4 days, 1 hut: A Retreat with a cause in the Bulgarian Mountains

Return to the Mountains: A Retreat Experience of Connection, Reflection, and Action

From July 23 to 26, we gathered in the heart of the Stara Planina mountains—not just to build picnic tables, but to create meaning, friendships, and inner peace.

From the moment we stepped into the mountain hut, we knew this wouldn’t be an ordinary weekend. Slightly shocked by the metal spring beds and thin mattresses, we looked up at the stars and decided: this is going to be an adventure.

Each day brought something special: we gathered wood and sticks for the winter, herbs for homemade tea blends, learned and danced horo under the stars, shared life experiences, and practiced rumba and cha-cha in the yard. We journaled and reflected on our place in Bulgaria—on coming back, on our dreams, and on new beginnings.

And we ate—moussaka, stuffed peppers, fresh salads, grilled meats, and the sweetest peaches we’ve had all summer. We exercised together at the mountaintop, shared personal skills in improvised workshops, and connected through movement, creativity, and meaningful conversations.

We helped the hut with repairs, collected stones, dug holes for the concrete, and marked the spots for the picnic tables. The real construction is just beginning, but the foundations—both literal and human—have already been laid.

But the real breakthrough happened underground: a crumbling 600-meter tunnel where our courage was tested by a horned cow. It sounds funny now, but at the time, we were all quietly hoping it wouldn’t charge. With singing voices, flashlights, and brisk steps, we made it through this post-apocalyptic adventure—and came out the other side with smiles and adrenaline.

The group was exactly what we had hoped for—people with very different personalities, but united by one thing: the desire to contribute. Recently returned, visiting for the summer, students in transition—all seeking something meaningful. We connected not only with nature, but with

Bulgaria itself, with ideas, and with hope. We built trust, inspiration, and belonging.

This wasn’t just a weekend in the mountains. This was a time to return – to ourselves, to Bulgaria, to nature.

With love, ЗаВръщане в България x Worker Bee Tours