Hike & Culture North Macedonia

Macedonia is indeed a beautiful and underrated trekking destination in Europe, with its vast mountain ranges and peaks providing a perfect opportunity for hiking enthusiasts. The western part of North Macedonia boasts of three National Parks, each with its unique landscapes and rails, providing hikers of all levels with and unforgettable experience.

In addition to the beautiful landscapes, North Macedonia is known for its rich history and delicious cuisine. While on the hiking trails, you ill have the opportunity to taste the local food and wine, visit sheep farms and wineries and enjoy farm to table family restaurants, which will undoubtedly enhance your overall experience .

This tour is perfect for those looking for an active holiday combined with relaxation and exploration of a new culture. With the guidance of experienced local guides, you ca fully immerse yourself in the beauty and culture of North Macedonia, creating memories that will last a life time.

Description

1 day Shar mountain National Park hike and overnight
2 days Mavrovo National Park hike and overnights
3 days Ohrid region with a hike at Galicica mountain National park and one free activities day.

1 day Skopje with overnight in Kamnik Hunters Lodge and winery ( special wine degustation dinner )

Day 1 - Arrival and Transfer to Shar Mountains

Arrival at Skopje International Airport and transfer to Popova Shapka ( Shar Mountains National Park ) where we get accommodated in Hotel Scardus & SPA. There we will have a general briefing about the tour and free activities such as SPA and dinner.

If time allows, we will have a city tour of Skopje and lunch in the old bazaar.

The night we will spend it. HOTEL Scardus, a wonderful 4* mountain hotel, owned by people

with real passion for the local products and cuisine. We will have a traditional dinner, a fine

introduction to our amazing food, which is a mixture of Greek and Turkish influence with a local

And the local wine selection is also outstanding.

The Shar Mountain where we spend our first overnight and hikes, is the newest National park in

the country, pronounced only a year ago. The mountain is also the biggest in Macedonia and

Kosovo, and is a home to over 2500 species of plants and various wildlife, like bears, wolves

and even lynx.

Our hotel also has a SPA center free to use.

 

Day 2 - Hike to Peak Plat

07:30 Breakfast
09:00 Starting with the Hike to Plat.
15;00 Lunch in Hotel Scardus
Transfer to village Janche Mavrovo National Park with overnight in Hotel Tuto

We start from Popova Shapka, from our hotel at an altitude of 1,700 m (5,577 ft), before

climbing up to 2,100 m (6,890 ft) and proceeding along a dirt road.

On our way we will enjoy spectacular views of Kobilica peak, Piribeg and even Ljuboten peak,

the start of the mountain. We hike up to the saddle leading to the Upper Leshnica valley at

2,200 m (7,218 ft), taking in views to the middle Leshnica rocks and Tito’s peak, the highest

peak of the Shar Mountains and the second highest in the country.

We will descend from Upper to Lower Leshnica, at 1,300 m (4,265 ft), a place where two

mountain rivers join, and take a short hike through a deep forest to a waterfall coming down in a

cave. One of the most scenic areas in the whole mountain. We’ll have a barbecue picnic in this

natural setting and will return to Popova Shapka using all-terrain vehicles.

On return to Popova Sapka we will have a late checkout and drive for approx. 2 hours to our

next destination, Mavrovo National Park.

Our hotel for the night is the unique Hotel Tutto, a clay made hotel with an amazing host. The

owner is an amazing character, dedicated builder and restorer of old houses as well as a

master chef.

We will enjoy the traditional Mavrovo cuisine, including specialities from lamb and beef, local

cheese and the amazing porcini mushrooms.

Hike length: 16km

Positive altitude gain: 800 meters

Day 3 - Hiking Galichnik

07:30 Breakfast
09:00 Start Hike towards the village of Galicnik 15:00 Lunch at local restaurant

GalicÌŒnik is a mountain village in North Macedonia and along with Lazaropole is one of the two

biggest and oldest Mijak villages in the region. GalicÌŒnik has well-preserved traditional

architecture, including an amphitheater in the village square, and is famous for its surrounding

countryside and nature reserve. People from GalicÌŒnik and northwestern North Macedonia

appreciate the local yellow cheese kasÌŒkaval (Kashkaval) that is produced in the region as well

as the local salt brine white cheese "belo sirenje" which is a homemade speciality for this

region.

After breakfast we will start hiking from the hotel. We hike the old trading trail, connecting our

village to the village of Galicnik, the architectural wonder of Macedonian mountains. The village

was once even considered to be a city, and it was in the center for the wool business in the

Balkans. Now only the big stone houses are representing the once glorious past. We will arrive

at the small B&B in the village for a short tea, and continue our hike to Medenica peak, the

highest peak in Bistra mountain (2165m).

The peak gives us an amazing view to Shar mountain we just visited a day before, and to

Korab, the highest mountain in both Macedonia and Albania.

We will descend via another path, and get a pick up from our van. On the drive back to Hotel

Tutto, we will stop and visit St. John the Baptist monastery, which just celebrated 1000 years of

existence. We can have an early dinner in the monastery restaurant , chosen to be the best

restaurant in the country. We drive back (10min) to hotel Tutto and relax for one more night

there.

 

Day 4 - Hiking Deshat Mountain

07:30 Brekfast
09:00 Start hiking Deshat mountain 16:30 visit of Vevchani village & lunch

Hike length. 16km
Positive altitude gain. 1150 meters

Breakfast and checkout. In 25 minutes driving we are at the base of Deshat mountain and the beautiful peak Krchin (2360. The trails start wiggling through beautiful mountain springs and rich beech forest. It comes to an amazing alpine terrain, opening a view toward Bistra mountain, and our previous hiking challenge. The ridge line we exit on is the border with Albania, and the peak itself has the remains of a church having the entrance on the Albanian side and althar from Macedonian side of the peak.

On our way to Ohrid will make brake in the famous village of Vevcani with visit of the water springs and lunch in a family restaurant.

We descend to our van, and drive towards the amazing UNESCO protected city of Ohrid.
We will settle in our hotel, by Ohrid lake, the oldest lake in Europe, and have a short walk out to dinner.

Hike length. 15km
Positive altitude gain: 1100 meters

Day 5 - Free Activity Day Ohrid

Free activity day in Ohrid

Ohrid is a city in the southwestern part of Macedonia, on the northeast coast of Ohrid Lake.

Ohrid and Lake Ohrid are one of the main tourist destinations in Macedonia. This city is located

in the southwestern part of Macedonia, on the north-eastern coast of the Ohrid Lake. In terms of

traffic it is linked to roads leading to Skopje, Bitola, Debar and the Republic of Albania. The old

road Via Egnatia, linking the Adriatic and the White Sea, also passed in its vicinity, which was

an important circumstance for the development of Ohrid in the past. Traffic on the waters of the

Ohrid Lake is of little importance. It is used in the function of fishing and for tourist purposes.

Free choice activities around city and lake Ohrid

Sailing
Hystorical City Tour Paragliding Wakesurfing
SUP

Day 6 – Hike at Jablanica Mountain

The Yablanica mountain is one of the least visited beauties in Macedonia. Formed as an old

volcano, it is a lively mountain full of small rivers, pastures and high forests. It is also a National

Park from the side of Albania, and gives us one of the best views to the amazing Ohrid lake.

We start from the famous village Gorna Belica and we will have a easy going round trip to the

local peaks with returning back to the village

Hike length 11km

Elevation 600m

Day 7 – Sightseeing & Departure

The two lakes hike up to the peak Magaro on the top of Galicica Mountain National park.

Breakfast and checkout. We will drive up to the high mountain pass between Ohrid and Prespa

lakes, stopping to enjoy the view of the massive lakes beneath us. We start hiking from the

pass, and slowly ascend above the beech and pine forest. As we gain altitude, it becomes clear

why the hike is named The two lakes, and both lakes will appear beneath us. While hiking, apart

from the amazing view, reminiscences of WWI will be around, old bunkers and trenches, now

retaken by nature. We have a circular hike, so we make a round on another path to descend to

our van.

We start driving back to Skopje, and stay in the amazing Chateau Kamnik for a wine tasting

dinner.

Kamnik is a boutique winery, specialized in high quality wines, from local and italian grape

types. They control their whole process of wine making, and have received multiple international

awards for their red and white wines, including Mundus Vini.

Hike length. 12km
Positive altitude gain. 800 meters

 

Day 8 - Departure

Breakfast and departure to the Airport

Group Size :

Minimum 4 – 12 persons

Included:

  • 7 Overnights
  • 7x dinner
  • 7x breakfast
  • 5x lunch Guiding
  • All transfers
  • Kamnik Winery special wine tasting dinner

Not included:

  • Drinks
  • Free activities in Ohrid
  • Souvenieers
  • Entrance in museums and facilities Tips

Have Questions? Call Us +389 75 563 130

OR E-MAIL US AT INFO@SHAROUTDOORS.COM