The ski runs of Vitosha are various and would be suitable for skiers and boarders of any level. Vitosha offers six ski runs with various difficulty and length - the green ski run being the easiest and the Vitoshko Lale the most difficult. There is also a trail for ski running - Univerisada, 9600 m long. All ski runs have the necessary facilities. There are a number of chair and drag lifts, and also a Gondola (cabin) lift starting from the outskirts of Sofia at Simeonovo and reaching almost the top of the mountain near Aleko in about 30 minutes.

The Simeonovo - Aleko Cabin (Gondola) Lift
In April 1983 for a very short period the Austrian company Doppelmeyer delivered and put into operation a new rope-way Simeonovo - Aleko. This rope-way is the longest line on the Balkan peninsula, with length of 6,300m. For about 30 minutes the skiers, citizens and guests of Sofia can get from the city to the Aleko chalet in Vitosha resort centre, which is situated close to Vitosha mountain top. In summer the lift works Friday - Sunday only. Public transport to the lift is only by bus lines 122 starting on every hour from Hladilnika station and 123 from Darvenitsa in Sofia city.

The specifications of the cabin rope-way Simeonovo - Aleko are as follows:
> Length of the track - 6,300 m;
> Number of the rope-way stations - 5;
> Maximum passenger capacity - 1,500 passengers per hour;
> Speed - 4 m/s.
> Travel time between terminuses - 30 minutes;
> Cabin capacity - 6 passengers; 250 cabins
> Prices for Return ticket: 2 EUR per Adults; Free for Children under 7 years (winter 2007/2008)

Vitosha is also famous for its rock formations, some of which have volcanic origin and others formed as a result of climatic changes. The most popular formation is "the stone rivers", or "moreni" at Zlatnite Mostove (The Golden Bridges).

Vitosha also offers walls for rock climbing in its Eastern part. The mountain is also popular with the longest cave in Bulgaria - Duhlata, which is 17.5 km long, sprawls on seven levels and six underground rivers run through it.

VITOSHA SKI FACTS:

Altitude – 1800 m

Highest ski point – 2290 m

Marked ski runs – 29 km

Longest ski run – 5 km

Exposure of slopes – North

Cross-country skiing tracks – 15 km

Lifts and drags – six-passenger gondola lift, 1 three-passenger and 1 two-passenger chair lifts, 6 drag lifts and 3 baby drags.

The mountain’s close location to the capital gives tourists the opportunity to get involved in the dynamic atmosphere of Sofia, to plunge into its thousands of years of history and to feel the pulse of its night life. Concerning the hotels and chalets in Vitosha mountain, most of them are basic ones, with very limited facilities. We recommend the hotels in Simeonovo and Dragalevtsi residential areas of Sofia, which have much better facilities and offer very reasonable prices or accommodation in a good hotel in Sofia and taking the cabin lift to the mountaintop for skiing during the day and coming back to Sofia at late evening. Ski rents are available near the runs or in the hotels.

IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS:

Vitosha Mountain Rescue Service: (02)967-11-28 (at Black Peak); (02)967-11-55 (at Aleko Base); Mobile: 088-1472

Simeonovo - Aleko Cabin Lift: (02)961-21-89; 961-20-77