The Seven Rila Lakes – The Pearl of Rila National Park

Rila – proud, coarse, but also mysterious – is the sixth highest mountain in Europe with an alpine character. It is not only the first in height in Bulgaria, but also in the Balkans, with its peak Musala – 2925.2 m above sea level. It is in the Southwestern Bulgaria and is the source of Maritsa, Iskar and Mesta rivers, which are among the most abundant in Bulgaria. The famous tourist sites in it make it an attractive place for trekking in Bulgaria. One of the most visited sites here is the Seven Rila Lakes. They are located in the northwestern part of Rila.

Energy, magic, transcendency are usual words in the descriptions of the Seven Rila Lakes – Salzata (The Tear), Okoto (The Eye), Babreka (The Kidney), Bliznatsite (The Twins), Trilistnika (The Trefoil), Ribnoto (The Piscine) and Dolnoto (The Lower). The name of each lake comes from its characteristics or peculiar form. The depth of the lakes is from 2.5m – Ribnoto, to 37.7 m – Okoto. This group of glacial lakes not in vain are among the most visited natural places – their beauty, the amazing views, the transparent waters .

Perched high in the vicinity – from 2535 to 2095 m, they cascade down and flow into each other like connected vessels, giving the start of the Dzherman river. The sun shines and plays in their blue, crystal-clear waters, but in the shadows of the cirques, the snow remains all year round.

The view from the highest lake, the Tear, is stunning. From there, you can also see the circles trampled in the grass by the participants in the paneurhythmy. This is a complex of breathing and dance movements of the White Brotherhood, who perform their rituals there at sunrise. You are welcome to watch and participate, if you hit the right time – from spring until autumn equinoxes.

The most popular route to the Seven Rila Lakes is from the Rilski Ezera hut, because of the downward path to the other lakes, which sometimes is rather steep. The hut can be reached by an open double-seat lift, located 4 km from the village of Panichishte and a little over 13 km from Separeva Banya. There are several other routes for good hiking and outdoor activities. The roads are smooth and comfortable.

A large part of the territory of Rila is encompassed by the Rila National Park, which is also the largest in Bulgaria and includes four nature reserves that preserve the diversity of flora and fauna created by nature among the over 100 peaks with a height of over 2000 m, 120 mountain lakes. The inaccessible rocks, deep valleys, sun-drenched plateaus and meadows, the crystal-clear waters of the glacial lakes are home to an endless variety of tree species, mainly coniferous – common spruce, fir, white fir and bush spruce, herbaceous plants, including 105 species of relicts, as well as endemics – the endangered species of Rila rhubarb, Rila primrose, Pavlov’s primrose, mosses, over 200 species of mushrooms, freshwater algae.

The animal inhabitants of the various Rila ecosystems are also richly represented – invertebrates, amphibians, fish and reptiles, mammals and birds. Here the tourist has a great chance to meet an alpine newt, the active daytime sparrow owl, the Balkan chamois, even a brown bear.

The natural diversity of Rila, as well as the famous tourist sites in it, make it an attractive place for hiking around Bulgaria. In addition to the seven Rila lakes, tourists visit the Rila Monastery for its historical and spiritual wealth, the Stop Pyramids – a unique sculpture of nature, ski resorts such as Borovets, Govedartsi and Belmeken, fast-flowing rivers for rafting, and the rich biodiversity offers something for lovers of different types of tourism and adventures. Horseback, cycling and ski tours along marked routes, rock climbing and mountaineering, camping, spending the night outdoors under the starry sky around a campfire. There are 17 tourist huts with over 1,500 beds in the mountain, and there are also shelters if bad weather strikes. The architecture, culture, and cuisine of the settlements in the mountain also deserve attention.

Key words: Bulgaria, trekking in Bulgaria, hiking around Bulgaria, adventure, outdoor activities, Rila, historical, Seven Rila Lakes, rituals, endemics, glacial lakes, diversity, plants, animals, camping, campfire,  culture, cuisine