National Parks in Bulgaria

The National Park is a protected area declared and managed by the government. The area of the park is protected from most human impacts of development and pollution. The National parks have a set of rules, which every visitor must comply with during his stay within the protected area. Bulgarian national parks are Pirin, Rila and Central Balkan. Their total area is 193 049 ha, which is over 1/3 of the area of all protected areas in Bulgaria.
Furthermore, Pirin, Rila and Central Balkan are among the largest and most valuable protected areas in Europe. They protect natural ecosystems, iwhich are rarely found in Europe.

Each of the national parks in Bulgaria covers and protects unique examples of natural ecosystems, declared reserves. They are the only or one of the few safe havens for many rare plants and animals of world importance.

Bulgarian national parks reveal wonderful opportunities for tourism, research and education. In the parks are protected rivers, lakes, waterfalls, beautiful landscapes and remarkable sites.

Tourists can choose from a wide variety of different activities such as:
• pedestrian tourism
• mountain biking,
• horse riding,
• Photo Safari,
• wild animals watching
• plants watching
• Climbing,
• mountaineering,
• caving.

Among prohibited by the Protected Areas Act activities are building, fishing and hunting, camping and fires outside designated areas. Violations are punishable by the law.

Pirin National Park

National Park 'Pirin' has a substantial share of Pirin Mountains. Its area is 40 332.4 ha. It borders by seven municipalities of Blagoevgrad - Gotse Delchev, Bansko, Razlog, Simitli, Kresna, Strumiani and Sandanski. There are two natural reserves in the area of the park. The reserve 'Bayuvi dupki - Dzhindzhiritsa' is one of the oldest reserves in Bulgaria. It was announced in 1934 to protect natural relict forests of white and black fir and the wide diversity of plant and animal species.

In 1977was declared a biosphere reserve under the program "Man and biosphere" of UNESCO. The reserve 'Ulen' was declared in 1994. It lies very diversity of the forest, subalpine and alpine ecosystems, and the beauty of all forms of Alpine relief. Due to its unique natural complex of 1983 NP 'Pirin' is object to the World Heritage Convention for the natural and cultural heritage of UNESCO.

Rila National Park

National Park "Rila" is the largest national park in Bulgaria with an area of 81 046 hectares. It is situated in the central and highest parts of the Rila Mountain. It protects: self ecosystems that have significant biodiversity, communities and habitats of rare and endangered species, historical monuments of world importance of science and culture. Hence some of the spring-water and many rivers in the Balkan Peninsula.
Most of the territory of the park is covered with ancient forests of spruce, white fir and white pine. Identified in the park higher plant species are 38.35% higher than the flora of Bulgaria. The total number of endemic species (species with limited geographical distribution) is 57. Local endemic species of them are 3 types, Bulgaria - 18, and 36 species are Balkan endemic species. The total number of relicts (species, a remnant of past geological epochs) in the territory of the park is 105 (74 types of ice age, and 31 species of tertiary). Species of higher plants in a park in the Red Book of Bulgaria entered 98 - 13% of all species in the Red Book. 141 species are medicinal plants, 20 of them are in the Red Book, a protected by Nature Protection are 8 species. 282 species are mosses, fungi - 233 species (11.6% of established in Bulgaria), and algae - 130 species.
This part of the Rila mountain inhabited by 2934 species and 172 invertebrate species of vertebrate animals in Bulgaria. The bird world is represented by 99 species, which is about 30 percent of the nesting species in the country, a 94 species have conservation status. Of vertebrates that occur in the park, 121 species were recorded in Bulgarian Red Book, 15 species - in the European Red Book, 24 species - in the red list of the International Union for the Protection of Nature (IUCN), a 158 - to the lists to the Berne Convention. Of 41 kinds of invertebrates are included in the World and European lists of endangered species.
In Rila National Park is presented 60 types of habitats. Of these, 29 were of high conservation significance and are included in the list of endangered habitat requiring special conservation measures under the Habitats Directive of the European Union and Resolution 4, relating thereto.
The park covers extensive grasslands, more than 100 peaks with an altitude over 2000 m, rock walls, precipices, caves, deep canyons and waterfalls. In the territory of the park there are about 120 lakes, of which 70 are from the ice age.
The park was declared a national of February 24, 1992. It was one of the most valuable and the largest protected areas in Europe. The park and four reserves are in the List of protected areas representative of the United Nations. The reserve "Parangalitsa" and former “Marichini Lakes” (which is included in the territory of the Central Rila Reserve) are part of the World biosphere reserves network program" Man and biosphere "by UNESCO. In the territory of Rila National Park is the largest reserve in the country - the Central Rila Reserve with an area of 12 393.7 hectares, and one of the oldest reserves in Bulgaria - Parangalitsa, announced in 1933.

Central Balkan National Park

National park "Central Balkan is situated in the heart of Bulgaria
in the central and highest parts of the Stara Planina area of 71 669.5 hectares.
There are self protect ecosystems possessing exceptional biological diversity, communities and habitats of rare and endangered species, historical monuments of world importance of science and culture.
Most of the territory of the park is covered with ancient beech forests, spruce, fir, and hornbeam durmast. Park’s established higher plant species are more than the half of the Bulgarian flora. Of these, 10 species and 2 subspecies are found only in the Central Balkan and nowhere in the world. 166 species are medicinal plants, 12 of them are protected by law. Wild species richness complement 229 mosses, 256 species of mushrooms. 188 kinds of algae. This part of the Balkan Mountains inhabited by 70% invertebrates and 62% of vertebrate animals in Bulgaria. The bird world is represented by 224 species, among which those given the park status of ornithological important internationally. More than 130 species of plants and animals found in the Central Balkan are entered in the Bulgarian and World Red Book.
In the National park "Central Balkan" are presented 49 types of habitats. Of these, 24 are of high conservation significance and are included in the list of endangered habitats that require special conservation measures under the Habitats Directive of the European Union.
The park covers large meadows, a chain of raw peaks, 20 of which over 2000 meters high rock walls, precipices, caves, deep canyons and high waterfalls. Central Balkan is a favorite spot of tourists, naturalist and nature-lovers.
National park "Central Balkan" was created to preserve the unique wildlife of the Central Stara Planina and related traditions and livelihood of the local population. The state and the society ensure the protection of public wealth by declaring that the National Park in 1991. Central Balkan is one of the most valuable and most important protected areas in Europe. The park and 8 of its reserves are in the List of protected areas representative of the UN, and 4 of them are part of the global biosphere reserves network program "Man and biosphere" by UNESCO.
Since 2003 the Central Balkan National Park is a member of the European network of national parks PAN Parks - international evaluation of its well-maintained and managed wildlife. Since 2004 is winner of the PAN Parks certificate and the region of the park and since 2005 the first twelve entrepreneurs in the tourism business to become PAN Parks Foundation and the Central Balkan NP.
PAN Parks certificates are a sign that the protected area be protected because of the high importance of its biodiversity, but also because of its role for social development through sustainable tourism - a source of livelihood for local people.