Seven Rila Lakes & Monastery Trekking Tour

69 € / per person

(0 Reviews)

The Seven Rila Lakes area is a must-visit destination for anyone seeking the most scenic and rewarding day trek in Bulgaria. Nestled in the stunning Rila Mountains, this trek offers an unforgettable experience just a short distance from Sofia.

Your adventure begins with a smooth drive toward Panichishte, where an open chair lift will take you up to the Seven Rila Lakes Hut in about 30 minutes, offering stunning views as you ascend. Once at the hut, you’ll find modern amenities, including a variety of food options to energize you for the trek ahead.

The loop trek begins, taking around 5 hours, including breaks, and is suitable for anyone, even those with no previous trekking experience. However, be prepared for a moderate mountain hike, so remember to bring comfortable shoes, warm clothes, sunscreen, and at least 1.5 liters of water. As you hike, you’ll be treated to some of the most spectacular scenery in Bulgaria, with each of the seven glacial lakes offering a unique and breathtaking view.

After completing the hike, you’ll head to the iconic Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where you’ll have time to explore and take in its historic beauty.

This easy-to-access trek offers the perfect combination of natural beauty, moderate physical challenge, and cultural exploration—an experience you won’t want to miss. Book now for an unforgettable day in the heart of Bulgaria’s mountains!

Quick information

Duration:

Start: 7:30 h
End: 19:30 h

Accessibility

Not accessible

Driving time:

5 h approximately

Important:

Comfortable shoes, warm clothes, snacks and sandwiches, bottle of water.

Difficulty:

Easy-moderate mountain trekking with +/-500m. elevation gain.

Recommended period:

June – September

Overview

Itinerary

Itinerary for Seven Rila Lakes & Monastery Trekking Tour

The Seven Rila Lakes area is a very popular and easy option for the most scenic day trek in Bulgaria. The lakes are located in Rila Mountain, about 90 km south of the capital Sofia.

7:30 Departure from Sofia.
9:00 Arrival at Panichishte chair lift paring. An open chair lift takes you up directly for about 30 min from the parking lot to the starting point of your trek- Seven Rila lakes hut. The place is fairly modern, it offers a good food variety.
11:00 The loop trekking takes about 5 hours including time for breaks and does not require previous trekking experience. However, you have to be prepared for some moderate mountain trekking with comfortable shoes, warm clothes, sunscreen and bottle of water (1.5l).
16:00 Return to parking lot.
17:00 Arrival at Rila Monastery
19:30 Return to Sofia.

More details

Seven Rila Lakes & Monastery Trekking Tour Overview

The lakes have a glacial origin and they are located on different terraces from 2100 m to about 2500m above sea level. The Seven Rila Lakes are one of the Bulgaria’s 100 National tourist sites. The breath-taking views of Lower lake (Dolno ezero), The Eye (the deepest high-altitude lake), The Tear (Salzata), The Kidney (Bubreka) etc. make this hike an unforgettable feast for the eyes and senses. Please note that getting to the view points takes at least 2 hours trekking each way.

Activity map

Departure point

Departure point every day from your hotel or accommodation.

Prices

Prices:

Every day (June – September): the price is based on the number of people in your party and includes hotel pick-up.

1 person

199 €

2 persons

99 € Per person

3 persons

89 € Per person

4 – 8 persons

79 € Per person

9 – 18 persons

69 € Per person

Included:

Transfer to/from your hotel/accommodation in Sofia
Mountain guide in English
Parking fees
Entrance fees
Chair lift ticket
Mountain insurance

Not included:

Personal expenses
Meals

Reviews

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 393 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Declan Dowd 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Stefan was great! We were in a pinch and he drove us all the way to the airport. The tour its self was very well run and smooth. Couldn’t recommend more.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Aidan Boyle 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Stefan was very good, and very knowledgeable, tour also ran a bit late, and he did what he did to help us get to our flight. Thank you
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jack Turek 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great guy. Stefan rushed us to the airport giving us a chance to make our flight home. Great service.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jordan Wright 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The tour was really good. The spa and pool was exception recommend to anyone who doesn't know where to go.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Galena Donovan 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The trip was very interesting and leisurely attractive.  Rila monastery is absolutely stunning and then we enjoyed the hottest  thermal baths and swimming pools. What a lovely day!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Alayla Castle-Herbert 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had a really good day trip to Nis with this company. It was very organised with excellent communication beforehand and during, and smooth comfortable travelling in the vehicle. It was really interesting to visit all the different locations and learn a bit more about the history, even though some of it wasn’t always pleasant such as the visit to the concentration camp. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly and gave a good mix of background information while also letting us find out more and explore the sites themselves, as well as going out of his way to make aure we had places we could eat/exchange money/pay with card in Nis itself.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   דוד קדם 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. It is evident that Philip, the guide, is very knowledgeable.
An excellent driver, friendly, and with a sense of humor.
We really enjoyed the tour and the sites we visited.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Magdalena Zając 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Belogradchik was breathtaking! We received clear instructions before the trip and had just enough time to enjoy the sites
  
 
  
  
 
 
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