| Duration: | 10 Day(s) - 9 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | Adventure Tours |
9 Nights
Various activities require good physical condition
7 active days
May to October
Overview
With this multi-adventure Balkan tour, you can finally cross off every adventure on your bucket list: you will be kayaking, hiking, climbing, boating, biking, and mountain biking… You can also try canyoning and paragliding…
See Montenegro’s spectacular Bay of Kotor, Skadar Lake, and Lovcen National Parks; travel through the ruggedly beautiful land of Albania; explore the ancient heritage of North Macedonia: Ohrid and Lake Ohrid, the mystical Treskavec Mountain, the Iron Gate… Taste the best of the Balkans and enjoy premium wines in the Macedonian wine region.
Highlights:
Explore the historic streets of Kotor, a 13th-century town on the shore of the Adriatic Sea
Kayaking and hiking in the Bay of Kotor
Bike from Lovcen National Park to Skadar Lake National Park
Visit Tirana, the capital of Albania
Explore Ohrid and Lake Ohrid like a local: on a bike, on a boat, in a hammock…
See Krushevo – the living museum town and site of world paragliding championships
Hike to the mystical Treskavec Monastery
Climb the rocks of the Iron Gate
Canyoning in Montenegro – optional
Paragliding from Krushevo or Treskavec – optional
Difficulty Grading:
All activities in the tour are of easy/moderate to moderate difficulty. Considering the variety of activities, we recommend that you are in good physical condition.
Itinerary:
DAY 1: WELCOME TO MONTENEGRO
Arrive at Dubrovnik or Tivat airports. Transfer to the town of Herceg Novi on the shores of the Bay of Kotor. Welcome from your local guide and enjoy a relaxed stroll and orientation through the streets of this 13th-century citadel guarded by three mountainside fortresses – one Italian, one Spanish, and one Turkish. Your first taste of Montenegro comes over a delicious welcome dinner at the local seafood restaurant Feral in the harbor area. Try the local specialty: black risotto colored with squid ink. Overnight in Herceg Novi.
Total drive:
From Dubrovnik airport: 29 km / 1h 30 min (border crossing)
From Tivat airport: 23 km / 1h 5 min
DAY 2: KAYAK AND HIKE
After breakfast is served at your hotel, head to the harbor area to meet your kayaking guide for a half-day kayaking tour across the bay. The sit-on-top kayaks are suitable for all levels, even for those who have never paddled a sea kayak before. Full instructions will be given by your guide, as well as a safety briefing.
Lasting approximately four hours, the tour will paddle across to the picturesque fishing village of Rose, visit a local shipwreck, peer inside the Cold War-era submarine tunnels, and paddle along the spectacular rocky coastline. After the kayaking tour and a quick change of clothes, a short transfer drive of 25 minutes will bring you to the small mountainside village of Zlijebi.
Overlooking the Bay of Kotor at an altitude of 600 meters, the village is built from local stone mined by the villagers. Visit the beautiful home of resident Nikola, who grew up in this village and has spent 25 years restoring his family farm.
Enjoy lunch made from produce Nikola grows in his garden, and learn about life in the village. After lunch and a look around, take a short hike to the Church of St. Nikola with its spectacular views across the bay. Continuing onward, hike the lower mountain trails down to the village of Trebjesin.
In Trebjesin, you will enjoy dinner in a traditional family inn, tasting local mountain specialties including meat cooked “under the ashes” and salads from the inn’s garden. After dinner, it is a short 10-minute transfer by road back to the hotel. Overnight in Herceg Novi.
Hike: easy, 1h 30 min, 400 m descent
Total drive: 11.5 km / 25 min
DAY 3: KOTOR BAY COASTAL TRANSVERSAL HIKING AND KOTOR OVERNIGHT
Depart today from Herceg Novi after breakfast by minivan to the small mountain village of Gornja Lastva, a 50-minute drive away. From the village, situated around 300 meters above sea level, you will enjoy a 9 km hike along the beautiful Vrmac Ridge.
Ascending to a high point of 650 meters above sea level, the ridge separates the inner and outer Bays of Kotor. Views stretch to the Adriatic in one direction and far into the Bay of Kotor in the other. The ridge is a wide stone-and-grass path, with some shaded and some exposed sections. Finally reaching the old Austro-Hungarian fortress of Trojica (long abandoned), you will descend on switchback pathways to the medieval town of Kotor.
Arriving by afternoon, the rest of the day is free to explore the walled city, enjoy a coffee or cold beer on one of the town’s piazzas, and watch the world go by. An independent evening also gives you time to check out the great local restaurants or nightlife. Overnight in Kotor.
Hike: easy/moderate / 4–4.5 hours / 350 m D+
Total drive: 22 km / 50 min
DAY 4: BIKE FROM LOVCEN NATIONAL PARK TO SKADAR LAKE NATIONAL PARK
Depart early this morning from Kotor with your luggage for the one-hour drive to Lovcen National Park. Rising high above the Bay of Kotor, this mountain offers spectacular views in every direction. Upon arrival in the park, you will have some time to rest and enjoy a mid-morning coffee or refreshments on the terrace of the Ivanov Konak Hotel before setting off for the main challenge of the day — biking to Skadar Lake National Park.
The ride is on tarmac using old roads that mostly see little traffic. There is one section where the tour will ride through the historic former capital city of Montenegro – Cetinje. Time for a stop and stroll along the boulevards. By late afternoon, you will arrive in the lakeside town of Virpazar for your final overnight in Montenegro. Enjoy a farewell-to-Montenegro dinner at the riverside Konoba Badanj restaurant. Overnight by Skadar Lake.
Bike: 64 km / 480 m D+, 1600 m D- / biking experience required
Total drive: 35 km / 1 hour
DAY 5: BAR CANYONING OR ANCIENT BAR VISIT / OVERNIGHT IN TIRANA, ALBANIA
After breakfast, continue onward with the short drive to the port city of Bar on the Adriatic coastline. For those wishing to try canyoning, a three-hour trip through the Rikavac Canyon is always exciting. Suited for beginners, this is ideal for those wishing to experience canyoning for the first time.
Throughout approximately three hours, you will follow the flow of the water, hiking, abseiling (rappelling) down waterfalls from heights ranging from 2–10 meters, and making jumps/slides from various heights into the beautiful natural water pools below. Although this is not a large river canyon, it offers a fun and memorable experience.
For those who do not wish to experience canyoning, there will be the opportunity to visit the ancient town of Bar, located on the lower mountain slopes above the new town and port. Wander the historic streets and enjoy the sun-soaked olive groves that surround this area.
After lunch, the group will join together again to continue the journey with a three-hour drive to Tirana, the capital city of Albania. In the evening, explore the cosmopolitan and vibrant city center with its colorful buildings and fascinating history. Overnight in Tirana.
Total drive: 196 km / 3h 30 min
DAY 6: BIKING — ALBANIA BORDER TO OHRID
Depart from Tirana after breakfast for the 2.5-hour drive to the Macedonian border at Qafe e Thane, where you will meet your local guide in North Macedonia, get on the bikes, and continue cycling down to Lake Ohrid and along the lakeshore to Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage town, home to 365 Orthodox churches and the birthplace of the Cyrillic script.
We’ll stop on the way to see the ancient monastic cells and temples carved into the rocks above the lake and to enjoy our lunch in a restaurant on the river walk in Struga. Arrive in Ohrid in the afternoon. Explore the cobblestoned alleys of the old town on an orientation walk with your guide and learn more about local customs and traditions while sampling Macedonian fresh salads and lake fish. Overnight in Ohrid.
Bike: 28 km / 189 m D+, 492 m D-
Total drive: 104 km / 1h 50 min
DAY 7: BOATING ON LAKE OHRID — BAY OF BONES, BBQ & SWIM ON A HIDDEN BEACH
Head out this morning by boat for a full-day adventure on the lake. We’ll pack the boat with our canoe and surfboard, a few hammocks, and snorkeling gear, and start boating past the fishing villages to visit the archaeological water settlement, the Bay of Bones.
Our BBQ lunch will be on a hidden beach with crystal-clear water, accessible only by boat. Later in the afternoon, we’ll sail to the rocks for jumps into the water and snorkeling for lake sponges under the rocks, and then on to the middle of the lake for more swimming.
Sail back in the afternoon. Late-afternoon drive to our next destination: the picturesque mountain town of Krushevo. Arrive in time for a tasty traditional dinner, including their famous mix of spiced melted homemade cheese. Overnight in a guesthouse in Krushevo.
Total drive: 120 km / 1h 55 min
DAY 8: HIKE TO TRESKAVEC MONASTERY (OPTIONAL TANDEM FLIGHT DOWN)
After breakfast, drive about 50 minutes to the medieval towers above Prilep, where we start our hike to Treskavec Monastery, hidden among the boulders of Gold Mountain. We’ll meet Father Kalist, the only monk living in the monastery today, who speaks English fluently and is always happy to explain the story of the Byzantine artistic heritage preserved in the frescoes.
After a picnic lunch at the monastery, you can descend to Prilep — or you can fly. Experienced licensed paragliders will be provided with all the necessary equipment, while novices can take an exhilarating tandem flight with experienced instructors. After a 10-minute briefing with your tandem pilot, you will be connected to the glider with a comfortable harness. Two minutes later, you are airborne.
The flight takes around 20 minutes, and if flying conditions allow, you may be offered hands-on control of the glider. They say if you can jog 2–3 meters, you can fly. Once at the foothills of Treskavec, hikers and flyers will rejoin and continue driving for another 1.5 hours into the wine region of North Macedonia, where we’ll enjoy dinner with wine tasting at Popova Kula Winery. Overnight in Demir Kapija.
Hike: 4.5 km / 533 m D+ / 3 hours
Total drive: 126 km / 2h 20 min
DAY 9: ROCK CLIMBING & VIA FERRATA IN THE IRON GATE
After breakfast on the hotel balcony, a short transfer brings you to the rocks of the Iron Gate. There are more than 120 rock-climbing routes (15–100 meters high, with levels from beginner to expert) and more than 100 alpine routes (up to 300 meters high) to choose from.
No experience is required, and with guidance from our expert instructors, you can climb safely to any height you feel comfortable with. We’ll provide all equipment (helmet, harness, rope, etc.), so you only need to bring yourself and your sports shoes.
Lunch will be in the gardens of a local household, where you can taste the best rakija in the region and traditional dishes made from vine leaves by your lovely host, Maria. Afternoon drive to Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia and one of the oldest cities in the region, dating back to the early Bronze Age.
Take a walk through the central Macedonian Square with the grand fountain of Alexander the Great, and cross the old Stone Bridge into the cobblestoned alleys of Skopje’s old town. Our farewell dinner will be in a renovated Ottoman-era inn below the city walls. Overnight in Skopje.
DAY 10: LAST DAY
After breakfast, transfer to Skopje Airport for your flight home.
When To Go:
Possible: 15 May – 31 May and 15 October – 1 November
Recommended: 1 June – 15 October
Not available: all other dates
Price:
Available on request.
INCLUDED IN PRICE:
• Accommodation based on two participants sharing a double room
• Meal plan: BB, HB, or FB available (vegetarian, vegan, and special requests available)
• All transfers as described
• Full escort by a professional activity guide
• Included activities: sea kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, biking, boating, rock climbing
• Organization and full logistics by Macedonia Travel
NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE:
• Airplane tickets to/from Skopje or Sofia
• Personal medical and travel insurance (mandatory)
• Any extra expenses not mentioned under “Included in the price.”
OPTIONS & SUPPLEMENTS:
• Supplement for single-room accommodation
• Private transfers from Dubrovnik or Tivat Airport to Herceg Novi and from Skopje to Skopje Airport
• Extra night in Skopje
3* hotel: please contact us for the price per person sharing a double room; single supplement on request
4* hotel: please contact us for the price per person sharing a double room; single supplement on request
5* hotel: please contact us for the price per person sharing a double room; single supplement on request
• Extra night in Dubrovnik or Tivat — price available on request
• Bike rental: please contact us for the price per day
• Canyoning in Rikavac Canyon: price per person on request (minimum 4 participants)
• Paragliding from Treskavec: price per person on request
