Please be aware that our tour can be copied or sold by other tour operators and Cycle Macedonia is the genuine local provider of the tour.
The route will cover the following villages, cities, and attractions: Day 1 - Arrival We'll arrange for your transfer from the airport (Skopje or Thessaloniki, Greece) to Krusevo. Plan to arrive at the airport before 4pm local time. We'll start out in the high mountain town of Krusevo (population: 5,000; elevation: 4,500 ft). Enjoy the views, and decompress from your journey over traditional rakija - type of homemade whiskey, salads, and local specialties. Sleep well to rest up for the cycling ahead! Accommodations: 1 night Private rooms (Double-occupancy, shared bath)
Total cycling: 58.3 km / 36.2 mi (Terrain: some downhill, some flat, some short climbs) Walking: 0.5 miles (Terrain: steep climb)
We will start the morning with visit of the sites in Krusevo on our bikes. To ease you into the saddle, we'll blast downhill to the village of Demir Hisar and take a turn to the north to visit the village of Babino. There we will enjoy a village library and enjoy a meal in their famous fish restaurant. Tour around the village a bit, then we’ll continue back to Demir Hisar to end our day with a climb to the ancient monastery St. Jovan Preteca in Slepce. Sleep well here amid the peaceful quiet of this religious retreat. Accommodations: Monastery (rustic accommodation, dorm-style beds, shared bath) Day 3 - Slepce - Bitola - Dihovo Total cycling: 41 km / 25.5 mi (Terrain: mostly flat, some climbing)
We'll move on to Bitola, the famous City of Consuls, and visit the ancient archeological site Herraclea. Then we'll get back on our bikes to make the trip up to the village of Dihovo, situated at the base of Baba Mountain, the central peak in Pelister, Macedonia's first National Park. There we will enjoy lunch, giving you the afternoon free in Bitola to wander the Sirok Sakok (meaning "wide street") where coffee and people watching await you. You'll also have time to visit the Old Bazaar, styled from Ottoman times. Dinner will be at the restaurant of your choice. Accommodations: Village-style hostel (private rooms in a home, shared bath) Day 4 - Dihovo - Brajcino Total Cycling: 53.3 km / 33.1 mi (Terrain: starts with climbing, ends downhill, flat)Setting out from Dihovo, we'll skirt around the base of the Pelister mountains and climb to take a rest and a picnic lunch by a small church. Then we'll crest the mountain pass and coast down into the Prespa Lake valley, winding up in the peaceful village of Brajcino, where a traditional meal and a comfortable bed await you. Accommodations: 2 nights Village-style hostel (private rooms in a home, shared bath) Day 5 - Rest Day on Prespa Lake Enjoy a day of rest, either relaxing in Brajcino and exploring the meandering hiking paths, or head down to Dupeni Beach and relax in the sand and water for the day. Come back and spend another restful night in Brajcino and enjoy dinner at the local restaurant. Day 6 - Brajcino - Galicica - Trpejca Total other travel: Van to village Kozjak 24 km / 15 mi Total Cycling: 45.8 km / 28.5 mi (Terrain: switchback climb, then downhill)
View Prespa Lake from the north side as we journey up the mountain pass of Galicica. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch as we make this climb. We're rewarded at the top with beautiful views of Ohrid Lake. Then coast downhill to the Ohrid Lake-side village of Trpejca and enjoy a delicious meal of lake trout and other local delicacies, followed by a guided wine tasting of some of the best Macedonian wines. Take your first swim in the clear waters of Ohrid, and then you'll sleep well tonight! Accommodations: Village-style hostel (private rooms, shared bath) Day 7 - Trpejca - St. Naum - Ohrid Total other travel: Boat travel to St. Naum, 10 km / 6 mi Total other travel: Van to Ohrid, 30 km / 18.6 mi
First we'll take a morning boat ride to visit the monastery of St. Naum, close to the Albanian border. Take a rowboat ride through the natural mineral springs, and photograph the peacocks that roam around the grounds. Then we'll take the van along the winding lakeside road into the ancient city of Ohrid, supposedly home to 365 churches! (If the weather and other conditions allow we will replace the van with a nice enjoyable boat ride along the lakeshore). Take a tour of the city, visit Samoil's fortress, and relax by the beach with a coffee or a Skopsko, the official beer of Macedonia. Watch the sun set over the mountains in Albania, and take a stroll down Ohrid's famous pedestrian street, and dance the night away at one of Ohrid's many night clubs. Accommodations: 2 nights Villa (private rooms in a Villa, private bath) Day 8 - Ohrid - Cave Churches - Ohrid Total Cycling: 36 km / 22.3 mi (Terrain: mostly flat, paved road)
Either enjoy the day at the beach, or join us for one final day of cycling to visit a couple cave churches built in the 14th and 15th centuries and enjoy lunch at a restaurant along the way. We'll go back to Ohrid for a last dinner together. Day 9 - Departure from Ohrid We'll send you on your way with transportation back to your airport of arrival, or we can help you make arrangements to extend your stay in Macedonia or visit the neighboring countries in the region. |
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