Program Overview
This 13-day cultural walking tour will guide you through the captivating landscapes of Macedonia. You will explore the natural beauty of Mavrovo National Park and visit the picturesque Painted Mosque in Tetovo. The tour is full of exhilarating hikes and other activities, including a visit to the stunning Sarkova Dupka Cave. Immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage as you discover historic landmarks like the Bigorski Monastery and explore the charming city of Ohrid. Indulge in a cooking workshop at a private beach, have a relaxed afternoon at Prespa Lake and enjoy a wine tasting experience in Demir Kapija. Visit monasteries, waterfalls, and archaeological sites, and admire the unique site of Kokino. Conclude your journey with a visit to the magnificent Matka Canyon and a city tour of Skopje. Throughout your adventure, enjoy group meetings, delicious meals, and comfortable overnight stays in carefully selected accommodations. This comprehensive itinerary ensures an unforgettable exploration of Macedonia’s diverse landscapes, history, gastronomy and culture. Travel With A Story and make your vacation story of a lifetime.
Trip Highlights
- Capital Skopje
- Matka Canyon
- Decorated Mosque - Tetovo
- National Park Mavrovo
- National Park Galicica
- National Park Pelister
- Old Town Krusevo
- UNESCO Old Town Ohrid
- Bigorski Monastery - St. John the Baptist
- St. Naum Monastery
- Lake Prespa
- Lake Ohrid
- Treskavec Monastery - Holy Mother of God
- WIne tasting - Demir Kapija
- Smolare and Kolesino Waterfalls
- Archaeo Archaeological Observatory Kokino
- Cave - Sarkova Dupka
- Monastery Vodoca - St. Leontij
- Monastery Veljusa - Holy Mother of God Eleusa
- Monastery of Berovo - Archangel Mihail
- Lesnovski Monastery - St. Gavril Lesnovski
- Old Town Kratovo
- Cave Vrelo
Price Descripiton
- The Tour Price is calculated for minimum of 2 and maximum of 7 persons.
- When you finish with booking details you only need to Pay 30% deposit from the initial price for confirmation of your booking.
- The rest of the amount should be paid at least 10 Days before the Starting Date of the Tour, after which we can no longer guarantee the initial price of the Tour.
- If 1 person stays as only booked person, the Tour can be canceled with a full refund 10 Days before the Starting Day of the Tour, or on request of the person(traveler) the Tour can still be done with a Price for Private Tour.
Itinerary - (Day to Day)
Welcome to Skopje, Macedonia. If you arrive early in the morning you can explore the city on your own until the meeting with your tour guide / tour leader and fellow travelers at 13:00 PM at the welcome meeting point which will be announced within the booked group. After our acquaintance, we have a transfer from Skopje to National Park Mavrovo, on the way, short stop for a visit of the Decorated Mosque in Tetovo. Dinner and overnight stay in NP Mavrovo.
Short transfer, hiking with a local mountain guide on altitude from 1500 - 2000 m above sea level and during hike we have time for lunch (picnic). after the hike visit of village Galicnik, cave visit, dinner and overnight stay, again in NP Mavrovo.
Transfer Mavrovo –monastery Bigorski, through the gorge of river Radika. Visit of the monastery, short transfer and a small walk to Waterfall Duf and back. Before we start driving to Ohrid, lunch time. Upon arrival in Ohrid we have city tour in old town, than check-in, dinner and overnight stay in Ohrid.
Transfer Ohrid – Velestovo. Walking from Velestovo – Konjsko – Elzani – Pestani, private beach time with cooking lessons and lunch. Free evening , no organized dinner tonight. Overnight stay in the same place in Ohrid.
Transfer Ohrid –St. Naum. Boat ride, transfer to Livada, small walk for good photos. The transfer continues down to Lake Prespa and our accommodation. Before dinner we can visit the local monasteries of Kurbinovo and Slivnica, overnight stay near the beach at Lake Prespa.
Transfer Prespa – Hotel Molika. Hiking in the impressive and small National Park Pelister, than transfer to Krusevo. Dinner and overnight stay in the highest town in Macedonia and the Balkan, Krusevo.
Short transfer to the point where we start the walk. Hiking around Krusevo with a picnic, finishing the walk with a tandem paragliding (optional) and nice town sightseeing. Dinner and overnight stay in Krusevo.
Transfer Krusevo – Prilep. Hiking from Prilep to the monastery Treskavec and back to the city. Transfer Prilep – Demir Kapija. Organized dinner with wine tasting, overnight stay.
Transfer Demir Kapija - Strumica, Visit of the two monasteries Vodoca and Veljusa, than transfer to Smolare village, walk to the Waterfall and back to the village,organized lunch, short drive to Koleshino village to see the next Waterfall. Transfer to Bansko – Strumica. Overnight stay in Strumica, today no organized dinner.
Transfer Strumica - Dvoriste. Walking from Dvoriste – Berovo Lake, transfer to Berovo. Dinner and overnight stay in Berovo.
Transfer Berovo – Vinica – Kocani – Lesnovo. Visit of the monastery and a walk around the village and the man made caves. Transfer to nearby town Kratovo for a lunch and city tour, than drive to Kokino megalithic observatory, short walk around the site before we continue driving to our accomodation in Skopje. Dinner and overnight stay.
Visit of Matka canyon, easy walk and a boat ride to the cave Vrelo. Visit of the cave. City tour Skopje. Organized last dinner in a local restaurant.
Breakfast and end of the tour.
Depend on the requests from the group organized transfer to Skopje International airport, or other airports can be organized by us for additional price.
Includes
- - Round trip and connecting transfers (optional)
- - All other on-site transfers by minibus or land rover, according to program
- - Overnight stays in hotels in rooms with shower and toilet
- - All breakfasts and dinners from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 12 (excl. dinner on day 4, 7 and 9)
- - Dinner on day 1,2,3,5,6,8,10 and 12
- - Lunch on day 4 and 9
- - Wine tasting on day 8
- - Boat trip day 5 and 12
- - Macedonian Storytelling Tour Leader/Guide for the whole journey (English Speaking)
- - Local guides
- - Entry fees
- - Transportation and driver from start to finish in comfortable vehicle
Excludes
- - Lunches (except lunch on day 4 and 9)
- - Dinner on day 4, 7 and 9
- - Expenses of personal cost
- - Insurances
- - Tourist taxes
- - Tips for the Guide and Driver ( optional, But very much appreciated )
Travel Details
About the accommodations
We stay in good hotels, in double rooms with shower and toilet. You can also choose single rooms for an additional charge. The hotels are by Western standards, reasonable to good.
The first nights we stay in the village of Mavrovo, in the National Park Mavrovo, in a Family Style Mountain House. The rooms are well furnished, spacious and comfortable. The place also features a sun terrace with beautiful views over Lake Mavrovo. Class **, 2 nights.
In Ohrid we stay in a modern and comfortable Accommodations. Ohrid have many Hotels, but we always choose to stay there in a cozy, comfortable, worm and small size hotels, with a unique story, with excellent rooms, a cozy terrace, bar and restaurant. The rooms are fine and comfortable and equipped with a modern bathroom, air conditioning, heating, TV, internet connection, etc. Class ***, 2 nights.
At the foot of Baba Mountains and walking distance from the shore of Lake Prespa, we stay in another small and very beautiful hotel Galaxy in Pretor. The rooms are very spacious, comfortable, modern toilets, TV,Wi-Fi, and other commodities, terasses with chairs and tables which are surounded by nice garden. Class ***, 1 nights.
In Krusevo, we stay in local Family Appartements in the town, and that is to fulfill the actual story for this little town. The apartments are modern, comfortable, with all the needed amenities, TV, Wi-Fi, modern toilets with shower,ets. Class ***, 2 nights
Just outside the village of Demir Kapija, the Popova Kula wine estate is located on a hill with a beautiful view of the surroundings. The building is surrounded by vineyards and a large lawn and features a renowned restaurant, a wine shop. Wine tastings are also held. The rooms are very comfortable. Class ****, 1 nights.
Hotel Manastir is located on the edge of the mountain little town of Berovo, directly opposite the historic Women’s Monastery. This traditional-style hotel houses small but tastefully decorated rooms. The hotel has a cozy garden, little outside pool and bar. Class ***, 1 nights.
In Skopje there are also many hotels, so we choose to stay in smaller hotels. The rooms are extremely comfortable, with luxurious bathrooms, all equipped with every comfort. Class ***, 2 nights.
About the meals
The trip is on a half-board basis, which means that breakfast and dinner are included (except 1 dinner in Ohrid, 1 dinner in Krusevo and 1 dinner in Strumica). Usually we dine in the hotel restaurant, sometimes in a good restaurant in the place where we stay (such as in Mavrovo, Krusevo and in Skopje). Here we taste the good and tasty cuisine of the Balkans, where the best regional products, often produced in an ecological way, are served: lots of fresh fish, vegetables and fruit and delicious spicy meat dishes. We also have dinner in a restaurant in Skopje. Dinner is not included on day 4, day 7 and day 9. Then you can dine in one of the many local restaurants in Ohrid, Krusevo or Strumica.
Lunches are not included; on most days you can do your own shopping in a local shop or on the market for a picnic in the middle of nature. On some days you can have lunch at a local restaurant. On day 4, lunch at a Private beach by Lake Ohrid is included, and on day 9, lunch organized in a village garden is also included. On day 8, a small wine tasting has also been arranged at the Popova Kula wine estate.
Travel information
You will receive all necessary travel information digitally on your Email more than 2 weeks before departure.
About the activities
The walks generally take good paths and country lanes. We also come across old paved, now disused footpaths. The smaller mountain trails are sometimes narrow or overgrown and can be steep. Loose stones on the path are no exception. The walks are never difficult, but do have considerable height differences. The pace is such that you have enough time along the way to take photos or look around you. The duration of the walks is on average between 2 and 6 hours (pure walking time); the length varies from 6 to 15 kilometers. Sometimes we are on the road for a whole day, other times only a morning or afternoon walk is planned. The height differences per day vary between 200 and 500 m ascent and/or descent. Good walking fitness and high-necked walking shoes are therefore a requirement for this trip. Extendable walking sticks are recommended because of the sometimes stony and in some parts steep paths. Of course you can also stay at the hotel and plan your day yourself. After all, our program is without obligation.
