The Seven Rila Lakes & Rila Monastery
Overview
Available languages
12 hours
Mobile ticket
A whole-day guided trek to the Rila Mountains with its top best locations - the Rila Monastery (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the 7 Rila Lakes. Experience the two most visited tourist sights in Bulgaria in just one day. Combine great hiking with a full of history visit to the biggest and most important cloister in the country.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Food: although there are two huts on our way where we can purchase some basic food (i.e. beans soup, meatballs, tea) we advise you to come prepared with a lunch pack from Sofia, because the programme today is rather tight and for sure we won’t have much time for a proper lunch.
Difficulty: the hiking route is moderately arduous, with individual brief paths featuring steep inclines. Please bring along comfortable walking boots. Sandals and flip-flops are not accepted. Rain jacket might be useful in summer as heavy showers sometimes occur in the afternoons.
IMPORTANT FOR MAY AND JUNE DEPARTURES! Kindly note, that availability of the tour depends on the weather conditions and the operation of the chairlift.
The terrain will be very wet and slippery and there will still be snow in the area. Walking in such conditions requires adequate equipment (good trekking boots, waterproof clothes and a warm layer beneath the jacket). The hike is demanding, so a good fitness level is also required. Keep in mind that some of the lakes may be covered in snow.
Important! As with all lifts the one, used for the hike to The Seven Rila Lakes, may halt operations (due to strong winds, power cuts etc.). In this unlikely event, an alternative hike will be offered on spot by the guide. Mind that such a situation does not make you eligible for a refund for the tour.
Tour with ONLINE (cloud-based) Audio-guide in different languages (EN, ES, IT, FR, DE, RU). INTERNET required to download and use. Headphones required, too.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Transport by air-conditioned bus/coach or minivan
English-speaking guide (if guided tour selected)
Fuel surcharge
Entrance fee for the Rila monastery's museum appr. 5EUR/10BGN (optional)
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Chairlift ticket- appr. 15EUR/30BGN (only cash payments in BGN accepted)
What To Expect
St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral
Departure at 07:00 from the car park in front of La Cattedrale restaurant, at the south-east corner of Alexander Nevski Square
Seven Rila Lakes
The tour begins with an early transfer to the Rila, followed by a brief cable car ride to the Seven Rila Lakes Cirque. The glacier lakes are at between 2100 and 2500m/6800 and 8200ft above sea level, with name fitting their shapes, like Babreka (the Kidney), Okoto (the Eye), and Salzata (the Teardrop). As we need to follow strict time schedule depending on your fitness we can either walk the whole trek around all lakes, or make the stroll shorter and skip some of them (normally the two highest ones).
Options
Self-guided tour with a driver
Only with a driver, who'll collect you from the starting point of the tour and bring you back. There's no tour guide.
Tour with Audio-guide
Tour with ONLINE (cloud-based) Audio-guide in different languages. INTERNET required to download and use.
The Seven Rila Lakes & Rila Monastery
English-speaking tour guide: This option is with a certified English-speaking tour guide, who'll be with you during the entire tour
Reviews
98 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
This is a fantastic...
Rongling Y,
Jun 13, 2025
- Viator
5.00This is a fantastic trip!! 7 Rila lakes are so beautiful! It’s definitely worth visiting. Our family enjoyed so much! Maya is a great tour guide! She drives safely and looking after us well! Thanks a lot!
Beautiful mountains. Just the right amount of challenge for moderately fit.
Rosalie T,
May 31, 2025
- Viator
5.00Went on early May on a weekday. Rila Monastery was great to see when it's not crowded. But since there was no tour, I feel like we spent a bit too much time there. The bread sold outside the other monastery entrance was great for the morning. Bring coins to use the bathroom. At Rila mountains, about a third of the path still had snow which made it challenging especially on the rocky paths. We were not able to see two lakes since the path was ascending and snow made it slippery. Hiking poles and hiking shoes, preferably waterproof, are highly recommended at this time of the year. The ascent was challenging since I was not used to steep paths (and the altitude) but after that part it was great. Everything was beautiful. Crocuses were blooming and looked fantastic against the backdrop of mountains still partially covered in snow. Our guide was an expert hiker/mountaineer. Sometimes I thought we were not stopping enough (for picture taking) but I knew he was making sure that we were able to get down in time while there is still light. Having a guide in this case was really helpful. Be careful of the chairlift. It is barebones and my arm got caught in between when my seatmate pulled the safety gate down while I was still holding on to the steel shaft. If you are afraid of heights, this might be a dealbreaker for you.
Extraordinary view
xuting l,
May 20, 2025
- Viator
5.00It’s brilliant experience to travel in seven lake. people was not too much and the view is extraordinary
Guide Unnecessary
Grace B,
Nov 10, 2024
- Viator
3.00We paid for a “guide” and all it did was make it so we could only see 5 of the 7 lakes- if you choose this option it’s just a walk with a slower crowd and a LOT of waiting; he offers almost no information and everything he says is on the signs. The trail is very clearly marked so I recommend just paying for the bus fare option and hiking independently. Bus was very nice, but when we showed up it was labeled bus one and we were assigned bus three which never arrived. FYI bring cash to the monastery- you can buy baked goods w levs.
The tour I needed
Vasco P,
Sep 26, 2024
- Viator
5.00The tour I needed from Sofia to Rila mountains. Very well planned and beautiful scenery! I was a solo traveler, but never been alone - made new friends from all around the world!
Related Experiences
Operated by Traventuria