How to Hike to Bezbog Hut in the Pirin Mountains

Most of the hikes we’ve done in Bulgaria have been from Bansko in the Pirin National Park. This time we decided to switch it up and head towards Dobrinishte where you can find the Bezbog Hut hike.

It’s in the same mountain range (Pirin Mountains) as Vihren Peak and Sinanista Hut but it’s slightly less visited.

The area where Bezbog Hut is located is just a bit further east of Bansko and you can access it from the town of Dobrinishte.

The hike from Gotse Delchev Hut to Bezbog Hut is a good introduction to what the Pirin Mountains are all about.

Gotse Delchev Hut is at the base of the hike. It will be the starting point to an adventure-filled hike up toward one of the most beautiful lakes in the Pirin Mountains.

We absolutely love alpine lakes and the Pirin Mountains offer a ton of them! Take some awesome photos and enjoy the views – but don’t go jumping in them. Instead, hit up some of the awesome hot springs near Banko! 

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What to expect on the hike up to Bezbog Hut

When you start this hike, you’re going to have a nice and steady uphill climb to the Bezbog Hut. This is where you will find the beautiful Bezbog Lake. If you’re feeling adventurous you can even hike up to Bezbog Peak but we’ll save that for another post! 

The hike to Bezbog Hut will take you under the chairlift. Then up one of the ski runs for the first portion of the hike. This might not sound like the most exciting hike but we actually really enjoyed it.

At first, the hike goes below the chairlift. Then it takes you in through the pine forest. Which is beautiful and smells so good (and full of mosquitoes by the way).

After that, you will get to the middle station for the chairlift. From there, you continue up the mountain more in the open. Depending on the conditions, you should be able to get insane views over Dobrinishte.

So the terrain and the views change quite a lot throughout the hike. We really enjoy that which is really fun – and, as you can see, you don’t have to walk on the ski slopes the whole way up.

The hike has a lot of zig-zagging. It’s not a straight shot up the mountain the whole way. The good thing is that it makes it easier.

The zig-zag through the forest and in the shade make this hike up to Bezbog Hut more manageable as it does have quite a bit of elevation.

There’s an option to take a chairlift that takes you directly from the bottom by Gotse Delchev Hut to Bezbog Hut if you don’t want to hike this last bit. From there you can hike higher up the mountains.

The chairlift runs in the peak summer (and winter) and takes roughly 25 minutes.

Since we’ve never been to this part of the Pirins before, we decided to hike from the bottom. And it was awesome! Even though it was challenging, we had a great time hiking this part of the Pirin Mountains.

Practical information about the hike up to Bezbog Hut

Distance: 10.5 km return / 6.52 miles return
Elevation: 762 m / 2500 ft. elevation gain
Type: In-and-out trail
Length: 3.5-4 hours return (add some time if you want to relax at Bezgov Hut)
Difficulty: Moderate to hard (because of the elevation gain)
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Click here to see a map of the hike up to Bezbog Hut.

Here’s a picture of the beginning of the trail up to Bezbog Hut

This is a great hike to do if you’re staying in Bansko and have already done a bunch of hikes from Vihren Hut. That area of the Pirin National Park is beautiful but it’s also nice to see different areas of the mountain range. 

The trail to Bezbog Hut is pretty well-marked most of the way up. On the way up you’ll see “green markers’ on rocks and trees quite frequently that ensure you that you’re on the right track.

If you use the Bezbog Hut trail map while following the green markers you’ll easily be able to follow the right trail up all the way to the alpine lake.

At some point, if you feel like you’re on the wrong trail just look at the trail map you downloaded and look for green markers nearby. The trail is pretty straight forward and easy to follow here.

It would take a lot of effort to actually get lost there when using both the map + following the markers.

Starting the hike from Gotse Delchev Hut

Before we get into the details of the hike we want to mention that there’s actually a really good restaurant at the base of the hike next to Gotse Delchev Hut where the hike starts. The place is called Alpina – Fresh Fish Restaurant. They have all sorts of stuff like fish, meat, soup, pancakes! 

The place serves all local and traditional food and after seeing their menu we were quite excited to try it after we finished the hike. It was very very good and totally surprised us as we had pretty low expectations! You can check out their reviews on Tripadvisor here if you don’t believe us 😉

After you’ve scouted your lunch location for after the hike, it’s time to find the chairlift and this is basically where the hike begins. Just to the right of the chairlift.

From there you should see a map and a trail that walks parallel to the ski slope, and this is where you’ll go.

This first section of the hike isn’t the most exciting. The good thing is you gain elevation quickly and really make progress up the mountain.

You’re basically just hiking up the ski slope for the first kilometre or so. The elevation might seem crazy but soon enough, it will ease up and go more into a zig zag trail which will be a bit easier! 

Into the Pirin Forest up to the halfway point 

About 20 minutes into the hike you’re going to come to a point where the mountain looks crazy steep and a trail that goes straight up it. Don’t worry this is the hard way up to Bezbog Hut. The scenic route is a lot easier and more beautiful in our opinion. 

If you stay on the left hand side you’ll see “green markers” pointing the way into the forest where the zig zags start. It’s also nice on a hot sunny day. This section of the hike will give you some shade for a while. 

This forest section is quite nice and pleasant. There’s a really good trail that slowly zig zags up the mountain where you’ll continue hiking until you reach the middle section of the chairlift.

The chairlift actually goes all the way to Bezbog Hut. So when you get to the middle section of the chairlift you’re actually half way up the hike!  Honestly the first part is the hardest so if you find it not too difficult then you’ll cruise to Bezbog lake. 

The last stretch to Bezbog Hut

Once you’ve gotten in that hiking groove from the first half of the hike, you’ll find this second section of Bezbog Hut a piece of cake. This section is a steady incline but not as bad as the beginning of the hike. 

As you’re hiking, the big Pirin Mountains really start to come to life. You’ll start to see snow on some of the mountains. Eventually, Bezbog Peak will start to come into view as you turn a corner. At that point, you’re only a short distance away from Bezbog Hut!

Finally, if you’re hiking during peak season, you’ll start to hear the music coming from the chairlift. You’ll turn a corner and there will be the famous Bezbog Hut sitting in the middle of this mountain range next to the most beautiful alpine lake.

PS: There’s a restaurant up at Bezbog Hut & Lake and during the summer months it’s open and also very delicious! If you didn’t bring any food on the hike and you’re hungry this is a good place to stop! 

Hike around Bezbog lake 

Before you head down back to the start of the hike it’s worth checking out the view from the other side of the lake. Not that you have to hike up to Bezbog Peak or anything, but just walk 5-10 minutes around the lake and you’ll get an awesome view looking back at Bezbog Hut!

From this angle on the far side of the lake, you can see Bezbog Lake, the hut, and the stunning mountains in the background. It’s hands down the best view from this hike so it’s worth making it over to this side. It will only add a little more time to the hike. 

Once you’ve taken it all in and enjoyed the view you can go back and relax by the lake. From there you check out the restaurant, hike up Bezbog Peak, or slowly start to make your way back down the mountain.

Please remember: You are NOT allowed to swim in this lake. It is an alpine lake in a national park which is highly protected in Bulgaria. The Bulgarians are really great at protecting their national parks so they will call you out if you try or even call the cops on you if you actually go in.

Hike back down from Bezbog Hut to the start of the hike

Since it’s an in-and-out trail, you’ll go back down the same way you came from. If you don’t feel like hiking back you can take the Dobrinishte chairlift if it’s running. You can see the price guide for the Dobrinisht chairlift here. The price should be 12 Bulgarian Lev which is about $6.

We ended up hiking down because the chairlift wasn’t open yet and because we wanted to! The hike down is a lot faster.

It’s all downhill and there are sections you can actually walk quite quickly or even run. We always have so much fun running down the mountain and seeing how much faster we can do it than our uphill lol.

Going down, you’ll be quite familiar with the trail since you already hiked up it. You may even be able to find a few shortcuts to make the journey down quicker! When we were about halfway down our knees started getting quite sore and our legs got tired so we were super excited to get to the restaurant at the bottom so we could get some yummy food!

As you hike down, eventually you’ll see the chairlift again Gotse Delchev Hut which means the end is near! 

What to bring on the Bezbog Hut hike

One of the nice things about the hike to Bezbog Hut is that you don’t have to plan too much in advance for it.

During peak season there are restaurants open at the beginning of the hike and also at the top. And even when it’s not peak season, the restaurant at the bottom is usually open.

So food-wise there’s not too much you have to bring (unless you want to, of course).

However, one thing you really should bring is bug spray!! One thing that we didn’t even think about was the amount of mosquitos that were on the trail.

We got eaten alive by them and we really don’t want you to go through the same experience so please bring mosquito spray whenever you’re hiking in the Pirin Mountains.

If you don’t have one, we can highly recommend this one from US Organic.

Packing list for the Bezbog Hut hike:

• Water! We always fill up our LifeStraw bottles before hikes and even during them when we can. If you ask nicely the staff at either of the restaurants will probably fill up your water bottle.
• Sunscreen is highly recommended when hiking in the Pirin Mountains. On most hikes in the Pirin Mountains, you’ll be exposed to the sun for good sections of them so it’s good to always have some sunscreen handy. Especially since you’re so high up (around 2000 meters).
• A power bank is always nice to bring. Especially when hiking in unfamiliar places and trails you’re not used to, it’s nice to have a battery on your phone.
• Bug spray! The mosquitos were terrible when we hiked up to Bezbog Hut and don’t want you to experience the amount of mosquito bites we got on this hike.
• If you have weak knees, you might want to bring hiking poles! The incline and decline is pretty quite extreme on this hike and over the span of 10 kilometers, your knees are going to feel it. So it’s definitely not a bad idea to bring hiking poles.
• A rain jacket is also not a bad idea. It was sunny near the bottom of the trail when we went but up in the mountains it got quite cloudy and was raining slightly. You never know what kind of weather you’ll get up in the mountains.

You can also check out this great list of hiking gear to get some more inspiration!

Before you hike up to Bezbog Hut and Lake

Check the weather

No matter where you hike in the Pirin Mountains (or the mountains in general), you should always check the weather before you go. You can see the weather for Bezbog Hut here.

We’d recommend going on a nice sunny day. There’s enough shade along the trail that even on a sunny day you won’t be exposed to the sun during the whole hike.

So you shouldn’t get too hot (but we still recommend wearing sunscreen 😉 ). Then when you get to the top of the trail and hang out by Bezbog Lake, hopefully, you’ll have more sun than we did and can enjoy hanging out there for a bit.

Wear hiking shoes

We did this hike in our hiking shoes and we totally made the right call. You’re hiking in the mountains and even though the trail is quite good it’s still a hiking trail full of roots, rocks, and uneven terrain.

It can also get quite muddy if it’s rained recently or if you go after the ski season has ended. So we’d say that hiking boots are a must for this trail! Especially with all the ascents and descents, you want to be rocking the right pair of shoes!

These ones from Columbia are supposed to be amazing! Check out their reviews here.

Rent your car in advance  

It’s best to rent a car in advance, especially during the summer months.

You can book a car through Rent A Car Bansko. We found it to be the best (and one of the only) place to rent a car in Bansko in the summer.

You can rent the car on a 24-hour basis and they will drop off the car to you at your desired location and pick it up as well when you’re done with it. 

PS: In case you don’t want to rent a car and don’t want to drive it’s best to hike in the Pirin Mountains next to Bansko where you can take a shuttle up and down the mountain. For more inspiration, check out this post: The Most Beautiful Hikes to Do in the Pirin National Park.

Load the trail map 

It’s not like the Bezbog Hut hike trail is a challenging one to follow with all the “green markers” and the trail map we have put together for you here.

However, it never hurts to be extra prepared so we recommend you load the map beforehand in case you run out of internet and/or get lost!

Especially in a foreign country, it’s nice to know where you’re going! Safety always comes first.

How to get to the Bezbog Hut trailhead 

The trailhead essentially starts at Gotse Delchev Hut and it really isn’t that hard to get to if you have a car. You’ll drive to Dobrinishte, through the city and then up the only road that leads to the Pirin Mountains from there.

Be aware that the road is quite narrow and even though it’s not that long of a stretch it can take a while to get to the hut when there’s traffic.

The best time to go is in the morning so you avoid most ongoing traffic. Then leave again in the afternoon when most cars are going down the mountain.

From Bansko to the start of the Bezbog Hut trail:

• 30-minute drive (50 kilometers)
• You can follow the directions from Bansko to the trail here. 

From Sofia to the start of the Bezbog Hut trail:

• 2.5-hour drive (173 kilometers)
• You can follow the directions from Sofia to the trail here. 

Best time to hike to Bezbog Hut

It’s best to start the hike up to Bezbog Hut early in the morning, especially during the summer when it can get really hot in Bulgaria.

If you start earlier in the morning, you’ll have a nice cooler temperature as you hike up the steep mountain. Plus this way you can also avoid a lot of the crows. 

Of course, there are going to be people who take the chairlift up as well so Bezbog Lake may be busy by the time you get up there. But at least the hiking trail won’t be too busy.

Another option is to also try and go on a weekday. During the months of May, June, September, and October the mountains are pretty quiet – especially during the week.

We’ve hiked a lot in the Pirin National Park during June and October and the trails are sometimes completely empty on the weekdays. It’s pretty epic!

So, if you can, hike up the Bezbog Lake early in the morning, preferably on a weekday. At the end of the day, this area is still much quieter than hiking in the Pirin Mountains next to Bankso.

You may also like…

• 5 Hot Springs Near Bansko You Need to Visit
• Exploring Alpine Lakes in the Pirin National Park
• How to Hike From Bansko to Vihren Hut
• Hiking the Beautiful Sinanitsa Hut and Peak – Pirin National Park
• How to Hike the Famous Vihren Peak in Bulgaria

Where to stay in Bansko

Bansko is quite diverse since it’s a mountain resort town but still very local. Over the years it’s also turned into quite a digital nomad hub thanks to all the different co-working places that have popped up.

We have a few hotels in Bansko we recommend that vary in price. Hotels in Bansko start from €40 and can go as high as €200 a night for the most expensive hotels.

It’s one thing we love about Bansko is the variety of hotels and accommodations. There really is a place for everyone in this mountain town!

Recap of hiking to Bezbog Hut in the Pirin Mountains

There you have it! If you’re in Dobrinishte or have hiked all the trails near Bansko and want a new part of the Pirin Mountains to explore then this is the place. The hike up to Bezbog Hut is challenging but fun and the views at the end are incredible! 

The Pirin Mountains are known for all their alpine lakes and Bezbog lake is a prime example! A peaceful and beautiful alpine lake next to a stunning peak and even a hut with a restaurant. 

We hope you enjoy this hike to Bezbog Hut and lake and if you have any questions about the trail or how to get there then feel free to DM us on Instagram or leave a comment below! We can’t wait to hear from you and we hope you have an amazing hike here in Bulgaria.

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