The 14 Best Hiking Tours in Bulgaria

1.Full-day Rila Mountains, Seven Lakes Hike, and Hot Springs Tour from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 70 reviews · 6 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $132Our pick

Leave Sofia early for a guided hike around Bulgaria’s Seven Rila Lakes, with a choice of roughly three or five hours on the mountain. Guides such as Velko, Kiril, Daniel, Genko, and Swet have helped guests handle changing conditions. Finish with a soak at Sapareva Banya, but budget extra for the lift, spa, food, and winter gear.

“This was a great tour if you like hiking. Our guide Phil was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.”

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2.Seven Rila Lakes Snowshoe Hike and Thermal Baths Full-Day Tour from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 43 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $144

Leave Sofia early with an English-speaking mountain leader, ride the chairlift to 2,150 meters, and snowshoe toward the frozen Kidney Lake. You get snowshoes, poles, transport, hotel pickup, and about 2.5 hours on the trail. Afterward, warm up in Sapareva Banya’s mineral pools. Bring food, and budget extra for the lift and spa.

“Our tour guide was amazing! The view was absolutely beautiful. Definitely want to come back during the summer to do the hike again!”

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3.Seven Rila Lakes – Full Day Hiking Trip in the Rila Mountain

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 40 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $35Top rated

Leave Sofia at 7:30 a.m. for the Seven Rila Lakes, riding by minivan to Panichishte and taking the cable car uphill. You’ll have about five hours for a marked mountain route through the lakes, with a guide or self-guided option depending on your booking. Expect moderate hiking, changing weather, and a 30 BGN cash cable car fee.

“We booked this trip for a couple + 3Yo kid. Trip started on time at the location. Tedzto (our guide) was prepared with a child seat for the van, he was very polite and courteous all way. Please consider you have to be in good physical shape (if you bring your child you might take them in your arms). It took us 2h to climb it to the top and 1:20:00 the way down. I tracked the path and it's 3.6km each way with 450m of elevation gain. Starting at 2,100m above sea level. Again, our guide was with us all the way making it a superb experience. I will…”

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4.Mt. Vitosha and Boyana Waterfall Hiking Tour from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 36 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $131

Leave Sofia at 8:00 a.m. for a demanding day on Vitosha Mountain. You’ll walk through pine forest and open pasture, visit Boyana Waterfall, and may reach Black Peak, weather and fitness permitting. Guides such as Avi, Tsetso, Filip, and Todor have led this route, which can cover roughly 10 to 20 kilometers.

“The tour advertised up to 16 people but we were the only ones who signed up for the day so we got a private tour. Our guide knew a lot of history about Bulgaria and was knowledgeable about the forest and mountains. We couldn’t manage the full hike but our guide was able to pivot to give us a beautiful experience and look off point with a much shorter trek.”

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5.Private Vitosha Mountains Hiking with Black peak & Dragalevtsi Monastery

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 18 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $34Best value

Spend about six hours above Sofia, hiking to 2,290-meter Cherni Vrah from Aleko hut, then visiting Dragalevtsi Monastery. A private guided option includes transport, hotel pickup, and a local guide such as Tony. The self-guided option provides instructions only, so transport planning is up to you. Snowshoes are available in winter at no extra charge.

“Our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. Because the lift is not running the police close the road up the mountain after a certain number of cars each day. Our guide, knowing this, contacted us to leave earlier and we arrived be for the road closed and before the trail was busy.”

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6.Day tour to Rila monastery, hiking to the cave of St. John and Boyana church

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $114

Travel from Sofia to Rila Monastery, walk through the forest to St. John’s Cave, see Boyana Church’s remarkable 13th-century frescoes, and taste Bulgarian wine. English-speaking guides such as Marin, Nadya, Demeter, and Velko have made this a highly personal day, though the group may reach 30 people.

“One of the highlights was the visit to the magnificent monastery, set in a breathtaking location. The beauty of the monastery and its surroundings is truly impressive, and our guide shared the rich history and fascinating details of the site. The trail to the cave was peaceful and accessible. Our guide always respected the pace of each participant, ensuring that everyone could enjoy the walk comfortably and safely. Before visiting the Boyana church, we stopped for coffee at a cozy spot. The service was exceptionally friendly, and the desserts were delicious, providing a perfect moment of rest. We learned a lot about Sofia and Bulgaria with the information provided by…”

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7.The Seven Rila Lakes Self – Guided Hiking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $36

Leave Sofia at 7:00 for a self-guided hike through Rila National Park. A climate-controlled minivan takes you to the Panichiste chairlift, then you walk among seven high mountain lakes, including The Eye and The Kidney. The route lasts about five hours and suits hikers with moderate fitness. Guide Petar has also provided useful Sofia and mountain commentary.

“Great day tour from Sofia. Professional on-time driver. I would recommend this tour (self-guided option). Hike with beautiful views that is very moderate.”

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8.Hiking in Pirin- the UNESCO World Heritage Natural Park with a visit of Bansko

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $114

Leave Sofia at 8:00 for a guided hike from Vihren Hut past the Banderishka Lakes, then visit Bansko’s historic center. The small group, capped at eight, makes it easy to walk at your pace and ask questions. Guides named in guest feedback include Georgi, Laura, and Iliam. Bring boots and rain gear.

“Tour was amazing, would strongly recommend. They contacted me the day before to advise of some bad weather but I only had one chance to make this work so I decided to go in the rain and wind. Be prepared for your trip with proper hiking boots, rain jacket, hiking pants and proper fitness condition. Expect altitude of 2500m+. Would definitely go again.”

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9.Seven Rila Lakes Guided Hike With chairlift ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $143

Travel from Sofia to Panichishte, ride the chairlift to the Rila Lakes mountain hut, then hike past all seven lakes with a professional English-speaking guide. The route takes about five hours and is rated moderate. Guide Meto has been praised for choosing quieter paths and good photo spots when available.

“The hike was enjoyable, and the view was great. time management was good, we were back in Sofia earlier than expected.”

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10.Via Ferrata Adventure on Kuklata peak 2257 m in Rila Mountain

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $149

Leave Sofia at 8 AM for a private, nine-hour mountain day with a UIMLA-certified guide such as Victor or Niki. Hike from 1,700 meters to Malyovitsa hut, then climb Kuklata’s via ferrata at 2,257 meters using cables, ladders, bridges, and steps before descending through the Rila Mountains.

“The Kuklata Via Ferrata really exceeded our expectations. Victor, our tour guide, provided a lot of useful information and answered any questions we had. The scenery is amazing, the route itself can be a bit challenging at times but it is very rewarding. We highly recommend Split the Mountain and will definitely look into their other tours.”

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11.The gorges of Trun and Dragovski stone trail

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $83

Leave Sofia for a private, English-language day in western Bulgaria. Climb Dragovski Stone near Paramun, follow a forest trail past the Dragovski River and waterfalls, then explore the Erma River Gorge near Trun. Expect about five hours of walking, steep sections, and free time for mountain views. Good shoes are essential.

“I can highly recommend that excursion. A great trip, beautiful bulgarian landscapes, amazing nature, rock formations and waterfalls,addictionaly very professional, friendly guide with impressive knowledge when it comes to nature and history. Just prepare decent shoes and be ready for amazing views. I can sincerely recommend , I enjoyed that trip a lot.”

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12.Rila Monastery and hiking to the Stob Pyramids- Private Day Trip from Sofia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $189

Leave Sofia at 9am for a private, guided hike among the Stob Pyramids, then visit Bulgaria’s largest monastery, Rila. You’ll travel by air-conditioned car with a driver-guide, spend 1 to 2 hours at the monastery, taste a homemade Bulgarian pastry, and have time for lunch. Comfortable shoes with grip are essential.

“The hike was perfect. We had perfect weather for the end of October. Also the Monastery is worth to see. So much history and great nature.”

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13.Hiking to Eagle’s Eye and Devil’s Throat Cave

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $105

Travel from Plovdiv into the Rhodope Mountains, hike for about an hour to Eagle’s Eye, eat traditional Rhodope food in Trigrad, and visit Devil’s Throat Cave. The small group tour runs in English, includes hotel pickup and cave entry, and may be led by Ivo, a guide with a strong background in Bulgarian history.

“Highly recommended trip - we had Ivo as our guide and he was incredible - background in history and knows a lot about the places he took us to. Eagle's Eye is absolutely worth the hike and Devil's Throath needs to be experienced - photos don't do it justice and words aren't enough to describe it. The restaurant was also amazing - the food they serve is next to none both in quality and taste. We had a slight issue with card payment at the end but it got resolved very very quickly by the staff - they were very polite and got it sorted literally by the next morning…”

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14.Seven Rila lakes to Rila monastery guided Trek

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $335

Spend two demanding days hiking Bulgaria’s Rila Mountains with a UIMLA-certified guide. You’ll visit all seven lakes, cross Razdela Pass, sleep at Ivan Vazov Hut at 2,300 meters, then walk through alpine valleys to Rila Monastery. Guides Pavel and Nikolay can help you prepare, while private transport links Sofia with the trail.

“Beautiful 2 day hike with great guides Pavel and Nikolay! Overnight stay in the Ivan Vazov hut which is no frills but has everything you need. About 9.5mi hike each day, finishing at the beautiful Rila Monastery. Pavel and Nikolay were friendly, helpful, and called beforehand to go over what to pack and what to expect. Would definitely recommend them again!”

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