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Stob Pyramids (Стобски пирамиди) or Stobski Pyramids is one of the most unique and lesser known and crowded attractions in Bulgaria. It is about an hour and a half from Sofia and 45 minutes from the city of Blagoevgrad. It’s on the way to the most visited attraction in Bulgaria – the Rila Monastery and is very useful for a quick leg extension if you’re in the area or planning to visit the monastery.
We recommend that you put Stob’s Pyramids in your GPS as your final destination, but once you enter Stob’s village, turn it off and follow the signs. If you choose to follow the GPS, you’ll find yourself in an area where you can see the pyramids from a distance, but you won’t be able to hike to see the unique sand formations up close. See below:
This is a great option if you want to enjoy beautiful scenery without the effort of hiking, breathe fresh mountain air, and enjoy a picnic with a view if you pick up something along the way or pack a tasty treat in your picnic basket.
But if you’re looking for a good workout and some heart pumping, follow the signs to the entrance to the Pyramids Trail. The parking lot is huge and you can find a place without any problem. The road leading up to it is relatively well paved with several speed bumps and a few potholes along the way, but this is nothing you haven’t experienced while driving in the country.
Although most walks in Bulgaria are free here, you will be asked to pay a minimum of 2 leva (children are free) or 1 leva if you are a student. The lady at the small booth at the beginning of the trail will collect your money and this is where you can buy a souvenir if you want to take something home to remember this beautiful place.
The first part of the road is relatively easy. Just follow the clear wide path that goes through the forest. There are several benches along the road where visitors can sit and catch their breath while enjoying the views around them. Make sure you bring plenty of water for your hike. It takes one to two hours to complete the whole trip and there is not much shade on the road, especially on a summer day, so you can hide from the sun. There is a shelter where you can hide halfway and wait if necessary in case of bad weather and rain.
While you are on the main road, you will see a small path on the left that leads into the forest. If you choose to take it, you will find this small church here. If this is something that interests you, take the direction and check it out. If that’s not your thing, follow the main trail and continue to the Earth Pyramids.
You’ll know you’ve reached the second part of the trail once you start climbing straight up and out of the woods into the open. Be sure to make frequent stops and turn around to look at the beautiful views behind you. I personally like the way back from the top of the pyramids because all the way down you have the chance to look at the beautiful valley and mountains in the distance.
If you have children and pets with you, keep them close after entering the second part of the trail. There are no rails and really nothing towards the end. As fun and adventurous as this trail is, it is very dangerous and falling down the cliff will not be fun. The last part of the road is very dangerous. It is a small narrow path with nothing but a cliff on either side so we do not recommend trying this section with children at all. If you are cautious and willing to risk everything, the views above are definitely worth it.
Locals have given this rock formation many different names, from Tent Rocks to Fairy Chimneys – to their most familiar name – the Pyramids of the Earth. Most of the shapes look like mushrooms. They are usually relatively soft rocks with hard, impervious stones (in this case – flat hard stones) all to protect the column from the atmosphere and all formed by nature itself.
The tallest rock formation here is up to 40 feet tall and over 200 feet wide at the bottom, but they are all very different sizes. They are mostly composed of siltstone, clay and sandstone and their color is very similar to the colors of the pyramids. Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, USA. It is believed that there is a shallow lake here, which has many parts and a lot of clay. Erosion and rainfall played a big role in eroding the side of the mountain and creating the final result – this small canyon.
The way back from here is downhill with the added bonus of beautiful views all the way down. If you have time, be sure to sit back and enjoy the vistas. Wildflowers abound along the trail, rabbits run free and you may be lucky enough to see herds of sheep and goats grazing in the distance.
If you work up an appetite after the hike, there are plenty of small restaurants in town to grab a bite to eat. If you’re looking for something special out of Stobton, head towards Rila Monastery and you’ll find some lovely riverside “mehanas” serving traditional dishes and freshly caught fish made to your liking.
If you visit the Stob Pyramids in the morning and still have time during the day, check out Bulgaria’s most visited Rila Monastery. If there is not enough daylight but you still want to explore the church, there is an option to spend the night there, but the only way to make sure the rooms are available is if you call and ask in Bulgarian (as they don’t speak English) or go to the monastery and ask in person. In any case, the problem is that it is one of the largest and most famous Orthodox monasteries in the world.
If the monastery isn’t your thing, you might want to look for it in the town of Blagoevgrad, which is a short easy drive from the Stob Pyramids and has a lot to offer. You will find many attractions, restaurants, bars, nightlife and shopping. This is one of our favorite places to kill a day in Bulgaria, so we recommend a stop there.
For more ideas on where to go and what to do in and around this area, check out our other blog posts and follow us on INSTAGRAM for daily adventure suggestions.
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