Across the Rila & Pirin Mountains the highest mountains on the Balkan Peninsula

A 14-day Tour of the Rila and Pirin Mountains designed for keen mountain walkers on foot paths as most of the over-nights are in mountain huts and chalets.

Day 1 - Arrival in Sofia. Depends on the time of arrival and clients' request, they can stay either at a hotel in Sofia or in the resort of Borovets.
Day 2 - After breakfast the trip starts by either taking the Gondola lift up to the Yastrebets at 2350 m., or by climbing to that point which takes 5-6 hours. Then to the Mussala hut at 2389 m., 40 min. easy walk, and to the "Ledeno Ezero"/ the Ice lake/ at 2723 m. a gentle climb for an hour and a half. An overnight at the hut under the same name.
Day 3 - After breakfast you start climbing the Mussala peak, 2925 m., the highest not only in Bulgaria but on the Balkan peninsula, higher than Olympus, the 6th high in Europe an easy half an hour climb. Then down the southern slope to "Granchar" Hut for an overnight stay. It will take approx. 5 hrs. Overnight.
Day 4 - Breakfast and departure for Treshtenik, then down to Gotze Delchev at 1600 m. From there a local bus takes clients to Dobrinishte, a spa treatment center. Then a walk to "Gotze Delchev" hut, and from there by a lift up to "Bezbog" hut at 2236 m. for the overnight.
Day 5 - After breakfast follows a bit difficult 5-hour climb to the "Tevno Lake", at 2515 m. and to the hut there for the overnight.
Day 6 - Breakfast then starts another 5-hour walk through the most picturesque parts of the Pirin Mountains to the "Kamenitsa" hut at 1750 m. Overnight stay there.
Day 7 - Breakfast. Then follows a 4-hour easy walk with little climbing to an area called "Spano Pole", meaning the 'mushrooms field'. Overnight at the "Spano Pole" chalets.
Day 8 - Breakfast. From "Spano Pole" to Sinanitza, at 2200 m. there are a couple of hours of climbing then an easy walk down of approx. 4 hours to Sinanitza. Overnight.
Day 9 - Breakfast. Then follows a gentle 6-hour walk to "Vihren" hut at 1950 m. or "Banderitsa" hut. Overnight.
Day 10 - Breakfast. Then climb of the highest peak of the Pirin Mountains, 2914 m., the second high in Bulgaria. This is a 2 and a half hour difficult climb, then through a ridge, called "Koncheto" /horse back/, which at places is only half a meter wide !!! Then down to "Yavorov" hut, 1142 m., an approx. 4-hour difficult walk. Overnight.
Day 11 - Breakfast, followed by a very pleasant walk to a place called "Predela", where the Rila and Pirin mountains /the so called Bulgarian "Alps"/ meet. Overnight at the "Predela" hut.
Day 12 - Breakfast, followed by a 6 hour difficult climb from "Predela" to "Makedonia" hut at 2166 m. Overnight.
Day 13 - Breakfast. Then starts an 8-hour walk along the ridge of the Central Rila Mountains, across the Cherna Polyana peak, 2716 m. to the Fish Lakes area and the hut in the same name. Overnight.
Day 14 - After breakfast comes the last walk in the program to the Rila Monastery, an approx.3-hour downhill to Kirilova Polyana, and an hour and a half again downhill to the Rila Monastery. Overnight at the "Kirilova polyana" chalets.
Day 15 - Breakfast and a transfer to Sofia airport for the flight home.