Day Trip to Matka Canyon
Matka is a canyon located west of central Skopje, North Macedonia. Covering roughly 5,000 hectares, Matka is one of the most popular outdoor destinations in North Macedonia and is home to several medieval monasteries. The Matka Lake within the Matka Canyon is the oldest artificial lake in the country.
-Wikipedia-
Matka Canyon was one of the highlights of my time in Skopje. To say it is beautiful is an understatement.
Just 16km outside Skopje, Matka Canyon truly feels like another world. This is the perfect day, or half day, trip from Skopje for anyone looking to take in stunning nature, walk the nature trail, take a boat ride or kayak, enjoy a beautiful cocktail in a stunning setting, or all of the above.
How to get to Matka
🚗Drive: The drive from Skopje is approximately 30 minutes. Parking is available, but limited.
🚕Taxi: A taxi from Skopje to Matka Canyon is quite affordable at about $12 each way. There are taxis at Matka for the return journey as well. Be cautious that many taxi drivers will charge inflated rates to tourists and may insist on payment in Euros, or a set rate and not the meter.
🚌Bus: The N60 Bus takes about an hour, and runs from the Skopje Bus Station several times per day, as follows
Times of departures from Skopje main bus station: 7:00 / 8:45 / 10:30 / 12:10 / 13:50 / 17:10 / 18:45 / 20:15 / 22:30. Return from Matka to Skopje: 11:20 / 13:00 / 14:55 / 16:25 / 17:45 / 19:20 / 21:00
I recommend being on time for the bus, as they only run so often, however; they are notoriously late. My bus departing Skopje was 20 minutes late and my returning bus was nearly 30 minutes late.
If you are confused by which stall the bus comes in to, just look for all the tourists with backpacks.
The bus does stop along Blvd Partizanski Odredi, but the bus routes are not on Google Maps so it can be a bit tricky to figure out where the stops are. I walked all the way to The Skopje Bus Station just to realize there was a stop right outside my Airbnb.
🎟️Bus tickets: The bus costs 35 dinar (MKD) each way ($0.65). You will need to buy a Skopje public transport card and put money on (denominations of 100s). There is a stand at the entrance (with a clerk) to purchase a card and a 100 MKD card will cover your round-trip fare with 30 MKD remaining. Cash (MKD) and card are accepted.
What to do at Matka Canyon
Matka really has something for everyone who wants an outdoor experience; active or relaxing.
🛶Boat: If you want to be on the lake, there are several boat options, from private rides to group tours. There are also kayak and stand up paddle board rentals available, all for very reasonable prices.
🥾Hike: If you want to do some light hiking you can take the trail around the lake for some amazing views. The Trail is 4.2km and takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete.
Note: the trail does not loop, so you will have to turn around at the end and head back.
🍹Eat/Drink: Enjoy a delicious meal, beer or coktail, dessert, or coffee at Matka Canyon Restaurant over looking the lake.
☀️Sunbathe/swim: There is an area of the lake near the entrance where folks come to sunbathe and swim.
Whatever you decide to do with your time at Matka Canyon, it will be an experience to remember and a highlight of your trip.
