Kamchia Reserve

Where the Kamchia reaches the Black Sea south of Varna it runs through a longoz, a seasonally flooded riverine forest of ash, elm, oak and willow hung with lianas, which is the largest surviving example of this habitat in Bulgaria and a biosphere reserve. Flat-bottomed boats run up the river from the mouth into the forest, moving between the trees with the canopy closing overhead, which is the standard way to see it and the reason most visitors come. The reserve holds otter, a large bird list including herons, egrets and woodpeckers, and a substantial insect fauna. A wide sand beach runs along the coast either side of the river mouth, backed by dunes, and it is much emptier than the resort beaches to the north.

What you actually see

• Flooded riverine forest - the largest longoz in the country.
• Boat trips under the canopy - flat-bottomed craft between the trees.
• Lianas in the tree crowns - the climbers that give the forest its look.
• An empty dune beach - the coast either side of the river mouth.

When to go

April to October, with spring for birds and high water in the forest. Half a day. Boats run in the warmer months and depend on water level. Mosquitoes are severe in summer.

Honest expectations

Mosquitoes in the forest are genuinely bad from late spring and repellent is essential. Boat operators run engines that disturb wildlife. Water levels affect how far boats can go. Development around the mouth has grown and is untidy.

Nearby

Varna is north; the Black Sea coast runs both ways.