FACE TO FACE WITH NATURE

Bulgaria is one of the European countries where hunting and hunting and photo safari tourism are a true pleasure. The country's diverse geography offers a variety of landscapes and habitats where numerous animals roam. Thick forests, rivers and marshes, mountains and valleys – the choice of places where you can meet wild nature face to face is large, rewarding and will leave you filled with pleasant memories.

Organised hunting movement in Bulgaria dates back to the 19th century. Today in the country are active dozens of hunting lodges and farms. They look after a natural diversity of rare animals, such as brown bear and red deer, and more common species such as boar, wolf, roe deer, hare, fox, Western capercaillie, wood pigeon, pheasant, quail, grey partridge. Many of these are native to Bulgaria, while others were introduced in the 20th century when the country started to develop as a destination for hunting tourism. Such an "immigrant" is the European fallow deer. It was introduced to Bulgarian forests in the 1970s and today is widely present all over the country.

The quality of Bulgarian game has been internationally recognised for decades. Many red deer and boar capital trophies over 250 СIС points were hunted in Bulgaria.

Foreign hunters have known the potential of Bulgarian hunting places for years and are regular visitors to specialised hunting farms. In their aim to meet the needs of their clients and to offer an unforgettable experience, the best hunting farms offer special conditions and a variety of local and imported species.

Deep in the picturesque slopes of the Rhodope near Chepelare there is a place where you will find tranquility, clean nature and contact with valuable and interesting local and imported species. Boar and red deer, fallow deer and mouflon, bezoar ibex and Barbary sheep, and Bulgaria's only population of Himalayan tahr inhabit the territory of Zabardo Hunting Preserve (information, inquiries and reservations: Engineer Svetloslav Krastev, phone: +359 88 855 1413, www.huntzabardo.bg). In Zabardo you will find as well comfortable accommodation, options for recreational fishing and photo safari, delicious local food made of products from the region. In the preserve's environs are sites of interest such as the Wondrous Bridges nature phenomenon, Pamporovo and the mineral springs of Narechenski Bani, and Plovdiv is only 60 km away.

Prerequisites for a good hunt do not include only nature conditions and the work of hunting farms. A hunter or a fan of photo safari cannot do anything without proper equipment.

When the hunter is equipped with the best hunting weapon, optics and clothes, the experience is on a completely new level. On the website of Aleksis Optics (www.aleksis-optics.com) you will find everything you need for an unforgettable and good hunting. Established in 1995 in Veliko Tarnovo, the company specialises in importing of the best of Russian optics industry – binoculars, night vision devices, thermal imaging devices and weapon accessories. Aleksis Optics also offers a rich selection of assault, hunting and cold weapons, including made in Russia ones; ammunition; clothing, shoes and accessories. The company will help you take good care of your weapon with options to purchase spare parts, a repair shop, weapon inspection, optical and thermal devices mounting, ballistic profiling.

Thus, armed with the best hunting products and equipment, and with knowledge where to go, hunting and photo safari in Bulgaria will surely become one of your best experiences of the year and will stay in your memories for long.