Route "From Topolovgrad to Vishegrad"

Sakar Mountain is one of the outlying parts of Mother Bulgaria!

If you get to know Sakar Mountain, it will be sink into your soul and leave memories and impressions forever. Here you will love things, that you can`t find elsewhere in Bulgaria. You will love the mostly warm colors - from the burned grass of the sun, from the sandy soil, from the ripe wheat, from the tobacco fields, from the brown, even in the carmine-brown tan, on the faces of the local people. You will like the color of the dense black wine, the gray sticky fog in the winter, the enchanting bright colors in the spring, the blooming wild pears, the dragon and the field flowers.

You will feel the scent of clean and fresh nature, mown grass, manure and smoke from the fireplace, from roasted meat and wild wine with wormwood.

You will soothe your soul after immerse yourself in sounds from ringing of the bells of the moving animals, which is an entire polyphony. You can listen also to the song of the birds, the bee's buzzing, the noise from carts, the night barking of the dogs and the weeping of the jackals in the silent night, the song of the rooster at dawn and the rude jokes of the people. In additional to that, you can add soothing multitasking, when you stand alone in nature and look out into the distance without thinking and asking questions.

We continue with introduction with the mysterious Masteyra, Avroleva, Branitsa and Sakar.

Today we offer you a route that will show you the northern foot of the mountain and the ridge of the massif of top Vishhegrad.

The route is 19 km long. It basically follows the road from Topolovgrad to Vishegrad peak - 856m. From it can be made pedestrian deviations to interesting nearby objects. It is desirable to have a guide, who is familiar with the area, as well as a car, so you will have a chance to visit more sights. During the summer period it is good to bring water and insect repellents.

South of Topolovgrad, from the main road Topolovgrad - Harmanli you can go through the area of Koriya and after climbing to reached the peak of the Guma. This is a favorite place for walks and sport of Topolovgrad citizens. Below it is situated the old hut of the Forestry - Topolovgrad.

The route continues with climbing one side on the main ridge. To the left are Cape Karaborun peak (599 m) and Kartalka peak (573 m). Kartalka peak is only 300-400 m from the road, crowned by large granite rocks that resemble an impressive eagle. From that place you can see beautiful panorama to the massif of Vishhegrad peak and the northern foothills of the mountain.

Walking deviations

By the forest road to the left of Kartalka peak, you can go to the rock formations in the places of the Barn's chair and Kazankite.

The Natural Landmark "The Barber's Chair" (50 decares) was created for the purpose of preserving a rock formation. It was proclaimed in 1974. The rock formation is situated in an oak and linden forest about 500 m. away from the forest road that goes to the village of Planinovo. A lot of legends related to the haidoukish times, riches and heroic feats are all around the barber's chair.

From the waterfalls of Zdravchevsko Dere - Kazankite - situated south of Kartalka peak you can go along the forest road to the village of Planinovo and descend to the valley of Zdravchevsko ridge and Kuza place. To the left of the road there is a turn-off for the beautiful Kazanite locality. It leads to a forest field and from there you can descent through the forest slopes to the Zdravchevsko dere River in the Kazankite area. The river has formed in its bed a series of thresholds, small waterfalls and stone boilers, sculpting them in solid granite, and forming a small cascade, about a kilometer long, along which there are pleasant resting places. Often in July the river is drying up, but in the spring and early summer the place is enchantingly beautiful.

To the right on the way to Vishhegrad peak there is a turn-off for Bakalov Kladenets long 2.5 km, where there are remains of several dolmens and funeral chambers.

After Kartalka peak, the route continues ascent to the Scriptures Stone - a place with a group of granite canals, called so because of the memorial plate placed on the biggest rock in honor of the builders of the road Topolovgrad - Vishegrad peak in 1936-1938. The Scriptures Stone and rock complex east of it are rock cult religious object of the ancient inhabitants of the Sakar Mountains. A beautiful view of the massif of Mount Vishegrad and the eastern part of Sakar Mountain is revealed from the Scriptures Stone.

Then the route begins a steep climb to the massif of Vishegrad peak. On the right is the Bayryaka peak, and on the left - the deep valley of the river Zdravchevsko dere.

To the right of the road, before reaching the ridge of the mountain, you can drive along the forest road, where is the Haydut Bunar. If you continue along the road around 1 km you will reach the rocky complex Garvanov kamak. From there you can see the fascinate view of the north-western part of the Sakar Mountains and the lands of the village of Sakartsi and the village of Hlyabovo.

The asphalt road soon reaches the ridge of the mountain at the branch "Malkata zvezda", and shortly after, the vast meadows are found in front of the Sakar leader - Vishegrad peak (856 m). Access to the top is limited because there is a division of the Bulgarian Army. At Vishegrad peak there are remains of a Thracian tomb and a big citadel. If we explore this place, we will be able to rewrite the ancient history of Thrace.

Forest roads surround the Vishegrad peak from the north and south and from there you can go to the villages Dervishka Mogila and Planinovo. Other forest paths lead to the villages of Kostur and Lisovo. With a guide you can visit the localities of Stanchovo Pladnishte, Orlovi skali and Golyam zdravets at the northern foothills of Vishegrad peak.

Before that, from the bench "Malkata zvezda" you can make a right turn to reach two dolmens located at Mangar tepe. You need to travel on macadam road in poor condition. Dolmens are located along the road at a distance of 400m from one another.

After that you can go back to the asphalt road and follow it to Topolovgrad.