Shipka Pass — Valley of Roses toGabrovo.
Distance
30 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
870 m
Rating
4.6 / 5
189 reviews
Shipka Pass — Valley of Roses to Gabrovo.
The historic Shipka Pass crossing the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) at 1,185m, scene of a pivotal Russo-Turkish War battle in 1877-78. The road climbs steeply from the rose-growing Kazanlak valley through tight bends to the Russian-style memorial on the summit, then drops to the craftsman town of Gabrovo.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance30 km
Days1
Total climb870 m
DifficultyModerate
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The route.
KazanlakStart · Start in Kazanlak — world's Rose Valley capital. Best visited in June for the rose harvest festival.
Shipka VillageScenic Point · Small village at the foot of the pass. Traditional Bulgarian architecture. Rose oil museum nearby.
Shipka Pass Summit — 1,185mMountain Pass · The pass summit. Monument to the Bulgarian and Russian soldiers who died here in 1877. Commanding mountain views.
Shipka Freedom MonumentPhoto Spot · The impressive stone monument on the peak above the pass. 894 steps up — worth the climb for the panorama.
Buzludzha Abandoned MonumentScenic Point · The iconic abandoned communist-era monument nearby — eerie and fascinating. Approach road is rough.
GabrovoEnd · End in Gabrovo — Bulgaria's humor capital and living crafts museum. The old craftsman quarter on the river is superb.
From riders.
189 verified rides logged on this route.
4.6/ 5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
189 verified rides
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