Matka Canyon One of the best excursion and activity routes for those who say “What to do in Skopje?”. Matka Canyon, which is among the unforgettable memories of our North Macedonia trip, is a natural wonder worth seeing. If you are planning a Skopje trip, I suggest that you schedule at least a few hours to spare for Matka Canyon.
How to get to Matka Canyon from Skopje, how to take a boat tour in Matka Canyon
Matka Canyon Travel Guide: Transportation and Activity Information
500 hectares of land Matka Canyon, between the area and the natural beauties of North Macedonia, is a canyon formed millions of years ago.. The Matka Lake inside is known as the oldest artificial lake in North Macedonia, but it was formed after the dam built in the region in 1938.
Where is Matka Canyon?
Matka Canyon is located 25 kilometers from Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia. Matka Canyon, which is among the top places to visit close to Skopje, is also one of the popular sightseeing spots for travelers.. Matka Canyon, the meeting point of the Vardar and Tresla rivers, is also home to the world’s deepest underground water cave, Vrelo Cave.
How to Get to Matka Canyon?
How to get to Matka Canyon from Skopje is quite easy. You can go to Matka Canyon by public transportation or by taxi.. We arranged a half-day tour from Skopje, visited Matka Canyon and Vodno Mountain by private taxi.. This is how the shopkeepers in the Turkish Bazaar in Skopje arrange daily tours. It is very easy to understand as they speak Turkish.. The tour fee is 20 euros per person, including the tour of the Vrelo Cave in Matka Canyon.. They pick you up from the hotel by private car and drop you off back to your hotel.
How to Go to Matka Canyon by Bus from Skopje?
If you want to go to Matka Canyon by bus from Skopje, you need to take the bus number 60. It is also possible to take the bus number 60, which departs from Skopje bus terminal at certain times, from Macedonia Square or Boulevard Partizanski Odredi street.. If you want to take a taxi from Macedonia Square to Skopje bus terminal, the journey takes about 10 minutes, the fare is 135 MK.
Matka Canyon Bus Ticket Fare
In order to get on the public bus in Skopje, first of all, the journey called Skopska you have to buy from card. The Skopska card fee, which you can obtain from the kiosks near the bus stops or at the bus station, is 180 MKD. You don’t pay for the first three trips when you buy the card. For each subsequent boarding you need to top up your Skopska card with 35 MKD. If you say you want to go to Matka Canyon, you can also buy the ticket from the driver.
Matka Canyon Bus Timetable
- Matka Canyon from Skopje: Weekdays 07.00-08.45-10.30-12.20-14.00-15.30-16.50-18.35-20.10-22.30
- Matka Canyon from Skopje: 07.00 on weekends- 08-45-10.30-12.10-13.50-15.30-17.10-18.45-20.15-22.30
- From Matka Canyon to Skopje: Weekdays 05.50-07.45-09.40-11.20-13.05-14.55-16.25-17.45- 19.20-21.00-23.00
- From Matka Canyon to Skopje: Weekend: 05.50-07.45-09.40-11.20-13.00-14.40-16.20-18.00-19.30-21.00-23.20
*The above mentioned times are the departure times of bus number 60 from Skopje bus terminal. Do not forget to check from the terminal as there may be changes in the departure times..
The journey by bus from Skopje to Matka Canyon takes around 1 hour depending on traffic.. If you go by car, you are at Matka Canyon in 30 minutes.. If you want to go to Matka Canyon by bus, be sure to check the return time. Since there are no buses at frequent intervals, you may have to wait a few hours in the canyon.
Bus number 60 leaves you a little far from the entrance of Matka Canyon.. From here you need to walk 30 minutes to the canyon. Therefore, if you ask me, it is best to arrange a taxi or a private tour like us to go to Matka Canyon.. (Especially if you are going during the winter months)
Transportation to Matka Canyon by Taxi
Taxi to Matka Canyon from Skopje If you want to go by bus, they want 500 MKD (8.5 euro) one way. There are taxis around the canyon on the way back.. You can go by bus from Skopje and return by taxi.
Matka Canyon Trip
If you are tired of seeing sculptures in Skopje, Matka Canyon allows you to get into a completely different mood with its lush nature and clean air.. Matka Canyon, one of the most important nature tourism spots of North Macedonia, is also very attractive with its daily accessibility from Skopje.
Although we went to Matka Canyon in November, the weather was quite warm and there was no one.. It was a very enjoyable trip with the advantage of going during the week.. Spring and summer are the most popular times in Matka Canyon, of course, but the crowd should be taken into account. Therefore, if possible, I recommend you to go to the canyon early in the morning and not stay until the afternoon.
Matka Canyon is an address that nature lovers should not miss.. If you say What to do in Matka Canyon?, the activities are quite a lot.. You can take a walk in the canyon, you can take a tour in the lake with kayak, you can enjoy the river tour by boat. You can fish, visit historical monasteries, try the delicacies of Macedonian cuisine against the eye-catching scenery.
What to do in Matka Canyon Makes? Matka Canyon Boat Tour
The most popular activity of Matka Canyon is to take a canyon tour by boat. It’s hard to notice how time flies as you sail through emerald green waters.. There are two different canyon tours in Matka. The first tour that stops by Vrelo Cave, one of the deepest underwater caves in the world. This tour takes 1 hour. If you say it’s okay if I don’t stop by the cave, you can go on a 25-minute canyon tour.
How Much is the Matka Canyon Boat Tour?
We chose the first option for the boat tour and went on a one-hour tour of the Matka Canyon, which also stops by the Vrelo Cave.. Boat tours are made in groups of 8-10 people.. The boat departs when it reaches the sufficient number of people.. After taking 5-10 minutes of photo shoot, we took action to get on our boat.
The guide using the boat explained the features of the region in English. I like that there is no music broadcast like us.. Witnessing the riot of colors of autumn while walking through the canyon accompanied by only bird sounds added a different beauty to our trip.. The trees turning from yellow to red offered picturesque landscapes.
One of the World’s Deepest Underwater Caves: Vrelo Cave
<
After 20 minutes of sailing on Lake Matka by boat, we approached Vrelo Cave, one of the deepest underwater caves in the world.. Although there are 10 different caves in Matka Canyon, the place that has become a tourist attraction is Vrelo Cave.. We climbed the stairs to the entrance of the cave first, and then went down the stairs to the parts of the cave that are open to visitors.. I would like to share an important note here, the stairs going up and down the Vrelo Cave are very steep, with high pitches.. The elderly or those with knee problems may prefer the 25-minute short tour..
When we reached the entrance of Vrelo Cave, our guide using the boat started the generator, one of the deepest caves in the world was in front of us in all its glory! A very small part of the Vrelo Cave is open to visitors, where there are stalactites and stalagmites formed millions of years ago.. It is also possible to see two lakes inside.
Vrelo Cave is quite humid and cool, so even if you come in summer, I recommend you to take something thick with you.. According to the information our guide told, very few people in the world were able to dive to the bottom of the Vrelo Cave.. The depth of the Vrelo Cave is estimated to exceed 100 meters.
You are given 15 minutes to visit the Vrelo Cave.. After examining the cave and taking pictures, we set out for our boat to return. A truly magnificent natural wonder, especially the stalagmite at the entrance is 2700 years old.
If you want to trek in Matka Canyon, 6 kilometer hiking trail awaits you.. Don’t forget to wear clothes suitable for walking and sturdy sneakers. The walking path is on the edge of the rocks, although there are guardrails that you can hold onto, it is useful to be careful as the path is bumpy.
The Matka Canyon region is also home to many historical monasteries and churches.. St.. Nikola Sisevsky Monastery, St.. Nedela, St.. Andrea, St.. Troica and St.. Michael is among these historical buildings.
There are places in Matka Canyon where you can both eat and drink and enjoy yourself against the canyon.. We preferred the Canyon Matka Hotel at the entrance. This is the only accommodation center in the canyon with a capacity of 200 beds.. The restaurant by the river is also extremely stylish.. By taking a coffee break here, we both relieved our tiredness and watched the canyon view to the fullest.. Prices at Canyon Matka Hotel Restaurant are higher than in Skopje. We paid 4 euro for two Cappuccinos.
Matka Canyon Entrance Fee
Entrance to Matka Canyon is free. There is no time limit to visit the canyon. If you want to spend half a day in Skopje and participate in a different activity, Matka Canyon is waiting for you.. We enjoyed it very much, of course there are much more beautiful canyons in our country, but Matka Canyon is also worth seeing.
If you are planning a trip to Skopje, you can also check out my articles below:
- Skopje Travel Things to Know Before
- Places to Visit in Skopje
- Where to Stay in Skopje
- Skopje Food & Drink Guide
- Places to Visit in Ohrid
More information about Skopje Instagram You can find it on my @seyahatimgeldi account and follow me for more travel suggestions.
