Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Climbing top 10 highest mountain peaks in Bulgaria – mission accomplished!

7
The fest of Bulgarian Tourist Union at Cherni Vrah
Photo: BTU

Each year the last Sunday of August is a special date for mountain lovers. Traditionally, on this day, thousands of tourists travel from various places to gather at the highest peak of Vitosha Mountain – Cherni Vrah /2290 m/, in order to mark the anniversary of the beginning of organized tourism in Bulgaria. This year the date is August 25, when the 124th anniversary is marked. In August 1895 at the invitation of writer Aleko Konstantinov, 300 enthusiasts joined the first organized hike to the summit and set up the first Bulgarian tourist club on Cherni Vrah. Traditionally, this year there will be celebrations organized by the Bulgarian Tourist Union and a prize ceremony for the conquerors of the ten highest Bulgarian mountain peaks. But let's talk more about this challenge - the conquest of the highest mountain peaks in Bulgaria, aimed at hiking enthusiasts.

Cherni Vrah (in the middle, on the horizon)

After the success of the first national tourist campaign in the country – “100 National Tourist Sites”, which was born back in 1966 at the initiative of the Bulgarian Tourist Union, a new campaign emerged in 2005. The idea came from Bulgarian mountaineers and organizer is the Bulgarian Tourist Union. The campaign is called "The Ten Bulgarian Highest Mountains" and the peaks included are Musala in Rila, Vihren in Pirin, Botev in Stara Planina, Cherni Vrah in Vitosha Mountain, Ruen in Osogovo Mountain, Gotsev Vrah in Slavyanka, Golyam Perelik in the Rhodopes, Radomir Peak in Belasitsa, Rui in the Rui Mountain and Bogdan in Sredna Gora Mountain, says Miroslav Dachev of the Bulgarian Tourist Union. According to him, since 1966 more than 6 million participants have taken part in the "100 National Tourist Sites" campaign but the mountain challenge has also been gaining more and more popularity. More than 250 people have completed the challenge this year alone.

Amidst the freshness of Rila

The conquest of the peaks is attested by stamps placed in a special booklet at tourist sites designated by the Bulgarian Tourist Union.

“People aged 10 to 80 take part in the movement. The idea of ​​the Bulgarian Tourist Union is to promote hiking in our mountains," Miroslav Dachev says.

He points out that not only Bulgarians are interested in the initiative:

“Every year we have participants from neighboring countries – North Macedonia and Serbia. This year we have 7 people from North Macedonia and 5 participants from Serbia."

Bubreka Lake (one of the seven Rila lakes)

The Bulgarian mountains are famous for their beauty and they offer great opportunities for tourism and hiking. Miroslav Dachev told us more about the 10 highest Bulgarian mountain peaks:

“Almost all of them are easily accessible. Cherni Vrah is the most visited and popular place but the peaks of Botev, Vihren and Musala are more difficult to climb, especially in rainy or snowy days, when it is preferable to use the services of a mountain guide."

Hiking in the Balkan Range

Miroslav Dachev also told Radio Bulgaria about a recent initiative of the Bulgarian Tourist Union:

"Based on the Ten Highest Mountains Initiative, we initiated the creation of the Ten Highest Balkan Peaks Initiative. Years ago, there were more administrative and other difficulties when accessing neighboring countries, but now it is easier to cross borders. That is why the Bulgarian Tourist Union suggested that the countries of the Balkan Mountaineering Union, together with Greece, Slovenia, Macedonia, Albania, Romania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia, create an initiative for conquering the ten highest summits on the Balkan Peninsula. Each country has already nominated a peak to be included in the list. The details about the new initiative will hopefully be clarified at the next meeting of the Balkan Mountaineering Union."

On the slopes of Stara Planina

English: Alexander Markov

Photos: Miglena Ivanova and archive


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgarian State Railways presents options for rail travel

Bulgaria abounds with diverse nature and beautiful places that anyone would love to visit even more than once. Many tourist destinations are accessible by train. To assist people looking for options for nature walks or trips to other cities during..

published on 10/29/24 12:00 PM
Евтим Милошев

2 million international tourists to visit Bulgaria in winter

More than two million international tourists are expected to visit Bulgaria in the coming winter season, interim Tourism Minister Evtim Miloshev told Nova TV.  In total, more than 3.2 million foreign visits are expected, including one-day and..

published on 10/27/24 6:16 PM
Image of the mythical Thracian bard and musician Orpheus on an ancient Greek vase.

Spreading tourism myths is not a new thing, thracologist Prof. Vanya Lozanova says

In the search for scientific facts, researchers of ancient civilizations and cultures also come across fake news created by people in the past. The most interesting thing is that the ancient people often did it in the name of cultural..

published on 10/23/24 10:53 AM