ALPINE CLUB EDELWEISS

ADVENTURE TEAM BUILDING PROGRAMME: MOUNTAIN ECHOES

Mountain Echoes is a summary name for our programmes covering the high altitude parts of the Balkan Range, Rila and Pirin mountains where we can offer summer programmes based in Bulgaria’s famous mountain resorts. Activities will involve mountain trekking and orienteering, standard team building exercises, rope gardens, paintball, and adrenaline rush activities (climbing, boats, mountain bikes, paragliding).

Our choice of regions for high-altitude programmes is based on the following criteria:

Ø       Close distance to hotel accommodation for large groups of people

Ø       Access by asphalt road to the high-altitude parts of the mountains

Ø       Difficulty levels of the terrain adjusted for people unused to mountain trekking

Ø       Possibilities to quickly evacuate the group from the mountain ridge in the event of unexpected turns of bad weather

Ø       Possibilities to rig an alternative route in the lower parts of the mountain if there is fog, strong wind or a thunderstorm on the ridge

Ø       Closely located unit of the Mountain Rescue Service.

Programmes can be for one day or more. Summer and autumn are the most preferred seasons. Our winter programmes will take place in the lower parts of the mountain. We can also include skiing or snowboarding activities for the snow sliding fans.

We can propose the following options depending on the point of departure:

If you are satisfied with hotel accommodation in Bansko and the weather forecast is good, the team building programme can take place in the higher parts of Pirin in the lake circus over the hiking lodge Vihren. One possible option for ambitious trekkers will be to climb the peaks Banski Sukhodol or Todorka (crossing from Vihren to Damyanitsa). For those who prefer lighter efforts we have designed a team building programme involving a tour of the mountain lakes over hiking lodge Vihren. If you decide to have standard team building activities combined with rope gardens and mountain biking, the programme can take place in the mountain forests.

In the pictures you see the team of Cefin, Iveco vehicle and trucks dealer, on their way to Banski Sukhodol Peak in the Pirin Mountain.

Programmes in the Rila Mountain can start off from Borovets, Malyovitsa or Panichishte. Starting from Borovets, the group can attempt to climb Musala, the highest peak in the Balkan Peninsula. A less challenging option will be a lighter programme of standard team building exercises and rope gardens within the resort. The hotels in Borovets are a good starting point for visiting Malyovitsa. There we can offer a programme of challenging mountain peaks where the entire group will have to move on tied together on an Alpine rope. Adrenaline rush activities can also take place on the rocks in the lower parts of the Malyovitsa circus. The pictures below show a Mountain Echoes programme in winter. The activities took place in the Malyovitsa valley in January with the team of Euromarket.

Another extremely suitable area for team building programmes in the Rila Mountain is the resort Panichishte located in the forest belt over Sapareva Banya. The place is convenient for Sofia-based companies or clients operating in other parts of West Bulgaria. This option will allow using all mountain programme activities as well as boats. The hotels in Panichishte offer good cost for value. Similar programmes in forest belts sheltering the wind can take place in Ribaritsa in the Balkan Range or in the Rhodope Mountain (see The Mountain of Orpheus). These regions also provide opportunities for additional activities involving visits to undeveloped caves.

In the pictures the chief manager of the construction company Euromarket is thinking up with his team mates the strategy for the upcoming paintball game. At the same time their colleagues from another team are trying to cross the water barrier and get vital information for the game. Further instructions are pegged to a steep rock that must be challenged by a volunteer team member. The team building programme is located around Panichishte.

PROGRAMMES

The Iskar River Valley *****: Adventure programme on the karts plateau of Karlukovo + the Balkan Mountain above Ribaritsa, Northwest Bulgaria

The Walls of Tsarevets: A programme at the strongholds of Veliko Tarnovo, Lovech and Belogradchik, North Central and Northwest Bulgaria

Underground Trails: Adventure programme in the karts regions of Devetashkoto Plateau, the Iskar Defile and the Balkan Foothills around Troyan, North Central Bulgaria

The Mountain of Orpheus: Programmes in the Central and Western Rhodope Mountain (Velingrad, Devin, Pamporovo, Smolyan, Trigrad, Chepelare), South Central Bulgaria

In Search of Lost Civilizations: Programmes in the Eastern Rhodope Mountain and along the Arda River starting from Kurdjali, Haskovo, Madjarovo, South Bulgaria

Jolly Roger: A programme at the Black Sea coast, East Bulgaria

Each of these programmes can be provided in three choices: RELAX, ADVENTURE and ADRENALINE RUSH

These are only a few suggestions. We can offer you a lot more. If you have trouble selecting the best fit or you want to have a programme in a specific region, please contact us and we will be happy to give you the best team building solution for your team.