Explore the Seven Rila Lakes & Rila Monastery: Guided Trek in Bulgaria

from $294

Duration

12 hours

Type

Guided

Difficulty

Moderate

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A whole-day guided trek to Rila Mountains, exploring probably the most eminent area in the mountains – The Seven Rila Lakes and the most famous tourist attraction in Bulgaria – Rila Monastery (UNESCO).

Inclusions

Transport by air-conditioned minivan
English-speaking guide
Fuel surcharge

Exclusions

Chairlift tickets - 31.30 BGN per person/ 16 EUR
Entrance fee for the Rila monastery's museum (optional)
Food and drinks
Tip or Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Tour Plan

Alexander Nevski square
The meeting point of the tour is behind Alexander Nevski Cathedral, at the parking lot just in front of "La Cattedrale" restaurant.

Arrival to Borovets resort
The transfer from Sofia to Borovets is about an hour and a half. Borovets is the oldest ski resort in Bulgaria. From there we will take the cabin lift "Yastrebets Express" for about 30 mins to reach the peak of Yastrebets (2369 m/7772.31 ft). This is the starting point of our walk to the Musala peak.

Rila Mountains
During the hike to the Musala Peak, fabulous vistas will open in front of you. Musala is the highest peak on the Balkan Peninsula and some say that in clear weather, even the Aegean Sea can be seen from there.

Alexander Nevski Cathedral

Itinerary

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Departure from the meeting point

Departure at 07:00 am from the bus parking in front of Embassy of Slovakia, next to Vasil Levski Monument.

Seven Rila Lakes hike

The tour begins with an early transfer to the Rila, followed by a brief cable car ride to the Seven Rila Lakes Cirque. The glacier lakes are at between 2100 and 2500m/6800 and 8200ft above sea level, with name fitting their shapes, like Babreka (the Kidney), Okoto (the Eye), and Salzata (the Teardrop). As we need to follow strict time schedule depending on your fitness we can either walk the whole trek around all lakes, or make the stroll shorter and skip some of them (normally the two highest ones).

Rila Monastery visit

Admire the impressive Rila Monastery (UNESCO)- its architecture and the frescoes present the apogee of the Bulgarian Renaissance art. With an about 1-hour guided tour of the most treasured monuments in the inner yard and the Monastery museum (optional), you will learn the most fascinating facts and stories about the biggest Bulgarian monastery complex.

Return at the meeting point

Return at the starting point of the tour at approximately 19:30

Meeting / Pickup

Meet on location or pick-up: Customers can come to our location or we can pick them up on request.

Know Before You Go

Public transportation nearby

Please Note

Not wheelchair accessible
Food:
although there are two huts on our way where we can purchase some basic food (i.e. beans soup, meatballs, tea) we advise you to come prepared with a lunch pack from Sofia, because the programme today is rather tight and for sure we won’t have much time for a proper lunch.
Difficulty:
the hiking route is moderately arduous, with individual brief paths featuring steep inclines. Please bring along comfortable walking boots. Sandals and flip-flops are not accepted. Rain jacket might be useful in summer as heavy showers sometimes occur in the afternoons.
Important!
Kindly note, that availability of the tour depends on the weather conditions and the operation of the chairlift.
The terrain will be very wet and slippery and there will still be snow in the area. Walking in such conditions requires adequate equipment (good trekking boots, waterproof clothes and a warm layer beneath the jacket). The hike is demanding, so a good fitness level is also required. Keep in mind that some of the lakes may be covered in snow.
Not stroller accessible
Not suitable for pets
Infants must not sit on laps
Infant seats unavailable
Not recommended for people with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for people with heart conditions
Important!
As with all lifts the one, used for the hike to The Seven Rila Lakes, may stop anytime (due to strong wind, power cuts, etc.). In the rare case, this happens, an alternative hike will be offered on spot by the guide. Mind that such a situation does not make you eligible for a refund.
Tour with ONLINE (cloud-based) Audio-guide in different languages (EN, ES, IT, FR, DE, RU). INTERNET required to download and use.