The East European country of Bulgaria is a great place to spend your walking or trekking holiday. There are a few mountain ranges above 2000 m in height (Rila, Pirin, Balkan, Rhodopes and Vitosha mountains), with a well developed network of hiking trails and mountain huts, accessible in every time of the year. The four distinct seasons and the great variety of nature landscapes ensure you’ll have spectacular views anytime you visit – in Spring, Autumn, Summer or Winter. The variety of the terrain and the mountain landscapes ensure everyone will find something suitable to enjoy – from challenging rocky peaks to leisure forest and lake walks. The cheap flights to Sofia and Plovdiv from many European (and not only) capitals and the proximity of the mountains to these cities provide good options for short breaks and long weekend walking holidays to these mountains, no matter if you live in London, Prague or Tel Aviv.
Each season has its specifics as well as each mountain range. For example the Rhodope Mountains are easy to visit in early Spring or late Autumn, while there is still/already snow during this time in the higher Rila and Pirin Mountains and the conditions there are generally challenging. The broad-leaf forests of the Balkan are a magnificent view when the Autumn is approaching, while the blossoming flower meadows of the Rila Mountains are best to see in late June and early July.
The Bulgarian mountains are rich in wildlife and there are many protected areas within the mountain ranges. these include Rila, Pirin and Central Balkan national parks, 11 Nature Parks, including the Vitosha Nature Park, many reserves and nature sights. The animal species include Brown Bear, Wolf, Wild Boar, Deer, Chamois and many more.
We`ve got sample itineraries on all the mountain ranges of Bulgaria as well as in some of the mountains of Greece – Olympus Mountains (Mount Mytikas) and Pindus Mountains (Tymfi Mountain Range). Beside the popular trekking routes across Mount Musala, Mount Malyovitsa, the famous range of the Seven Rila Lakes and the Rila Monastery, we`ve got some programs in less known areas of the Rhodope and the Balkan Mountains.
The itineraries are from day trips or weekend escapes from Sofia to a week-long hut-to-hut trekking adventures. They all suit to different parts of the year, so if wondering when is the best time to go to a particular mountain range, just drop us a question note.