Projects

Signs pointing the direction of the Vrashka Chuka – Kom route

The Vrashka Chuka – Kom route is a work in progress. We started the effort in early 2024 thanks to our main partner, the America for Bulgaria Foundation, and their tourism development program for Northwest Bulgaria and the Danube corridor.

Our first and most important task was to make the trail passable. For the most part it follows the old patrol paths used by border guards before 1989. During the past thirty years those paths were abandoned and in places almost impassable. Thanks to the dedication of dozens of volunteers the traverse is now completely open.

The next mission was to mark the trail. By the end of 2025 roughly 100 km of the 128 km route already have blazes. We plan to finish the remaining stretch in spring 2026. Direction arrows mark many key junctions and we will keep installing more in 2026. The five municipalities the route passes through—Makresh, Belogradchik, Chuprene, Chiprovtsi, and Georgi Damyanovo—funded the production of the signs, and we continue partnering with them on the other project activities.

Clearing and marking trails is not a one-time effort. Maintaining them is periodic and labor-intensive, so every year we will organize volunteer actions to reopen problematic sections. For the latest information, see our Blog.

In 2025 our main task was to popularize the route. To exist and grow it needs hikers who will keep wearing the tracks. That is why last summer we provided logistical support to several groups. Despite the challenges inevitable for such a new trail, we believe most visitors left satisfied.

The well-known mountain runner and orienteer Kiril Nikolov – Diesel also helped popularize the route. In August 2025 he managed to run the trail in less than 24 hours. This event and other details were documented by Beardfrost Productions in a wonderful film. You can watch the trailer here, and contact us for future screenings. In 2026 the first edition of the Balkaniada West race is planned.

In the long term, our strategy includes building several fountains and shelters to give hikers more independence. In 2026 we plan to install four fountains at key points on the route. This part of the project is supported by the BCause Foundation and their 'Kapka po kapka' program, in partnership with the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism.

Building the shelters first requires navigating quite difficult administrative hurdles. Still, we have made progress and soon we will be able to start the actual construction work.