Urdini Lakes

Exactly a month ago I went to Urdini Lakes for the first time and I would like to share with you some photos that I took that day.

Urdini lakes are a group of six lakes, located in Urdin circus in one of the most difficult to access parts of Rila Mountain. I had seen them before only from a higher point - from the peaks around them and I had no idea how one can get there. It turned out it was not so complicated, but it was really really long and challenging for a one day hike. I had time to go only to two of the six lakes and the hike took me 9 hours, and 3 and a half of them it was raining. My clothes and shoes were so wet at the end that I crossed a river a couple of times without even bothering to step on some stones above the water. There was a lot of water in my backpack and some of the things that I carried with me were damaged. Still it was one of the best hikes I’ve done. The whole time I felt like being in a fairytale.

If I had to describe that place with only one word I would have used for sure undescribable ! The sun was behind the clouds all the time, there was some mist so the photos could be better, but I’ll go again soon.

All the time the pathway goes along rivers, waterfalls or lakes. I always prefer hikes with places with water, it adds something really great to the atmosphere. And it is so cool to be able to refresh yourself throughout the whole time. There were a lot of rainy days this summer, and because of that I had to pass through a little wild rivers, sink many times in mud and even lose my pathways several times(but found it pretty quickly!).

Flowers were literally everywhere

The rocks of The Green Ridge
Somewhere up there there is a pathway that goes above the Urdini lakes and also pass above the same lakes from one of my previous posts - Chanatsite Lakes. I haven’t been there yet but I’ve been told that it is super beautiful and I hope to see by myself soon. As I said, we have a pretty rainy summer here, which prevents me to hike as much as I would like to.

2 hours in the forest + two more after that and I could already see some of the rocks of the circus in the distance.

Before that though I had to pass by these horses and cows, which I always see like something quite scary. I’ve been chased by a bull in some other mountains and it wasn’t funny at all so I tried to walk as far from them as I could. Luckily these were friendly and none of them made even one step in my direction.

As I was going higher and higher the big river turned into many many little springs that I had to cross many times.

As there are no huts or lifts and that hike is difficult for one day, also there are no signs showing the way to the lakes, really few people go there and nature is thriving! The pathways are almost unnoticeable and I’ve never seen so many mountain goats somewhere else. A friend of mine told me that they are going near the horses and the cows because there is salt left for them.

After a short super steep part I was near the first lake.

There is a tiny shelter between the first and the second lake.

The second lake.

I decided that I did’t have enough time to go to the other lakes before it would have started to rain, but couldn’t resist to go to a little peak in the middle of the circus. The view from it was mind-blowing.

Here is the first lake from that peak.

One of the other lakes in the circus

And with the zoom...

It was quite dark already when I was coming down although it was around 2 pm

I was near the first lake when it started raining. You can see the droplets in the lake and it didn’t stopped at all the whole time. It was my most “refreshing” hike so far probably. I couldn’t feel my hands when I entered the car, but I was happy. It was amazing!

Thank you for stopping by!