Rila National Park, National park in Rila Mountains, Bulgaria
This protected area covers large parts of the Rila Mountains and includes dense coniferous forests, rocky summits, and narrow valleys winding between the heights. In the upper zones, bare plateaus open up with shallow lakes surrounded by grasses and low shrubs.
The area was designated after the end of the socialist regime, when the government began protecting natural landscapes. Even before that, individual forest sections were protected reserves, some dating back to the 1930s.
The name comes from the Thracian word for water, describing the many rivers and lakes that flow through these mountains. Hikers often follow old paths once used by shepherds moving between high pastures.
Most hiking trails start in surrounding villages and climb for several hours through forest and open terrain. Good fitness and weather-appropriate clothing are important, as conditions can change quickly at these elevations.
Some of the deep lakes lie in round basins carved by glaciers thousands of years ago and still hold icy water in summer. On clear days, the surrounding peaks reflect so sharply on the water surface that you can barely tell them apart from the sky.
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