Rila Lakes and Monastery: Self-Guided Shuttle Tour
4.7
271 Ratings
Sofia

Embark on a self-guided shared trip from Sofia to the stunning 7 Rila Lakes and the UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery. Hike through the lakes in the morning and explore the monastery in the afternoon.

Duration: 13 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral - Enjoy stunning morning views of Sofia’s main landmark
What's Included
  • Driver
  • Round-trip shared transfer
  • Transport by air-conditioned minivan
What's Not Included
  • Entrance fees - Rila Lakes chairlift ticket (25 BGN per person, two-way)
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Guide services
  • Mountain rescue insurance
Additional Information

Embark on a self-guided, communal shuttle tour that will usher you towards the stunning 7 Rila Lakes area in the morning, followed by a visit to the UNESCO-protected Rila Monastery in the Rila National Park, highlighting Bulgaria’s finest natural and cultural spots, in the afternoon. In the initial part of the day, the shuttle bus will transport you to…

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Location
пл. „Княз Александър I“ 1
площад „Княз Александър I“
Go to the car parking at Knyaz Aleksander I square (in front of The Palace - National Art Gallery). Look for a vehicle with Rila Shutle sign. Nearest metro station is Serdika.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(271 Ratings)
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1 star
Judithmn4737ks
Nov 5, 2025
Amazing views - The guide recommended the best route, start on the left and finish on the right, good thing we listened to him!!! When I saw the descent and thought what it would be like to climb it gave me something... The only nice person I met in Bulgaria was the guide and the lord of the apartment, and the excursion the best of Sofia, is priceless those views... Now there is ice!! The route is not for everyone, wear hiking shoes or you will end up bad.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K7987xgthiagon
Nov 5, 2025
Rila lakes and monastery - Nice experience, well organized and trustful. The bus was on time, no delays and the responsible for the trip send us texts via whats app informing everything that was necessary, bus schedules and locations and with tips for the hiking
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Emmanuel_r
Nov 2, 2025
Guide and driver... - Excellent guide and driver. Provide appropriate clothing and footwear for hiking around the lakes and picnic. I strongly advise, the setting is splendid.
Review provided by Viator
Connector12651763074
Oct 31, 2025
Great! - Everything you need if you want to explore the lakes and monastary on your own. Very clear communication from philip on whatsapp and he gives additionel information on the bus. The driver was also a great one. Overall, we had an amazing day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P6855guianm
Oct 26, 2025
7 Lakes and Rila Monastery Trip. - Great trip! Great guide-Phili G who gave us plenty of information from what to wear to directions even though this was self guided, which was really nice as you go at your own pace. Coach was perfect and comfortable. Trip was good value for money with stunning scenery. Definitely would use this company again if I was back in Bulgaria.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G7542uqlourdesm
Oct 22, 2025
Excellence - Phillip and driver were excellent in taking us safely and on time to locations. Phillip was very knowledgeable and happy to be our guide. Thank you for making this tour a fantastic time
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jennifer_c
Sep 23, 2025
Super organized tour and would highly recommend to everybody! - Philip’s communication before the day and via the WhatsApp group was incredibly helpful. Phillip texted us throughout the day with reminders of timing and it made the entire experience feel extremely organized, well thought out and attentive. I also really like the fact that we were in a small bus van, and we purposely arrived an hour after the big bus companies at the monastery so this way, we could have a much more quiet and authentic experience. We were also given paper maps of the hiking trails and also of the monastery, which made for a very easy day to get around. I encountered other people on the mountain trails from the big bus companies and they were given basically no guidance and ended up asking for my help since I had a map from this company. I was very impressed and would absolutely recommend this trip and company to everybody.
Review provided by Viator
Johand61
Sep 19, 2025
PLT it was unguided - Awesome hike. Thank goodness it was I guided as that would have made it tedious as the slowest person would have set the pace. Very clearly marked. Otherwise just follow the person further in front of you. Limited roads in Sept
Review provided by Tripadvisor
W2687hpmartins
Oct 28, 2025
Great experience for recharge your batteries - This was a great day of hiking despite the raining weather. It will be an adventure that I will remember of my trip on Bulgaria.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fraygeyst
Oct 4, 2025
Better book somewhere else, last minute cancellation. - We were happy about a highlight of our Bulgaria trip and booked several days in advance. Also get confirmed and everything seemed top. Then, however, the afternoon before the tour, the cancellation from the tour leader, stating the tour takes place, but you have to cancel. However, can you rebook the tour in another portal? What are you doing? Unnecessary stress while you have other things to do. Book directly with a different provider than here
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Check Availability
From $52
From $52
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).