Day 1

Arriving at Varna Airport and transfer to the seaside town of Kavarna. Accommodation at a local hotel for 3 nights.

Day 2

Today, we will visit the surroundings of the town of Kavarna and the town of Balchik. This region is of exceptional interest to nature lovers: limestone rocks, white and very soft. More than 100 species of butterflies are known from this part of the country as well as so many species of moths. We will also watch many species of dragonflies. The better known species, which we expect to see, are: Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon), Sandy Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus cinarae), Large Copper (Lycaena dispar), Baton Blue (Scolitantides vicrama), Green-Underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis), Large Blue (Phengaris arion), Zephyr Blue (Plebeius sephirus).

Day 3

A visit to lakes Shabla and Dourankoulak, the steppes and the seaside cliffs near the village of Tulenovo. A limestone land again. Cliffs of more than a 100-m height sink directly into the sea below. The species we expect to see are Lesser Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia), Nickerl’s Fritillary (Melitaea aurelia), Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia), Tree Grayling (Hipparchia statilinus), Woodland Grayling (Hipparchia fagi), Gatekeeper (Maniola tithonus), Plebeius thersites, Iolas Blue (Iolana iolas).

Day 4

Today, we will leave the Black Sea coast and will head for the west crossing Dobroudzha on the way. At some moment of our trip we will reach a canyon cut into the limestone rock and called “Souhata Reka”. We will concentrate our efforts in finding of the Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna), Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne), Large Copper (Lycaena dispar), Lesser Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia), Argynnis hecate, Yellow-banded Skipper (Pyrgus sidae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania), Chestnut Heath (Coenonympha glycerion) and other species. Accommodation for 6 nights at Pelican Birding lodge, Vetren village, located in the immediate vicinity to the Danube and the world-renowned Managed Reserve of the Biosphere “Lake Srebarna”

Day 5

Today, we will visit the forest named Karakouz, and the Dry Valleys of Kana Gyol. We will be looking for more than 50 species of butterflies, among them the Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta), Scarce Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis xanthomelas), Red-band Fritillary (Melitaea didyma), Grayling (Hipparchia semele), Lesser Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea trivia). This countryside is rich of medieval rock churches (dated mostly the 10th century AD) as well as Thracian sanctuaries from the 6th century BC.

Day 6

Our today’s goal is a visit to the wetlands along the Danube riverside: the lakes Srebarna, Garvan, Malak Preslavets with their adjacent wetlands and the dry hills with bushes and riverside forests. We expect to see Lesser Purple Emperor (Apatura ilia), Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), the Bath White (Pieris daplidice), Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon), Chestnut Heath (Coenonympha glycerion), Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus), the Dryad (Hipparchia dryas), Knapweed Fritillary (Melitaea phoebe), the Map (Araschnia levana), Common Glider (Neptis sappho)

Day 7

These two days will be dedicated to the forested land called “Loudogorie”. More than 120 species of butterflies have been discovered in this region. This land is known as the cradle of the ancient Thracian civilization, which is the oldest European civilization. We expect to see Tufted Marbled Skipper (Carcharodus flocciferus), Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena), Clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne), Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias hyale), Purple-Shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron), Balkan Copper (Lycaena candens), Common Zebra Blue (Leptotes pirithous), Eastern Short-tailed Blue (Cupido decoloratus), Dutch Alcon Blue (Phengaris alcon), Northern Wall Brown (Pararge petropolitana), Russian Heath (Coenonympha leander), Freyer’s Purple Emperor (Apatura metis), Freyer’s Fritillary (Melitaea arduinna), False-heath Fritillary (Melitaea diamina).

Day 8

See day 7.

Day 9

Today, we will visit the Nature Park “Roussenski Lom”. The local river meanders along the bottom of the canyon. We expect to see Eastern Festoon (Zerynthia cerisy), Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), Orange Tip (Euchloe cardamines), Eastern Dappled White (Euchloe ausonia), White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album), Baton Blue (Scolitantides vicrama), Great Banded Grayling (Hipparchia circe), False Grayling (Hipparchia arethusa), Nickerl’s Fritillary (Melitaea aurelia), High Brown Fritillary (Argynnis adippe), Weaver’s Fritillary (Boloria dia) and some other species.

Day 10

After breakfast, a transfer to Varna Airport follows, where our tour comes to an end