Bistritza - Aleko 2026

This Friday husband and I decided to repeat a hike we did last year, from the village of Bistritza to Aleko hut and back along an alternative trail. Last year we came upon raspberry shrubs, heavy with ripe fruit and ended picking up some raspberries for a few jars of home-made jam. The raspberry harvest then was accidental, this time we were prepared - but others had beat us to the berries.

The path from Bistritza to Aleko, following the Bistritza River, climbs gradually from the village into the dense forests of Vitosha.

The route is scenic and shady, with several wooden bridges and resting spots as you make the steady gain in elevation up toward the high mountain area.

Hike info:

Date:  21 August 2026

Destination: Aleko Hut, round trail

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 17 km

Elevation gain: 790 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 8 hours, with raspberry picking

Average difficulty: 6 / 10 

Although the raspberry shrubs had been heavily trodden upon and picked before us, we spent almost three hours slowly climbing, eating and gathering ripe berries, with a short power snack rest in between. 

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxer shorts, Burda cargo pants

I: lingerie, Burda color jeans, Shkatulka top

Finally, almost five hours later, we were near Aleko hut.

We decided to pass by Aleko hut and have our lunch slightly above. We've stopped by the hut many times, but on such a hot and sunny day we preferred to find a shade in the trees, with a clear panoramic view to Sofia value, so we climbed up a bit along the "Wall" and had our tortillas and well deserved beers (it was 15:00 o'clock already) on a nice spot with a deep shadow, cast by a big pine tree.

A stone monument of Pavel Romanski, a young pioneer skier who tragically perished in a blizzard on Vitosha in 1931. Sculpted by Ivan Funev, the full-length statue of Romanski, holding his skis, served as an impetus for the creation of Bulgaria’s Mountain Rescue Service. 

We descended along the trail by the Yanchovska River, which is a peaceful alternative back to the village, passing near the edge of the Bistrishko Branishte biosphere reserve.

The trail winds through deep coniferous and beech woods alongside the rushing stream and under the soft light of the late afternoon sun I think I liked it even better than the more popular Bistritza river trail.

The trail leads back to the lower outskirts of Bistritza and connects with the low altitude Vitosha circuit. The final stretch of the hike was along the level track between Bistritza and Simeonovo - such a relief for the tired legs. 

And the sweet reward for our efforts - a dozen of jars of heavenly aromatic raspberry jam and what could go better with my Duolingo lessons this morning, but coffee and pancake with raspberry jam.

Borovetz 2026

Last Friday husband and I decided to make another hike on Rila, that has been among our staples in the last few years - from Borovetz to Chakur voivoda hut, and from there up to the skirts of peak Shatur and back to Borovetz along an alternative trail.

The first part of the hike to Sitnyakovo was honestly pretty ugly - there was some "sanitary" felling of trees, the track was dusty, broken and disturbed by heavy machinery, tree logs and branches were scattered around and the entire atmosphere was more of an industrial construction site rather than a nature park.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Burda cargo pants

I: lingerie, Burda color jeans, hound tooth's hoodie

Thankfully, the felling and vehicles are only allowed up to a point below Sitnyakovo, so from there on our beloved Rila was back in all of its usual glory and might. The route we had designed for ourselves was circuit, so we didn't have to go back along the same track.

Hike info:

Date: 14 August 2026

Destination: Tzarska Bistritza round trip

Mountain: Rila

Total length: 16.5 km

Elevation gain: 790 m

Total duration (plus picnic and berry gathering): 6 hours

Average difficulty: 6 / 10

We had a lovely picnic on our usual bench at Chakur voivoda and after a well deserved rest we continued up the trail.

Soon the peaks of Deno and Shatur were visible

The season of blueberries along this part of the trail was in its prime and in the end we gave up and stopped to collect a few handfuls for a blueberry pie.

The highest point of our hike - at the foot of peak Shatur.

The border of blueberry shrubs on both sides of the track was kilometers long, but we were a bit more careful, after I saw a snake on the track, scared by our steps, crawl into the shrubs.

The most beautiful part of the trail was the forest by the Bistritza river - this part of the mountain is absolutely mesmerizing.

The last section of the trail ran along the track to Musala hut and we came upon some raspberry bushes. It was late in the day along a well frequented track, so the berries were mostly gone, picked by other hikers, but we managed to gather a handful, which I turned into an parfait cake with raspberries. Nothing compares to the flavour of wild raspberries, you have to taste it to believe it - it was bombastic!

Ushite, Rila, 2026

Finally in Rila! For various reasons these months we've been sticking mostly to Vitosha and last Friday was our first hike in Rila for the year.

We decided to repeat a hike we did last year with our daughter - to peak Ushite in Rila. Although the climb to Ushite is considered fairly difficult and rather steep, the place is so beautiful and the terrain so varied, that this hike is becoming one of my favourites.

The first part of the hike starts from the parking lot at the Central Mountain Station towards hut Malyovitza. The day was hot, but cloudy and for August the popular place was fairly empty, probably because of the work day.

We stopped at hut Malyovitza only for a short while, to fill up our water bottles, and continued towards the first terrace.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Burda T-shirt, Burda cargo pants, Burda hoodie

I: lingerie, Burda raglan T-shirt, Burda colour jeans

The trail to Ushite deviatesfrom the popular trail to Malyovitza  at the first terrace and takes a steep climb along the Ovcharski chute.

 

Finally on the ridge - by the beautiful Malyovitza lakes

We had decided to divide the hike into two phases and had a small protein packed power snack for the first break by the second Malyovitza lake - boiled egg, cheddar, home-grown cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.

After a nice and relaxing pause, we continued up by the third Malyovitza lake to the next ridge.

The view from the ridge towards the gorge of Urdina river

Peak Ushite

Finally on the peak - the scenery was like from a post card

Hike info:

Date: 05 August 2026 

Destination: Ushite peak round trail (2547 m)

Mountain: Rila

Total length: 16 km

Elevation gain: 850 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 7 hours

Average difficulty: 7 / 10

We had a long lunch break here, enjoying the views and the well deserved tortillas and beer.

The gorge of Urdina river is home of Gold eagles and common kestrels, as well as many other birds of prey and mountain birds. It was simply amazing to watch the mighty eagles fly around us so up close.

Zeleni ridge and the Kalin peaks across 

The astonishing Malyovo pole - so level and grassy at 2500 m altitude. We went down through the meadow towards the first Malyovitza lake, directly through the grass, without trail, probably the most fun part of the hike.

To close the circle, we decided to climb down through the so call Rabbit trail - a long, very steep and slippery trail from the ridge to Malyovitza hut. One of those trails, where going down is almost as tiring and slow as climbing up.

Finally, back to Malyovitza hut, for a short break and to fill up our water bottles again, before the final stretch to the parking lot and the car. Summer is late this year and the blueberries at the higher altitudes were still green, unlike last year, but the bushes in the forest near the start of the trail had enough berries, so that we managed to pick some for a blueberry crumble, that I baked immediately on the next day - and it was delicious :)