Meet at the group hotel in Sofia. A single timed transfer from Sofia Airport is included. Depending on your arrival time you may have time to explore the centre of Sofia and take in some of the sights that this interesting capital has to offer. Sofia is steeped in history and with its laid back approach is a great place to explore. A highlight is The Crypt Icon Museum in the Aleksander Nevski Cathedral which holds the largest collection of Orthodox icons in Europe, a total of 200 icons dating from the 13th to 19th Century. This impressive basilica, the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world, can hold up to 10,000 people and its showcase is a beautiful gold plated dome. The city centre is great for wandering through and you'll pass onion-domed churches, Ottoman mosques and a rich mixture of architecture plus welcoming restaurants and cafes. Late afternoon we'll take a stroll through the streets of Sofia before enjoying dinner in a local restaurant.

After breakfast we'll take a short transfer to Vitosha National Park, Bulgaria's first national park and the oldest park on the Balkan Peninsula. Declared a national park in 1934 and visible from Sofia, the park is home to Mount Vitosha (2290m) and a rich variety of flora and fauna including Balkan wild goat and brown bear. Today we enter a stunning mountain environment which we'll explore as we get used to snowshoeing and take in the beauty of the area. As with each day, the exact route will depend on the snow conditions and our leader will decide on each day's route daily depending on weather and snow conditions. After a lovely first day of snowshoeing we transfer to the area of Maliovitsa, staying in a small mountain village, which at 1700m is surrounded by lovely scenery.

Today we'll be walking on the slopes of Mount Maliovitsa, a Bulgarian mountain which is so well respected, that its North Face is the symbol of the Bulgarian Alpine Association. We start with a short 20 minute transfer from our guesthouse to the small alpine resort of Maliovitsa. It was in this area during the times of Communist Bulgaria that the country's only mountain leader school was situated. We'll be exploring an area called the Chamonix of Bulgaria as we walk gently along the valley to the Maliovitsa hut (1960m). Next we head up to a terrace at 2250m, which makes a perfect lunch stop as we get to admire views over the surrounding summits of Kamilata (2621m) and Orlovets (2685m). In the afternoon we'll either retrace our steps back down or depending on energy levels we may zig-zag our way up to the Elenino Lake (2470m) before descending back down to Maliovitsa, where we will transfer back to our guesthouse.

We start the day with the same 20 minute transfer to the main resort where we'll enjoy a second day of snowshoeing to the Lontchevo Lake. It's a circular walk as we take in some stunning scenery which includes dramatic views of the rocky peak of Kupenite. The lake is named after a painter from the nearby town of Samokov, who used to visit the area for his art. From the lake we aim, depending on the snow conditions, to make a small loop on a ridge with some views over the surrounding valleys. Towards the end of the day, we'll return to Maliovitsa and transfer back to our guesthouse for our final might night in this area.

This morning we start with a transfer (approx. 90mins) to the area of Panichishte which is where we stay for the next 3 nights. This small alpine resort (1400m) lies on the border of the Rila National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Today we'll enjoy a day of snowshoeing on a circular route in the Skakavitsa Reserve. This beautiful area includes the valley of the Djerman River valley, a rich region containing rare plants, ancient forests and waterfalls plus excellent fauna including deer, bear and wild boar. We start by ascending through pine forest until we reach trails above the tree line where we'll be rewarded with views over Mount Kabul and the area of the Seven Lakes. As an area that sees very few winter visitors we should get to see the tracks of wild animals including deer and mountain hares. After a lovely snowy adventure we take a short transfer of 15 minutes to our hotel.

This morning we start with a short transfer before heading out into forest. We'll be snowshoeing through a true Bulgarian winter wonderland whilst surrounded by fantastic views. Today's plan is to make our way to the Rila lakes hut and enjoy the breath taking scenery. This little Bulgarian gem has fascinated mountaineers for years and is a summer meeting place for religious followers of Danovism. Every August around 2000 people gather at the lakes to celebrate the danovists New Year. A combination of Eastern Orthodox and paganism, danovism was formed at the beginning of the 20th Century by the Bulgarian Peter Danov and includes yoga, meditation and nature worship. With its beautiful scenery and pristine location you can see why this little Bulgarian gem is a great place to explore on snowshoes. In the afternoon we'll descend back to Panichishte.

Another day exploring the local area of the Seven Lakes and hopefully we'll pay a visit to Skakavitsa Waterfall, the highest waterfall in the Rila Mountains. This magical area is part of the Skakavitsa Reserve which is one of the smallest reserves in Bulgaria. The reserve was established in 1968 and set up to protect its century old endemic pines. Balkan Pines are native to Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria and as a member of the white pine group, is known by its pine needles which grow in bunches of five. Hopefully the snow conditions are on our side and we'll reach the 70m high Skakavitsa waterfall (2000m), which even when frozen is an impressive sight. Today is a lovely day of snow shoeing and a great way to finish the week. In the afternoon we'll return to Panichishte for our final night in Bulgaria.

Your holiday ends after breakfast. A single timed transfer to Sofia Airport (about 120 km) is provided. Sofia is a great place to spend an extra night or two, so if you would like to extend your time in the city then please contact the KE office and we can assist you on booking extra nights in the group hotel and a private transfer.