PIRIN MOUNTAINS (CENTRE-BASED TOUR)

/The order of the walks on days 2-4 can be changed for logistical reasons./

Day 1: Sofia – Bansko
Arrival in Sofia, transfer from the Airport, or from your accommodation in the city towards Bansko, located in the foothills of Pirin mountain (transfer time is appr. 2,30-2,45hrs). The village will be your base for the upcoming 4 nights. Depending on the time you arrive there, you may stroll around the streets in the Old Town and give a try to the local cuisine. Each day you will be picked up from the hotel and transferred back at the end of the hike. During the trekking, you will need only a small backpack.
Days 2-4: (final details with the order of the walks will be available inside your tour program, which will be emailed to you prior to your arrival in Bulgaria)
A: Bansko – Vihren Hut – Banderishki Lakes Cirque – Demyanitsa River – Bansko (6-7hrs; 16km; +615m/-1215m)
After breakfast, you will be collected and transferred to Vihren hut, a place where a lot of hiking trails start (45 mins driving time). Behind every turn on the path, the scenery will change incredibly. The trail will dip into an old source forest, part of Yulen Nature Reserve, and will take you to a group of 16 glacier lakes. Your companions throughout the day will be the gigantic jagged peaks. A pristine beauty that deserves to be immortalized on a picture. At the end of the self-guided hiking, the trail enters a shady forest and runs parallel to the playful Demyanitsa river.
B: Bansko – Mount Polezhan – Bansko (5hrs; 7km; +770m/-770m)
A transfer to the nearby Gotse Delchev hut (30 mins driving time) will take you to the chairlift which you have to use to accomplish today’s target – Polezhan Summit (2851m/9354ft). The chairlift will take you to Bezbog hut with the magnificent lake behind it. From there actually starts your ascend towards the peak. Step by step stunning views will reveal themselves and the calming green colour will be everywhere around you. The trekking is not difficult, however, the last stage just before the peak could be considered as challenging. Your efforts will be rewarded with jaw-dropping panorama towards granite peaks and numerous lakes including the largest and deepest glacier lake in the mountain: the Popovo Lake. For those who wish to save their energy for tomorrow’s trek, there would be an opportunity to hike to Popovo Lake instead of Polezhan Summit (starting and ending points are the same and the trail characteristics as follows 4 hrs of walking; 6,90km; climbing and descending 770m).
C: Bansko – Vihren Hut – Mount Vihren – Vihren Hut – Bansko (6-7hrs; 8km; +960m/-960m)
The highlight of your self-guided trekking is left for the last day. Every independent journey deserves a remarkable end! So it would be to attempt Pirin mountain highest summit – Vihren (2914m/9560ft). The Karst topography explains the lack of lakes and waters at all. However, this area is home to the endangered Edelweiss flower so watch your steps while hiking uphill the rocky terrain. There are several ways to reach the summit and you will trek over Golem Kazan (The Giant Cauldron). At the distant hills, you may be granted with an amazing scene – rushing wild goats. From the top, you can admire a picture that will rest in your memory for a lifetime – sea of jagged peaks and alpine valleys.
Day 5: Bansko – Sofia
Transfer from Bansko to Sofia Airport in connection with your flight (appr. 2,30hrs).

Rila Monastery (UNESCO) extension: Depending on your flight times on your way to Bansko on Day 1 or on the way back to Sofia on Day 5 you can make a detour to visit Rila Monastery (UNESCO). This extension will take appr. 2,30-3hrs (incl. 1-1,30hrs free time to explore the monastery and its museum on your own; no guiding and entry fees included) and will cost 60 EUR (group of 1-3 pers.), or 95 EUR (group of 4-8 pers.). Please let us know at the time of booking so this extra can be added to your reservation on time (closer to the date of travel it will be subject to availability with the drivers’ schedules).

Hiking time: The time mentioned above each day is tentative. Any stops for rest, picnic, pictures are not included. The calculations are based on the average hiker’s speed to accomplish the hike on flat terrain with an additional 30min for each 300m elevation gain, and a backpack weighing not more than 10-15% of their body weight. However, still, the main criterion is the experience of the client and their fitness.