Adventure & Sports Tourism in Macedonia
Macedonia is a land of unbelievable beauty, with impressive opportunities for leisure and adventure travel. It is truly an amazing place for adventure sports. Macedonia abounds in natural beauties and rarities, high mountains, rivers, lakes which offer to all visitors’ unforgettable vacation.
Most common activities that visitors could do are hiking, skiing, climbing, paragliding, mountain biking, trail running, caving, swimming, scuba diving, sailing, kayaking and canoeing.
Hiking
Macedonia is a mountain country and due to that it offers great opportunities for mountain sports. The beautiful nature and breathtaking sight scenes attract more and more people to spend their time hiking in the mountains. Most attractive for visiting and hiking are the mountains in the central and west part of the country.
Biking
According to the fact that 50% of Macedonia is mountainous you can consider that it is perfect for mountain biking also. The real excitement are the ups and downs, the very narrow paths and sudden curves on the paths that can be found all over the mountains in Macedonia, especially the routes at Bistra in Mavrovo and Galichica.
Rock climbing
In addition, if you search for something more adventurous and extreme, you can try climbing at one of the great climbing localities: Matka – Skopje, Kaneo and Sv. Nikola – Ohrid, Ploca (Pilav Tepe) – Radovis, Demir Kapija.
Ski & snowboard
In winter, all these mountains covered in snow offer great conditions for the winter sports: alpine skiing, nordic skiing, snowboarding, ski touring. Macedonia’s ski resorts offer great challenges for everyone, from beginners to professionals. Such places are: Popova Sapka, Mavrovo, Pelister, Krusevo.
Diving / snorkeling
Despite of the mountain sports and due to the lots of hydrographic objects (rivers, lakes, sources, springs) there are possibilities for the water sports lovers also. Ohrid lake is famous for scuba diving and sailing. It is very interesting for diving there because of the endemic forms of life which exist. Examples of this endemic forms of life are the Ohrid round sponge and the fish in the rocky parts around Gradiste. Sailing is also popular in this regions of Ohrid and Prespa lakes.
Kayaking
Kayaking is also popular in Macedonia. Most common place for this is the Matka canyon, but you can also go kayaking on Ohrid and Prespa lakes.
Paragliding
All these beauties and landscapes are worth to be seen and it can be another adventure if seen from high above. Paragliding over the mountain regions and the beautiful lakes could take your breath away. For such adventure there are paragliding clubs in Skopje, Krusevo, Ohrid that offer tandem flights.