Bulgaria Ski Camp means quality time on the snow, alpine scenery, thermal baths just a short drive from the countryside.
You need a day off work on Thursday 23 January. It's worth it!
Want to learn to fart?
Or skiing slopes over 40 degrees?
Or do you want long tours on touring skis at over 2500 m altitude?
You have access to everything from the logistical base of the tour - Rila Lakes Chalet sleeping at an altitude of 2100 metres in the middle of the seven lakes reserve of the Rilei, with a dream view.
Will I be able to cope?
Bulgaria Ski Camp is for EVERY skier or spliboarder, because the programme has something FOR EVERYONE!
- skiing and snowboarding on blue and red slopes with different slopes = perfect progression to off piste
- work in groups assembled according to the level of each
- ski runs with 30-55 degree slopes, easily accessible by ski lift, a few minutes from the lodge
- Ski touring tours in distance and with adjustable difficulty, perfect for beginner/intermediate/advanced skiers
- Certified Romanian AGMR ski instructors / mountain guides with extensive local experience
- impeccable accommodation conditions
- transport available from the country (not included)
Sounds good. Where exactly are we going?
In the Sedemte Rilski Ezera protected area, part of the Rila Nature Park, Bulgaria. 550 km away from Bucharest and relatively close to the well-known Bansko.
If in summer the area is known to hikers for its Retez-like landscapes and seven lakes with funny names (Eye, Kidney :) ), in winter the slopes of the micro ski resort Panichisthe turn into a wonderful adventure terrain.
Bulgaria Ski Camp burns calories where the school ground for Bulgarian freeriders is!
The resort has a wide beginner slope and a chairlift serving two red and one blue slope.
But all the magic happens from the top of the installations upwards, towards the ridges at 2600 m altitude...
Year after year we've taken new routes, either along valleys drenched in fresh snow or up sunny ridges in search of wide, alpine views.
The area is very permissive and, weather and group energy permitting we have nice options to fill each day.
It's also worth mentioning that every year we end our days of slipping with cold noses at Sapareva Banja, in the thermal pools with water up to 40 degrees :)
Disclaimer
Please note, this camp is NOT aimed at those who want to improve their sliding skills on the slopes.
The micro resort of Panichiste has only three slopes with a less than happy quality of development.
We use them successfully in preparing technical workshops for off-road skiers and boarders, but for those who need wide turn spaces and flawless slopes the terrain is not suitable.
I want to take up / do ski touring. Is it worth it?
DA.
Circuit laps with +500 / +1500 vertical metres per day, various slopes and exposures or even a hut to hut traverse (17 km, +1400 / -1100 m).
All are possible and we propose them depending on the quality of the snow, the level of the group/team and the weather forecast.
I want to freeride, lift up and down big slopes and/or virgin downhill terrain
Super. So are we! :)
We ski in/out and the lanes are minutes away.
If the snow is good we have some great ski routes through the forest!
Accommodation
Alpine hotel at 2100 metres, recently renovated.
Bed in double or triple room with private bathroom, restaurant and bar at your disposal, hut atmosphere (last year even with an unexpected... Greek party with plate smashing :)))) ).
We may stay at the base of the mountain for the first night, in chalet or alpine hotel conditions.
Car transport from the country
7 seats available in minibus 8+1, at an extra price of 180 lei per person.
You can also bring your own car, of course.
Not sure about your skiing or boarding skills and want to tune them together? We invite you to Ski School!
A minimum of six participants is required.
Activity Level
Intens
No. Max Group
12
Activity Time
4 days
What you included
mountain and ski guiding
three nights' accommodation
an entrance to the thermal baths in Sapareva Bania
What you didn't include
month
transport from the country (optional available)
equipment
cable transport (if you prefer not to climb the seals to the hut)
Accommodation
The availability and layout of the rooms at Rila Lakes Chalet depends on when the booking is finalised and the preferred room structure of the group (double, triple, quadruple).
5 reviews for Bulgaria Ski Camp. Alpin, tură, offpiste. 23-26 ianuarie 2025
Rated 5 out of 5
Dan Coman -
Super experience. Excellent organisation from Mares Outdoor. Rila area is superb for any skier (from beginner-intermediate to expert), active program, and Mihai is a super guide & man, extremely professional in every organizational detail. Safety comes first and his communication with the group was exemplary. In addition, nice people attract nice people and although we were a big group (11 + 3 guides) who didn't know each other, by the time we arrived in Rila we were already having a good time with each other, and the rest of the days the fun just kept getting better and better.
It was my first outing with them. Clearly not my last.
Tip: keep it up! 🙂
Rated 5 out of 5
Pupi -
Good luck!
Cool tour, cool people, discovered new and cool places. Learned new stuff from the group teachers. I recommend, Mares Outdoor, for everyone both beginners and advanced.
Spor! ???
Rated 5 out of 5
Sorin R. (verified owner)-
In January 2023 Mihai and 6 other merry colleagues and I went on a ski holiday to Kopaonik, Serbia. A 5 day holiday.
In short: It was as it should be. Transport, accommodation, meals, skiing and guiding. A grade 10!
Long:
The holiday was supposed to be in Bulgaria, at Sedemte Rilski Ezera, but there was no snow there for skiing.
A week before we left I was worried that we would be walking for nothing and not achieving our goal of sliding down the doage.
This winter 2022-2023 is a late one, as I am writing this review on January 24, the ski season in Poiana Brasov has not yet started due to lack of snow.
Mihai told us on the trip's whatsapp group:
"Guys, yeah.
Conditions in Bulgaria are not favourable. There is some snow, but not much more.
We can go and make do with what we have there or we can go to Serbia, to Kopaonik. There's snow there.
How do you want to do it?"
90% of the group voted to go to Kopaonik. Me among them.
Done and done.
On the morning of departure Mihai came from Brasov to Bucharest and picked us up by minibus.
And off we went.
The whole job took 10 hours. We chatted in the minibus and the time flew by.
Riding in a minibus with very comfortable seats added a lot to the experience of the trip.
It didn't feel as long as I imagined it would.
When we arrived in Kopaonik National Park we came across big snow. It was snowing with a sense of responsibility. There was snow on the roads, on the trees, everywhere...
It was the winter we didn't have in the country, a paradise for skiers, what more?
We were all on our phones taking pictures and videos.
We arrived at the accommodation.
A posh little villa rented just for us that provided a top view of the resort through one of those glass walls, like on Instagram :))
And with a fireplace... the kind with a real wood fire, not electric. Instagram I said.
We checked in.
Some alone in the room, the ones Michael knew snored :)), some in twos, the couples, some in threes, the singles.
The rooms were large, so even though I was trapped in a room with two other colleagues, I didn't feel like I didn't have space to store my "crap".
Then we got in the car and drove into town to shop for breakfast and lunch.
We went to a local supermarket. They had everything. Even for those who have a healthy lifestyle.
Then we went for lunch in a local tavern. The people there knew how to cook, and the Serbian food was delicious.
I'm not a drinker, but colleagues have been cheering up with really cool local drinks, like Slibovita.
What did I do afterwards?
Well we went to sleep, the next day was ski day. It was a powder day as it was snowing outside.
It was.
On the first day, I took to the wide skis, the touring skis. On the other days I was on the slopes.
Although it had been announced that we would also be ski touring, this never materialised. We were all thirsty for lots of skiing. For some of us it was our first ski trip this year. Michael saw this and granted our wish: the Seals went unused this trip.
The Kopaonik ski area is perfect for beginners: they have lots of blue and red slopes. They also have a few black ones for the enthusiasts.
The ski pass was cheap, compared to what is being touted. With night skiing included it was 160 RON/day.
I, because I had a better skiing level than my fellow trip mates, didn't ski at the same time as them. This was to make the most of my time on the slopes.
Michael understood this and let me do my training at my leisure.
They skied in groups, slower. Michael waited for everyone, which was much appreciated by his slower colleagues.
The queues were small, 1-2 minutes, that made me ski every day about 40-50 km and 8,000 level difference. I mean, I just kept going until I couldn't go any further.
We used to meet in the middle of the day for lunch.
We ate in the restaurants near the slopes. The food was good and ok in price. A two-course meal and dessert was around 17-20 euros.
In the evening on the first day we also skied at night. It was very nice. They had 3 slopes with night skiing, but when we went there was only one open.
If the first day was foggy, the second was sunny. And, of course, with great scenery.
You know those snow-filled fir trees that glisten in the sun and you don't even bother to look at?
It was.
The skiing was also good today. We did well. We got our share of sun.
In the evening, we gave up night skiing and went to a hotel spa where we relaxed.
We need. So much skiing.
Then we repeated the meal from the first day in that local taverna. We, as a group, called it "the green house".
On day 3, the last day, we started again.
Miles of skiing, hours of fun on the slopes.
Halfway through the day, we stopped at Hany-Buny, a slopeside eatery, for lunch and celebrated Radu. It was his birthday.
By the end of the normal ski day, around 4:30 pm, we were all exhausted.
We did a run through the resort's souvenir shops to pick up stuff for back home.
No one else wanted to night ski, so we went to our accommodation to rest and get ready to leave.
The fellow trippers were cool, college educated people in various different fields.
Everything from cake recipes to Turkey's role in the Ukraine conflict was discussed.
We had a good time together.
Thank you, Mihai Mareș for a very successful trip! See you at others.
Keep up the good work!
Mares Mihail -
Wow, thanks, Sorin, for your pleasant presence and participation in the high vibe of the tour!
Oh yes, and for taking the time to write this review!
Rated 5 out of 5
Veronica -
As the snow has been long overdue in Bulgaria this year, our initial destination was changed to Kopaonik - Serbia.
The result? Another great tour, branded Mares Outdoor Events! The incredible destination, the amazing snow, the atmosphere charged with good times were the ingredients of a super tour! I'm already daydreaming about the next one ... already booked ?
Rated 5 out of 5
Andrei C -
I went on this holiday with the MOE team and I highly recommend it.
The area is great, we were lucky with fresh pow and we were almost alone on the fresh snow.
The evenings ended with a meal at the cottage, everything was great, good vibe and nice people.
Sanziana and Mihai, congratulations!
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5 reviews for Bulgaria Ski Camp. Alpin, tură, offpiste. 23-26 ianuarie 2025
Dan Coman -
Super experience. Excellent organisation from Mares Outdoor. Rila area is superb for any skier (from beginner-intermediate to expert), active program, and Mihai is a super guide & man, extremely professional in every organizational detail. Safety comes first and his communication with the group was exemplary. In addition, nice people attract nice people and although we were a big group (11 + 3 guides) who didn't know each other, by the time we arrived in Rila we were already having a good time with each other, and the rest of the days the fun just kept getting better and better.
It was my first outing with them. Clearly not my last.
Tip: keep it up! 🙂
Pupi -
Good luck!
Cool tour, cool people, discovered new and cool places. Learned new stuff from the group teachers. I recommend, Mares Outdoor, for everyone both beginners and advanced.
Spor! ???
Sorin R. (verified owner) -
In January 2023 Mihai and 6 other merry colleagues and I went on a ski holiday to Kopaonik, Serbia. A 5 day holiday.
In short: It was as it should be. Transport, accommodation, meals, skiing and guiding. A grade 10!
Long:
The holiday was supposed to be in Bulgaria, at Sedemte Rilski Ezera, but there was no snow there for skiing.
A week before we left I was worried that we would be walking for nothing and not achieving our goal of sliding down the doage.
This winter 2022-2023 is a late one, as I am writing this review on January 24, the ski season in Poiana Brasov has not yet started due to lack of snow.
Mihai told us on the trip's whatsapp group:
"Guys, yeah.
Conditions in Bulgaria are not favourable. There is some snow, but not much more.
We can go and make do with what we have there or we can go to Serbia, to Kopaonik. There's snow there.
How do you want to do it?"
90% of the group voted to go to Kopaonik. Me among them.
Done and done.
On the morning of departure Mihai came from Brasov to Bucharest and picked us up by minibus.
And off we went.
The whole job took 10 hours. We chatted in the minibus and the time flew by.
Riding in a minibus with very comfortable seats added a lot to the experience of the trip.
It didn't feel as long as I imagined it would.
When we arrived in Kopaonik National Park we came across big snow. It was snowing with a sense of responsibility. There was snow on the roads, on the trees, everywhere...
It was the winter we didn't have in the country, a paradise for skiers, what more?
We were all on our phones taking pictures and videos.
We arrived at the accommodation.
A posh little villa rented just for us that provided a top view of the resort through one of those glass walls, like on Instagram :))
And with a fireplace... the kind with a real wood fire, not electric. Instagram I said.
We checked in.
Some alone in the room, the ones Michael knew snored :)), some in twos, the couples, some in threes, the singles.
The rooms were large, so even though I was trapped in a room with two other colleagues, I didn't feel like I didn't have space to store my "crap".
Then we got in the car and drove into town to shop for breakfast and lunch.
We went to a local supermarket. They had everything. Even for those who have a healthy lifestyle.
Then we went for lunch in a local tavern. The people there knew how to cook, and the Serbian food was delicious.
I'm not a drinker, but colleagues have been cheering up with really cool local drinks, like Slibovita.
What did I do afterwards?
Well we went to sleep, the next day was ski day. It was a powder day as it was snowing outside.
It was.
On the first day, I took to the wide skis, the touring skis. On the other days I was on the slopes.
Although it had been announced that we would also be ski touring, this never materialised. We were all thirsty for lots of skiing. For some of us it was our first ski trip this year. Michael saw this and granted our wish: the Seals went unused this trip.
The Kopaonik ski area is perfect for beginners: they have lots of blue and red slopes. They also have a few black ones for the enthusiasts.
The ski pass was cheap, compared to what is being touted. With night skiing included it was 160 RON/day.
I, because I had a better skiing level than my fellow trip mates, didn't ski at the same time as them. This was to make the most of my time on the slopes.
Michael understood this and let me do my training at my leisure.
They skied in groups, slower. Michael waited for everyone, which was much appreciated by his slower colleagues.
The queues were small, 1-2 minutes, that made me ski every day about 40-50 km and 8,000 level difference. I mean, I just kept going until I couldn't go any further.
We used to meet in the middle of the day for lunch.
We ate in the restaurants near the slopes. The food was good and ok in price. A two-course meal and dessert was around 17-20 euros.
In the evening on the first day we also skied at night. It was very nice. They had 3 slopes with night skiing, but when we went there was only one open.
If the first day was foggy, the second was sunny. And, of course, with great scenery.
You know those snow-filled fir trees that glisten in the sun and you don't even bother to look at?
It was.
The skiing was also good today. We did well. We got our share of sun.
In the evening, we gave up night skiing and went to a hotel spa where we relaxed.
We need. So much skiing.
Then we repeated the meal from the first day in that local taverna. We, as a group, called it "the green house".
On day 3, the last day, we started again.
Miles of skiing, hours of fun on the slopes.
Halfway through the day, we stopped at Hany-Buny, a slopeside eatery, for lunch and celebrated Radu. It was his birthday.
By the end of the normal ski day, around 4:30 pm, we were all exhausted.
We did a run through the resort's souvenir shops to pick up stuff for back home.
No one else wanted to night ski, so we went to our accommodation to rest and get ready to leave.
The fellow trippers were cool, college educated people in various different fields.
Everything from cake recipes to Turkey's role in the Ukraine conflict was discussed.
We had a good time together.
Thank you, Mihai Mareș for a very successful trip! See you at others.
Keep up the good work!
Mares Mihail -
Wow, thanks, Sorin, for your pleasant presence and participation in the high vibe of the tour!
Oh yes, and for taking the time to write this review!
Veronica -
As the snow has been long overdue in Bulgaria this year, our initial destination was changed to Kopaonik - Serbia.
The result? Another great tour, branded Mares Outdoor Events! The incredible destination, the amazing snow, the atmosphere charged with good times were the ingredients of a super tour! I'm already daydreaming about the next one ... already booked ?
Andrei C -
I went on this holiday with the MOE team and I highly recommend it.
The area is great, we were lucky with fresh pow and we were almost alone on the fresh snow.
The evenings ended with a meal at the cottage, everything was great, good vibe and nice people.
Sanziana and Mihai, congratulations!