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.