Borovets

     Height of the resort above sea level:1300 m  

     Highest skiing area: 1337 - 2550 m
     Total lenght of runs: 58 km
     The longest ski run: 12 km
    For cross country skiing: 35 km
    Lifts: 1 gondola (max 6 pax), 4 chairlifts, 9 drag lifts
    Night skiing: (17.00-22.00 h)
    Snowbord: free ride and on the slopes

The oldest Bulgarian winter resort is Borovets with a history from 1896! Today Borovets is the biggest and most modern resort in Bulgaria.
It is situated on the conterminous Borovets col and on the northern slopes of the Mousala ridge in the eastern part of Rila.

Borovets is also close to Sofia (only 75km southeast) and 125km west of Plovdiv city. The lovely ski resort is the perfect place for a vacation or practicing various winter sports- Alpine skiing, biathlon, ski jumps and snowboard adventures. The slopes of Borovets vary in difficulty, so they are suitable for both beginners and advanced skiers.

The climate in Borovets is healthy, because the average January temperature is 4. Degrees Celsius. Borovets draws thousands of local and foreign tourists who appreciate the excellent conditions for practicing winter sports.

Beginners can enjoy a high standard of English speaking instructors and gentle nursery slopes, just beside the Rila Hotel Complex and barely three minutes' walk from the Hotel Samokov and Borosport chalets. Instruction is 4 hours per day, 6 days a week (2 hours a day for cross country). The friendly, fluent in foreign languages instructors make learning quick and efficient. Beginners start the week on the nursery slopes outside the Hotel Rila but by the end of the week everyone is heading for the gondola lift and the more challenging runs at the top of Yastrebets. The Borovets ski school has an excellent international reputation. The best ski run for absolute beginners is Sitnyakovo 1 (5800 m).

Intermediate skiers can enjoy a very good resort for their skills. Most of the total 19 ski runs are ideal for the intermediate skier. The choices are wide and varied, with excellent skiing in the exciting Yastrebets area and from the Sitnyakovski chair lift. The well-planned lift system includes the 5 km, 6-person Yastrebets gondolla lift, which opens up a wealth of enjoyable runs, ranging from wide sunny boulevards in the Moussala basin, to scenic looping trails through the trees. From the gondolla taking you to the top you can try the longest downhill run in Bulgaria, as well as some great skiing on the slopes of the wind-free basin underneath Moussala peak.

Advanced skiers and experts can enjoy the black runs of Markujik 2 and 3. Also the testing World Cup run, one of the more challenging pistes on the Yastrebets area or the excellent skiing through the trees and off-piste. Borovets is one of the highest rideable areas in Europe with some well varied terrain. The best spots to head for are those above 2500m and the runs under the Gondola. For those who want to leave the ground there is plenty of natural hits and rollers.

Skiing Centers:
Ski center Sitnyakovo – starting from 1337 m altitude up to 1780 m.
Ski center Yastrebets – starting from 1340 m altitude up to 2369 m.
Ski center Markujik – starting from 2144 м m altitude up to 2550 m

The cross country trails are 35 km long, designed according to the requirements of FIS (Fédération Internationale de Ski), at minimum width of 6 m. Ski tracks “Shiroka polyana” and “Varnika” are suitable for ski runners with a length 3.5 km and 10 km.

Biathlon facilities - In 1993 Borovets hosted the World Biathlon Championship.

Ski jumping - in Sitnaykovo ski center.

SKI LIFTS - BOROVETS