“Bulgaria? Why do you go to Bulgaria to hike in a region that looks exactly like the Alps here in Austria?” This was the question my Austrian friends asked me when I showed them my photos of Pirin National Park. Of course, the answer is clear, at least for members of this community: it is a World Heritage Site. But in fact, the similarities are undeniable.
Pirin National Park encompasses the northern part of the Pirin Mountains. Most of the inscribed area is above an altitude of 2000 metres, including Vihren, the highest peak at 2914 metres. The national park is best accessed at the town of Bansko on the north-eastern side. And it is here that you can see the biggest threat to the WHS and the national park, the ski area. A large, wedge-shaped area of the WHS has been cleared for ski slopes and more than a dozen ski lifts. In 2010, this area (and a smaller one a little further south) was removed from the core zone and declared a buffer zone. A ski area as the buffer zone? Strange idea. When you drive from Bansko to the Banderitsa Hut, you will pass this area. In summer, it looks really desolate and bare. Surprisingly, the WHC accepted this boundary modification, especially in view of the discussion with Vienna or Liverpool, to name just two examples. But since then, there have been several requests from the WHC not to expand the ski area and its facilities.

The core zone of the WHS begins at the Banderitsa Hut at an altitude of 1810 metres. About 500 metres from the hut, a wooden stairway leads to Baikushevata Mura, a 1300-year-old pine tree. It is only a short walk, perfect if you don't want to hike or the weather is too bad. After another two kilometres you reach the Vihren Hut (at 1972 m). A special feature of the Pirin National Park are the more than one hundred glacial lakes. From the Vihren hut you have various options for short or longer hikes. With each alternative you will see at least one, but more likely several of these small lakes. The website of the Bansko Tourist Information offers some suggestions. The hiking routes are described in detail and the trails are marked, although not as extensively as in the Alps. But you can hardly get lost, the way back downhill actually always leads back to the Vihren hut.
I decided to do a combination of the Intermediate Walks 2 and 3. After a few minutes, after crossing a wooden bridge, I already reached the first glacial lake, Okoto Lake. And after about an hour, always along the course of the stream, I came to Banderishko Lake (2190 m). Further uphill are Zhabeshkoto Lake (2322 m) and Dalgato Lake (2310 m). The photo shows the view back to Banderishko Lake. Actually, I wanted to go up further to the Kremenski Lakes, but there was a thunderstorm warning for the afternoon, so I turned back. On the way back, I made a detour to Murotovo Lake. All in all, my hike from the Vihren Hut and back took about 4.5 hours.

I stayed overnight in Bansko. The town is also an example of an ugly ski resort in summer. During the ski season, the restaurants, bars and shops are certainly crowded and busy.  But in summer, many of them were closed and the streets were almost deserted.  There is also an old town centre, not particularly pretty, but at least it was livelier there. And I had the best meal of my Bulgaria trip there: a poached trout.
Pirin National Park is one of Bulgaria's better World Heritage Sites. I visited the World Heritage sites in western Bulgaria in September 2018 prior to our WH meetup. I enjoyed my mountain hike. The high mountain peaks offer a magnificent scenery and the many glacial lakes make for variety.

Getting there and parking
You can start your hike in Bansko, but I would not recommend that. Better you take the gondola. It takes about an hour to walk from the upper gondola lift station (Banderishka poliana) to the Banderitsa Hut, and another 30 minutes to the Vihren Hut. In summer (July - September), there is a bus shuttle from Bansko to Vihren hut.
By car: there is a parking lot at the Banderitsa hut. There is little space for parking at the Vihren Hut, but there are some spots along the road where you can park. I was early enough to find a place for my rental car about 200 metres from the Vihren Hut.