Stob Pyramids (Стобски пирамиди) or Stobski Pyramids are one of the most unique and lesser know and crowded attractions in Bulgaria. It is located about an hour and half from Sofia and 45 minutes from the town of Blagoevgrad. It is right on the way to the most visited attraction in Bulgaria- The Rila Monastery and is absolutely worth the sidetrack for a quick leg stretch if you are in the area or planning a visit to the monastery.
We suggest you do put the Stob Pyramids in your GPS as a final destination but once you enter the village of Stob to turn it off and follow the signs. If you choose to follow the GPS you will find yourself in an area from where you will overlook the pyramids from a distance but will not be able to do the hike for a better and closer view of the unique sand formations. See bellow:
This is a great option if you are looking to intake a picturesque scenery without the effort of hiking, breath fresh mountain air and maybe enjoy a picnic with a view if you have picked something along the way or packed a delicious meal in your picnic basket.
However if you are looking for a good workout and some heart pumping, follow the signs to the entrance to the trail for the pyramids. The parking lot is plenty big and you will be able to find a spot without a problem. The road leading to it is relatively well paved with several speed bumps along the way and few potholes but that will not be anything you haven’t already encountered at some point while driving in the country.
Although most of the hikes in Bulgaria are free here you will be asked to pay the small amount of 2 levas (kids are free) or 1 leva if you are a student. The lady at the small booth at the beginning of the trail will collect your money and that’s the spot where you can also purchase a souvenir if you will like to take something home to remind you of this beautiful spot.
The first part of the trail is relatively easy. Just follow the cleared wide road that weave through the forest. There are several benches along the way where visitors can sit for a little breather while enjoying the views surrounding them. Make sure to bring lots of water along for the hike. It does take one to two hours to complete the whole trek and there is not a lot of shade along the way where you can hide from the rays especially on a hot summer day. In case of weather and rain there is a shelter about half way where you can hide and wait it out if need be.
You will see a little path going into the woods to your left while on the main road. If you choose to take it you will find this little church here. If this is something that interests you make sure to take the detour and check it out. If it isn’t your thing just follow the main trail and continue up to where the earth pyramids are found.
You will know you have reached the second part of the trail once you start climbing straight up and come out of the woods to the open. Make sure to make frequent stops and turn around to gaze at the beautiful views behind you. I personally love the way back from the top of the pyramids since the whole way down you have the chance to be looking at the beautiful valley and the mountains in the distance.
If you have kids and pets with you make sure to keep them close by once you enter the second part of the trail. There is barely any railing and towards the last section there is actually none. As thrilling and adventurous this trail is it is also extremely dangerous and a fall down the ravine will not be fun. The very last section of the trail is the most dangerous. It is essentially a small narrow path with nothing but the cliff on both sides so we do not recommend attempting this part with kids at all. If you are careful and willing to risk it all the views from the top are definitely worth it.
The locals have given this rock formations many different names from tent rocks to fairy chimneys to the best known naming for them – earth pyramids. Most of the formations look like mushrooms. They typically consist of relatively soft rock topped by a harder, less easily eroded stone (in this case here – a flat hard stones) all of them with the sole purpose of protecting the column from the elements and all created by nature itself.
The tallest rock formation here is as tall as 40 feet and over 200 feet wide at the bottom, but pretty much all of them are different sizes. They consist mostly of aleurolite, clay and sandstone and their colors are very similar to the colors of the pyramids at the Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah USA. It is believed that there was a shallow lake here that accumulated a large number of segments and a lot of clay. The erosion and rainfall than played a big roll by eroding the side of the mountain and creating the final result – this little canyon.
The way back from here is pretty much all downhill with the added bonus of beautiful views all the way down. If you have time make sure to sit back and enjoy the vistas. Wildflowers are abundant here by the trail, bunnies run freely about and you might be lucky enough to see a herd of sheep and goats grazing by in the distance.
If you’ve worked out an appetite after the hike there are several small restaurants in town where you can grab a bite to eat. If you are looking for something more special coming out of the ton of Stob and heading in the direction of the Rila Monastery you will find few really nice riverside “mehanas” that offer traditional bulgarian meals and freshly caught fish made to your liking.
If you visited the Stob Pyramids early in the morning and there is still time in the day make sure to check out Bulgaria’s most visited attraction – Rila Monastery. If there isn’t enough daylight left but you will still like to explore the Church there is the option of spending the night there however the only way to check if there are rooms available is if you call and ask in Bulgarian (as they don’t speak English) or if you go to the Monastery and ask in person. Either way the trouble is definitely worth it as the one of the largest and most famous Orthodox Monasteries in the world.
If the Monastery isn’t something you might be interested in the town of Blagoevgrad is a short easy drive from Stob Pyramids and has a lot to offer. You will find many attractions, restaurants, bars, nightlife and shopping. We highly recommend a stop there as this is one of our favorite spots to kill a day while in Bulgaria.
For more ideas on where to go and what to do in and around this area check out our other block posts and follow is on INSTAGRAM for daily adventure suggestions.