Day 1
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Overnight in Borovets
From central Sofia, the bulk of Mount Vitosha (whose name means "twin
peaks") dominates the view to the south and hints at mountain adventures to
come! Enjoy a walking tour of central Sofia including the imposing
Aleksandar Nevski Cathedral and the eye-catching Church of St. Nikolai.
Following the tour of central Sofia, visit the Boyana Church, a World
Heritage Site, in the village of Boyana (today a hill suburb of Sofia). The Boyana Church was built within the compound of one of thirty five fortresses
that once defended the city of Sredets (Sofia). The church consists of three
buildings dating from the 11th, 13th and 19th centuries. The interior walls
of the 13th century structure—the Kayolan Chuch (named after its donor)—are
covered with frescoes executed in 1259 in Byzantine style by an anonymous
artist. The murals depict 240 figures in 89 scenes and comprise one of the
most important collections of medieval paintings in Europe. Boyana’s
frescoes have undergone nearly 40 years worth of restoration work. Later in
the afternoon, depart for the Rila Mountains and the village of Borovets,
your base for three nights.
Day
2
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Overnight in Borovets
Enjoy a choice of hikes in the Rila
Mountains from your base at Borovets. A three-mile long cable car line lifts
you 3,400 vertical feet into the Rila Mountains from its lower station in Borovets.
From the cable car's upper station at Yastrebets Chalet (7,710 ft) enjoy a panorama of Rila’s
high peaks. Looking south, you’ll gaze upon the summits of Deno, Irechek, Malka Musala, Musala, and
Aleko. A gentle walk through alpine meadows and groves of stunted mugo
pines brings you to the still waters of the Musala Lakes. You can continue further
along a well-built trail to the Aleko Lakes tucked away in a higher basin.
A more challenging hiking option continues up the ridge past
Ledenoto Ezero ("Icy Lake") eventually gaining the summit of Musala at 9,597 feet, the highest point in Bulgaria
and the entire Balkan Peninsula! From the summit, sweeping views extend to Mount Vitosha to the north and the Pirin Range to the south.
Day
3
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Overnight in Borovets
Enjoy your choice
of hikes in the Rila Seven Lakes Basin (Tsirkus Sedemte Rilski Ezera).
Starting from the Pionerska Chalet, hike through woods and meadows to reach
the lip of the basin at the Rila Lake Chalet. From here, ascend a grassy,
open ridge to the sweeping, “Sound of Music-style” meadow called Suhiya Rid.
Below you lies the lake-spangled Seven Lakes Cirque carpeted by
flower-filled meadows. All around you rise the snow-flecked ramparts of the
Rila Mountains. A gentle walk brings you to the cobalt-blue waters of
Bubreka Ezero (“Kidney Lake”). From this point, energetic hikers can
ascend further to reach Okoto Ezero (“Eye Lake”), and Sulzata
Ezero (“Teardrop Lake”), time and weather permitting. Otherwise, descend
into the main part of the basin passing beautiful Bliznaka Ezero
(“Twin Lake”), Trilistnika Ezero (“Three Leaf Lake”), and Ribnoto
Ezero (“Fish Lake”). Loop back to the Rila Lake Chalet and continue
through meadows and woods to return to the trailhead.
Day
4
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Overnight in Bansko
Travel to the Rila Monastery nestled in a deep valley on the western flanks of the Rila Mountains. Portions of the monastery, which was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1983, date to the 14th century though a large portion of the monastery was reconstructed in the 19th century after a devastating fire. The monastery’s five-domed
Sveta Borgoroditsa church dates from 1834 and is dedicated to the Birth of the Virgin; the walls and domed ceilings of its external gallery are graced with brilliant frescoes that will take your breath away! You can wander through the impressive 19th century monastery kitchen and
beneath the multi-storied, arcaded
verandahs that ring the interior of the monastery compound. After lunch, hike to the
chapel of St. John of Rila
set in lush, deciduous woods on the slopes of the valley. From the chapel,
the path descends easily through flowering meadows and woodlands passing
the chapel of St. Luke en route. After the hike, depart for the town of Bansko at the foot of the Pirin
Mountains. Tonight, a splendid Bulgarian meal awaits at a traditional
mehana ("tavern").
Day
5
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Overnight in Bansko
Start your exploration of the Pirin Mountains with a choice of hikes in the
Bűnderitsa Valley. Green meadows accented with clumps of pine and picturesque boulders make for joyous walking at the start of the day. After about an hour of walking, arrive at the shores of the
Ribno Ezero ("Fish Lake"), the largest lake in the valley nestled against the headwall of the lower
Bűnderishki Cirque. Proceed further into the mountains heading for the series of lakes that adorn the floor of the upper
Bűnderishki Cirque. Perhaps the most beautiful of these,
Dűlgo Ezero ("Long Lake"), is edged by granite boulders and clumps of mugo pine. Its cobalt waters reflect the grandeur of surrounding peaks including the brilliant limestone summit of
Vichren, highest in the Pirin. Dűlgo Ezero makes a good turnaround point, or you can continue
to the saddle known as
Todorina Porta for far-ranging Pirin vistas. Descend into the Vasilashki
Cirque and hike through the Demyanitsa valley to trail's end.
Day
6
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Overnight in Bansko
Today is your chance to attempt the limestone summit of
Vichren at 9,561 feet. From either the Bűndertisa or Vichren chalets,
a rugged path ascends steeply through woods, meadows and mountain basins to the summit crest of the Pirin Range before the final "push" along an open ridge to Vichren’s summit where a 360 degree mountain panorama
unfolds!
Alternatively, you can ride a chairlift through conifer-clad Pirin foothills to the Bezbog Chalet set on the shores of a lovely mountain tarn of the same name. On a serene summer day, the beauty of this little lake
(Bezbozhko Ezero) reflecting the surrounding mountain ridges belies its name,
Bezbog, meaning "without God," or "godforsaken." Magnificent mountain vistas accompany you on the walk from Bezbog Chalet to the
Popovo Ezero ("Priest Lake"), one of the most beautiful of Pirin high country
lakes whose crystalline waters sparkle in a splendid mountain
setting.
Day
7
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Overnight in Melnik
Depart Bansko bound for Melnik. Today you have the
option of hiking across the Pirin Mountains via the pass known as Bűnderishka Porta. Ascend past the lovely Hvoînato Ezero
("Juniper Lake") to gain the crest of the range. Descend past the small tarns of the Spanopolski Ezera and on to the Yane Sandanski Chalet in the
Popina Lâka area on the southwestern slope of the Pirin Range. If you’d rather, you can
enjoy a morning hike to Hvoînato Ezero
before traveling by vehicle to
the Yane Sandanski Chalet to meet up with those hiking across the
mountains. Cool your heels at the pretty Popinolâshki waterfall before
traveling the rest of the way to Melnik by vehicle. Settle in for the night in the picturesque town of Melnik at the heart of a wine-producing region.
Day 8
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Overnight in Kovachevitsa
In the early morning, set out on a
short hike to the 18th century Sveti Nikola church, the ruins of a fortress, and the Sveta Zona
chapel—all
perched atop the bluffs south of Melnik. From atop the bluffs near the
Sveta Zona chapel, enjoy classic views over Melnik. If you choose, you
can continue through the sandstone pyramids of
the Melnik "badlands" to the exquisite Rozhen Monastery. Sit under an ancient grape vine and absorb the special ambiance
and tranquility of this place. Retreat to the cool comfort of a
mehana in the nearby village of Rozhen for a mid-day meal. After
lunch, travel by vehicle across the southern Pirin Range. A serpentine
road twists its way to the meadows of Popovo Livadi at the crest of the
range before descending to the Mesta River. The road then ascends into the Rhodope Mountains. Your destination is the well-preserved village of Kovachevitsa (3,500 feet above sea level) where you’ll enjoy an
overnight stay at a superb
traditional
kashta lovingly managed by the Kapsazov family. Before dinner,
wander through the streets of the village, or possibly, ascend to the
St. George chapel that crowns a wooded ridge-top above the village.
Day 9
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included
Overnight in Sofia
This morning explore Kovachevitsa village, set on a bench above the gorge of the Kanina
River. (The village is filled with fine examples of National Revival architecture and has
been named an architectural and historical reserve by the Bulgarian
government.) Or, descend into the Kanina
River Gorge following an ancient path that will bring you to the outskirts of the Rhodope Mountain village of
Osikovo which enjoys a lovely view of the Pirin Range. In the afternoon,
travel back to Sofia by vehicle. This evening, enjoy traditional Bulgarian cuisine
at a farewell dinner! Your breakfast tomorrow is also included. |
$2,995
(was $3,525)
A high country tarn and the
peak of Graniten, Upper Bűnderitsa Valley, Pirin Mountains
A good place to start learning more about Bulgaria is the 
