Bigorski Monastery St John the Baptist

Visit North Macedonia’s most prestigious monastery, which is located deep in the forest. A medieval place where monks isolate themselves from the rest of the modern world, so they can devote their lives entirely to their faith. The monastery households one of the biggest and finest wood-carved iconostases in the world. According to legends this iconostasis is a source of many ancient secrets. After some free time and optional lunch, you continue the journey towards the Duff Waterfalls. While entering the Natural Park of Mavrovo, which is the biggest in the whole Balkan, the path will lead you to the village of Rostushe and the canyon of the Rostushka river. At some points this canyon has a stunning dept of 100 meters. While enjoying this short walk, our guide will provide you astonishing tales about the flora and fauna of the National Park of Mavrovo. At the end you will be brought back to your pick-up point. Interesting fact: Did you know that the name Macedonia, nowadays north and south, is mentioned several times in the bible and is one of the most concentrated with monasteries and churches in the whole world?!

Mavrovo National Park is the largest of the four national parks of North Macedonia. The relief of the park contains three Alpine mountain systems: the Šar, Korab and Bistra mountains. These mountains are distinguished by chains of snowy, jagged peaks and broad grassy plateaus below them. Between the three mountains extends the Radika gorge for more than 25 km. The Mavrovo region reminds of Switzerland Alps, for much of the time grassy pastures are filled with incredible herbal smell. The Tour Plan: 1. Pick up from Skopje 2. Visit of the St. Nicholas Church 3. Visit of Galičnik, a walk and lunch 4. Visit of the St. Jovan Bigorski Monastery 5. Transfer to Skopje Our journey will start with a pick up in Skopje, and in about 80 minutes we shall arrive to this small paradise, with incredibly rich flora and fauna, but also animals and insects, like the Bistra grasshoppers and the macedonian lynx. After the arrival we shall visit the St. Nicholas Church, built in 1850 with icons painted by the macedonian legend Dicho Zograf, nowadays submerged under water of the Mavrovo lake. On the way to our next destination - Galičnik, we shall admire the gorgeus surrounding countryside, with indescribable neverending pastures with colours of gold, as well as the amount of sheep. Galičnik has well-preserved traditional architecture, including an amphitheater in the village square, the regional art, dress and music are rich in detail and original in character for centuries. Galičnik is famous for its surrounding countryside and nature reserve, but most of all for the traditional wedding custom held annually in summer (in July), on the day of the village feast of the Patron Saint Peter. In Galičnik we shall make a visit of some of the houses, we shall take a look at the typical construction way, we'll get in the the central village church St. Peter and Paul, and visit the house of our enlightener Gjorgjija Pulevski, full with traditional leftovers from the 19th century. In Galičnik we shall enjoy a nice traditional lunch in the restaurant-house of a Local family - the only inhabitants in the village over the winter. St. Jovan Bigorski is the last destination of this journey. A monastery hidden in the mountain, with 1000 years of history, with exceptional wood carving and monastic order. Many people come here in search for their peace and freedom, usually are always accepted from the monastery. In the afternoon we shall departure to Skopje, where the clients will be brought back to their hotels or their apartments. Who is in for a full day of Nature and History? :)

Depart from Skopje and take a walk on the wild side of Macedonia on a two-day, round-trip tour. Follow your guide on a hike through Mavrovo National Park to the city of Ohrid. Visit the Monastery of St. Naum and dine with mountain views.  Day 1:Get picked up from your accommodations and drive west to Mavrovo. Take a guided walking tour of Mavrovo National Park, one of the most attractive areas of Macedonia. Follow your guide to the village of Galicnik, famous for its stunning landscape. Admire the picturesque nature reserve and view Bigorski Monastery St John the Baptist.  Enjoy a traditional snack in Mavrovo, before making your way to Ohrid. Make a stop at the village of Vevchani on your way and experience the breathtaking Vevchani Springs.  Arrive in the city of Ohrid, located on the edge of the beautiful Lake Ohrid. Take in scenic views of the incredible surroundings and get ready for your guided walking tour. Discover some beautiful monuments and areas of the city while listening to the stories of your guide. See the well-preserved Lower and Upper gates, the Church of Saint Sophia, and the Ancient Macedonian Theatre of Ohrid. Day 2:Enjoy a relaxed breakfast, then head to the Monastery of St. Naum. Stop briefly on your journey at the Bay of Bones, a village brought back to life from the ancient Iron Age.  Arrive at the Monastery of St. Naum and see the springs, part of the Galičica National Park. Take in the peaceful natural scenery from the comfort of a boat cruise. Drink coffee in one of the restaurants overlooking the mountains and try a traditional lunch.

Start with a morning departure for Mavrovo. After arriving have a short informational session about Mavrovo and Mavrovo National Park. Visit the Cave Sharko and have a little walk and see ski passes and hotels around the area. After that, visit the village of Galicnik where Galicka Svadba (wedding) takes place. Galichnik is a mountain village in the Republic of Macedonia and along with Lazaropole, it is one of the two largest and oldest Mijak villages in the region. Galichnik has well-preserved traditional architecture, including an amphitheater in the village square, and is famous for its surrounding countryside and nature reserve. People from Galichnik and northwestern Macedonia appreciate the local yellow cheese (Kashkaval) that is produced in the region as well as the local salt brine white cheese "belo sirenje." After visiting Galicnik, drive along Mavrovo Lake and canyon of river Radika to the biggest monastery in Macedonia – Bigorski Monastery with its wood carved iconostasis from 18th century. After that, visit a natural place – Waterfall Duf. This tour then continues to visit the wonderful Monastery Rajcica. After that, have a traditional lunch in Mavrovo and return to Skopje.

Departure from Tirana to explore Ohrid Lake and its two beautiful cities located in North Macedonia. Ohrid is a city that has many cultural and natural attractions to visit. Our journey will start with the Church of Saints Clement and Panteleimon(Attributed to Saint Clement of Ohrid, a disciple of Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius) the church dates from Byzantine, the location standing on a hill overlooking Lake Ohrid. The next stop is the Church of Saint Sophia, a very important monument for North Macedonia, housing architecture and art from the Middle Ages. Very close to the Upper Gate of Samuel’s Fortress, you can find the Ancient Theatre of Ohrid. Built-in 200 BC, it served as a venue for performances and gladiator fights. Later, it became the site of Christian executions by the Romans. This caused the locals to despise the theatre, so after the fall of the Roman Empire, they decided to abandon and bury it. We will reach the highest peak at Samuel's Fortress. This fortress was built on the place of an earlier fortification, dated to the 4th century BC, which was probably built by King Philip II of Macedonia, It was the capital of the First Bulgarian Empire during the rule of Tsar Samuel of Bulgaria at the turn of the 11th century. Nowadays the fortress is a major tourist attraction where you can enjoy exceptional panoramic views of Lake Ohrid and the old town. We will return down at our beginning spot through Ohrid Boardwalk which connects the old town with Potpesh beach. As you walk alongside a cliff, surrounded by crystal clear waters, it’s the perfect place to take a moment to appreciate the natural beauty of Ohrid. Free time to have a coffee and enjoy the Old Bazaar full of souvenir shops and good local restaurants. As we return to Albania our last stop will be Struga City lying on the shore of Lake Ohrid. Struga is the place where the river leaves the lake and flows through the town. You can take a walk along one of the river banks full of small cafes and enjoy the picturesque town.