Everything About The Hike To Musala, The Highest Peak In Bulgaria

If you like hiking, you’ve come to the right place. There are plenty of beautiful trails in Bulgaria. With several mountain areas such as Pirin, the Rhodopes and Rila you will find plenty of amazing walks. One of the nicest hikes is to Musala, the highest mountain peak in Bulgaria. I have done this hike in July 2022. In this article you will find everything you need to know to do the hike to Musala!

Last update & prices in the article are from May 2025.

Practical info about the hike to Musala Peak

Starting point for the hike: parking lot of the Yastrebets Lift in Borovets. These are the Google Maps coordinates for the parking lot.

Total kilometers: 15 kilometers if you start from the Yastrebets Lift / 26 kilometers if you start in Borovets

Elevation: 600 meters up and down

Hiking time: between 5 and 8 hours if you start from the Yastrebets Hut

Type of hike: point-to-point hike; you go back the same way as how you climb to Musala Peak

Dog friendly: I have not seen many dogs on this hike, but a few hikers with their dog said it was fine. No ladders involved and usually most dogs are allowed in the lift from Borovets to the starting point. 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 hike to Musala Peak on Mapy.cz via this link

All questions answered about the hike to Musala

1. Where does the hike to Musala start?

Musala is located in the Rila Mountains, not far from the village of Borovets. In winter, Borovets is a popular winter sports destination in Bulgaria. Borovets is located 70 kilometers south of Sofia (1.5 hours drive). From Bansko it is 140 kilometers to Borovets (2+ hours drive).

In Borovets you will find several lifts to go into the mountains. For the Musala hike, you have to take the Yastrebets Lift up to the Yastrebets Hut at an altitude of 2,365 meters. The ride with this ski lift takes 25-30 minutes. The return price for the lift is 35 leva (€18) for adults.

Most people come to Borovets by car or taxi. Do you want to come by public transport? Then you first need to take a bus to the village of Samokov and from there take a mini shuttle to Borovets.

2. What is the best time to do the hike to Musala?

The best time to hike to the peak of Musala is from early June to early September. There is often still snow on the last walking section of Musala until May. In June, July and August it can be warm, but it is basically safe to walk.

In September the Yastrebets lift usually closes for maintenance for the winter sports season, so you can only start the hike from Borovets and not from the Yastrebets Hut. The lift usually closes at the end of September, but check it out in advance via the Borovets website.

In the winter months you could potentially climb to Musala, but I recommend that you go with good winter gear (such as snow walking boots) and a guide.

The Yastrebets lift in Borovets does not work on Mondays and Tuesdays. So plan your hike to Musala on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

3. How long is the hike to Musala?

In total the hike to Musala and back is 15 kilometers. This is the total amount of kilometers if you start and finish at the Yastrebetz Hut. If you start in Borovets you have to add an additional 11 kilometers, which makes it quite a long hiking day in the mountains with 26 kilometers in total.

From the Yastrebets Hut to Musala it is about 3 hours of walking. You hike back to the starting point and the lift via the same route (2 to 2.5 hours). Including breaks and photo opportunities, I completed this walk in 6 hours. Including the rides with the Yastrebets lift, the entire trip takes about 7 to 8 hours.

Please note that the lift from Borovets to Yastrebets Hut only operates between 8.30am and 6pm during the summer months. It is therefore smart to take the lift as early as possible, so you won’t have a race against the clock to make it back in time. If you arrive at the lift after 6pm, you will have to walk back to Borovets via the hiking trail. The hiking time is then 2 to 2.5 hours more than scheduled. I therefore recommend that you go up before 10:30am with the Yastrebetz Lift to do the entire hike in a comfortable pace.

4. Is it possible to spend the night in Borovets and on the trail?

It’s possible to spend the night in Borovets and be one of the first people in the lift to start the hike to the Musala Peak. Hotel Samokov is a good and affordable option. I’ve spend some time in this hotel during a winter sports trip with friends. From outside the building looks a bit old, but it’s actually a very decent hotel to stay. The rooms are fine and they have a nice breakfast buffet for a very affordable price. On top of that it’s just a 2 minute walk to the lift, which makes it a perfect place to stay for the Musala hike!

Other nice options to spend the night in Borovets are Ice Angels Hotel and Moura Boutique & Spa Hotel. These are the perfect places to relax after some hiking in the jacuzzi or sauna, surrounded by beautiful interior.

Keep in mind that Borovets is a winter sports resort, so not every hotel is open all year round (just in winter).

It’s also possible to spend the night on the trail. The first mountain hut that you will encounter is the Musala Hut, next to a lake. They have dorms with 6 or 8 beds for about 30 leva (€15) per night. The second mountain hut on this trail is Ledeno Ezero Hut, also next to a lake named Ice Lake. From here you will have a view on the Musala Peak. This hut is smaller and more basic than Musala Hut, but it has its charm. This hut only has dorms as well for about 30 leva (€15) per person. From this hut it’s only like 45 minutes of walking up to the peak.

5. How difficult is the Musala hike?

This hike is considered a medium challenging hike. While the trail is generally well-marked and you can’t really get lost, the elevation gain and rocky terrain can be difficult for hikers without a lot of experience in the mountains. It’s suitable for fit beginners, but some sections near the peak are steeper and more challenging.

So you have to decide for yourself: what are you capable of?

During this hike you will climb about 650 meters. Until you reach Musala Hut I would say the hike is quite easy, with little elevation and a nice hiking trail. From the Musala Hut to the Ledeno Ezero Hut you have to climb a bit more via rocks and there is more elevation. The most challenging part is the part between the Ledeno Ezero Hut and the Musala Peak. There are 2 ways to go up: via a zigzag hiking trail or via the snow path (connected by poles) on the rocks.

To be fair: although Musala is the highest peak in Bulgaria, I think the hike to the Vihren Peak close to Bansko is more challenging. I have seen families of 3 generations walking up to the Musala Peak, so in general I think most people who like the mountains will be able to do this hike. If you’re not that fit, just calculate some extra time and start early, so it doesn’t feel like a race against the clock.

6. Is Musala really the highest peak in Bulgaria?

Musala is located in the Rila mountains, in the eastern part of Bulgaria. The peak of Musala is at 2926 meters, so it is indeed the highest peak in Bulgaria. The name Musala has an Arabic origin and was likely given to the peak during this time. It means “close to God”: because as the highest peak this peak is the closest place to pray to God.

Other interesting peaks in Bulgaria are Vihren (2914m), Koetelo (2908m) and Little Musala (2902m).

7. What should you bring for the hike to Musala Peak?

Most people will do the hike to Musala as a day trip, so you don’t need to bring stuff to stay overnight (unless you stay in one of the mountain huts of course). But if you do this as 1 day hike you should bring the following:

• Good hiking or sport shoes for rough terrain
• Hiking socks
• Different layers of clothes. In the mountains you can experience all kinds of temperatures. It can be very hot, especially in summer, but since you’re on high ground it can be cold and windy as well
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a cap in the summer to protect yourself again the sun
• A winter beanie and gloves outside the summer months
• A (disposable) raincoat, if there is rain predicted
• A water bottle or a Camelbak. It is possible to refill your water on the trail, but I would always bring at least 2 liters of water during a hike like this one.
• Snacks / food, to keep yourself energized. I’m a big fan of protein bars, flapjacks, bananas, and a nut mix (different nuts, raisins and some m&m’s).
• Camera with extra batteries to capture all the nice shots along the way
• Your phone and a powerbank to recharge, just in case
• First aid kit with things like bandages, iodine, blister plasters and an emergency blanket
• Your wallet and some cash (you can’t really use your card in the mountain huts)
• If you like to walk with hiking sticks, I would recommend bringing those for this hike as well
• A trash bag for your trash during the day

8. My impression of the Musala hike, in 5 sections

Part 1: Borovets (1350m) to Yastrebets Hut (2365m)

It’s best to start as early as possible with this hike. The Yastrebets Lift starts at 8.30, so I would recommend to just take it as early as possible. The earlier you get up, the more time you have so you don’t feel rushed getting back before the lift stops running.

The ride with the Yastrebets Lift is 25 to 30 minutes. A return ticket for the list is 35lv (€17,50) for adults.

The parking area next to the lift is paid, but you can also drive around a bit to check out some free parking spots. Also a lot of the accommodations offer free parking spaces for guests.

In case you want to start the hike in Borovets: that is possible to, but add another 1000 meters elevation to your hike. Most people who do this definitely stay overnight in one of the mountain huts. It’s a cool idea if you want to do a sunrise hike to Musala.

Part 2: Yastrebets Hut (2365m) to Musala Hut (2389m)

This part is 3,5 kilometers and will take you 45 minutes to 1 hour.

It’s quite an easy start, so perfect to warm up your muscles for this hiking day. From the Yastrebetz Hut you will follow the red hiking mark to the peak of Musala. There are also a lot of signs with “Musala / Мусала”, so you can’t really go wrong and get lost. On top of that, almost the entire hike you have the peak in front you.

This part of the hike has very little elevation, it’s almost flat. Once you reach the Musala Hut you know you have finished the second part of this hike. Get some snacks or a soup in the hut or have a little rest next to the picturesque lake.

Part 3: from Musala Hut (2389m) to Ledeno Ezero Hut (2709m)

This part is about 2,5 kilometers and will take you 60 to 120 minutes, depending on your fitness level. During this part you will climb more than 300 meters and it has more rough terrain than the previous part. From the Musala Hut you walk straight to the second lake, after that you slightly bend to the left and climb up. The big boulders seem a bit intense, but there is actually a decent hiking trail in between.

After the first climb you will see another 2 lakes. From here the terrain is a bit rough, so watch your step. Finally you will reach the Ledeno Ezero Hut. Here you will also find a water tap point, where you can refill your water bottle (at least most of the year).

This mountain hut has an interesting location; it’s almost merged with the ground. It’s right next to Ledenoto Ezero, which means “Icy Lake“. From here you have a view on the last part of the hike up to Musala Peak. This next part of the trail has snow most of the year.

Part 4: from Ledeno Ezero Hut (2709m) to Musala Peak (2926m)

This part is the last part to the peak of Musala. It is only 1 kilometer, but it will take you a good 30 to 50 minutes going up.

It’s the most steep part of the entire trail, but you have 2 options: the zigzag trail going up or the snow trail (connected via poles on the big boulders). The snow trail might be a bit technical, but the zigzag trail is well maintained.

Once you reach the peak you will see a litte mountain hut and a weather station. As far as I could see during my visit the mountain hut was not open to stay in. I think they were only selling drinks there, so don’t depend too much on anything on the peak. From here you can see the mountain peaks close to 7 Rila Lakes and even some mountain peaks in Pirin, close to Bansko.

Part 5: from Musala Peak (2926m) back to Yastrebetz Hut (2365m)

From the peak of Musala you can walk exactly the same way back via the zigzag trail, or take the snow trail back down. It’s mainly the same way back to Ledeno Ezero Hut anyways, so you can’t really get lost. From Ledeno Ezero Hut you can walk slightly different back to the Musala Hut. Instead of going to the right at some point you keep walking straight, following a different trail back to the hut. It’s about the same time to walk, so it doesn’t really matter but it might be nice to slightly change the trail back.

Once you reach the Musala Hut make sure you keep following the trail that goes slightly to the left. I was distracted and followed another trail more the the right and only found out after 15 minutes that it wasn’t going back to the Yastrebetz Hut. So with walking back it took me an additional 30 minutes. But again: this is a very easy part of the hike, so very relaxed.

Make sure you make it back in time to not miss the Yastrebetz Lift back to Borovets! After 18.00 you have to walk all the way down..

Once you’re back in Borovets you can have some food in a few restaurants or relax in the spa in case your accommodation has this.

Also read: Hike To 7 Rila Lakes – Everything You Need To Know

Hopefully this article provides useful information to help you prepare for the Musala hike. Please let me know if you still have any questions about this hike, either via the comments below or via an e-mail to jessica@explorebulgarianow.com. Have fun!

Disclaimer: this page might contain affiliate links. This is a free website, but of course it takes time and energy to gather information, take pictures and videos and create articles to help you. Via affiliate links we get a commission if you buy or book something online. At no extra cost for you! See it as a little thank you for this information. 🙂