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4.8
| 12 reviews

Climb Mount Musala (2925m)

Bulgaria
2 nights
Moderate

Climb the highest peak in Bulgaria and explore the seven Rila lakes, for some of the most iconic views in the country

What's Included?

Small Like-minded Groups

Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 14 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people
From

…

excluding flights
From

…

excluding flights

What's it like?

4.8
| 12 reviews
Pretty much everything was perfect. The cho...
September 2019
David
Pretty much everything was perfect. The cho...
September 2019
David
Everything was great! Itinerary, transfers,...
August 2019
Monica
Everything was great! Itinerary, transfers,...
August 2019
Monica
Great guide, beautiful scenery. ...
July 2019
Claire
Great guide, beautiful scenery. ...
July 2019
Claire

Trek to the summit of Mt. Musala (2925m)- the highest point on the Balkan Peninsula

Explore the range’s most famous location – the Rila lakes, seven glacial lakes situated between 2100m and 2500m above sea level

Ride cable cars and bed down in the remote mountain village of Govedartsi

Key Information

Day 1

Govedartsi

Meet your guide in Sofia and head to the little village of Govedartsi where you can relax and get to know your team before a big day tomorrow.

Day 2

Summit Mt Musala (2925m)

Hiking

6-8hrs · 25km · 750m up · 1600m down

Drive to Borovets Resort, the starting point for your summit attempt on the magnificent Mt. Musala (2925m). Ride the cable car to the top of Yastrebets (2396m), take in the panoramic views, negotiate glacier lakes and pass mountain shelters surrounded by outcrops, peaks, and deep valleys. This is the highest mountain in the Balkans and when you reach the top, the views are worthy of its title; you’ll be rewarded with all the major mountain ranges in Bulgaria, including the rest of the magnificent Rila. After a cup of herbal tea and the chance to enjoy your achievement, make the easier descent down for some much-needed chill time back at the hotel.

Day 3

The seven Rila lakes

Hiking

4-5hs · 12km · 520m up · 1600m down

Take the cable car to the start of the Rila Lakes Cirque and then explore them one by one, starting with the Salzata - the highest at 2500m. Don’t make the mistake of thinking a lake is just a lake, as each of the seven has its own unique features - from the steep shores of the Babreka (2282m) to the recognisable shape of the Trilistnika (2216m) and the shallow bed of the Ribnoto Ezero (2184m). Enjoy an amazing birds’ eye view over the beauty you’re about to explore and then complete the circuit, ending at Dolnoto Ezero (2100m). Head back to Sofia and then home with some photos that will blow your friends away.

The Area

map

Logistics

Starts

Sofia Airport

19:00

Ends

Sofia Airport

17:00

Transfers

Your adventure begins at Sofia Airport (SOF) with your airport transfer at 19:00. Please schedule your flight to arrive more than 30 minutes before this time.

If you have the option to arrive earlier, you can get a 15 minute taxi into Sofia city centre spend time on your own, exploring the famous sites downtown. In this case, your host will arrange to pick you up in the centre of Sofia at 19:00 and transfer you to the first overnight accommodation. Just let your host know when booking.

At the end of your adventure you will be dropped back at Sofia Airport (SOF) at 17:00. You are free to book any flight that departs after 19:00.

Travel options

There are regular flights to Sofia from airports across the UK and Europe.

What about all the carbon?

We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.

Day 1

Hotel · Single bed

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 2

Hotel · Single bed

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 3

Departure day

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

What is the food like?

Bulgarian food has a strong Mediterranean influence. Popular dishes include shopska (like a Greek salad), moussaka, pastries, stuffed vine leaves, sausages, cured meats and hearty stews. Common ingredients are yogurt, cheese, legumes and vegetables.

For breakfast, expect cold meats, cheeses, eggs, bread and butter with jams, and fruit. Dinner is usually a starter of fresh salad or soup, followed by meat (chicken or pork) with vegetables and bread. If you have any special requests, let your host know and they will try to accommodate them.

What is the accommodation like?

Govedartsi

You’ll stay at the family run Krusharska House in the village of Govedartsi. Rooms are comfortable and offer en-suite facilities and free WiFi. There's also a restaurant on site.

Solo travellers automatically stay in their own single room, however, If you're travelling as a couple or with other people and would like to share a twin/double room please let us know when booking especially if you do not book at the same time.

David(September 2019)
Pretty much everything was perfect. The cho...
Pretty much everything was perfect. The cho...

Pretty much everything was perfect. The choice of hotels, our guides, the actual treks all top quality. Taking 20 people away is usually stressful but not this time - thank you!

Diogo(August 2019)

All journey was amazing, everything organised, good guide! Was an amazing experience for my first time hiking!!

Monica(August 2019)
Everything was great! Itinerary, transfers,...
Everything was great! Itinerary, transfers,...

Everything was great! Itinerary, transfers, guesthouse/food and local guide. Was really impressed.

James(August 2019)

The trip generally was well organised, accommodation very good (provided excellent food and hospitality), drop off at hotels for those staying in Sofia at the end of the trip was a nice bonus.

Zarko(August 2019)

Fantastic scenery, very well organized and professional guide.

Nicola(July 2019)

As a solo traveler, it is great to be able to go on trips like this. I felt welcome and looked after the whole time. It was a great experience.

Claire(July 2019)
Great guide, beautiful scenery. ...
Great guide, beautiful scenery. ...
Great guide, beautiful scenery. ...

Great guide, beautiful scenery.

Arlene(July 2018)

Really enjoyed this weekend in Bulgaria. The surroundings are beautiful and it was so nice to sleep in a bed (and not a tent!) at the end of the day. We came up against some torrential rain pour which prevented us from making it to the summit, however we all had such a great weekend that we said we’d go back. Boyan our host was exceptional. You couldn’t want for more. He was knowledgeable, funny and had a pace which always kept in mind the slowest. This is such a rarity in group trips but it meant no one felt left behind. This is an easy-moderate hike and would suit first-timers as well as those who like an active weekend, like me. Oh, and the food was delicious. That’s always a bonus.

Roberta(July 2018)

Boyan is a great guide. Very articulate and knowledgeable. We had a great experience with him.

Maria(July 2018)

Everything was as was written in the trip description. Our guide Boyan was great. Excellent English and told us about Bulgarian history, culture, food, nature. He really made the trip very enjoyable.

Nisha(July 2018)

The host Boyan was brilliant, he was very knowledgeable about the country and the mountains. We had terrible conditions on the mountain on the first day but he still managed to make sure we were all enjoying ourselves and that everyone was ok, he helped those that were struggling. The scenery was amazing out there and the food was great too! Would definitely visit again.

Alex(July 2018)

Boyan was a fantastic guide. As we arrived early (1 pm rather than 7 pm) he gave us a walking tour of Sofia as a bonus which was great - he was really knowledgeable. The hotel we stayed at was very nice and the food was amazing! On the day of climbing Mt Musala the weather was terrible - driving rain and wind and by the time we reached the second hut we decided to abandon as everyone was soaked through and freezing. Despite this, somehow Boyan still made the experience really enjoyable and no-one was any less happy about not reaching the peak. He took us up to the seven lakes the day after when (fortunately) the sun was out so we had a lovely last day, with Boyan filling us in on the details of each lake as we went, which was really interesting. Overall, I would recommend this trip to anyone - the itinerary makes it good but Boyan made it fantastic!

Guides

Experienced, English speaking guides

Accommodation

2 nights in a village hotel

Meals

2 breakfasts and 2 dinners

Transfers

To and from the airport and everything in-between

Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.

Personal Expenses

You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.

Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear

In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.

What do I need to bring?

Bags

  • Main luggage bag/backpack
  • Daypack for hiking
  • Waterproof liner for backpack

Clothes

  • Hiking boots (worn-in)
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Waterproof trousers
  • Breathable wicking layers
  • Fleece jacket or similar
  • Buff or neckscarf
  • Lightweight gloves
  • Lightweight trousers/shorts / skirts
  • T-shirts, underwear & socks
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunhat
  • Something to sleep in

Other

  • Universal travel adapter
  • Spare camera batteries
  • Passports (and visas)
  • Travel Insurance documents
  • Earplugs
  • Suncream
  • Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
  • Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
  • Alcohol hand-gel
  • Reusable water bottle x1 ltr (2 of these if you have room)
  • Energy bars and snacks

No optional extras are available for this trip.

You'll need to bring all your luggage with you, however on each day of hiking your main luggage can be left in the accommodation, or left with the transfer vehicle and driver depending on the day of the trip. You will only need to have a daypack for each day of hiking.

For current advice about travelling in Bulgaria, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

  • 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
  • 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
  • 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.

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