Musala Peak
Musala Peak
4.5
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4.5
13 reviews
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Jacek Kowalski
Komorniki, Poland33 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Definetely worth going to Borovets and then go with gondole to higher mountains. At the top you will need to choose the road that fits you. I picked the harder one and it was problematic for my daughter. We reached the lake and didn’t have time and energy to go higher to Musala. But reaching the lake is something I really recommend. Going back we chose the normal route and it is much easier.
Written July 12, 2024
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Stoycho Bozukov
Sofia, Bulgaria224 contributions
Oct 2019 • Couples
The highest place on the Balkan Peninsula! Great views, smiling friends and shared positive emotions!
Written October 26, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Benzi-R
Wyckoff, NJ81 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
The hike starts at the top of the 25 minutes ride on the cable gondola starting at the Borovets ski village. The initial part is a 50 minute walk on a very moderate descend to the Musala Hut. We tried to arrange overnight accommodation there but apparently it was closed except for a small counter selling some chocolate and energy bars. From there the hike is more difficult to the Musala Peak. It’s a 2.5 to 3 hour hike. The initial and last part of this segment is quite steep but the view on top is amazing. Very enjoyable. If you planned for a one day hike you have to come back the way you climbed.
Written July 25, 2019
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Martin Tomov
Sofia, Bulgaria4 contributions
Sep 2018 • Friends
It's the highest peak in Bulgaria and the whole Balkan peninsula - it's 2925m. It's also quite easy to climb it - it's more like a walk in the mountains. One the best places to visit in Rila along with the 7 Rila lakes and the Rila monastery
Written August 23, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Flying Spaniard
Sofia, Bulgaria2,681 contributions
Jul 2019 • Friends
The highest peak in the Balkan. It takes around 3 hours walking since the cable car ends. The landscapes on the way are simply amazing. Even if some sections are difficult, it is definitely worth. Hardly recommended.
Written July 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travel
15 contributions
Jul 2022
The hike was wonderfull along the several nice lakes, if you run out of water or need to heat up you can stop at the midway cafe, icy lake. The view from the top was wonderfull, I recommend for all confident people, don't go if you are scared of hights.
Written April 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael G
Bli Bli, Australia404 contributions
Jul 2018 • Friends
We took the cable car to the top station from where we started hiking. The whole hike takes about 5 to 6 hours - to the peak and back and is moderately difficult from the point of view of the climb and also the rocky terrain. I found walking poles very useful. The country around the hike is stunning with lakes, the valley and streams.
The last cable car leaves at 5:30 PM so you must be sure to make this if you want to avoid another 2 1/2 hour hike to the bottom of the mountain.
It is a great hike and well worth the rewards on the way and at the top.
The last cable car leaves at 5:30 PM so you must be sure to make this if you want to avoid another 2 1/2 hour hike to the bottom of the mountain.
It is a great hike and well worth the rewards on the way and at the top.
Written July 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liviu_Gherghescu
Bucharest, Romania169 contributions
Sep 2017 • Friends
Musala peak is the highest peak in Bulgaria and in Balkan peninsula.
According with Wikipedia : Musala (Bulgarian: Мусала); from Arabic through Ottoman Turkish: from Musalla, "near God" or "place for prayer" is the highest peak in the entire Balkan Peninsula, standing at 2,925 m (9,596 ft). The summit of the Rila mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, Musala is the highest peak between the Alps and the Caucasus and the highest in Eastern Europe bar the Caucasus. With a prominence of 2473 m, Musala is the 7th most prominent mountain peak in Europe.[3]
Musala is situated within the Rila National Park, which is noted for its rich flora, including species such as Macedonian Pine and Bulgarian Fir in the forests on its middle slopes, and fauna; it is one of the easiest places in Europe to see the wallcreeper. All major mountain ranges of Bulgaria can be seen from the top; these include Vitosha to the northwest, Sredna Gora towards the northeast, the Balkan Mountains along most of the northern horizon behind Vitosha and Sredna Gora, the Rhodope Mountains to the southeast, Pirin to the south, Osogovo and Ruy Mountain to the west, and of course Rila.
A Cosmic Ray Station was built on the peak in 1960 with cooperation from the Hungarian Academy of Science. The station conducted scientific experiments using a muon telescope. The station was destroyed by an electrical fire on October 29, 1983.[4]
With an average annual temperature of -2.3 °C Musala is the coldest place in Bulgaria and the entire Balkan Peninsula.[citation needed] Temperatures stay below 0 °C for about 8 months each year.[citation needed] Due to this about 45% of the annual precipitation on Musala is snow, and snow cover lasts for about 200 days (more than six months).[citation needed] Three of the main rivers of Bulgaria, the Iskar, Maritsa and Mesta have their sources near Musala.
The next highest peaks in the vicinity of Musala are Little Musala (2,902 m) and Irechek (2,852 m).
We climbed in September 2017. The weather was not so friendly with us : snow, powerful wind and a very deep fog.
We tried to climb on unmarked route following the Dino Peak, Small Musala and Musala peak but because of the fog we abandoned and following next day the normal route - Musala hut - Everest hut - Musala peak
According with Wikipedia : Musala (Bulgarian: Мусала); from Arabic through Ottoman Turkish: from Musalla, "near God" or "place for prayer" is the highest peak in the entire Balkan Peninsula, standing at 2,925 m (9,596 ft). The summit of the Rila mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, Musala is the highest peak between the Alps and the Caucasus and the highest in Eastern Europe bar the Caucasus. With a prominence of 2473 m, Musala is the 7th most prominent mountain peak in Europe.[3]
Musala is situated within the Rila National Park, which is noted for its rich flora, including species such as Macedonian Pine and Bulgarian Fir in the forests on its middle slopes, and fauna; it is one of the easiest places in Europe to see the wallcreeper. All major mountain ranges of Bulgaria can be seen from the top; these include Vitosha to the northwest, Sredna Gora towards the northeast, the Balkan Mountains along most of the northern horizon behind Vitosha and Sredna Gora, the Rhodope Mountains to the southeast, Pirin to the south, Osogovo and Ruy Mountain to the west, and of course Rila.
A Cosmic Ray Station was built on the peak in 1960 with cooperation from the Hungarian Academy of Science. The station conducted scientific experiments using a muon telescope. The station was destroyed by an electrical fire on October 29, 1983.[4]
With an average annual temperature of -2.3 °C Musala is the coldest place in Bulgaria and the entire Balkan Peninsula.[citation needed] Temperatures stay below 0 °C for about 8 months each year.[citation needed] Due to this about 45% of the annual precipitation on Musala is snow, and snow cover lasts for about 200 days (more than six months).[citation needed] Three of the main rivers of Bulgaria, the Iskar, Maritsa and Mesta have their sources near Musala.
The next highest peaks in the vicinity of Musala are Little Musala (2,902 m) and Irechek (2,852 m).
We climbed in September 2017. The weather was not so friendly with us : snow, powerful wind and a very deep fog.
We tried to climb on unmarked route following the Dino Peak, Small Musala and Musala peak but because of the fog we abandoned and following next day the normal route - Musala hut - Everest hut - Musala peak
Written January 1, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michal_ln9
Usti nad Orlici, Czech Republic33 contributions
Jul 2018 • Friends
Musala peak offers very nice views deserved after relatively difficult hiking to the top. The pathway is not suitable for families with strollers, however it is possible to defeat it for active pensioners or school children. The whole trip from the lift to the peak is about 7 kilometres long and reaching the top lasts about 2,5 hours of nimble walk. You can see fascinating nature in the surrounfings, just avoid getting amazed and missing the last lift drive :-)
Written October 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, me and 2 friends would like to hike Musala Peak in February? Can this be done this time of the year? Anone can help us with nny routes maps or any sort of info on this subject, as i cant find much online, many thanks.
Written January 22, 2021
Hello we are interested in visiting Musala but we are a party who would find long hiking and walking difficult, can we get a cable car up there to marvel at this beautiful spot. We would be coming for the day and travelling from the region of Harmanli and Haskovo please advise how we get there thanks
Written September 17, 2019
The closest you can get with a cable car is about a 3-hour hike away from the peak itself. First, there is a really easy less-than-1-hour hike to Musala hut - the hut is at the same height as the place you get off the cable car (2389m). After that you start going up - there is a bit more difficult 1.5-hour hike to the Icy Lake Shelter (Заслон Леденото езеро), which is at 2720m. And after that comes the steepest part - the last 205m which take about half an hour.
Written September 18, 2019
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