The best of Rila and Pirin, 8-day Trek in Bulgaria

Join me on this 8-day adventure in the mountains of Rila and Pirin! Rila and Pirin are the most spectacular mountain ranges in all of Bulgaria. On this 8-day trek, we will marvel at glacial lakes, highland flowers and the local fauna of this beautiful area.

We will make a visit to the  Central Mountaineering School “Malyovitsa”. Here, we will hike through one of the most spectacular Rila valleys to Mt. Malyovitsa. This colossal mountain stands at 2729 meters.

We will visit Borovets ski resort. Here, we will take a gondola lift and trek up Mt. Musala. Mt. Musala is the highest peak in Southeast Europe with a peak of 2925 meters.

We will hike through lush woods and vast meadows until we reach the heart of Rila Mountain – the Seven Rila lakes. These glacial lakes sit between 2,100 and 2,500 meters above sea level and are interconnected by small streams. The many cascades and waterfalls in this area are truly a sight to behold!

We will visit the ancient cave sanctuary of the founder of the Rila Monastery and visit the monastery itself. Rila Monastery is  a holy center with world significance, protected by UNESCO. The monastery is the largest and the most visited in the bounds of Bulgaria.

We touch the marble ridge of North Pirin, while we climb the second highest peak of Bulgaria – Vihren. Vihren sits at 2914 meters and is also called “the storm-summit”. The breathtaking panoramic views will be a well-deserved reward for all of our hard work.

In the area of Banderitsa hut we can visit also the oldest tree of the land – the Baykusheva white fir, a living witness of the more of 1300-year old Bulgarian history.

Other sites we will visit include include Vihren hut, Banderitsa lakes, Todorina pass, Vasilashki lakes and Demyanitsa Hut.