Conference Excursions

The excursions will take place on Wednesday, September 4th, after the Plenary session. There will be two alternative excursions you can choose between:

1. Hiking tour to the peak of Moussala (2925 m. asl) (the highest peak of Rila mountain and the highest on the Balkan Peninsula);
2. Bus trip to the Rila monastery (The monastery, the largest in Bulgatia, part of the UNESCO world culture heritage).

Detailed description of both excursions is given below.

Please indicate on the form underneath which excursion you would prefer

Hiking tour to the peak of Moussala

Peak of Moussala is the highest peak of Rila mountain and the highest on the Balkan Peninsula (with an altitude 2925 m. asl). There are spectacular views in all directions from there. There is a meteo-station on the top, providing tea and shelter to the tourists.

We will use the gondola lift from Borovets to the Yastrebets chalet, which will take us up to about 2400 m altitude in less than 30 minutes. The starting point of the lift is located just right across hotel Samokov. The hike to the hut of Moussala is actually an easy one-hour walk. Those who do not like hiking on rough rocky terrain and steep slopes or not have proper shoes may spend some time here, enjoying the beautiful lakes. Strong mountain shoes and windproof jacket are recommended if you plan to climb the peak. It will take another 2 – 2:30 hours to climb the peak from here. In case of thunderstorm or other extreme conditions this part could be cancelled.

Bus trip to the Rila monastery

Rila monastery is situated deep in the mountain, in the beautiful valley of Rilska river It has been found in 10th century by the hermit St. Ivan of Rila. Destroyed and rebuilt several times, by now most buildings and the main church of the monastery are from the middle of 19th century. The paintings and woodwork from that time are masterpieces, created by several famous masters from Bansko, Samokov and Razlog, including famous brothers Zahari Zograf and Dimitar Zograf. Rila monastery is one of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites (since 1983). It is situated 100 km away from Borovets, which takes about 1:45 hours by bus in one direction. There will be 2 hours (at least) to visit the monastery and its surroundings.

Please indicate on the form below which excursion you would prefer