HOW/WHEN/WHERE

The Iskar Gorge has a very diverse character and exposure of the slopes and therefore can offer interesting and enjoyable experiences in all seasons. Definitely the least suitable season is winter. Then the hiking routes along the left bank of the Iskar (towards Kobilini steni and around Lakatnik) as well as the circular route Prosechen Kamak are mostly visited by tourists. Fishing in Iskar river is also popular during the winter months. The remaining seasons are arranged in descending order of attractiveness: spring, autumn, summer. In spring, all sights can be visited and all outdoor activities can be practiced. The same applies to autumn, with the exception of rafting due to the low water level of the river. In the summer (due to the lower altitude and high temperatures), the places most attractive for tourists are along the Iskar River and on the right bank of the river where more coolness can be found (Petrenski Dol near Lakatnik station, Oasis complex (swimming pools and camping) in the village of Zverino, the fish farm in the village of Oselna, the Cherepish Monastery and the Seven Thrones Monastery).

Each route has a difficulty rating from 1 to 12. It consists of three components, each of which has a value from 1 to 4. The components are duration, elevation gain and complexity. The sum of the ratings of these three components gives the overall difficulty of the route.
• 3-5 easy
• 6-7 medium
• 8-10 advanced
• 11-12 extreme

In the villages along the Gorge, there is an ATM only in the village of Zverino, but it often happens that it is damaged. Otherwise, there are ATMs in the towns of Mezdra and Svoge. In the Oasis complex, the village of Zverino, you can pay with a bank card, but not at the fish farm in the village of Oselna (because there is no GSM signal).
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If you have been involved in speleology – yes. If you know what to expect in a particular cave – yes. Otherwise, it is not advisable to enter unknown caves. Many of the caves are vertical and have shafts and drops of varying depths. Some of the caves are labyrinthine, hundreds of meters long and there is a risk of losing orientation. In some caves there are slippery and muddy areas as well as unstable rocks. The caves along the Gorge are poor in formations, with the exception of a few difficult to access, which require special equipment. Avoid entering only by phone light and it is recommended to have backup lighting.
In addition, some of the caves are bat refuges. All species of bats are protected and should not be disturbed (especially in winter and in the period June-August).

Yes. But this isn’t a significant danger to you. Most wild animals are cautious and avoid meeting people, so you will not even know that they are nearby. In 99% of cases, animals are much more threatened by human activity than the other way around. There are no bears in the area. However, it is possible to encounter snakes. The only poisonous snake in the Gorge is Nose-horned Viper (Vipera ammodytes). It has a characteristic dark zigzag line on its back and a horn on its snout, its head is triangular, and the body of the larger ones is quite thick. If you do not step on it, do not tease it and try to catch it, it will run away. Just go around it.
The entire left bank of the Iskar River and the slopes of the Vrachanski Balkan fall within the boundaries of the Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park. This means that catching, disturbing and killing animals is prohibited. This includes, in addition to birds and mammals, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, and insects. Among them are rare and protected species, so do not touch or move them, as this could harm them.
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It is best to stop and try to find your way around. If you know how to use a GPS and have a track of the route, try to determine where the trail is. If you are not sure, it is better to walk back until you reach a familiar place or mark. If you completely lose your orientation or cannot continue for some reason, stop in a safe place and call for help. Wait for someone to find you, do not walk aimlessly. The area, although at a low altitude, is rugged and if you are not careful, you can easily get into trouble. Do not follow accidentally discovered trails. There are many wild animal or horse trails that lead to impassable areas. There are also old, unmaintained trails, which, although good for a while, can soon be lost.

Nothing special. But don't forget water or soft drinks. The area, especially in the part that falls within the Vrachanski Balkan, is very dry and there are almost no springs and fountains outside the settlements. Carry sun cream, the ridges are exposed and if you plan a long hike, you will be under the sun for a long time. Don't underestimate even short routes and walk in closed shoes (not sandals, sneakers and slippers) - there are vipers, and many of the paths are rocky. Bring jacket, although not very high, it is often windy on the ridge. Carry a fully a charged phone. Look for a GPS track of the route in advance. But don't rely entirely on navigation, because in some of the deep ravines and especially under the high rock cliffs there is no GPS coverage or the positioning is inaccurate. You will rarely need poles. There is no need to carry axes, machetes, etc. If you find yourself in one of the many wild place around, they will hardly help you.

No special preparation is required for the marked routes. But at least check how long it takes, what areas it passes through, any characteristic places and forks along the way. Be sure to tell someone that you are going to walk on this route and when you plan to return home. Charge your phone.
If you are walking on an unmarked route, look for a GPS track (maybe someone has already walked the same trail). Check which paths and roads are nearby so that you can use them if necessary.
Keep in mind that the area (especially on the Vratchanski Balkan side) is poor in water. Bring enough fluids, according to the length of the hike. Some of the old fountains and springs have dried up or dry up during certain months.

Some of the routes are marked with standard tourist strip markings. It consists of two white stripes with a colored stripe between them (red, blue, yellow or green). You can often see markings of one white and one black stripe or a black circle with white around it. These are forest markings and are not trails. If you see one white and one red stripe, this is also not a trail, but the border of a protected area (in this case, the Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park). Small colored circles (most often blue or orange) mark trees that will be cut down.
On some sections, hiking and cycling routes follow the same route. Cycling routes are marked with a colored triangle.
Some shorter routes are marked only with arrows or signs.
The descriptions of the routes in the website indicate whether there is any marking and what it is. For routes that are not uploaded to the website, be on the alert when use older maps and guidebooks. There are old trails along which the markings have not been renewed and entire sections are missing.

• Не палете огън на открито през лятото.
• • Don't light an open fire in the summer.
• Don't pick wildflowers. Don't take out plants you like to plant in the garden. Many of the plants in the Iskar Gorge are rare and protected. For example, wild snowdrops are a protected species. Many of the crocuses also (Yes, there are several types of yellow crocuses and several types of purple ones). So don't pick anything for no reason, just because it's everywhere. Even plants that seem abundant in a particular place may be protected.
• Don't make unnecessary noise in the caves and in the forest. There are animals there raising their young. Don't shout, throw stones, or play music.
• Don't leave litter behind. Bring a bag to collect food and drink packaging. Campfires are not trash cans. Waffle wrappers hidden under rocks are no less trash than those thrown by the roadside. It takes tens of years for wet wipes to decompose, and plastic bags hundreds of years.
• Don't break rocks and cave formations.
• Don't use poles when you can avoid them, or use rubber tips. Their sharp tips damage the vegetation around the paths, especially in alpine meadows.
• Walk only on paths unless there is an obstacle. There are well-trodden paths to most interesting places. If you walk a meter to the side, you won't see anything different. It's really more pleasant to walk on grass instead of a dusty path, but after 20 or 50 people, the grass will turn into a second dusty path.
• Don't kill snakes. They don't eat people, they eat mice. Just go around them, they won't chase you.

• There are dozens of herbs in the area. Pick herbs, but don't overdo it... Still, something should be left behind. Cut the herbs with scissors or a knife, be careful not to uproot them.
• Pick only herbs that you are sure you know... Many herbs have counterparts, like mushrooms. Even wild strawberries have three species. And thyme has more than 10 species.
• You can pick mushrooms - oyster mushroom, chanterelle, сlippery jack, porcini mushroom, parasol mushroom, etc. But always keep one thing in mind and pick only mushrooms that you are 100% sure you know.
• There are fruits in the mountains - dogwoods, hawthorns, blackberries, raspberries, wild strawberries, rowanberries, sloes, common whitebeam, hazelnuts, walnuts. Do not eat wild fruits that you do not know. Many poisonous plants have red or black fruits.
• You can pick various edible plants… But only if you are sure you recognize them. In the Iskar gorge and the surrounding slopes there is wild garlic, sorrel, watercress, wild spinach (spinach), nettle, etc.
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