TOUR OF THE MAGNIFICENT RILA RANGE
Rila Mountain is the highest not only in Bulgaria but in the whole Balkans and is home to the biggest natural park and reserve in the country. This tour will take you to an untouched world of alpine summits, narrow ridges, deep forests, white waters and wildlife. Here is the highest peak of Eastern Europe, the famous Seven Lakes, the amazing Urdin cirque and the rocky, pointed summits of Malyovitsa. Anyone, who visits the imposing Rila, falls in love with Bulgaria and its nature forever.
Day 1. Arriving at Sofia airport. Meeting with your tour guide and transfer to a nice family hotel deep in the forests of Rila Mountain. Accommodation and short briefing about the tour. Dinner and overnight.
Day 2. Breakfast. It is a day for acclimatization – hike to the beautiful Skakavitsa waterfall (64 m.) and further to the area of the Seven Rila Lakes. Lunch will be a picnic. Some incredible views are in store for the tourists. Descent via a picturesque ridge to the same accommodation. The whole trek takes 5 hours. Dinner and overnight.
Day 3. Breakfast. Start the ascent via each of the Seven Lakes, towards the high pass Razdela – one of the best viewpoints of the range. Lunch will be a picnic. The trail continues through the very summit of mount Malyovitsa, to a nearby valley. Descent to a nice family hotel in the woods. The trek for today takes 7 hours. Accommodation, dinner and overnight.
Day 4. Breakfast. Today is a shorter, but more technical walk. Ascent to the so called Scary Lake, situated at the foot of the most alpine peaks of Rila. The views from the lake and the nearby hut are breathtaking. Lunch will be a picnic. Descent via the beautiful Yonchevo lake to the same accommodation. The trek takes 5-6 hours. Dinner and overnight.
Day 5. Breakfast. It is time for our most technical walk. Through the rockiest part of the mountain, we will ascent to the BAC (Bulgarian Alpine Club) hut. From here we will be able to reach the so called Evil Gate – a pass, situated between the most challenging summits of the range. Climb of mount Orlovets. Lunch will be a picnic. Descent back to our hotel and same accommodation. The trek takes 5-6 hours. Dinner and overnight.
Day 6. Breakfast. An easier day awaits. Start with a pleasant hike through the forests, which leads to the entrance of the Urdina valley. Gentle ascent to the Urdin cirque – an untouched area of the Rila mountains. Here we can find dozens of glacial lakes, pointed rocky summits and many mineral crystals. Lunch will be a picnic. Return back to Malyovitsa valley and same accommodation. The trek takes 5-6 hours. Dinner and overnight.
Day 7. Breakfast. Short morning transfer (30 min.) to the Borovets ski resort. Next is a 40 minute transfer with gondola to the higher parts of the mountain. Ascent to the highest peak of Bulgaria – mount Musala (2926 m.). The alpine views of glacial lakes and ridges from the summit are amazing. Lunch will be a picnic. Return back to Borovets with the gondola. The walk takes 6 h. in total. Back to the town of Samokov. Same accommodation and dinner. Overnight.
Day 8. Breakfast. Transfer to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, and departure from Sofia airport.
Price includes:
- All the accommodations, mentioned in the program
- All the dinners, mentioned in the program
- All the breakfasts, mentioned in the program
- All the lunches, mentioned in the program
- All the transportations
- The instant assistance of a licensed, english speaking mountain guide
- All the gondola tickets
Price does not Include:
- All the drinks, during dinners
- Tips and personal expenses
Minimum/maximum participants: 2 to 18
Tour difficulty: Moderate/Difficult
Suitable for: People with mountain experience in good shape; children elder than 16 y. o.
