Join a UIMLA guide on a spectacular 3-day snowshoeing tour through the Rila mountains of Bulgaria.
Rila Mountains
3 Days
Jan - Apr
High
Intermediate
Come with us on this great snowshoe tour within the amazing Rila Mountains’ landscape! Once there, we will spend 3 days together hiking from hut to hut while witnessing the splendour of the Bulgarian mountain range.
Winter sports fans, you cannot miss this great opportunity to snowshoe within the Rila Mountains.
The whole 3-day trekking trip will take place in the Rila National Park. We will visit the fantastic Seven Rila Lakes, The Green Ridge, Pazardere Valley and the Skakavitsa Waterfalls.
This is the ideal trip for those who are eager to leave behind the chaos of the city for the solitude of the mountains.
The Rila peak (2,925m) was once referred to as “The Desert Mountain”, so it is here where you will profit from its calmness, purity and magnificence.
We will move daily from hut to hut. You will live the unforgettable experience of sleeping in high-altitude conditions, with great mountain peaks surrounding you.
Each day we will move to different areas of the Rila National Park. We will snowshoe in high-altitude zones and on different types of surfaces, such as waterfalls and frozen lakes.
The trip’s level of difficulty is not particularly high, so anybody can enjoy it. However, in order to participate in this snowshoeing tour you have to have some previous walking on snowshoes experience. Also, to be acquainted and make use of the proper winter equipment. And, of course, you have to be in good physical shape and be able to walk for several hours.
Come and join us on this snowshoeing hut-to-hut adventure. We assure you will get to see astonishing mountain landscapes, the best Bulgaria has to offer. Just send us a request, and it will be a great pleasure to guide you through this extremely rewarding adventure in the Rila Mountains.
We can also lead you on a 6 day snowshoeing adventure in the Rhodopes mountains of Bulgaria as well.
We will start from Panitshishte-Zeleni Preslop (1,5 from Sofia by car). Trekking to Skakavitsa Hut, where you can choose to showshoe to the biggest waterfall in the Rila Mountains: the Skakavitsa. Then, we trek upwards to the Dry Ridge’s top and then we descend to Rila Lakes Hut, at 2150 meters, where we will sleep that night.
We will snowshoe for about 4 hours at 2600 meters until we reach the Ivan Vazov Hut at 2300m. This hut is located in the middle part of Northwestern Rila. Here, you have the choice of walking to the summits there are around that area.
We will start our walk back passing and descending by the Zeleni Rid Ridge until reaching or the starting point or Malyovitsa. A nice way to finish the trip would be to visit the thermal pools in the village of Sapareva Banya on our return.
What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?
5.0
(7)
Mountain Leader
I work as a mountain leader since 2006, both with individuals and larger organized groups, mainly English speaking.
Together with a group of colleagues we offer a wide-range of activities: hiking, trekking, rock climbing and mountain biking, snowshoeing, ice climbing, ski touring and off-piste skiing.
All our guides are certified, experienced and passionate about their job and will guide you with a smile and care through the wild beauty of the Bulgarian and the Balkan mountains.
Languages
Russian | English | Bulgarian
Certificates
UIMLA
Gaelle
Lyuben is a very good guide. More than a ski touring guide , he is a perfect travel organiser. We were a group of 4 Belgium guys around 50 to make the 4 days touring ski tour. He chose for us a very good family guesthouse, with very good food. He let us discover local thermal bath, traditional restaurant. About ski touring, Lyuben chose each day the best spot possible for the landscape and the snow adapted to the changing weather conditions. Time keeping was perfect. Zero stress for any situation. He has a comfortable car and does not hesitate to drive hours to bring us to the best area or to bring back us to the airport. Very friendly, super adaptive with us, I warmly recommend Lyuben.
Matt
Lyuben and Ivo were excellent. Communication was great. Lyuben helped us hire kit before arriving. Each day was great with a good variety or touring and excellent snow. thank you!
Lissi
Wonderful 9-day hiking in the mountains of Bulgaria and Greece. It was easy to book a trip through the Explore-Share page. They responded quickly, everything was fine and well organized. My whole 9 days were very well organized. Guide picked me up on Sofia's airport and on the 9th day guide taken me back to the airport. Everything in between was organized by Top Guides Bulgaria. The physical effort was great, but it was worth it, wonderful views and very good emotions. I met three guides - Lyuben, Ruslan and Moni. They were very nice and friendly and very good guides. They kept my pace when hiking the mountains and helped and taught me if it was necessary. I felt safe and supported all the time. The hardest part for me was the last part of Mt. Olympus, climbing to the top, it took self-transcendence and a big effort. I haven't been rock climbing before. I am proud to myself that I made it. I was able to do this thanks to Lyuben's support, help and teachings. I am very grateful to him. When hiking in the mountains, you must be prepared to walk up the hill for several hours, which is physically difficult. At this time, wonderful views and feelings gives strength and the will to move on. Guide Moni had taken with him binocular. So we saw the animals and the birds more closer and he had knowledge to talk about them. In the mountains guide Ruslan talked about myths, local culture and nature. On the last day we had the city tour in Sofia. Guide Ruslan introduced me the historical buildings and told many interesting stories about history. All of it was very interesting to listen. The program of the days was very well structured. On the 5th day I felt physically tired and would not have been able to go hiking in the mountains straight away again. According to the plan, came the time to rest: Greece beach, the return trip to Bulgaria, a walk in the beautiful town of Bansko. After that I felt rested and enjoyed hiking in the mountains again. On the evenings of hiking days, you can relax: a delicious dinners in local restaurants, nights in lovely hotels and mountain huts, you can go to a mineral water spa, local market, etc. I am very satisfied and happy about this 9-day trip. Everything was very good. I have great memories and wonderful pictures of it. I definitely want to go back there, at another time of the year: to ski in the winter or to see waterfalls in the spring. Also, I would be happy to use the services of Explore-Share and Top Guides Bulgaria again when hiking in other regions.
Alexander
A few words about the wonderful guide Kaloyan Peichev. He is a very responsible guide, a wonderful skier and a generous teacher, he has professional knowledge of mountains, snow, etc. and a very kind person.
Jane
Amazing trip..... 100% recommend this trip... Lyuben was both professional and friendly. We loved it. A great activity to do with a non-skier in tow.
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