07:00: The trip starts from the parking behind Alexander Nevski Cathedral (you will receive a detailed map after you complete the booking process).

09:00: Arrival at the bottom station of the Panichishte Resort cable car.

09:30: Arrival at the top station of the cable car and start of the hike.

14:00: End of the hike and arrival back at the top station of the cable car.

14:30: Arrival at the bottom station and transfer to Rila Monastery.

16:00: Arrival in Rila Monastery, followed with a tour of the complex and free time.

17:30: Departure from Rila Monastery, going back to the starting point

19:30: Arrival at the starting point of the tour.

• Please note that all of the timetables are approximate and are subject to change, depending on the size of the group and the traffic along the way.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Pick-up/drop off from Alexander Nevski Cathedral
• All transportation costs
• English-speaking guide throughout the tour

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:

• Meals and beverages
• Tips

• Hotel pick-up costs additional 5/10 Euro per reservation (not per person, depends on the hotel location).
• You can prebook the chairlift tickets from Panichishte to the Seven Rila Lakes and back (10 euro per person)
• You can book trekking poles in advance (recommended, especially if you have weak joints)

The Rila Monastery is one of Bulgaria’s symbols and a popular tourist destination. The monastery is set deep in the heart of Rila Mountain, between the Rilska and Drushliavitza Rivers, at 1147 meters (3760 feet) above sea level. It is situated 120 kilometers south of Sofia, and 41 kilometers east of Blagoevgrad.
The monastery was found in the first half of the 10th century AD. Its history is directly connected with the first Bulgarian hermit, Saint John of Rila, or ‚Ivan Rilski’, who chose this site to pray in seclusion. Through the ages, the Rila Monastery served as a spiritual, educational and cultural center for the Bulgarians. During the Bulgarian Revival (eighteenth-nineteenth century) the monastery opened about fifty metohia – small convents located in the bigger settlements on Bulgarian territory and its monks frequently went there to officiate, educate and popularize the monastery among the laymen. Most of the present complex of the Rila Monastery dates from the nineteenth century. The oldest building here is the Hrelyova Tower. Every inch of the principal church here, Nativity of Mary is covered by frescoes, work of the most renowned Bulgarian Renaissance painters.
From the end of the nineteenth century onwards, the Rila Monastery has a museum with historical exhibits from the region. The exposition includes important examples of Bulgarian and foreign art from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries. The most precious exhibit is the finely carved wooden cross, work of Father Rafail. He worked on his masterpiece for years, using the finest chisels and tools, and completed it in 1802, losing his eyesight due to the strenuous work. The cross represents 36 Biblical scenes, eighteen on each side, with over 600 miniature figures.

Food: although there are two huts on our way where we can purchase some basic food (i.e. beans soup, meatballs, tea) we advise you to come prepared with a lunch pack from Sofia, because the program is rather tight and for sure we won’t have much time for a proper lunch.
Difficulty: the hiking route is moderately arduous, with individual brief paths featuring steep inclines. Please bring along comfortable walking boots. Sandals and flip-flops are not accepted. Rain jacket might be useful in summer as heavy showers sometimes occur in the afternoons.