ATV Tours in Bansko and Borovets: Ages, Prices, What to Wear

All prices are in euro, Bulgaria's currency since 1 January 2026. Our activity prices were read from the booking box on our site on 24 October 2026, and the price shown when you book is the one that counts. For every activity here you pay 20% online when you book and the rest to your host at the end of the activity.

Quad, buggy or jeep: what's the difference?

All three use the same dirt tracks, but the experience is quite different, and so are the rules on who drives:

• Quad bike (ATV): four wheels, but you sit astride it like a motorbike. One driver and at most one passenger behind. The most adrenaline, and the most mud on you.
• Buggy (UTV): an open off-road vehicle with a steering wheel and seats, usually for two to five people depending on the model. Easier for couples and families, because you sit together and only the driver needs a licence.
• Jeep safari: a local driver takes the wheel and you sit back. The calmest option, fine for all ages, and it still reaches viewpoints with no paved road.

How old do you have to be to drive a quad in Bulgaria?

Two sets of rules apply: Bulgarian law, and the operators' own rules, which are stricter. The law sets a minimum age by vehicle category:

Tour quads are big, powerful machines, so operators go beyond the legal minimum and ask for drivers aged 18 with a licence. In practice, a 16 or 17 year old rides as a passenger while a parent drives. On our listings, each page states its own rule: in Borovets from age 8 and only with an adult, in the buggy near Sofia from age 5 with parental consent, and in the Bansko buggy children join as passengers with parental consent. Bring your actual driving licence, not a photo on your phone.

A 17 year old who wants to be in control can switch to two wheels: the enduro riding lesson in Bansko takes riders from 17 with no licence, because it runs entirely off road. It lasts two hours, costs €100 per guest with full protective gear, and needs at least two riders; a solo rider pays €50 extra, according to the listing.

How much does an ATV tour in Bansko or Borovets cost?

These are the activities you can book with us, with the price shown in the booking box:

Worth knowing: our booking box charges per guest. Quad operators in the area often price per vehicle instead, and in October 2026 two of them listed about €70 to €75 for an hour on a quad with one rider and €90 for a quad with a passenger. So if two of you plan to share one quad, or a family wants one buggy for everyone, message the host before you book and ask how they will price your group.

Quad biking in Bansko

Bansko's quad operators run guided rides of one to three hours, usually priced per quad, with the rules above: drivers 18 and over with a licence, passengers from 8. On our site, the Bansko off-road options are the buggy and the jeep below, and both let you share one vehicle with the people you came with.

Buggy safari in Bansko

On the Bansko Extreme buggy safari you can drive yourself with a valid category B licence, or sit next to the guide and take in the views. The route follows forest tracks and stops at viewpoints. Helmets and goggles are provided, and you meet at the Bansko Extreme ski and snowboard school, 113 Pirin Street. Guiding is in English and Bulgarian, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before.

Jeep safari in Bansko: the family option

If you want an off-road day with young children, this is the simplest choice: about two hours in a 4x4 with a guide, heading to waterfalls, the ruins of an ancient town and viewpoints over the Pirin, Rila and Rhodope mountains. It suits all ages, and at €40 per guest, children included, it is the cheapest option here. One caveat: the tracks are rough, so anyone with back or neck problems should think twice.

Quad biking in Borovets

In Borovets you get an hour on the Rila forest trails around the resort with a local guide, fuel included. Ride solo or share a quad with one other person; there is no minimum group size. The booking box charges €129 for each guest even when two share one quad, so a couple who want to ride together should ask the host before booking. The minimum age is 8, and every child rides with an adult. For everything else the resort offers in winter and summer, see our Borovets guide.

Buggy tours near Sofia: off road without the mountain drive

If you are based in Sofia, you don't need the two and a half hour drive to Bansko. In the village of German on the edge of the city, at 5 Patriarh German Street, you can book an 80 or 120 minute buggy ride that is fully off road: no tarmac, plenty of mud and some fast sections. The 210 hp vehicle comes with a guide at the wheel and an option to drive yourself. Up to 3 guests per buggy, minimum age 5 with parental consent, not recommended during pregnancy, and bring valid ID. The listing text is in Bulgarian, so ask the host which language the guide speaks and what you need in order to drive.

What to wear for an ATV tour

• Clothes you don't mind ruining: mud and dust are part of the fun. Long trousers, not shorts.
• Closed shoes: required on the Bansko buggy. Leave sandals and flip flops at the hotel.
• A light jacket, even in summer: it is colder in the mountains and the wind chills you on the move. The Bansko host recommends the same.
• In winter: warm layers, gloves and something waterproof.
• No need to bring: a helmet or goggles; you get them on site.
• Do bring: a driving licence if you drive, ID and a bottle of water.

ATV tours in winter and on snow

Bansko operators run their tours all year and say snowy, puddled tracks make them even more fun. Our listings don't publish a season, so check the open dates in each activity's calendar. Winter days are short, so book a morning or midday slot. If it's snowmobiles you are after, our guide to snow in Bulgaria has a section on them.

The rules: national parks, alcohol and safety

• National parks: in Pirin, Rila and Central Balkan national parks, driving, stopping and parking motor vehicles, including motorbikes, ATVs and UTVs, is banned without a permit from the park directorate. According to the Ministry of Environment, fines for individuals run from 500 to 5,000 leva, roughly €255 to €2,555. In March 2026 rangers caught snowmobile riders inside Pirin National Park. So don't head off alone on a rented machine: ride with a guide, and if you want to know exactly where your route goes, ask the host.
• Alcohol: the drink driving limit in Bulgaria is 0.5 per mille, and above it you lose your licence for at least six months. Save the beer for afterwards.
• Health: the tracks are bumpy. Back or neck problems and pregnancy are reasons to pick the jeep or skip it. Check that your travel insurance covers motorised activities.
• Emergencies: the emergency number in Bulgaria is 112.

Getting to Bansko and Borovets

Bansko is about two and a half hours from Sofia, and a private transfer from Sofia to Bansko starts at €121 per car for up to 4 passengers. Borovets is closer, about 70 minutes away, and a private transfer from Sofia to Borovets starts at €77 per car. For the rest of Bansko in summer and winter, read our complete guide to Bansko. And if you want another adrenaline day, have a look at rafting in Bulgaria.

In short: with small children, take the jeep; a couple who want to drive together should take the buggy; and if you are here for mud and speed, take the quad. Either way, turn up in closed shoes with your licence in your pocket.