Before visiting the park
200 glacial lakes, deeply carved out valleys, and large moraines lie scattered throughout the park
Climate
The area of Rila National Park falls entirely within the mountain climatic zone of altitudes of 1,000 m. and over. Otherwise, the park lies at the boundary between the moderate-continental and the transitional-Mediterranean climatic zones. The coldest month is February with an average monthly temperature of –11°C. Sub-zero mean daily temperatures may last for up to 9 months of the year, often till the end of June. In high summer the mean daily temperature hardly ever climbs above the 10°C mark.
What to bring
Select your equipment with care. For higher altitudes, wear or carry high-top boots with thick soles, warm clothes, a plastic raincoat, and a spare set of clothes. The combination of cold rain and strong wind can be very dangerous. Bring some basic first aid medicines and bandages. Don’t forget sunglasses and a sun block of SPF 15 or higher. Always carry dry clothes, hats, and gloves.
Maps
http://www.rilanationalpark.org/en/index.phtml
http://www.bg-parks.net/main.php?act=parks&park=rila
How to get there
By air
The closest international airport to Rila National Park is the Airport of Sofia. From here it is only a one-hour drive to the closest entrance of the park by bus or by private transport. Cars can be rented at Sofia Airport.
By bus
From Sofia daily buses go to Dupnitsa, town of Rila, Blagoevgrad, Razlog, Belitsa, Yakoruda, Samokov, Kostenets and Dolna banya. From these towns buses leave for the villages and some of the entry points of Rila National Park.
http://www.centralnaavtogara.bg/index.php
By train
From Sofia daily trains travel to Kulata and stop at the railway stations of Dupnitsa and Blagoevgrad. Trains from Sofia to Plovdiv and to Burgas via Plovdiv stop at Kostenets and Belovo.
By car
A good road network has been developed around the national park. All towns, villages and park entrances can be reached by private transport.
Entrance/access points
Entrances to Rila National Park (see also map of Rila National Park)
- Blagoevgrad (±100 kilometres from Sofia)
Via Bodrost Holiday Complex - Via the Slavova River - Razlog (±150 kilometres from Sofia)
Via the villages of Bachevo, Godlevo and Dobarsko - Belitsa (±170 kilometres from Sofia)
Via Semkovo Resort Complex - Yakuruda (±180 kilometres from Sofia)
Via Trestenik Tourist Complex - Via Yundola (Belmeken Dam Lake access). - Belovo (±90 kilometres from Sofia)
Via the village of Sestrimo. - Kostenets (±70 kilometres from Sofia)
Via Kostenets Holiday Complex - Dolna banya (±85 kilometres from Sofia)
Via Gerginitsa Hut - Samokov (±60 kilometres from Sofia)
Via the village of Beli Iskar- Via Vada Hut - Via Malyovitsa Tourist Complex - Via Medarnika (Mechit) Hut - Via Borovets Resort Complex (Mussala Hut access, Chakar Voivoda Hut and Maritsa Hut) - Dupnitsa (±65 kilometres from Sofia)
Via Panichishte Resort Complex - Via the village of Samoranovo (Otovitsa Hut access) - Via the village of Bistritsa. - Town of Rila (±90 kilometres from Sofia)
Visitor Centre
The visitor centre of the Rila National Park is located in Panichishte and provides information and guidance to visitors of Rila National Park. There are also many local visitor and information centres in the villages and towns around the park.
Panichishte Visitor Center,
tel: +359 701/40757
More details: http://www.rilanationalpark.org/en/index.phtml?context=category&ctg_id=138
Park Facilities
Rila National Park offers excellent tourist opportunities. The chalets, lodges, and network of well-maintained tourist trails within the park provide convenient accommodation and make hiking in the area easy and attractive.
Trails in the park
A multitude of trail routes, some of them known throughout Bulgaria and abroad, crisscross Rila National Park. Most run across the higher altitudes (2,000 meters and higher). Two of the main European routes, E4 and E8, also cut across the Park territory.
For more info: http://www.rilanationalpark.org/en/index.phtml?context=category&ctg_id=85
The park management offers several specialised trails:
- Friends of Plants Botanical Trail
- Beli Iskar Ecotrail
- Interpretative Trail Rila Cowslip
- Interpretative Trail Capercailli
- Interpretative Trail Balkan chamois
Besides the specialised trails many more trails and routes can be found throughout the park.
There are also two main international European mountain itineraries which cross the park in the direction from west to the south and from northwest to the south: Е-4 and Е-8
Equipment rental
There are some possibilities to rent mountain bike and skiing equipment from the hotels, chalets and holiday homes in the park region.
Rescue service
The phone number of the rescue service Central 24-Hours Point:
tel.: +359 2 9632000, +359 88 621286, www.pss.bg/index.php
Services for disabled
Rila National Park Visitor Center Panichishte has disabled access.
Overnight stays in the park
Within the territory of the National Park there are 17 tourist huts and 5 shelters.
Rules
The Rila National Park regime imposes certain prohibitions upon the visitors. The following activities are prohibited:
- Hunting and disturbing of wild animals
- Pollution of water and littering in the area
- Bivouacking outside specified sites
- Lighting of fires outside specified sites
- Collection of fossils and minerals, damaging of rocks formations
- Bathing and swimming in the streams, rivers and lakes
- Picking of flowers
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