BULGARIA
Bulgaria's best days out.
The 8 best hiking & trekking tours in Bulgaria. What each one involves, who runs it, and what you will pay.
Full-day hike from Sofia through the Seven Rila Lakes, then a soak at Sapareva Banya Spa. Small group, chairlift, 103°C thermal water.
“This was a great tour if you like hiking. Our guide Phil was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.”
Snowshoe the Seven Rila Lakes from Sofia, then unwind in Sapareva Banya thermal pools with guide-led instruction and pickup.
“In advance of the tour, we sent multiple Viator messages, wrote an email, and called the provided number 5+ times. We did not select a pickup point because we were already going to be in Rila and wanted to meet there, so we asked where would be best to meet the local guide. No one…”
Seven Rila Lakes day hike from Sofia with small-group minivan transport, cable car access, and a moderate 5-hour walk at high altitude.
“Great experience. Don’t miss. This can be challenging physically hiking to the top. The views are stellar along the way!”
Full-day Mt. Vitosha summit hike plus Boyana Waterfall from Sofia, with hotel pickup, small group pace, and free entry tickets.
“I had an amazing time climbing Vitosha mountain with Avi as my tour guide. She was extremely knowledgeable, skilled as a mountain guide, and interesting to talk to. It was a nice climb: we ended up doing 19.5km of walking, 32,000 steps, and 1500 meters of elevated climbing. I think I would describe it as…”
Climb Vitosha’s Cherni Vrah from Aleko, visit Dragalevtsi Monastery, and return to Sofia with a local guide and great views.
“Our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. Because the lift is not running the police close the road up the mountain after a certain number of cars each day. Our guide, knowing this, contacted us to leave earlier and we arrived be for the road closed and before the trail was busy.”
Small-group day trip from Sofia to UNESCO Boyana Church and Rila Monastery, with a cave hike, Stob pyramids stop, and wine tasting.
“The tour to the Rila Monastery was like a fairy tale! Thanks to the beautiful winter landscape and our guide, who created a fun atmosphere and told us detailed facts about the places we passed by. The Boyana Church is a unique historical heritage site because it is a pre-Renaissance masterpiece!”
Seven Rila Lakes hike from Sofia with climate minivan, chairlift, and a guide’s wildlife tips in Rila National Park.
“Great day tour from Sofia. Professional on-time driver. I would recommend this tour (self-guided option). Hike with beautiful views that is very moderate.”
Hike the Banderishka Lakes in UNESCO Pirin, then explore Bansko’s Bulgarian Revival quarter with a small-group guide from Sofia.
“This hike isn’t the easiest, but the breathtaking views make every step worth it! I had an amazing day exploring the mountains with my guide, Iliam. He was fun, personable, and made the whole experience really enjoyable. We visited four stunning lakes, each more beautiful than the last. If you’re up for a challenge and…”
