Date and price

Date: 04.05 - 11.05.2025

Price: 1200 EUR (or 4800 PLN)

If you are interested please contact us on: gorani@aurunico.com

Trip description

An extraordinary adventure among the mountains and little known communities awaits you! We will visit North Macedonia and Kosovo, traversing the Sharr Planina Mountains and the national park of the same name. We will experience the hospitality of the Gorani community - Slavs, professing Islam, who have their own language, našinski - as well as the Albanians, getting to know their customs and rituals. An exceptional occasion to do so is the celebration of St. George’s day, which, in Gorani tradition, is the time of welcoming the arrival of spring. On the Kosovar side, we will visit Prizren - the country's second biggest city, well known for its cultural diversity and rich history. During the trip we will spend three days with inhabitants of Gora and three days trekking in the mountains.

Itinerary

Skopje - Veshala - Bozovce - Brod - Dragash - Radesha - Krusevo - Restelica - Prizren - Popova Szapka - Skopje

Trip plan

Day 1 - Flight

Flight from Warsaw to the capital of North Macedonia - Skopje. Transfer to the village of Bozovce and overnight, in the heart of Sharr Planina Mountains.

Day 2 - Trekking Bozovce-Brod

Leaving the Bozovce Village after local breakfast. Hiking along a mountain path among the two-thousand-metre peaks in the Sharr Planina Mountains and crossing the North Macedonia-Kosovo border. The all-day hike will go through beautiful mountain forests, mostly along the valley floor, located at the foot of Titov Vrv - the highest peak of the Sharr Planina Mountains - and along the river on which the Krivošijski waterfall forms. Arrival to one of Gorans villages - Brod. Dinner and overnight.

Day 3 - St George's Day in Dragash

Meeting with tradition of the Gorans - traditional dresses, music, language, cuisine and customs during the celebration of st. George’s Day. In Gorani tradition it is the time of welcoming the arrival of spring, but also the finest moment to get to know the local community. Evening feast and conversations.

Day 4 - Villages of the Gorans

Transfer to picturesquely situated villages to, in addition to celebrating, familiarise with everyday life in life of Gora’s inhabitants. This day will be an occasion to spend some time experiencing Gora in the similar way as its dwellers. Visiting Restellica, Radesha, Krusevo. 

Day 5 - Prizren

Excursion to Prizren – the second biggest city of Kosovo. Meeting with cultural diversity and multi-religiousness of the city, accompanied by a local tour guide. Visiting the temples and the Prizren Castle. Trying local cuisine in one of the restaurants in Prizren. 

Day 6 - Trekking Zapluzhe-Bozovce

Starting the wander in Zapluzhe village and march towards the North Macedonia-Kosovo border. Trekking on a part of High Scardus Trail - long distance trail, which leads through the borderland of Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo - accompanied by the two-thousanders like Kara Nikola or Sheremetica. Hike will take about 6-7 hours. Crossing the village of Veshala and finishing in Bozovce village.

Day 7 - Trekking Bozovce-Popova Shapka and transfer to Skopje

Hike to the town of Popova Shapka which is a ski resort. The all-day hike will pass through a scenic trail which lets us discover the beauty of mountain valleys and magnificently carved rock walls. Upon arrival at Popova Shapka, there will be a dinner in the Scardus Hotel. Transfer to the capital of North Macedonia - Skopje. The last overnight of the trip.

Day 8 - Departure

Transfer to the airport in Skopje. Flight to Warsaw.

Trip details

Price includes:

• flights Warsaw-Skopje and Skopje-Warsaw in economy class
• 6 overnight stays at Gora’s inhabitants with traditional breakfasts1 overnight in Skopje 
• services of a tour leader
• services of local tour guide
• transfer from and to the airport in Skopje 
• local transport

 Price doesn’t include:

• lunches and dinners

Information on trekking conditions

Trail conditions

We will spend 3 days trekking in the mountains during the trip. We will be covering up to 20 km a day. The routes are without exposure and not technically challenging. The trail leads mostly through convenient terrain, but some sections include parts of steeper and less comfortable climbs. You don’t need to have extensive experience in the mountains, but being in good shape is essential to cover distances efficiently. We will be adjusting the pace of the trip as we go along - it will be fast enough so that we don't get caught up in the dusk on the trail but also calm enough so that no one gets left behind.

The weather 

On site, during the day, we may expect moderately warm weather, between 15-20°C in towns and villages. Keep in mind that we will also be moving in mountainous terrain, at altitudes up to around 2,200 m AMSL. Therefore, be ready for temperatures a few degrees lower, as well as wind and rapidly changing weather conditions. At night, be prepared for temperatures of around 5°C.

Clothes:

• long hike trousers
• casual trousers
• 2x fleece/blouse
• warm jacket
• rain jacket (e.g. with gore-tex membrane) 
• hiking boots (Important: three days of trekking await us, so we advise against using new boots. It is a good idea to break in them before the trip to avoid blisters, abrasions or wounds)
• shoes for a change
• buff/scarf
• headwear (cap or other) + winter hat
• gloves
• thermo-active underwear

Equipment

• Mountain rucksack - approx. 50l
• carry-on rucksack/bag - for days of sightseeing
• Headlamp + spare batteries
• sunglasses
• sunscreen
• Waterproof cover for backpack
• Water bottle - 1/1.5 litre
• electrolytes 
• towel
• powerbank

Food and water:

Before leaving for the mountains, we will be able to stock up on provisions in the places where we will be sleeping. The second option is to buy food and water in shops in Dragash and Skopje. During the trek there also will be places where we can get drinking water. In towns and some villages are places serving food and drinks. In villages we will be hosted by local inhabitants. In Prizren or Dragash we will eat in one of the restaurants.

If you are interested please contact us on: gorani@aurunico.com

Additional information

• It is necessary to have with you a passport with an expiration date of more than 6 months from the date of a return from the trip.
• Important: no later than 4 weeks before the start of the trip, the participant is requested to provide passport information. It is necessary to obtain permission to cross the Kosovo-North Macedonia border outside the official border-crossing points.