From Sofia: Seven Rila Lakes Hike, Thermal Pools & Rila Monastery

We really enjoyed the small group tour with Simeon & Veira. Both of them are incredibly thoughtful, energetic, intelligent and strong people. The mountain hikes in the national park was very nice just have to take it slow if you need to and ensure sunscreen and hats plus maybe small polypro jacket with wind/weather. The spa area afterwards to relax and grab lunch were also much appreciated after all the hiking. The holiday weekend crowds were intense at Rila Mtn but thankfully Simeon purchased our chair lift tickets ahead of time to save us easy 45 minutes maybe even an hour. Parking was equally tough in the mountain but our guides were incredibly resourceful at that. The ride up the mountain was awesome with incredible trees and scenery not to mention super fresh alpine air. Rila monastery is for sure one of the best examples of preserved eastern orthodox churches in Europe with lovely mountain location. It was a long day but excellent people and team made it a delight! Definitely take this trip with this team

Our tour with Simeon and Vera was nothing short of amazing! They are such kind and knowledgeable people — we enjoyed spending the whole day with them and get to know them. The pickup service was very much appreciated, and the ride was confortable. Even if it was a really long day and that we were exhausted at the end, we would definitely do it again and would recommend it to everyone. Thanks again to both of you! ❤️

An absolutely amazing day with Simeon in the Rila Mountains. Everything worked like clockwork and enabled our group to see a large chunk of this amazing country. The hike is strenuous in places but I never felt rushed. The views are simply stunning. Loved the time in the thermal pools and the striking Rila Monastery completed an awesome day. It’s long, you’ll be tired but it’s so worth it!

The Seven Rila Lakes were breathtaking, and the whole trip was very well organized. Our guide was excellent — friendly, knowledgeable and gave us lots of interesting information about the area, its nature and history. I especially appreciated that we could explore the lakes at our own pace. We had enough time to enjoy the scenery and really take in the beauty of the place without feeling rushed. Since we were a small group, everyone could easily hear the guide and ask questions, which made the experience feel much more personal. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone visiting Sofia. A beautiful experience with a great guide!

Rila Monastery was stunning, and the Seven Rila Lakes hike had some of the best views I've seen. Yes, it gets busy, but it's well worth it — don't let that put you off. The hot springs at the end were the perfect way to relax after the hike. Our guide Simon was amazing — he taught us so much about the history and culture along the way, and kept the day running smoothly for everyone. Great value for everything included. Five stars!

The Rila Mountains are unmissable and it was really lovely having such an amiable guide as Simeon. The trip is the perfect combination- arriving at the monastery early and beating the crowds, 3 hours is the right amount of time for the 7 lakes hike with truly stunning views, and then a bit of relaxation at the thermal pools to cap off the day. The ride was incredibly comfortable including hotel pick-up. This trip is an amazing value!

Our guide Seamon came on time to pick me up and was very accommodating with the time and things I wanted to see. I could go on my own pace. He was also knowledgeable with the history and geography. We had an interesting conversations.

I had an amazing excursion to the Rila Lakes and can highly recommend it. Our tour guide, Simeon, was fantastic. He knows a great deal about the history of the monastery and shares his knowledge in a very engaging and interesting way. The tour was very well organized. The hotel pick-up was perfectly punctual, and I appreciated having a choice between visiting the spa or taking a short hike to a beautiful waterfall. The highlight of the day was definitely the hike around the Rila Lakes. The scenery was breathtaking, and some of the lakes were still partially covered with ice, which made the experience even more special. Our group of four had a wonderful time throughout the trip. We always felt completely safe and well looked after by Simeon. His professionalism, knowledge, and friendly attitude made the excursion unforgettable. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting the area.

Simeon and Vera are great tourguides. Very kind, flexibel, relaxed and they make sure you have a good time. Best tour ever!

We did this monastery visit and this excursion to the 7 lakes of Rila with our guide Simeon. We undertook this hike in unfavorable weather conditions that prevented us from seeing the lakes (dense fog, strong wind, and heavy rain). For those wishing to undertake this hike, we recommend it, but we advise you to check the weather conditions beforehand. However, we greatly appreciated the visit to the monastery, and our guide Simeon was really pleasant and gave us good tips and advice for our stay; we had a great time with our guide, thanks to Simeon.