Seven Rila Lakes Hike from Sofia

This Seven Rila Lakes hike from Sofia takes you from the city to the glacial cirque of the Rila Mountains in one long day. A chairlift ride of about 30 minutes lifts you up from the Panichishte resort, and then you walk past lakes named after their shapes, the Eye, the Kidney, the Teardrop, between 2,100 and 2,500 metres. It is a real hike, four to five hours on uneven paths, so bring proper boots and a reasonable level of fitness. The bus, the guide and the booking are arranged for you. If you would rather see the lakes together with the monastery, take our Seven Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery day trip instead.

The Seven Rila Lakes on foot

The Seven Rila Lakes lie in a glacial cirque between 2,100 and 2,500 metres, each named after its shape: the Eye, the Kidney, the Teardrop, the Twin, the Trefoil, the Fish Lake and the Lower Lake. After the chairlift you walk from lake to lake with your guide. Depending on the weather and the group, you walk the whole circuit or a shorter loop, and snow can cover the upper lakes in spring and winter.

The Seven Rila Lakes hike from Sofia is a hike, not a stroll. The walk takes four to five hours on uneven paths with a few steep climbs, and the guide keeps the group together, so the pace follows the slowest walker. Good boots matter more than anything else you pack.

When the chairlift stops

Like any lift, it can stop because of strong wind or a power cut. Your guide then offers another walk on the spot, and this does not give a right to a refund. In October the lift may also close for maintenance. Fit hikers then walk up and down on foot with the guide, about 3 extra hours, and the group leaves the lakes at 17:30 (Sofia about 19:30). If that is too much, you can switch to a cultural tour or cancel for a full refund.

Seasons

From late spring to early autumn the lakes are at their best, and July and August are the most reliable months to see all seven. In October the chairlift can close for maintenance, which turns the day into a long on-foot hike of about 12 hours. In November and December, and again in March and April, it becomes a winter snow hike: deep snow, sub-zero temperatures, and the return leaves the lakes at 16:30 because of the early dark, getting you back in Sofia around 18:30. Waterproof winter boots, thermals, gloves and heavy layers are mandatory. On the high-fitness winter trek the lakes can lie under knee-deep snow and may not be visible.

It does not run every day. The calendar lists the departures that are open, and the dates for the next season appear there as they open.