The Mountains of the Gods

Arriving in Bulgaria

Arriving to Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

Our journey will begin here, filled with adventure and culture, and surrounded by enchanting landscapes and unspoiled nature.

After an apassionated visit to the Bulgarian capital, we travel by minibus to the town of Samokov, located at the foot of the highest mountain in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula: Mount Musala (2,925 m).

A small hotel near Samokov will welcome us for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Musala Peack - 2925m.

A short transfer from the hotel takes us to the town of Borovets (1,300 m), where we start the ascent of Mount Musala, the highest point in the Balkans.

To make the long climb easier, we will take a cable car to arrive approximately 1,000 metres higher, to Jastrebets Hut (2,300 m).

From here, we will have only about 600 metres of elevation gain remaining before reaching the summit. Around midday, we will reach the highest summit of the Balkan Peninsula.

After a short break, we will descend towards Borovets, once again using the cable car.

Throughout the day, our guide will briefly tell us about the history of Bulgaria.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Maliovitsa Peack - 2729m.

Today we enter one of the most beautiful valleys in the mountains: the Maliovitsa Valley. From an altitude of 1,700 m, we begin our hike along the trail that will take us to the summit, at 2,729 m.

Once we reach the Maliovitsa summit, we will be left speechless by the magnificent panorama unfolding around us. In the distance, we can see the Pirin mountain range, our next destination.

We will descend along the same trail we took on the way up until we reach the car park, where our minibus will be waiting to take us to the Rila Monastery.

A hotel will welcome us for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Rila Monastery and Bansko citty.

Today is gonna be a relaxing day dedicated to the visits part of the most important cultural and historical heritages in the country. Starting with The Monastery of Rila, the largest and most important monastery in Bulgaria.

We will enter the courtyard to visit the church and admire its beautiful frescoes, depicting religious scenes from the Holy Bible, painted during the period of the Bulgarian National Revival.

Around midday, we will set off for the town of Bansko, considered one of the strongholds of the Bulgarian National Revival. We will check in for the night at a cozy chalet or family-run hotel.

After a shower, we will head out to explore the picturesque town of Bansko. Its old quarter and church create an unforgettable atmosphere, offering a glimpse into life in centuries past, popular uprisings, and Bulgarian culture.

Dinner will be served at a traditional restaurant, Bariakova Mehana, where we will have the opportunity to taste delicious traditional local cuisine.

Early in the morning, we will travel approximately 30 km to the Stapalata Valley.

We will begin the famous Koncheto Ridge, “The Little Horse traverse, following the central ridge of Mount Pirin, which is made of marble rock.

After crossing the Little Horse, we will reach the highest summit of the mountain: Vihren (2,914 m), known by the ancient Thracians as the castle of the god Perun.

A steep descent will take us to Vihren Refuge, where our minibus will be waiting to take us back to Bansko.

Dinner and overnight stay.

The Lakes tape.

We will travel from Bansko to the Damianitsa Valley. At an altitude of approximately 1,500 m, we will begin today’s hike towards the hut of Damianitsa.

Upon reaching the refuge, we will take a short break before start the ascent to the ridge dividing the two valleys: Damianitsa and Banderitsa.

The landscape that unfolds before us is absolutely breathtaking. In the valleys, shaped by the retreat of the great glaciers, numerous mountain lakes have formed. With their blue-green hues, they look like turquoise stones scattered across the emerald-green vegetation.

Here, our guide will tell us the legends behind the names of the mountains surrounding us.

We will continue descending along the trail to Vihren hut.

Our minibus will take us back to Bansko, but along the way we will stop to visit a more than 1,300 years old tree, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dinner at the famous restaurant “Baryakova Mehana”.

Overnight stay.

Bezbog and Polejan Peacks

Today we set off to explore another part of Pirin Mountine. We will begin with a transfer of approximately 20 km to the chairlift station, which will take us to Bezbog Hut (2,236 m).

From there, we will begin today’s stage, ascending to the summit of Polezhan (2,851 m).

Once we reach the summit, a magnificent panorama of the entire southern side of the mountain range unfolds before us. Here, our guide will explain the origin and meaning of the unusual name of this area. Bezbog in Bulgarian means Without God.

After midday, we will return to Bezbog Hut and, using the chairlift, descend to the point where our minibus will be waiting to take us to the picturesque town of Melnik.

In Melnik, we will stay at a small family-run hotel, where we will enjoy the dinner and spend the night.

Visit Melnik and Rojen Monastery.

We will take a short tour of the town of Melnik and visit a wine cellar that has been converted into a museum.

Then, so as not to miss any of the area’s highlights, we will visit the oldest monastery in Bulgaria: the Rozhen Monastery.

At around mid day, we will set off for Sofia.

Accomoddation in the hotel. Dinner.

Departure.