Run Wild: Ultra-Trail Adventure Camp in Bansko, Bulgaria

Each morning starts with a short briefing in the guesthouse dining room. Guides go over the day's route, the total distance and elevation, where the water points are and what the weather is doing above the treeline. Then you're out the door by 8am, running from the guesthouse straight onto singletrack — there's no shuttle to the trailhead, you start running from the front gate.

Monday to Wednesday are moderately hard: a 12km loop up to the Banderitsa area, a 15km day with around 900m of climbing to a ridge above the town, and a shorter speed session on a flat valley trail for anyone who wants to work on pace. Thursday is the rest day — most people use it for a massage, a walk into the old town, or a soak in the sauna. Friday and Saturday are the big days: a full-day traverse out to the Bezbog area and a long climb to the Sinanitsa lakes, both with pack-carrying optional and vehicle support at halfway.

The guides are local runners who've raced the Pirin ultra scene for years and know which trails hold up after rain and which get too exposed in a storm. If conditions turn, routes are changed on the day — this happens fairly often in the mountains, and the alternative is usually a lower valley loop or a trail on the opposite side of the range.

Bansko itself is a ski town in winter and a hiking and trail-running base in summer. The old town has cobbled streets, a few mehanas (traditional taverns) serving shopska salad and grilled meat, and a cluster of coffee shops that open early. Elevation at town level is around 925m, so the first climb of any run is a warm-up by default.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation in a family-run guesthouse in Bansko - En-suite twin or double rooms - Daily breakfast and most evening meals - Packed lunches on running days - Five guided trail running days with local guides - Two guides on the trail at all times, split by pace - Vehicle support on the two long days - Group airport transfers from and to Sofia - Sauna access each afternoon - Fuelling and uphill technique workshops

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance (mandatory) - Personal running kit and shoes - Lunches on the rest day and Day 4 town lunch - Massages and spa treatments - Alcoholic drinks - Private room supplement - Non-runner partner supplement