Vihren peak is 2914 m high. There is a weather station at 1950 m. The average annual precipitation is 1150 mm, and the snow cover reaches 3 m. Vihren with its 2914 meters is the leader of Pirin. The Thracians called the mountain Orbelos /snow-white/, and the Slavs at first called it Yudenitsa /Samodivska/, and later Perin, because they were convinced that its highest peak was inhabited by the god Perun himself.
But according to the interpretation of academician Vladimir Georgiev, the name comes from the Thracian word “perintos”, which means “rock”, or from the Hittite “perunash”. Until 1942, Vihren was called Eltepe /peak of the storms/.
It is part of the eponymous national park created in 1962, which in 1975 received the name “Pirin”. With an area of over 40,000 hectares, the park protects unique endemic, endangered and rare plants, as well as the variety of animal species that inhabit it. Through In 1983, it was included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage List.
At the foot of the mountain, stop to see the Baykusheva wall, which bears the name of its discoverer, the forester Kosta Baikushev. He examined the tree in 1897 and estimated its age at 1,200 years then. Its dimensions are truly impressive: a height of 24 meters, a diameter of 2 meters and 2 centimeters and a circumference of almost eight.
Pirin is extremely rich in life. 1300 species are higher plants /which is a third of all known in Bulgaria/, 320 species of mosses and several hundred species of algae. 18 in number are the local endemic plants that are found only in Pirin. The wealth of animal species is even greater. But that’s not the case with Vihren. Because it is the second highest in Bulgaria after Musala and third on the Balkan Peninsula after Mitikas in Olympus /Greece/.
It is built of marbles that do not retain water and that is why there are no rivers or lakes in the area of the summit. The vegetation on its slopes is poor – grass and lichens, but in return for this, the edelweiss is found in abundance on the rocky edge of Jamjievi rocks.
The animal world is richer – birds, small rodents, but mostly wild goats, which inhabit the Kazanite area at its foot.
Several routes lead to the peak itself, but it is best to go from Bansko to the “Bunderitsa” and “Vihren” huts, which offer very good conditions for staying.
The so-called “classic route” – the main trail, known as the Tsar’s Trail – starts from the “Vihren” hut. But it’s good to have some physical fitness, because the path is steep – in a short time you reach an elevation gain of almost a kilometer up. In summer, the climb from the hut to the top takes about 3-4 hours, depending on the physical condition of the tourists. Undoubtedly, then is the best time to reach Vihren’s brow.
Do not forget the good equipment, because in this, and not only in this mountain, the weather can change quickly and abruptly, even during the most favorable season. It is also a good idea to let the lodge know about your venture and to have your cell phone battery well charged. But the effort is worth it because you will be richly rewarded for it. Of the extraordinary beauty of Pirin – this supposedly small and compact mountain, but conquering with its greatness. You will find a lot of charm in the deep valleys of the Vlahinska and Banderishka rivers, in the silent squats, in the play of light and shadows.
The average annual absolute minimum temperature is between (-25 C) and (-21 C), and the maximum temperature is between 15 C and 23 C. Vihren can be reached by many roads, but the most convenient and popular is the route from Bansko.
Contacts:
Possibility of overnight stay: h. “Vihren”. For contacts: phone: 0889 834277.
