This self-guided, shared shuttle tour will take you to both the 7 Rila Lakes area in the morning and then in the afternoon to the UNESCO Rila Monastery in the Rila National park - Bulgaria's most famous natural and cultural sites. In the morning the shuttle bus tour bus will take you to the start of the hiking routes ar the Rila Lakes area and base station of the chair lift from where you can take the chair-lift up in the mountain. You have more than 5 hours for your self-guided tour of the Rila Lakes area. After that in the afternoon the shared shuttle will take you to the Rila Monastery - Bulgaria's most visited cultural and historical site. You have more than 1 hour to explore the monastery site on your own.
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 7.
Enjoy stunning morning views of Sofia's main landmark
Admire the beautiful Seven Rila Lakes at your own pace
Admire the biggest Christian Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria
Travel with ease to the Rila mountains from Sofia on the Rila Shuttle
Enjoy the beauty of the Rila Mountain in Bulgaria
Spend your day at Bulgaria's most beautiful mountain
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 607 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Rila Monastery and 7 Rila Lakes Self-Guided Shared Trip from Sofia lasts about 13 hours. The itinerary has 6 stops.
Prices start at $54 per person for this Sofia experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 7:00 AM.
Children aged 5–12 pay from $45, adults from $54.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is 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. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 36 participants.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 336 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by URCA Ltd.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
The arrangement is great. We visited at shoulder season, no need to queue for chairlift. We had plenty of time for walking. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and cold, weather never predictable. The monastery was also very quiet, still enough daylight for photo. It is a great trip.
We had a fantastic day. The communication was excellent. Our guide Philip was especially great. Spoke very clearly and enthusiastically about the trip and what we could expect.
It was a superb day, really a must-do if you are in Sofia! The shuttle is very convenient and the staff is great, very friendly, helpful, very good communication with clear instructions. (special mention to Philip). The trail is great, several possible paths so it is suitable for all skill levels. And the monastery is truly wonderful. A day not to be missed, go for it!
Super excursion! There is a lot of good information about the monastery and the hike during the bus ride. Very well organized! Thank you very much Philip!
Superb experience! I recommend it! The guide Philip explained every step to us. The instructions were precise and very much appreciated for fully enjoying the moment, thank you very much!
We had an amazing experience! We had just the right amount of time to comfortably enjoy all the sites without feeling rushed. Philip was fantastic at giving us helpful information and tips, and explained everything so clearly. Highly recommended!
They were very nice places and the transport worked well, if you were on time.
Had a great time, loved the hike and the monastery
An excellent tour that allows you to discover both the beauty of the nature of the 7 lakes, 2 possible hikes, not difficult, with several panoramas, and the Rila Monastery, a must-see, which impressed me. It is fascinating. The guide, friendly and kind, communicates useful information on the comfortable bus and will give you 2 maps, very practical and easy to understand (of the 2 hikes with distance and time to plan between the lakes, and the map of the monastery and its history). I highly recommend this day to you.
Fantastic day, immersed in nature with a breathtaking view of the lakes. The route requires a certain level of physical fitness; it is highly recommended for those who have at least a little stamina!! Following that, a visit to the Rila Monastery, which is very beautiful and characteristic. It is just a shame that some points to visit that were marked on the map were already closed. Beautiful experience!!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rila Monastery and 7 Rila Lakes Self-Guided Shared Trip from Sofia | 13 hours | 4.8 (336) | $54 | |
 Rila Monastery and Boyana Church Full-Day Tour | 8 hours | 4.6 (1,173) | $23 | View |
 From Sofia Rila Monastery with Boyana Church or St. Ivan’s Cave | 8 hours | 4.6 (1,018) | $23 | View |
 Private Day Trip to Boyana Church and Rila Monastery | 8 hours | 4.8 (121) | $229 | View |
 The Seven Rila Lakes Day Tour From Sofia | 10 hours | 4.7 (112) | $34 | View |
 Rila Monastery Afternoon Half Day tour | 4–5 hours | 4.6 (48) | $56 | View |
 Rila Monastery and St. Ivan Cave History & Nature Trip from Sofia | 8 hours | 4.8 (45) | $23 | View |