3 Mountains Enduro
Summer uplifted Tour: A week focusing on quality descending, minimal pedaling and mini-adventures
A gravity orientated enduro week based in our home town of Bansko. A modern ski resort and historic old town situated in a beautiful valley surrounded by three different mountain ranges.
This location has us within touching distance of epic trails, gnarly descents, hidden single track and off-piste loamers. We live here and know the biking network inside out. We’ve explored every village and trail, taking a bike more places than most locals have walked.
Within the ski town there are endless other activities to do in your downtime to really make the holiday your own. A few short drives takes us to some amazing variety in terms of riding with three mountain ranges on our doorstep.
Overview
Mountain base in historic town and ski resort
Fantastic bars, restaurants and natural mineral hot springs
90% uplift
3000-4000m descending daily
Ideal for trail/enduro riders
Tailored to fit wide range of abilities and fitness
Typical Enduro Day on our Home Trails
Adventure day across the Pirin Mountains
3 Mountains
7 Nights
June - September
5 days guiding
14000m descending, 2000m climbing
Airport Transfers
Breakfasts
2 Dinners (first and last)
Mid Week BBQ
£575 Per Person
Trails
This week includes a mixture of natural and purpose built trails. Be prepared for a wide variety of terrain and very long descents. Expect all conditions: rocks, roots, loam, jumps, berms, drops, speed and tech. There will be occasions where exposure will be evident and caution required. Some trails are very much off-piste and anticipation of hidden bumps, branches and boulders will be beneficial.
Skill level: Average and above. Although we have a number of difficult trails, all committed features are avoidable and easy options are available. The characteristics of these trails change drastically with speed, allowing confident riders of varying abilities to enjoy them. We would recommend being comfortable riding minimum UK red trails and above.
Fitness level: Moderate level of bike fitness. Some trails require a short pedal at altitude to access them. Most trails are considerably longer than UK trail centres and so strength and endurance is required. This package does not require long days in the saddle, hike-a-bike or any crazy fitness events. Coffee stops are frequent and lunch breaks can be extended for anyone feeling the heat.
Summers here can quite intense so be aware of your own body and limitations
We will happily welcome riders of all speeds, catering the week for your enjoyment. A base level of skill is required to keep you safe in a dangerous mountain environment
This trip runs Saturday to Saturday. Included in the price is Sofia airport transfers, arrival any time. Transfer from Thessaloniki, Skopje and Plovdiv also possible, but will incur an extra charge, not recommended due to availability and pricing. A number of airports fly Friday - Friday (e.g Edinburgh). If this applies to your nearest airport, then please get in touch and we will see if can tweak the schedule to accommodate you.
A 2 hour transfer brings us to our base for the week in Bansko. Much of the weeks riding, in the Pirin range, will be accessed straight from town, via vans and gondolas. All other riding locations can be seen across the valley in the other two mountain ranges on our doorstep (Rila and Rhodope). These are accessed by short transfers to the trail head. The riding locations for this trip really do offer a superb mix, from technical chunk to fresh loam, Bulgaria delivers.
Due to the nature of this trip, decisions can be made of the fly as our support crew is always nearby.
Fancy one more lap under the evening sun? Yeah me too.
Later start tomorrow? Why not.
I’m hungry, can we get a burger? Coming right up.
It’s hot, should we go for a dip in the river? Absolutely.
7 nights in our traditional mountain base
One of the oldest buildings in town with easy access to local restaurants and entertainment. Huge outdoor courtyard and mountain views. Fresh, clean mountain spring water at our door.
Price based on sharing a room. Single supplement possible, please contact to discuss.
All the accommodation has secure bike storage, Wifi and a small communal kitchen. We also keep on hand bike tools and proper cleaning kit so we can keep everything rolling smoothly.
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Sure, there is plenty here to keep any non-riders entertained. Drop us a message for more details and prices.
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All major airlines include a bike bag/box for an additional fee of around £60 (Ryanair)
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Yes. Due to the nature of modern bikes, most components are not interchangeable. We try to keep in as much kit as possible to keep you moving one way or another but personal kit is highly recommended. Think: pads, derailleurs, mech hangers, spokes etc..
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Yes please!
We can also organise fantastic vegan/vegetarian food.
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There is a huge amount to do here, attracting tourists all year round. Traditional restaurants and bars are a must. We also have natural hot springs, luxurious spas, outdoor pools and museums.
Need a day away from the bike? Book yourself onto an ATV tour or an all day session at a winery. There is plenty of relaxation and mischief to be had.
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Bulgarian Leva. Its pegged to the euro so you wont get ripped off getting some cash before you leave. We reccomend a travel card (Revolut, Monzo, etc) and just grabbing some carh here (We will tell you where).
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Usually hot and dry during the summer. We have months of predictable and stable weather. Obviously these are big mountains and the weather can turn but this is usually in the form of very brief rainstorms. Expect 25-35 degrees C.
During Summer it is rarely super humid, expect dry heat and cooler nights.
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Yes!
On top of normal travel insurance we recommend additional mountain sports insurance. This is one of the ones we use:
https://www.alpenverein.at/britannia/membership/Membership.php
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Not at all. Traditional food is full of familiar veggies, meats and fish. There are some more out there dishes too for the adventurous types. Bansko has plenty of westernised restaurants providing a proper global spread. We are also super close to Turkey and Greece so kebabs and Gyros are top notch.
Mountain huts have limited variety but will always have soups, salads, omelets, cheeses and meats.
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A number of reasons:
1) Not many people come here yet. This is the up and coming destination. Get in while its cheap and the dirt is fresh.
2) Bulgaria use the Cyrillic alphabet so you probably wont find much local content.
3) Nobody wants to give away the really good locations..
