The 7 Rila Lakes hiking and SPA day tour / Bulgaria

INTRODUCTION:

^{Explore the Seven Rila Lakes, the jewel of the Rila Mountains National Park and admire breathtaking alpine sceneries! Escape the summer heat in Sofia and enjoy the refreshing mountain climate of the highest mountain of the Balkans! Come join us for a pleasant, easy to moderate walk and relax deeply at the end of the day in thermal pools fed by hot spring waters! All this within a day tour from Sofia!}

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

^{♦ The Seven Rila Lakes cirque – the jewel of the Rila Mountains

♦ Easy to moderate hiking trip in Rila Mountains National Park

♦ Sapareva Banya SPA resort and one of the hottest thermal springs in Europe - 103°C

♦ Deep relaxation in thermal pools fed by hot spring waters}

DATES: Daily from 1 June to 30 Nov
DURATION: 1 day
DIFFICULTY: Easy to Medium

GROUP SIZE: Min. 2 persons
PRICE: 105 € per person
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INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:

^{Pick up / drop off at your hotel or address in Sofia ♦ all transfers with private car or van as per itinerary ♦ English-speaking licensed mountain guide ♦ guidance throughout the tour ♦ visit of Sapareva Banya thermal SPAs ♦ all local taxes}

NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:

^{Lunch and drinks (allow 5 € - 6 € for lunch pack or 8 € - 10 € for 3 course lunch in a mountain hut restaurant) ♦ “Rila Lakes” chair lift tickets (18 Lev / 9 € round trip ticket) ♦ entrance fee for Sapareva Banya thermal SPAs (15 Lev / 7.5 € per person) ♦ personal travel insurance ♦ gratuities (optional)}

TESTIMONILAS:
^{“Adventure, experience and friendship”}

^{"What an amazing trip! We came to Sofia to visit some friends and they arranged a day in the mountains. Our guide, Kyril, came to pick us up and the first impression was immediately good. Friendly, open and answering all questions, he whisked is through the towns and up to the mountain. There we got on the lift to the top and then the hiking began. All along the way, Kyril told us about the mountains, the flora and fauna. Such interesting facts and stories, we learned much more than we could have hoped on our own.He kept an eye on us all of the time and promptly asked us to rest when he saw we needed. Call it a sixth sense if you will! Besides making sure we had enough energy to finish the trip, Kyril ensured our safety from beginning to end. Before crossing over ice or snow, he tested the route and gave a helping hand to whomever needed it. After the hike in the mountains, we ended the trip with a couple of hours at the thermal waters spa and a dinner of delicious local dishes. As seriously professional as he is, Kyril also has an excellent sense of humor and engaged in the conversations. The trip started as four friends and a guide and ended as five friends with an unforgettable day to cherish". - Gerado V., the Netherlands (review from TripAdvisor)}

ITINERARY:

^{We will pick you up early in the morning from your hotel or address in Sofia for a wonderful journey in the Rila Mountains. Within 1.5 hours we will arrive at Pionerska hut (1520 m.), from where we take a chair lift to Rila Lakes hut situated above the tree line at 2150 m.a.s.l. in the Rila Mountains National Park. Here the circular walk begins and passing by Ribnoto (The Fish), Trilistnika (TheTrefoil) and Bliznaka (The Twin) Lakes, we reach Bubreka (The Kidney) Lake, situated at 2282 m.a.s.l. From The Kidney we have 2 options: 1.Long route: we continue uphill and passing by Okoto (The Eye) Lake we reach the Lakes Peak (2550 m), offering a great panorama of all the Seven Rila Lakes. Then we walk back the same way to the Kidney Lake; 2. Short route: We head towards the top station of the chairlift along a scenic route offering a great panorama of the Seven Lakes area. At the end of the hike we reach the Rila Lakes hut and via the chairlift we descend to Pionerska hut. The minivan is awaiting us for a short transfer (approx. 20 min.) to Sapareva Banya SPA resort, famous for one of hottest thermal springs in Europe - 103°C. Time to relax deeply after the walk in some the numerous thermal pools with temperature of the water varying from 15 to 45 °C. In the late afternoon we head back towards Sofia, where we will leave you at your place.

Walking time: approx. 3 hours (short route); approx. 5 hours (long route)

Total ascent / descent: approx. 180 / 140 m (short route); 460 / 385 m (long route)

Bus / car transfer duration: approx. 3 hours / 190 km}

TOUR GALLERY: