MOUNTAINS COVER A SIGNIFICANT PART OF BULGARIA, PROVIDING OVER 50 PEAKS ABOVE 2,500 M (8,202 FT). WHILE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW MOUNTAIN RANGES IN BULGARIA, THE HIGEST OF THEM ALL IS RILA, WITH ITS TALLEST SUMMIT – MUSALA, STANDING AT 2,925 M (9,596 FT), BEATING PIRIN MOUNTAINS JUST BY 11 M (36 FT).

As mentioned before, Musala is the summit of the Rila mountain range, located in south-western part of Bulgaria. Not only is it the highest peak in the whole Balkan Peninsula, it is also the loftiest one between the Alps – Mont Blanc at 4,809 m (15,777 ft) and the Caucasus – Elbrus at 5,642 m (18,510 ft).

With a prominence of 2,473 (8,114 ft), Musala takes 7th place in the top 10 most prominent mountains in Europe.

What to take on a hike?

Once you reach the summit, the view of all major mountain ranges of Bulgaria opens up. This is probably one of the main reasons why Musala garners at least 50,000 visitors, annually, despite an average annual temperature of - 2,3 °C (27,86 °F), which also makes it the coldest place in the country and perhaps in the entire Balkan Peninsula.

THE FIVE HIGHEST PEAKS OF BULGARIA:

Musala – 2,925 m (9,596 ft), in the Rila mountain range, south-western Bulgaria.
Vihren – 2,914 m (9,560 ft), situated in the northern part of the Pirin mountain range, south-western Bulgaria.
Kutelo – 2,908 m (9,541 ft), the second highest peak of Pirin, south-western Bulgaria.
Malka Musala – 2,902 m (9,520 ft), again in the Rila mountain range, south-western Bulgaria.
Banski Suhodol – 2,884 m (9,462 ft), in the Pirin mountain range, south-western Bulgaria.