September 2025 was surprisingly good for cross-country paragliding flights. Perhaps, the hot dry season made these juicy cloud streets and strong thermals work well until late.

SkyNomad instructors and a ground of New Caledonia pilots went to explore Rila and Rodopi mountains. The surrounding lowlands were full of inversions but high terrain worked well with close to 4000 meters cloudbase, gentle lift and calm winds. Floating over Musala – the highest peak on the Balkans (2925 m), and landing next to Granchar lake for sleep were timeless. Nikolay Yotov managed to fly the entire Rila from east to west (Belmeken to Ivan Vazov hut) and then back, passing over Beli Iskar dam, Ribni ezera lakes, Rila Monastery, Malyovitsa, 7 lakes of Rila:

But the next day was even better when we managed to fly the Great West Rodopi convergence. Normally, we don’t fly above forest, we always try to have a landing field in sight. But in Rodopi, the deeper you go over the forest, the better lift you find. Magic and addictive flight from Rila to the Devin and Gyovren via Yakoruda, Beglik, Shiroka poliana: