The way, accomodation, resupply, daily stages, GPS track of the hike through Bulgaria, West to East, partly following Kom Emine trail (European Long distance path E3). Starting from the Rila Mountains, I reached the central part of the Balkan Mountains (or Stara Planina). For the western section up to Kom Emine Peak, see the websites mentioned below.

From the Adriatic to the Black Sea: from the port of Durrës in Albania to Cape Emine on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, it’s the final stretch of my long distance hike, the Six Seas Trail. This 2026 hike starts from the Altantic in the Basque Country, hiking through the north of the Iberian Cordillera then East-West through Sardinia and following from the Amalfi Coast to Cape Santa Maria di Leuca (at the tip of the heel of the Italian boot).

The way

To hike through the Balkans, west to east, I start in Albania, from the port of Durrës on the Adriatic coast to Lurë National Park. Thus, I connect the eastern part of my hike through Macedonia in 2025. After a bus transfer, I resume at the western part of this trek, at the foot of the Rila Mountains in Bulgaria. The way then goes through Musala, the highest point of the Balkan Peninsula at 2925m, before reaching the central part of the Stara Planina (or Balkan) mountain range. It then follows the Kom Emine Trail (European Long distance path E3) to Cape Emine on the Black Sea coast.

This page only details the Bulgarian section of the path. For the way further east, see the following pages:

• Albania
• Macedonia

---

All the pictures and where I am

En cliquant sur l’image ci-dessous :

Useful informations :

Resupply :
Water :

Food :

Accomodation :

Bivouac : Wild camping is apparently prohibited in Bulgaria but widely tolerated. I haven’t found any specific information about bivouacking. During my various hikes, I’ve never had any problems bivouacking. There are specific rules in natural parks (see below).

Natural protected areas :
Rila Monastery Nature Park
Rila National Park with downloadable map and accommodation information. Camping is only permitted in designated areas.
Central Balkan National Park : bivouacking is only permitted in designated areas.
Bulgarka Nature Park

Trail marks :

Difficulties :

Weather :

Network :

Equipment : see the list of my equipment in the introduction page of

Internet websites :

The website Kom Emine is very comprehensive, with a map, information on mountain huts, shelters, water sources, tourist sites, etc. See also the Kom Emine guidebook.

See Dylan Ivens’ website, Mountains and me, the section dedicated to the TEAR (Trans-European Alpine Route), and more specifically the page dedicated to the Balkan Mountains: map with accommodations, water, and practical information.

On the website kadi.si, you can view BG Mountains maps. They are more comprehensive than OpenStreetMap maps, notably including more trails, springs, and shelters. See also the application hiker.bg app.

On the BG Mountains website, also see the accommodation page.

The mountain rescue service, PSS (Планинска Спасителна Служба) has a dedicated app.

For information on tourist sites in Bulgaria, you can also consult the website of the Bulgarian National Tourist Office.

GPS track – Maps :

To prepare my way, I consult the track-sharing website Wikiloc. The website Waymarked Trails lists the main official trails such as the Sentiero Italia, the major European long-distance paths E4, E6…
To draw a track, the website Brouter.de (see video) allows to draw following the existing ways and trails.
When I’m on my way, I’m using the Iphigénie application. With it, you can have offline OpenTopoMap. Those maps are good with paths, huts, springs… It’s also possible to send beacons of your position (if there is network); this can be reassuring on certain occasions.
The application Mapy .cz is great also with marked trails, springs, points of interest, shelters, huts… It is possible to download the maps to have access offline.

GPS track :

Warning! This is a plan way. It will be updated upon my return. Always take into account the reality on the ground. If the way goes through private land, ensure you have the owner’s permission.
Link to download the GPX track :

The stages :

Bulgarie	Km	Cumul km	D+	Info
Monastère de Rila Рилски манастир
Refuge Ribni Ezera Хижа Рибни езера	18	18	1 290	Tél+359 89 871 8205
Refuge Grantchar Хижа Грънчар	13	31	470	Tél.+359 89 846 6388
Musala Мусала	8	39	880	Refuge Everest заслон Еверест versant nord
Refuge Zavratchitsa Хижа Заврачица	8	47	350	Tél.+359 88 479 1609
Refuge Belmeken Хижа Белмекен	12	59	650	Tél.+359 87 946 1899
Abri Pomotchena Polyana Заслон Помочена поляна	6	65	300	Hotel Svevo Tél.+39 080 348 2739 – B&B Dimora Solferino Tél. +39 333 679 6744 – B&B Beatitudinem Tél. +39 328 438 3383
Refuge Gurgulitsa Хижа Гургулица	5	70	80	Tél.+359 89 955 5370
Kostenets Костенец	5	75	40	Hotel Kostenets Tél.+359 71 445 004 – Hotel Konstantsia Tél.+359 71 445 169 – commerces
Gabrovitsa Габровица	8	83	40
Smolsko Смолско	79	170	3 610	Srednogorska Panorama Tél.+359 88 647 2123 – épicerie – bars
Mirkovo Мирково	8	178	380	Hotel Sveti Ivan Rilski Tél.+359 72 866 954 – commerces
Refuge Murgana Хижа Мургана	10	180	900	Tél.+359 800 20 003
Refuge Kashana Хижа Кашана	4	184	180	Tél.+359 88 271 4416
Refuge Svishti plaz Хижа Свищи плаз	8	192	650	Tél.+359 88 543 7677
Mont Kartala Картала	9	201	480	Au nord : 2 refuges : Momina Polyana (Момина поляна) Tél.+359 88 982 4081 et Ivanina Polyana (Иванина поляна) Tél.+359 87 893 1533
Refuge Ekho Хижа Ехо	24	225	1 206	Tél.+359 88 898 6861
Refuge Kozya Stena Хижа Козя стена	6	231	360	Tél.+359 88 244 0757
Refuge Orlovo Gnezdo Заслон Орлово гнездо	13	244	660	Tél.+359 2 491 0023
Abri Peshova Maka х. Пешова мъка	3	247	70
Refuge Dermenka Хижа Дерменка	1	248	90	Tél.+359 88 560 1410
Abri Gerdektepe Заслон Гердектепе	4	252	260
Refuge Dobrila Хижа Добрила	5	257	290	Refuge Dobrila Tél.+359 87 950 7466
Abri Ambaritsa Заслон Амбарица	2	259	380
Abri Botev Заслон Ботев	12	271	900	Tél.+359 87 819 7451
Pic Botev Ботев връх	2	273	320	Refuge Botev Tél.+359 87 727 3547
Abri Marinka Заслон Маринка	2	275	0	Plus loin autre abri Mihaylov (Заслон Михайлов)
Refuge Tajha Хижа „Тъжа“	7	282	190	Tél.+359 82 519 002 et à côté le refuge Mandrata хижа Мандрата Tél.+359 89 844 8356
Refuge Mazalat Хижа Мазалат	12	294	820	Tél.+359 2 491 0020
Refuge Partizanska Pesen Хижа Партизанска песен	9	303	260	Refuge Partizanska Tél.+359 89 795 2532
Uzana Узана	6	309	210	Refuge Uzana Tél.+359 88 679 2982 – Hotel Prima S Tél.+359 88 800 9001 – Hotel Edelvaïs Tél.+359 88 814 7322
Chipka Шипка	8	317	440	Hotel Chipka Tél.+359 89 560 5213 et un peu plus loin hotel Orlovo Gnezdo
Bouzloudja Бузлуджа	9	326	510	Refuge Buzludzha Tél.+359 88 533 9816 pour l’ancien et tél.+359 88 697 0859 pour le nouveau refuge – Hotel Edelweiss Tél.+359 88 837 2444 – Vila Diana Tél.+359 88 562 2333
Refuge Bulgarka Хижа Българка	13	339	560	Refuge Bulgarka Tél.+359 88 744 1625 et à côté refuge Planinets (Хижа Планинец) Tél.+359 88 900 6091
Krustets Кръстец	5	344	140	Refuge Tél.+359 88 971 0188 (à priori fermé)
Predela Предела	14	358	540	Refuge Predela (хижа Предела) Tél.+359 87 995 6226 – Refuge Himik” hut (Хижа Химик) Tél.+359 88 855 800 – Refuge Gramadliva (Хижа Грамадлива) Tél.+359 88 433 2221 – Ski-base Gramadliva (Ски база „Грамадлива) Tél.+359 89 876 5424
Abri Karaivanovo horishte Караиванов хорище	16	374	1 010
Refuge Bukovets Хижа Буковец	8	382	250	Tél,+359 89 669 3170
Refuge Tchumerna хижа Чумерна	7	389	420	Tél.+359 89 669 3176
Abri Vratnik Заслон Вратник	25	414	1 060
Abri Nabozhnoto darvo Заслон Набожното дърво	23	437	640	Abri Botoucha () un peu avant
Tchutorka Чуторка	1	438	10	Hotel Adonai Tél.+359 87 707 8840
Kotel Котел	3	441	20	Hotel Ambrosia Tél.+359 88 800 4689 – Dragoevata house Tél.+359 88 781 1714 – Lefterova house Tél.+359 88 778 6353 – Commerces
Varbitsa Върбица	26	467	980	Hotel Edelvais Tél.+359 88 845 6587 – Hotel Wild Peony Tél.+359 88 868 1670 – Plus haut : Refuge Varbishki (хижа върбишки проход) Tél.+359 88 885 5412
Abri Hazim Gorskiya Заслон Хазим Горския	37	504	1 590
Planinitsa Планиница	19	523	670	Épicerie – bar
Daskotna Дъскотна	5	528	60	Raliovata Vila Tél.+359 88 576 2979 – épicerie – bar
Dobra Polyana Добра̀ поля̀на	16	544	930
Topchiysko Топчийско	3	547	30	Refuge Topchiysko (Хижа Топчийско) Tél.+359 88 447 3735
Kozichino Козичино	23	570	360	Vyatŭrni Melnitsi Tél.+359 88 846 8734 – Tourist dormitory Tél.+359 89 671 5934 – épicerie – restaurant
Emona Емона	37	607	870	Vila Entre Tél.+359 89 432 0092 – Vila Emona Tél.+359 89 357 4343 – Hotel Eraclea Tél.+359 89 946 4037
Cap Éminé Нос Емине	2	609	0
	609	609	27 216