Easy walks ‹ › 1/7 Photo: Todorovadesi , CC BY-SA 4.0
40 min from SofiaVitosha, 30 min from Sofia · Златните мостове
A river of giant granite boulders, a ‘stone river’ left by the ice age, in the forest above Sofia. Paths lead along it and up towards the higher plateau.
Tip Drive or take a taxi from Sofia; it is about 30 minutes. The kiosks sell tea and banitsa.
Time 1–2 h walks
Height About 1,400 m
Season All year
Near Sofia Family
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‹ › 1/7 Photo: Phantomlord1978 , CC BY-SA 4.0
1 h 45 from SofiaPanichishte, Rila · Водопад Скакавица
A 70 m waterfall, the highest in Rila, at the end of a forest path from the Panichishte resort. In winter it often freezes into a wall of ice.
Tip Start from Panichishte, the same place as the chairlift to the Seven Rila Lakes.
Time About 2 h return
Height About 1,500 m
Season May–October
Start Panichishte
Waterfall Family
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Photo coming soon See Cave of St Ivan of Rila on Google Maps ↗
2 h 05 from SofiaAbove Rila Monastery · Пещерата на св. Иван Рилски
A forest path from the monastery leads to the cave where St Ivan of Rila lived as a hermit in the 10th century, and to his first grave. Pilgrims climb through a narrow hole in the cave roof; tradition says only the pure of heart get through.
Tip Start from the monastery and follow the signs to the cave (пещерата). Combine it with the Rila Monastery visit on the Monuments page.
Time About 1 h 30 min return
Height About 1,300 m
Season All year
Start Rila Monastery
Pilgrimage Forest
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‹ › 1/6 Photo: opoznai.bg
3 h 25 from SofiaNear Veliko Tarnovo · Еменски каньон
An eco-trail on wooden walkways along the limestone canyon of the Negovanka river, ending at the Momin Skok waterfall. A good walk on the way to or from Veliko Tarnovo.
Tip After rain the walkways can be slippery. Wear shoes with grip.
Time About 1 h 30 min
Height Low, 200 m
Season All year
Canyon Walkways
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‹ › 1/7 Photo: opoznai.bg
2 h 45 from SofiaPirin, above Bansko · Бъндеришки езера · Байкушевата мура
From Banderitsa hut an easy path climbs past Baykusheva Mura, a Bosnian pine about 1,300 years old, the oldest tree in Bulgaria, to a staircase of glacial lakes under Vihren: the Fish lake, the Frog lake and Muratovo lake.
Tip Drive or take a taxi from Bansko up to Banderitsa hut. Vihren hut, the start of the Vihren climb, is 10 minutes further.
Time 2–3 h return
Height 1,800–2,230 m
Season June–October
Start Banderitsa hut
Lakes Ancient tree
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Day hikes ‹ › 1/7 Photo: opoznai.bg
1 h 45 from SofiaRila, 2 h from Sofia · Седемте рилски езера
Seven glacial lakes stacked one above another, each named for its shape: the Tear, the Eye, the Kidney and more. The chairlift from Panichishte saves the first 700 m of climbing.
Tip Walk up to the Haramiyata ridge for the view of all seven lakes. The Around Sofia guide has the full hike.
Time 3–4 h from the chairlift
Height 2,100–2,500 m
Season July–September
Start Panichishte
Lakes Chairlift
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‹ › 1/6 Photo: opoznai.bg
40 min from SofiaVitosha, above Sofia · Черни връх
The top of Vitosha at 2,290 m, with a view over the whole of Sofia and on clear days to Rila and Pirin. A hut on the summit sells tea and soup all year.
Tip Start at Aleko (1,800 m) and follow the main path. In fog, stay on the marked poles.
Time About 3 h return from Aleko
Height gain About 500 m
Season All year; snow in winter
Start Aleko
Near Sofia Summit
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‹ › 1/6 Photo: Спасимир , CC BY-SA 4.0
2 h 25 from SofiaAbove Dobrinishte, near Bansko · Попово езеро
The second-largest lake in Pirin, at 2,234 m, with a small island and granite peaks all around. The Bezbog chairlift takes you most of the way up.
Tip Take the chairlift from Gotse Delchev hut to Bezbog hut, then walk about 2 hours.
Time 4–5 h return from Bezbog hut
Height 2,240 m
Season July–September
Start Dobrinishte
Lakes Chairlift
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‹ › 1/7 Photo: Vislupus , CC BY-SA 4.0
2 h 25 from SofiaCentral Balkan, above Kalofer and Karlovo · Райското пръскало
The highest waterfall in the Balkans, falling about 124 m from the slopes of Botev peak. A long, steep path climbs to Rai hut at its foot, inside Central Balkan National Park.
Tip Sleep at Rai hut and climb Botev peak (2,376 m), the highest in the Balkan range, the next morning.
Time 4–5 h up, from above Karlovo or Kalofer
Height gain About 1,000 m
Season June–October
Start Karlovo
Waterfall National park
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Big summits ‹ › 1/7 Photo: Staryyeyes , CC BY-SA 4.0
1 h 50 from SofiaRila, above Borovets · Мусала
At 2,925 m the highest peak in Bulgaria and in the whole Balkan peninsula. The gondola from Borovets saves most of the climb; from the top station the path passes Musala hut and the Ledeno (Icy) lake.
Tip Check that the Yastrebets gondola is running before you go. Without it, add about 3 hours.
Time 5–6 h return from the gondola
Height gain About 600 m
Season July–September
Start Borovets
Highest peak Gondola
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‹ › 1/6 Photo: Ira Kyurpanova , CC BY-SA 4.0
2 h 20 from SofiaNorth-west Rila · Мальовица
A sharp peak of 2,729 m above a valley of lakes and granite walls, the cradle of Bulgarian rock climbing. The path passes Malyovitsa hut and the Elenino lake before the final climb.
Tip Start at the Malyovitsa mountain centre at the end of the road from Samokov.
Time 6–7 h return
Height gain About 1,000 m
Season July–September
Start Malyovitsa centre
Summit Lakes
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‹ › 1/7 Photo: kallerna , CC BY-SA 4.0
2 h 55 from SofiaPirin, above Bansko · Вихрен
The highest peak of Pirin at 2,914 m, a white marble pyramid. The usual path from Vihren hut is steep but has no climbing; the view takes in all of Pirin and its lakes.
Tip Drive or take a taxi from Bansko up to Vihren hut (1,950 m) and start early.
Time 6–7 h return from Vihren hut
Height gain About 1,000 m
Season July–September
Start Vihren hut
Summit Marble
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‹ › 1/5 Photo: Alexander.D.Hristov , CC BY-SA 4.0
1 h 25 from SofiaWestern Balkan range, near Berkovitsa · Ком
Kom (2,016 m) is the first peak of the Kom–Emine trail, which follows the whole Balkan range for about 650 km to the Black Sea. From the summit you see far into Serbia and across the north.
Tip Start at Petrohan pass or at Kom hut above Berkovitsa.
Time 5–6 h return from Petrohan
Height gain About 600 m
Season June–October
Start Petrohan pass
Ridge Long-distance trail
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Nothing this close. Try a longer drive time or another city.