National Parks of the southern Balkans

8 days / Highlights: Budva - Tara Canyon - Kolasin - Mavrovo - Galicica - Berovo

Travel itinerary

1. Day: Arrival in Montenegro - Budva

Flight to Dubrovnik/Tivat or Podgorica. Afterwards visit of the famous coastal town of Budva, where we go for a walk. Afterwards transfer to our hotel in Budva-Becici.

2. Day: Petrovac - Podgorica - Tara Canyon - Kolasin

In the morning we visit the capital of Montenegro - Podgorica. After an informative city tour, a spectacular trip to Tara Canyon - the second deepest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon - awaits us. Numerous photo stops and short distances show us the uniqueness of this region. Through the Biogradska Gora National Park we reach our hotel in the Kolasin area. Dinner and overnight.

3. Day: Kolasin - Pecs - Prishtina - Skopje

After breakfast drive to the border with Kosovo. Via the city of Pecs, we reach the capital of Kosovo - Prishtina, which today presents itself in a completely new, modern glory. Afterwards we cross the border to Macedonia and reach Skopje. During a city tour we see the old town with the Fortress Kale and the famous Bazaar as well as the new town with the Mother Teresa House. Moving into the hotel. In the evening a typical Macedonian dinner with music in a restaurant expect us. Overnight in Skopje.

4. Day: Skopje - Mavrovo - Ohrid

We leave Skopje and drive to the west of the country - Mavrovo National Park. Unique nature awaits us. At Lake Debar we have the opportunity for lunch before we reach the UNESCO city of Ohrid in the afternoon. First, we experience the city on a boat trip from the water, before we continue to explore the centuries-old buildings on foot. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Ohrid.

5. Day: Ohrid - Galicica - Brajcino - Bitola

Another highlight of the journey awaits us. We drive to the Galicica National Park, which borders Lake Ohrid on one side, and go up to over 1000 meters above sea level. The panoramic view is unique. On the other side downhill, we see the second big lake of this region, Lake Prespa, even more idyllically situated. We visit the village of Brajcino, a successful example of ecological tourism and then drive to the second largest city in Macedonia, Bitola, where we visit the excavations of Heraklea Lincestis, the birthplace of Filip II. Dinner and overnight in Bitola.

6. Day: Bitola - Prilep - Wine tasting- Strumica - Berovo

In the morning drive to Prilep, here we see the monastery of Archangel Michael, similarly laid out as the Meteora monasteries in Greece. At noon a wine tasting of the wonderful Macedonian wines awaits us with a snack. Strengthened we continue to the famous waterfalls near Strumica before we drive to our hotel in Berovo. Dinner and overnight in Berovo.

7. Day: Berovo - Rila - Sofia

After breakfast the road leads us to another part of untouched nature, Lake Berovo, idyllically embedded in a mountain panorama. Afterwards we leave Macedonia and reach Bulgaria, where we will visit the famous Rila Monastery in the afternoon. We continue to our hotel in Sofia, dinner and overnight stay.

8. Day: Sofia - Departure

In the morning panoramic sightseeing of Sofia with the cathedral Alexandar Nevski, afterwards transfer to the airport and departure.

Country information for tour