Hotels near Musala Peak, Borovets

Stay in Borovets overnight, get to Yastrebets the next morning, leave extra stuff in Yatrebets hut (it's very close to the lift)) and do a round hike to the peak and back. The peak isn't easy, it's the highest Balkan peak so it's pretty challenging, but it's doable by a person with medium physical abilities. There are two water streams along your path, so you can fulfill your water supplies. Get proper shoes, take some snacks and have fun. Don't forget to check weather forecast and be aware of thunderstorms.

The journey starts by paying $25 for two tickets to use the gondola lift. The gondolas are roughly 30 years old or just nobody maintains them properly - they front windows of all the gondolas are scratched, it's hard to see from them and it's extremely noisy inside. The climbing way up is not suited for casual tourists. Despite being one of the most popular attractions in Bulgaria it has no restrooms nor trash cans along the way up. Wait, no, I lied - there is a restroom near the middle hut but it's impossible to stay inside since the toilet itself is filled with feces and the smell is awful. Also some of the signs saying that you can't throw out you garbage are quite offensive ("Your backpack is the trash can" it says). The first part of the hiking path is okay - can be easily walked but then the summer path becomes steep and rocky and you literally have to climb it almost all the way up. It is almost impossible without proper hiking boots and hiking staffs. We went there without proper equipment since I read an article saying that almost anyone would climb it with nearly no effort. That's not quite right. On top there are no toilets either and you would have to either hold it or use the nearest bush. The hike is around 7 hours long and it's recommended to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. My verdict - there are mountains more suited for the simple tourist needs and I wouldn't advise anybody hiking this one. The only good thing about the place is the nature. Everything made by humans is terrible.

Leave pretty easy from the Gondola lift in Borovetz to Yazstrabets. Be prepared to walk an hour across the mountain to get to the ascent place by the pair of ice fed lakes. Then take your time negotiating the rocky trails up to Ledena Ezopa (Ice Lake). From the past that hut next to the lake it's about 50 minutes up the narrow and dusty path to the summit. I would bring a liter of water, sun screen and pretty decent hiking shoes with good soles. The summit hut has the usual magnetic proof of ascent refrigerator decorative items for a few lev. I bought a nice chai too there and signed the wall like everyone else passing through. It's walkable for all ages, but be prepared to do a lot of stair stepping from rock to rock so you will be tired in the end. Also leave time to get back down as the last Gondola from Yazstrabets lift station is maybe 5:00 pm or so. Maybe some year I will stay in one of the huts overnight by the two base lakes some year. It's a work out for sure.

If you are comfortable walking to the summit of Lake District mountains, you will find the ascent of Musala quite easy in the summer. The climb from the top of the lift is about 700m and I did it in around 3hr, returning in about 2hr. The route is clearly marked with only a little snow encountered in late June. I even got a cup of tea from the refuge on the summit at 2920m.