Day Tour from Sofia to
Seven Rila Lakes

Includes

Licensed tour guide/driver
Private Transportation
All transportation costs along the route, fuel, VAT and parking fees
Pickup and drop off from your hotel in Sofia

Excludes

Food and Drinks: Please bring your own snacks or packed lunch as options are limited in the mountain area.
Tips and Gratuities: While optional, tipping is greatly appreciated. Offering a gratuity is a nice way to thank your guide for their expertise and hospitality.
Chair Lift Tickets: Tickets can be purchased on-site, and pricing may vary depending on the season.
Personal Expenses: Any additional personal costs, such as souvenirs, extra snacks, or drinks, are not covered.
Hiking Gear: Special hiking gear such as trekking poles or backpacks is not provided.
Travel Insurance: Personal travel insurance is not included, and it’s advisable to have your own coverage in case of accidents or injuries during the hike.

Tour Itinerary

Departure early in the morning. (07:00-08:00)
Transfer to the Panichishte area and the beginning of the Seven Rila lakes (1:30-2:00 hours)
Taking a chair lift to the upper lift station.
Three – four hours hiking around the Seven Rila lakes
Going down with a chair lift
Transfer to Sofia (1:30 – 2:00 hours)

Benefits

Pick-up/ Drop off from your hotel in Sofia
Friendly English-speaking Mountain guide/driver
We’re always willing to go the extra mile to make your tour a success

Good to Know

Duration of the Tour: This full-day tour typically lasts around 8-9 hours, including travel time from Sofia to the Seven Rila Lakes.
Hiking Level: Suitable for beginners to intermediate hikers. The tour involves walking and hiking in mountainous terrain.
Comfortable Clothing & Footwear: Comfortable clothes and hiking shoes are essential for the uneven mountain trails. Regardless of the season, bring a waterproof jacket, warm clothes, and accessories like a scarf, gloves, extra socks, and a T-shirt. The Seven Rila Lakes are situated at an altitude of 2,535 meters, where temperatures can drop suddenly.
Sun Protection: Bring sunscreen, as the sun is stronger at higher altitudes. Wearing a hat and sunglasses is also recommended to protect yourself from the sun.
Food & Snacks: Bring snacks and lunch as fruit, sandwiches, or chocolate for energy. A brief stop at a shop will be made on the way from Sofia to the starting point to pick up any last-minute supplies.
Hydration: It’s essential to bring enough water with you, as there are no water fountains or easy access to drinking water along the route.
Chairlift Information: The chairlift ride to the Seven Rila Lakes area takes approximately 30-40 minutes each way. During peak season, there may be some waiting time for the lift.
Environmental Care: The Seven Rila Lakes are part of a protected national park. Be mindful of your surroundings by sticking to designated paths, not littering, and respecting the fragile ecosystem.
Cash: You will need cash to pay for the chairlift as card payments may not always be accepted.

More about the Seven Rila Lakes

The Seven Rila Lakes (7 Rila lakes) in the heart of the Rila mountain, are among the numerous water features of this treasure trove of pine trees, rivulets, streams, and ponds. They are of glacial origin. The area of the Rila lakes is famed for its stern beauty, adorned by the seven expanses of clear mountain water. The area of the lakes rightly belongs in the list of the one hundred most precious sites in Bulgaria. The height of the lake area is between 2,100 and 2,500 meters above sea level.

The levels of the lakes descend in a terrace-like manner. They are ponds in the mountain folds, interrelated by small brooks. The passages are more picturesque in places where the brooks form fountains and tiny waterfalls. The Seven Rila lakes’ names are characteristic, and related to the peculiarity of each lake. The highest-located lake is Sulzata (Tear): its altitude is 2,535 meters. Okoto has the largest depth: 2,440 meters. Its area is 68 acres. Bubreka is a lake shaped like a kidney, which is why it got its name meaning “kidney” in Bulgarian. Bubreka’s greatest depth is 28 meters. The other lakes are Ribnoto, Trilistnika, Dolnoto, and a lake with two parts joined by a narrow passage – that was why it was called Bliznaka (Twin).

Other day trips from Sofia with us:

• Day tour to Rila Monastery
• Day tour to Plovdiv
• Day tour to Buzludzha monument and Kazanlak
• Day tour to Melnik and Rozhen Monastery (optional wine tasting)
• Day tour to Veliko Tarnovo and Etar Complex
• 2-Day trip to Nis, Serbia
• 2-Day trip to Skopje, North Macedonia