Waterfall Skaklya (Zasele) — Attraction in Svoge

I'd say that this is one of the most beautiful places near Bulgaria's capital - Sofia. It's 50km away ( 1h with a train or a car) it's an easy trip and it's very popular, so a lot of people go there. The easiest way to get there is from Gara Bov - a small village, where the path starts from. This path is also knows as 'Vazov's Ecopath', named after one of the most novel Bulgarian writers - Ivan Vazov. The route to Skaklya waterfall is 1h - 1h 20min walking. I'd recommend to take this excursion in spring, as the forest and the waterfall are most beautiful at that time of the year. Once you get to the waterfall, you can continue to Zasele village. The path to this village starts from the waterfall and climbs on top of the hill. From there, a magnificent view opens to Balkan Mountain. At the end of the trail, there are benches, where people usually rest. I'd encourage you to continue to the other villages near Zasele - Zimevitsa and Zanoge, then get down to Gara Lakatnik, from where you can catch the train back to Sofia. Now this one is a long journey - around 6-7h starting from Zasele with couple of small breaks. You will be walking trough a plain, not forest, but it's very beautiful and you'll appreciate it if you like wide skies and open spaces. Be sure to plan the latter trip well if you don't live in Bulgaria, because you are away from the civilization - these villages' population is around 20-50 people, mostly old one, so don't expect from them to know english or your...

Please be warned that they're is a rigorous 2 hour trek to reach the top of the Vazova foot trail. You should be in a realitively fit condition and be prepared for a lot of steep uphill movement and climbing on (sometimes crumbling) rock steps. There is a railing to protect you in the steepest places however this is a responsible climb. There place is breath taking and there is a rewarding little pub on the top with beer, grill and ice cream. I found it very worthwile the 2 hour slow climb. Bear in mind that this visit is ideal in the spring and early summer as the waterfall will dry out in the middle of summer and the midsummer heat will make the climb very much worse. Overwise about 90% of the trail is shaded and treelined, and with plenty of stops and good footwear even an office worker will be able to...

Quite nice hike in the vicinity of Sofia, that you could do in a single afternoon. While the path is fairly decent, and the views are really beautiful, it is also quite steep, and can only be done if you are fully mobile (not suitable with small children). Also exhausting for city kids like myself. The climb from Villa Skaklya to the village on top is about 60-90 mins, way down is about half. When you reach the rock wall with the waterfall directly on your left, you must turn that way and descend to the bottom of the waterfall, to find the path forward. (See attached pic.) Going left will lead to a dangerously hard to climb area, and eventually, to a dead end. The waterfall itself wasn't too impressive in the autumn, but the view and the sense of achievement more than...