellation and refund conditions.
Accessibility
Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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