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    Hiking

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  • Explore Kyustendil Province
  • Places to see
  • Things to do
  • Top sights
  • Outside Kyustendil Province

Rila Monastery

Seven Rila Lakes

Vitosha

Lake Pancharevo

The Cave of St. Ivan Rilski

Nearby destinations

Attica tours

Sud-Muntenia Region tours

Transylvania tours

Brașov County tours

Dubrovnik–Neretva County tours

Tirana District tours

Sofia Province tours

Nearby sights

Acropolis of AthensAttraction in Athens, Greece

ErechtheionAttraction in Athens, Greece

ParthenonAttraction in Athens, Greece

Temple of Olympian Zeus, AthensAttraction in Athens, Greece

Bay of KotorAttraction in Kotor Municipality, Montenegro

Panathenaic StadiumAttraction in Athens, Greece

  • Top experiences

Hiking

Bus & minivan tours

From Sofia: The Seven Rila Lakes & Rila Monastery Day Tour

4.521978 out of 5 stars
4.5
4.521978 out of 5 stars
364 reviews
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From Sofia: The Seven Rila Lakes & Rila Monastery Day Tour
4.521978 out of 5 stars
4.5
4.521978 out of 5 stars
364 reviews

Be enchanted by the allure of the 7 Rila Lakes and the Rila Monastery (when available/the option is selected) on this unforgettable tour. Explore the natural wonders of the Rila Mountains on a guided hike.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 12 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
Spanish, English, Bulgarian
Optional audio guide
English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish
Small group available

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

V
Vitor – Portugal

Amazing day tour with Traventuria! We only managed to see 5 of the 7 lakes but the hike and most of all the beautiful landscapes that we had chance to appreciate were superb! Both guides (Dimitar and Peppa) were super helpful, Dimitar even helped me with the lost ticket. 10/10 would recommend!

O
Olga – Finland

Excellent trip! Todor was a great guide on the hike and around the Rila monastery, very nice and knowledgeable.

Select participants and date

Participants

Itinerary

  • Timeline stop icon

    Starting location:

    La Cattedrale

  • Bus/coach

    (2 hours)

  • Timeline stop icon

    Seven Rila Lakes

    Guided tour, Hiking (5 hours)

  • Bus/coach

    (1.5 hours)

    Rila Monastery

    Guided tour, Sightseeing (1.5 hours)

    Optional

  • Bus/coach

    (2 hours)

  • Arrive back at:

    La Cattedrale

Main stop

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

  • Get breathtaking views during a morning trek of the 7 Rila Lakes
  • See the pearls of the Rila lakes -The Fish Lake, The Twins, and The Trefoil
  • Learn more about Bulgaria's history and architecture with a professional guide
  • Enjoy a ride on an open-air lift up to the hut (the beginning of the trail)
  • Explore Bulgarian nature with a professional mountain guide on your side

Full description

This full-day tour is designed for active people wishing to combine a trek to natural wonders, with a tour of the most visited tourist attraction in Bulgaria, the magnificent Rila Monastery (when available/the option is selected).

Departing Sofia, you will head for the Rila Mountains, where you will enjoy a moderate hike through what is arguably the most distinguished area in the mountains, the 7 Rila Lakes. After a transfer of approximately 90 minutes, you will reach the region of Panichishte, where you will board a chair lift to the Rila Lakes hut.

Consisting of a group of glacial lakes, the 7 Rila Lakes are located at an altitude of between 6,900 feet (2,100 meters) and 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) above sea level. Surrounded by rugged peaks and deep valleys, you will see spectacular views as you walk through its pearls, such as The Eye, The Tear, The Kidney, The Twins, The Trefoil, The Fish Lake, and The Lower Lake.

The route can be adjusted on the spot, following more gentle or steeper paths, depending on your fitness levels. Having visited all of the lakes, continue by car for approximately 90 minutes to Rila Monastery, the biggest and most important symbol of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Behind the 65-foot (20-meter) walls lie impressive monastery buildings, including a church and a chapel with valuable murals. The monastery's most treasured historic and artistic monuments include the 14th-Century Hrelyo Tower, the 5th-domed Birth of the Blessed Virgin Church, and the original monastery kitchen from the 19th century.

You will also explore the monastery’s rich museum, containing a valuable collection of old manuscripts and documents, charters and icons, an ethnographic exhibition of fabrics, jewelry, carpets, and wrought iron objects, and a library containing more than 16,000 books.

The tour is offered as well with an ONLINE, cloud-based audioguide in different languages - English, Spanish, Italian, German, French, and English. INTERNET required to download and use.
The local tour operator, Traventuria, was awarded a “Business Which Supports Biodiversity” certification by the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation for its “Tours with a Cause” initiative.

Includes

  • Trek in the Rila Mountains
  • Transport by air-conditioned minivan
  • English-speaking guide (if the guided option is booked)
  • Return chairlift tickets 30 BGN/€15, to be paid on the spot in cash
  • Entrance fees (Rila Monastery museum - 8 BGN/€4)
  • Food and drinks
  • Tips (optional)
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Not suitable for

  • Children under 12 years
  • Pregnant women
  • Wheelchair users
  • People afraid of heights
  • People with altitude sickness
  • People with low level of fitness

Meeting point

Behind Alexander Nevski Cathedral, in front of the restaurant La Cattedrale, ul. "Oborishte" 1А, 1504 Sofia Center, Sofia, Bulgaria. Please arrive 15 minutes before the activity starts.

Open in Google Maps

Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes

Not allowed

  • Shorts
  • Short skirts
  • Sleeveless shirts
  • Alcohol and drugs
  • Slippers
  • Swimming
  • See-through clothing

Know before you go

  • Important: on some dates only the shorter version of the tour (without the monastery) is available.
Save up to 50%

From $103 $51 per person

Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today
Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 364 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.8/5
  • Transportation
    4.7/5
  • Value for money
    4.5/5

Customer photos

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V
Vitor – PortugalJune 8, 2025 – Verified booking
Amazing day tour with Traventuria! We only managed to see 5 of the 7 lakes but the hike and most of all the beautiful landscapes that we had chance to appreciate were superb! Both guides (Dimitar and Peppa) were super helpful, Dimitar even helped me with the lost ticket. 10/10 would recommend!
O
Olga – FinlandJune 8, 2025 – Verified booking
Excellent trip! Todor was a great guide on the hike and around the Rila monastery, very nice and knowledgeable.
S
Sabrina Dandanell – DenmarkJune 8, 2025 – Verified booking
The Rila Mountains are stunning. The first part of the hike was tough, but the rest was easy. You can expect one amazing view after the other, and you will see 5 lakes in total. This has so far been my favorite experience in Bulgaria. The monastery was fine, but there was not much to see. The best part of the monastery was the mekitsa place behind it.

Product ID: 6215

Activity provider:Traventuria Ltd.
  • Bulgaria
  • Kyustendil Province
  • Seven Rila Lakes

Top Attractions in Kyustendil Province

  • 1Rila Monastery
  • 2Seven Rila Lakes
  • 3Vitosha
  • 4Lake Pancharevo
  • 5The Cave of St. Ivan Rilski
  • 6Zemen Monastery

Experiences in Kyustendil Province

  • 1Kyustendil Province Wellness & spas
  • 2Kyustendil Province Landmarks & monuments
  • 3Kyustendil Province Day trips
  • 4Kyustendil Province Walking tours

Tours in Bulgaria

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  • 2Sunny Beach Tours
  • 3Varna Tours
  • 4Nessebar Tours
  • 5Plovdiv Tours
  • 6Burgas Tours
  • 7Bansko Tours
  • 8Obzor Tours
  • 9Borovets Tours
  • 10Kazanlak Tours
  • 11Koprivshtitsa Tours

Things to do in Bulgaria

  • 1Things to do in Sofia
  • 2Things to do in Varna
  • 3Things to do in Nessebar
  • 4Things to do in Plovdiv
  • 5Things to do in Bansko
  • 6Things to do in Veliko Tarnovo
  • 7Things to do in Borovets
  • 8Things to do in Rila

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