Seven Rila Lakes
A chain of glacial lakes stepped up a mountainside, one of the country’s most popular hikes.
About
The seven lakes lie in a high glacial cirque at between about 2,100 and 2,500 metres, linked by streams and waterfalls. Each has its own name, such as the Tear, the Eye, the Kidney and the Fish, after its shape or character.
A chairlift takes you most of the way up, and from the top a circular path of three to four hours passes all seven lakes, with views over the valley. The terrain is rocky and weather changes quickly, so bring warm clothes, water and good shoes.
History
The lakes were formed by glaciers during the last ice age, which carved bowls in the granite that later filled with meltwater. They lie within Rila National Park, the largest national park in Bulgaria, created in 1992 to protect the high mountains, their forests and wildlife. The area has long been used by shepherds, and in the twentieth century it became popular with hikers and mountaineers. It also has a spiritual side: followers of the teacher Peter Deunov, known as the White Brotherhood, gather every summer near the lakes to pray and dance. The chairlift, which opened in the 1990s, made the lakes far easier to reach, and today they are among the most visited natural sights in the country, so paths can be crowded in summer.