Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks

A guidebook to 12 multi-day treks in Bulgaria's highest and wildest mountain ranges in the Pirin, Rila and Central Balkan national parks. The treks are aimed at fit, experienced mountain walkers, with steep ascents and exposed scrambles. The routes range from 7 to 61km and include a full-day ascent of Mount Vihren.

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Overview

A guide to walking and trekking in Bulgaria. The routes are based in the Pirin, Rila and Central Balkan national parks that cover the three wildest and most majestic mountain regions of Bulgaria.

12 superb two to four-day routes are described including ascents of Musala and Vihren, Bulgaria's highest peaks. Each walk is broken down into day stages with each stage finishing at either a mountain hut or another suitable source of accommodation. The distance of each route varies from 7 to 61km in length and covers a variety of terrain. The routes described are challenging and aimed at fit, experienced mountain walkers. The trails are often physically demanding, with long steep ascents and descents, often over rocks and boulders. Furthermore, most of the ridge walks require a good head for heights - especially the exposed scramble along the Koncheto crest.

For walkers and trekkers Bulgaria is an unexpected paradise, boasting an amazing variety of landscapes and an outstandingly rich biodiversity.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS
Introduction
Geography
Climate
Biodiversity
Protected Territories
History
Culture
Cuisine
Language
Money
Communications
Travelling to Bulgaria
Travelling to the Mountains
Walking in Bulgaria
Accommodation
Food and Water
Maps
Mountain Rescue
About this Guidebook
Key Facts and Figures
Part 1 The Central Balkan National Park
Introduction
Walk 1 The Boatin, Tsarichina and Kozya Stena Reserves
Walk 2 The Severen Dzhendem, Stara Reka and Steneto Reserves
Walk 3 The Dzhendema and Stara Reka Reserves
Walk 4 The Peeshtite Skali and Sokolna Reserves
Part 2 The Rila National Park
Introduction
Walk 5 The Rila Monastery Nature Park and Forest Reserve
Walk 6 Sedemte Ezera and Zeleni Rid
Walk 7 The Central Rila Reserve
Walk 8 The Ibar Reserve
Part 3 The Pirin National Park
Introduction
Walk 9 The Pirin Wine Trail
Walk 10 The Yulen Reserve
Walk 11 Mount Vihren
Walk 12 The Bayvuvi Dupki–Dzhindzhiritsa Reserve and Koncheto

Appendix 1 Route Summary Table
Appendix 2 English–Bulgarian Glossary and Pronunciation Guide
Appendix 3 Further Reading
Appendix 4 Mountain Huts and Other Useful Contacts

Maps

Hiking maps at varying scales, and even more varying accuracy, have been produced for most of the major mountain ranges in Bulgaria, but it is often a rather hit-and-miss affair trying to obtain them. Your best first point of contact for maps is Balkan Trek (www.balkantrek.com), as they usually maintain a stock and sell them by mail order. Something to bear in mind is that these maps are nowhere near the same standard or accuracy of British Ordnance Survey or French IGN maps. They are not proper topographic maps, and even those at a scale of 1:50 000 should be treated as schematic, and not relied on for critical navigation with a compass.

Thankfully, the majority of hiking trails are very well marked. Summer routes are indicated with coloured blazes (usually red, green, yellow or blue) painted onto rocks or trees, while the safest winter routes are delineated by lines of tall metal poles.

One other thing to be aware of when studying Bulgarian maps is that over the years many of the peaks, passes and other important topographic points, have had their names changed, often more than once. In this guidebook I have tended to use the most traditional names as my preferred choice, and included any other widely used title in parenthesis.

Updates

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January 2013

Amendments

p65

The sentence at the top of the page should read: '... crosses one of the headstreams of the Krayovitsa', not Krivnishka Reka.

p146

The sentence at the bottom of the page should read: '... a short rocky crest that drops away precipitously on the left towards the Chanakgyolski Ezera cirque', not right.

Reviews

Bulgaria’s leading authority on all things trekkable, Julian Perry, divulges 12 of Bulgaria’s most rewarding routes, in this compact, backpack-wedgeable book.

Covering the country’s wildest and most majestic regions, Perry also manages to offer the reader an insight into Bulgarian history, culture and language.

Trek & Mountain magazine, April 2010

Walkers and naturalists consider Bulgaria a paradise due to its amazing variety of landscapes and rich biodiversity. Much of the country is covered by high mountains and the most majestic are protected within Pirin, Rila and Central Balkan Parks.

The book present twelve 2-3 day treks, suitable for fit and experience mountain walkers. For each national park there are a few pages of introduction, with extensive information of the local geography, geology, hydrology, climate, flora and fauna accompanied by stunning photos.

If you are planning a walking holiday in Bulgaria or just intend to see a little of the ‘wild side’ of this beautiful country, then this book is a must have.’

Irish Mountain Log, Autumn 2010

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