From Skopje: Matka Canyon, Painted Mosque&Arabati Baba Tekke
- 8 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
A day that takes you from the stunning serenity of Matka Canyon to the vibrant heritage of Tetovo. Explore the mesmerizing Painted Mosque and find peace in the centuries-old Arabati Baba Tekke. Step away from the city's hustle and enjoy a full-day escape into nature, history, and culture. Begin your journey at Matka Canyon—home to rare wildlife, dramatic cliffs, and crystal-clear waters. Glide across the lake by kayak, take a boat ride to Vrelo Cave, or simply relax with a meal on a terrace overlooking the canyon. Continue to Tetovo, a city nestled beneath the Shara Mountain. Discover the beautifully adorned Painted Mosque, a true Ottoman gem, and feel the calm at Arabati Baba Tekke, a tranquil Dervish monastery. A perfect mix of beauty, tradition, and discovery awaits!
Inclusions
What's included
- English speaking driver/guide
- All transfers with comfortable A/C car or minivan
- Pick-up and drop-off (hotel or any location of your preference in Skopje)
What's not
- Meals and drinks
- Entrance tickets
- Optional boat ride to Vrelo Cave at the Matka Canyon (8.5 EUR/ 500 MKD)
- Personal expenses
- Tips and gratuities
Itinerary
Due in large part to its proximity to Skopje, Matka Canyon is a popular destination for citizens and tourists. The canyon is one of Macedonia's foremost areas for alpine hiking. The climbing season begins around Easter and ends in November. Kayaking on the Treska River is a popular activity, as are fishing, hunting, and swimming
The Painted Mosque (Šarena Džamija) in Tetovo is a stunning 15th-century mosque known for its vibrant, hand-painted exterior and richly decorated interior. Unlike traditional Ottoman mosques, it features intricate floral and geometric patterns, making it one of the most unique mosques in the Balkans. Situated by the Pena River, it offers a blend of Islamic and Baroque artistic influences, creating a mesmerizing cultural landmark.
The Arabati Baba Tekke in Tetovo is a 16th-century Bektashi Sufi shrine, offering a peaceful retreat with its courtyards, fountains, and traditional Ottoman architecture. Once a spiritual center for the Bektashi Order, it remains an important cultural and religious site, reflecting the rich Sufi heritage of the Balkans.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.7
- 554
- 44
- 32
- 20
- 13
Ratings come from 63 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5Engaging day trip to Makta & Tetovo
An excellent tour with a lot of variety. The guide Damir was very engaging and well informed. He allowed for a good amount of time at the sights and was flexible throughout. He also pointed me to the best dishes to try in a traditional lunch. Very pleased overall.
1Terrible experience – not worth your money!
We joined their tour today, and it was an absolute disappointment. At every single stop, they made us pay extra entrance fees, even though the tour wasn’t cheap to begin with. The guide was completely uninterested, offered no useful information, and just dropped us off at each location. It felt more like we were paying for a taxi ride than an organized tour. I strongly don’t recommend this company – save your money and plan the trip yourself; you’ll have a much better time.
5Amazing
It was amazing, the guides are super nice (The lady guide) has so much knowledge. Highly recommended for people spending couple of days here
5The best tour & guides ever!
What a lovely day! Beautiful scenery and amazing guides - so knowledgeable, friendly and helpful! 10/10 recommend Skopje daily tours!
5A tour to take.
I recommend this tour. We really enjoyed all the places we went to, but it is important to take the boat trip. The scenario is so nice. A big thank you to the guide Olivia, she explained so well to us.
5Excellent way to visit and enjoy with Helena !
Very nice and very interesting trip with Helena today ! A lot of explanations about history and the places we visited. Very kind big smile ! Plus, refreshing for a very hot day !
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Skopje Daily Tours - See you in a day!
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Skopje
- Its from-price is 20% below the median of the 172 experiences we list in Skopje.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 12 of 172.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Skopje
Skopje is the capital of North Macedonia, a Balkan city on the Vardar River with an Ottoman bazaar, a stone bridge and many statues.
Skopje straddles the Vardar River in a wide valley, its two halves joined by the fifteenth-century Stone Bridge. On the north bank the Old Bazaar is a web of lanes lined with workshops, cafés and mosques, with the Kale fortress above it. On the south bank, Macedonia Square is dominated by a giant statue of a horseman, popularly taken for Alexander the Great, amid the monuments, bridges and neoclassical façades added in the early 2010s. An earthquake in 1963 destroyed much of the city.
Top-ranked sights in Skopje: Skopje Kale Fortress (Skopsko Kale), Memorial House of Mother Teresa (Spomen Kuka na Majka Tereza), Skopje Old Bazaar.
Special offers in Skopje
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
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