Vihren Peak in Winter with a Night at Vihren Hut NEW
A two-day winter ascent of Vihren (2,914 m), the highest peak in Pirin, with a night at Vihren hut at the foot of its marble summit.
On the first day we walk up to the hut below the summit and take an easy walk in the valey. On the second day we set off early and well rested to climb Vihren by the classic route over the Hvoynati peak. The night below the peak spreads the effort over two days, but the program still calls for very good fitness: day two means around 9 hours on foot and about 1,000 m of ascent.
Tour Highlights
- Vihren (2,914 m), the highest peak in Pirin and the second-highest in Bulgaria
- A night at Vihren hut, at the foot of the marble summit
- Winter views from the summit to Kutelo, Todorka and the whole of Northern Pirin
- The snow-filled cirque of Muratovo Lake
What's included
Included
- Complete organization and coordination of the program
- Licensed guide
- Transportation during the program
- Travel insurance with limit - 500 euro. The insurance is concluded with the insurance company Euroins
- Accommodation in hut
Not included
- Food
- Personal expenses
Tour Itinerary
The drive to Shiligarnika above Bansko takes about 2.5 hours. After a short briefing and a kit check we head up to Vihren hut. On the way we stop at Baikushev's Pine, a Bosnian pine more than 1,300 years old and the oldest conifer in Bulgaria.
At the hut we check in, drop any spare kit and in the afternoon take an easy walk. Back at the hut we have dinner, go over the plan for the next day and turn in early.
We spend the night at Vihren hut (1,950 m), one of the largest huts in Pirin, set at the foot of Vihren and the traditional starting point for the climb. The hut has electricity and running water. You'll sleep in multi-bed rooms, allocated according to availability on the day. We recommend bringing a light sleeping bag or sleeping-bag liner, hut slippers and a headtorch.
We start early after quick breakfast, aiming to reach the summit while the snow is still firm and the weather more settled. We follow the winter line of the classic route – first up the moraine slopes above the hut, then up a broad snow slope to the Kabata saddle (2,535 m), which links Vihren with Hvoynati Peak. From here the final climb leads up the south flank to the summit dome.
At 2,914 m we stand on Vihren, the highest point in Pirin and the second-highest summit in Bulgaria. Sharp-edged Kutelo rises to the north, Todorka to the east, and the peaks of Northern Pirin line up to the south. The mountain was once called El Tepe – the "windy peak" – and it often lives up to the name. Conditions permitting, we stay for photos before descending the same way to the hut. We collect our bags, walk down to the bus and drive back to Sofia.
Important:
Winter trekking equipment
Shoes
High shoes with hard sole and membrane
Spare socks
Lighting
Headlamp - An absolute must-have accessory for every mountaineer. It may be necessary for the group to start a trek very early or finish the trek in the dark (force majeure). In these situations, each participant must have a headlamp. We recommend going with a proven brand like Petzl or BlackDiamond
Spare batteries
Backpack
About 40 liters backpack - Quite enough for one or two day hikes. Please come to treks with a backpack suitable for trekking. Very often, each participant needs to attach snowshoes to their backpack, and this cannot happen with urban backpacks
Backpack cover - in case of rain or snowfall
Clothing top
Тhermal base layer
Fleece
A down jacket or other jacket with synthetic insulation
Wind and water proof jacket
Hat
Gloves - 3 pairs of gloves, one thin, one medium thick and one for very bad conditions
Buff
Clothing bottom
Тhermal bottom base layer
Winter pants
Gaiters
Sun protection
Sunglasses
Sun cream with high protection
Water and food
Water (1.5 liters)
Food for the trek
Money and documents
Money
ID or passport
Other
First aid kit
Trekking poles with winter feathers
Cancellation Policy:
Чл. 89. (Изм. – ДВ, бр. 37 от 2018 г., в сила от 01.07.2018 г.) (1) Пътуващият има право да прекрати договора за туристически пакет по всяко време преди започването на изпълнението на туристическия пакет. The tourist owes a penalty as follows: