Hike the Lakes and Mountains of Bulgaria
Explore the rugged Pirin and Rila Mountains – considered the Balkan Alps - and stay in family-owned hotels
What's Included?
Small Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 14 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
…
What's it like?
Hike along jagged ridges and through alpine meadows to visit remote glacial lakes
Summit two mountains - Mount Vihren (2915m) and Mount Polezhan (2851m) and stay in family owned independent hotels in between hikes
Soak up a wild landscape that’s home to bears, ibex, eagles and falcons
Key Information
Day 1
Sofia
Travel to the buzzing city of Sofia and check into your B&B in the centre of town. Spend the evening exploring, taking in the sights and experiencing your first taste of Bulgarian cuisine.
Day 2
Hike the Malyovitsa Valley
Hiking
Head deep into the Rila Mountains and hike through a spectacular alpine landscape of flower-filled meadows and glacial lakes, including the brilliantly named Strashno Ezero (Scary Lake). Descend to Yonchevo Lake and complete the loop back to the trailhead before driving to the nearby village of Govedartsi, where you'll stay in a friendly family-run pension.
Day 3
The Seven Rila Lakes cirque
Hiking
Drive to Panichishte and take a cable car to the start of the Seven Rila Lake Cirque. Spend the day hiking through a world of jagged ridges, alpine meadows and glacial lakes that will take your breath away. Every step of the way the scenery is magnificent, especially when you reach the high point and look back over what you’ve just accomplished. From the trailhead, drive to the town of Bansko in the Pirin Mountains where you'll spend the next two nights at a family-run hotel.
Day 4
Hike Mount Vihren
Hiking
Ascend through the dramatic Golem Kazan (Giant Cauldron) beneath the sheer face of Mount Vihren (2915m). Your guide will point out endangered edelweiss, rare wallcreeper and hopefully some shy Balkan Chamois. Enjoy the spectacular views from the top and then return to your hotel in Bansko.
Day 5
Mount Polezhan (2851m) and home
Hiking
Take the cable car to the Bezbog Hut and hike to the summit of Mount Polezhan (2851m) along the classic northeast ridge route. Enjoy a panoramic view of 17 blue, alpine lakes from the peak and then head back to Sofia in time for your flight home.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Sofia International Airport
Anytime on Day 1
Ends
Sofia International Airport
Approximately 18:00
Transfers
You'll be picked up on arrival and dropped off in time for departure. Transfers are included if you arrive on the start day, so please let your host know your flight time. You will be dropped off at the airport on the last day at approx. 18:00, please book flights departing after 20:00.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Sofia from airports across the UK and Europe.
What about all the carbon?
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3 – Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Bulgarian food is very Mediterranean in flavour. Popular dishes include shopska (similar to Greek salad), moussaka, pastries, stuffed vine leaves, cured meats and hearty stews. Common ingredients are yogurt, cheese, legumes and vegetables. You will be dining at a variety of restaurants, hotels, pubs and wineries, however, all dinners and breakfasts are included in the tour price, except the first night where you're free to experience the city's many restaurants for yourself. Most dietary requirements can be catered for, just let your host know in advance.
What is the accommodation like?
Sofia
You’ll stay at the 3-star B&B Hotel Sofia Place (or similar) in the centre of town. The hotel features a restaurant serving local and international cuisine, a cosy lobby bar, free Wi-Fi, a sauna and a fitness centre. Breakfast is included.
The Mountains
You’ll stay in small, three-star, family-run hotels and guesthouses in a twin room. These typically feature en-suite, private balconies, an onsite restaurant that serves traditional Bulgarian food, Wi-Fi and stellar mountain views.
You will be staying in single rooms by default on this trip. If you're travelling as a couple or with other people and would like a twin/double room please let your host know when booking.
Upgrades
Fabulous country, people, scenery. Wonderful hospitality. Perfect organisation. Would highly recommend.
What a brilliant holiday! Very well organised, beautiful scenery, excellent guide, good camaraderie in the group, good food and hospitality/places to stay. It made a big difference in only having to carry a day pack since the rest of the luggage was taken care of.
Guides
Expert, English-speaking guides
Accommodation
4 nights in comfortable, family-run hotels
Meals
All your breakfasts and dinners
Transfers
To and from the airport and everything in-between
Permits
All permits and entry fees
Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.
Personal Expenses
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
What do I need to bring?
Bags
- Soft overnight duffel bag or rucksack
- Daypack
- Waterproof liner for rucksack or drybags
Clothes
- Waterproof jacket
- Waterproof trousers
- Breathable wicking layers
- Fleece jacket or similar
- Warm hat
- Buff or neckscarf
- Lightweight trousers/shorts/skirts
- T-shirts, underwear & socks
- Swimwear
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat
- Something to sleep in
- Hiking boots (worn-in)
- Sandals
Other
- Padlock for left luggage
- Universal travel adapter
- Power bank or solar charger
- Spare camera batteries
- Passports (and visas)
- Travel Insurance documents
- Earplugs
- Insect repellent
- Suncream
- Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
- Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
- Toilet kit (toilet paper, biodegradable bags to carry out)
- Quick-dry towel
- Alcohol hand-gel
- Headtorch or torch
- Reusable water bottle x 1 ltr
- Energy bars and snacks
- Water purification tablets/treatment system
Hiking Poles
Payable Before Departure
Hiking Poles
…
single room in 3* Sofia hotel incl. breakfast and transfer to the airport.
Payable Before Departure
single room in 3* Sofia hotel incl. breakfast and transfer to the airport.
… Per person
twin/dbl room in 3* Sofia hotel, incl. breakfast and transfer to the airport,
Payable Before Departure
twin/dbl room in 3* Sofia hotel, incl. breakfast and transfer to the airport,
… Per person
You'll need to bring all your luggage with you, however on each day of hiking your main luggage can be left in the accommodation, or left with the transfer vehicle and driver depending on the day of the trip. You will only need to have a daypack for each day of hiking.
For current advice about travelling in Bulgaria, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Reviews
Valerie April 2018
"Fabulous country, people, scenery. Wonderful hospitality. Perfect organisation. Would highly recommend."
Tom April 2018
"What a brilliant holiday! Very well organised, beautiful scenery, excellent guide, good camaraderie in the group, good food and hospitality/places to stay. It made a big difference in only having to carry a day pack since the rest of the luggage was taken care of."
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DEPARTURE DATES
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