WALKING & WILDLIFE IN BULGARIA
THE 'RILA' NATIONAL PARK
Holiday Itinerary
Day 1: Arriving in Sofia we then transfer to our hotel which is situated at the edge of the 'Rila' National Park. This will be our base for the next four nights.
Day 2: Our goal for today is Mount Musala (2925m.), not only the highest peak in the Rila Mountains, but also on the Balkan Peninsula. To accomplish the ascent as a 4-hour day walk, we will use the cabin-lift from Borovets which will take us up to a starting altitude of about 2300m. The route to the summit of Mount Musala is well-graded, winding up past a succession of sparkling glacial lakes. The region has an exceptional flora and is also very good for alpine birds.
Day 3: Today the focus of our 7-hour circular walk will be the region known as Sedemte Ezera (The Seven Lakes). This is one of the most beautiful and most visited parts of the 'Rila' National Park. It is situated high the north-western Rila and, as its name suggests, comprises seven glacial lakes that are scattered amongst soft grassy cirques beneath a ring of rocky peaks and cliffs.
Day 4: Today we explore the region at the head of the Malyovitsa valley, and attempt an ascent of Mount Malyovitsa (2729m), one of the highest and most imposing peaks in this part of the Rila Mountains. The whole 6-hour walk offers stunning views, as well as an opportunity to observe an interesting variety of birds.
Day 5: Today we make a beautiful 7-hour walk right through the heart of the Rila Mountains. We reach the isolated lake Strashno Ezero, and from there climb on to the high mountain pass known as Popovokapski Preval (2525m). Beyond the saddle, we leave the boundaries of the 'Rila' National Park, and enter another protected territory known as the 'Rila Monastery' Nature Park. Our trail leads us down past Suhoto Ezero (The Dry Lake), and then enters the beautiful ancient forests of another protected territory, this time the 'Rila Monastery Forest' Nature Reserve. Finally we emerge from the forests at the expansive meadow known as Kirilova Polyana, where our bus will be waiting to pick us up and drive down the valley to our hotel.
Day 6: We begin the day with a visit to the breathtaking Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We then set off on a gentle walk through the surrounding 'Rila Monastery' Nature Park, visiting some small outlying chapels and other cultural sites that are directly connected to the long and interesting history of the Rila Monastery. After lunch, we set off from the Rila Monastery, to begin the transfer back to our hotel in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, stopping off en route for a walk around the wonderful sandstone outcrops known as the Stobski Piramidi.
Day 7: The tour ends with individual departures from the hotel in Sofia.