2925 m height… But to be more accurate – 2925,40 m! The highest peak in Bulgaria and the Balkans… peak Musala! We often take for granted the nature and the places we have in our native land… I did the same… Today… tomorrow… and I all time put off going to the highest point in our country… I finally decided… Instigated by the thirst for beautiful shots and suffocated by the summer sweltering heat in the city, I began the expedition to the peak…
The starting point for its climb is Borovets. The lift is a good solution, which will shorten your way to Musala hut with about 3-4 hours. The road with Jastrebec lift is nice, even for a person like me who doesn’t like lifts… It takes about 20-30 minutes and the ticket price in both directions is 12 leva if I remember well. One joker, it is nice to arrive early on the lift to find a place on the paid parking lot… its capacity is not big and it is filling fast on weekends… The lift is open at 08:30 and works until 18:30 in the summer, but it’s nice to check it anyway. And so… We get off the lift and we are about to start climbing!
We head to Peak Musala
And if you expect to start steep climbing the top… I will disappoint you! Musala hut goes along a broad dirt road that is mostly equal. The distance takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the tempo and photo stops. To the left of the path there are beautiful views of the valley from the slopes… And reaching Musala hut is a time for a short rest and relaxation. At the height of the summer season, it’s hard to find a more secluded spot around the lake. And it’s a great prerequisite for beautiful footage. Coming to the lowest lake of the Muslenski lakes, we have climbed to 2389 m above sea level… And for the Muslenski Lakes I will tell you after a while, just look at the photos here…
So… The Muslenski Lakes! The seven lakes are located stepped around the highest peak in the Rila Mountains and predispose to stunning landscape pictures. We’ll pass some of them on the way to the top… And if we walk around here, it’s time to climbing a bit… And yet… in general, Peak Musala is one of the easiest to conquer peaks of over 2,000 meters above sea level. You will be impressed by many tourists, children, elderly people, and you can even see someone climbing on trousers and shirts… And no matter how easy the transition, it’s good to wear comfortable and high shoes and be ready for bad weather… The weather in the mountains is insidious and unpredictable…
The shelter at the foot of the top…
The next starting point is shelter and the Ice Lake – the highest of the Muslenski Lakes. The distance takes about an hour and a little… 10, 15, 20 minutes… again depends on the pace and the traffic (it sounds funny, but it definitely becomes the queue of the narrower sections…). The path becomes more rocky and steep, but you can not confuse it… Clearly distinguishable, the mark is good enough and there are many people, as I mentioned a few times… It passes along several of the lower lakes to reach the shelter and Ice Lake. We are now 2709 meters above sea level… Are you tired? Some more! About 200 meters… but climb! At last a nice and steep climb! From here up there is 2 roads – summer and winter. The summer is on a distinct path, and the winter is through the stones on the rope. I recommend you summer road for the summer, you will not get much faster on the winter road… They are running almost parallel. And yes… take a look around for the beautiful views and glance over your shoulder to the Ice Lake…
And we’re already on top! The highest peak in the Balkans is obedient! Surround and see every possible point of view! Find a nice place away from other people and stay alone with yourself and nature… Look at the passing clouds that move so fast that they change the landscape in seconds… Feel the power of nature! And if you’re lucky… the horizon will be clear and the weather will be with you… you will be able to enjoy the breathtaking scenery!
