Bulgaria · NATIONAL PARKS
Good national park trips fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 11 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Easy snowshoeing in UNESCO Pirin National Park from Bansko, followed by relaxing hot-spring thermal pools in Banya village.
“Amazing experience. Mairy was excellent and the whole group had an amazing time… Totally recommend it…”
A long Sofia day with a guided Pirin National Park hike to Banderishki Lakes, then a Bansko walk and traditional lunch time, with roundtrip transfer.
“One of the best hikes I’ve ever done! Pirin national park is amazing! My guide Lubo knew the trails well and was very accommodating. Would recommend this activity to anyone visiting Bulgaria.”
Day trip from Sofia to Devetashka Cave, Prohodna (God's Eyes), and Krushuna Waterfalls. English group tour with pickup, water, and comfort.
“An absolutely amazing day we will cherish in our memories. Our guide made the day so full telling us so much about the history, nature and life in Bulgaria and took us to incredible natural sights that we would have never found ourselves if we rented a car. We highly recommend this trip, it was excellent value. We felt lucky to have such an amazing guide too - Georgi was super friendly, knowledgeable and fun. A huge thanks to him for looking after my family and I for the day and giving us a wonderful experience.”
A guided Sofia day trip to Rila Monastery and the Boyana Church, with early, low-stress visiting and a nature walk around ancient forests.
“The tour was fantastic. Thoroughly enjoyed. Svetlan called a day before and asked if I had any special requests or if I needed something. That was a nice touch. Throughout the tour he went above and beyond ensuring we saw everything there was to see. My friend had asked for holy oil and if it wasn’t for him discussing with pope I wouldn’t have got it. He shared a lot of information and history of the place and also accompanied at Rila monastery sharing all information. At no point we felt rushed. When I saw reviews of other tours people were complaining about crowd and wait at church but as…”
One day hike in Pirin National Park to glacial lakes, jagged peaks, and the 1300 year old Bosnian Pine in Banderitsa Valley.
“Amazing hike, with a very nice guide. We enjoyed it truly. A lot of attention to details. Recommend!”
Guided Central Balkan hike from Plovdiv to Levski Peak, chairlift to Dobrila Hut, plus optional paragliding for unbeatable views.
“My daughter & I had a fantastic hike with Ivo in the Central Balkan National Park mountain range. Ivo is extremely knowledgable regarding nature & history of the mountains. The scenery & conversations made for an enjoyable day out, it was like hiking with a friend.”
Ride calm horses through Rila’s pine forests, meadows, and rivers in a small group. Helmets included, pace matched to your skill.
“Very nice trip where your experience is taken into account.”
Snowshoe in Vitosha National Park from Sofia, warm up with lunch at a mountain hut, then visit the peaceful Dragalevtsi Monastery.
“My visit to Vitosha National Park was a great experience. There was snow, which made the landscape amazing and the walk even more special. Also, our guide Simon was an excellent person, very kind, helpful, and always attentive, which made the visit even better.”
Snowshoe through Vitosha National Park from Sofia, learn winter wildlife, warm up with mountain hut lunch, optional Dragalevtsi Monastery.
Plovdiv hike in Central Balkan National Park to Levski peak by Bulgaria's longest chairlift, with optional paraglide.
“It was an extraordinary experience. The views are just breathtaking. The trails led us through some of the most stunning landscapes I've ever seen, with incredible views at every turn. The guide is amazing, very friendly and knowledgeable. I think this hike is a must for anyone visiting Plovdiv. Highly, highly recommend!”
Three-day trek in Bulgaria's Central Balkan National Park from Karnare to Dobrila huts, with optional Sofia pickup and guide.
“We hiked up to the water fall in the pouring rain the route was steeper than expected, but felt doable with a reasonable level of fitness and experience well worth the visit. 3.3h up and down well marked out. Cost about £12 in a cab from Sofia central with the yellow cabs recommended downloading the their app”
Pick a monastery, a mountain, a cave or a coastline.
