Bistritsa Waterfall

Bistritsa Waterfall features a 35m tumbling drop along the Dupnishka Bistritsa river, tucked away in the Rila mountains above the village of Bistritsa. The water tumbles down the hillside in several cascades over large stone blocks, with green pools between them. A dirt road bridge crosses just below the falls giving the perfect view up the hill over all the various drops. From the bridge you can highlight the lower drop with the pools stacked above it, plus there are usually smaller side flows spilling around mossy rocks to the right. Just past the bridge, a steep path will take you to the top in about five minutes. Shooting back down towards the bridge gives you an amazing view over the falls and valley or you can shoot upstream into the top half of the cascades. Spring and early summer run heaviest. In autumn the thick trees along the stream turn rich yellows and oranges that contrast beautifully against the lush green spruce. The walk in takes about two hours each way on the Bistritsa to Samokovishteto eco trail with lots of scenic viewpoints along the way. First 30 to 40 minutes climb steeply through forest, then the route flattens onto a gravel road that 4x4s and motorbikes also use. Parking is limited and fills up on weekends so it's best to plan on arriving early. (Bistritsa, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria)