Pirin mountain range, about 100 km from Sofia.
How to get there: on your own by car or as part of an organized tour.
Mountains, waterfalls and meadows
More than four hundred kilometers covers today the area of this largest national park in Bulgaria. Over the half century that has passed since its formation, the park has grown in size by almost seven times! It "began" in 1962 as a reserve for the protection of the local high-mountain forests, after a dozen years it was significantly expanded, and in 1983 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Today, there are two biosphere reserves in the park: "Yulen" and "Bayuvi Dupki-Jinjiritsa", one of the oldest in the country. The height difference here ranges from one to three thousand meters, picturesque glacial lakes, waterfalls and limestone caves are often found here, the Mediterranean climate reigns throughout the territory. It is thanks to these conditions that the park is exceptionally rich in vegetation and animals.
Flora and fauna
Today there are more than a thousand species in Pirin higher plants(more than 30% of all plant species Bulgaria), a wide variety of mosses and algae. Among them there are rare and even endangered species: edelweiss (the symbol of the park), Pirin poppy, Bosnian and Macedonian pines, silver spruces ... It is here, by the way, that the oldest tree in Bulgaria grows - Baikushev's pine 26 meters high and more than two meters in diameter, whose age according to scientists is at least 1300 years!
The park is divided into several zones: lower belt includes fir and beech forests, pine-juniper light forest is located above, meadow vegetation reigns in the highest alpine and subalpine belts.
As for living creatures, in the park you can meet both peaceful herbivores (chamois, roe deer, deer) and large predators(foxes, brown bears, wolves, wild cats, jackals). Of course, other animals also live on the territory - for example, there are 12 species of bats alone. There are a lot of various birds here - from falcons and eagles to swifts, capercaillie, cranes and ptarmigans. In total, there are more than two thousand species of animals in Pirin, including birds and fish, of which about 300 are rare, and 15 are on the verge of extinction.
Springs and resorts
In addition to the beauties and rarities described above, many tourists are attracted to the park by local mineral springs originating high in the mountains and allowing you to improve your health. There are about seventy of them here.
Ecological trails are laid throughout the park, there is an opportunity to go mountain climbing or go down into the caves.
On the border of the park there are ski resorts with slopes for both beginners and advanced athletes.
In general, this beautiful national park has all the conditions for a wonderful holiday, whether it is a quiet contemplation of the beauties untouched nature or active pastime.
For a long time, I associated Bulgaria exclusively with the sea. However, having visited the Southwestern part of the country, not far from the border with Macedonia, I realized that Bulgaria is also a country of mountains - high, picturesque, bewitching with their beauty. And mountainous Bulgaria is, first of all, Pirin.
Pirin is a mountain range in the southwestern part of the country, located between the valleys of the Struma and Mesta rivers and conditionally divided into three parts: Middle, Northern and Southern. On the southeast direction The Pirin Mountains border on the resort of Bansko and the town of Dobrinishte, in the northwest - on the balneological center of Sandanski. The most high point Pirin - the peak of Vihren, rushing up to 2914 meters.
Most mountain system(about 400 sq. km) occupies the national park of the same name, which since 1983 has been included in the list of objects world heritage UNESCO. It is a sin not to visit these places for those who like to conquer peaks and make many hours of climbing, who are impressed by the cleanest lakes and waterfalls, mountain slopes covered with dense vegetation and rocky ridges that attract with thrills.
national park Pirin is divided into 6 park areas:
- Bayuvi dupki (includes the biosphere reserve “Bayuvi dupki dzhinzhiritsa”);
- Vihren (center - Bansko) - the most accessible part for tourists national park Pirin);
- Bezbog (center of Dobrinishte) - includes part biosphere reserve“Yulen” and the famous lakes of Pirin.
- Sinanitsa;
- Kamenitsa (center of Sandanski) - includes lakes Tevno and Kuklensko;
- Rub the rivers.
Glacial lakes, exciting hiking trails
Lakes of glacial origin, of which there are more than 160, give special romance to these places. clean water and in a special way adorn the conservative mountain landscapes.
The largest and at the same time the deepest body of water in Pirin is Popovo Lake. It covers an area of about 13 hectares, and its depth in some places reaches 29 meters. Among other famous reservoirs of Pirin: Gorno-Polezhanskoto - the highest mountain lake of the Balkan Peninsula (altitude 2712 m.), Rybnoe, Tevnoe and Bezbog (Bezbozhkoto).
There are 19 hiking trails of varying duration and complexity through the Pirin National Park. Some are designed for seasoned travelers and experienced climbers, others for beginners and just lovers of hiking. At the intersection of the main routes, there are tourist huts or recreation centers - there are 13 of them in the park. For a moderate fee, you can spend the night in such houses and taste some dishes of national cuisine.
The starting points of most of the marked routes are the resorts of Bansko and Dobrinishte, located on the northern slopes of Pirin. Some mountain walks are organized from the resort center of Sandanski on the opposite slope of the mountain range. But most often for ordinary tourists, excursions to the peaks of Pirin start from Dobrinishte, where a lift was built that takes guests to the mountain lake Bezbog. It was from this point that our journey to the most famous national park in Bulgaria began.
On the official website of the National Park, you can download a map of the tourist routes of Pirin.
How to get to Pirin National Park?
After looking at photographs of local species, reading the reviews of tourists who have already been here, we set off. The starting point of our journey through the expanses of the national park was ski resort Bansko, where we got from Sofia by bus. In this town, we decided to rent an apartment for a few days.
Bansko is easily accessible from Sofia by bus or by car along the highway passing through Blagoevgrad. Buses run regularly on the Sofia-Bansko route, covering a distance of 160 km in 3 hours. average cost ticket - 13 lv. (6.5 euros). There are 6 daily flights to Bansko from Sofia central bus station, 11 flights from Ovcha Kupel bus station.
Hiking in the Pirin Mountains - a sea of adrenaline and an unforgettable experience
We chose an excursion that included several tourist routes and, perhaps, the main attractions of Pirin. It started from Dobrinishte, from where a modern two-stage lift took us directly to the Bezbog mountain hut.
hut bezbog
View from the nearest peak to the Bezbog hut
We saw what tens of thousands of tourists come to these places every year: the famous lakes, including Popovo and Bezbog, the third highest peak in the Balkans and the second highest in Bulgaria, Vihren peak, incredibly beautiful and rich in contrasts nature. We got romantic hiking in the mountains, spent the night in a classic alpine hut Tevno jezero (2500 m. above sea level).
The top of Mount Vihren - 2914 m.
Sometimes climbing the bumpy mountain slopes completely exhausted us, but after taking the next peak, the view from there made us forget about the efforts made, filled with peace and contentment. At the end of the journey, we were very tired. But the incredible sensations received from the view of endless panoramas are worth any effort. Indeed, Pirin is able to truly surprise its guests. It is definitely worth visiting here.
Pirin National Park is located on large area Pirin Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria. The park includes seven settlements, which are subordinate regional center Blagoevgrad, such as Bansko, Sadanski, Gotse-Delchev, Strumyani, Kresna, Razlog and Simitli.
This national park was established in 1962 and at first was called Vihren People's Park (in honor of the high peak Pirin Mountains), it covered about 6212 hectares of the highest terrain (the area of Demyanitskaya and Vihren parts). Time passed, the park gradually expanded, today the Pirin National Park covers an area of over 40,000 hectares. In 1983, Pirin was taken under the protection of UNESCO.
One of the zones of this protected area, "Bayuvi dupki - Djindzhiritsa", was once one of the oldest reserves. In 1934, it became clear that it was necessary to save the untouched forests, in which mainly Balkan and whitebark pines grow, and to preserve the richness of the local flora and fauna. In 1977, this reserve was included in the list of natural objects of UNESCO under the program "Man and the Biosphere". And by 1994, another reserve called Yulen was founded here.
About 180 species grow in Pirin medicinal herbs, there are about 1315 species of higher plants - this is almost a third of the entire flora of Bulgaria. In addition, there are about 320 species of various mosses and approximately 165 species of algae.
As for the fauna, there are more than 2,000 species of the invertebrate family and over 200 species of vertebrates in this park. live here common tree frog and Balkan, which are listed in the International Red Book.
At the service of visitors to the Pirin National Park there are eight recreation centers where you can stay for the night, and four shelters. Works information centre National Park, located in Bansko, where special educational lectures about nature have been prepared for adults and children, which are shown on interactive screens.
natural landscapes Pirin parks are really important for the heritage of Bulgaria, so their preservation is taken very seriously. Visitors are strictly prohibited from polluting the nature of the park, as well as hunting, fishing in some rivers, illegal felling of trees and damaging markings located throughout the territory.
The Bulgarian National Park Pirin is located in the mountain range of the same name, in particular, between the valleys of the Mesta and Struma rivers. Nearest Big City– Sofia, located at a distance of about 100 km.
The Pirin National Park is mainly characterized by mixed deciduous forests, which are located in a relatively cold climate zone. Precipitation prevails in summer and autumn. The altitude ranges of the park are from 1000 to 2915 meters above sea level, and the area is 401 sq. km.
Natural beauty of the park
The Pirin mountain range is the 2nd largest in Bulgaria. The landscape of the national park consists of magnificent glacial lakes and rocky peaks. From a geological point of view, it belongs to the Thracian-Macedonian massif. The main components of this composition are slate, granite, limestone and marble.
As for vegetation, it is represented by both deciduous and pine forests. There are also virgin forest areas here, in which the human hand has yet intervened. Very beautiful pine forests, framed by a thick layer of lichens. Worth a visit is the picturesque valley of the Struma River, whose streams certain places form amazing waterfalls.
There are more than 60 peaks in the park, the height of which exceeds 2500 meters above sea level. The number of glacial lakes is more than 150. Another great advantage of this park is the fact that the local weather remains good throughout the whole year.
Hiking routes, excursions
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It should be noted that in this park you can move around both by bicycle and on foot. Of course, climbers will also get unforgettable pleasure here. Among the most beautiful places in Pirin - granite peaks near Kamenitsa, Dzhana and Polezhen.
This area is located in the southern part of the park. A very interesting area, located relatively far from the 1st, is the marble part of the mountain range, which is located next to Vihren (the high mountain Bulgaria) and Concheta. Do not miss visiting this National Park if you are interested in a holiday in Bulgaria.
The cost of excursions from Bansko starts from 70 euros per person for 4 hours.
Animal and plant world
In addition to a very diverse geological structure Pirin National Park has a very diverse flora and fauna. There are quite a lot of interesting plants in the park, it is worth noting the olive trees and quince that grow in the valley 
Struma river. Also here you can find different kinds lilies and orchids. Primroses grow in the park, some of which are endemic species. As for the forests, beech prevails among the trees. coniferous forests start in the upstream areas.
