Each year the last Sunday of August is a special date for mountain lovers. Traditionally, on this day, thousands of tourists travel from various places to gather at the highest peak of Vitosha Mountain – Cherni Vrah /2290 m/, in order to mark the anniversary of the beginning of organized tourism in Bulgaria. This year the date is August 25, when the 124^th anniversary is marked. In August 1895 at the invitation of writer Aleko Konstantinov, 300 enthusiasts joined the first organized hike to the summit and set up the first Bulgarian tourist club on Cherni Vrah. Traditionally, this year there will be celebrations organized by the Bulgarian Tourist Union and a prize ceremony for the conquerors of the ten highest Bulgarian mountain peaks. But let's talk more about this challenge - the conquest of the highest mountain peaks in Bulgaria, aimed at hiking enthusiasts.

After the success of the first national tourist campaign in the country – “100 National Tourist Sites”, which was born back in 1966 at the initiative of the Bulgarian Tourist Union, a new campaign emerged in 2005. The idea came from Bulgarian mountaineers and organizer is the Bulgarian Tourist Union. The campaign is called "The Ten Bulgarian Highest Mountains" and the peaks included are Musala in Rila, Vihren in Pirin, Botev in Stara Planina, Cherni Vrah in Vitosha Mountain, Ruen in Osogovo Mountain, Gotsev Vrah in Slavyanka, Golyam Perelik in the Rhodopes, Radomir Peak in Belasitsa, Rui in the Rui Mountain and Bogdan in Sredna Gora Mountain, says Miroslav Dachev of the Bulgarian Tourist Union. According to him, since 1966 more than 6 million participants have taken part in the "100 National Tourist Sites" campaign but the mountain challenge has also been gaining more and more popularity. More than 250 people have completed the challenge this year alone.

The conquest of the peaks is attested by stamps placed in a special booklet at tourist sites designated by the Bulgarian Tourist Union.

“People aged 10 to 80 take part in the movement. The idea of ​​the Bulgarian Tourist Union is to promote hiking in our mountains," Miroslav Dachev says.

He points out that not only Bulgarians are interested in the initiative:

“Every year we have participants from neighboring countries – North Macedonia and Serbia. This year we have 7 people from North Macedonia and 5 participants from Serbia."

The Bulgarian mountains are famous for their beauty and they offer great opportunities for tourism and hiking. Miroslav Dachev told us more about the 10 highest Bulgarian mountain peaks:

“Almost all of them are easily accessible. Cherni Vrah is the most visited and popular place but the peaks of Botev, Vihren and Musala are more difficult to climb, especially in rainy or snowy days, when it is preferable to use the services of a mountain guide."

Miroslav Dachev also told Radio Bulgaria about a recent initiative of the Bulgarian Tourist Union:

"Based on the Ten Highest Mountains Initiative, we initiated the creation of the Ten Highest Balkan Peaks Initiative. Years ago, there were more administrative and other difficulties when accessing neighboring countries, but now it is easier to cross borders. That is why the Bulgarian Tourist Union suggested that the countries of the Balkan Mountaineering Union, together with Greece, Slovenia, Macedonia, Albania, Romania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia, create an initiative for conquering the ten highest summits on the Balkan Peninsula. Each country has already nominated a peak to be included in the list. The details about the new initiative will hopefully be clarified at the next meeting of the Balkan Mountaineering Union."

English: Alexander Markov