Getting to Bulgaria… on the cheap!

Package deals
These are great for people not wanting to think about the travel arrangements and the tour operators tend to negotiate very keen rates for themselves (to make a profit). What this usually means is the earlier you book, the more you will make the tour operator! Book later (as last minute as possible) and you will usually see a massive saving as the tour operators get desperate to sell their aircraft seats and hotel beds for as little as possible to at least cover their costs and commitments to the airlines and hotels in question.

Jo Mein, a Borovets regular says about booking late packages to her favourite resort “watch out for cheap last minute package deals at the Bor or Edelweiss hotels which can be less than the cost of a low cost airline flight!”

What to avoid with package deals to Bulgaria (or anywhere for that matter)
Usually the holiday rep that picks you up from the airport and herds you to the hotel. Now not for one second am I “dissing” the hard working people in resorts who represent the major tour operators. When you need them, they are (usually) there to help in an emergency situation. However, remember where they tend to earn their money besides their meagre salary; selling you more packages!

This ranges from ski and snowboard hire, tuition, lift passes, as well as excursions and day trips.

Almost everything they offer is available cheaper in resort direct from the service provider. So shop around and don’t believe the marketing that you will be better off buying from your rep. You simply won’t!

Do it yourself

Flights
The flip side of booking last minute package holidays compared to booking your own flights, finding your own accommodation and transfers and generally “being your own master” is that the later you leave your plans, the more expensive it will probably get. Especially when it comes to boking the flights.

As most people are aware, low cost airlines tend to release seats for sale up to 6 months in advance. Based on my own experience, I regularly book Wizz Air seats from Sofia to Luton at time of release and even over the Christmas period have never paid more than €80 return. Compare that same flight a week before departure and it will cost you around €300 return!

Do bear in mind there are normally extra fees if you are planning on brining your skis or boards with you. Vector that in!

Transfers

This is one of those extras that a lot of people forget about but you have a number of options ranging from the “oh-my-god-how-cheap-are-you” to “that sounds expensive, why would I bother?”!
So, in turn…

Taxi from Sofia Airport to the resorts
OK SuperTrans is a very reliable, very good taxi service in Sofia and the only one legally allowed to be touting for business at Sofia Airport. Their transfers range from between 75 and 150 Leva on way for a VW Caddy van taxi which is more than big enough to take four people plus kit.

WARNING – NEVER, EVER take another taxi firm from Sofia Airport unless you know Sofia well. There are one or two companies who trade off the fact their logo looks like that of OK SuperTrans but the prices that they must (by law) display in their windows can be ten times more expensive. If they display their prices, they are not breaking the law and you will have to pay. Or you get locked up. You’ve been warned!

Take the bus
You can pick-up a direct bus from Sofia’s Central Bus Station to Bansko for around 30Leva one way. Cost of a taxi ride to the Central Bus station is around 10 Leva with OK SuperTrans.

Bulgarian busses tend to be clean, modern and offer efficient and regular services.

Rent a car
This is the “why would I bother bit”! At between €30-40 per day plus fuel, this may seem like the most expensive option but keep reading… there is a method to my madness!

Accommodation
If you got a last minute package deal, you will probably be delighted that you are paying less for your double room per night than a round of drinks at your local pub.

For those doing the DIY option, consider looking for self-catering options. Not only will you have the means to be able to cook for yourself at times (big “cha ching” here) and save on restaurant bills but a two bed apartment which has an average price of €40-50 per night (outside of Christmas and New Year) will usually sleep up to 6 people plus giving you more room, a home-away-from-home as well as some apartments having washing machines so you don’t need to pack as much (thus saving on your extra bag charges with the airlines).

Search the internet for “direct from owner” rentals or go direct to a specialist like British run Bamro Holidays in Bansko for help.

Do not however, accept the first offer that comes along. In our experience there is a wild difference between what apartment owners expect and what the actual rental market dictates. This is usually the fault of the person that sold them the property in the first place who promised massive rents to secure his or her sale. We have seen weekly rents for the same sized apartment (offered direct by owners) in a quality apart-hotel such as Bansko Royal Towers differ by as much as €100 per night for the same property!

Other options worth mentioning for those on a budget is accommodation aimed at the domestic (Bulgarian) market. For example, in Borovets there is a fantastic little restaurant called The Green King. Above the Green King they have guest rooms which are small, warm and clean and start at €15 per night for accommodation from which you can spit on the Borovets gondola station from (we mean that!). Use Google Translate to give you the relevant Bulgarian term (“евтини стаи в Банско” means “Cheap rooms in Bansko” for example) for your search and just see the amount of low cost options which appear!

Learning to ski or board

Before you go
You are in Bulgaria for 6 days or so and you want to be prepared for the action. A friend of yours suggests you go to the dry slope and take some lessons. Good idea?! Hummmmm… I’m not convinced!

Firstly, there is a huge difference between a dry slope (with that horrible carpet) compared to snow. Whilst you will gain some benefit by visiting your local dry hill I suggest (as a qualified Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors instructor) the negatives outweigh the positives and I would not suggest any one gets any “hill time” on carpet before they come to BG.

I would however strongly recommend a trip to your nearest “snow dome” and cover the basics over a few hours there. There is such a huge difference between carpet and snow that the only people I know who regularly visit a dry slop are the kind of extreme-ski-fundamentalist men (yes… they always seem to be men!) who do nothing but talk about skiing and probably go to bed wearing their planks as well!

As yet, I have not met anyone I have taught to snowboard who has said to me “that time I spent on the dry slope really paid off”. The same is not true of the snow domes. I promise!

Choosing a teacher before you go and when you arrive

Before
The cheapest option on both fronts is to get a friend or loved one to teach you. Again, based on my experience, I suggest you do this only if:

1.    You have a very strong relationship with your teacher (marriages end this way)
2.    They are actually qualified to teach and have had a refresher course in the last three years

Simply put, your best friend may look like Alberto Tomba on skis but unless he has been technically taught how to teach you it will probably end in tears.
Most snow domes have a team of highly qualified BASI ski and snowboard instructors. They may not be as cheap as your friend/boyfriend but at least you will still be on speaking terms after your lesson!

In Bulgaria

Loads of choice in resorts of course and we have a selection of the best ski schools in the resorts (Borovets, Bansko and Pamporovo) that we have found. We selected these due to the good quality equipment they have for rent and the expertise of the instructors. Almost all being Bulgarian Mountain Guide qualified.

However, to get the best value, look for booking agents such as Bansko Tourist Information who will not only sell you a lift pass which is cheaper than what’s on offer from the resorts themselves but they usually have good deals with their local partners. BTI for example has a great deal with Bansko Ski Mania and if you book through them you save an extra 20% off their list prices!

Choose your resort wisely and consider your ability levels

This is a major negative about using tour operators. They tend to sell you packages and passes for the resorts they operate in. Fine!

But this doesn’t help you save money.

For example, ask yourself what level of skiing or riding are you at?! If the answer is “I have never seen snow before let alone ridden on it” do you really think that the first day of your holiday will see you pulling “Mac Twists” in the fun park?!

Probably not! In fact, it will probably take you a couple of days to get the confidence and skill to escape the bunny slope which will be less than a couple of hundred meters long. So why do you need to buy an all-mountain lift pass at around €25 per day whilst you are learning?!

You don’t! My advice is consider checking out the smaller resorts near Bansko, Pamporovo and Borovets. Lift passes tend to be at least 50-70% cheaper, tuition and ski hire can be 50% less and on-mountain food and beverage is so cheap (but admittedly, without the same amount of choice) you will  think they undercharged you.

You will also be surprised in general by how much quieter the small, less international resorts are at most times, although weekend trade does pick-up.

It’s not unusual to visit Chepelare or Dobrinishte (for example) mid-week and be one of only a handful of people on the slope helping you avoid massive lift cues and hundreds of other learners in the same boat as you using the same small piece of real estate to learn.

This in itself equals good value. After all, the more kilometres you are able to put in as you learn, the faster you will progress!

Local bus and taxi services will be delighted to whisk you off to the smaller resorts for a few Leva but remember my previous madness about renting a car (above)?!

Compare the cost of hiring a small car to that of being stuck in the same resort for a whole week. Advanced skiers and riders will thank you for the flexibility and variety it gives, begginers will feel less hassled and learn faster and your bank manager will pat you on the back for saving money on transfers and ski passes!

Summary

To sum up these first money saving tips: shop around, don’t take the first offer and stay away from tour reps when buying services or packages in resort. And unless you like being single, never, ever, ever tell your girlfriend you will teach her to snowboard!

If you have any comments about this article, please add them below!

Upcoming Related Articles

• How to make a ski holiday as cheap as possible in Bulgaria – Part II – Borovets focus
• How to make a ski holiday as cheap as possible in Bulgaria – Part III – Bansko focus
• How to make a ski holiday as cheap as possible in Bulgaria – Part IV – Pamporovo focus

Do you have money saving tips for ski resorts in Bulgaria? Please email Simon directly with your suggestions at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .