The route starts at the chapel in Sakarci Village. It is marked by a single marker on a pole to the left of the chapel. Pass the chapel and head straight uphill across the field towards the dirt road. Turn left onto the dirt road. At the first junction, turn right – there are electric-fence posts painted blue; these serve as route markers. Continue uphill towards the main ridge of Sakar. The direction is south.
Next comes the trailer, which will be on your left. After it, turn left; here and there there are markers on trees and bushes, but you have to look for them as they are not easy to see. The Sakar ridge ahead of you, however, is clearly visible.
After approximately 600 m, you will reach a spring, which will be on your right, slightly set back from the road. There is no water in the spring; it is only a landmark. After the spring, the forest begins and you turn left. From this point onwards, the route continues through the forest.
At 3.3 km from the starting point at the chapel is the first dolmen, Zhelyov Gyol. It is located at an altitude of 500 m. It is marked in two places on Google Maps. The correct location is: 42.02829415073522, 26.2796618775706.
To see the dolmen, turn 100 m off the road and then return. Follow the GPS tracks to find it. Even over a distance of 100 metres, it is possible to wander around quite a bit without finding it, as it is located in dense forest and there are no markers. The Zhelyov Gyol dolmen is not in good condition, but it is interesting to see it in order to compare it with the next three.
At 3.3 km from the starting point at the chapel is the first dolmen, Zhelyov Gyol. It is located at an altitude of 500 m. It is marked in two places on Google Maps. The correct location is: 42.02829415073522, 26.2796618775706. To see the dolmen, turn 100 m off the road and then return. Follow the GPS tracks to find it. Even over a distance of 100 metres, it is possible to wander around quite a bit without finding it, as it is located in dense forest and there are no markers. The Zhelyov Gyol dolmen is not in good condition, but it is interesting to see it in order to compare it with the next three. One kilometre after Zhelyov Gyol and 4 km from the beginning of the route is the second dolmen, Kapakliyka 1. It is located at an altitude of 490 m. Here too, you need to turn 100 m off the road, but the area is open, there is a sign and it is easy to find. Exact location: 42.02623813009869, 26.285003809245907.
The dolmen is generally in poor condition. Only a few stones embedded in the ground are visible. This is the least attractive of the four dolmens along the route.
Another 300 m further is Kapakliyka 2 dolmen, a real find and a very interesting structure, with clearly visible carved entrances and two burial chambers. It is located at an altitude of 480 m. There is a sign and the Bulgarian national flag has been placed there.
After 1.2 km comes the last dolmen on this route – Kliftinova Niva. It is located at an altitude of 460 m. Wonderful views of the Sakar Mountains open up between Kapakliyka 2 and Kliftinova Niva. Kliftinova Niva is also a two-chamber dolmen, well preserved and marked with a sign. To see it, turn 300 m off the road and then return. After another 1.4 km, you are back in Sakarci. In this exact final section of the route, a tunnel has formed in the oak forest which, in early November, becomes a truly golden fairytale.
The route is dotted with tracks of deer, roe deer, wild boar, foxes and badgers. These are the tracks we were able to identify without seeing the animals themselves. Some of the more interesting birds you may observe in the area in spring are the Honey buzzard, Common whitethroat, Black Vulture and Hobby.
Accents
The route starts at the chapel in Sakarci Village. From there, look out for two landmarks along the way – the trailer, after which you need to turn left, and the spring, after which the forest begins and you again need to take the left turn.
As a general rule for all routes in Southeastern Bulgaria, if there is an electric fence across the trail, there will be a gate left open for passage. Look for it and do not forget to close it behind you. Animals in this area are often kept outdoors, and the electric fence keeps them safe. Do not panic; simply pass through calmly and, if possible, without paying attention to the animals.
Do not forget that Sakar has been designated as a Natura 2000 protected area and is one of the country’s richest regions for birds of prey and Mediterranean bird species. It is part of a major bird migration route, and activities such as lighting fires, picking flowers and littering with household waste are prohibited and punishable by law.
