Bulgaria Walking

Wednesday 24^th June

Upon arrival in Sofia we will transfer to the Rila Mountains. We arrive late in the evening, so will head straight to our accommodation to get settled in.

Overnight in Samokov.

Thursday 25^th June

Today’s walk offers a first view of some of the nearby peaks we’ll be exploring in greater depth over the forthcoming week. On this occasion, we’ll be walking through forest and meadow with some element of uphill incline. Our walk concludes in the pretty town of Borovets which was established in 1896 as a hunting lodge for Bulgarian Kings, Borovets remains the oldest and one of the most celebrated of Bulgaria’s winter sport resorts.

Walking distance: 12km.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Samokov.

Friday 26^th June

Today we’ll drive to Borovets and then take the gondola lift to a spectacular top station. We’ll then walk across the beautiful Markudjik hills to a Musala hut, following a route that’s blessed with particularly wonderful natural features. We’ll pause for a lakeside lunch at the Musala hut, from where there’s a view to the top of Musala which, at 2,925 metres, is the highest mountain on the Balkan peninsular.

Walking distance: 10km.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Samokov.

Saturday 27^th June

Today there is a choice between enjoying a walk or joining an excursion to Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second most important city. Beginning as a Thracian settlement, Plovdiv subsequently submitted to Greek and later Roman, Byzantine and Bulgarian Empire cultures, before coming under Ottoman imperial rule in the 14th century. Evolving over seven adjacent hills along the Maritsa River, Plovdiv became known in Bulgaria as “The City of the Seven Hills”. Among many fascinating local features are the attractive old town, an impressive Roman amphitheatre and a mosque which dates from the height of the Ottoman Empire.

The 8 Bridges walk is a very picturesque and enjoyable walk, not too demanding and always popular!

We have a 20-minute drive to the start of the walk from where we walk up the high sided valley following the course of the Beli Iskar river. There are 8 narrow footbridges over the river and we criss-cross from one side of the river to the other as we proceed up the valley through the forest. It is 7.5 kilometres with 300 meters of elevation and will take about 4 hours of walking. There are several information boards on the walk which explain about the formation of the valley during the last ice age and the flora and fauna to be found in the area.

Walking distance: 7km.

Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight in Samokov.

Sunday 28^th June

Today offers a five-hour walk from Borovets to the Chakar Voyvoda hut where we find ourselves high above the tree-line in a lovely environment with some fantastic views up to the peak of Musala. We begin with a ride on the exhilarating Sitnyakovo chair lift to a starting hut situated at 1,970 metres, which results in a reasonably easy level of walk.

Walking distance: 12km.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Samokov.

Monday 29^th June

Today, dedicated walkers may choose our optional excursion to visit the Malyovitsa resort where we’re able to walk up through the picturesque valley to the Malyovitsa hut. There may be an opportunity to pursue a route further up the valley, depending upon remaining time and energy resources!

For those of the group who may prefer a somewhat easier pace for a day we can arrange a visit to the Kotvata Hot Springs in Sapereva Banya which has thermal indoor and outdoor pools, fed by hot mineral water springs.

Walking distance: 8km.

Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight in Samokov.

Tuesday 30^th June

The Seven Lakes walk is one of our particular favourites and begins with a drive through the village of Saparavo Banya, long famed for its thermal mineral springs. From here we take a winding mountain road, passing through the resort of Panishiste to the starting point of the Seven Lakes Walk, located at the Pionerska chalet. A chair-lift will take us up to the first lake, situated at an altitude of 2,100 metres and then on to the top lake, at 2,500 metres. This stunning walk showcases magnificent views but is also a challenging walk and therefore may not be entirely suitable for everyone in the group.

The Seven Rila Lakes, located in the Dangskiya region of the North Western Rila Mountains, are glacial in nature and lie in an attractively scattered pattern along the foot of a massive cirque which includes the peaks of Suhi Chal (Dry Peak), Otovishki, and Haramiya.

Walking distance: 10km.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Overnight in Samokov.

Wednesday 1^st July

Today we must say farewell to our sanctuary in the Rila Mountains and transfer to the airport for our return journey home. On route we’ll pass several traditional villages and stopp off for lunch at Lake Iskar on our way.

Breakfast included.

Single supplement – Please note there are no single rooms available on this holiday.

Please note a general level of fitness is required for this trip as it is geared towards people who are capable of enjoying walking for 4 to 6 hours every day. Some walks will involve shorter but steeper technical sections; others will include more gentle, but longer ascents and descents of up to 900 metres (approx 3,000ft). There are the occasional steep sections, at times series of steps, as well as sections with loose rocks under foot, but there will be no scrambling or climbing.

There may be opportunities to opt out during the walks, however these are limited, so it is crucial that you are well prepared for the walking involved. In the interests of your safety and the rest of the group’s enjoyment if, at any time, the tour manager or walking guide feels that you are not suited to a walk or are not able to complete a walk for any reason, they may, at their discretion, request you to stay behind or return to the hotel.