Rila Mountains & The Seven Rila Lakes

General information

Destination
Sofia, Bulgaria

Program details

Spend the day in the Rila, walking around its pearls: The Seven Rila Lakes. During the last few years, this destination has become one of the most popular places for one-day hiking tours in the Rila Mountains. The reasons are several: impressive nature beauty, easy access by chairlift, and variety of paths and hiking routes in the area.



If you wish to make your walk harder or easier your guide will be able to adjust the group program accordingly.



A transfer from Sofia takes us to the Panichishte Resort cable car which takes us to the Seven Rila Lakes Cirque. Then we start exploring them one by one. Each lake is named after its most characteristic feature. The highest one (at 2500m/8200ft above sea level) is called Salzata (''The Tear''), from where we have a bird’s eye view over all seven lakes, as well as surrounding outcrops and deep valleys; the next one in height carries the name Okoto (''The Eye'') after its oval form; Babreka (''The Kidney'') is the lake with the steepest shores of the entire group; Bliznaka (''The Twin'') is the largest of all; Trilistnika (''The Trefoil'') has an irregular shape; the shallowest lake is Ribnoto Ezero (''The Fish Lake'') and the lowest one is Dolnoto Ezero (''The Lower Lake''; 2100m/6995ft), where the water that flows out of the other lakes is gathered to form the source of Dzherman River.



After hiking around one of Rila’s most remarkable and beautiful parts, we are transferred to the Rila Monastery: the largest and most significant Bulgarian Orthodox Church establishment. The 20m/70ft high walls shelter impressive cloisters, a church, and a chapel with unique murals and a museum collection.



Languages

Audioguide available in English, Spanish, Italian, German and Russian.