5 Must Do Activities in Bansko Bulgaria

Mountain Biking In The Pirin

Bansko is a beautiful town and ski resort in Bulgaria, located at the foot of the pristine Pirin Mountains not far from the borders with Greece and Macedonia. Over the last ten to fifteen years, Bansko has become an international destination for summer and winter recreation and tourism. The mountain peaks near the town, the numerous lakes and the old pine woods make it a popular site for skiing, snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, and rafting and kayaking. You may also like to take a look at a useful article 15 Best Things To Do In Bansko on the crazytourist.com website.

Skiing at the Resort

In 2003, a new gondola lift was built from the town up to the base area of Banderishka Poliana. The skiing resort has almost 50 miles of trails and snowboarding runs, with 25 ski lifts and drag lines. All skill levels from beginner “bunny slopes” up to expert level skiing can be found here.

The summit is over 2,600m above sea level, and is served by lifts. There is a vertical drop of over 1,000m back to the base area, and if you continue down into the town, over 1,500m of drop. The quality is so superb, that Bansko recently hosted the World Cup for Alpine ski racing for women’s downhill (two) and a super combined, and the men’s slalom and a super combined. Competitions take place regularly now, and 60 snow cannons can extend the season until well into April each year. Bankso ski holidays offer such good vluw for money with the good snow, après ski and the amount of activities to do for all ages.

Ski Bansko

Snowboarding at the Resort

Snowboarders also enjoy this Balkans resort immensely, and can build their own custom jumps as they wish in the snowboarding areas, according to their abilities and style. Daily local competitions are held on the run on Shiligarnika, with prizes from the resort.

Hiking in the Pirin Mountains

Summertime brings wonderful weather to the resort and areas around Bansko. The mountains are mostly granite, and the crag and peaks jut up from picturesque valleys and trails. Hikes can start from the town itself, on foot or by rental car to further trails, or can be arranged by tour bus or with a local private guide at quite reasonable prices. Trails range from grueling with serious climbing, to easy and enjoyable day hikes. Camping trips are easily arranged in the town, and supplies are available for week long hikes or more.

Mountain Biking near Bansko

Mountain biking around Bansko was unheard of until the last 10 years or so, and now guides and maps can show you over 1,000km of fabulous trails. The most popular areas include old loggers’ tracks, forested trails, and along mountain streams with serious vertical drops. Local guides are becoming more common, and can help you plan your trips. You should leave a full day at least, although with gear or support, you can bike without seeing the same trail twice for days.

Rafting and Kayaking

The winter snows guarantee wonderful rafting and kayaking all over Bulgaria in the Pirin National Park. The Struma River offers awesome white-water trips running down into the Sandanski Valley. The Mesta River is also lovely, and beautiful gentle-water trips of varying lengths offer time to decompress and relax. These beautiful mountain areas are practically untouched, and are a fresh and rewarding destination.