'Rila' National Park

Covering an area of 81,046 hectares, the 'Rila' National Park is Bulgaria’s largest national park. It was established in 1992 and covers about 30% of the Rila Mountains. About one third of the 'Rila' National Park comprises open terrain, in the form of rocky peaks and ridges, or high mountain pastures and meadows. The remaining two thirds of the national park are forested, in particular extensive coniferous forests dominated by Norway Spruce (Picea abies), Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Macedonian Pine (Pinus peuce).

There are four nature reserves within the 'Rila' National Park, accounting for about 20% of its total area:

• 'Parangalitsa' Nature Reserve (1,509 hectares)


• 'Skakavitsa' Nature Reserve (70.8 hectares)


• 'Ibar' Nature Reserve (2,248.6 hectares)


• 'Central Rila' Nature Reserve (12,393.7 hectares)

The 'Parangalitsa' Reserve and part of the 'Central Rila' Reserve are UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

The flora of the 'Rila' National Park is exceptionally rich, some 1400 species of higher plants which represents nearly 40% of the total number of species found within Bulgaria. These include 3 local Rila endemics (found nowhere else in the world), 18 Bulgarian endemics (known only from Bulgaria) and 36 Balkan endemics (growing only on the Balkan Peninsula).

The 'Rila' National Park also has an extremely diverse and interesting fauna. The invertebrate fauna is still only partly studied, but already almost 3000 species have been found, and the final total is estimated to be around 7000 species. These include several interesting species of dragonfly (Odonata) and butterflies (Lepidoptera).

The vertebrate fauna of the 'Rila' National Park has been studied in more detail, and includes 12 species of fish, 10 species of amphibians and 10 species of reptiles. Some 99 species of birds have been recorded breeding within the national park itself, but this number increases to 130 species if one includes the species that have been recorded breeding in adjacent areas and which fall within the 'Rila' Important Bird Area (IBA). Some 49 species of mammals have been recorded in the 'Rila' National Park. These include 10 species of bats, 23 species of small mammals (insectivores and rodents), and 16 species of large mammals, of which 11 species are carnivores including brown bear and wolf.

Bulgaria's National Parks

Bulgaria has a long tradition of nature conservation. Its first protected area, the 'Silkosiya' Nature Reserve was established in the Strandzha Mountains in 1931. Three years later, in 1934, a 'People's Park' was established on the Vitosha Mountains, becoming the first such “national nature park” to be established on the Balkan Peninsula. Today, Bulgaria’s protected areas encompass approximately 4.3% of the country’s territory, and comprise 90 nature reserves, 3 national parks, 11 nature parks, 457 natural landmarks, and 175 protected localities.
Bulgaria's three National Parks (IUCN Category II) are:

• 'Pirin' National Park (40, 332.4 hectares)


• 'Rila' National Park (81,046 hectares)


• 'Central Balkan' National Park (71,669.5 hectares)

This blog is dedicated to describing the wonderful hiking and wildlife watching opportunities in Bulgaria's national parks, and to promoting the protection and conservation of what are outstanding mountain regions rich in an exceptional flora and fauna.

Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains)

The Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) cover a total area of 11,600 square kilometres, almost one tenth of Bulgaria’s total land mass, and stretch right across the country from the Serbian border in the west to the Black Sea in the east. As a whole, the range comprises a large number of individual, yet closely associated massifs. However, a distinct main ridge can be delineated, which stretches for 530 kilometres from the Belogradchik Pass to Cape Emine, with an average width of between 15 and 50 kilometres. Although the average altitude of the range is only 722 metres, twenty-nine of its peaks top 2000 metres.

The name Stara Planina literally means 'Old Mountains', yet despite this title, they are in geological terms, the youngest mountain range in Bulgaria. The Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) are on one of the so-called “new fold-mountains” that were uplifted as part of the Alpine-Himalayan system during the Tertiary period. The ancient core of the range mainly consists of Palaeozoic crystalline schists, often interspersed with granites. However, it is only in higher parts of the Western Stara Planina (Western Balkans) and Central Stara Planina (Central Balkans) that these break through to the surface. Elsewhere they have been outflanked by younger Mesozoic rocks, predominantly limestones, sandstones and marls. Due to their comparatively modest altitude, the Stara Planina (Central Balkans) were not subject to the effects of galciation during the Quaternary period, and thus lack many of the most striking features associated with typical alpine terrain. Instead, in many places, the range has been gradually eroded into a broad, rolling ridge of rounded summits and shallow saddles.

Pirin Mountains

The Pirin Mountains lie in the south-western part of Bulgaria, extending south-east for 80 kilometres from their junction with the Rila Mountains at the Predela Pass (1140 metres) to their boundary with the Slavyanka Mountains at the Paril Saddle (1170 metres). To the west they are bordered by the valley of the river Struma (Strymon) and to the east by that of the river Mesta (Nestos). Within these borders, the Pirin Mountains cover a total area of 2585 square kilometres. The average altitude of the range is only 1033 metres, but there are sixty peaks over 2500 metres, and three above 2900 metres, including Mt. Vihren (2914 metres), the second highest summit in Bulgaria.

The Pirin Mountains take their name from Perun, the Slavic thunder god who was said to dwell amidst the highest peaks of the range. It is certainly a fitting residence for a storm god, for these mountains are the wildest and most rugged of all the Bulgarian ranges, the northern part having a truly alpine form with jagged peaks, sharp crests, and numerous glacially sculpted cirques and valleys.

When walking in the Pirin Mountains, you cannot help noticing the abrupt change between limestone and granite rocks that takes place beneath your feet. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Northern Pirin at the Vihrenski Preslap, a ridgeback saddle where limestone suddenly gives way to granite. Another very obvious feature in northern parts of the range is the influence of glaciation. The beautiful alpine form of the Pirin Mountains with their narrow crests, scooped-out cirques and deep trough valleys is a legacy of this process. Today the glaciers may have gone, but evidence of their former presence is still very clear to see.

Rila Mountains

The Rila Mountains are probably the best known and most frequented range in Bulgaria. They have a rugged alpine beauty, with rocky ridges, bristling peaks, plunging precipices, and a host of sparkling lakes and streams. Their name is thought to derive from an ancient Thracian word meaning “rich in water”. It is certainly a fitting title, for these mountains form one of the chief water catchment areas on the whole of the Balkan Peninsula. The Mesta (Nestos) and Maritsa (Evros), two of the greatest rivers in the region, have their source here, whilst a third, the Struma (Strymon), receives many of its major tributaries from the range.

The Rila Mountains lie in the south-western part of Bulgaria. Measuring 83 kilometres from east to west, and 52 kilometres from north to south, they cover a total area of 2629 square kilometres. The average altitude of the range is 1487 metres, but 140 peaks top 2000 metres. Furthermore, the Rila Mountains can lay claim to the highest summit on the entire Balkan Peninsula, as Mt. Musala (2925 metres) pips Mt. Mitikas in Greece’s Olympos range to the honour by a mere eight metres.

The Rila Mountains are part of the so-called Rilo-Rhodope Massif, the oldest land-mass in the region. Predominantly formed of ancient crystalline schists, interspersed with granites and gneiss, it was first raised during the Palaeozoic era. Later, during the Tertiary period, it was uplifted many more times. However, it is the more recent events of the Quaternary period that have had the most dramatic impact on the range. The Rila Mountains characteristic alpine form, with its jagged peaks, scooped out cirques, deep trough valleys and rugged moraines, are all the result of Pleistocene glaciation. Perhaps the most striking legacy of this period is the large number of glacial lakes that lie scattered throughout the heart of the Rila Mountains. Affectionately referred to as 'The Blue Eyes of the Rila', they are thought to number 189 in total. Ledenoto Ezero (The Icy Lake), at the northern foot of Mt. Musala, is the highest-lying glacial lake on the whole of the Balkan Peninsula.

Bulgarian Mountains

With nearly 73% of Bulgaria lying at an altitude of less than 600 metres, and the average altitude of the country being just 470 metres, it would appear from the statistics that Bulgaria is not a particularly mountainous country. However, because of their form and distribution, the mountains of Bulgaria still manage to impose their presence on large areas of the country. Furthermore, their complex geological history gives the Bulgarian mountains great variety, and in places they boast dramatic alpine-type terrain with narrow crests, jagged peaks and beautifully sculpted glacial cirques. Bulgaria has some 37 separate mountains ranges, but this blog will be focusing on three of the major ones, the Rila Mountains, Pirin Mountains, and Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina), and in particular the three national parks which they encompass.