Bulgaria: Birds & Archaeology - the Land of Eagles & Thracian Horsemen Trip dates: Sunday 6 - Thursday 17 May 2007 Trip price : £ 1,550 per person sharing in a double/twin room £ 160 single supplement Download a PDF (766 kB) with trip details How to book Home page Phone/Fax : +44-(0)1722-716 167

The central Balkan range of mountains which straddles Bulgaria provides ideal habitat for internationally important populations of birds of prey, especially Imperial, Lesser spotted and Booted Eagles, Saker Falcon, Black and Egyptian Vultures and Levant Sparrowhawks. Further east, a great plain extends to the Black Sea, inhabited in antiquity by the Thracian Horsemen whose painted and sculptured chamber tombs provide an insight into their lives. Old fashioned farming methods and a lack of industry result in remarkable flowers and butterflies, especially evident where rare steppe habitat occurs; and the wetlands south of the Danube delta are justifiably famous. Early summer is the perfect time to make a grand tour of this little-known land, exploring its richly diverse natural habitats; visiting frescoed mediaeval Orthodox monasteries and well-preserved Roman ruins; discovering the pleasures of Balkan cuisine and excellent Bulgarian red wines; and seeing the recently unearthed finds of Thracian gold.