Custom & Private Tours of Bulgaria. Explore with a local guide.

Balkan Trails offers fully private and small-group tours across Bulgaria, each built around your specific travel dates, interests, and pace, not a fixed group calendar. Our two starting itineraries cover the country’s main highlights: the 5-nights Bulgaria at a Glance and the 9-nights Best of Bulgaria. Both can be modified, extended, or combined with Romania before we finalize anything.

All our tours of Bulgaria include:

• The possibility of having your itinerary customized before the tour starts at no extra charge. The itinerary customization can include pacing changes, selection of hotels, sights we include (or skip), etc.
• Great flexibility regarding changes to the daily itinerary even after the start of the tour
• The services of a private licensed English-speaking guide (also driving)
• All guide’s expenses (meals, accommodation, etc.)
• Private transportation in an air-conditioned car (or minivan, depending on your group’s size)
• All vehicle-related expenses, such as gasoline, parking, and road tolls
• Complimentary wireless internet access in the vehicle so that you can stay in touch with your loved ones even while traveling
• Entrance fees and guided visits. If you wish to add any sight on the go, the guide will always be available with information during the visit
• Accommodation in locally-owned, centrally located 3, 4, and 5-star hotels or B&Bs, with breakfast included
• Airport transfers

Not included:

• Airfare to and from Bulgaria
• Meals or beverages other than the included ones
• Photo fees (some sights require the payment of a fee for allowing you to take pictures – they are mostly inexpensive, around 2 or 3 euro/sight)
• Credit card fees (3.25%). We offer you the possibility of paying for the tour in your home currency via a domestic bank transfer
• Gratuities for your guide (entirely up to your discretion)

Absolutely. Let us know which properties you’d like swapped out and we’ll handle the alternatives. You can flag specific hotels or simply tell us your preferred accommodation level: 4-star only, boutique only, whatever fits, and we’ll rebuild that part of the list accordingly.

No, we suggest that all our clients carry medical insurance to cover any health-related expenses during the trip. We also recommend getting insurance for trip interruptions and lost or stolen luggage.

Yes, and there’s no extra charge for it. Every tour we offer is a starting point, not a fixed contract. We can adjust the pacing, swap destinations, combine two itineraries, or build something entirely new around the places you want to see. Just tell us what you have in mind.

You can book a tour by sending an inquiry through the website’s contact forms, detailing your preferences and travel plans. Also, you can contact us through the chat widget located in the bottom right corner of the screen.

The best time to visit Bulgaria depends on what you want to see. Late April to June is ideal for most itineraries: mild temperatures, manageable crowds, and if your trip falls in late May or early June, you can time it around the Rose Festival in Kazanlak, when the Valley of Roses is actually in bloom. September and October are equally strong: cooler weather, fewer visitors at major sites like Rila Monastery and Veliko Tarnovo, and excellent light for photography. Summer (July–August) works well for the Black Sea coast. Nessebar and Sozopol are best visited then, but inland sites, especially Sofia and Plovdiv, get busy. Winter suits a specific kind of traveler: Rila Monastery in snow is one of the most striking sights in the Balkans, and Bansko runs as a ski destination from December through March.

EU and EEA citizens do not need a visa to enter Bulgaria. Bulgaria joined the Schengen Area in 2025. Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, and many other countries can enter Bulgaria visa-free for stays up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Citizens of other nationalities should verify requirements with the Bulgarian embassy or consulate in their country before travel, as conditions vary and policies can change. We recommend confirming current entry rules closer to your departure date.

Bulgaria’s highlights span several distinct regions, each with a different character. Sofia is the starting point for most tours: the Boyana Church (a UNESCO site with remarkably preserved 13th-century frescoes), the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and the National History Museum, which houses one of the finest collections of Thracian gold in the world. Plovdiv is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe: its Roman amphitheater sits in the middle of a working city and still hosts events, while the Ottoman-era old town and the Kapana creative district make it worth at least two days. Rila Monastery, tucked into a mountain valley at 1,147 meters, is the country’s most visited site and one of the few that justifies the reputation. Veliko Tarnovo, the medieval capital, overlooks a river gorge from Tsarevets Fortress and is best experienced in the evening when the crowds thin out. Further east, the old town of Nessebar on the Black Sea coast is a UNESCO site that most international visitors overlook entirely. For something genuinely off the standard circuit: the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, the cliff monastery at Ivanovo, and the village of Koprivshtitsa, where the 19th-century National Revival architecture is still intact and lived-in.

Private and small-group Bulgaria tours with Balkan Trails start from 985€ per person for a 5-night itinerary (Bulgaria at a Glance) and go up to 2,110€+ per person for a 9-night comprehensive tour (Best of Bulgaria). The final price depends on tour duration, group size, accommodation level, and any customizations to the itinerary. Traveling as a couple or small group generally reduces the per-person cost. All prices include private guiding, transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, accommodation with breakfast, entrance fees, and airport transfers. International flights to and from Bulgaria are not included. Send us an inquiry with your dates and preferences and you’ll receive a tailored proposal within 24 hours.

It depends on how much of the country you want to see and how much you want to actually absorb each place rather than just pass through it.

A 5-nights itinerary (our Bulgaria at a Glance tour) covers the historical core: Sofia and Boyana Church, a full day at Rila Monastery, the village of Koprivshtitsa, Plovdiv’s Old Town and Roman theatre, the Thracian Tomb at Kazanlak, the Shipka Pass, and Veliko Tarnovo with Arbanassi. That’s approximately 850 km across central and southern Bulgaria: compact, well-paced, and enough to leave with a genuine sense of the country.

A 9-nights itinerary (our Best of Bulgaria tour) extends the circuit significantly, adding the Danube city of Ruse, the Roman ruins at Nicopolis ad Istrum, the cliff-carved Ivanovo Rock Churches, the Sveshtari Thracian Tomb, the Madara Horseman, the Black Sea coast (Varna, Balchik, Nessebar), Bachkovo Monastery in the Rhodopes, and the Thracian complex at Starosel. Total distance: approximately 1,700 km covering nearly every distinct region of the country.

If you’ve never been to Bulgaria and want a solid first trip without rushing, 5 days is a realistic minimum. If the Black Sea coast, the Danube region, or multiple Thracian sites are on your list, build in at least 10. Both itineraries can be customized. shortened, extended, or restructured around specific interests.

Bulgaria is a safe destination for tourists. Violent crime targeting visitors is rare, and the country is broadly comparable in safety to other EU member states in the region. In Sofia and Plovdiv, the standard urban precautions apply: be aware of your surroundings in crowded areas and use licensed taxis or rideshare apps rather than unlicensed drivers near transport hubs. Outside the main cities, Bulgaria is exceptionally relaxed and welcoming. Rural areas, mountain monasteries, and smaller towns present very little friction for travelers. On a private guided tour, your guide manages all logistics and transportation from day one, which removes most of the practical risks that independent travelers might run into. Travel insurance is always recommended.

Yes, a combined Bulgaria and Romania tour is one of our most requested itineraries, and one we’re well set up to handle since both countries are run by the same team. We offer dedicated packages ranging from 7-night focused combinations to 15+ night tours covering both countries in depth. You can see the full options on our Bulgaria & Romania tours page.