The Martyintsa Shelter is located at an altitude of 1500 m a.s.l., beneath Martinova Chuka Peak. Without hesitation, we can say that it is one of the coziest and best-maintained mountain shelters. It was built by locals from the village of Martinovo on a meadow nestled among ancient trees. The shelter consists of two buildings. The first is the main shelter, featuring a narrow corridor and a two-level bunk that can accommodate up to 12 people. It is equipped with a stove, a table, plenty of blankets and pillows, and even spices and canned goods. The space is easy to heat, and fallen dry branches for the stove can be found in the nearby forest. We encourage you to bring candles, matches, and utensils (cups, etc.), leave firewood for the next visitors, and ensure the door is securely closed when leaving, especially during snowy weather.
The second building is a "dining area" with a large table and benches. It is not entirely enclosed and is better suited for use during the warmer months. Water can be found 100 meters east of the shelter, towards the village of Martinovo, in the beech forest. There is a small path leading to the spring, but it can be difficult to find when there is snow.
The construction of the Martyintsa Shelter makes it easier to ascend Midzhur Peak from the east, standing at 2168 meters and recognized as the highest peak in the Western Balkans and the highest in Serbia. From the shelter, it takes about 2.5–3 hours to reach the summit. The route involves climbing Martinova Chuka Peak and then following the ridge along the border between Bulgaria and Serbia.
Close to the Martyintsa Shelter is an old Roman road, though its remains are hard to locate as they are heavily overgrown.
The starting point is the checkpoint above the village of Martinovo, Chiprovtsi Municipality. You can reach it by car or public transport. Several buses run daily between Montana and Martinovo (39 km), and Montana itself is well-connected with trains and regular bus lines.
The hike from the checkpoint to the shelter takes about 3–4 hours. Initially, the path runs along the southern side of the Naydenitsa River, then crosses back to the northern side. Shortly after the third bridge, you will see a right-hand turn leading uphill toward the shelter. Look out for the trail that branches off the road and climbs steeply through a planted coniferous forest, followed by an old beech forest. At the end of the climb, the trail opens onto a meadow before transitioning back into a road. The road winds through the saddle between Gola Glava and Naydenitski Ryt peaks, turning left and leading directly to the Martyintsa Shelter.
If you have more time, we recommend continuing westward along the ridge from Midzhur Peak to descend to the Gorski Ray Hut—a very welcoming and clean place with delicious food. Just call ahead, as the hosts are not always present at the hut.