Rila National Park – Seven Rila lakes and the ascent to Musala, the highest peak in the Balkans

• The Balkans
• Summer 2024
• Mountaineering
• Weekend
• Multi-day

Rila is the highest mountain range in Bulgaria, the Balkan Peninsula, and Southeastern Europe. It forms part of the Rila-Rhodope massif and its highest peak is Musala at an altitude of 2,925 m. Rila National Park has a total area of 81,046 hectares and is the largest of the three national parks in Bulgaria. It was declared a nature park in 1992. On the territory of the park, there are more than 100 peaks, with an altitude of over 2000 meters. In the high parts of Rila, there are more than 120 permanent and 30 temporary glacial lakes. The most famous are the Rila lakes. They are mostly found at the deep bottom of cirques. Some of the deepest and longest rivers on the Balkan Peninsula originate in Rila-Iskar, Marica, and Mesta. The territory of the park is covered by forest ecosystems such as spruce, fir, white pine, and dwarf pine.

On this weekend tour, a challenge awaits us - the ascend to the top of Musala, the highest peak in the Balkans. The next day we will go along the Seven Rila Lakes trail, which is one of the most famous trails in the national park. We will pass through picturesque landscapes with glacial lakes, each of which has its unique beauty. A stay in the mountain environment of the Rila National Park will provide you with a real blessing.

Additional notes:

• Equipment for the Rila tour - ascent to Musala and the seven Rila lakes: Deep hiking boots, and adequate clothing according to the weather conditions. A backpack with the necessary mountaineering equipment. We also recommend hiking poles. Be sure to bring enough water (1.5-2 l) and some food (sandwich, snacks, energy bars, fruit), a spare T-shirt, long pants or tracksuit, raincoat, sun and wind protection, hat, gloves, and headlamp.

• Information about the hiking trail, day 1: moderate, total duration of about 7 hours with breaks, a length of about 15 km, with a total ascent and descent of about 900 m.

• Information about the hiking trail, Day 2: easy, total duration about 6 with breaks, length about 12 km, with a total ascent and descent of about 700 m.s

• Those who do not want to hike, can spend time on their own and enjoy short walks in the surroundings.
• The Rila tour - the ascend to Musala and the seven Rila lakes is organized for a minimum of 18 registered passengers.
• Conditions for entering Bulgaria: It is obligatory to bring a passport, it is necessary that the validity of the passport lasts at least 3 months before the expiration date.
• In case of changes in the monetary market, as well as changes in the prices of carriers and other service providers, the agency reserves the right to adjust the price of the arrangement.
• In case of insufficient number of registered passengers or unfavorable weather conditions, the deadline for notification of postponement or cancellation of the tour is 3 days before departure.
• Accommodation: double and triple rooms with private bathrooms in the hotel in Borovec.
• Food: two breakfasts are provided.
• Photos used in the gallery: Musala_bg  -Ysmiv4ica, Peak of Musala – YjM, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Изгрев на връх Мусала – Iliana Teneva; Езеро Бъбрека, Седемте рилски езера and Езеро Окото, Седемте рилски езера– Valeriq Deneva, Rila Lakes – Untravelled, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Science on the top of the Balkans – Gergana Georgieva.

• Reservations for the Rila tour - ascent to Musala and the seven Rila lakes:

  • When applying, the entire amount or ~ 40%, i.e. EUR 90, is paid, and the rest of EUR 135 no later than June 7, 2024 (payment is made through an account in dinar equivalent at the middle rate of the NBS on the day of payment).
  • Own transportation: u slučaju da dolazite sopstvenim prevozom, cena ture iznosi 180 EUR. Reservations: When applying, the entire amount or ~ 40%, i.e. EUR 70, must be paid, and the rest of EUR 110 no later than June 7, 2024 (payment is made through an account in the dinar equivalent at the middle exchange rate of the NBS on the day of payment).

• Trip cancellations by passengers: 

• If the Traveler cancels the trip in a timely manner (90 to 45 days), the Organizer has the right to compensation only for the incurred administrative costs.
  • 10% if the trip is cancelled 44 to 30 days before the start of the trip,
  • 20% if cancelled 29 to 20 days before the start of the trip,
  • 40% if cancelled 19 to 15 days before the start of the trip,
  • 80% if canceled 14 to 10 days before the start of the trip,
  • 90% if canceled 9 to 6 days before the start of the trip,
  • 100% if cancelled 5 to 0 days before the start of the trip or during the trip.

Organizator zadržava pravo korekcije cena usled promena na monetarnom tržištu ili promena cena smeštaja ili prevoza, kao i pravo izmene u programu putovanja (redosled pojedinih sadržaja u programu usled objektivnih okolnosti).

The tour is organized by “Balkanica travel agency”, Bijelo Polje. Travel agency Explore Balkans doo acts as a sub-agent of the travel organizer.