Balkan Horse Riding - Glozhene Monastery Ride

Based on my experience with such tours I expected a slow lazy horse walk where you can leave the reins and chat on your phone. Nope, not really! Riding a horse in the mountains requires some attention and skill but once you get used to it you're not only enjoying the fantastic breathtaking views of the autumn hills and forest around but also feel as one with the animal that does the hard work. The monastery itself is rather small but still an interesting place to peek around (you can feed the cat too). So the main and most pleasant part of the tour was riding in fresh air and total silence except for hooves clopping and birds chirping.

My sister and I recently embarked on a trail adventure in Bulgaria, and we couldn't be happier with the experience. The horses were incredible, well-trained, and ready for the journey. Our guide deserves an A+ rating from us for their expertise and assistance throughout the trail. The natural scenery surrounding us was breathtaking, making the entire experience even more memorable. Despite the heat, which was perhaps the only downside, we highly recommend this trail to anyone who appreciates exploring beautiful landscapes on horseback. It's an adventure that shouldn't be missed.

I'm sure this tour is great for experienced horse riders. The trail and the scenery are beautiful. However, despite advertising as a beginner-friendly tour, I would not recommend this tour at all for beginners. First of all, this tour advertises as having an English-speaking guide. Our guide did not speak English at all. The guide was also on his phone for most of the ride, not paying any attention to us or making sure we're safe. The entire time, I was getting hit in the face with branches and getting scratched by thorns, making a lot of noise throughout. The guide was in his own world scrolling through his phone and didn't seem to care one bit. At one point, the guide went so far ahead that I was completely alone and lost. At a fork in the trail I didn't know which way to go, so I just stood there by myself (with my horse) and waited for someone to come rescue me. I've been on dozens of tours in many different countries, and I've never seen a guide who cared so little about the participants. A month after I did this tour, I did another one from another company with a similar length on a similar trail, and having a guide who's actually paying attention to the riders makes a world of difference. If you're a beginner, avoid this tour.