Two Days in Rila. The Seven Rila Lakes

Husband and I had a mini-break in the Rila mountains this week. We drove to Pionerska Hut and from there hiked up to the Seven Rila lakes, along the ridge of the mountain to Razdela and down the valley of Bistritza river (every third river in Bulgaria seems to be named Bistritza (clear water) :) to Ivan Vazov Hut, where we spent the night.
We hiked to the Seven Rila lakes a few years ago together with a tourist group, organized transport and using the chair lift from Pionerska Hut to Rila Lakes Hut. This time we felt experienced enough to organize the hike by ourselves and to climb the path from Pionerska to the lakes without the help of the chair lift.

Along the path from Pionerska to Rila lakes

Lilium martagon, protected species in Bulgaria

The first lake

7 lakes Hut and the second lake

Husband resting near the third lake

The third lake

The forth lake - The Twins

The fifth lake - the Kidney

The small river, which connects the sixth lake - the Eye with the Twins

The deep blue waters of the Eye - 35 m deep

The Eye - my favourite

On top of the the Lake Peak (2560 m)

The seventh lake - the Tear

The col Razdela, cross point of various tracks in Rila

The picturesque valley Pazardere of river Bistritza, with Ivan Vazov hut in the distant center, peak Otovitza to the right and the Kalin peaks to the left

Sunset over the valley