Midžor, Mountain summit on Bulgaria-Serbia border

Midžor is a summit in the Balkan Mountains along the Bulgaria-Serbia border, reaching about 2169 meters in elevation. Rocky slopes mark the northern side while grassy terrain covers the other areas of the peak.

Access to the peak was forbidden for decades because it lay in the restricted border zone between Bulgaria and Serbia. Since the early 1990s it has been open to tourists from both countries, and the earlier closure left the surrounding nature almost untouched.

The peak goes by different names in Bulgarian and Serbian, showing how this border region belongs to two nations at once. People from both countries walk these trails and share the summit as a meeting point between their communities.

You can reach the summit from the village of Chuprene by a 17-kilometer dirt road or a 9-kilometer hiking trail through the reserve. Wear sturdy boots and check the weather before you go, as conditions can turn windy quickly at this height.

The Chuprene Biosphere Reserve, west of the peak and under UNESCO protection, is one of Bulgaria's last places where the capercaillie nests. Because the border zone was off-limits for decades, the forest around Midžor stayed largely untouched.