Conquer the highest peak between the Alps and the Caucasus
Details
How about climbing the highest peak between the Alps (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alps) and the Caucasus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caucasus)? We are going to climb Musala, which at 2925 meters is the highest peak in the Balkans.
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Late summer is the perfect time to do it, as the snow has melted and the mountain is most accessible and welcoming, so if this is your idea of a well spent holiday at mid September, than RSVP Yes to this event.
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This is an 8 day trip, planned for 15.09 - 22.09.2018, but you can extend it by joining our trip to Mount Olympus and Lake Ohrid (https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-the-Balkans/events/243802448/) and have two amazing weeks of hiking, reaching the highest peaks of the Balkans. We will meet in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital and after a midday arrival we will have lunch and a tour of the centre. We will visit the Alexandar Nevski cathedral, one of the most recognizable Sofia landmaks and then head straight for the mountains.
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Although the temperature in Sofia will be around 30 degrees centigrade at this time of the year, the average temperature in Rila mountain is 10 degrees during the day and can be below 0 at night so you will need to bring warm clothes. My first attempt to climb this peak was in May and it failed because the mountain was covered in snow and there was a snow storm. To see what the mountains we will be climbing look like, please click on the video below.
Snow is not expected in September, but never the less please be prepared for cold weather in the mountain.
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Musala Peak (2925 m above sea level) is practically the top of the Balkan Peninsula. The name derives from Turkish, because Bulgaria was under Ottoman rule when it was first reached and means close to Allah/God.
Aside from climbing Musala in Rila mountain we will also climb Vihren peak in Pirin mountain which is 2914 meters high. So needless to say, you need to be fit and ready for some serious hiking.
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But this trip is not just about climbing peaks, we will enjoy some stunning scenery, going through huge national parks with broad alpine meadows and serrated summits, glacier lakes, stone rivers and we will encounter rare plant and animal life. After leaving Sofia we will head to Panichishte Resort, where time permitting we may visit the Skakavitsa Waterfall (70m/230ft) before supper.
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The next day we will go by cable car to the foot of the Seven Rila Lakes Cirque. Trekking past the Lakes (each named after their most characteristic feature, like The Kidney Lake, The Twin Lake, The Trefoil Lake etc).
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Passing the Malyovitsa Summit at 2729m height we descend into the valley of the same name and settle into a family hotel at the village of Govedartsi. 6-7hrs of walking, climbing 800m descending 1000m.
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On day 3 we climb the Balkans’ highest summit: Musala, a unique experience as we ascend through stone rivers and past glacier lakes and alpine huts. We plan to stay in the mountain hut Everest at 2725m for the evening, after descending from Musala. Expect to do at least 7-8 hours of effective walking during this day.
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After descending to Borovetz, we will be transferred to Bansko at the foot of mountain Pirin, where we will have a well deserved break from all that hiking before exploring this mountain the next day. In the afternoon we can take a cable car to see the terrain for our hikes in the next two days.
On day 5, we visit one of the most picturesque parts of the Pirin: the Banderishki Lakes Cirque. We pass some of the 16 glacial lakes, revealing one by one as we climb the terraces. We will walk through the Todorina Porta (Todora's Gate) which takes us directly to the Yulen Nature Reserve, from where, by way of the Todorini Ochi (Todora's Eyes) Lakes, we descend into virgin fir groves to the Demyanitsa Hut. From here, we will descent along Demyanitsa River. Expect 6-8hrs of effective walking, climbing 800m and descending 900m.
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On day 6 we will attempt to climb Vihren: Bulgaria’s second-highest and the Pirin’s highest summit. Breathtaking views offer themselves to us as we climb through the Golem Kazan (The Giant Cauldron) area bounded by the 400m tall northern face of Vihren. Today you will explore the Karst parts of Pirin, which are also home to the endangered Edelweiss, the elusive Wallcreeper and the shy Balkan Chamois (wild goats). (6-7hrs of walking, climbing and descending 1000m).
In the evening we will have a well deserved dinner and share the stories of our adventure. Bulgarian cuisine is an inventive mix of Mediterranean, Slavic and Oriental influences.
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After dinner we have an hour and a half transfer to Sandanski, a town with thermal spas. We will stay in a hotel with its own thermal spa pools where we can recuperate from the strenuous hiking the next day. Optional short hikes are possible as the town of Sandanski is located near beautiful forests.
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On the morning of day 8 we will head towards Melnik, a town which has preserved the 19th century architecture and is also in the middle of a wine region. There are natural pyramid like formations with hiking trails, which we could visit. Alternatively we could have a wine tasting stop before heading to Thessaloniki in Greece to catch the 10:40pm flight to London. You can also chose to extend your trip for 9 more days and join the trip to Mount Olympus and Lake Ohrid (https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-the-Balkans/events/243802448/) which starts on the 22nd of September.
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The legend of Pirin and Rila
People in the Balkans love their legends so here is the one about Pirin and Rila. According to locals Rila mountain was once a woman, called Rilka who against the wishes of her parents married a man from the higher lands, called Pirin.
Rilka was a pretty girl but very rebellious and she always did as she pleased. So she ran away and married Pirin without a wedding or her parent's blessing. They soon had two children, a boy, name Iskar and a girl, called Mesta. Pirin was hunting and Rilka was looking after the children who were very naughty. They were always fighting and arguing and not listening to their mother who pleaded with their father to reason with them and help her with their upbringing. But he was always busy hunting and was mostly away from home.
One day the children got into a very serious fight and the angry Rilka cursed them. "May God separate you so you never see each other again. Let people be afraid and run away from you and may I turn into a stone so I can not hug you or speak to you any more. The trees will be my children and may my tears of anger will turn into springs and lush rivers. And God, please if you exist, turn Pirin into a mountain, so people won't laugh at him because of his naughty and damn children. "
As the legend goes, bright lightening went through the sky and Rilka's curse became true. The two children turned into rivers. She and Pirin, who was away at that moment turned into mountains. Mesta who wasn't so naughty turned into a calm river, but Iskar who was wild, took his turbulent waters across the Balkan and entered the Danube river.
Since then Iskar and Mesta can not see each other. Their mother Rila, watches them but then looses them from her sight. And their father Pirin never sees Iskar and constantly grieves for the boy, which is why his north side is always dark and green. But he can see Mesta, which pleases him and he lures people with his beauty to come and see her too.
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The price of 720 euro or £690 for this trip includes:
Renting a minibus and driver for the duration of the trip which offers great flexibility.
All hotels&accomodation (3 and 4 star) and breakfast during the trip, based on two sharing a room. Shared accommodation in mountain huts where there is no alternative. A single room supplement is available at £120 extra.
English speaking certified mountain guides at Rila Mountain and Pirin Mountain.
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The price DOES NOT include flights or travel/health insurance. It doesn't include tickets for cable cars.
A £150 deposit is required when you RSVP and the remaining £540 are due by the 1st of August.
Useful information:
Bring your hiking shoes, swimsuit and camera! Poles come in very handy on this trip!
Local concurrency in Bulgaria is Lev (BGN) £ 1 = лв 2,18
Most of the local exchange offices accept EURO which has better rate than GBP.
There ARE a lot of cash machines in the places we visit, except during hiking in the mountains, of course.
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Recommended flights:
London Luton - Sofia 15.09.2018
Departs at 08:00 AM and arrives at 1:10 PM
flight W6 4302, Price: £83,99 at http://www.wizzair.com
Thessaloniki - London Stansted 22.09.2017
Departs at 10:40 PM and arrives at 00:10
flight LS1652, Price: £100 at http://www.jet2.com
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This trip is open to members of LEC as well as Hiking the Balkans. You would enjoy this trip if you want to learn about different European cultures and are respectful of nature and other people's customs. We do not accept people who behave in ways that may endanger the safety of the group and the organiser reserves the right to exclude participants from hikes if they have displayed such behaviour.
Conquer the highest peak between the Alps and the Caucasus