BULGARIA. Pirin Mountains. 3 day hike: Vihren hut - Tevno Ezero - Kamenitsa - Polejan - Demyanitsa - Todorka - Vihren hut

Impressive and demanding hike in through the most beautiful areas of the Pirin Mountains.

Most of the hike goes through ridges and rocky and technical terrain, including a little scrambling (not climbing). This, together with the length and the cumulated ascent of every stage demands some mountain skills.
The hike offers some options to reduce it if considered too long.

Day 1: Vihren Hut - Tevno Ezero hut. 12 km. +1.013 m -471 m

The first days route is entirely following the marked trail in red, and therefore is the one requiring less orientation. It climbs slowly but steady until the first summit of the day (Vazela, 2.620 m). From there starts a beautiful rocky ridge with great views to the lakes on the north.

Day 1 Extension: climb to Momin Dvor (2.725 m) 2.5 km. +170 m -170 m

Short hike to get some views on both Polejan (North) and Kamenitsa (South). On the way down we follow the ridge until "Lyava Kralevdovska Porta" where we take the blue route back to the hut.

Day 2: Tevno Ezero Hut - Kamenitsa (2.822 m) - Polejan (2.851 m) - Demyanitsa Hut.
18 km. +1.311 m -1.938 m

The most beautiful, long and technical part of the hike. We start surrounding Kamenitsa to climb it from the south slopes, walking on big rock blocks. From the summit (2.822 m), we follow the ridge to Malka Kamenitsa (2.674 m) and Kralev Dvor (2.680 m). It is not difficult but some sections are exposed and require some scrambling.
The ridge finishes in the "Lyava Kralevdovska Porta", where we join the blue route down to Popovo Ezero.
This route can be easily shortened by avoiding Kamenitsa and going directly to the "Lyava Kralevdovska Porta" following blue route from Tevno Ezero.
From Popovo Ezero we follow the green route direction Bezbog Hut. Shortly before arriving there, we take a trail to the left that will lead us to Polejan ridge. Again rocky and uncomfortable terrain to the summit (2.851 m), and the same down until the lakes under Mount Gazei (2.761 m; optional climb, good views).
The trail from the lake to Demyanitsa hut is not often used and sometimes disappear. Some terrain lecture is necessary to find the best options.

Day 3: Demyanitsa Hut - Todorka (2.726 m) - Vihren Hut
10.5 km. +926 m -841 m

We follow the green route to the lakes of Todorini Ochi. The marked route climbs directly to the Todorka pass. But we climb in the opposite direction, straight to the summit of Todorka (2.746 m). From there we turn left to follow the ridge (blocks and blocks of rock)until Malka Todorka (2.712 m) and later Todorka pass.
From there we connect again with the green route and we follow it down until Vihren hut.