Seven Rila Lakes
Седемте рилски езера
Seven glacial lakes stepping down between 2,100 and 2,500 m in the Rila Mountains, Bulgaria's most famous high-mountain hiking route.
The Seven Rila Lakes lie within Rila National Park. The seven glacial lakes sit in order of altitude, each with a name such as Tear Lake, Eye Lake and Kidney Lake, and a viewpoint on higher ground takes in all of them at once. A common route: take the chairlift from Panichishte for about 20 minutes to the Rilski Ezera hut (about 2,100 m above sea level), then hike the loop trail for about 3–5 hours. Around August 19 each year, members of the White Brotherhood perform a large circle dance by the lakes. Mountain weather changes quickly, so bring a windproof jacket and plenty of water. It is about 2 hours by car from Sofia, and day trips are common.
Opening hours
Open all day; chairlift operates approx. Jun–Sep
Nearby sights
- Malyovitsa Peak
- Rila Monastery
- Stob Earth Pyramids
- Vitosha Mountain (Cherni Vrah)
- Zlatnite Mostove (Golden Bridges)
- Boyana Waterfall
- Boyana Church
- Vrana Palace