Rila and Pirin Mountains Hike - Guided

This trek is in two mountain chains with Balkan Peninsula's highest peaks, enormous national parks, rare vegetation and rich animal life. The trip is made in such a way as to bring the participants out in remote regions with beautiful and unspoiled natural sceneries and waste landscapes. If you do not have the time for trekking in the world's biggest mountain chains, this tour is warmly recommended to you. Here you can enjoy elements of physical challenge in alpine landscapes above the tree border, as well as the cultural treasures of Bulgaria and the warm hospitality of the local people.

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Rates  include accommodation, all meals, English speaking guide, all transfers
8 Days/ 7 Nights   $ 745   Single +120
-- based on  Euro 470 / 75   
2008 Dates:
07/05-07/12    07/12-07/19
08/02-08/09    08/30-09/06
09/06-09/13

Airport:  Sofia or Plovdiv airport
Meeting: Rila Mountains
Transfer:  from Sofia or Plovdiv
                 airport included
Not included: maps (could be requested in advance when booking the tour), entrance fees, tips, alcohol drinks and other personal expenses.

Minimum:  4 participants
Difficulty Level: 
2 (day 4)
3 (days 2, 3, 6 & 7)
4 (day 5)

Accommodation:
We stay overnight in 3-star hotels (days 1, 3 & 4) with rooms with en-suite facilities and in mountain huts (days 2, 5 & 6) and guesthouses (day 7) with shared facilities on FB (breakfast, lunch pack and dinner included).

SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Rila Mountains are the highest mountains in Bulgaria and on the whole Balkan Peninsula with Mount Musala - 2925 m a.s.l.
Pirin Mountains are the second highest in Bulgaria after Rila Mountains and the third in the Balkan Peninsula (Mount Vihren 2914 m a.s.l.).
Bansko (925 m a.s.l.) is situated at the northeastern foot of Pirin Mountains beneath the highest and the most beautiful Karst part of the mountain. If you add to this its architectural and historical value, Bansko is the pearl in the Bulgarian necklace.
Melnik (380 m a.s.l.) is the smallest and one of the most fascinating towns-museums in Bulgaria famous for its sandy pyramids and local brand of red wine.
Rila Monastery (1147 m a.s.l.) is the most popular tourist site among all monasteries in Bulgaria equally for its size, natural surroundings, architecture, wall paintings and ancient history.
Rozhen Monastery is one of the few medieval monasteries, which has preserved its original appearance, authentic architecture and monumental pictorial art.

 

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival at Sofia or Plovdiv airport and transfer to the hotel in the Rila Mountains (1600 m a.s.l.), where we stay overnight (1,20 hours from Sofia; 2,30 hours from Plovdiv). This place will be also the starting point for the trek.  D

Day 2. The first trekking day is dedicated to adaptation with the high altitude of the mountains and the forthcoming trek. In the morning we make leisure walk within the spruce forest to "Skakavitsa" hut (1876 m a.s.l.) and "Skakavitsa waterfalls". Then the path goes uphill to the "Seven Rila lakes" hut (2100 m a.s.l.) where we stay overnight. The time needed for the trail is about 4-5 hours. Uphill walk - 900 m; downhill walk - 200 m.  BLD

Day 3. Breath-taking sceneries await us after breakfast along the way to our next target - the renowned Rila Monastery (1147 m a.s.l.). We stay overnight in a hotel by the monastery walls. The whole trek is about 6-7 hours. Uphill walk - 500 m; downhill walk - 1500 m.  BLD

Day 4. A short hike to the hermitage of St. Ivan Rilski (2-3 hrs) and sightseeing of the Rila Monastery are planned till noon. After about 1hr uphill walk through old Beech woods we will reach the hermitage. Then we go back to the monastery for a transfer to Bansko, which will be the starting point for our treks in Pirin Mounatins. In Bansko we will have lunch followed by a short rest in the hotel. In the afternoon we will make a sightseeing trip in the old quarters of the town – a relaxed program before the most difficult day of the tour. Uphill walk: 150 m; downhill walk: 150 m; walking time between 2-3 hours   BLD

Day 5. In the morning the bus will help us to overcome a short distance above the town of Bansko. We start walking from "Vihren" hut (1950 m a.s.l.). Very close by the hut is the marble peak of the giant of Pirin Mountains - Mount Vihren (2914 m a.s.l.). The path from now on passes by the glacial "Bunderishki lakes" and along the highest parts of the "Julen" reserve it reaches the "Tevno lake" hut (2512 m a.s.l.) within 7 hours walk, where we stay overnight. Uphill walk - 900 m; downhill walk - 300 m.   BLD

Day 6. The today's walk is also a real delight. The tracks goes descending towards the valley of Zheleznishka River and follows its stream all the way further to "Pirin" hut (1640 m a.s.l.), which is the next stop for overnight. The whole trek takes about 4,5 hours, thus offering some free time to be spent around the lakes by "Tevno lake" hut after breakfast. Uphill walk - 100 m; downhill walk - 950 m.   BLD

Day 7. In the morning we head to the final stop for the Rila-Pirin trek, the smallest town of Bulgaria - Melnik (380 m a.s.l.). Here is also the Rozhen Monastery, where we make a short visit. Some 6 km further, walking among the spectacular sandy pyramids, we reach the town of Melnik, famous for its red wine. The time spent on walking today is about 5 hours. We have a transfer from Melnik to Sofia or Plovdiv (depending on your departure flight) where we stay overnight. Uphill walk - 100 m; downhill walk - 1350 m. BLD

Day 8. Transfer to Sofia or Plovdiv Airport for departure.  B

Extensions:  Black Sea
This is a unique proposal, which gives you the opportunity to stay in Bulgaria for one week more at the incredibly low price! We can offer a great variety of means of accommodation - from home stays (no meals) to 2, 3 and 4-star hotels (BB or HB) on the Southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast:
- Sunny Beach - a big modern resort with hundreds of hotels, cafes, pubs, casinos, water-sports facilities etc.
- Nessebar, Sozopol - small towns (founded by the ancient Greeks) with picturesque Old Quarters and a specific atmosphere.
- Lozenets -a peaceful small village with a beautiful beach. Only 4-5 km from the forests of the Strandzha Mountains where you can go walking, biking or riding horses.

B= Breakfast included    L=Lunch pack included   D= Dinner included