Bulgaria Nature and Hiking

Departure on regular flight to Sofia.
Arrive, reception in the airport and transport to the hotel. Accommodation and dinner.
Afterwards, we will have free time to explore the city . We recommend you to visit the houses of the turn of the century and the buildings of Stalinist architecture, the book market , the great market, the great Battenberg pedestrian square, the Sveta Nedelia square, the neo-Byzantine cathedral of Alexandre-Nevski, the Museum of the History of the Church, the National Museum of Archaeology, the National Museum of History, the Ethnographic Museum: the churches of Saint Nicholas, Saint Petka and Saint Nedelya; the Banya Bashi Mosque, and the Sofia Synagogue.
We will also make a brief presentation of the itinerary and the guides.

Breakfast. Today we will travel to the Panichishte region where we will begin a 2-3 hour trek through beautiful forests in a National Reserve.
We will go to the Skakavitsa lodge (Rila Lakes ) famous for its alpine waterfall, which is one of the highest in the country with its 82 m altitude. After visiting the waterfall, we will eat (picnic) and continue along the trails to the "Skakvitsa" lodge, in the Seven Rila Lakes area. Accommodation in hostel and dinner.

Note: The hostel is at 1,900 meters above sea level, the place is not accessible by cars and buses. So it is necessary to wear shoes and clothes to spend the night.

Breakfast. Today a day of beautiful landscapes awaits us, crossing the most emblematic areas of Bulgarian mountaineering. The trek begins with an impressive tour of some of the most beautiful glacial lakes in Bulgaria.
One of these is “Babreca” (“The Kidney”) lake, the largest of the Seven Rila Lakes and a famous center of Panevritnia dance. We will continue towards the peak "Ezerni" from where the seven lakes are seen; then the trail goes over the ridge of the mountain towards the Malyovitsa peak (2,729 m) and descends towards the Malyovitsa alpine center, famous for its mountaineering routes. Accommodation and full board.

Accumulated positive slope: approx. 1300m

Accumulated negative slope: approx. 1400m

Duration: approx. 10 hour

Breakfast. Today we will go by bus to Borovets ski center (50 min). A day with a strong climb awaits us, which will take us very close to Mount Musala, the highest in the country.
We will have two options : climb the peak of Musala (40 minutes) and return to the refuge, or rest quietly in the refuge.
Accommodation in the “Ledeno ezero” refuge (2700 m) and full board.

Positive slope 1400 m.

Duration from 6 to 7 hours.

Note: The “Ledeno Ezero” shelter and the “Musala” shelter are in an area inaccessible to vehicles. We will have to wear clothes for the night and we recommend a sheet sack. The shelter has a large room to sleep about 30 people.

Breakfast. Today we will make a magnificent journey up and down several peaks. In this way we will arrive very close to the city of Bansko , the starting point for the ascent of the Vihren peak. Our route will climb the highest ridge of the Rila Mountain in a southerly direction and descend the south face towards the Treshtenik recreation center (1,600m).
Later, we will move to the city of Bansko (50 km) where we will eat and enjoy the city full of mehani (typical taverns of the area with folk music) Hotel accommodation and dinner.

Positive slope: 250 m

Negative slope: 1400 m.

Duration 7 - 8 hours.

Breakfast. Relax day. Today we will enjoy the hospitality of the people of the area, as well as the representation of the different traditions, songs and traditional foods. In addition, we will visit the Dobarsko village (20 km) and the old church, built during 1614 and famous for containing the only fresco depicting Jesus Christ in a spaceship. Before returning to Bansko, we will eat in the garden of a local house, where the owners will prepare food made with vegetables from their own garden and we will enjoy local music . For dinner we will have the expert opinion of our guides, we will be able to choose the best place to dine with or without live music. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Today we will spend the day climbing the highest mountain of the Pirin Mountain and the second highest in Bulgaria: Mount Vihren.
Our path will cross the protected area of Pirin Norte, where we will find "Baikusheva Mura" , a famous ancient tree. Afterwards, we will take a short bus transfer to the Vihren lodge (20km) and climb to the top (2,914m). Return to Banksko. Picnic lunch. Accommodation and full board.

Positive slope: 964 m

Duration: 6 ‐7 hours.

Breakfast. Today we will have another crossing through the south face of the Pirin massif.
On the way to Melnik we will find pools with thermal waters to rest and recharge our batteries before moving to the Vihren hostel.
Then, we will go up to “Banderishca Porta, 2,500 meters above sea level to go down to the Popina Laca summer resort, at 1,300 m.
Finally, we will move to the city of Melnik , located in a region famous for the production of red wine and an authentic open-air museum.
Hotel accommodation and full board.

Positive slope: 550 m

Negative slope: 1200 m.

Duration: 6 - 7 hours.

Breakfast. Today we will hike among the sand pyramids of the Melnik region and walk to the Rojhen monastery . After the visit to the monastery we will go to the Rila Monastery , located 120 km. Afterwards, we will eat en route going to the city of Sofia.
Accommodation and half board.

Breakfast. Free time until the agreed time of transfer to the airport to catch our flight back to Spain.