Absolutely beautiful nature. A lot of walking, but Definitely a "MUST" see. We stayed in a house in Sapareva banya and we have had a long day of walking/ hiking to see the last lake. The view is stunning from the last lake. We stayed in a house in Sapareva banya with mineral waters called "The Rock" and it was very relaxing going into the pool after long day hiking. So definitely would recommend this combination of long day hiking and then relaxing in a pool with mineral water.

Visited on Sunday 9th June. Got the chair lift from the bottom (25Lev per person for return trip). Takes around 25mins to ascend on chair lift. Very peaceful and lovely views. Only went into the hut at the top of the chair lift to use the toilet which you have to pay to use (1 Lev). The trail itself is well maintained, although very busy. Relatively easy walking with great views. The last section up to the viewpoint is a steep climb and if being honest, doesn't have any significantly better views than the rest of the trail. We returned via the lower path between the lakes which was quieter. Allow 3 to 4 hours for a gentle pace.

The Seven Rila Lakes is an absolutely gorgeous place to visit. 1h30min by car from Sofía, easy to get there. The chairlift to the top is a nice experience. 25BGN return ticket for adults and 15BGN for children (2022 prices). Children younger than 5yo travel for free. We enjoyed the whole family hiking up to the top, viewing all the 7 lakes. On the way back we unfortunately got lost and almost lost the last chairlift down. We did the last track running, what a suspense! It has been a wonderful experience for the whole family. Almost 8 hours hiking with our small kids, congratulations! Incredible views and landscapes, walking around almost alone in these amazing mountains (no crowds, we crossed only a few other hikers), magic atmosphere. This place will stay in our hearts forever!

The whole seven lakes route quite challenging at 8.4km and an elevation gain of 528m. From the car park it is a short walk to the cable car. Return trip 20 minutes each way is 30 BGN. We took the direct elevated route from the cable car to Babreka (the kidney) lake, the first part is a steady climb on a well marked path before levelling out. The next section is the steepest and pretty tough at times but the arrival at Okoto (the eye) lake and the short walk to the iconic panoramic view of the seven lakes made it very worthwhile. We returned via the lowland route giving a much closer view of four lakes on our return journey. It gives a totally different perspective to the panoramic views up on high. You also get a distant view of the panoramic viewing point and will be amazed how far you have walked. The hike took around 5 hours 40 minutes with a short stop of picnic lunch and short breaks along the way to admire the views. For us a couple in their mid 60’s, it was very tough but doable. Good walking shoes are essential and walking poles particularly for the downhill bits are useful. Best to layer up because the climate at the top of the cable car is markedly cooler than at the bottom.