Hike To Seven Rila Lakes: Everything You Need To Know

If there is only 1 hike that you can do in Bulgaria (even though I recommend to spend at least a week to explore different hikes in Bulgaria!), let it be the hike to Seven Rila Lakes. This hike connects 7 glacial lakes in Rila National Park, each with unique shapes. The scenery is simply breathtaking and one of the must visits if you’re a nature lover. Besides that the hike is also fairly easy and suitable for beginner hikers as well.

In this article you’ll find everything you need to know to prepare yourself for this hike to the Seven Rila Lakes and enjoy it to the fullest.

I have done this Seven Rila Lakes hike multiple times in 2023, 2024 and 2025, mainly during the summer months (June and July). But if you’re up for it you can also do it as a winter hike.

Last update & prices in the article are from February 2026.

Practical info for the hike to Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria

Starting point for the hike: parking lot of the Panichishte ski lift. These are the Google Maps coordinates for the parking lot.

Total kilometers: 11 kilometers if you take the ski lift and start at the Rilski Ezera Hut / 20 kilometers if you start at the parking lot and NOT use the ski lift

Elevation: 500 meters up & 800 meters down if you start at the Rilski Ezera Hut / 1300 meters if you start at the parking lot

Hiking time: between 3,5 and 6 hours if you start at the Rilski Ezera Hut

Type of hike: loop, but you can also do the hike as point-to-point and go back the same way

Dog friendly: I have only seen a few people with dogs on this hike. Not because it’s difficult for dogs to do the hike; most dogs would be capable of joining. But since most dogs can’t jump in the ski lift it will add an additional part to your hike. From the parking lot to the start of the hike you’ll climb an additional 500 meters in elevation, and not everyone is into that. No ladders or technical parts involved during the rest of the hike. Usually you won’t encounter any shepherds with their cattle in this area, so no sheep dogs that can bother your dog either. If your dog is fit it should be no problem to join your hike.

Hiking trail: you can open the Seven Rila Lakes hike on Mapy.cz via this link

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All questions answered about the hike to Seven Rila Lakes

1. Where is Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria?

The mountain lakes known as the Seven Rila Lakes are located in Rila National Park, around 100 kilometers south of Sofia. This national park is home to some of Bulgaria’s highest peaks, including Mount Musala, (2925 meters). The lakes are situated near the Panichishte ski area, with the lowest lake at 2,095 meters and the highest at 2,535 meters in altitude.

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2. How do you get at the starting point of this hike?

With public transport to Seven Rila Lakes: from Sofia

Although it’s not the easiest option, it’s possible to go to the Seven Rila Lakes by public transportation from Sofia.

First you’ll take the train or the bus from Sofia to Dupnitsa. I would recommend the bus, since it’s faster and runs more regularly. Keep in mind: this bus is not leaving from Sofia Central Bus Station, but from Zapad-Ovcha Station, in the southwest of Sofia. This bus ride takes about 1.5 hours.

From Dupnitsa you will take a bus to Sapareva Banya. This bus ride is about 30 minutes.

Here you can take a van/bus to the lift of Seven Rila Lakes. The downside is that they only leave when they are full, so it can take some time before you leave. An alternative option to get to the starting point is to take a taxi up. This ride is approximately €10-15.

With public transport to Seven Rila Lakes: from Bansko

From Bansko you can also go to Rila Seven Lakes by public transportation. You first take the bus from Bansko to Blagoevgrad. There you change to a bus to Dupnitsa. Then you take another bus to Sapareva Banya. And finally, take the bus or taxi to the ski lift.

With public transport to Seven Rila Lakes: from Plovdiv

From Plovdiv there also seem to be direct buses to Sapareva Banya, but since this is a long travel day I would not recommend going to Seven Rila Lakes from Plovdiv in 1 day.

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Join a guided tour to Seven Rila Lakes

Are you not in the mood to figure out the trip by public transport? Then you can easily hop on a tour to Seven Rila Lakes from Sofia or Bansko. There are day trips that only go to the lakes, but some tours also combine it with the Rila Monastery.

Here are a few options:

• You can book different transfers from Sofia via Get Your Guide. City Tour Sofia for example offers transfers to the lakes and back for €30 per person. Keep in mind that this is not a guided tour though; it’s self-guided.
• Another company where you can book transfers to Seven Rila Lakes is Traventuria (from Sofia and Bansko). They also have the option to combine the Seven Rila Lakes hike with a visit to the Rila Monastery in 1 day for €45 per person.
• Split The Mountain also organizes guided hiking tours to Seven Rila Lakes from Sofia. The price depends on the amount of people who join the tour, but it’s €80-120 per person with multiple people joining.

Drive to Seven Rila Lakes with a car

The easiest way to do this hike and get to the starting point is with a car. Check via DiscoverCars (multiple car rentals, with an easy search filter) what is available from Sofia, and I also have good experiences with Top-Rent-A-Car in the past. You can start early, you don’t have to worry about taxis that won’t show up and you can walk as long as you want without worrying about departure times of busses.

From both Sofia and Bansko it is 2 – 2,5 hours drive to the starting point of the Seven Rila Lakes ski lift. You first take the highway to the village of Dupnitsa. From there follow road 62 to the village of Sapareva Banya.

You then drive through the village and then it is another 12 kilometers uphill, into the mountains. This last stretch through the mountains means the journey will take a relatively long time, even though it is not that far away geographically.

Parking for 1 day at Seven Rila Lakes is €2.50 in 2025.

If you don’t have your own car you can of course rent a car in Bulgaria. I have good experiences with Top-Rent-A-Car at Sofia Airport, but always check recent reviews.

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3. What do you bring for this hike?

The time of the year influences what you have to bring for this hike. I would recommend to use layers for your clothes, since you’re in the mountains and most of the year it’s quite chilly. I did this hike in June and there was still snow on some of the peaks. When it’s windy as well you definitely want to use layers to keep yourself warm.

I would recommend bringing the following for your hike:

• Water bottle or Camelbak
• Snacks and lunch: there is a mountain hut where you can buy stuff, but only at the beginning. The rest of the hike you won’t have the option to buy anything
• Water- and windproof jacket
• Hiking shoes or comfortable shoes to walk
• Beanie to keep your head warm or a cap to keep the sun out of your face
• Sunglasses for a sunny day
• Sunscreen, since the sun can be quite intense in the mountains
• First Aid Kit, because you never know when you need it
• Camera gear, since Seven Rila Lakes is quite photogenic and you want to capture that beauty!

4. When is the best time to visit Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria?

You can basically visit Seven Rila Lakes all year round, but between October and May there is usually snow on the mountain peaks and the lakes are often frozen. I would say that the best time to do the hike at Seven Rila Lakes is between early June and late September.

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5. What can I expect more or less from this hike?

When you arrive at the parking lot of the ski lift you have 2 options to start your Seven Rila Lakes hike:

1. Take the lift up to the Rilski Ezera Hut
2. Walk from the parking lot to the Rilski Ezera Hut

1. Take the lift up to the Rilski Ezera Hut

The ski lift takes you from 1585 to 2100 meters altitude. The lift uses 2-person seats and the ride takes approximately 25 minutes. A return ticket is €16 for adults and you can pay with cash or card.
The lift can only be used in the high season, so check in advance whether the lift is working when you want to go.

The opening times for the Panichishte ski lift are from 9.00 to 4.30pm every day, except Mondays. Mondays it only runs between 12.30 and 4.30pm, and every last MOnday of the month the lift is closed for maintenance.

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2. Walk from the parking lot to the Rilski Ezera Hut

Another option is to hike up from the parking lot to the Rilski Ezera Hut. You then walk up and climb for about 500 meters. The hiking trail is clearly visible and it slopes gradually upwards. It’s not difficult or technical, but it just adds extra kilometers and elevation to your total hike.

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From Rilski Ezera Hut to Seven Rila Lakes

And now the fun part of this walk: the walk along the 7 lakes! Please be aware that you can’t swim in the lakes, since they are located in the national park and are a protected area.

The Seven Rila lakes you visit during this hike are:

1. Lower Lake / Dolnoto Ezero (Lower Lake of the Seven Rila Lakes)
2. Fish Lake / Ribnoto Ezero
3. The Trefoil Lake / Trilistnika
4. The Twin Lake / Bliznaka (the largest lake, this lake is divided into 2 lakes that are connected by water)
5. The Kidney Lake / Babreka (this lake is shaped like a kidney)
6. The Eye Lake / Okoto (this lake is shaped like an eye, most of the year this lake is partly frozen)
7. The Tear Lake / Salzata (from this lake you have a beautiful view point over all the lakes)

You can do this hike in a loop. I started the climb myself via the red trail. You will find this route when you are standing in front of the hut on your right side. The first part starts a bit steep, but then it goes up more gradually to the Kidney. After The Kidney it is a steep climb up to The Eye and then to The Tear.

From The Tear you walk back via The Eye to Kidney Lake. From there you follow the green trail down. Via this route you gradually walk down and pass the other lakes. For the last part you leave the green trail and walk back to the hut via other hiking trails (you will already see the hut).

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6. How much time do you need for this hike?

Seven Rila Lakes is a great day trip from Sofia or Bansko. From the hut (the starting point of the walk) my sister and I walked along all the lakes in about 4 hours, including a few photo and food opportunities. In total we walked for about 3 hours and had 1 hour of breaks and lunch.

My sister and I are in good shape, but you should be able to do the entire walk at Seven Rila Lakes in 5 to 6 hours.

Also take into account 1 hour (2 times 30 minutes) in the ski lift. On top of that you have to think about your travel time to get to the starting point (from Sofia or Bansko 4 to 5 hours in total).

The entire day trip to Seven Rila Lakes from Bansko or Sofia will take 9 to 10 hours in total.

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7. Spending the night at/close to Seven Rila Lakes

Most people visit the Rila Lakes as a day trip, but it is also possible to spend the night here. Rilski Ezera Hut has about 200 beds where hikers can spend the night. This way you can catch the sunrise and/or sunset and enjoy the beautiful nature to the fullest. A double room for 2 people is €67 (breakfast included) and a bed in the dormitory is €21 per person (breakfast not included). Via the Rilski Ezera Hut website you can check the most recent prices and availability.

Please keep in mind pets are not allowed in the Rilski Ezera Hut.

In Panichishte, near the ski lift, you will also find some nice accommodations. 103 Alpine Hotel is recommended if you want to spend the night in a relaxed place, 3.5 kilometers from the lift. Malka Yurta Hut is highly recommended for solo travelers. Here they only have shared bedrooms, but the elevator is very close (500 meters away from this accommodation).

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Also read: Everything About The Hike To Musala, The Highest Peak In Bulgaria

This is everything you need to know about the hike at Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria. Are you excited about this hike, but are you still missing essential information? Please let us know via the comments below or by emailing jessica@explorebulgarianow.com.

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