Seven Rila Lakes Day Tour from Sofia

Rila (Bulgarian: Рила, pronounced [ˈriɫɐ]) is a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria and the highest mountain range of Bulgaria and the Balkans, with its highest peak being Musala at 2,925 m. The massif is also the sixth highest mountain in Europe (when each mountain is represented by its highest peak only), coming after the Caucasus, the Alps, Sierra Nevada, the Pyrenees and Mount Etna, and the highest between the Alps and the Caucasus. More than one-third of the mountain is occupied by the Rila National Park, the rest lies within the Rila Monastery Nature Park.

Rila National Park is situated on the territory of four administrative regions: Blagoevgrad, Sofia, Kyustendil and Pazardjik, eleven municipalities: Blagoevgrad, Simitli, Razlog, Belitsa, Yakoruda, Belovo, Kostenetz, Dolna Banya, Samokov, Sapareva Banya, Dupnitsa, and twenty five village’s and town’s territories.

The Seven Rila Lakes are without a doubt one of the most notable natural attractions on the Balkan Peninsula, a dream destination not to be missed. Their beauty touches the thousands of Bulgarian and international visitors who visit them. The Seven Rila Lakes, located in the Dangskiya region of the northwestern Rila Mountains, are glacial lakes. They are scattered at the foot of a massive cirque that includes the peaks Suhi Chal (Dry Peak), Otovishki, and Haramiya. The lakes have been named for their shapes and qualities. The highest of them is Tear Lake, which gained its name for its crystal-clear water.