Aleko - Kupena Hut 2026

Just a day after we returned from our sea holiday in Greece, husband and i are back in the mountain, in search of the last ripe raspberries.

For our early September hike we chose the trail along the high altitude circuit, between Aleko Hut and Kupena hut. The trail is fairly easy and popular, but on work day at the end of the summer holidays it was almost completely empty - e met only a couple of tourists in both directions.

Although the trail runs mostly in the open, above the pine tree line, and the day was mostly sunny, it was not hot and at times the breeze from the mountain was actually chilly - 2000 m altitude is never to be underestimated :)

Hike info:

Date: 04 September 2026

Destination: Kupena hut

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 13 km

Elevation gain: 210 m

Total duration (plus picnic and berry picking): 6 and a half hours

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

Apart from enjoying a nice mountain hike, we had planned to pick some wild raspberries for a few jars of home-made jam, so on the way to the hut we looked around and inspected the bushes. The ones near Aleko hut were long picked and gone, but further away in the mountain there were still plenty to be had.

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

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

I: lingerie, Burda color jeans, Shkatulka top

We had our rest and picnic at the foot of peak Golyam Kupen at Kupena Hut (officially named after prof. Ivan Staykov, but nobody calls it that). Unlike our previous hikes to the hut, we decided to skip climbing the peak - the hut was completely empty and the meadow in front of it provided perfect picnic views and amenities. We had our tortillas and beer, followed by home-made muffins, filled with raspberry jam from our previous hike and spiced with baked fig leaves, brought from our Greek vacation.

Peak Golyam Kupen (1942 m) 

We found a big patch of raspberry bushes near the hut and stopped here for almost two full hours, to fill a couple of plastic boxes with wild raspberries. The berries were a bit on the smaller size and somewhat overripe, so it wasn't the best harvest, but good enough for a bunch of jars of jam, which I'm sure we'll enjoy in the cold months to come.

After getting tired of picking the tiny berries, we started on the way back along the same trail, picking a berry or two on the way for a couple of wild berry pies, mostly raspberries and blueberries, with few  cranberries for good measure.

A noisy spotted nutcracker (сокерица) near Aleko Hut

The first of the wild berry pies and our yield of raspberry jam - almost 10 average size jars :)

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.

Boyana Waterfalls 2026

We had a wonderful hike on Friday to Boyana waterfalls on Vitosha. The day was very hot, but the forest offered us shadow and breeze, the trail is fairly easy and we definitely had one of our most relaxed hikes lately.

The Boyana lake - I had never seen it with so many water lilies!

On Borova skala, overlooking the Kopitoto tv tower and peak

Hike info:

Date: 31 July 2026

Destination: Boyana Waterfalls

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 14 km

Elevation gain: 290 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 5 hours

Average difficulty: 4 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Burda cargo pants, Burda hoodie in backpack

I: lingerie, Love Notions Joggers, Love Notions LDT

The waterfall - in the middle of the summer, the rivers, that usually run along the trail near the waterfall, were almost dry and the waterfall itself is only a small part of its full-watered self in spring.

We stayed here shortly - lately we prefer to take our lunch at a less touristy and quieter place - although the trail was not packed, by any means, the waterfall itself was quite packed with hikers and there was even a big schoolchildren group.

On our way back, we made a happy discovery - the hidden trail to Sui vrah - very secluded and totally empty. We found a lovely oak tree grove with comfortable moss covered ground, where we spent a blessed hour, drinking cold beer, enjoying our delicious tortillas and jam-filled muffins.

While husband was resting, I explored the trail to the end and climbed the Sui vrah

The view to Sofia from Sui vrah

And back to Boyana lake - it was so beautiful with all these yellow water lilies

and a couple of white

Although the trail is to and fro, and I prefer circuit trails, it was one of the best hiking experiences we've had lately - so beautiful and relaxing, and only half an hour car drive from home - what is there not to like!