World Travel Stories

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Bansko

Bansko, Bulgaria, Visited July 2021

The resort town of Bansko is the ideal base for hiking into the Pirin mountains. A bus service brings you up to the Virhren hut at 1950 m.

The town itself is also interesting to visit, with fantastic views of Pirin all over, the old town, the church, and the many traditional or not so traditional cafés and restaurants.

Nearby are the interesting villages of Banya and Dobrinishte, that are only 6 to 7 km away and can be reached by bus and or train. There are multiple spa centre with mineral water for swimming and relaxing after walking. In winter skiing is all over Bansko and these towns receive tired skiers too ! From ski gear to bathing suit (outdoors , water is hot !) in full winter, just amazing.

July 18, 2021
Banderishki Lakes

Banderishki lakes, Pirin NP, Bulgaria, visited July 2021.

Starting from the Vihren hut near Bansko , one can visit many beautiful lakes in the Banderishki circus. Very easily accessible are the Okoto (Eye) , Ribnoto (Fish), Muratovo and Shabeshko (frog) , Dylgo (Long) lakes. One can make a full circle including all or some of these lakes depending on time and level of your fitness…

Great views of mountains all around and an opportunity to see some wildlife like mountain goat, frogs, birds, butterflies,…

Ideal picknick and relaxation spots, a bit cool for swimming but it can be done as we could witness.

July 18, 2021
Muratov

Mt. Muratov , Pirin NP , Bulgaria, visited July 2021

Mt. Muratov (2669 m) is easily reached from the Vihren hut, after a walk to the splendid muratovo lake and a hike up the Banderishta porta to reach the summit of Muratov .

July 18, 2021
Vihren

Mt. Vihren, Pirin mountains, Bulgaria, visited July 2021.

Mt. Vihren (2914 m) is the highest mountain in Pirin National Park in Bulgaria, and the third highest peak of the balkans, after Mt. Mussala (close in Rila NP) and Mt. Olympus (Greece)

The peak is very accessible and easy to climb from the Vihren hut using the classical south face route (aka the Royal route). Other routes exist that are more challenging , via North face or narrow rims (like Premkata and Koncheta)…

The peak is entirely Marble rock.

The picture shows the North face as seen from the “big cauldron”.

July 18, 2021
Mt. Kailash (Kailas)

Mt. Kailash (6714 m) is one of the most sacred places of Tibet. It is a holy place for Buddhists, Hindus and Jains. To Tibetans it means ‘the pillar of heaven’, to Hindus it is the place where Shiva resides. All of the pilgrims, which come still nowadays in great numbers, make a ‘kora’ (a walk around the mountain), which has the auspicious effect of ‘cleansing the sins of a lifetime’ (13 times or even 108 times are even more auspicious…). Along the kora are several monasteries, caves, buddha footprints, chörtens, sky burial sites, ‘sin-testing stones’, etc… The highest point is Drölma-la (5630m), a pass with an abundance of prayer flags. Pilgrims often do the kora in one (very long) day – a Westerner will need at least three days. Staying overnight in one of the ‘guesthouses’ attached to the monasteries is possible, although a lot of people do camp. It is forbidden to climb the mountain, something which has not been done till now. Trekking around the mountain is possible from mid-May till mid-October.

June 12, 2021