The "Life for Burgas Lakes" route: following the birds along the "Via Pontica"

The "Life for Burgas Lakes" route, in its most logical variation, starts in the north at "Lake Atanasovsko", passes through the "Lake Vaya" area, and ends at the "Mandra–Poda" complex. Within a single day, one can travel approximately 35–40 km combined – by car or bicycle between the three main zones and on foot along the individual eco-trails and observation areas around the lakes.

"Section 1: Lake Atanasovsko – urban entry to the route"

For "Lake Atanasovsko", there are four main routes developed around the lagoon, one of which is the circular "Atanasovsko Lake bike route" with a length of about 30 km, which circles the entire lake – from the Sea Garden, through the South Saltpans, under the road junction, along the northern shore, and back to the southern part. This circuit can be used as an independent tour or as the first, extended stage of the longer "Life for Burgas Lakes" route.

The shorter "Lake Park" section (of the "bicycle / pedestrian" type) starts from the Sea Garden (the parking lot by the traps), passes through "Lake" Park, the embankment behind the tennis courts, and reaches the "Avocet Trail" and the bird observation hide at Lake Atanasovsko. Its length in both directions is about 6–8 km, making it suitable for a light trek with sightings of flamingos, pelicans, and herons.

"Section 2: Lake Atanasovsko – Lake Vaya"

The road distance between the western part of "Lake Atanasovsko" (in the area of the bird observation hide near the exit for "Sarafovo" district) and the eastern shores of "Lake Vaya" (in close proximity to Burgas) is approximately 8–10 km when traveling via the urban street network and adjacent roads. When using a bicycle, the route can pass through "Lake" Park and the industrial zones to the west, including sections along bike lanes and secondary roads.

"Lake Vaya" itself has a length of about 9.6 km and a maximum width of up to 4.7 km. The pedestrian and bike trails along its shores are relatively short in individual sections (usually 2–4 km within one segment), but in combination, they allow for circling a large part of the eastern and southern shore, where observation points and platforms for watching waterfowl have been built.

"Section 3: Lake Vaya – Mandra–Poda complex"

From the southern parts of "Lake Vaya" to the "Poda" protected area, the distance along the international road E 87 (towards Sozopol) is approximately 8–12 km, depending on the chosen starting point around Vaya. "Poda" is located south of the center of Burgas, just before the turn-off for the "Kraymorie" district. This is a relatively short section that allows for combining birdwatching over Vaya and a visit to the conservation center in "Poda" within half a day.

On the other hand, if the route also includes a loop around the "Mandra" reservoir, the total length of travel between the individual points can reach 40–45 km, as it requires moving along peripheral roads around the water body. In a practical tourist version, most groups visit "Poda" as the main point of the "Mandra–Poda" complex, as the infrastructure there is the best developed.

"Recommended one-day plan for the route"

In a realistic version for a one-day visit, the "Life for Burgas Lakes" route can be structured as follows: a morning block of 2–3 hours around "Lake Atanasovsko" (along the "Lake Park" or "Light Salt Route" with a length of 6–10 km), moving by car or bicycle towards "Lake Vaya" (about 8–10 km) and 1–2 hours of watching waterfowl from built platforms, followed by moving to "Poda" (another 8–12 km) for an afternoon visit to the conservation center and observation towers.

The total mileage in such a scenario is approximately 25–30 km of travel between the individual zones (by car or bicycle) and 8–12 km of walking on eco-trails and observation sections. For more experienced cyclists, the route can be extended to 40+ km by combining the 30-km circular bike route around "Lake Atanasovsko" with additional visits to Vaya and Poda.

"Flexibility and seasonality of the route"

The mileage and the specific trajectory of the "Life for Burgas Lakes" route can be adapted according to the season and the purpose of the visit – for example, shorter walking sections for family strolls during the summer or longer bike tours during the spring and autumn migration, when the views of flocks of birds are most impressive. The important thing is that the three main units – "Lake Atanasovsko", "Lake Vaya", and "Mandra–Poda" – are connected in a logical ecological and tourist chain that can be traversed in one or two days, depending on the pace and interests of the visitors.