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Best Long-Distance Hikes in Bulgaria

There are 65 hikes in Bulgaria in our database that fit. They average 49.9 km and 1,144 m (3,753 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 559 km.

That is 37 percent of the 177 routes we map in Bulgaria. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 49.9 km against 24.8 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,144 m (3,753 ft) on average versus 738 m (2,421 ft) across the wider area.

Multi-day paths, normally walked in stages, with the accommodation and waymarking to support them. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Primary school in the village of Budinarci, Maleševija, Macedonia
Expert

Blagoevgrad · Bulgaria

Distance
204 km
/ 127 mi
Elevation gain
6,056 m
Typical duration
57 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Smolyan · Bulgaria

Distance
10.4 km
/ 6.5 mi
Elevation gain
229 m
Typical duration
2 hr 31 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Burgas · Bulgaria

Distance
80.8 km
/ 50.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,778 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Sofia · Bulgaria

Distance
15.4 km
/ 9.6 mi
Elevation gain
340 m
Typical duration
3 hr 45 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Sofia-City · Bulgaria

Distance
26.1 km
/ 16.2 mi
Elevation gain
573 m
Typical duration
6 hr 37 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Sofia-City · Bulgaria

Distance
17.9 km
/ 11.1 mi
Elevation gain
393 m
Typical duration
4 hr 24 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Sofia-City · Bulgaria

Distance
16.4 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
360 m
Typical duration
3 hr 59 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Pernik · Bulgaria

Distance
17.2 km
/ 10.7 mi
Elevation gain
378 m
Typical duration
4 hr 13 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Sofia · Bulgaria

Distance
17.4 km
/ 10.8 mi
Elevation gain
383 m
Typical duration
4 hr 16 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Kyustendil · Bulgaria

Distance
29.1 km
/ 18.1 mi
Elevation gain
639 m
Typical duration
7 hr 26 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Sofia · Bulgaria

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.5 mi
Elevation gain
408 m
Typical duration
4 hr 35 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Sofia · Bulgaria

Distance
20.3 km
/ 12.6 mi
Elevation gain
447 m
Typical duration
5 hr 4 min
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Pazardzhik · Bulgaria

Distance
15.2 km
/ 9.5 mi
Elevation gain
335 m
Typical duration
3 hr 41 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Pazardzhik · Bulgaria

Distance
27.1 km
/ 16.9 mi
Elevation gain
597 m
Typical duration
6 hr 55 min
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Pazardzhik · Bulgaria

Distance
13.9 km
/ 8.6 mi
Elevation gain
305 m
Typical duration
3 hr 21 min
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Smolyan · Bulgaria

Distance
10.4 km
/ 6.5 mi
Elevation gain
229 m
Typical duration
2 hr 31 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Smolyan · Bulgaria

Distance
21.7 km
/ 13.5 mi
Elevation gain
478 m
Typical duration
5 hr 27 min
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Smolyan · Bulgaria

Distance
12.4 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
274 m
Typical duration
3 hr
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Smolyan · Bulgaria

Distance
25.3 km
/ 15.7 mi
Elevation gain
557 m
Typical duration
6 hr 25 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Smolyan · Bulgaria

Distance
16.3 km
/ 10.1 mi
Elevation gain
358 m
Typical duration
3 hr 58 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Kardzhali · Bulgaria

Distance
24.6 km
/ 15.3 mi
Elevation gain
542 m
Typical duration
6 hr 14 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Kardzhali · Bulgaria

Distance
29.3 km
/ 18.2 mi
Elevation gain
645 m
Typical duration
7 hr 30 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Kardzhali · Bulgaria

Distance
25.0 km
/ 15.5 mi
Elevation gain
550 m
Typical duration
6 hr 20 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Kardzhali · Bulgaria

Distance
22.3 km
/ 13.9 mi
Elevation gain
491 m
Typical duration
5 hr 36 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Haskovo · Bulgaria

Distance
21.8 km
/ 13.5 mi
Elevation gain
479 m
Typical duration
5 hr 28 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Haskovo · Bulgaria

Distance
20.9 km
/ 13.0 mi
Elevation gain
460 m
Typical duration
5 hr 13 min
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Sofia-City · Bulgaria

Distance
11.9 km
/ 7.4 mi
Elevation gain
263 m
Typical duration
2 hr 53 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Sofia-City · Bulgaria

Distance
17.5 km
/ 10.9 mi
Elevation gain
385 m
Typical duration
4 hr 18 min
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Sofia-City · Bulgaria

Distance
11.2 km
/ 7.0 mi
Elevation gain
247 m
Typical duration
2 hr 42 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Sofia · Bulgaria

Distance
23.0 km
/ 14.3 mi
Elevation gain
507 m
Typical duration
5 hr 48 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Sofia · Bulgaria

Distance
17.0 km
/ 10.6 mi
Elevation gain
374 m
Typical duration
4 hr 10 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Pazardzhik · Bulgaria

Distance
24.2 km
/ 15.0 mi
Elevation gain
532 m
Typical duration
6 hr 6 min
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Pazardzhik · Bulgaria

Distance
13.6 km
/ 8.4 mi
Elevation gain
298 m
Typical duration
3 hr 16 min
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Pazardzhik · Bulgaria

Distance
20.6 km
/ 12.8 mi
Elevation gain
453 m
Typical duration
5 hr 8 min
  • Long-distance path

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
European long distance path E4 - part BulgariaBlagoevgrad236 km8,958 m69 hrExpertJuly to September
European long distance path E8 - part BulgariaBlagoevgrad426 km5,982 m110 hrExpertJuly to September
Sammiana I4Blagoevgrad204 km6,056 m57 hrExpertJune to October
ST509 Belitsa (Bear Park) - YakorudaBlagoevgrad15.6 km523 m4 hr 3 minHardApril to October
ST508 Makadoniya hut - Belitsa (Bear Park)Blagoevgrad15.3 km1,241 m5 hr 4 minHardJune to October
ST516a Devil's Gorge detourSmolyan10.4 km229 m2 hr 31 minModerateApril to October
Camino BulgariaBurgas80.8 km1,778 m21 hrExpertApril to October
ST424 Dimitrovgrad - DragomanSofia22.5 km495 m5 hr 39 minHardApril to October
ST425 Dragoman - SlivnitsaSofia15.4 km340 m3 hr 45 minModerateApril to October
ST426 Slivnitsa - BankyaSofia-City26.1 km573 m6 hr 37 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with European long distance path E8 - part Bulgaria, European long distance path E4 - part Bulgaria, Sammiana I4. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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