Rila Crossing

1st stage: Rila Monastery - Maljovitsa Hut: The first stage of the Rila crossing takes us in a wide arc to the ridge of Dodov Vrch and Maljovitsa – and then downhill to Maljovitsa Hut. Our starting point, the Rila Monastery, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and is the spiritual and cultural center par excellence for Bulgarians – it is worth planning some time for the visit. Then it goes into the wild world of the Rila Mountains: Since the path along the Druzhlovina creek is largely overgrown, only the long detour via Boucher and Vrla remains. Shortly before descending to the Maljovitsa Hut, you pass a few height meters below the Maljovitsa summit – worth a detour in good weather.

2nd stage: Maljovitsa Hut - Ribni Ezera Hut: Another long stage with almost 1300 meters of elevation and just under 19 km. The character of the landscape changes constantly: ascent through dwarf pines, high ridges, lakes embedded in rocks, wide grasslands, traversing slopes.

3rd stage: Ribni Ezera Hut - Grntschar Hut: We approach Musala: from the Ribni Ezera Hut it goes over wide ridges to the Grntschar Hut. The third stage of the Rila crossing offers a preview of the eastern Rila: wide ridges and high plateaus almost resembling Mongolia shape the landscape. But the highest point of the Balkans also gets closer: At first, Musala is still a barely recognizable point in the background, later its outline increasingly emerges on the horizon.

4th stage: Grntschar Hut - Musala - Zavratschitsa Hut: It goes to the highest peak of the Balkans and then into the botany. From the Grntschar Hut it first goes back onto the ridge – and then along an impressive series of subpeaks towards Musala: We pass Yourushki Chal, Marishki Chal, Golyam Bliznak and Malak Bliznak. Then it’s time for the highest point of the Balkans: Musala. The descent initially begins like the ascent – but shortly after it goes into a primeval valley. At its end you meet the access road that comes from the Maritsa Hut – and follow this uphill to the day's destination, the Zavratschitsa Hut.

5th stage: Zavratschitsa Hut - Belmeken Hut: This stage leads into the eastern part of Rila – and thus into a completely different landscape with wide grassy ridges. After a short ascent from the hut, it goes long up and down over wide grassy ridges as well as through equally extensive basins – the landscape almost resembles Mongolia. An indication of the distance covered is provided almost only by the numbered posts of the winter trail marking – from the start of the ridge to the descent there are over 200. The descent then begins with a rope-secured rocky section before going down through dwarf pines to the Belmeken Hut and the lake of the same name.

6th stage: Descent from the Belmeken Hut to Kostenez: The descent stage again shows lush vegetation – forest, colorful meadows, raspberries... Shortly before leaving the Rila National Park, you pass some impressive climbing rocks.