I started to enjoy hiking not long ago. In Brazil, I’d take a hiking trail to some waterfall or a deserted beach, but I’d never consider those walks “hikes.” It was when I moved to the United States for an exchange program in 2012 that I realized my passion for hiking. I started visiting many national parks there and hiked long trails with my friends.
A few years later, I moved to Bulgaria and discovered that hiking is quite popular here, too. That’s no surprise—the country has many beautiful natural places to explore, like mountains and caves. So far, I’ve hiked up to the Seven Rila Lakes in Rila National Park and the Cherni Vrah Peak in Vitosha Mountain.
This year, however, I wanted to challenge myself to climb the highest peak in the Balkan Peninsula—Musala Peak, located in Rila National Park. Towering at 2,927 meters, Musala Peak is 10 meters higher than the second highest in the Balkans, Mount Olympus in Greece.
Here’s how my hike went and what I learned along the way.
I gathered a group of friends and we set off on a weekend. Everyone was well prepared for the hike, carrying a backpack with some sandwiches, lots of water, and sunscreen. It was going to be a hot day and we knew that the sun was even stronger high in the mountains.
We travelled to Borovets, a small town just 45 kilometers away from the capital of Sofia. Borovets is famous for its ski resorts and you can find quite a few hotels and restaurants there. Parking on the streets is paid everywhere in the town and it costs 1,50 Bulgarian lev—or 3 Brazilian reals—per hour. There are also a few parking lots where you’ll be charged a fee of 10-15 Bulgarian lev (20-30 Brazilian reals) for a whole day.
From Borovets we took a cable car to go up to Rila Mountain. The ticket cost 10 Bulgarian lev both ways and the ride lasted around 25 minutes, covering a distance of about five kilometers. If you wish to climb Musala Peak in one day and return home in the evening, it’s best to get on a cable car from Borovets early in the morning as the last car leaves the upper station at 6 p.m. There are restrooms in both cable car stations.
The first part of the hiking trail was very smooth and offered breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain slopes. Along the path and close to the upper cable car station we saw local people selling different products such as honey, jam, and fresh forest fruits. After a 45-minute walk, we arrived at Musala Hut and the first mountain lake along the route. Right next to the hut was a small restaurant where people could get coffee and snacks.
From the lake there are two paths that go up to Musala Peak—one that goes around the left side of the lake and one that goes around the right side. We didn’t know much about the paths so we just picked the right one which turned out to be shorter but no less difficult. Our first challenge was a steep rocky slope. The climb was quite exhausting, but all around we could see a beautiful landscape with lakes and mountains.
The trail was well signposted with red arrows drawn on the stones to show the way. After about two hours we reached a blue cabin called Ledenoto Ezero which was at the foot of the final stretch of rocky slope. There was a small café with tables and seats on the first floor of the cabin and a few beds to sleep in on the second. It’s necessary to make a reservation a few days in advance if you wish to stay on the weekends because of the high demand and limited bed availability. Behind the cabin was another wonderful lake where we stopped for a rest, enjoying the view and eating our snacks.
The last climb was the hardest part for me. It was very steep and I was already a little tired and feeling my legs heavy from the hike. There were also a lot of people going up and down, so we had to stop or make way from time to time. There were again two different paths to the top we could choose from—one with a steel cable stretched over the big rocks and a smoother one that went alongside the cable path. We ended up choosing the smoother one but we saw a few people using the metal cable to pull themselves over the rocks.
When we reached the top, I felt such a mix of emotions! I was relieved, happy, and satisfied. There was a stone monument with information about the name and the height of the peak and a picture of a saint that was placed there in 2017 to protect the country and the nations living in the Balkans. Many people were lining up to take photos with the monument and to document their achievement. There was also a cabin with restrooms and a meteorological station there.
Even though the top was mostly rocks, there was also a green meadow and really amazing views of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and lakes. What caught my attention were several rock cairns—big piles of arranged stones—called mariolas in Portuguese*.* In the old days, they were used to mark the right way on trails that weren’t very well defined. Nowadays, a more spiritual meaning has been attached to them—it’s believed that placing a stone on the cairn cleanses your soul and guides you towards achieving your goals. Following the tradition, I also put a stone on one of the piles.
The way down was easier. We went back in silence for a good part of the trail, each of us contemplating the landscape. We were already very tired when we got to the cable car station but we made it just in time before it closed. All in all, our hike lasted six hours and we covered around 20 kilometers, but we all had the feeling of accomplishment.
Do you enjoy hiking? What’s the most beautiful or highest place you have hiked? Share your experiences and photos in the comments below.
ever been in my life I’m a healthy person, but usually we go by a motorized vehicle to reach similar places, cause I go with persons of all ages.
e uma mais bonita que a outra. Acho que talvez você iria gostar.