Rila Mountain

Rila is the highest mountain in Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula (Moussala peak - 2925 m). The other name of this enormous mountain is "Water Mountain". There are springs of the three biggest Bulgarian rivers: Maritsa, Iskar and Mesta. Rila has more than 200 beautiful blue lakes. With its forests, mountain peaks, lakes, valleys and rivers, Rila is the perfect place for hiking, mountain climbing, biking and skiing. Only 70 km from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, there is a beautiful mountain town and ski resort - Borovets.
The Rila mountains are the largest and the most impressive in Bulgaria. Most of its peaks rise to around 2600m a.s.l. with Mount Masala at 2915m which is the highest. Many miles of beautifully marked hiking trails cross the mountains, in all directions. Based at the Rila Monestary at 1100m the many trails that begin and end there have one main direction which is upwards.

The mountain is situated in the southwest part of Bulgaria. The name Rila which comes from the Slavic word Rula means "Full of Water Mountain". This name perfectly fits the the character of the Rila Mountain. There are more than 200 lakes, which give source of loads of rivers. There are over 2000 plant varieties and a rich animal world. There are many huts and chalets for a couple of nights and marked tourist paths.
It is worth visiting the biggest international mountain resort in Bulgaria – Borovets. It is the largest and most developed ski resort in Bulgaria.