As a ski enthusiast living in Blagoevgrad, I would like to introduce the places where you can go skiing in Southwestern Bulgaria, mainly in the regions of Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil, focusing on the lesser-known resorts and ski areas.
Everyone knows about Bansko and Borovets. On weekends both resorts are packed, and it’s not very pleasant to spend most of your time waiting in lift lines or sharing overcrowded slopes with skiers and snowboarders.
I will try to present the ski areas from north to south:
Panichishte and the Rila Lakes
Although there is a small distance between the Panichishte resort and the Rila Lakes ski slope, they are close enough to be presented together.
Panichishte is located in the northwestern part of the Rila Mountains and is reached via the road through Sapareva Banya. There are several hotels and holiday facilities, and for ski enthusiasts there are a few short slopes available, mainly intended for beginners. They do not always operate, as they are located at a lower altitude where snow is not guaranteed.
Continuing a little further up the paved road, you reach Pionerska Hut, where a chairlift begins and goes up to Rila Lakes Hut. From the hut to the plateau above it there is a Pomagalski platter lift. The total length of the run from the plateau down to Pionerska Hut is about 3 kilometers.
Above Rila Lakes Hut is also one of the favorite areas for freeriders, who usually descend the gullies above the hut, although this can sometimes be dangerous due to avalanche risk.
Here is a link to the Rila Lakes website: https://rilskiezera.bg/
Malyovitsa
The Malyovitsa ski resort, also known as the Central Mountain School (CPS), is located about 25 km from Samokov, reached via the village of Govedartsi.
In recent years Malyovitsa has started developing more actively as a ski resort. There were slopes here in the past as well, but now there is a new owner, the facilities have been renovated, new hotels have been built, and the old Central Mountain School building has been restored and turned into a hotel.
On the meadow in front of CPS, new conveyor lifts for skis and sleds have been installed to make things easier for children and beginners. These are far more convenient than traditional drag lifts for first-time skiers.
The other slopes are intended for more advanced skiers. The Rzhdavitsa and Uleyat–Stenata runs are marked as red/black. At Rzhdavitsa there is also a training area for intermediate skiers, where the slope is marked blue.
Link to Ski Malyovitsa website: https://malyovitsa.com/
Osogovo Ski Center
The ski slopes in the Osogovo Mountains are located near Osogovo Hut, about 16 km from Kyustendil. The main slope is just over 900 meters long and is served by an anchor lift. There are also two shorter runs and a small fun park.
The slopes are equipped with artificial snowmaking and lighting for night skiing. Osogovo is a pleasant alternative for less demanding ski enthusiasts.
Kartala
The Bodrost resort and the Kartala ski slope are located about 30 km from Blagoevgrad in Southwestern Rila. This is the slope where I learned to ski as a child, and later, about ten years ago, I came back to refresh my skills after many years away from skiing.
The main slope is about 4.5 kilometers long and is served by a gondola lift. It is classified as a red run and is definitely not suitable for beginners. There are two additional upper sections, one of which is rated black.
Near the old tea house there is a children’s slope about 250–300 meters long, served by a baby lift. It is ideal for beginners, with a gentle gradient that makes learning enjoyable. This is exactly where I first learned to ski.
Website link: https://kartalaskipark.com/
Semkovo
Semkovo is a resort in the Rila Mountains located about 15 km from the town of Belitsa. There are several hotels and holiday bases, including a facility run by the Technical University, which maintains part of the lifts in the resort.
This is another place where I learned to ski as a beginner. The beginner slope is called Edelweiss and is located in the upper part of the resort just before Semkovo Hut. It is served by a baby lift. In the center of Semkovo, in front of one of the hotels, there is also a baby lift, but the slope there is quite flat and short — only about 50 meters.
On the southern side of the slope are the Yug and Asker runs, which form a continuation of the Edelweiss slope and pass behind the Technical University base.
On the northern side there are two slopes, Sever 1 and Sever 2, with the second being a black run and the longest in the resort, slightly over one kilometer.
Website link: https://semkovo.com/
Kulinoto
The Kulinoto ski slope is located in the Predel area on the slopes of the Pirin Mountains. The run is 1,300 meters long and has two platter lifts — one for adults and one for children.
The problem with this slope is that in recent years the weather has been warmer and snow does not last long, so it operates less frequently. However, it is an excellent slope for beginners — wide and with a gentle incline.
The municipality of Razlog owns the slope, and there are plans in the near future to install a four-seat lift and build another run approximately 1,600 meters long.
Dobrinishte
Just a few kilometers from Bansko lies the village of Dobrinishte, above which there is also a ski area. The slope runs between Gotse Delchev Hut and Bezbog Hut, connected by an old two-seat chairlift. The total length of the run is about 5 kilometers.
The slope is divided into two sections with an intermediate lift station. The upper part is suitable for beginners and is 2,200 meters long, while the lower 2,800-meter section is more challenging.
At the lowest part of the slope, near Gotse Delchev Hut, there are two drag lifts where children and beginners can learn to ski.
Website link: https://hoteldobrinishte.com/
I believe this is a fairly comprehensive list of ski areas in Southwestern Bulgaria, although I may have missed some lesser-known location that doesn’t come to mind at the moment. Since I am from Blagoevgrad, my personal favorite is Kartala — it is long and has a varied profile, but it is best suited for intermediate skiers.
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