Western Stara Planina

Major departure points for hiking in Stara Planina

The town of Chiprovtsi - situated at the northern foothill of the Balkan Mountain, at the distance of 36 km from the town of Montana, with which there is a regular bus connection. A key set out point for Chiprovtsi Mountain. It is connected through roads to the Velin Dyal Chalet (5 km) and Kopren Chalet (20 km), and there are marked hiking routes to them, too.

The town of Berkovitsa - at the northern foothill of the Balkan Mountain, 89 km from Sofia, 24 km from Montana and 53 km from Vratsa, with which it maintains a regular bus connection. It is a station on the local railway line Boychinovtsi - Montana - Berkovitsa. It is the starting point for the Kom Chalets (new and old), to which there is a road, and one can get there along the marked tourist route for 3.30 to 4 hours. The pleasant Stara Planina Mt. Kom (2016 m), the champion of Berkovitsa Mountain, from which the marked tourist route along the whole ridge of the Balkan Mountain up to the Cape Emine on the Black Sea coast, can be climbed in about 2.30 hours along a marked route (with winter and summer marking).

Petrohan Pass (Petrohan) - a bordering ridge between Berkovitsa Mountain and Koznitsa, through which the road from Sofia to Montana passes. It is at the distance of 71 km from Sofia and 42 km from Montana. All the regular buses going through the pass, stop there. There are several roadside public catering establishments and the big Petrohan Chalet is located in the eastern direction at about a 30-minutes’ walk (there is a road leading to it, too - 1.8 km). The tourist hiking route Kom - Emine passes through Petrohan, so it may be the starting point from which to set out either westward to the Kom Chalet and Mt. Kom and Berkovitsa, or eastward along the Stara Planina ridge.

The town of Vratsa - 116 km from Sofia. A starting point for a lot of marked hiking routes around the nearby Vratsa Balkan Mountain: Ledenika Chalet (to the illuminated cave of the same name - 2.30 hours, an open-seat cableway may be used too, saving about an hour and a half, Parshevitsa Chalet (3.30 hours), the Chalet and the Memorial of Okolchitsa (3-3.30 hours). Vratsata - the unique rocky paradise for mountaineers starts from the end of the town, too!

The gorge of the Iskar River. One can set out from almost any small station all along the whole gorge along a marked route west- or eastwards. The gorge itself is extremely beautiful and the view pleases one’s eyes regardless of the fact whether you pass through it by train, by car, on a bike or on foot. One can set out in various directions from the village of Rebrovo, the town of Svoge, Bov railway station, the town of Lakatnik (with many interesting mountain climbing sites around), the village of Opletnya, Eliseyna railway station, the village of Zverino and others (see the Iskur Gorge related section).

The town of Etropole - beside the Mali Iskar River at the northern foothill of Etropole Mountain. It is 25 km from Botevgrad and 87 km from Sofia and is connected to them through regular bus transport. Marked tourist hiking tracks set out from it for: Rudinata Chalet in the low massif Bilo (5 hours), from where one can reach Botevgrad in 2 to 2.30 hours, Chavdar Chalet, on the main Stara Planina ridge (4 hours), from where one can continue in various directions, Strazhata Chalet (already in the Central Stara Planina, 4 to 5 hours past the Etropole Monastery), from where one can get to the Svishti Plaz Chalet (about 3.30 hours) or the Kashana Chalet (2.30 hours).

The city of Sofia. Bulgaria’s capital. From here, making use of the well arranged bus and railway transport, one can get to each smaller settlement or starting point (for instance Kremikovtsi, Buhovo, Yordankino, Chourek, Vitinya Pass - on the main ridge), from where marked hiking routes set out around the nearest sub-parts of Western Stara Planina.

The village of Ribaritsa - one of the longest villages in Bulgaria, located along the two banks of the Beli Vit River, in the northern folds of the Zlatitsa - Tetevan Balkan Mountain, 12-13 km south-east of the town of Teteven, to which it is connected by means of a regular bus transport. Several marked hiking routes set out from here to: Benkovski Chalet (4 to 5 hours, depending on the selected option of the two), Vezhen Chalet (4 to 4.30 hours), Eho Chalet (3.30-4 hours). One can continue from them along the main Stara Planina Ridge, climb beautiful peaks, pass into Southern Bulgaria.

The town of Zlatitsa - it is situated immediately south in the lap of the Zlatitsa - Teteven Mountain, 75 km east of Sofia. The main highway Sofia - Karlovo - Bourgas as well as the main railway line Sofia - Karlovo - Bourgas pass through it. It is the starting point for the Kashana Chalet (15 km) along a road and the Svishti Plaz Chalet (3-3.30 hours) on foot along a marked route. Both chalets are on the Kom - Emine marking along the main ridge.

The town of Pirdop - 2 km east of Zlatitsa. A starting point for the Paskal Chalet (2 hours), from where a contact with the route Kom - Emine can be made.

The village of Anton - 10 km east of Pirdop. Also on the above mentioned highway and railway line, but solely passenger trains stop at this station. A starting point of marked footpath hiking routes for 2 chalets: Momina Polyana Chalet (north of the main Stara Planina Ridge - 5 hours) and Planinski Izvori Chalet (on the Stara Planina Ridge itself - 3.30 hours).

The village of Hristo Danovo - 24 km west of Karlovo at the southern foothill of the Troyan Balkan Mountain in the immediate proximity of the highway and the railway line Sofia - Karlovo - Bourgas (solely passenger trains stop there) and it is provided for as far as transport is concerned. Marked tourist routes start from it for the Eho Chalet (5 hours) and Kozya Stena Chalet (4 hours), on the very ridge of the Balkan Mountain.

The town of Sopot - the birthplace of the Patriarch of Bulgarian literature Ivan Vazov, 6 km west of Karlovo and it is connected to it through town buses. The main highway and the railway line Sofia - Karlovo - Bourgas pass through it, too. Marked tourist routes start from here for the Nezabravka Chalet (3 hours) and Dobrila Chalet (4 hours, on the ridge itself, under Mt. Ambaritsa). An open-seat cableway can be used, too which goes immediately above the Nezabravka Chalet.

The town of Karlovo - a big transport centre at the southern foothill of the Troyan Balkan Mountain, birthplace of the Apostle of Bulgarian Freedom Vassil Levski, as well as Hristo Prodanov, the first Bulgarian who stepped on the top of the world - Mount Everest. It is a starting point of marked routes for the three chalets in the Stara Reka Valley_ Hubavets Chalet (2 hours), Balkanski Rozi Chalet (Balkan Roses) (3 hours) and Vasil Levski Chalet (4.30 h), for the Ravnets Chalet (in the massif of the same name - 2 hours), the Ambaritsa Chalet (about 6 hours), Mt. Botev - the highest peak of the Stara Planina (7 to 8 hours).

The town of Kalofer - spread out along the two banks of the Tundzha River, birthplace of the great Bulgarian poet - revolutionary Hristo Botev. It is situated on the main highway Sofia - Karlovo - Bourgas and has a station on the same railway line. It is linked to Karlovo by a bus line running every 30 minutes. It is the main starting point for climbing the Stara Planina highest peak – Mt. Botev along both summer and winter markings. The summer route passes through the Rai Chalet (Paradise) (5 hours) and another 2.30 to 3 hours to the peak and the winter route passes through 3 official shelters and the objective is reached in about 7 hours.

The village of Cherni Osam is situated beside the river of the same name at the northern foothill of the Troyan Balkan Mountain, 13 km from the town of Troyan and 2 to 3 km from the Troyan Monastery. It is connected to Troyan by regular bus transport. Beginning of a marked hiking route for one of the most well-known Stara Planina chalets – Ambaritsa Chalet (4 hours), providing for an access to the most beautiful and Alpine ridge of the Balkan Mountain. The village is the staring point for the Steneto Reserve, too; there is no marking, but one walks for some distance along a truck road.

Central Stara Planina

The town of Apriltsi - it consists of 4 quarters (former villages) - Novo Selo, Zla Reka, Vidima and Ostrets, rather remote from each other. There is regular bus transport going to all of them from Toryan and Sevlievo, which are situated at the approximate distance of 25 and 35 km. Apriltsi is situated immediately north under the highest part of Stara Planina - the Kalofer Balkan Mountain and the marked tourist routes setting out from it, lead in this direction. There are 2 tourist chalets in the town itself – Zora Chalet and Vidima Chalet. One sets out from the quarter of Vidima for the big Pleven Chalet (2.30 to 3 hours), from where one can continue for the highest in the Stara Planina Mt. Botev - another 3 hours. One can set out from the quarter of Ostrets for the Tazha Chalet (3 hours), from where one can continue to the highest peak of the mountain Mt. Botev - another 3 to 4 hours.

The village of Tazha - in the south-eastern foothill of the Kalofer Balkan Mountain, 15 km east from Kalofer, a railway station of the railway line Sofia - Karlovo - Bourgas and near the main highway of the same name. There is a regular bus line with Kazanluk and with the resort of Pavel Banya. It is the starting point for the Roussalka Chalet (13 km road and 2.30 hours along a marked footpath) and Tazha Chalet (25 km road and 6 hours along a marked footpath route). Hiking tours may be initiated from the first chalet around the high Triglav (three-headed) massif, and from the second one the highest peak of the mountain Mt. Botev can be reached or one can set out in another marked direction.

The town of Gabrovo - a key starting point from the north to the Shipka Mountain. A multitude of marked hiking tracks start from it: for the Uzana Chalet (4 hours, there is a 22 km road), in the proximity of which the geographical centre of Bulgaria is located, the Bouzloudzha Chalet (2.30 hours, but from the quarter of Yabalka, which is situated at the distance of centre of 17 km from the centre of the town), the Sokolski Monastery (1 hour from the Etara architectural ethnographic reserve, situated at the distance of 8 km from the centre of the town), Shipka Pass (2.30 hours from Etara), from where the legendary Mt. Stoletov - a symbol of Bulgarian Freedom can be climbed for 30 minutes.

The town of Shipka - it is located immediately to the south under the Shipka Pass and Mt. Stoletov, 12 km on a road from the town of Kazanluk, to which it is connected by a regular bus transport. A marked tourist footpath starts from the historical Shipka Monastery, which in 1.30 or 2 hours takes you up to the Monument on Mt. Stoletov, passing through the legendary Orlovo Gnezdo (Eagle’s Nest).

The town of Plachkovtsi - in the northern approaches of the Tryavna Mountain, 23 km from Gabrovo and 7 km from Tryavna, to which it is connected by bus and a railway transport. A key starting point for this part of the Balkan Mountain. A marked route starts from there for the chalets of Ivailo, Planinets and Armeets (2.30 hours) and thence in another 30 minutes you can reach the Bulgarian Woman Forest House on the main Stara Planina Ridge. One can continue from there to the Krastets Station to the east, to the Bouzloudzha Chalet to the west, towards the Izvora Tourist Base and to the village of Muglizh to the south.

The village of Maglizh - opposite on the southern side to Plachkovtsi. It is situated at the distance of 13 km east of Kazanluk and it is connected to it through regular bus transport. It is connected through a truck road to the tourist base Izvora and the Bulgarian Woman Forest House (28.5 km), and one can reach the ridge for 7-8 hours on foot along the marked footpath crossing the road.

The town of Elena - nestled in the northern bosom of the Balkan Mountain, at the distance of 40 km south-east of Veliko Tarnovo, to which it is linked by a regular bus transport. A starting point for hiking tours around the Elena - Tvarditsa Balkan Mountain. There are 26 km to the top point of the Tvarditsa Pass where the Bukovets Chalet is located and from where one can get to the Chumerna Chalet for 1.30 hours along a marked footpath. One can get directly to the Chumerna Chalet along a marked footpath route from the town of Elena in 6 to 7 hours.

Eastern Stara Planina

Due to the fewer number of visitors to this part of the Balkan Mountain and the lack of sufficient boarding facilities and marked tourist routes here, we shall indicate only two departure points:

The town of Sliven - main starting point for the Sliven Balkan Mountain and for the whole Eastern Stara Planina. Open-seat cableway from the town to Slancheva Polyana (Sunny Meadow), from where one can go to the Karandila Tourist Complex and Karandila Chalet in 20 to 30 minutes. One can get to it on foot from the town along a marked footpath route in 3 to 3.30 hours. Hiking tours to the highest peak of the Eastern Stara Planina – Mt. Bulgarka (1181 m - 3 hours), to Mt. Malka Chatalka - 30 minutes, to Mt. Vratnik Pass (Zhelezni Vrata or Iron Gates) - 7.30 hours, to the shelters at Dragieva Cheshma (drinking-fountain) and Daula can be started from here. The climbing Alpine sites are in its proximity, too.

The town of Kotel - an old Bulgarian Revival Period town amidst the Balkan Mounatin, at the approximate distance of 50 km from Sliven. It is the only town through which the Kom - Emine ridge route passes. The highest peak of the Kotel Mountain – Mt. Razboyna (1128 m) can be climbed along this route in 1.30 to 2 hours. Again along it one can go to Vratnik Pass (Zhelezni Vrata or Iron Gates) for about 10 hours or to the Varbitsa Pass in the opposite, east direction in 9 to 9.30 hours. One can reach the architecture reserves of Zheravna and Medven along other, not very well marked routes.

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