SmartBirds
Poda Protected Area
Plan a day trip, have an unforgettable time with the birds of Poda Protected Area…
…and get a stamp for your The 100 National Tourism Sites collection.
You can visit here for an hour, or spend the whole day. You will have unforgettable moments with the diverse feathered inhabitants of the area, watching them from the observation terrace of Poda Nature Conservation Centre, or seeing them from the visitor’s trail. You can use our binoculars and spotting scopes, and our charming bird experts will be happy to share with you all the interesting facts they know about birds.
Poda Protected Area is located at the southeastern end of the city of Burgas and is among the few places in Europe where 321 species of birds have been recorded on an area of no more than 1 sq. kilometer – ¼ of the bird diversity of Europe! This is the only place on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast where you can find a mixed colony of spoonbill, glossy ibis, pygmy cormorant, night heron, red heron, squacco heron, little and great egret.
Plan a day trip to our amazing nature conservation centre and spend a day with the wonderful wildlife that lives at the outskirts of the coastal city, on the main road to Sozopol. If you are a fervent photographer, do not miss the chance to hire a photo hide at Poda and take pictures of our rare and charming feathered stars!
Opening hours:
Monday–Sunday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Admission fees:
- Adults – €4
- Students – €2.50
- BSPB members – €2.50
- Children up to 6 years old accompanied by an adult* – free of charge
*Does not apply to organised group visits.
Talk ‘n’ Tour:
Our bird experts can offer you an interesting talk about the history and the wildlife of Poda Protected Area, along with a guided tour of our small but informative exhibition at the nature conservation centre. Price: €10.50
Photo hides:
The price of renting our photo hides depends on the number of photographers and the time they want to use the hides for. To use our accommodation (for up to two people), please contact us in advance.
How do I get there?
If you are coming from Burgas, pass the Lukoil petrol station, the bridge over the canal and the Petrol petrol station. At the junction for Malko Tarnovo/Kraymorie, turn right and use the overpass to turn back towards Burgas.
Once you are back on the main road to Burgas, pass the bus stop and, after approximately 160 metres, turn right at the Border Police post. Continue to the car park next to the road, where you can leave your car. This is the Poda car park.
Coming from Sozopol (travelling north): after you pass under the overpass of the Kraymorie/Malko Turnovo road, pass by the bus stop and in 160 metres stop at the parking lot by the road – you are now at the parking lot of Poda Nature Conservation Centre.
The Poda Nature Conservation Centre can also be reached by city bus No. 17 from Yug Bus Station (near the Central Railway Station).
To avoid crossing the busy main road, we recommend staying on the bus until the final stop in Kraymorie without getting off. When the bus begins its return journey to Burgas, get off at the first stop, Poda.
From the bus stop, follow the path behind the stop and along the road, then continue up the hill using the new walkway. After approximately 300 metres, continue straight ahead and cross the old bridge over the canal. This will take you to the Poda Nature Conservation Centre.
GPS coordinates of the parking lot: 42.442767 N and 27.469618 Е.
Our little shop
In the shop corner of the Nature Conservation Centre you can find souvenirs from the protected area – pin badges, magnets, T-shirts, bird feeders and nest boxes for birds. Here you can buy books that will teach you how to identify birds and will reveal the natural beauty of Bulgaria. The shop corner also sells refreshing drinks.
What can you observe right now?
At the Poda Nature Conservation Centre, visitors can observe an impressive diversity of waterbirds in their natural habitat. The protected area lies along the Via Pontica migration route and is one of the richest birdwatching sites in Europe.
Throughout the summer months, visitors can often spot herons, cormorants, spoonbills, Glossy Ibises, terns, pelicans, and various birds of prey, including the majestic White-tailed Eagle. Particularly fascinating is the period at the end of summer, when the spectacle of migration begins and thousands of storks and raptors pass literally overhead.
Located on the southern outskirts of Burgas, Poda is one of the few places in Europe where 321 bird species have been recorded within an area of just 1 sq. km – one quarter of all bird species found in Europe.
It is the only place along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast where a mixed breeding colony of Eurasian Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Pygmy Cormorant and all heron species that breed in Europe can be found.
In addition to birds, visitors can enjoy the rich biodiversity of the wetlands near Burgas, including rare plants, reptiles, and interesting insects. The Centre offers observation terraces, a nature trail, birdwatching hides, binoculars, and spotting scopes, while our expert ornithologists help visitors identify the different species.
Photography hides
For information about using the photography hides, including bird species, prices, photography periods and other details, please contact the Poda Nature Conservation Centre using the contact details provided.
What does the Centre offer?
birdwatching: you can use our binoculars and spotting scopes and make your observations directly from the terrace of the centre;
have a talk with our experts to learn the most interesting details about the life of birds, as well as a few tricks for more successful birdwatching;
go for a walk on the visitor’s trail in the protected area;
watch and photograph birds from the specially designed photo hides;
see the exhibition and learn fun and interesting facts about the wildlife in Poda Protected area and the wetlands around the city of Burgas.
Contacts:
E-mail: poda@bspb.org mobile: 0878 252 722