The Seven Rila Lakes are glacial lakes nestled high in the Rila Mountains of Bulgaria. It’s one of the most scenic and easiest treks you can do — and the views are simply incredible.
Reaching the Rila Lakes
The starting point of the Rila Lakes trek is about a two-hour drive from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The best options are to rent a car or join a tour.
I booked an unguided tour from Sofia (Here is the getyourguide link for the trip), which included only transport. Even though it wasn’t a guided trip, the team briefed us well before the trek and handled all logistics efficiently. I’d definitely recommend this option.
Some tours combine the Rila Lakes and the Rila Monastery. Keep in mind that the monastery is around two hours from both Sofia and the Lakes, so adding it means roughly five extra hours, including one hour for the visit. I chose this option. It was a long day of 13 hours’.
Rila Lakes Chairlift
We left Sofia at 7 a.m. and reached the Rila Lakes parking area by 9 a.m. Our driver gave us six hours to trek and return.
To reach the actual trailhead, you need to take a chairlift — a 20-minute ride with stunning views. You can hike this stretch instead, but it takes around 1.5 hours uphill, which would leave less time to explore the lakes.
The chairlift costs 30 Lev (round trip). It’s open and windy, so early mornings can be quite cold. I wore all my layers and still felt the chill!
Trekking to the Lakes
Phase 1: Trek to Kidney Lake
At the top of the chairlift is a chalet where you can rest, eat, or even stay overnight. The trail splits here — both paths meet again at Kidney Lake. Most trekkers take the right trail up and return via the left, and I did the same.
The initial climb is steep, but once you reach the plateau, the walk becomes easier and you start seeing three beautiful lakes from a viewpoint. It took me about an hour to reach Kidney Lake. Some people choose to return here, having seen five of the seven lakes.
To get a better view of the lake’s “kidney” shape and see the next two lakes, continue climbing.
Phase 2: Trek to the Sixth Lake – The Eye
This section is a 20–30 minute steep climb. The higher you go, the more spectacular the view gets — the “Kidney” lake appears in full shape, and soon the other lakes come into view. The sixth lake is known as The Eye for its shape.
Phase 3: Trek to the Seventh Lake and Viewpoint
The climb continues and the temperature drops noticeably. I didn’t have gloves, so keeping my hands warm became a challenge! About 20 minutes later, I reached the seventh lake, and just above it lies the viewpoint.
From here, you can see all seven lakes together — a breathtaking panorama that stays with you for a long time. It reminded me of the Kashmir Great Lakes trek in India, except that this one is just a day’s effort instead of six!
Return Journey
On the way back, I took the alternate trail from Kidney Lake, which is slightly longer but passes closer to the lakes. It took me around four hours in total for the round trip. I even had time to relax at the chalet before taking the chairlift down.
Information and Tips
- The trek is moderate — basic fitness is enough. I saw people over 70 completing it.
- Account for chairlift time. During peak season, queues can form. In early October, there was no wait.
- Toilets are available at the chalet and at the lower chairlift station (the latter are chemical toilets).
- The trek is open year-round, but in winter the lakes freeze, and you’ll need special equipment for snow trekking.
- The trail well marked and chances of getting lost are remote – unless the visibility is low or due to some foolishness.
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