Kovan Kaya ("Bee Rock" in Turkish) is a rock massif in the Eastern Rhodopes, about 5 km from the village of Dolno Cherkovishte, Stambolovo municipality, Haskovo Province, by the road to Haskovo. It is known for the trapezoidal niches cut into its cliffs — the largest such complex in the Eastern Rhodopes.
There are more than 100 rock-cut niches. Most face south and south-east, but some face west and north-west. Besides the vertical trapezoidal niches there are horizontal rectangular ones. The area is protected under the nature protection law.
At the foot of the cliff there is also a small cave, also called Kodzha In — dry and horizontal, 14 m long, with no formations and an entrance facing west. It was mapped in 1968 by Boris Kolev of the Aida caving club, Haskovo, and remapped in 1978 by B. Nuriev and M. Feradov of the Rodopi club, Kardzhali.
The niches are seen from below, at the foot of the cliffs; they are high up, and you should not climb to them. The cave is short and shallow but undeveloped — the floor is gravel and animal dung. Not accessible with a pushchair.
Dolno Cherkovishte is about 40 km from Haskovo, around an hour by car. The rock is about 400 m south-west of the "Mosta" bus stop, on the right side of the road.
Pop Martinovata Dupka (about 700 m), Madzharovo and the Arda valley.
Kovan Kaya is located in Haskovo, Bulgaria.
Kovan Kaya is most easily reached by car. Use the coordinates above to navigate, or open the location in OpenStreetMap or your preferred maps app for turn-by-turn directions. Public transport options vary by region — for remote destinations a rental car gives the most flexibility.
Caves can be visited year-round — the temperature inside stays roughly 10–12°C regardless of season. Spring and autumn are quieter than peak summer. Bring a warm layer and sturdy footwear; some caves close in winter when access roads become impassable.
Access to caves varies. Show caves typically run guided tours during posted opening hours; wild caves require proper equipment and experience. Inside, the temperature stays cool year-round (~10–12°C) — bring a warm layer, sturdy non-slip footwear, and a torch even on guided tours.
