Muratov Peak

bootsandbanter
1 hour ago
4 min read

Same mountain, very different memory

📍Route: Vihren hut → Muratovo Lake ️ → Banderitsa gate → Muratov Peak

📏Distance: 10 km

⬆️Ascent: 833 m

⌛Time: 7 hours

📅 8 August 2026

Weather: Dry, crystal-clear visibility

Mood: Happy to be back in those mountains

The Return to Muratov Peak

View from the peak in one direction, endless mountains

Nine years after my first ascent of Muratov Peak, I was back.

We started from Vihren Hut in glorious sunshine. The weather looked almost identical to that first visit, but I remembered exactly what happened later that day 9 years ago, and that memory was very much in the back of my mind.

The descent on that earlier trip had turned into one of the most frightening experiences I have ever had in the mountains. We were caught in a thunderstorm, with lightning literally striking around us. The paths quickly became streams and we were soaked to the underwear. Being wet was the least of our concerns. The fear of being struck by lightning was very real. It is a memory I will never forget.

And knowing that thunderstorms in the Pirin Mountains are not something to mess around with, especially given the fatalities that occur sometimes, I was paying very close attention to the forecast this time.

The 2026 forecast gave us a chance of thunderstorms after 3 pm. We had a mission.

Up to Muratovo Lake

View from Muratovo lake towards Todorka (11th highest peak in Pirin - 2746 m)

The first part of the route is relatively straightforward. From Vihren Hut, the path towards Muratovo Lake is pleasant, with fewer rocks and a much easier gradient. The scenery quickly becomes impressive, and then you reach Muratovo Lake. What a place!

The lake is stunning, surrounded by the dramatic Pirin landscape, and the views from here are already enough to make you stop and stare.

But this is also where the character of the route changes.

Banderitsa’s Gate

The way to Banderitsa gate, massive scattered boulders everywhere

From Muratovo Lake, the path becomes considerably harder.

The gradient steepens and the terrain turns increasingly rocky, with large rocks all the way towards the pass known as Banderitsa’s Gate, or Banderishka Porta.

From the gate, it gets steeper again.

The route heads almost straight upwards over some seriously large boulders, with another faint path running close to the edge. If you choose the boulders, you definitely need your hands in most places. We ended up combining both options, scrambling over the larger rocks where it looked enjoyable and using the path where that made more sense.

It is a proper mountain section, and I loved it.

Muratov Peak

We made it to the top. Vihren with its marble top behind us (the 2nd highest in Bulgaria 2914 m)

And then you reach the top. The views from Muratov Peak, 2,669 m, are incredible.

You can see around 10 to 14 glacial lakes spread across the surrounding landscape, along with huge dramatic cirques and some of Pirin's most impressive peaks.

One of the big ones dominating the skyline is Vihren, 2,914 m, with its towering marble crest.

This is exactly why Muratov is one of my favourite peaks. It feels like standing at a gateway to Pirin.

The summit gives you these huge, clear sightlines across the range, allowing you to take in the scale of the mountains, the glacial lakes and the surrounding cirques all at once.

We stayed there for a long time, simply enjoying it. There was absolutely no reason to rush (the thunderstorms forecasted moved to 3 pm and it was only after 11 am).

Scrambling Back Down

For the descent, we decided not to follow the path.

Instead, we scrambled down the massive boulders. It was fun, different and probably a little more entertaining than taking the sensible route back down. 😂

Eventually we made our way back towards Muratovo Lake, where we stopped again.

This time we noticed something we had missed on the way up: the lake was full of tiny fish.

An Unexpected Encounter

Next to the river we encountered these horses (with very full bellies)

Near the river, we then spotted a herd of horses. Of course, we had to go and have a look.

We walked towards them and most of them seemed completely uninterested, happily sleeping or resting. I still find weird how horses sleep standing up.

Then, almost as if they had collectively decided we had been close enough, they suddenly woke up and disappeared into the vegetation.

We were lucky to have caught them at all. A completely unexpected little mountain moments that makes for good memories.

This Time, No Thunderstorm

Incredible views, incredible memory (second time lucky)

And the weather? Perfect. There was no drama this time. We completed the hike without the mountain deciding to recreate my previous nightmare.

Then, as we drove back towards Bansko, we turned around and looked towards the mountains. Muratov was completely engulfed in clouds. (!) Timing. Absolutely perfect timing.

Nine years ago, I came down from Muratov peak with one of my scariest mountain memories. This time, I came down with sunshine, incredible views, a bit of scrambling, a herd of horses and a very satisfying feeling that Muratov had finally given me the experience I wanted.

Thank the Pirin Mountain Gods for that.

🔍 Final Thoughts

Muratov Peak was always going to be special for me because of what happened here nine years ago. This time, everything came together: perfect weather, incredible views, a fun scramble, a surprise herd of horses and, most importantly, a safe return before the clouds rolled in.