Skip to content
Bulgarian Hiking Club
Map
Menu

Explore

Hiking mapTrails, huts, peaks and springs on one mapAll placesHuts, peaks, viewpoints and places to stayBest hikes in BulgariaSeven Rila Lakes, Musala, Vihren and moreMountain hutsHow huts work, prices and rulesHikes near SofiaDay trips by bus, train and carMountainsRila, Pirin, the Rhodopes and seven more

When to go

Best time to hikeWhich mountains are at their best, month by month

Before you go

Things to know before you goEmergency numbers, huts, camping and park rulesWhat to bringWater, food and keeping your phone aliveAm I ready for this?Five questions and an honest assessmentHiking time calculatorWhen to start and when to turn backIf you get lostWhat to do and who to call

Belasitsa

Highest point
Radomir
Elevation
2,029 m

Ancient chestnut forest on the lower slopes, a long border ridge above. Warm early and late in the season when the high ranges are shut.

Show this range on the map
History and background

The Battle of Kleidion was fought at the foot of this mountain in 1014, when Byzantine emperor Basil II destroyed the army of Tsar Samuil and, by the traditional account, blinded the captives. Samuil's Fortress nearby commemorates it. The chestnut forests on the northern slopes are among the oldest and largest in Europe.

Getting there

Petrich is the base, about three hours from Sofia. Kongur and the villages along the northern foot give access to the ridge paths.

When to go

Its best asset is the shoulder season. March to May and October to November are excellent here, when Rila and Pirin are still under snow or already closing down.

Water

Good on the forested northern slopes, with streams running off the ridge. Drier on the crest itself.

What to be careful of here
  • The ridge is the border with Greece and North Macedonia. Carry identification and stay on marked paths.
  • Steep, sustained climbs from the villages to the crest — over 1,500 m of ascent, which is more than the modest summit height suggests.
Routes worth the journey

  • Kongur waterfalls

    Easy3-4 hours

    Through the chestnut forest to a series of falls. Ideal in spring when the water is high and the high mountains are still closed.