Visiting Canyon Matka, Macedonia — Information and Tips

A post detailing my experiences of visiting Canyon Matka in Macedonia. For those who don’t know, Matka is a beautiful canyon less than 20km away from the Macedonian capital of Skopje.

It feels like quite a while since the last time I wrote a ‘destination piece’. So, here’s a blog post all about one of my favourite destinations from the last few years!

Note: Unfortunately, due to losing my phone after my stay in Macedonia, I lost a lot of the photos that I took at Canyon Matka 🙁 Sadly, this post is a little void of photos. Which is a shame because it is such a nice place.

Travel wise, 2017 was a big year for me. I was lucky enough to be able to visit many new countries, and I lived in four different ones! It was also the year that I first tried out living as a digital nomad for real. So, you could say that things really took off for me that year. (To read more about my 2017, check out : Where I was in 2017).

One of the countries that I lived in that year was FYROM (Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia). Actually, I lived there for six months. (Was it really so long ago already?? Not to be a cliche, but it feels like it was just yesterday!).

They were a great six months too. Living there for so long (relatively) allowed me to meet many people and see and learn many new things.

To see my initial impressions of the country, check out this post : My First Impressions of Macedonia

Although, I could have done Macedonia a lot better, six months in the country really allowed me to get to know it and visit several different places. I left Macedonia feeling like I had got close to her. However, I didn’t feel ‘almost Macedonian’ in the same way that I felt ‘almost Moldovan’ after my three years in Moldova (read more — Tara Minunilor : All About Moldova). In fact, there are several places in FYROM (Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia) that I, regretfully, didn’t get around to visiting and really should in the future. I’ll write about those miniature ‘regrets’ of mine at some time in the future.

For now, I’m turning my attention to a place that I visited several times as part of my job. Canyon Matka (Macedonian: кањон матка). Yup. I got to visit Canyon Matka several times as part of my work. Score! (I was a teacher, and Matka was one of the field trips that we took our students on every course). I got to travel and experience new places, and I was paid for it. Not only that, but Canyon Matka is a seriously awesome place! Read on…

Tell Me More About Canyon Matka…

As I mentioned above, Matka is a Canyon located just on the other side of Mt. Vodno to the south west of Skopje. (Millennium Cross and Macedonian Village are two other great places to visit around Mt. Vodno). The site covers quite a large area and is one of the most visited destinations in the country. It is popular with both Macedonian and foreign tourists. A fact that you’ll find out for yourself if you visit it on a nice day during the peak season (July-August).

Why are there so many people visiting Canyon Matka? You might ask. And here is how I might answer ; there are many reasons to visit Canyon Matka.

Firstly, because of the pretty breathtaking natural scenery that it offers. The deep blue of the Canyon’s water (it is also home to the country’s biggest artificial lake) matched with the sheer cliff faces and the sprawling surrounding woodland gives something for all kinds of nature lovers.

Secondly, the wildlife. Okay, so the Canyon is not teeming with life like the Amazon rain forests or anything like that, but there is plenty of wildlife about if you know where to look for it. Around 20% of the animal species at Matka are endemic (ie. you won’t find them anywhere else on the planet). The Canyon is also home to many butterflies, snakes and bats.

Thirdly, the caves. There are several caves dotted around the Canyon. Visitors to Matka can take a boat ride down to visit some of them. The most popular cave to visit is Vrelo Cave. It is the largest of the caves at the site (I think?) and itself contains two lakes and many large stalactites. It is here that you’ll also find the aforementioned bats. Vrelo Cave is thought to be the deepest underwater cave in the world — although this is just speculation and has never been confirmed.

Lastly, the array of activities available there. Yep. There are plenty of things to do at Canyon Matka. You can take a boat to the caves, as I mentioned above. Go out with a kayak, either alone or in a pair. Take a walk along the canyon walls. Visit the churches and monasteries in the area. Settle down for a spot of fishing. Go for a hike or a climb (climbing season is roughly spring to autumn). Or simply enjoy the cafe and restaurants beside the canyon.

If there isn’t a reason in all of that lot that speaks to you then I’m not sure that I can help you any further!

For those of you who are still interested in visiting Canyon Matka, read on! I’ll now share some practical information about visiting the site and write a bit about my own experiences there.

Getting to Canyon Matka

As Matka is situated so close to Skopje, that is the logical starting point when visiting Canyon Matka. So, first thing’s first, if you’re not in FYROM, get to FYROM. Then, if you’re not in Skopje, get to Skopje. The country is pretty well connected by buses and coaches. I found that they were usually the better option than taking the trains. But whatever works for you!

The easiest way to get to Canyon Matka from Skopje is by taxi. This should take around 40 minutes (it is not far, but the way is a little bit complicated). The cost of a one way journey should be something close to 600 denar (around $10). The prices may be a little higher nowadays, as this was a few years ago now, but if you’re quote 1000 MKD or higher, get out of Dodge! It shouldn’t cost anywhere near that much. (Remember, this is for ONE WAY).

The cheaper and, in my opinion, better option is to take a bus. You can take bus number 60 from the Skopje city bus station. (Click for the Google Maps location). A return ticket will be not much more than $1, and I think the bus takes about an hour to get there. You can check the bus times on this website >> http://jsp.com.mk <<, but it’s not exactly user friendly for people who don’t speak Macedonian.

I personally have always gone to Matka with a chartered coach from Veles. The company that I worked for sorted all of that out for us, so I had nothing to do with it. Your other option is to take a coach from Skopje coach station (between the bus station and the train station). The city bus station and the coach station are very close together, but they’re separate… so don’t get confused! There should be a few different coaches that go to Matka from the coach station at different times.

My Experiences of Visiting Canyon Matka

Now, I’ll write a little bit about my own personal experiences of visiting Canyon Matka. In total, I visited Matka three times. On each occasion I tried something different. But, to be honest, a full day in Matka is more than enough to do and see pretty much everything that it has to offer. So, don’t feel like you have to pick and choose only a few of the activity options available to you. The only reason that I only managed to do a few things on each visit is because we were in a large group, and I was still kind of ‘working’ while there. For someone visiting Canyon Matka as a pure sightseer / tourist, you will have no limitations and can do plenty of things in a one day trip.

Arrival

The car park is about a ten minute walk away from the visitor section of the Canyon. The car park is at the bottom of a small hill. You walk up it, alongside the Canyon and past the hydro-electric dam and powerstation. The views on the walk are nice, and for sure you’ll be wanting to stop for a quick photo. There are plenty of photo opps.

After the short walk, you’ll come to the small souvenir market. They sell some interesting bits and pieces, but books seems to be the principal stock here. Just like in most other places in Macedonia, you’ll find plenty of books about Tito…. If that’s your bag.

The main visitor section of Matka Canyon starts just after those souvenir markets. You’ll see St. Andrea Chapel (it’s the small, fairly unremarkable church that you have to pass on your right). From there, you have access to all of the main attractions. On your left, between you and the water, you’ll see the way down to the jetty from where you can take a boat tour (to the cave) or hire a kayak. Ahead of you are the cafes and restaurants (and toilets). Beyond those is the path along the canyon for those who wish to take a walk Canyon-side.

Boat Trip to Vrelo Cave

There are two different places from where you can take a boat tour along Matka. The cheaper option (200 MKD) doesn’t let you get out and go into Vrelo Cave. It is only a trip along the river and back. I think that this trip lasts just a little bit over 30 minutes. The more expensive option (400 MKD) takes you to Vrelo Cave and allows you to enter the cave. There is an English speaking tour guide at the cave too. On my trips to Matka I visited Vrelo twice. Both experiences were pretty much identical. I think that the drivers and tour guides do the visit so much that they just bosh them out, factory style. The official version is that the trip takes something like two hours in total, although from my memory, it lasts not much more than an hour.

So first, you all pile on to the motor boat, and the driver takes you of down the canyon towards the caves. Our driver pointed out a few semi-interesting things to us — but there’s not too much to see on the ride. (If you want to see some things a little closer up, a kayak is the better option). Eventually, you’ll arrive at the cave and step off the boat. You’ll have to climb up a few steps to get to the cave’s main entrance. Once inside, you’ll be guided through a few different areas of the cave where you can admire the lakes and stalactites. One of the stalactites is really large and affectionately known as the ‘pine cone’ due to its shape.

Just one little warning; the cave is fairly dark and quite slippery — so be careful. But, it is large and you don’t have to squeeze through any gaps or anything like that. Most claustrophobics should be fine. Lastly, as I mentioned before, there are bats. But, again, don’t worry. They’ll just be hanging on the ceiling, chilling out. Occasionally you might see one flying around near the roof of the cave, but they don’t all come flying out at you like in the movies!

In my opinion, the cave is definitely worth visiting once. It’s not the world’s most impressive cave, admittedly, but unless you’re a professional spelunker, you probably don’t get the opportunity to visit too many large caves like this.

Kayaking at Canyon Matka

For me, kayaking is definitely the nicest way to explore the canyon. You can take out a single kayak for 300MKD an hour ($5) or a tandem kayak (for two) for 500MKD an hour. You can also do 30 minutes if an hour sounds like too much. I’ve tried going out in a solo kayak and also in a tandem kayak. Both are nice experiences. Going out with another person is more fun though and, obviously, easier work. When I was kayaking solo, I have to say it was a bit of a hard slog. Disclaimer: I’m not a great rower, and I don’t make kayaking look good. Other kayaking pairs were zooming past me at a stroll, whistling in the wind. Meanwhile, I’m there fighting against a tempest. Struggling. Sweating. Swearing. Okay. I’m exaggerating. But, it’s not a walk in the park, and I didn’t get as far as I wanted to.

But, it’s a really nice experience, and you can stop by at any place along the canyon that you wish (There are a few ‘beaches’ and smaller caves to explore). My personal suggestion is this : If you only do one thing at Canyon Matka, do this. But, that’s just my own opinion. Of course, kayaking is not for everybody. The walk along the canyon is also really nice. So, if you’re more of a walker, that’s the one for you.

A little warning; the motor boats create quite a wake when they pass you, so watch out for that. Try to keep your distance from them and stick to the banks if you can.

Tips For Visiting Canyon Matka

• If you’re visiting in the hot months, take sun cream. It can get very hot at the canyon and shade can be a little bit hard to come across. Especially if you’re out on the lake.
• There are no ATMs around the Matka area. Therefore, you’ll either need to make sure you have money before you set off or have a card with you.
• The restaurants at Matka are decent. Nothing special. But decent. However, because it is a touristy area, the prices are a little bit higher than at other places in Macedonia. Still, Macedonia is not an expensive country, so despite the prices being a little elevated, you will not be out of pocket.
• There are places alongside the canyon where you can stop for a picnic. So, if you want to save some money and have a nice view, take your own lunch with you.
• You can also hike up to Sveti Nikola Monastery on the opposite side of the canyon. Most of the boat drivers will take you across to the other bank. From there, the hike is about 30 minutes medium difficulty.

So, those are my thoughts and my experiences of visiting Canyon Matka in Macedonia. If you’ve visited the canyon before, I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences too!

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Originally published at megliovivere.com on January 18, 2019.