Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Sofia Airport and transfer to the centre for overnight.
Day 2: Transfer to Vitosha Mountains. We start walking from the area called The Golden Bridges, named after the yellow lichens that cover the local ”stone rivers”, which might be snowcapped at that time of the year. Our target for the day is to reach the mountain base by Aleko hut, passing through one of the nature reserves on the plateau areas of the mountains – “Torfeno Branishte” (Peat Reserve). From here we take the bus down to Sofia to unwind (time permitting) before dinner. Overnight in Sofia. Walking time: 4hrs; uphill/downhill walk: 600/150m.
Day 3: The walk today starts from the last point reached the day before – Aleko hut. After a transfer to that area we start snowshoeing uphill to the highest peak in the mountains – “Cherni Vryh” (The Black Peak), 2290m a.s.l. It takes some 2hrs to reach the top, where we can enjoy a cup of hot herbal tea and snacks before heading back along another route, encircling the rocks of “Malak Rezen” Peak. Walking time: 4-5hrs; uphill/downhill walk: 600/600m.
Day 4: Morning transfer will bring us to the renowned Rila Monastery (appr. 2,30hrs from Sofia) – UNESCO heritage listed site. Sightseeing tour and time for lunch before transferring further to “Panichishte” resort, from where we will make our way in the direction of probably the most famous area in Rila Mountains – the Seven Rila Lakes. Although frozen and covered with thick snow in winter, the region is still quite attractive at this time of the year. En-route we will pass by the frozen “Skakavitsa” Waterfalls. Overnight stay at The Rila Lakes hut. (*please note that you will have to bring along a change of clothes for this night as you will see the rest of your luggage in the evening of Day 5) . Walking time: 2hrs; uphill/downhill walk: 300/-m.
Day 5: The day will start with a circuit around the circuses of the Seven Rila Lakes (named The Eye, The Tear, The Kidney, The Twins, The Trefoil, The Fish Lake and The Lower Lake). Once finished we will start descending towards Maliovitsa resort through the venerable woods of Macedonian pines, where the bus will take us for overnight stay in a cozy family pension in the village of Govedartsi. Walking time: 5-6hrs; uphill/downhill walk: 250/800m
Day 6: The highest peak in Bulgaria and also on the Balkan Peninsula (Musala, 2925m a.s.l.) will be targeted today. After a short transfer to Borovets resort we ride the Gondola lift towards Yastrebets Peak, which is the best starting point for one-day treks to the peak and back. Commencing from 2370m a.s.l. we will only need to push on some more efforts attempting to reach the highlight of the tour. In good weather conditions the surrounding panoramas are stunning – you can make out the remaining peaks of Rila Mountains, the marble edges of the Pirin Mountains; Mount Vitosha and the Sredna Gora Mountains; the rounded summits of the Rodopi Mountains; and last, but not least, the long body of the Balkan range. Transfer back to Govedartsi for well deserved rest. Walking time: 6 hrs; uphill/downhill walk: 750m
Day 7: The valley of Maliovitsa will be explored today, and depending on the weather conditions we will try to climb Maliovitsa peak itself (2729m a.s.l.). Alternatively we will trace some other routes above Maliovitsa hut (1950m a.s.l.), where the snow is also stable enough to make safe and delightful walks in the alpine parts of the mountain. Overnight in Govedartsi. Walking time: 5-7hrs; uphill/downhill walk: 1000/1000m.
Day 8: Transfer to the airport for departure.