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Private Day Trip to the 7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery: An In-Mountain Nature Escape

5.0

6 Ratings

Sofia

Embark on a private day trip to the 7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery for an in-mountain nature escape. Hike through the lakes and explore the monastery in just one day!

Duration: 12 hours

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Seven Rila Lakes - The tour starts at 7:30am in the morning when the guide will take you from your place in Sofia. The Seven Rila Lakes are just 1, 30 h away from the capital, which makes them a great day trip in the nature. From the mountain village of Panichishte you will take a cable car to the area of the lakes. All seven of them have their own name which reflects its typical shape or characteristics. They are situated between 2,100 and 2,500 meters above sea level. In winter, they are frozen over and covered in snow; in summer, once melted, they are a clear emerald green and are great for picnic. The hiking path is of moderate difficulty and it takes about 3 hours.
Rila Monastery - In the afternoon you will also travel to the famous Rila Monastery, UNESCO heritage sight, where you can admire its amazing frescoes and architecture. The expected return at Sofia will be at 7:30pm.

What's Included

Walking tour around the Lakes
Hotel pick up and drop off
Trip to the Rila Monastery
Professional guide
Transportation with a comfortable car
Trip to the Seven Rila Lakes

What's Not Included

food & drinks
Cable car fee - 25 BGN, should be paid in cash on the spot – local currency only!!!
Gratuities

Additional Information

This excursion offers an incredible opportunity to explore two extraordinary sites in a single day, both situated in the Rila Mountain Range. The principal focus of the tour will be the lake region, where we will trek for about 3 hours—ideal for a refreshing retreat into the wild. As this outing brings together two attractions, you will be able to view 5 out of the 7 lakes, leaving adequate time to explore the Rila Monastery.

The monastery tour will last about an hour, providing just enough time to discover its key features.

The journey from Sofia to Rila Lakes takes 2 hours, from the Rila Lakes to Rila Monastery is 1.5 hours, and from Rila Monastery back to Sofia is another 2 hours.

Please dress appropriately for mountain condtions and take a jacket with you even in the summer.
Please wear comfortable walking shoes

Location

Seven Rila Lakes

2650 Sapareva Banya, Rila Mountain

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

5.0

(6 Ratings)

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Marisha_vladivostok

Aug 27, 2023

7 rila lakes and monastery - It’s was very perfect trip! Very comfortable small bus and nice guide. Nature was awesome. I will back again

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Pemiel_p

Oct 9, 2022

Most people should see the beauty of the Rila Lakes and the Rila Monastery. - Great tour climbing to see the Rila lakes and the Rila Monastery. They were amazing sites! The lift going up to the summit was really cool.

Review provided by Viator

Gabrielas2156

Jul 17, 2021

Such a great trip combining our two favorite places in Bulgaria - I don't even know where to start. The trip was so great and I am positive our guide played a vital part in it! He was very easy to talk to, outgoing and knowledgeable. So, thanks to that we had much more than just a trip to soo beautiful places - Rila Lakes & Rila Monastery, but we also had the opportunity to learn about Bulgaria, the people, culture and history. When it comes to the trip itself, it was very well organized, pick-up right on time, smooth journey with a stop for coffee and then the hike to the lakes. We were so lucky that the weather was beautiful and our guide def knows the mountains. He was very thoughtful, he asked frequently if we needed a break, didnt mind us stopping every few minutes to take hundreds of photos since it was soo beautiful around that you cannot resist and generally thanks to him we saw all 7 lakes in a decent time. Then, we moved to the Monastery where we got a detailed guided tour from him about the monastery itself as well as about the bulgarian history. We made several trips in Bulgaria and saw quite a bit of the country but this tour was def the highlight for us and would not hesitate to book this tour again! Thanks a lot!!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

D0ychinp

Mar 15, 2021

Amazing experience - This was an exceptional trip. The Rila lakes and Rila Monastery were stunning. Our guide, Ivan, was great. He picked us up at our apartment, he was very knowledgeable and patient. I would recommend this trip to anyone looking for a fun challenging hike, definitely bring your hiking boots.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Doychin_p