Stara Planina · Bulgaria
Beklemeto Pass
II-35Troyan to Karnare
Road 35 over the Beklemeto saddle is Bulgaria’s most dramatic pass drive: over 30 sharp bends and hairpins to a 1,525 m summit on the ancient Roman Via Traiana.
The road departs Troyan and traces the Osam valley before cutting up through dense forest in a long series of tight hairpins, with gradients around 11%. The Beklemeto saddle carries a concrete Arch of Freedom monument and a ski resort with broad mountain views; the south flank descends to Karnare and the main corridor.
Scenery
Best seasons
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Beklemeto Pass on the map30.7 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 27Elevation
under 4%4 to 8%over 8%392 to 1,521 mPoints of interest2 stops
- Arch of LibertyMonument arch on the ridge just above the pass.16 mi in
- Krali Marko’s Guard PostLandmark20 mi in
Hazards
- 30+ hairpin bends
- 11% maximum gradient
- Unguarded steep edges on sections
- Winter ice and closures October to April
Is Beklemeto Pass open? Typical season and live summit weather ›
Sources
“The drive is quite challenging, with steep parts, reaching an 11.2% maximum gradient and featuring more than 30 hairpin turns.”
Route traced from OpenStreetMap, with its stats measured from that line. How the roads are mapped
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