Have you ever wondered who is behind the tidy viewpoint, the well-marked hiking trail, and the well-equipped shelter? In the Vratsa Balkan, a section of the Balkan Mountain Range encircling the town of Vratsa, it’s a dedicated team of 12 — employees of the Vratsa Balkan Nature Park Directorate. They are employed by the state, but they care for the place as if it were their own. They adore the mountain and spend every chance they get in its cool embrace.
Few people are as familiar with the local mountains as they are: some have been dedicated to tending to the area since the Directorate’s inception in 1996 and have loved and explored the mountains for even longer. Despite their extensive experience, they firmly believe that the Vratsa Balkan always has something new to surprise visitors.
“The park offers opportunities for discovery,” says Olya Genova, who is an avid mountaineer and caver besides handling public relations and educational programs for the Directorate. A few years ago, she and her husband discovered a new cave that is currently being studied. Among Olya’s favorite places in the Vratsa Balkan are the Kobilini Steni area and the Dragon’s Hole and Grandpa’s Hole caves.
In addition to promoting the region and securing visitor access, Olya and the other Vratsa Balkan “apostles” make sure that human activities do not disrupt the area’s natural balance. Moreover, their efforts have helped bring back species like the griffon vulture. (The Directorate recommends that visitors avoid feeding the birds and watch them only from designated areas.)
The Directorate’s website provides detailed information, in both English and Bulgarian, on what can be seen and done in the Vratsa Balkan area and offers various thematic routes for self-guided tours. Visitors can also participate in guided hikes and events organized by the Directorate, with the Blueberry and Blackberry Tours in August being visitors’ top choices.
To help nature lovers, the Directorate renovated a school in the village of Ochindol and transformed it into accommodation for youth groups and families. Olya and her team offer on-site educational programs and provide resources for classroom activities. Through engaging lessons like “Water Bingo,” “Who Eats Whom?” and “My Lovely Forest,” young people learn about the relationship between humans and nature and develop skills to protect the environment.
The Directorate’s latest initiative aims to bring together individuals and organizations for the development of tourism along the Iskar Gorge. “We want people along the Gorge to collaborate and create joint attractions, encouraging visitors to stay longer,” says Olya.
Partners in their initiative include the Fakel – 1926 Community Center in the village of Zverino, Mezdra Municipality, and Edelweiss Adventure Club.
Support for the Vratsa Balkan Nature Park Directorate is part of the America for Bulgaria Foundation’s long-term efforts to promote economic development in the Bulgarian North through entrepreneurship and tourism.
