The Seven Rila Lakes — Attraction in Sapareva Bania

Amazing expierence, breathtaking views. Trails for novice and expierenced hikers.

If you want to pay for parking its 5lv, or you can just take your chances and park along tue road to the lift. Lift is 20lv round trip or 12lv each way. You must buy yoir ticket at the kiosk which is a seperate line from the actual lift. I went in August so i waited about 75 minutes in line for the lift to go up. You can walk up the trail and not take the lift but its very steep will probably take about 90-120 minutes.

Once at the top you have the option of going left or right at the chalet. The path to the right is initially steep but then is flat. It is the easier route. If you go left you will go through a more rugged terrain but will walk by all of the lakes.

The two paths meet at the lake bubreka "the kidney" At this point you can either go back or continue up a mucj more challenging route to the overlook. There are paths rstablished in areas but it is quite steep and loose rocks and rain make it slippery. Most people stop at the built up "top" however you can only see six of the seven lakes. There is another path around the 7th lake that leads to an even higher pointwhich i would highly recommend. There you will be able to see all seven lakes.

I went left at the chalet, up to the highest point and down the easier side of the loop. In all about 18km which took about 5-6 hours from the top of the lift.

Be sure to make food and bring water. At least 1.5 liters and a few sandwhichs There are several springs along the path where you can fill water bottles. One directly above the lake Bubreka. Be sure to bring a jacket a good hiking boots as if it rains even in august temperatures drop to 7C and the paths become very slippery.

The lift stops working at 7:30PM so be sure to gove yourself at least 90 minutes before then as a line will be lengthy to go down

I believe i took the most difficult and comprehensive path, where i was able to see everything. there are much easier paths. People came with jeans and thier dogs just for a stroll, while others dressed like avid hikers with the correct clothing and equipement. There are trails for everyone.

I would definately...

A great place! Visited it for the first time but wanting to go there for at least 10 years :D It was not a disappointment! I didn't expect to see such a beautiful nature and the path to be in such a great shape. There were rocks on both sides of the path to make it easier to follow it. The hike is not difficult, it will break a sweat but it's not something that you cannot do. Go to the "Lake peak", otherwise you won't be able to see all the lakes. You will have to take right after you go up with the lift next to the hut. It will be a little difficult to climb the first part but it will be a preparation for the final climb to the peak. The second part of the climb is the easiest you won't have any "climbing" there. Just a walk in the park. Follow the path and take a right turn to visit the "Kidney" lake, then follow the path on the left following the shoreline to go to the last part of the climb. The last part will be difficult. You will have to ascent probably around 200m of denivelation. It's not extreme, there are a lot of places for you to rest, regain some power and continue. There are also some places where you can drink water. The water might be really cold so take care. After you complete half of the climb to the summit you will have the opportunity to see "The Eye" lake which is the deepest of all the lakes with 37.7m depth. Then you have the last half to the summit which is on the left side of the "The Eye" lake. After you climb it you will see the last lake and the highest one of them all "The Tear". Go on the peak and enjoy the view! You have also the opportunity to hike some of the closest peaks like "Haramiyata - Black peak" but I cannot give you estimate on what time you will have to spent. From the peak you begin to climb down the same path and where you began to climb the last part you will take a right and follow the path to visit the last lakes. The whole journey is around 5 hours with the resting. The earliest lift is around 08:30 and it closes at 18:30, so if you want to use it bear in mind the time. (this is for summer season) The lift is open so if the day is cold better put on...

Complain all you want about crowds and the price of parking and lift tickets but the fact is this is a stunning, well preserved and accessible treasure that should not be missed! The Seven Rila Lakes rivals some of the best alpine lakes in Europe. There are several full day guided and self-guided tour options available from Sofia that are reasonably priced or you can drive. No matter which option you choose get there as early as possible. To access the hiking area there is a 20-30 minute chairlift ride that operates from around 8.15am. You can choose to hike up the trail under the chairlift but its a long grind and steep in parts - so spend the money and save your time for the spectacular views above. The trails are well maintained and marked and if you are early you will have plenty of space to yourself. For the first section it is important to stick to the trails to preserve the fragile ecosystem and purity of the lakes. There are wardens policing the trails. Swimming is also forbidden in the lakes. Following the main trail will lead you past numerous viewpoints of the lakes. The hike can be done in running shoes and is not difficult. The exception to this is the final climb to the viewpoint that overlooks all 7 lakes. It's steep but well graded and not technical - and the views are 100% worth it. Take a windproof shell for the top as it can be windy. Altitude is approximately 2,500m so take the climb slowly. For more experiences hikers there are several ridgeline trails beginning from near the viewpoint that offer even more expansive views. As you descend back down you'll start to hit the highway of crowds and tour groups and you'll be pleased you started early. At Kidney Lake you'll see a branch in the trail - to the left is the main trail you arrived on and crowds - to the right is a much less used trail and you can avoid the crowds and get much closer to some of the lakes. There is a Chalet near the top of the chairlift where you can get food and refreshments before taking the...