Self-Drive Tour - Discovering North Macedonia
A journey to the heart of the Balkans between Orthodox monasteries, crystal-clear lakes and ancestral traditions.
Duration
8 days
From
€440/pers.
Ideal seasons
Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct
Style
Self-drive tour
Comfort
classique
Travelers
Couple, Solo, With friends, senior
The spirit of travel
Located in the heart of the Balkan peninsula, this landlocked country is one of the region's hidden gems. Visitors have much to discover. Indeed, its rolling hills, lush forests, old towns with charming architecture and numerous local traditions represent all the beauty of Kosovo.
Set out to discover emblematic cities such as Prizren, renowned for its historic center and cobbled streets, or Pristina, a dynamic capital where heritage and modernity coexist. The country is also home to several medieval Orthodox monasteries listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites, testament to its rich cultural past.
Nature enthusiasts will appreciate the Balkan mountains, preserved valleys and hiking trails offering magnificent panoramas.
The stages of your journey
Highlights
Day-by-day itinerary
Skopje Airport - Skopje, North Macedonia
Arrival at Skopje airport. Then take the road towards North Macédoine with its capital, Skopje. Start exploring a city devastated by an earthquake in 1963 that managed to completely rebuild itself and offer a unique experience. You will appreciate a city divided between two cultures and two different lifestyles between Macedonian Albanians and Macedonians.
Wander through its new city center with its stone bridge « Kameni Most » that divides the city into two parts with the old Ottoman bazaar « Čaršija». You will have the opportunity to climb up to its fortress « Tvrdina Kale » offering panoramic views over the city.
Skopje - Matka Canyon - Skopje, North Macedonia
After breakfast, join us at the Matka Canyon, an essential destination in Macédoine.
Embark on a boat to discover the Vrelo caves, which are considered among the deepest underwater caves in the world.
Return to Skopje and lunch in the city center.
Enjoy a leisurely afternoon in Skopje.
Dinner and overnight stay in Skopje.
Skopje - Mavrovo - Ohrid, North Macedonia
After breakfast, head towards the Mavrovo National Park, where you can enjoy stunning landscapes such as Lake Mavrovo and Radika Canyon.
You will stop at the Saint Jovan Bigorski Monastery (Saint, located on the heights of the canyon, which represents one of the most beautiful monasteries in Macédoine.
On the way, make a stop in the city of Tetovo and visit its Sarena Dzamija Painted Mosque dating from the 15th century. Painted inside and out, it represents one of the most beautiful mosques in Macédoine.
You will make a stop in the small village of Janche, in which a village resident has invested in building houses using materials from that era, and will have lunch in his restaurant.
Continue then towards Ohrid, the cradle of Orthodoxy. Dinner and overnight in Ohrid.
Ohrid, North Macédoine
After breakfast, set off to explore the wonders of Lake Ohrid.
Brief photo stop at « Bay of bones » (The Bay of Bones), an authentic reconstruction of part of a settlement dating from 1200 to 700 BC
Visit the Saint Naum Monastery. Surrounded by lush greenery and built in the 10th century, the monastery is a haven of tranquility on the border between Albania and Macédoine. Lunch at Saint Naum.
Spend your afternoon visiting the city, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list and a sublime lakeside destination, it represents the culmination of the Macedonian experience, a Kingdom of light and water as well as a reference point in relation to the ancient ruins of the traditional kingdom of Macédoine.
Ohrid - Vevtchani - Kalichta - Ohrid, North Macédoine
After breakfast, you will head to the village of Vevtchani located at the foot of the Jablanica mountain. A village famous for its costume festival celebrating the new year according to the ancient Orthodox calendar, which is one of the oldest in all the Balkans, dating back more than 1400 years.
Explore this small village and walk along a wooden pontoon to enjoy the magnificent Vevtchani water spring.
Continue your journey and reach the village of Kalichta located on the shore of Lake Ohrid to visit its complex of Saint Bogorodica monasteries. First visit the monastery of the nativity of the mother of God of Kalista founded in the 14th century. You will then walk along the shore of Lake Ohrid to reach the rock church of Saint Athanse located on the cliff facing the lake.
Lunch in Kalichta.
Return to Ohrid in the afternoon and, depending on the schedule, guided tour of the city of Ohrid with the possibility of visiting Ohrid fortress offering a magnificent view of the city.
Ohrid - Bitola, North Macedonia
After breakfast, free time in Ohrid.
Optional:
Golem Grad: You will discover Golem Grad, "Snake Island" which has an important wild fauna of turtles, great cormorants, snakes and pelicans. The ruins, the birds and the beauty of another world make it an unmissable place to explore.
You will return to Stenje after the excursion and you will have lunch at the home of local residents to enjoy a traditional Macédoine meal featuring carp from Lake Prespa.
Then head to Bitola, the second largest city in North Macédoine.
On the way, make a stop at Heraclea, an archaeological site at the entrance to the city.
Bitola – Popova Kula – Stobi - Skopje, North Macedonia
After breakfast, join Stobi, the largest archaeological site in Macédoine. Discover the ruins of an ancient city established in the 4th century BC and learn more about the history of the Romans present in the ancient territory of Macédoine.
Stobi → Popova Kula
Continue your journey to reach the Popova Kula vineyard. You will discover the wine culture of a small Macedonian vineyard located on the heights of a hill and offering magnificent panoramic views of the region.
Drop off your luggage at the hotel. Visit the vineyard and discover the production of traditional Macedonian wines.
Dinner at the vineyard with tasting of several local wines during the meal.
Price per person
Indicative price per person, based on double room. Each trip is customized according to your preferences.
This trip can be tailored to your preferences
This itinerary provides an excellent foundation for discovery, but it can be fully customized. Our local advisors build each trip tailored to your budget, dates and preferences.
Not included
- All additional expenses not mentioned in the program
- Tips
- Insurance
- The round-trip flight
- All activities mentioned in the program & entrance fees to monuments
Included
- Car rental
- Nights in 3* and 4* hotels with breakfasts (local standards subject to
- availability) in double room
- Telephone assistance throughout the entire tour
- The Travel Journal
Practical Information
Registration is considered firm and final after payment of a deposit of 30% of the total price and acceptance of the specific terms of sale.
The balance must be paid no later than 45 days before the departure date.
See our specific terms of sale for full details.
In the event of cancellation by the traveller, the following fees apply:
- Plus de 60 jours avant le départ : 40 % du prix total (acompte retenu)
- Entre 60 et 30 jours avant le départ : 50 % du prix total
- Moins de 30 jours avant le départ : 100 % du prix total
We strongly recommend taking out cancellation insurance. See our specific terms of sale for full details.
Les informations ci-dessous concernent les voyageurs ressortissants de l'Espace économique européen (EEE), de la Suisse et du Canada se rendant en Macédoine du Nord dans le cadre d'un séjour touristique. Les règles d'entrée pouvant évoluer, nous vous recommandons de vérifier les informations auprès des autorités officielles avant votre départ.
Passeport
Pour entrer en Macédoine du Nord, votre passeport doit être valide au minimum trois mois après la date de fin de séjour prévue et comporter au moins une page vierge pour les tampons d'immigration.
Le document doit être en bon état (pas de pages détériorées, déchirées ou modifiées).
Les ressortissants de l'Union européenne peuvent également entrer en Macédoine du Nord avec une carte d'identité nationale en cours de validité.
Séjour touristique sans visa
Les ressortissants de l'Espace économique européen, de la Suisse et du Canada bénéficient d'une exemption de visa pour les séjours touristiques.
Cette exemption permet un séjour pouvant aller jusqu'à 90 jours sur une période de 180 jours sur le territoire macédonien.
Les autorités peuvent également demander :
un billet de sortie du territoire (vol retour ou continuation),
une preuve de ressources financières suffisantes pour la durée du séjour,
une réservation d'hébergement ou une adresse d'hébergement sur place.
Enregistrement auprès des autorités locales
Tout voyageur séjournant en Macédoine du Nord est tenu de s'enregistrer auprès des autorités locales dans les 24 heures suivant son arrivée. En pratique, cette formalité est généralement effectuée automatiquement par l'hôtel ou l'établissement d'hébergement.
En cas de séjour chez un particulier (famille, ami), le voyageur ou son hôte doit procéder à cet enregistrement auprès du bureau de police le plus proche. Le non-respect de cette obligation peut entraîner des difficultés lors du passage à la frontière à la sortie du territoire.
Voyage avec des enfants
Les mineurs doivent être titulaires de leur propre document de voyage valide (passeport ou carte d'identité pour les ressortissants UE) couvrant la durée du séjour.
Dans certains pays européens, lorsqu'un mineur voyage sans l'un de ses parents, une autorisation de sortie du territoire peut être exigée selon la réglementation du pays de résidence.
Autres nationalités
Les conditions d'entrée peuvent varier selon la nationalité. Les voyageurs concernés doivent se renseigner auprès de l'ambassade ou du consulat de Macédoine du Nord de leur pays de résidence.
Pour participer à nos voyages, il est fortement conseillé d'être assuré en assistance-rapatriement et frais médicaux à l’étranger.
Votre agence locale vous encourage à prendre connaissance du contrat spécifique élaboré avec notre partenaire CHAPKA ASSURANCES et AXA ASSISTANCE.
Pour souscrire à une assurance, connaître les garanties et les tarifs, suivez le lien ci-dessous.
CAP EXPLORER : La solution d’assurance complète conçue pour vivre sereinement votre voyage !
Choisissez la formule qui vous correspond le mieux:
Explorer'Multirisque
Explorer'Annulation
Explorer'Assistance
Explorer' Complémentaire Carte Bancaire
Spécifiques à nos voyages, nous suggérons fortement d’y souscrire.
Si vous choisissez de souscrire à l’une de ces formules, la convention détaillant l’ensemble des garanties et les modalités de déclaration du sinistre sont disponibles sur le site Internet de l'assureur.
Votre agence locale en aura connaissance, mais seul le participant est responsable du respect des procédures de déclaration de tout sinistre. Le participant doit donc conserver cette convention avec lui pendant toute la durée de son voyage.
Chapka — Cap Explorer
Our insurance partnerTravel with peace of mind with our partner Chapka. Cancellation, repatriation, medical expenses, baggage… All the coverage for a worry-free trip.
Travel with peace of mind — I'll handle the insuranceFrequently asked questions
To enter North Macedonia, a passport valid for at least 3 months beyond your entry date is required. An identity card may be accepted in certain cases. Check current conditions with the North Macedonian consular authorities before your departure, as requirements depend on your nationality.
Go to the My Trips section to find all your projects.
You can send a message to your host directly from the Tea Lounge.
For a tailor-made quality trip, budget between 100 and 170 euros per day and per person, including accommodation, meals, internal transport and activities. International flights (200-450 euros return) are additional. The country is very affordable, with Lake Ohrid as its cultural jewel.
Your documents are accessible in the Documents tab of your trip.
Absolutely. We tailor each itinerary to match our travelers' profiles. For families, we prioritize relaxed pacing, family-friendly accommodations, engaging educational activities, and comfortable private transfers. Our English-speaking local guides know how to captivate children with age-appropriate anecdotes.
It's simple. You exchange with our local team to define your wishes, budget and dates. You receive a detailed itinerary proposal within 48 hours. You adjust every detail together until it's perfect. You confirm and travel with peace of mind. Your local agency remains available 7 days a week throughout your trip.
In case of emergency, contact your local agency immediately.
Payment is generally made in two installments.
Our agency is part of the Nomadays network, registered in France. You benefit from APST guarantee (Association Professionnelle de Solidarité du Tourisme) which covers 100% of your funds. Secure payment, repatriation insurance included, and English-speaking assistance 24/7 on the ground throughout your stay.
Let's talk about your adventure — Skopje and Surroundings
Explorer of the Pristine Balkans, based in Pristina, Kosovo
North Macedonia is a discreet destination, but very captivating. It reveals itself in the details: a village, a shared meal, a mountain road, an exchange by the lake.
— Quentin
