Stara Planina · Bulgaria
Shipka Pass
I-5Gabrovo to Kazanlak
The Shipka Pass carries the E85 over the Balkan range between Gabrovo and the Valley of Roses, climbing to 1,185 m through dense forest with sweeping summit panoramas.
From Gabrovo the road pitches south into the Bulgarka Nature Park, winding through beech and oak forest as it gains height. The summit plateau opens onto wide views north across the Fore-Balkans and south into the rose-growing Kazanlak valley, with a spur climbing to the concrete Buzludzha Monument. The southern descent to Kazanlak is longer and more gradual.
Scenery
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Shipka Pass on the map29.6 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 12Elevation
under 4%4 to 8%over 8%375 to 1,200 mPoints of interest4 stops
- Shipka MonumentMonument on the peak above the pass, with a museum inside.14 mi in
- Shipka Memorial ChurchMemorial church in Shipka village, on the descent to Kazanlak.21 mi in
- Monument to Dimitar BlagoevLandmark25 mi in
- General Mikhail Skobelev MonumentLandmark29 mi in
Hazards
- Winter snow and ice closures
- Chain requirement in winter
- Occasional surface deterioration
See the typical season and live conditions for the high passes ›
Sources
“The views at the summit are magnificent and the route passes through the Valley of Roses, where most of the rose extract used to make perfumes comes from.”
Route traced from OpenStreetMap, with its stats measured from that line. How the roads are mapped
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Nearby roads
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