Climb to Musala Summit (2925m)

Wir waren 8 Tage mit Traventuria im Rila und im Pirin unterwegs, selbstgeführte Wanderungen, es hat alles super geklappt. Die Fahrer waren immer pünktlich, sprachen gut engllisch und waren nett, das Kartenmateril und die GPS-Tracks waren sehr gut, die Hotels wundervoll, das Essen perfekt, was will man mehr. Wir werden wieder mit diesem Veranstalter reisen.

I traveled to Bulgaria for work in June and had one extra day to do some sightseeing and wanted to see the mountains. I contacted Traventuria with some very specific requests, given my limited time, and they were great at helping me find a one-day hiking trip that suited exactly what I wanted. They answered all my questions in a very timely fashion and were extremely helpful. I paid a small single supplement, because I wanted a trip that suited my wishes and constraints, but in the end that was money very well spent. In the end, I chose the one-day hike up Mt. Musala, and my guide Todor picked me up from my hotel in Sofia. The whole trip was so much better than I could have imagined! Todor was an extremely well informed, patient, kind, and entertaining guide, and we spent a thoroughly enjoyable day hiking up to the peak. He told me a great deal about the history of Bulgaria, both recent and distant, about the current political climate in Bulgaria, about foreign policy, environmental policy, about Bulgarian food, culture, nature, and wildlife in the mountains. The trail up Mt. Musala was busier than I expected, but also very well maintained and it was exciting to reach the highest point in the Balkans. The views from the top were outstanding. We also stopped at the mountain huts along the way. Todor very generously shared with me his homemade bread and elderflower syrup that he made himself, which was delicious and very refreshing. After we descended, he drove me back to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia and took an extra half hour to show me the church, which was extremely generous and an indication of his passion for sharing the history of Bulgaria. He showed me the interior of the Church and explained to me both some of the history of the building and its decorations but also some basic features of the Orthodox Church and explained to me the service that was going on during our visit. In the end, he also showed me the outside of the St. Sophia Church nearby, but we didn’t enter because it was closed. I can’t recommend Traventuria highly enough. The next time I am in Bulgaria, I certainly plan to join another trip, and I hope to make time for a longer tour of the stunning mountains. Thank you!

This trip I done with Edi, Edi is wonderful guide and have a lot of experience in mountains. It was very enjoyable to go with him, he has a great sense of humour and know the tracks in the place very well.