The project Samokov - Borovets - Beli Iskar: balance between tourism development & nature protection

Article by Snejana Laleva, Samokov Magazine, March 2005

The new Borovets project will be a system of tourist cores, which will include the populated areas of Samokov and Beli Iskar. The idea is to find new variety forms of tourism - ecological, rural, culture, as well as connections with the way of wife, the traditions and the holidays of the local population.

The capacity of the equipments - lifts and slopes will be increased at least 5 times. The length of the ski runs according to the project will be till 65 km and the skiers capacity - up to 12 000 skiers per hour. Here also is included the area for the cross country skiing, which give the opportunity for the about 80 km common length.

For the summer season are provided variety of tourism activities, including walking- tours, eco- paths, safari photos, mountain baking, horse riding, hiking, flying with delta planer, fishing, gathering herbs, wild fruits and mushrooms, swimming pools, toboggan gullies. This is a serious precondition for the growing of the resort accommodation – up to 18 000 times.

Real Borovets Core
1300-1350 height altitude, with capacity 8000- 9000 beds
Here the accent is on improving the infrastructure and enlarging the other activities, besides skiing.

Low Borovets Core
1100 height altitude, with capacity 6000-7000 beds
This includes the area near Samokov and the Pashenitca neighbourhood. Between Sokolets and the town of Samokov will be organized sports park, which will give the opportunity for practicing different kinds of sports: football, tennis, swimming, golf. There will be an aqua park, too.
The future development of the city will be faced in this direction by building family hotels, holiday villas and residential buildings. New snow stadium will be build. Especially for the kids and the beginners skiers there will be covered ski run as well.
A new gondola will be build. It will connect Samokov- Sokolets- Ivanov Kamak- Markudgitcite. By building large parking places near the first station of the gondola the busy traffic stream to Borovets will be reduced.

Beli Iskar Core
1200-1400 height altitude, with capacity 2000-3000 beds
It will include the village of Beli Iskar with shelters in houses, villas and small family hotels. Over the village towards Borovets in the areas of Sokolets and Banderata hotels and holiday villas will be build. Here the new ski runs from pick Sokolets and pick Ivanov Kamak will finish. There will be a snow stadium, too. Lifts will connect this level with Borovets, pick Yastrebets and ski zone Markudgitcite. In the village of Beli Iskar sports, terrains and a horse-ridding base will be build. Here is the main entrance of National Park Rila, where mountain biking, horse riding, hiking will be organized. In the village traditional feasts will be arranged.

“High” Borovets Core
The accent is on building five star hotels with terraces towards the mountain- a wonderful panoramic view. Modern ski lifts will be built, too, including a new lift connecting Borovets with Chadur Chepe.

Due to the project, the pick season will last for 9 months.

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