8-Day Adventure Fitness & Wellness Escape in Bulgaria and Greece

The trip opens in Sofia, Bulgaria's capital, with a guided tour of the city's historic core—the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Rotunda Saint George, and the ancient Serdica complex. That afternoon you transfer to the village of Govedartsi, a base for Rila National Park, where you stay in the Iskar family hotel. The hotel has 11 double rooms and 5 apartments, all with views of the Rila mountains, plus a restaurant serving Bulgarian food and a large summer terrace with a barbecue.

Your first full day is the big one: a guided hike of 13.7 km (round trip) to Musala Peak at 2,925 meters. The climb starts from the Yastrebets chairlift and passes the Musala Hut, Ice Lake, and finally the summit, where you can see the whole Rila range. The next day is mountain biking on electric full-suspension bikes along a specially selected trail in the park—an easier day that still gets you out into the forest. Day four is a shorter hike to the Seven Rila Lakes, a set of glacial lakes at over 2,000 meters, with a picnic lunch and plenty of time to take in the views.

Then it's a transfer to Ioannina, a lakeside city in northwestern Greece, where you camp for two nights. The following day is rafting on the Vikos River, a class 2+ run through a canyon with emerald water and plane trees overhead. Day seven takes you to the Araktos River, a class 3+ descent with more challenging rapids and a stop at a waterfall. After the second rafting day, you drive back to Sofia for a final night in a hotel. Day eight is just breakfast, an optional bit of shopping, and a transfer to the airport.

The itinerary is fully guided, with a qualified mountain guide for the hikes and a qualified rafting instructor for the river days. A guest on a previous trip, Anne, said the small group meant the team could 'easily cater for my physical shortcomings' and tailor the program around her capabilities—so don't worry if you're not a mountain athlete. The pace is described as 'leisurely' for the hiking, with moderate difficulty ratings. What makes this different from a resort-based wellness week is the variety: you're hiking, biking, rafting, sightseeing, and camping all in one trip.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation (2 nights guest house, 1 night mountain hotel, 2 nights tented campsite, 1 night city hotel) - Daily breakfast, lunch box, and dinner - Water, tea, and coffee served throughout the day - Welcome drink - All rafting equipment (helmet, neoprene, life jacket, neoprene shoes) and river fee - Rafting in the Vikos and Araktos canyons - Camping equipment (tent, mattress, sleeping bag) - Qualified rafting instructor - Qualified mountain guide - Airport pickup and drop-off (Sofia Airport) - Transport from Sofia to Ioannina and back (by coach) - Group excursions and activities - Professional event photos - Pre- and post-retreat support from the team - Luggage storage, parking, and wi-fi during hotel stays

What's not included

- Flights costs - Visa fee - Additional treatments - Additional activities not included in the itinerary - Travel insurance