Rila Monastery and 7 Rila Lakes Self-Guided Shared Trip from Sofia
Recommended by 95% of travelers
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Sofia, Bulgaria
- 13 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Reaching the Seven Rila Lakes by public transport typically involves two buses, a shuttle and most of your day. Take the pain out of transportation—while maintaining total independence—with this cost-effective shared transfer. Visit both these beautiful glacial lakes and the Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with ample time for hiking.
- See the Seven Rila Lakes and the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery in one day
- Enjoy more than half a day exploring the lakes and Rila National Park
- Revel in the history, frescoes, and relics of Bulgaria’s largest monastery
- Shuttle departs from and returns to a convenient central Sofia location
What's Included
- Round-trip shared transfer
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Driver
- Entrance fees - Rila Lakes chairlift ticket (25 BGN per person, two-way)
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Guide services
- Mountain rescue insurance
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Old City Center, пл. „Княз Александър I“ 1, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Go to the car parking at Knyaz Aleksander I square (in front of The Palace - National Art Gallery). Look for a vehicle with Rila Shutle sign. Nearest metro station is Serdika.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.7:00 am
Itinerary
1
St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Seven Rila Lakes
6 hours • Admission Ticket Free
3
Rila Monastery
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Rila Shuttle
13 hours • Admission Ticket Included
5
Rila Mountains
13 hours • Admission Ticket Free
6
Rila National Park
13 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- A moderate to intensive amount of walking is involved (walking/hiking experience is a must)
- Comfortable walking shoes and clothes suitable for mountain/walking are required
- Sun cream and sunglasses are strongly recommended
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Near public transportation
- Dress code at the Rila Monastery: high heels, short skirts and trousers, shirts with no sleeves, etc. are not allowed in the monastery.
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 36 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
David_M
The entire day is incredible! The guide was informative, friendly, spoke great English and had a good sense of humour! The seven lakes was beautiful, not to challenging at all and finished within a few hours! But you need to do this hike, it’s stunning! The monastery was so rich in history as well, very stunning and a special place to visit
Reviews
4.8
based on 280 reviews
Jennifer_C, Sep 2025
Philip’s communication before the day and via the WhatsApp group was incredibly helpful. Phillip texted us throughout the day with reminders of timing and it made the entire experience feel extremely organized, well thought out and attentive.
I also really like the fact that we were in a small bus van, and we purposely arrived an hour after the big bus companies at the monastery so this way, we could have a much more quiet and authentic experience.
We were also given paper maps of the hiking trails and also of the monastery, which made for a very easy day to get around. I encountered other people on the mountain trails from the big bus companies and they were given basically no guidance and ended up asking for my help since I had a map from this company. I was very impressed and would absolutely recommend this trip and company to everybody.
PerHenrik_A, Sep 2025
A very nice hiking trip, with enough time to make the 7 lakes hike at tour own pace. A must if you have a sunny day in Sofia and want to get out of the city and see the mountains.
Mykal_S, Aug 2025
I had such a great experience with the Rila Lakes + Monastery trip! Our driver was great and made the ride smooth and comfortable (you book spots for the day and then you are with a group of other travelers on a bus). Prior to departing, Phillip gave us tips on the best routes to take for the hike, which made all the difference. His advice helped me enjoy the lakes at my own pace while still catching the highlights. The hike itself was self-guided, but having those pointers made it feel stress-free. He also regularly checked in with the group via WhatsApp to keep us on schedule and give more information. Highly recommend this for anyone who wants the flexibility of hiking independently while still getting expert guidance at the start.
WW_A, Jul 2025
We had an absolutely exceptional day trip exploring the Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery, all thanks to Philip's brilliant organization. His decision to have us start hiking to the lakes in the morning was incredibly smart, especially for a July visit. While the hike was a bit challenging, the moment we reached the viewpoint and saw the breathtaking blue lakes, we knew it was entirely worth the effort. Bringing our own packed lunch and plenty of water was absolute necessary. His guidance as our tour guide was invaluable, helping us reach that spectacular viewpoint. I chose this tour specifically because of the reviews about Philip, and he certainly lived up to them!
Marie_P, Jul 2025
It’s an amazing tour discovering a beautiful landscape and an amazing monastery. I really recommend it.
Jed_F, Jul 2025
A fantastic hike with beautiful scenery. 400m elevation difference between the start and top. There are several hiking options, based on your ability, and you can choose as you go, depending on how you're tracking. The guide Philip on the bus have us all the information we needed before we started walking, and was incredibly helpful. The walk itself is unguided, so you can choose your own route and walk at your own pace.
Everyone in our group arrived on time, so we left on time and arrived a little early at the parking lot at 8:40am. We were at the top of the chairlift and walking at 9:50am. We were a little quicker than others, and got to the top viewpoint, spend 25mins or so there, then walked the loop back. Spent another 30mins at the top of the chairlift before heading back down for the bus to leave at 3pm. We were abit concerned about time, but it turns out that at a normal consistent walking pace, you can do the whole loop on the time given.
Monastery was also lovely.
Oleksii_H, Jun 2025
It's an excellent hike as well as a quick visit of the monastery. From my point of view hike is the main thing. Nature is amazing and it is a good balance between effort and reward. Monastery is a great too, just be aware it is relatively small, you would not spend there more than an hour.
ROBERTJEFFREY_P, May 2025
Wow talk about clear and informative information, our guide Philip was the best! Clearly explaining everything you need to know from pick up points to tips on white hiking routes to take. If only all guides were as good! Highly recommend.
David_M, May 2025
The entire day is incredible! The guide was informative, friendly, spoke great English and had a good sense of humour! The seven lakes was beautiful, not to challenging at all and finished within a few hours! But you need to do this hike, it’s stunning! The monastery was so rich in history as well, very stunning and a special place to visit
DiegoAlejandro_G, Nov 2024
Philip is very friendly and always available to answer any questions you might have even though it is a self-guided tour. Everything was handled perfectly. The landscape was amazing. Make sure to bring confortable shoes.
Thank you Philip
Desmer_D, Oct 2024
A highly recommended tour. This was well organised and interesting. There was some early snow on the mountains that made this even more memorable.
Tomas_D, Sep 2024
The tour was perfect we had enough time to do the both activity I did the big tour which normally took a lot of time
Randy_L, Sep 2024
Philip was our host, and gave a great overview of the itinerary. We had a safe driver. It was a great itinerary. The monastery is beautiful, but the hike is epic. Go all the way to the top for the most epic views.
Yongting_S, Aug 2024
It is a very rewarding combination of nature, history and culture. The hiking through the mountain is well paced with gorgeous views all along. The monastery is a true gem for the art and history lover.
Zbigniew_M, Aug 2024
7 lakes trail was fantastic even if the queue for the chair-lift was interminable and I had to jump it to avoid at least one-hour wait
Laura_R, Aug 2024
It was a great experience and Phillip did a great job, giving out useful information about the hiking option and about the Rila Monastery. We enjoyed being able to see such a beautiful monastery in the mountains and trying mekitsa (at only 1 lev each, it was such a great bargain). Afterwards, the hiking and the lakes were amazing although do plan at least an hour and 30 minutes to take the chair lift down the mountain afterwards as the line can be very long during July/August, weekends, holidays, etc. and the guide/bus driver cannot wait for people who take too long on the chair lift. We really enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to anyone who is planning a day trip during their trip to Sofia!
Diana_M, Aug 2024
Amazing trip! Really recommend. The guides are really well prepared, punctual, the monastery is beautiful, the trip is well organised and the visit at the 7 Rila lakes is magnificent
Kabir_R, Aug 2024
Absolutely crap in their logistics. Since the guide never comes with the bus and the driver doesn't speak English, they can't coordinate at all. This afternoon I waited 2:30 hours for the chairlift and others waited 3 hours as well. Everything was delayed and most of the people got back past the time set by the guide. The bus left more than half the people in the middle of the forest. Worst experience ever. Try going with a different company - Philip and George were a big let down and costed me so much more money to arrange private transportation.
Federico_D, Aug 2024
The trekking was Amazing! The Seven lakes are Just beautiful, they are surrounded by an astonishing nature. Also the monastery Is wonderful, with its colourful affrescoes that cover the whole structure. If you go to Bulgaria you cannot skip this two sites, and visit them with this tour, if you don't have a car, Is the best way! Philip was very kind and funny, he kept in touch with us throughout the trip to make sure that everything was fine. I really recommend It.
John_E, Aug 2024
I recently toured the 7 Rila Lakes and Rila Monastery, and it was fantastic! Our guide, Philip, was knowledgeable and engaging, making the stunning scenery and the monastery's history truly memorable. I highly recommend this tour with him for an amazing experience!
IoMarcela_M, Jul 2024
Amazing experience - the hosts were incredibly attentive and helpful and the self-guided tour was the best way to see the seven lakes and Monastery. Dying to come back!
Marc_P, Jul 2024
Stunning place to walk and enjoy, both the national park and the monastery. A 2.5h drive by coach takes you first to the Rila Lakes, where each one needs to buy a ticket to enter the chair lift (25 leva), then 20 min ride on the chair lift up to the start point. There are queues for both, so depending on the day or season, or how fast you walk up the road from the bus stop! the queues can take a while as there can be many people from other buses or private cars. Be prepared for horrible free portaloos or dirty toilets (payment required) in the park. More or less the free time in the park is 5h. The hike is stunning! Then 1h 45min drive to the Monastery, which is a gem and well worth it. We had 1h 15 min free time. Again, good luck with the toilets here! Then 2h drive back to Sofia.
Philip, the guide in the coach during the entire day, provided us with helpful information and details about the hike and the monastery. Great day out and well organised.
Vanya_D, Jun 2024
The whole trip was very well planned. Philip was a great guide and would highly recommend this trip :)
Fernando_T, Jun 2024
A great and well organised journey which allows you to combine nature with a very impressive UNESCO site, the Monastery of Rila. Trustful company
Esther_W, Jun 2024
It was totally worth it to get up early and take the tour. Very good communication, everything clear and had a beautiful day. The tour guide was very kind and helpful. Especially the hike was beautiful 😍
Katy_F, Jun 2024
Great trip. Loved that the logistics were all organised but I could go at my own pace for the hike. I skipped the top 2 lakes so I could do the rest of the hike at a slower pace and enjoy the scenery but all 7 lakes are easily do-able in the time if you’re fit enough and happy to go at a quicker pace. I wore trainers and these were fine, the higher 2 lakes still had snow on the track so this may have been a bit more difficult.
Would recommend.
Pernilla_R, Jun 2024
The Hike to the top- no problem timewise to manage and the beautiful momentet.
To meet up 7 in morning and then tour guide take 15 minutes explaining your while standing still was a waste of our time. That people are not on time still after all the reminders about departure time beats me!
Aleksandar_B, Jun 2024
In one word, amazing! An absolute must while in Sofia! For nature lovers or those looking for something more relaxing and away from city life while going somewhere incredible, this is an absolute must.
Information given prior to the trip was in exceptional detail and really useful. Special thanks to Philip for being incredibly helpful to ensure we had an amazing time.
The time at the lakes was adequate to fully enjoy the hike without rushing, take the perfect pictures and to have a little picnic surrounded by spectacular scenery.
The monastery was also lovely and peaceful, with more than enough time to enjoy it while also having some refreshments prior to heading back to the city.
Devin_H, Jun 2024
The shuttle departed a bit later than usual. Overall the hike and visit to the monastery was explained well. We got about 5 hours to complete the hike and get back to the bus via the cable car. The bus returned to Sofia at 8pm.
Angelica_C, Jun 2024
Amazing experience!! We have such an amazing day , day was stunning and everything was perfect. It's a long way trip , but is worth it !! Even it's a self guide tour, Philip look after us through whatsap and everything was 10/10.
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