Bulgarian Mountains
Bulgaria is not the most popular tourist destination. Itβs often misconceived as an underdeveloped country. And I must agree in some ways it is. For example, postal services in this country are some pretty stone-age stuff. Internet speed, on the other hand, puts the country in the top 10 in Europe. A contradicting place this is. When it comes to tourism, there is a contradiction as well. Summer and winter resorts are thriving with their shiny clubs and luxurious hotels. At the same time huts and shelters, as well as trails and facilities in the Bulgarian mountains rarely see that much attention.
And that sort of makes sense as international hikers are not the countryβs target tourists. Most huts are not privately owned which means there is not much investment in them either. For many trails information is only available in Bulgarian. Some trails are not marked, so unless your wayfinding skills are outstanding, I recommend finding a guided tour. All of that would put a lot of foreign travellers off and thatβs understandable. But weβd like to change that and help make Bulgarian mountains more accessible and well known.
There are many mountains in Bulgaria, but I will only focus on a few of them. I will mention sites and hikes, but the list of gorgeous places is too long for this post. All of these can be done as a multi-day hike. However, keep in mind that not all huts and shelters are in a good condition. This means that if you plan to do this, you should make peace with the idea you will not have a hot shower every day. First world problems. The experience is epic, though.
Rila
The top of the Bulgarian mountains
Rila, with its highest summit β Musala, at 2925 m is the sixth highest mountain in Europe. With around 200 glacial lakes scattered all over it, it is also the most beautiful, in my opinion. But I am a bit biased.
The most famous landmark in the Rila mountain is certainly the Rila Monastery, the largest one in Bulgaria. Founded in the 10th century, the Monastery has been a cultural heritage and historical site ever since. Itβs named after its founder β Ivan of Rila (ΠΠ²Π°Π½ Π ΠΈΠ»ΡΠΊΠΈ or also referred to as Saint John of Rila) who lived in a cave nearby and it was his students who built the complex. The Monastery houses Rafailβs cross in its museum. The monk Rafail used a magnifying glass to carve 104 religious scenes and 650 miniature figures into the cross. When he completed the piece in about 12 years, the monk lost his sight.
The most well-known hiking destination in Rila are the Seven Rila lakes (Π‘Π΅Π΄Π΅ΠΌΡΠ΅ ΡΠΈΠ»ΡΠΊΠΈ Π΅Π·Π΅ΡΠ°). They are situated one above the other and are connected via small streams. There is a lift that goes almost all the way up. Vehicles take visitors up via service roads illegally as well. All that makes the trail extremely crowded. Sadly, Bulgaria is not good at protecting its environment so there is no regulation of that traffic. Soon this beautiful landscape will be destroyed by tourism and lack of maintenance.
A trail for every hikerβs experience level
Other than the above-mentioned attractions, there are many beautiful places in the Rila mountain that are worth visiting. Many hikes are not well-known to foreign tourists. That makes these trails perfect for people like me who enjoy the serenity and silence of nature as they lack the noisy people hustling and standing in the way of the gorgeous views.
For those who appreciate a pleasant hike to a picturesque location, I recommend visiting the Skakavitsa (Π‘ΠΊΠ°ΠΊΠ°Π²ΠΈΡΠ°) waterfall. Itβs the highest waterfall in this mountain surrounded by the endemic Macedonian pine forests. In spring when the snow is melting, and the rivers are at their fullest, the water falling down from 70 meters creates a nearly deafening rumble.
Another great hike is the Scary Lake (Π‘ΡΡΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΠΎ Π΅Π·Π΅ΡΠΎ) – a gorgeous lake reflecting the surrounding mountains in its clear waters. It got its name due to the amplified sounds of thunder during thunderstorms which are quite frequent in the area. It is also referred to as the Amphitheater of thunder.Β
If your starting point is the Rila Monastery, then you could hike to the fish lakes (Π ΠΈΠ±Π½ΠΈΡΠ΅ Π΅Π·Π΅ΡΠ°) and the smelly lake (Π‘ΠΌΡΠ°Π΄Π»ΠΈΠ²ΠΎΡΠΎ Π΅Π·Π΅ΡΠΎ), or the dry lake (Π‘ΡΡ ΠΎΡΠΎ Π΅Π·Π΅ΡΠΎ). For an off the beaten path experience you could head to the spectacular Urdini lakes (Π£ΡΠ΄ΠΈΠ½ΠΈ Π΅Π·Π΅ΡΠ°).
If youβre up for a challenge, you could hike to the top of the Balkans β mount Musala (Π²ΡΡΡ ΠΡΡΠ°Π»Π°). It is actually not the most difficult peak to climb in Bulgaria despite being the highest. Another challenging and beautiful trail is the one to mount Maliovitsa (Π²ΡΡΡ ΠΠ°Π»ΡΠΎΠ²ΠΈΡΠ°) with its steep slopes and glacial lakes along the way.
Pirin
The rocky mountain
Another fine representative of the Bulgarian mountains is Pirin. There are different hypotheses for where its name came from, one of them being that the mountain is named after the Slavic god of thunder β Perun. Another one is that the name is derived from the Thracian word for βrocky mountainβ. And it is a suitable name as most of the tracks are harsh with small edelweiss flowers peeking through the rocks. It is renowned for its mineral springs and the small town of Bansko that turned into a famous ski resort.
Easy walks and advanced hikes
There are many gorgeous places to choose from when visiting Pirin. You could pick from easy walks that will take you through small villages to gorgeous waterfalls and crystal-clear lakes. A few such examples are the Popinolashki waterfall (ΠΠΎΠΏΠΈΠ½ΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠΊΠΈ Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΏΠ°Π΄), Popovo lake (ΠΠΎΠΏΠΎΠ²ΠΎ Π΅Π·Π΅ΡΠΎ) and the Tevno lake (Π’Π΅Π²Π½ΠΎ Π΅Π·Π΅ΡΠΎ).
The hike to Popovo lake is short and pleasant, and the lake itself with the surrounding mountains makes up a postcard-like landscape.
The Tevno lake is a bit more difficult to get to but it is one of the most majestic sites in Pirin. Its name means βdark lakeβ and there is a legend for how it got the name. Itβs about the price of granting wishes. According to the legend, the lake was glowing silky blue in the morning and golden in the evening. A girl who visited often once wished to have eyes as blue as the lake in the morning and golden hair as the lakeβs colour in the evening. The lake granted her wishes, but she never thanked it for the gifts. Instead, she grew greedy and kept asking for more. Eventually, she made the lake so angry it became dark as it is today.
There are many hiking trails that cross the Tevno lake, and a good one to take is towards mount Kamenitsa (Π²ΡΡΡ ΠΠ°ΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡΠ°). The views from up there are breathtaking.
For a more challenging experience, you could head out to one of the picturesque peaks such as Todorka (Π’ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΡΠΊΠ°), Muratov (ΠΡΡΠ°ΡΠΎΠ² Π²ΡΡΡ ) or Bezbog (ΠΠ΅Π·Π±ΠΎΠ³). The track to mount Muratov crosses the picturesque Muratovo lake (ΠΡΡΠ°ΡΠΎΠ²ΠΎ Π΅Π·Π΅ΡΠΎ) which is a beautiful spot to hike to even if you donβt go all the way to the peak.
If youβre not afraid of heights, you could take the adrenaline route to Koncheto (ΠΠΎΠ½ΡΠ΅ΡΠΎ). The name translates to βthe horseβ because before the safety metal rope was placed, hikers would mount the ridge as if they were riding a horse to get across.
Stara Planina
The old Balkan
Stara Planina, meaning Old mountain and also known as the Balkan mountain range, spans across the whole country from the west to Cape Emine in the east. The mountain displays a broad range of landscapes that change with the altitude. Temperatures fall as elevation increases and that causes the ecosystem to stratify. Oak forests dominate the lower parts with beech forests higher up. Above that, there is a level of spruce, pine, and fir trees. Trees get shorter and shorter the more you ascend, and fields and bushes occupy the highest parts.
What about the hikes?
The long-distance trail from mount Kom (Π²ΡΡΡ ΠΠΎΠΌ) in the west near the Serbian border to cape Emine (Π½ΠΎΡ ΠΠΌΠΈΠ½Π΅) is part of the E3 European long-distance path. The Kom-Emine trail takes up to 25 days to traverse and it crosses the main ridge of the mountain.
Itβs a long hike, so plan camping or spending the night at the Ray hut (Ρ . Π Π°ΠΉ) beneath the beautiful 124.5 meters tall waterfall called Raiskoto Praskalo (Π Π°ΠΉΡΠΊΠΎΡΠΎ ΠΏΡΡΡΠΊΠ°Π»ΠΎ). I have no clue how to translate this without making it sound ridiculous.
Hiking up mount Botev (Π²ΡΡΡ ΠΠΎΡΠ΅Π²) is another good option for spending a day in the Old Balkan. It is the highest peak in the mountain at 2376 meters.
Another hiking gem is the Goatβs Wall peak (Π²ΡΡΡ ΠΠΎΠ·Ρ ΡΡΠ΅Π½Π° β read as Kozya Stena). It is only 1670 meters high but the view from its 100-meter vertical northern wall will leave you breathless.
For those who are looking for easier walks there is the Prohodna cave (ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ΅ΡΠ° ΠΡΠΎΡ ΠΎΠ΄Π½Π°) β one of the most famous geological phenomena in Bulgaria. The Iskar β Panega (ΠΡΠΊΡΡ-ΠΠ°Π½Π΅Π³Π°) geopark is located not far from the cave β about 15 minutes by car. There you can have a stroll along the turquoise waters of the Zlatna Panega river (Ρ. ΠΠ»Π°ΡΠ½Π° ΠΠ°Π½Π΅Π³Π°) or relax on a bench enjoying the landscapes.
One more treat of the Balkanβs nature are the Krushuna waterfalls (ΠΡΡΡΡΠ½ΡΠΊΠΈΡΠ΅ Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΏΠ°Π΄ΠΈ) β the biggest travertine cascade in the country. Walk along the terraces of clear blue waters up to its spring hidden in a cave, and stroll into the Devetashka cave before heading back.
Rhodope
The green archeological wonder
The Rhodope mountain is the largest Bulgarian mountain taking up one-seventh of the country’s area. Unlike its rocky neighbours, the Rhodopes are a very green place. It is known for its karst areas, caves, and river gorges. Its first known inhabitants were the Thracians who built fortresses and cities some of which left ruins that can still be seen today.
So much history to see
The Rhodope mountain is a magical place full of green fields and thick forests, beautiful rock formations and noisy rivers. But apart from its natural beauty, it holds a great number of historic sites. There is something for everyoneβs taste. Those who fancy a road trip could take a ride among the canyon that is the Trigrad gorge (Π’ΡΠΈΠ³ΡΠ°Π΄ΡΠΊΠΎ ΠΆΠ΄ΡΠ΅Π»ΠΎ) dug by the Trigrad river which spills into the Devilβs Throat cave (ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ΅ΡΠ° ΠΡΠ²ΠΎΠ»ΡΠΊΠΎΡΠΎ Π³ΡΡΠ»ΠΎ). Those interested in history can visit some of the many archaeological sites and medieval fortresses. Some examples are the ruins of the ancient Thracian city of Perperikon, the ancient sanctuary near Tatul, the Mezek tomb and the Belintash sanctuary. There are many small villages of traditional Bulgarian architecture, namely Leshten, Shiroka Laka, Dolen and Kovachevitsa that are well worth a visit.
Since I mentioned traditional villages, there are also a few abandoned ones if you fancy the creepiness of a ghost village. One of those is Chalma and it is the one located highest in Bulgaria β 1650 meters. Another ghost village worth checking out as it is especially beautiful is Zherka. Itβs been abandoned since 1978, and no one really knows why.
Many castles were built in the Rhodopes mainly to protect trading routes. Examples that are still standing to some extent are the Asenova fortress, Ustra, Lyutitsa, Tsepina and Mezek.
Since I talked about the Rila Monastery, I have to mention that the second biggest monastery in the country is in the Rhodope mountain β the Bachkovo Monastery.
And so many beautiful landscapes
Still, none of these things beat the Rhodopes nature. You could set out to see the fascinating rock formations called the Wonderful bridges (Π§ΡΠ΄Π½ΠΈΡΠ΅ ΠΌΠΎΡΡΠΎΠ²Π΅). Or head to the mysterious Thracian legacy called Orlovi Skali (ΠΡΠ»ΠΎΠ²ΠΈ ΡΠΊΠ°Π»ΠΈ β roughly translates to Eagle Rocks). These are volcanic rocks with about 100 holes that nobody knows for sure what were used for. Alternatively, you could head into one of the many caves in the area. I recommend The Devilβs Throat, Yagodinska cave, Uhlovitsa, and Snezhanka, but there are others as well.
As for the hikers β there are many unmarked trails in the mountain. It is not hard to get lost, so it is not recommended to head there alone. The highest peak is called Goliam Perelik (2191 meters). It is a military zone, but you could still get close enough. Choose to hike to the canyon of waterfalls (ΠΠ°Π½ΡΠΎΠ½Π° Π½Π° Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠΏΠ°Π΄ΠΈΡΠ΅), the Devilβs bridge (ΠΡΠ²ΠΎΠ»ΡΠΊΠΈΡ ΠΌΠΎΡΡ) and the Borino waterfall or the Sini Vir waterfall (Π‘ΠΈΠ½ΠΈ Π²ΠΈΡ). Most of the hikes are relatively easy and there are many trails suitable for inexperienced hikers.
A few last words
Bulgaria is not the most popular hiking destination, but it has a lot to offer. Its mountains are among the prettiest, its history β among the richest. This beauty, however, is under threat from industrial development and private interests. The only way we can try to preserve it is to raise awareness, to give these places the popularity they deserve.
I hope that you can find the time to visit. I can guarantee you will fall in love with the landscapes, the traditions, and if youβre lucky – the sound of Bulgarian bagpipes echoing in the mountains.
Wow! The mountain & lake views are amazing! I will admit Bulgaria is not a country I have heard a lot about as far as views & hiking goes, but Iβm definitely adding it to my must-visit list! Especially while we are living in Europe. Thank you for sharing! π
I’m happy you are considering visiting! It is an amazing place, you won’t regret it π
So lush and beautiful. Iβve never been, but adding it to my list.
Happy to hear that π
This post has convinced me to add Bulgaria to my list of travel inspiration and destinations! Love learning more about all the different areas and traditions. I hope I get to see the horses!
I am happy my post inspired you to add Bulgaria to your travel destinations π it is an amazing and beautiful country, and I am sure you will love it!
Wow, some of those hiking routes up the mountains look a bit hair-raising! The lakes look beautiful though! The Dry Lake and The Popovo lake look stunning! I’d love to visit them. Thanks for the great guide!
Thanks, Hannah! I am happy you enjoyed it!
I would love to hike in the Bulgarian mountains! The scenery looks unreal! Thank you for putting this on my radar!
I am happy you found this useful π
Beautiful! I really need to see more of Bulgaria as I’ve only been to Sofia. Also as a horsey person, it’s so nice to see those horses looking happy and healthy! So often with travelling you only see horses suffering. Those are living their best life in the beautiful mountains! π
Hi Caroline! Yes, these horses have the whole mountain available to them to enjoy π
Wow, I’ve always wanted to visit Bulgaria, but after seeing your photos of those amazing hiking trails I want to go as soon as possible.
Thanks, Kitti!
This is one part of the world I would love to visit more and that I think is highly underrated by travellers. I love all of your mountain photos – such a beautiful area!
Hi Krista, it is underrated indeed. Yet is a beautiful place to explore.
I had no idea- how beautiful!! I’d love to visit!
so many beautiful mountains and hikes! wow, I love it will have to check some of these out π
Hi Jacqueline, I hope you have the chance to visit. All these hikes are amazing!
I had no idea Bulgaria had so many mountains and I’ve been a few times
Hi Kerry, indeed Bulgaria is not known as well as it should for this, but a lot of its area is covered by gorgeous mountains.
Your posts are always so inspiring, both the wealth of information and the gorgeous photos! I would love to explore the caves, waterfalls, and rock formations you have shared. I am much to frightened of heights to hike Koncheto so I’m glad you included the photo since I’ll never see that in person. Beautiful post, thanks again!
Thanks, Erica! I am happy you enjoyed my posts and I’m so glad you find them inspiring π I hope you get the chance to visit one day, and while Koncheto can be a bit extreme, there are plenty of other hikes worth doing!
Bulgaria looks absolutely stunning! Thank you for the awesome hiking recommendation!
Thanks, Lily! I am glad you liked it π
Wow, I had no idea Bulgaria was so beautiful. I’ve heard it increasing in popularity in recent years, especially for resorts, but since it’s still largely unknown I think this is a great time to visit. I would love to go hiking there
Yes, summer and winter resorts are getting quite popular. Personally, I am not the luxurious resort laid back cocktail-sipping kind of tourist, and I will always prefer a day spent in nature. And you’re absolutely right – since Bulgaria is not the most well-known hiking destination, it is the perfect time to explore π
You’re absolutely right! I totally fell in love with your pictures and I had never thought that Bulgaria could be so beautiful.
I’d love to visit it someday, fingers crossed.
Fingers crossed you get to visit! It’s so much more beautiful in person π
I love that there is a hike for every level and difficulty! These all look SO beautiful! I actually worked with a couple who was from Bulgaria, and after speaking with them and seeing pictures of it’s beauty it’s been high up on the list as a place for me to visit! Hopefully I can check some of these hikes off when I go!
I hope you can experience these hikes yourself! The pictures don’t do the landscapes any justice π
You are certainly correct when you said most people don’t know of the Bulgarian hiking trails. I am one of them! Now I know and they are gorgeous. The lakes look so clean and pristine. The caves, waterfalls, wild horses, and Edelweiss…. I love them all. I certainly would love to explore your country. I hope they invest in marking the trails clearly and writing some signs in English, as well, so that the area can be easier for tourists to navigate. (Btw, the only familiarity I had with Bulgaria is your country’s beautiful and talented opera star, Sonya Yoncheva.)
Thanks! It’s certainly a country of breathtaking landscapes and rich history, I hope you get the chance to visit! Btw, that is an impressive, but uncommon familiarity. Most people are familiar with some Bulgarian athletes, but not opera singers π
This does look/sound like it’d be an amazing adventure! So many gorgeous views and beautiful sights to see. <3
It'd be awesome to get to hike these someday!
Thanks, Farrah! I am glad you liked it and I hope you could get the chance to visit someday.
Wow, what stunning scenery. I had no idea Bulgaria was this great for hiking (but then again, if Iβm brutally honest, i donβt really know much about Bulgaria). Thanks for broadening my horizon.
Thanks, Sarah! It’s a country with stunning nature and rich history. I hope you get to visit π
Very interesting! I had actually seen anther post on Bulgaria so definitely am interested in checking out some of the mountains!
Thanks, Daphna! I am sure you will love your visit π
Wow I love your photos. Bulgaria is so beautiful π Iβd love to go there sometime.
Thanks, Lisa! I am glad you liked them π
Wow, these hikes look gorgeous. I would definitely have to start with an easy one though.
Hi Cassandra! There are plenty of easy, yet rewarding hikes to try out π
the Bulgarian mountains are so gorgeous! I went to the Rila Monastery and loved the views of them from there. I like the lake views as well.
I am glad you liked it! There are so many routes you could take from the Rila monastery, and even if you don’t have time, just a walk along the river is a great way to relax.