Kamen Del 2025

After a week of cold, rain and even snow on 24th May (!), Vitosha is again sunny and welcoming. I had been craving for this hike to Kamen Del and couldn't have been more pleased with the organization and the weather.

We started early and were at Zlatnite mostove at 10 o'clock. It being Sunday, sunny and warm after all that cold, the mountain was packed, but the trail we took to Kamen Del is less known and rarely frequented.

Hike info:

Date: 01 June 2025

Destination: peak Kamen Del (1862 m) along circular trail

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 14 km

Elevation gain: 480 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 4 hours 45 min

Average difficulty: 4.5 / 10

The air was fresh, around 14-16 C and we climbed the peak in less that an hour and a half.

As it was a bit early for lunch and quite windy at the peak, we decided to take a couple of photos there and continue along the trail to the northern part of the mountain.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Burda cargo pants, Burda longsleeve

I: lingerie, Burda raglan short-sleeve blouse

A view to Sofia from Kamen Del

The unusual and rare blue color of these flowers never ceases to amaze me

One of my favourite places on Vitosha - the plateau

Wild iris

We had our lunch on a sunny clearing, facing the city, sheltered from the wind and it was such a pleasure. Finding the perfect picnic spot is one of the most important parts of a hike, as the enjoyment of the picnic lunch colors so much the memories of the hike.

The stony desert slopes of Kamen Del 

We took a short detour on our way back along an alternative trail to Zlatnite mostove and went to peak Kikish (1434,6 м)

Kominite - Kamen del 2024

Yesterday was finally a warm and sunny day after a fortnight of fairly cold and wet weather and we decided to climb on Vitosha along a circular trail we constructed for us last year - we left the car at Bay Krustyo, climbed along the Kominite to peak kamen del, where we had our picnic with a glorious view at Sofia, then went down in the direction of Zlatnite mostove and took the mid-altitude trail back to the car.

The trail is really very good, with decent altitude gain, without being brutal and varying scenes from the forested part of Vitosha to the plateau and the stony desert of Kamen del.

The sun was fairly strong, but the temperatures were still a bit low, in the 13-15C, so the climb was actually comfortable, without too much overheating and sweating - you see, every cloud does have a silver lining :)

The sequence of the three rock formations, called Kominite, seen from above:

Hike info:

Destination: peak Kamen Del (1862 m) along circular trail

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 12.5 km

Elevation gain: 500 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 4 and a half hours

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

The plateau. As it was Sunday and a sunny day, the popular fairly short and level trail, which connects Aleko to Kamen del, was packed with all kinds of tourists, from experienced hikers to small children. 

Peak Kamen del was quite densly populated, but we managed to find a nice cozy spot and have our snacks, enjoying the views of Sofia. We've done it so many times, but it never gets old - trying to find specific buildings and other architectural landmarks, while looking at the city from above.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Burda cargo pants

I: lingerie, Sabrina Slims II, hoodie

The forests under peak Kamen del along the mid-altitude trail were probably the most beautiful part of the route, as they are gradually getting their autumnal colors.

The Dragalevska river

Vitosha, Peak Ushite 2024

Pictures from our hike today on Vitosha, on another very sunny, very hot day. We had planned a hike from Zlatnite mostove to Cherni vruh, but only 100 m into the hike I realized, that we had forgotten the sunscreen. The trail to Cherni vruh passes mostly through the bare alpine part of the mountain, and up in the open, under the scorching sun without sunscreen seemed a very bad idea. 

So, we quickly reorganized, turned and started in the opposite direction, to peak Ushite - a shorter and easier hike mostly through the forested part of the mountain. The peak itself is in the open and we did get quite a lot of sunshine, but much, much less, that we would have been exposed to, if we had followed our initial plan.

Another plus side of our revised plan, apart from the fact, that we climbed a new to us peak and that is always exciting, was the fact, that the tracks we chose were almost empty and the peak was also very unpopular, so we were able to enjoy some real mountain peace and quiet.

The raspberries were already ripe and we did eat quite a lot of these :)

The plateau and peak Kamen Del in the distance

Peak Kamen Del a bit up close. It is one of the most popular peaks on Vitosha and it was like a public gathering there - such a contrast to peak Ushite, where we were the only tourists almost the entire time we were there.

Hike info:

Date: 28 July 2024

Destination: peak Ushite (1906 m) along circular trail

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 11.6 km

Elevation gain: 516 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 4.5 hours

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

Peak Ushite - like almost all peaks on Vitosha (there must be a geological explanation somewhere), the peak itself is an enormous pile of rocks with no particular path to the top.

Cranberries - I don't think I've ever seen so many and so big in the wild. We did have quite a few, although I wouldn't call myself exactly a fan.

Finally closing in on the top

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Cargo pants

I: lingerie, Sabrina Slims II

We had our lunch on a rock, with a view to Kamen del, Kopitoto and Sofia

The sight to the east - the plateau and Maluk Rezen, Golyam Rezen and Cherni Vruh in the distance