7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery Tour
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
IMPORTANT: Entrance in the monastery is only allowed with covered shoulders and covered knees. So please make sure you have appropriate clothes.
Often called the 8th wonder of the world, the Seven Rila lakes are legendary for their beauty and awesomeness. They are one of the most visited natural sites of Bulgaria. We combine them with a visit to the Rila Monastery. The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria.
The tour starts at 08:00 and finishes around 19:00.
The driver will pick you up, will take you to the Monastery and will show you around. After that he will take you to the lift to the 7 Rila Lakes, you will be able to go up to the lakes, the driver will stay down and wait for you there. When you come back, he will pick you from the lift and bring you back to Sofia.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The drive to the monastery is around 1.5 - 2.5 hours, depending on traffic
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
WiFi on board
Driver
Air-conditioned vehicle
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Lift to The Seven Rila Lakes
What To Expect
Rila Monastery
The amazing Rila Monastery
The breath taking 7 Rila Lakes
Options
7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery tour
Reviews
111 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great full day trip.
Joseph B,
Jun 2, 2025
- Viator
5.00It was beautiful, both places. But please do your research on weather. We picked perfect day and had perfect time. Tour people cannot control that. Bus was comfortable, driver did great navigating mountain roads. Hike at 7 lakes was amazing, but little muddy as there is still snow. Tour guide was willing to help everyone navigate even with different languages.
Truly spectacular scenery; but the guide’s misleading information
Hui Z,
May 20, 2025
- Viator
4.00"Everything has been wonderful, and the scenery is truly spectacular. However, the tour guide provided inaccurate information — he mentioned that the 7 Lakes hike would take about 2.5 hours, but in reality, it takes at least 4 hours for the average person to complete. Additionally, the lift was under maintenance. Although a jeep was available, it did not take us all the way to the top, requiring an extra 20–25 minutes of hiking. We had to skip breaks in an effort to meet the deadline, but even then, we were unable to make it on time. Overall, the guide’s misleading information caused significant inconvenience. We were exhausted!
Incomplete experience.
Shariff H,
May 17, 2025
- Viator
3.00Tour got partly replanned due to bad weather. Guide was very nice but given weather forecast it should have been rescheduled for next day.
It was amazing! Love the...
Lina P,
May 12, 2025
- Viator
5.00It was amazing! Love the nature and all beautiful places around I’ve seen during this trip! Guide is the best!
Not a small group tour
Paola S,
May 9, 2025
- Viator
3.00Rila monastery and lakes are beautiful, worth visiting. The tour is well organized. Lift were not operating, so they have arranged some 4x4 to take everybody up, that was an adventure on its own. I selected this tour because according to description the group wouldn’t have more than 12 people, it was a whole big bus with almost 50 people! The information in the description should be fixed.
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