Sofia Retreat
Hotel
Day 1
Bulgaria: Rila & the Old Capitals - 5 Days (Sofia, Seven Lakes, Plovdiv, Bachkovo & Veliko Tarnovo)
Five days of monasteries, lakes and old capitals. Five days with a private vehicle, old-town guesthouses in Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo and a guide at Rila.
Cypress & Stone
Runs this trip
Trekking
Five days of monasteries, lakes and old capitals
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Alexander Nevsky cathedralRoman Serdica was uncovered during metro construction and left exposed under the street, so you walk over it through glass. Rila MonasteryRila is the largest monastery in Bulgaria, entirely painted inside and out, and it survived Ottoman rule as a repository of the language.
Itinerary
Roman Serdica was uncovered during metro construction and left exposed under the street, so you walk over it through glass.
SofiaHow the day runs
- 1 hrsThe metro from the airport into the centre
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationSofia Retreat
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Hotel night
- Guided old-town walk
LANDMARKS Alexander Nevsky cathedral Serdica ruins Vitosha Start point Sofia, Sofia Airport (SOF), Bulgaria 00:00 - 23:59Rila is the largest monastery in Bulgaria, entirely painted inside and out, and it survived Ottoman rule as a repository of the language.
Sofia, Rila, Seven LakesHow the day runs
- 2 hrs7:30 AM — south into the Rila mountains
- 5 hrs11:00 AM — the chairlift and the lakes circuit
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationRila Inn
Included Activities
- Monastery entry
- Chairlift and guided lakes walk
- Guesthouse night near Rila
LANDMARKS Rila Monastery Hrelyo tower Seven Rila Lakes Plovdiv has been inhabited for about eight thousand years and its Roman theatre is still used for performances.
Rila, PlovdivHow the day runs
- 3 hrs9:00 AM — east across the plain
- 2:00 PM — the Roman theatre and the old town houses
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationPlovdiv Lodge
Included Activities
- Theatre and house-museum entries
- Old-town guesthouse night
LANDMARKS Roman theatre Old Plovdiv Kapana district Tsarevets was the fortress of the Second Bulgarian Empire and there is a sound-and-light show over it most evenings in season.
Plovdiv, Bachkovo, Veliko TarnovoHow the day runs
- 1 hrs8:30 AM — south to the second-largest monastery
- 4 hrs11:30 AM — north to the old capital
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationVeliko Tarnovo Lodge
Included Activities
- Monastery and fortress entries
- Guesthouse night at Veliko Tarnovo
LANDMARKS Bachkovo monastery Tsarevets fortress Samovodska Charshia The road crosses the Balkan range at the Shipka pass, where a monument marks the 1877 battle.
Veliko Tarnovo, SofiaHow the day runs
- 3 hrs9:00 AM — back across the Balkan range
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Transport
- Airport transfer
- Day 1Airport transfer
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 1Guided old-town walk
- Day 2Monastery entry
- Day 2Chairlift and guided lakes walk
- Day 2Guesthouse night near Rila
- Day 3Theatre and house-museum entries
- Day 3Old-town guesthouse night
- Day 4Monastery and fortress entries
- Day 4Guesthouse night at Veliko Tarnovo
- Day 5Transport
- Day 1 · 1 nightSofia Retreat
- Day 2 · 1 nightRila Inn
- Day 3 · 1 nightPlovdiv Lodge
- Day 4 · 1 nightVeliko Tarnovo Lodge
- Day 1Sofia to SofiaThe metro from the airport into the centre
- Day 2Sofia to Rila7:30 AM — south into the Rila mountains
- Day 3Rila to Plovdiv9:00 AM — east across the plain
- Day 4Plovdiv to Bachkovo8:30 AM — south to the second-largest monastery
- Day 4Bachkovo to Veliko Tarnovo11:30 AM — north to the old capital
- Day 5Veliko Tarnovo to Sofia9:00 AM — back across the Balkan range
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Rila Inn
Hotel
Day 2
Plovdiv Lodge
Lodge
Day 3
Veliko Tarnovo Lodge
Lodge
Day 4
What you'll eat
4 breakfasts and 3 dinners across 5 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 5.
- DinnerServed on days 1, 2, 4
- BreakfastServed on days 2–5
7 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.7/5
Based on 3 reviews
Review summary
Food4.7/5
Guide5.0/5
Itinerary4.7/5
Transport4.3/5
Accommodation4.7/5
Tour operator4.0/5
Sort by:Recommended
4
F
Farah Qureshi – Kochi2025-12-30 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Would book with them again.
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5
E
Elena Petrova – Singapore2025-12-30 · Verified booking
Rila & Thrace in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. Whoever planned the days knew what they were doing.
Reply from Cypress & Stone
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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5
T
Tom Bergman – Singapore2025-12-30 · Verified booking
Rila & Thrace in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Rooms were comfortable and the locations meant we could walk most evenings. Whoever planned the days knew what they were doing. Good value for what's included.
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Questions people ask
One other operator runs this trail. See all 2 side by side →