JULY 18-21 - PEAKS & LAKES OF BULGARIA'S RILA MOUNTAINS

Join Backabush for 3 days of spectacular hiking in Bulgaria’s rugged, wild and remote Rila mountains, including to the famous Seven Rila Lakes and Musala peak, highest summit of the Balkans!

Nights - 3. Cost - £359. Group size – 16.

A pristine hiking destination, Bulgaria’s magnificent Rila Mountains are the highest range not only in Bulgaria, but on the entire Balkan Peninsula. They are like a large piece of the Alps cast in the middle of the Balkans.

Among the numerous jagged summits rising to over 2700m stands the Balkans’ highest peak Musala (2925m), which we will have the chance to summit during our trip. From its top, the views over a sea of jagged ridges, rugged peaks, floral alpine meadows and deep gorges are spectacular.

With an ancient Thracian name that likely means “well-watered mountain”, it can’t be a coincidence that water is one of the wonders of Rila. The mountains are abundant in glacial lakes, waterfalls and hot mineral springs.

One of the most striking features of the spectacular Rila National Park are the 180 pristine glacial lakes that lie scattered throughout higher parts of the range. We will hike to the most famous of them, the magnificent cirque of the Seven Rila Lakes, pearls of the Rila Mountains.

To top it all off, we will tackle the fantastic pyramidal peak of Malyovitsa (2729m), with its imposing 1,000 ft tall north face. Mount Malyovitsa is considered a symbol of mountaineering and alpinism in Bulgaria and this is one of the most iconic and breathtaking hikes in the country.

ACCOMMODATION:

Our accommodation will be in comfortable en-suite twin share rooms in a guesthouse in the peaceful village of Govedartsi at the foot of the Rila Mountains, where we can experience the wonderful Bulgarian hospitality. A hearty breakfast and traditional home cooked dinner will be provided each day.

DIFFICULTY:

This trip does not involve technical mountaineering but the hikes will be challenging due to their length/elevation profile and rocky terrain so you will need to have a good level of hiking fitness and a head for heights in the mountainous terrain.

ITINERARY:

Thu 18 July – Free time to explore Sofia and enjoy a lunch there in the morning if arriving the day before. Transfer from airport for flights arriving by 12:30PM or from recommended accommodation in Sofia city centre at 2PM to our guesthouse in Govedartsi. (D)

Fri 19 July – Transfer and chair-lift to Seven Rila Lakes trail start, hike the Seven Rila Lakes circuit (16km, 1100m ascent/descent), transfer back to Govedartsi. (B/D)

Sat 20 July - Transfer to Borovets cabin-lift station, cable car to trail start, hike to Musala peak (15km, 800m ascent/descent), transfer back to Govedartsi. (B/D)

Sun 21 July - Transfer to the Malyovitsa sport complex, hike to Malyovitsa peak (14km, 1050m ascent/descent), transfer to Sofia city centre/ airport. (B)

This trip can be combined with HUT-TO-HUT TREK IN BULGARIA'S PIRIN MOUNTAINS - see Meetup comments section below for details.

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

• 3 nights en-suite twin (or double) share guesthouse accommodation
• 3 breakfasts and 3 dinners
• An itinerary of 3 days of guided hiking
• Transfers as foreseen by the itinerary
• 1 Backabush trip leader and 1 local English-speaking Bulgarian hiking guide
• Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:

• Any meals not specified (lunch supplies can be bought locally)
• Flights and airport transfers
• Travel insurance
• Chair lift fees (expected to be approx. 29 EUR)

FLIGHTS:

Sofia is well connected with direct flights from multiple UK airports. Please use Skyscanner or another search engine to find the most suitable flights for you.

You will need to arrive at Sofia airport by 12:30 on Thu 18 Jul or the day before (booking your own accommodation in Sofia on Wed 17 Jul). Sofia city centre is easily reachable by public transportation.

The trip finishes on Sun 21 Jul. This is our final hiking day and we have a 2 hr transfer back to Sofia city centre/airport after our hike. If you wish to fly back on Sun 21 Jul this is only possible if you book the late Ryanair flight FR2691 leaving Sofia at 23:00. Any earlier flights are not feasible. Otherwise you will need to book your own accommodation in Sofia for this night and can book any return flight on Mon 22 Jul, making your own way back to Sofia airport.

HOW TO BOOK A PLACE ON THIS TRIP:

To confirm your place on this trip use online banking. Your RSVP is not enough to reserve a space on this trip. Please use RILA as your payment reference. The account details are:

Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622

Only payment secures your place. Please email ingridhansen1@gmail.com as soon as you send payment so that we can confirm everything with you. Thanks! :)