Portfolio Category: Trekking

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

   Pirin National Park declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
   Bezbog hut
   Popovo lake
  Tevno lake 
  Vihren peak 2,914 metres (9,560 ft) Balkans' third highest

ITINERARY

Day 1 - Welcome ot Bulgaria
Meet you at the Sofia or Plovdiv and transfer you to the Dobrinishte located in the foot of Pirin mountains. We will not spend so much time here following our plan to go high in the mountains. Will drive to the lift station and dicide togather, according to the time which is the better way to start the tour: with lift or walking. Anyway, the final spot for the day will be Bezbog hut - one of the newest huts in Pirin. We will spend a night here. (3,75 km; 2,5 hrs of walking, climbing and descending 640m/2100ft)

Day 2 - Hello Pirin
The trail this day is quite difficult but relatively short. From Bezbog hut, we walk along a soft path to Popovo Lake. Then we continue along a steep stony path to Samodivski Lakes, which is also the last place where we can pour water, although directly from the river. After about an hour and a half from Bezbog hut, we reach the crystal clear Popovo Lake, the island in the middle of the lake looks like a tadpole's cap.
From here up the trail is challenging. The terrain is almost entirely stony and rugged. The climb up is almost to the top of Kralev Dvor or the Kraledvorska porta located at its foot. We take a breather after crossing the heights and in front of us opens the spacious view of the extensive Belemeto circus, in which Tevno Lake and the shelter of the same name are located. There is not one last slog left on the stony path and we take the straight path to the shelter, admiring Mt. Kamenitsa in front of us. Tevno Lake hut is a small hut without special amenities, but this is the only one suitable for overnight in the heart of the mountain.
(8 km; 4,5 hrs of walking, climbing, and descending 414m/1360ft)

Day 3 - In the heart of the mountain
This is a day of breaking into the lower parts of Pirin. However, this does not make the transition any easier. We will take the following trail:  Tevno lake - Banderishka porta - Banderishka chukar peak - Donchovi guards - decl. under Muratov peak - Muratovo lake - h. A whirlwind. To the Vihren hut, the marking takes us through the Banderishki gate to the Bunderishki chukar peak. We pass by the typical Pirin mountain landslides of huge rock blocks. From here we take the ridge, admiring the endless picturesque panoramas. After that, we descend along Moratovo lake to h. Vihren, where we will spend the night.
(12 km; 7 hrs of walking, climbing and descending 763m/2503ft)

Day 4 - Vihren peak
After breakfast, we will climb up to Mt. Vihren, which is the second highest peak in Bulgaria, but perhaps the most difficult of the peaks. After we get down, we won't forget to stop by the Baikusheva mura - the biggest tree in Bulgaria.
(6 km; 5,5 hrs of walking, climbing and descending 964m/2300ft)

*The tour can be easily rearranged depending on your preferences and needs.

   Botev peak 2376m

   "Raisko praskalo" waterfall

Itinerary

Day 1  (Hello Old Mountain)

Meet you at the Sofia airport and transfer you to the beginning of the tour in Kalofer. The trail starts from Panicite area and after a few hours of walking we are at Rai hut. We will overnight here.
(8,0 km; 4,5 hrs of walking, climbing 690m/2264ft)

Day2 (The summit)

We get up early after breakfast and head northwest. We will enjoy the beauty of the highest waterfall in the Balkans - the Paradise Sprinkler (Raiskoto Praskalo) (124.5m) before we take on Tarzan Trail (about 1 km). The route involves overcoming the Paradise Rocks in their westernmost part. Although the trail is named after meteorologist and mountaineer Todor Bozhkov - Tarzan, who suffered misfortune on it, it is not so scary under normal weather conditions. It is important not to underestimate it and just a little more concentration is needed. Above the Paradise Rocks, we walk on the path (2km) along the rounded slopes of Mt. Botev until we get to the weather station on the very top. We will take time for rest and photography, then descend west to Botev shelter. Will have lunch and tea here. We head west along the southern slopes of the mountain and admire the view at our feet. Our goal is to Vasil Levski hut. It is the first and oldest hut in Stara Planina and the third in Bulgaria. It is part of the international route E3 Kom-Emine. It will soon be 90 years since its construction. About 10 minutes from here is Karlovsko praskalo waterfall, which is about 30 meters high.
(13,5 km; 7,5 hrs of walking, climbing 947m/3107ft descending 1025m/3363)

Day3 (Descending)

The last day of our adventure is completely filled with going down to the town of Karlovo, which does not make it any easier. The crossing passes through the Stara reka reserve. The trail looks easy and gentle, but in fact it overcomes more than 1000 m of elevation gain. On the way we pass two more huts - Balkan Roses and Hubavets, which are about 45-50 minutes from each other. If you have time, we will stop by the Black Splash waterfall. After the Hubavets hut, the path descends steeply into the Stara Reka canyon and exits in the town of Karlovo at Suchurum waterfall.
(10,00 km; 5 hrs of walking, descending 1000m/3280ft)
*The tour can be easily rearranged depending on your preferences and needs.