Hi! I am Vanessa and I would love to show you the hidden gems of North Macedonia. This is a 8-day trip where we will visit a variety of attractions varying from rural to urban life, but predominantly enjoying nature activities such as hiking, camping, sightseeing and even paragliding. For this reason, it is preferable that as TripMates we all prepare ourselves accordingly with the appropriate type and amount of clothing and essentials. Initial information: THE TRIP WILL START IN SKOPJE, where we will meet either at the airport (preferrable) or an established meeting spot between all of us TripMates according to everyone's needs. During our trip, we will visit the following sites (a detailed description is in the trip itinerary): - Kuklici, or The Stone Dolls - Kokino, the Megalithic Observatory - Skopje, the country's capital - Popova Shapka, or Kodra e Diellit mountain range - Mount Korab, the highest peak in the country - The city of Ohrid and Ohrid Lake - Mount Galiçica and Galiçica National Park The price includes ✅: 🏨 Accommodation during the whole trip 🚐 Transportation during the whole trip (Car Rental) ⛽ Fuel and pay toll costs, parking fees 🎟️ Entry tickets to natural sites 🌐 Portable Internet Connection 💰 Platform fee The price does not include ❌: ✈️ Flight tickets 🤿 Personal expenses and additional activities (paragliding is optional) Looking forward to traveling with you!
I am a 25 year old passionate traveller. I like to visit new places, and make a lot of new experiences. I care about everyone having fun during trips, and include different types of activities to accomodate each Tripmate's needs and wants :)
We will switch between whole apartments, hotel rooms and hostels depending of the city we are visiting. The transportation will be preferably van-type as public transportation might waste us a lot of time moving from place to place. I care highly about being respectful towards everyone's timing and needs, so comfort is the priority :) If you have any doubts, don't hesitate to hit the questions section!
What's included?
Accomodation
Transportation
Fuel, Pay Tolls, Parking Fees
Internet Connection Everywhere
Entrance Tickets To Natural Sites
Platform Fee
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The stone town is an area consisting of over 120 naturally formed stone pillars, located in the village of Kuklica (literally meaning "dolls"), near Kratovo in North Macedonia. It is the first natural site we will be visiting after our meetup and lunch in Skopje. There are two main legends surrounding the formation of the strange stone pillars in Kuklica. The most famous legend is that of a man who could not decide which of two women he should marry. So, the man planned to marry each woman on the same day at different times. When the second woman saw the wedding happening, from rage she turned everyone into stone. Another popular legend is that there was once a forest in the area, but due to battles, it was burned down. Then, the area became a wasteland. The temperatures were very low and when the army passed through the wasteland, all of the soldiers turned into rocks. Aside from mystic stories and legends, the earth pyramid in Kuklica was formed as a result of natural erosion processes in the Holocene, during the past 100,000 years. Differences in the erodibility of the volcanic rocks of the area are the main factor for the pillar's creation.
2
Kokino megalithic observatory
Day 1
The second site we will visit is Kokino, a Bronze Age archaeological site dating ancient times. The claim of the site represents an astronomical observatory was made in 2002 by some researchers. According to this interpretation, the site includes special stone markers used to track the movement of the Sun and Moon on the eastern horizon. The observatory used the method of stationary observation, marking the positions of the Sun at the winter and summer solstice, as well as the equinox. Four stone seats or "thrones" are placed in a row on the lower platform. According to researchers, a stone block with a marking on the upper platform marks the direction of sunrise on the summer solstice when viewed from one of the seats.
3
Skopje
Day 1-3
On the first day, our accomodation will be located in the capital and largest city in the country, where we will try local foods and immerse ourselves in the country's customs and culture. Skopje is on the upper course of the Vardar River, and is on a major north–south Balkan route between Belgrade and Athens. The name of the city comes from Scupi; the meaning of that name is unknown, but there is a hypothesis that it derives from the Greek ἐπίσκοπος, (lit. "watcher, observer"), referring to its position on a high place, from which the whole place could be observed.
4
Popova Šapka
Day 3-4
Popova Šapka, literally "the priest's hat", or Kodra e Diellit, meaning "the sun's hill" is a range of Sharr mountains in North Macedonia. Its highest peak is over 1,780 metres above sea level, and it is a ski resort during the winter. In the summer, it is a wonderful quiet place for a nature retreat. We will spend the day hiking and camping there. If we are lucky with the weather, we will be able to see "The Sharr's eyes", or two small lakes next to each other recreating the shape of a pair of eyes in the mountain. We will have accomodation nearby.
5
Mount Korab
Day 4-5
Korab is the highest peak of the eponymous mountain range and the fourth-highest mountain located entirely in the Balkan Peninsula, standing at 2764m of height. We will be hiking from the starting point in Strezimir, and up to the summit, where we can attach out success sticker on the checkpoint. The peak is a very rugged mountain massif consisting mainly of shale and limestone of the Paleozoic period with block structures, as well as severely damaged gypsum rocks of Permo Triassic. On the west side, the mountain falls steeply over rock walls. The north side consists of craggy rocks. The mountain is home to the spectacular Korab Falls in the upper valley of the Dlaboka River. In summertime, the waterfall reaches a height of over 130 meters, making it the highest in North Macedonia. We will have accommodation in the nearby National Park.
6
Ohrid
Day 5-8
Ohrid is the largest city on Lake Ohrid. It is known for once having 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and has been referred to as the "Jerusalem of the Balkans". Ohrid is one of only 28 sites that are part of UNESCO's World Heritage that are Cultural as well as Natural sites. In antiquity, the city was known under the ancient Greek name of 'Lychnidos' probably meaning "city of light", literally "a precious stone that emits light". In this beautiful city, we will be exploring the surrounding nature and trying the best local foods. Ohrid is where we will have our last accommodation.
7
Galičica
Day 8
At this stop, we will be hiking from the starting point Lipova-Vrv Magaro and to the Two Lake Viewpoint. There are also the Baba-Galiçica or Velestovo Takeoff starting points for paragliding over Lake Ohrid, for those of us who will want to try it. We can also explore the nature of the nearby lake Prespa. Galiçica (or Mali i Thatë) is a mountain situated across the border between North Macedonia and Albania. There is a national park on the side of the mountain, situated between the two biggest lakes in the country: Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa. It stretches over an area of 227 square kilometers. Galiçica is among the richest endemic species among mountains in North Macedonia. The floral life in the Galiçica National Park represents over 1600 species, of which many relicts and modems have the final frontier of its range exactly on the mountain Galiçica. At the end of the day, we will all be heading back to Ohrid to our accommodation.
8
Skopje
Day 8
At the end of the trip, we will be heading back to the capital, where we will reflect back on our experiences and share our final moments together, after which we will start preparing for our way back home.
Trip Summary
Accommodation
Apartments & Hostel & Hotel
8 days trip
Kuklici, Stone Dolls, Kokino megalithic observatory & 6 more
Transportation
Car
Questions and Answers
Hey Vanessa, I’d like to now how much camping this trip includes. I have never been camping, so mayb... Read More
Hi Sinem, the camping would include stationing somewhere in the mountains of Popova Shapka (no overnight sleeping in tents though). I would say since it's only day activities you will not need tent eq... Read More
Hi Vanessa, my name is Samuel. What is an approximate length of each hike? Also, what do you mean by... Read More
Hi Samuel, the main hike of the trip would be the mount Korab one, which would Take 7-8 hours, it's less than 20km and around 1,5km ascent. I am somewhat sporty myself, although not professional level... Read More
Hi, I know this is probably an impossible request, but I thought I'd ask just in case — would it be ... Read More
Hi, unfortunately it is not possible to shift dates
VIEW ALL 12 QUESTIONS
What's excluded?
Flight Tickets
Personal Expenses
Additional Activities
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