Begin your journey in Plovdiv and travel to the Seven Rila Lakes in the Rila National Park. Upon arrival, embark on a hike to the highest of the seven lakes, taking in the stunning mountain landscapes along the way.

As you hike, learn about the park's rare and endangered wildlife species, self-regulating ecosystems, and historic sites of global cultural and scientific significance. Discover how some of the largest rivers in the Balkan Peninsula originate here.

Reach the Seven Rila Lakes, a group of glacial lakes situated in the northwestern Rila Mountain. Each lake carries a name associated with its most characteristic feature.

The highest one is called ‘Salzata’ (the Tear) due to its clear waters. The next one in height carries the name ‘Okoto’ (the Eye) after its almost perfectly oval form. Babreka (the Kidney) is the lake with the steepest shores of the entire group. Bliznaka (the Twin) is the largest one by area. Trilistnika (the Trefoil) has an irregular shape and low shores. The shallowest lake is ‘Ribnoto Ezero’ (the Fish Lake). The lowest one is ‘Dolnoto Ezero’ (the Lower Lake), where the waters that flow out of the other lakes are gathered to form the Dzherman River.