Trekking the Ridges and Summits of Bulgaria
- Trekking holiday in the Rila and Pirin mountains of Bulgaria
- Climb Musala, the highest peak in the Balkans
- Dramatic walking on the spectacular Marble Ridge
- Ridge trek to the atmospheric `Dark Lake`
- Trekking and walking in a largely undiscovered part of Europe
Wild mountain walking holiday adventure trekking in the Rila and Pirin mountains of Bulgaria. Lying at the cusp of Europe and Asia Minor, Bulgaria has a mix of Greek and Ottoman cultural influences and vast tracts of dramatic mountain scenery. Our exploration of this fascinating country manages to combine its finest trekking with the very best of local hospitality. Following an ascent of the country's highest peak, Mount Musala (2974m), we traverse the extensive Rila Mountains and pay a visit to theornate Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Following the main ridge of the Central Rila Mountains we bag the peaks named Vapa (2532m) and Chemerna (2511m). Then, after a short transfer and a cable car up to the Bezbog Hut, we begin our exploration of the Pirin Range, following ridge-top paths and traversing alpine meadows to the shores of the atmospheric ‘Dark Lake'. Our overnight stay here, in a remote mountain refuge, surrounded by stunning rocky peaks, is an unforgettable highlight of the trip. The climax of this excellent adventure holiday is our trek to the imposing peaks of Vihren (2914m) and Kotelo (2908m), by way of the spectacular Marble Ridge.
Is this holiday for you?
This is a real mountain journey in Bulgaria with significant amounts of ascent and descent on most days. The trails are predominantly good paths but sections of stony ground and boulders will be encountered. There is very little exposure on either the ridges or summits and any exposed sections are cable protected. As with any mountain area the weather can be unpredictable but we would anticipate good conditions for each of our scheduled departures. With the exception of the first and last day you will walk for an average of 7 to 10 hours each day, with some significant climbs and descents. However by using a support vehicle and with careful itinerary design, there is the option to take one or more "rest" days during the week. This trekking holiday is suitable for regular, experienced hillwalkers, looking for an excellent week's mountain walking in a largely undiscovered part of the world.
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