I visited this WHS in 2023 using Bansko as my base for 2 nights. From there we woke up early and drove straight to the Vihren Hut, stopping en route to see the impressive Baikushev's Pine, Bulgaria's oldest tree. It was really great to appreciate the changing scenery with the first bright rays of sunlight, from meadows in low altitude, to woodlands full of different kinds of coniferous trees in mid-high altitude, to low coniferous trees, streams, rock and some ice at high altitude. Knowing that the Vihren Hut parking (free) would likely be crowded throughout the day, we parked a couple of metres away along one of the few wider sides of the mountain road to avoid getting blocked by double parking. This worked out well in the summer months but I wouldn't doing this in the winter months unless you have full insurance (snow might still be an issue in May-June so you can imagine what it is like in winter; also keep in mind, if you happen to visit on a rainy day, that Vihren was known as Eltepe (peak of storms) and it was also called Buren (stormy) and Malnienosets (lightning-bringer) for a reason!).

The Vihren Hut or Chalet is already at 1,950 metres and it has all the basic requirements you could ask for including beds, toilets, electricity, tap water, a restaurant/bar/cafeteria, wifi, and information about the trails. From the hut, the Vihren summit (2,914 m) is reachable in around 3-4hrs via the slightly shorter southern pass or via the slightly longer and more exposed northern approach through the Vihren/Kutelo saddle. On a sunny day, there aren't any technical problems, apart from some slippery rocks and some scrambling required on the northern approach. These hikes are mainly in open spaces without any forest, and they are a great way to reach the highest mountain of the Pirin National Park while getting great views of the Vihren massif and Vihren plateau, along a constant water spring. It seemed fitting to focus my visit onin the Vihren Area, knowing that the Pirin National Park was previously known as Vihren National Park.

Apart from the different types of pine trees present though, the highlight of my visit in the Pirin National Park were definitely the countless glacial lakes, fed by Europe's southernmost glacial mass. The wildlife is alpine while the flora of Vihren's slopes consists of herbaceous plants and lichens. Vihren is home to a number of habitats, including alpine and subalpine grasslands on a very rocky bedrock. The fauna includes various bird species, small mammals and abundant populations of chamois (although you'll need to keep your eyes peeled and your binoculars ready to spot them in the most unthinkable of rocky ledges. Easier to spot but sometimes equally difficult to photograph are the 116 colourful species of butterflies and the 333 species of moths.

The trails from the Vihren Hut are moderately easy although sturdy shoes are a must and some places might require scrambling. The trails we followed were great for picnics, non-experienced hiking without needing any guide and pleasant for drone photography. We covered the following glacial lakes: Okoto, Muratovo, Ribno "Fish" Lake, Frog Lake, Long Banderitsa Lake and Todorka Lakes. From the latter lakes, there's also a hike to the Todorka summit (2,746 m) via the southern approach. Frogs and mostly trout swimming against the current are abundant not only in the lakes but also in the various gushing streams of the Glazne river.

Since most of these hikes are mostly in open spaces, we also enjoyed a shorter hike in the forest, at much lower altitude, starting the oldest pine tree and heading downhill to the Pirin National Park Visitor Centre in Bansko where the UNESCO WHS inscription plaque and certificate are displayed. There are also several UNESCO information boards along the various trails. When considering how most human activity in summer but especially in winter is focused around the Bansko skiing facilities, and the left is left to nature, I think that it isn't too bad a trade-off for the Pirin National Park. It lacks the wow effect of other mountain ranges in Europe such as the Dolomites but on the other hand it is certainly better than most of the Beech Forests WHS so I feel it deserves its WH status in a continent with few natural WHS.