Kresna Gorge & Lake Kerkini Birdwatching Tour from Sofia

This birdwatching day trip takes you to two outstanding wildlife destinations — Kresna Gorge in Bulgaria and Lake Kerkini in Greece. Both areas have a strong Mediterranean character and offer a truly rewarding birding experience with a long list of species to observe.

The tour covers very different habitats. At Kresna Gorge you will explore steep rocky slopes and beautiful riverside forests. At Lake Kerkini you will discover vast wetlands with reed beds and open water. This variety ensures that every minute of your day in the field is well spent.

The route follows part of the Via Aristotelis bird migration flyway. During spring and autumn, rare and unexpected species can appear at any time, adding extra excitement to the trip.

You will be picked up early in the morning by your birdwatching guide from your accommodation in Sofia and transferred to the spectacular Kresna Gorge. There, you can enjoy a coffee at a local café while watching Griffon and Cinereous Vultures resting on the steep cliffs or soaring overhead. Depending on the season, you can also expect Golden Eagle, Short-toed Snake-eagle, Booted Eagle, Common Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Rock Nuthatch, Blue Rock Thrush, Sombre Tit and many more.

From Kresna Gorge, you will continue south to the world-famous Lake Kerkini — one of the true jewels of European birding. Nestled between two mountain ranges and at the heart of a nature reserve, this outstanding wetland has something to offer in every season. In spring and summer, large numbers of Great White Pelicans and Dalmatian Pelicans share the water with Pygmy Cormorant, Purple Heron, Great Egret, Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis, Whiskered Tern, Little Bittern and Ferruginous Duck, while European Bee-eaters and Rollers add colour along the shore. In winter, the lake attracts impressive flocks of wildfowl, including White-tailed Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Whooper Swan, Lesser White-fronted Goose and Greater Flamingo. You will explore the lake shore by road, stopping at the best observation points along the way. before returning to Sofia in the late afternoon or early evening with an observation list numbering over 100 species.

You may take interest in our other one-day birdwatching trips.