Rila Mountains
Rila Mountains
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Srđan B
Novi Sad, Serbia605 contributions
Aug 2011 • Couples
Perfect for weekend hiking adventure. The ideal base for doing that hike and climb is town or mountain resort of Borovets, some 70 km from capital, Sofia. Borovets is a village with lots of hotels, resorts and restaurants. It on 1300m altitude and its just perfect spot to explore magnificient Rila mountains. There is numerous marking trails. For climbing Musala Peak, far the best option is to get the gondola from centre of Borovets up to peak Jastrebec on 2369 m. After the gondola lift drop you off, it takes ssome 4 hours walking and climbing to highest point of Balkans, famous Musala peak. The trail is perfectly marked and there is a lot of mountaineers climbing up and down, especially on weekends. The route is hard but there are three shelters or mountain huts where you can get drink and rest some time, but be aware to get back to gondola to 18h if you dont want to sleep in one of these mountain huts. Summit view is marvelous so as climb particularly last 300 m. All the times path meander between several mountains lakes. Water are icey cold iven in late summer and the scenery is stunning.
Written May 2, 2012
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.
Phil B
Sunny Beach, Bulgaria1,635 contributions
Jul 2011 • Friends
Rila Mountains is famous for being the highest mountain not only in Bulgaria but also on the Balkans (with Mount Musala, reaching 2925m).
Hiking trails: Rila offers a large number of hiking trails (some of them well-marked, some of them - not). One can choose among various routes of medium or high difficulty, going not only in the woods, but also in the Alpine zones above the tree line. Rila is generally less difficult compared to Pirin although challenging treks could also be done if you are in a really good shape. If you ever plan on traveling on your own without the support of a local guide or a detailed roadbook if you are on a self-guided walk here, always consider the weather conditions before going anywhere. Fog, clouds, rain or thunderstorms could appear anytime in summer and if you don't have the necessary hiking experience is such situations it could be dangerous for you.
Routes: Some of the best and most famous routes include the Seven Rila Lakes circle, Mt. Musala climb, Mt. Maliovitsa climb etc. Starting points for these are Panichishte resort (where you can either walk or take the chairlift up to the Seven Rila Lakes and stroll among them), Borovets resort (where you take the Gondola to Yastrebets Peak - the starting point for the hike to Mt. Musala), Maliovitsa resort (where you start your treks towards Maliovitsa Peak, the Scary Lake or even to the Seven Rila Lakes) etc. If you plan using a lift always get the necessary information for its working time beforehand.
Itineraries: Many companies offer guided hiking in Rila along with walking in Pirin (programs of 8-9 days). You might also consider a centre-based holiday, including hikes in Rila only (normally 5-6 days) or a self-guided walking tour in Rila Mountains. Snowshoe trips in Rila are also common as well as having the hike to Musala as a part of a more challenging program, commencing climbs to the three highest Bulgaria peaks (in Rila, Pirin and the Balkan mountains). One-day hiking tours from Sofia are available too (to Mt. Musala or to the Seven Rila Lakes. Good resource for possible itineraries or if you plan to book guided hiking and self-guided walking tours in the Rila Mountains is http://www.bulgariawalking.com, while for daily hiking treks from Sofia you can read the comments in the already existing topic here http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294452-d2050151-Reviews-Traventuria_Ltd_Day_Tours-Sofia.html or check Traventuria's website directly. The lifts working time for summer if you plan to climb Mt. Musala you should check at http://www.borovets-bg.com/en. The lift for The Seven Rila Lakes (in Panichishte resort) normally runs every day from mid June until mid September but even if it doesn't work for some reason there are 4x4 vehicle which will drive you up for a certain fee (again a matter of negotiation). Alternatively you can skip both and simply walk up (1,30hrs one way).
Access: If you want to use a public transport to Rila Mountains you should know that they start from Bus Station South in Sofia (and the buses go to the town of Samokov). From Samokov there are smaller vans who transfer people either to Borovets resort or to Maliovitsa resort (sometimes out of schedule, and you need to negotiate a price). There is no public transportation to Panichishte resort from Sofia and if you plan to visit The Seven Lakes you should either hire a car or book a private tour.
Hiking trails: Rila offers a large number of hiking trails (some of them well-marked, some of them - not). One can choose among various routes of medium or high difficulty, going not only in the woods, but also in the Alpine zones above the tree line. Rila is generally less difficult compared to Pirin although challenging treks could also be done if you are in a really good shape. If you ever plan on traveling on your own without the support of a local guide or a detailed roadbook if you are on a self-guided walk here, always consider the weather conditions before going anywhere. Fog, clouds, rain or thunderstorms could appear anytime in summer and if you don't have the necessary hiking experience is such situations it could be dangerous for you.
Routes: Some of the best and most famous routes include the Seven Rila Lakes circle, Mt. Musala climb, Mt. Maliovitsa climb etc. Starting points for these are Panichishte resort (where you can either walk or take the chairlift up to the Seven Rila Lakes and stroll among them), Borovets resort (where you take the Gondola to Yastrebets Peak - the starting point for the hike to Mt. Musala), Maliovitsa resort (where you start your treks towards Maliovitsa Peak, the Scary Lake or even to the Seven Rila Lakes) etc. If you plan using a lift always get the necessary information for its working time beforehand.
Itineraries: Many companies offer guided hiking in Rila along with walking in Pirin (programs of 8-9 days). You might also consider a centre-based holiday, including hikes in Rila only (normally 5-6 days) or a self-guided walking tour in Rila Mountains. Snowshoe trips in Rila are also common as well as having the hike to Musala as a part of a more challenging program, commencing climbs to the three highest Bulgaria peaks (in Rila, Pirin and the Balkan mountains). One-day hiking tours from Sofia are available too (to Mt. Musala or to the Seven Rila Lakes. Good resource for possible itineraries or if you plan to book guided hiking and self-guided walking tours in the Rila Mountains is http://www.bulgariawalking.com, while for daily hiking treks from Sofia you can read the comments in the already existing topic here http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294452-d2050151-Reviews-Traventuria_Ltd_Day_Tours-Sofia.html or check Traventuria's website directly. The lifts working time for summer if you plan to climb Mt. Musala you should check at http://www.borovets-bg.com/en. The lift for The Seven Rila Lakes (in Panichishte resort) normally runs every day from mid June until mid September but even if it doesn't work for some reason there are 4x4 vehicle which will drive you up for a certain fee (again a matter of negotiation). Alternatively you can skip both and simply walk up (1,30hrs one way).
Access: If you want to use a public transport to Rila Mountains you should know that they start from Bus Station South in Sofia (and the buses go to the town of Samokov). From Samokov there are smaller vans who transfer people either to Borovets resort or to Maliovitsa resort (sometimes out of schedule, and you need to negotiate a price). There is no public transportation to Panichishte resort from Sofia and if you plan to visit The Seven Lakes you should either hire a car or book a private tour.
Written February 17, 2012
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.
Alex V
London, UK5 contributions
Sep 2014 • Solo
Musala is the highest peak in the Balkans - 2925 metres above sea level. It is some 6m higher than Mt. Olympus. I hiked up Musala in late September 2014.
I took an early-morning flight from London Stansted to Sofia on Saturday. My Easyjet flight landed in Sofia on time at 11:50 and when I got through passport control I went to the Departures area and bought two local bus tickets for 1 lev (EUR 0.50) each. Bus Nr. 84 runs approximately every 20 mins to the centre of Sofia. I reached Orlov Most by 12:45 and walked to the Tsar Osvoboditel monument and from there to the Alexander Nevski cathedral (very beautiful inside) and further to St. Sophia, Ivan Vazov Theatre, St. George's Rotunda (IV century AD), the mosque (XVI century, by Mimar Sinan). I filled up a few bottles with the local mineral water that is available right from source just behind the mosque). Then I went to Vitosha blvd. and exchanged some currency - the rate in Sofia is much better than in London, but you have to be careful not to get in a tourist trap where they will exchange pounds at the euro rate or euros at the dollar rate.
After sightseeing in Sofia, I took metro (BGN 1) from the Serdika station (centre) to Joliot-Curie and walked ~300 metres to the South Bus Station (under the bridge) and took a minibus to Samokov. The minibuses are run by different companies and a ticket may cost between BGN 4.80 and BGN 7 (in any case it is under 4 euros or 5 dollars). It takes 1 hour to reach Samokov. In Samokov I took another minibus (BGN 1.30) to Borovets. This other minimus runs from the same place - it is just 10 metres from one bay to the other. The last minibus to Borovets (at least in Sep) is at 6pm, otherwise you have to take taxi for BGN 20, i.e. 15 times the price of bus ticket. It takes 10-15 mins to reach Borovets.
In Borovets, I stayed in Borovets Gardens. I paid EUR 15 per night for a studio with a bathroom, fully equipped kitchen, TV etc. Cheap! The property has a pool and a sauna, but that is only available in high season (not in Sep-Oct).
Next morning, I set off right after dawn at 7.15 am. It takes a about 15 min from the road junction near Borovets Gardens to reach the place where a forest track (signposted "Мусала") starts on your left. The forest track is an easy walk for a few km crossing a few bridges. After following the track for some 1.5 hrs, I started seeing the first snow. In another 30 mins, it was white all around. After a bridge called Wolf's Bridge (there is a picnic area next to it), the forest starts turning into a field covered with bushes and dwarf pine trees. After some more walking, I reached a gondola lift stop (this is not the last stop), then it started getting much colder and the snow started getting thicker. Just before 11 am I reached the Musala mountain hut at 2369m. Then I walked along the left bank of the lake and then the path started getting more difficult. I didn't have crampons or walking sticks, so it was very easy to fall or to get into a crevice under the snow. Yet, I continued and soon got to another small lake. From there it took me another 40-50 mins to a third lake called Ledenoto Ezero (the Icy Lake). There is another hut there, but it was closed. Then, I shortly reached the most difficult section with poles and rope between the poles to help climbers. Some sections between the poles are very exposed and there is a 100 metres (330 feet) vertical drop on either side of the path. This section is not long, but steep and tiring. And then - there is the summit. I reached it at 2 pm after 6h45m of walking. There is another hut there and the view from the summit is majestic. You can see the Musala lakes, the other peaks, the forest, the fields below, lake Iskar some 30 km (20 miles) away is clearly visible. You can see how colours change from white on top to green in the pine forest to yellow and red in the leaf forest, and then to brownish in the fields and blue in the lakes. I spent some 20 mins on the summit and went back. Going down is easier and faster (except the first 100 metres with the ropes) than going up, so in less than 5 hrs and well before sunset I reached Borovets. I was back in my hotel room just before 7pm.
Thus in 11h45m I did 1610 metres (5300 feet) of vertical ascent and 23 km (14.5 miles) of walking. Next morning I found that of all dangers in the mountains, it was not the snow, the wind, or the rain that harmed me the most - it was the sun. My face got badly sunburnt. Something that never happened to me in places like Ben Nevis or Snowdon. Apparently, above 2000 metres the sun gets much stronger and you get twice as much UV radiation as you would get at the sea level. I took the first minibus to Samokov at 8:30 am and I reached Sofia by 10 am.
I took an early-morning flight from London Stansted to Sofia on Saturday. My Easyjet flight landed in Sofia on time at 11:50 and when I got through passport control I went to the Departures area and bought two local bus tickets for 1 lev (EUR 0.50) each. Bus Nr. 84 runs approximately every 20 mins to the centre of Sofia. I reached Orlov Most by 12:45 and walked to the Tsar Osvoboditel monument and from there to the Alexander Nevski cathedral (very beautiful inside) and further to St. Sophia, Ivan Vazov Theatre, St. George's Rotunda (IV century AD), the mosque (XVI century, by Mimar Sinan). I filled up a few bottles with the local mineral water that is available right from source just behind the mosque). Then I went to Vitosha blvd. and exchanged some currency - the rate in Sofia is much better than in London, but you have to be careful not to get in a tourist trap where they will exchange pounds at the euro rate or euros at the dollar rate.
After sightseeing in Sofia, I took metro (BGN 1) from the Serdika station (centre) to Joliot-Curie and walked ~300 metres to the South Bus Station (under the bridge) and took a minibus to Samokov. The minibuses are run by different companies and a ticket may cost between BGN 4.80 and BGN 7 (in any case it is under 4 euros or 5 dollars). It takes 1 hour to reach Samokov. In Samokov I took another minibus (BGN 1.30) to Borovets. This other minimus runs from the same place - it is just 10 metres from one bay to the other. The last minibus to Borovets (at least in Sep) is at 6pm, otherwise you have to take taxi for BGN 20, i.e. 15 times the price of bus ticket. It takes 10-15 mins to reach Borovets.
In Borovets, I stayed in Borovets Gardens. I paid EUR 15 per night for a studio with a bathroom, fully equipped kitchen, TV etc. Cheap! The property has a pool and a sauna, but that is only available in high season (not in Sep-Oct).
Next morning, I set off right after dawn at 7.15 am. It takes a about 15 min from the road junction near Borovets Gardens to reach the place where a forest track (signposted "Мусала") starts on your left. The forest track is an easy walk for a few km crossing a few bridges. After following the track for some 1.5 hrs, I started seeing the first snow. In another 30 mins, it was white all around. After a bridge called Wolf's Bridge (there is a picnic area next to it), the forest starts turning into a field covered with bushes and dwarf pine trees. After some more walking, I reached a gondola lift stop (this is not the last stop), then it started getting much colder and the snow started getting thicker. Just before 11 am I reached the Musala mountain hut at 2369m. Then I walked along the left bank of the lake and then the path started getting more difficult. I didn't have crampons or walking sticks, so it was very easy to fall or to get into a crevice under the snow. Yet, I continued and soon got to another small lake. From there it took me another 40-50 mins to a third lake called Ledenoto Ezero (the Icy Lake). There is another hut there, but it was closed. Then, I shortly reached the most difficult section with poles and rope between the poles to help climbers. Some sections between the poles are very exposed and there is a 100 metres (330 feet) vertical drop on either side of the path. This section is not long, but steep and tiring. And then - there is the summit. I reached it at 2 pm after 6h45m of walking. There is another hut there and the view from the summit is majestic. You can see the Musala lakes, the other peaks, the forest, the fields below, lake Iskar some 30 km (20 miles) away is clearly visible. You can see how colours change from white on top to green in the pine forest to yellow and red in the leaf forest, and then to brownish in the fields and blue in the lakes. I spent some 20 mins on the summit and went back. Going down is easier and faster (except the first 100 metres with the ropes) than going up, so in less than 5 hrs and well before sunset I reached Borovets. I was back in my hotel room just before 7pm.
Thus in 11h45m I did 1610 metres (5300 feet) of vertical ascent and 23 km (14.5 miles) of walking. Next morning I found that of all dangers in the mountains, it was not the snow, the wind, or the rain that harmed me the most - it was the sun. My face got badly sunburnt. Something that never happened to me in places like Ben Nevis or Snowdon. Apparently, above 2000 metres the sun gets much stronger and you get twice as much UV radiation as you would get at the sea level. I took the first minibus to Samokov at 8:30 am and I reached Sofia by 10 am.
Written October 6, 2014
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.
Stoycho Bozukov
Sofia, Bulgaria225 contributions
Oct 2019 • Family
A magnificent Alpine-type mountain, you always need to be prepared for it solidly! Worth the beautiful view!
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.
Chandni D
Melbourne, Australia3 contributions
Oct 2013 • Friends
Though it was difficult to get our heads around how to get there (which really isn't that difficult), a friend and I did a day trip from Sofia to the Seven Lakes in the Rila Mountains - we left early and caught two buses and a chair lift and it was the best day we had in Sofia. The views were incredible, wild horses roamed the mountain as well as some that were attached to locals offering rides. We were the only non-locals on the mountain... some of the locals at the top got excited and started taking photos with us!
It's really cold at the top even in summer so bring layers!
It's really cold at the top even in summer so bring layers!
Written September 2, 2014
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.
Radu A
Bucharest, Romania97 contributions
Sep 2013 • Solo
If you want to go and to be the highest in Balkans for a minute or more on Musala peak, then you just had an excelent choise. If you go there by foot and not by car from Sofia, then i will recomend you the choises i think are the best. From Sofia rail station take the bus no 413 to Interpred World Trade Center station. Get down and look for Yug Bus station (Yug Autogar) from there are some mini bus to the city called Somokov. The price is 6 leva and in one hour you reach your destination. From Somokov is another minibus with destination Borovets (2 leva/10 minutes) Once you are in Borovets you can take telegondol (telecabin) to Yastrebets.Price is 10 leva for both ways(5eur) and is working wednesday to sunday 9-18:00 There are many places around where youi can get a warm dish. From Yastrebets to Musala Hat are 4 km of easy walk , in one hour you are there. Is a good place to have a tea but i wont recomend it as a choise to stay over night. Services are bad, is smelly, food awfull and beds are dirty without any sheets. Its better to just keep walking for another like 2 hours until Everest Hat wich is actualy very close to Musala Peak. Food is ok , a bed is 15 leva (7,5 eur) and ladies are very nice. Starting 15 september is closed for winter. During winter is not a good idea to get there. From Everest Hat to Musala Peak is a difficult path, not verry , wich takes around 1-2 hours. The view is great, wild, i saw a black wild goat family very close! If you have problems with missing oxygen at high altitude you will take it easy. Water is needed as you can find at Musala Peak only tea. Its a great trip and the landscape and the view are wonderful! Enjoy!
Written September 17, 2013
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.
Jimmy A
106 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
My girlfriend and I (25 years old and semi-regular hikers) spent 4 days hiking in the Rila Mountains. These are beautiful mountains great for hiking. In early May we found that the mountains still had a lot of snow at the tops, up to 150cm which did make progress difficult at times. The ski season finishes mid April so most lifts weren't working, however with a bit of exploring (on foot and by car) we found some excellent routes. We were among the only people on the mountains and rarely saw other hikers on any day.
Day 1 - We took the Rilski Ezera lift up to the 7 lakes, having driven from borovets. The 7 lakes route was almost entirely snow covered, with the lakes all frozen, however this was equally as beautiful as the water would have been. We went the reverse route, starting with the lowest lake and working our way up to the highest on the circular route. It took us around 30 minutes in the snow to reach the first lake, and then around 2 hours to see 6 of the 7 lakes. We didn't make lake 7 as it was very steep with deep snow and the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. It then took around 30 mins to walk back down, the snow was not so thick on the way back so this was much easier. In total it took us 3.5hrs in total in the snow to do 6 of the lakes. Without the snow we would have made it to all of the lakes in the same time. The views at the top of the mountain were stunning, along with various other points along the walk.
Day 2 - We took the only working chair lift in Borovets and then walked down the Ski Way back to Borovets. The signs weren't very obvious at the top, but once we found the route it was easy to follow. Gentle route down the ski way with some great views over Borovets.
Day 3 - We drove to Malyovitsa and followed the trail which leads to Rila Monastery. The trail was easy to find and easy to follow, even in the snow. The trail mostly follows the melt water stream up the valley until the pass over to the other side of the mountains. Due to the increasing snow and risk of avalanche we did not attempt the final pass over to the other side of the mountains and the monastery, however had a wonderful hike up the valley until we were very close to the final pass. There was a hut about halfway up the trail where we bought drinks and a snack. Aside from the man in the hut we didn't see other hikers all day. Malyovitsa is a hidden gem which we stumbled upon looking for vada hut, and I would recommend it as a starting point for hikes. In total we walked for around 4/5 hours.
Day 4 - We walked up the Musala Path from Borovets to the highest ski runs. This path is easy to find from Borovets and, aside from a couple do bits at the start where we needed to check the route, it is easy to follow to the top. This route does not provide the same views out over the mountains as the other hikes did, however as it follows the stream up the mountain it is still very beautiful. When we reached the ski runs we were then also rewarded with views of Musala peak itself. The path continues up to Musala Hut and Musala Peak, however due to avalanche risk we did not try this. It took us about 3 hours to walk up to the ski runs, and it would have been about another hour to Musala Hut.
Day 1 - We took the Rilski Ezera lift up to the 7 lakes, having driven from borovets. The 7 lakes route was almost entirely snow covered, with the lakes all frozen, however this was equally as beautiful as the water would have been. We went the reverse route, starting with the lowest lake and working our way up to the highest on the circular route. It took us around 30 minutes in the snow to reach the first lake, and then around 2 hours to see 6 of the 7 lakes. We didn't make lake 7 as it was very steep with deep snow and the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. It then took around 30 mins to walk back down, the snow was not so thick on the way back so this was much easier. In total it took us 3.5hrs in total in the snow to do 6 of the lakes. Without the snow we would have made it to all of the lakes in the same time. The views at the top of the mountain were stunning, along with various other points along the walk.
Day 2 - We took the only working chair lift in Borovets and then walked down the Ski Way back to Borovets. The signs weren't very obvious at the top, but once we found the route it was easy to follow. Gentle route down the ski way with some great views over Borovets.
Day 3 - We drove to Malyovitsa and followed the trail which leads to Rila Monastery. The trail was easy to find and easy to follow, even in the snow. The trail mostly follows the melt water stream up the valley until the pass over to the other side of the mountains. Due to the increasing snow and risk of avalanche we did not attempt the final pass over to the other side of the mountains and the monastery, however had a wonderful hike up the valley until we were very close to the final pass. There was a hut about halfway up the trail where we bought drinks and a snack. Aside from the man in the hut we didn't see other hikers all day. Malyovitsa is a hidden gem which we stumbled upon looking for vada hut, and I would recommend it as a starting point for hikes. In total we walked for around 4/5 hours.
Day 4 - We walked up the Musala Path from Borovets to the highest ski runs. This path is easy to find from Borovets and, aside from a couple do bits at the start where we needed to check the route, it is easy to follow to the top. This route does not provide the same views out over the mountains as the other hikes did, however as it follows the stream up the mountain it is still very beautiful. When we reached the ski runs we were then also rewarded with views of Musala peak itself. The path continues up to Musala Hut and Musala Peak, however due to avalanche risk we did not try this. It took us about 3 hours to walk up to the ski runs, and it would have been about another hour to Musala Hut.
Written May 5, 2017
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.
Katie D.
15 contributions
Jun 2020 • Couples
Fantastic, rewarding (and not too difficult) hikes
We stayed in Borovets (very quiet outside of ski season)
7 Rila Lakes - The chairlift to the Seven Rila Lakes hike is about an hour's drive away (their summer hours are 9:00am-4:30pm; 20 leva each for a return ticket; takes around 30 mins). We went on a Tuesday and arrived at the chairlift at around 10am.
The whole hike took us around 4½ hours (3 up; 1½ down), including 20min. stop and photo stops.
It was raining off and on, but we still had great views of the mist around the lakes. We did not see a very defined viewpoint spot at the top - we just went up past lake #7 until we could see most of the lakes. We had just enough time on the way up to stop at the hut for a quick lunch and hot drinks. And we stopped to take lots of pictures. We only needed a thermal T-shirt and a light jacket and we felt pretty warm the whole time until the chairlift down when we started feeling a little cold. Overall, one of the most beautiful hikes we've ever done!
Musala Peak - Yastrobets gondola in Borovets takes you to the trailhead (their summer hours are Wed-Sun, 8:30am-18:00pm; 15 leva each for a return ticket; takes around 30mins; make sure you don't get off at the mid-way station!) We went on a Thursday and arrived at the gondola station around 10am.
This hike took around 5 hours (2hr 40 up; 2hr down), not including rest breaks. One hour in we passed Musala Hut. An hour later we reached Everest Hut - a very welcome break (with lentil soup and hot drinks!) after walking through the snow in the rain. The last stretch took around 40 mins.
Although not quite as beautiful as the 7 Rila Lakes hike, it was fun to summit the highest peak in the Balkans! It was about the same difficulty as 7 Rila Lakes, just a little colder and with a few less lakes :)
We stayed in Borovets (very quiet outside of ski season)
7 Rila Lakes - The chairlift to the Seven Rila Lakes hike is about an hour's drive away (their summer hours are 9:00am-4:30pm; 20 leva each for a return ticket; takes around 30 mins). We went on a Tuesday and arrived at the chairlift at around 10am.
The whole hike took us around 4½ hours (3 up; 1½ down), including 20min. stop and photo stops.
It was raining off and on, but we still had great views of the mist around the lakes. We did not see a very defined viewpoint spot at the top - we just went up past lake #7 until we could see most of the lakes. We had just enough time on the way up to stop at the hut for a quick lunch and hot drinks. And we stopped to take lots of pictures. We only needed a thermal T-shirt and a light jacket and we felt pretty warm the whole time until the chairlift down when we started feeling a little cold. Overall, one of the most beautiful hikes we've ever done!
Musala Peak - Yastrobets gondola in Borovets takes you to the trailhead (their summer hours are Wed-Sun, 8:30am-18:00pm; 15 leva each for a return ticket; takes around 30mins; make sure you don't get off at the mid-way station!) We went on a Thursday and arrived at the gondola station around 10am.
This hike took around 5 hours (2hr 40 up; 2hr down), not including rest breaks. One hour in we passed Musala Hut. An hour later we reached Everest Hut - a very welcome break (with lentil soup and hot drinks!) after walking through the snow in the rain. The last stretch took around 40 mins.
Although not quite as beautiful as the 7 Rila Lakes hike, it was fun to summit the highest peak in the Balkans! It was about the same difficulty as 7 Rila Lakes, just a little colder and with a few less lakes :)
Written June 27, 2020
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.
Tankut G
Istanbul, Türkiye32 contributions
Jun 2019 • Solo
This is a must place to be , you will feel the high energy in the atmosphere . Green is somehow unrealistically beautiful . It is really cool out there . Get prepared well if you will go up and walk , even in the summer .
Written June 16, 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.
MatthewASharp
Torquay, UK2,458 contributions
Mar 2016 • Solo
Although I'm English I live in Glasgow so hills, mountains and Lakes/Lochs are plentiful and much more stunning.
Also as a frequent traveller France and the mountains around Lake Annecy, NZ's Mt Cook and the Southern Alps, Mt Fuji, Norway and their Fjords and I could go on are much more stunning and jaw dropping.
The region was ok but I wouldn't go out of my way to explore and especially travel there.
Also as a frequent traveller France and the mountains around Lake Annecy, NZ's Mt Cook and the Southern Alps, Mt Fuji, Norway and their Fjords and I could go on are much more stunning and jaw dropping.
The region was ok but I wouldn't go out of my way to explore and especially travel there.
Written March 21, 2016
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Zdravo, želela bih sa društvom posetiti planinu Rila, medjutim, zanima me, da li je moguće sopstveni obilazak ili moramo uzeti vodiča i moje drugo pitanje je, da li postoji mesto za kampovanje u blizini Ili jedino rešenje je spavanje u hotelima? Pozdrav.
Written July 31, 2019
Yehuda Z
Shoham, Israel
Hello, I am planning to drive from Governatsi to the lift for the seven lakes.
Can you advise me if this road condition is good for a mini-van? Thanks, Yehuda
Written July 21, 2019
Hi.
I'm considering a three-day trek in the Rila Mountains and Lakes at the end of September. I would like to hear whether the weather during this period is suitable for trekking in the Rila Mountains, in terms of rain, wind and temperature?
I would appreciate receiving data from someone familiar with the conditions.
Written August 29, 2018
Hi,
Giving a weather forecast in any mountain is always really risky and you should always check before traveling. September generally speaking is a good month but always check the forecast first.
Written August 30, 2018
Hi, me and my son are planning a trip through the Rila mountains. We plan to go from Panichiste to Skakavitsa hut on the first day, to see the waterfall. On the next day, we go to Ivan Vazov hut, and on the third day we go through the lakes to Lovna hut. The following day, we return to Panichiste. Do you think this route is suitible for the timescale? What is the best way to get up to Skakavitsa hut? Also, any tips on avoiding crowds? For reference, we are experienced hikers. Thanks, any comments welcome!
Written July 22, 2018
Non sono stato in questi posti
Written August 15, 2018
Hi , how long did it take you to do the 6 lakes once you arrived up top? we are planning a day, getting to the cable car mid morning this September and wondered if we would have enough time to hike the lakes, regards Annette
Written March 7, 2018
Actually if you want to go up with lift and if you are there around 9 am you have 3 hours to the top i suggested you to take a break on "Kidney lake" sit there for 20 min and after that going to the top because after this lake is really hard to be on the top if you want just to see all the lakes you can stop on ""Tear lake" but if you want to make a picture of all 7 lakes you need to go exactly top of the mountain which is 20 min more but still if you are on the lift at 10 am you will be at the top around 2 with all breaks and normal walking. And usually i take a rest and eat on "Tear Lake" take a nap for an hour there and after that going down for 2:30/3 hours and you are on the lift again around 5. So you can go down from the mountain before sunset.
Written August 3, 2018
Where is exactly location for a lift to see 7 lakes?
Please let me know because we are on our way to rila already🚗🚗
Written July 31, 2017
Where is exactly location for a lift to see 7 lakes?
Please let me know because we are on our way to rila already🚗🚗
Written July 31, 2017
goo.gl/maps/azAm1XQtojs
There's a bus from town center of Sapareva Banya.
But, I recommend taxi or driving.
Enjoy your hiking, Magdalena.
Written August 10, 2017
Hi,
A friend and I plan to climb Musala later this week and have a couple of questions.
We are staying in Borovets - how easy is the initial route to find from the town centre? We have a car so have read online that you can drive part to Bistrica village - is this route easy to find? And how much time does this save?
Does anyone know What condition the mountain is in? We're preparing for snow but not crampons so will have lots of layers and strong hiking boots. Given its between winter and summer season are we likely to meet many other hikers?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Written May 15, 2017
Hi, the ski season is over in the resort, so I think if you don`t want to walk a lot(I mean 15km) you can leave your car at the Gondola station parking and take it to the top-I think it`s the only one working lift at the moment in the resort. As I remember it cost 26lv(13€) both sides. After you climb at the Markudjik zone by the lift, you have about 1-1:30h to the Musala hut(in the winter, during the week it`s usually closed, but now maybe it could work and take a meal and a beer there). The next stop is Everest shelter, it`s under the peak and it`s again on 1-1:30h from the Musala hut(depends from the group and conditions of course). There is also food and drinks there if you want. From the shelter to the top is about 40-60minutes and there is a cable for security, so you can followed it to the top in almost any conditions. At the top you can buy only tea and it`s good to bring something with you. Maybe at this time they have and food there, but I`m not sure. So good luck and I hope the weather will be fine and you`ll see the amazing view from the top :)
Written May 20, 2017
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