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Hiking & culture trek in the Rhodopes, Pirin, Rila and Vitosha mountains

from

USD

707

/ person
  • 1
  • 8 Days
PRICE

Lilia Ineva

Traventuria

Biggest choice of tours and treks, outstanding reputation, flexibility, expert staff & field guides.

  • Local time:21:50

Hiking & culture trek in the Rhodopes, Pirin, Rila and Vitosha mountains

from

USD

707

/ person
  • 8 Days

Hiking & culture trek in the Rhodopes, Pirin, Rila and Vitosha mountains

A well-balanced program with half-day easy to moderate walks, offering more opportunities to visit also culture sites. The stress is on the Rhodope (Rodopi) Mountains (famed birthplace of mythical musician Orpheus), Mount Pirin (Bulgaria’s most beautiful mountain, named after the pagan Slav god Perun), Mount Rila (housing more than 200 glacial lakes and the highest peak on the Balkans – Musala, 2925m) and Mount Vitosha (an iconic mount next to Sofia)

Day 1

We meet you at Sofia Airport and transfer you to Koprivshtitsa at the foot of Sredna Gora Mountains. Koprivshtitsa is a museum town unique with its cobblestone alleys, houses painted in bright colors with expansive verandahs and picturesque eaves. Note that a group transfer is arranged to the overnight destination. In case you arrive early in Sofia we will meet you and offer you an option to explore the city on your own. Please do your best not to arrive later than 15:30. Read more

Koprivshtitsa, 1 night

Day 2

During the Ottoman rule, Koprivshtitsa withstood many attacks, it was burned down to ashes several times, its inhabitants were frequently robbed and driven away. Many Bulgarians who laid down their lives for the liberation of their motherland had been born here and today we will visit some of their museum-houses to learn more about the local history. Later we continue towards the second biggest Bulgarian town – Plovdiv. Within 2-3 hours of walking along the city we will discover history and culture behind a 7000-year old settlement, written by the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Bulgarian civilizations. You can enjoy sightseeing in the Old Town with its museums, historical monuments, revival period houses, lined with souvenir shops cobbled streets or get impressed by the rich Ethnographic Museum and the ancient Roman Theater. In the afternoon we continue further to Bachkovo Monastery, which is also the second biggest monastery in the country. Our day ends in the village of Kosovo, famous for its old stone houses (we stay overnight in one of them, fully restored and cozy). Read more

Kosovo, 1 night

Day 3

fter delicious breakfast at the terrace of your house, overlooking the whole village, we transfer further deep to the heart of the Rhodopes. Our next stop is Shiroka Laka village – architectural reserve, presenting some of the best examples of the local mountain houses. After a short walk along the cobblestone streets we will continue further to the SPA resort Devin. An adventurous eco-path, weaving on wooden bridges over Devinska River, awaits us here as we make our way along the wild valley, crowned with steep rocks where Balkan Chamois (wild goats) may be seen resting. Afternoon is left for relax, when you can try some of the local SPAs. In the evening we head for a short transfer to Lyaskovo village – rustic and fairly typical mountain village, where we have a traditional dinner with local family. Transfer back to Devin for overnight. (1,30-2 hrs of walking, climbing and descending 50m/170ft.) Read more

Devin, 1 night

Day 4

A short transfer takes us to the entrance of the Yagodinska Peshtera Cave, where we will have the opportunity of enjoying its unique formations. From here, the hiking route takes us through the pretty village of Yagodina and over the hills above it with their smallholdings, on to a thick fir forest that takes us to the edge of the Trigradsko Zhdrelo Gorge. We stay overnight in the village of Trigrad. (walking: 10km/6miles, climbing 650m/2100ft and descending 100m/330ft.) Read more

Trigrad, 1 night

Day 5

Time to leave the Rhodopes and head for Pirin Mountains. Meandering roads bring us to Bansko at the foot of Pirin National Park. We drop our luggage in the accommodation and transfer up to the trailhead at Vihren Hut, where you set off on a hiking trek through the pretty Cirque of the Banderishki Lakes. Loop walk among the lakes in the Cirque will take us to some of them, where we can have rest on their shores and enjoy the serenity of the rocky outcrops around us. Dinner will be organized in a traditional tavern (“mehana”), where we can try some of the local delicacies and home-made spirits.(7,5 km; 3,30-4,00 hrs of walking, climbing and descending 700m/2300ft). Read more

Bansko, 2 nights

Day 6

Today, we visit one of the Pirin’s greenest parts near the Bezbog Hut. An open cable car and a picturesque ramble take us to the largest and deepest of all lakes in Pirin – Popovo Lake (30m/100ft deep). Later in the afternoon you can have free time to explore on your own the cobble streets of Bansko or maybe try some of the local thermal SPAs around Dobrinishte and Bansko. (4hrs of walking, climbing and descending 150m/490ft.) Read more

Bansko, 2 nights

Day 7

Quite busy yet another stunning day expects us as we head towards Rila Mountains. First we transfer to the impressive Rila Monastery – UNESCO heritage listed site and one of the most famous tourist attractions in Bulgaria. This is also the largest and most significant Bulgarian Orthodox Church establishment. Next we continue to another renowned place – the Cirque of The Seven Rila Lakes, which we reach by chairlift. These glacier lakes are set between 2100 and 2500m/6800 and 8200ft above sea level, with names fitting their shapes, like Babreka (the Kidney), Okoto (the Eye), and Salzata (the Teardrop). We base for the evening and enjoy our last dinner in the capital – Sofia. (4-5 hrs of walking, climbing and descending 400 m/1330ft.) Read more

Sofia, 1 night

Day 8

> Those of you who have an early flight will be transferred to Sofia Airport. > If your flight departs in the evening you can opt for a hiking trek in Vitosha Mountains (included in the package price). “Sofia and Vitosha are inseparable like Naples and Vesuvius”. The description belongs to the Austrian scientist Hohshteter, who visited Bulgaria in the 19th century and reflects the connection between the million city and the oldest nature park in the country. Our day begins with a walking trek across the Mount Vitosha, including crossing the Torfeno Branishte Nature Reserve and climbing the local summit of Cherni Vrah (2290m/7513ft). (5hrs of walking, climbing and descending 500m/1650ft.). Transfer to Sofia Airport in the afternoon. Read more

No overnight stay

ACCOMMODATIONS

Day in trip
Location
Hotel
Day 1
Location Koprivshtitsa
Day 2
Location Kosovo village
Day 3
Location Devin
Day 4
Location Trigrad village
Day 5
Location Bansko
Day 7
Location Sofia

TRIP PACKAGE

Package includes

  • Transfer from/to the airport
  • Transport during the tour
  • Accommodation
  • Breakfast and dinner
  • English-speaking guide

Package excludes

  • Airfare
  • Personal expenses
  • Visa, consular 76fees or any other formalities.
  • Tips
  • Beverages
  • Additional journeys and transfers
  • Entrance fees

More information

  • Single room supplement: 99 € (obligatory for all individual clients)

REVIEWS

5 Reviews

Marlies, Belgium

Had a wonderful week snowshoeing in the Bulgarian mountains! Very well organized also when booking this private trip. Challenging trek with great fun. Our guide Lyuben took us to some nice peaks to see the great views. Friendly accommodations where we’ve been taken good care of. Really a recommendation. ad a wonderful week snowshoeing in the Bulgarian mountains! Very well organized also when booking this private trip. Challenging trek with great fun. Our guide Lyuben took us to some nice peaks to see the great views. Friendly accommodations where we’ve been taken good care of. Really a recommendation. Read more

Haroun, South Africa

At the end of August, my son went on a guided hike of the Rila and Pirin mountains in Bulgaria with Traventuria Ltd. Here is an account of the tour from his perspective: Tour guide: Alexander Serafimov (Alex). Alex was an absolutely fantastic tour guide. He was knowledgeable about the mountains both in terms of flora and fauna. His English was immaculate (first language Bulgarian) but he also proved his multi-lingual abilities plenty of times on the tour! Overall, the best tour guide I have ever had. The tour at a glance: the tour went through both the Rila and Pirin mountain ranges, of which I completed 3 of the main peaks (Polizhan, Musala and Vihren) as well as the beautiful 7 Rila Lakes. We were a small group (6 individuals, all English speaking). It was without doubt the most enthralling journey each day, with the scenery changing ever so often. Lush forests, rocky mountains and sharp faces met us each day. Also note, that this particular hike is challenging and requires a great deal of fitness. In total, the tour lasted 7 days. Extras: There were many extras that were thrown in that we did not even know we would be getting! 1. Guided tour through Bansko and Sofia with Alex, again very knowledgeable especially about the history of these places. 2. Almost every night we had dinner at a different restaurant and one night we had a traditional Bulgarian experience where we sang and danced through the streets of a small village! The restaurant decision is left in the hands of the tour guide by Traventuria and Alex did a great job of picking the best and most diverse places. 3. Cable cars, chair lifts, transfers all included without extra charge. 4. A goodie bag at the start of the tour. Importantly, none of these things came at any extra cost. Overall: Traventuria was extremely well organised from the start. Alex was a star of a guide. The trek through the mountains was breathtaking. A must for any trekking enthusiast. Read more

Karina Johns, Ireland

To Whom It May Concern, I just completed your Pirin to Rila trip today and I couldn’t even wait until I arrived home to tell you how impressed I was with your company. I have visited many countries with various companies but never experienced anything as incredible as what i did with your company. The itinerary was perfectly thought out and each day surpassed the one before. I loved the fact that the group was small. It added a real personal touch and made me feel like I was trekking with family. As for our guide, I cannot say enough great things about Alex. He is an amazing ambassador for your country. He was incredibly knowledgeable, charismatic, thoughtful, helpful and always went above and beyond the calls of duty to make sure everyone was happy. Nothing was ever a problem for him to do and he always did everything with a smile. He is obviously passionate about his work. I really cannot thank you enough for giving me the most incredible memories of your beautiful country. I am leaving Bulgaria with a heavy heart but I am sure that I will return in the future. From the bottom of my heart thank you for this inspiring experience. I wish you every success for the future. Go raibh mile maith agat. Read more

MORE REVIEWS

Speciality tours in Bulgaria!

Traventuria
5 Reviews
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THE TEAM

Ivailo Nikolov

Waiting for the big fish

Lilia Ineva

An archaeologist in disguise

Albena Angelova

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  • Languages:English
  • Local time:21:50

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