Matka Canyon Macedonia with kids: all the information!
One of the most beautiful natural areas in Macedonia is the Matka Canyon located near the capital Skopje. We also included the Matka Canyon in our blog Skopje with kids, in which we listed the best activities for families from this city. We visited the canyon independently by car from the capital and in this blog we list all the information for parents with kids about Matka canyon.
Matka Canyon Macedonia with kids: how to get there?
First, of course, is how to get to the canyon from Skopje. We drove there ourselves by car from the capital and we were half an hour away. In general, the road is fine to drive and at the end you do have some narrow sections. You can actually drive all the way to the beginning of the canyon and you can park your car there for free. You don’t have to pay anything for the entrance to the canyon either.
If you do not have a car in your possession, you can also get there just fine by cab or bus. When we were there, we were told by the hotel that the price of a cab is around 10 euros for a one-way trip. If you are with the whole family, then of course this price per person is fine. Buses also run toward the canyon. Bus 60 runs from the central bus station and costs a few euros per person. Of course, you will be on the road longer, and if you are with a family of four or five, the cab is also cheaper.
Matka Canyon Macedonia with kids: the gorge
Matka Canyon is a gorge through which a river flows. You can take walks along the water, or you can take a boat out on the water. You see here mostly rock formations that are sometimes more than 100 meters high. In the gorge you can (if you are an enthusiast) spot various birds and butterflies.
It is also possible to visit several monasteries in the canyon. Most of these monasteries you can visit only after a tough hike. Especially with kids, that’s not really an option. For example, on top of the mountain is the St. Nikola Monastery, which you can walk to in half an hour, but this is obviously steep up the mountain.
There are also several caves in the Matka Canyon area that you can visit with your family. In one of the caves you also have an underground spring. There are also several bats living in certain caves that you can view. We have to be honest that we have already seen these types of caves in several countries and we are usually not that impressed by them. Therefore, we did not visit these caves in Matka canyon.
Matka Canyon Macedonia with kids: exploring the gorge
As we mentioned earlier, you can go hiking along the river, but especially in summer it can be quite hot. In some places there is no shade at all and then it can get quite hot during the day in summer. The six-kilometer one-way route is also getting worse. If you do want to hike along the gorge with the family, the advice is to bring plenty of water and put on good shoes.
We ourselves visited the gorge by boat. This boat trip lasted half an hour and during this trip you sail through the gorge for a bit. The private boat we had cost a few euros per person and was roofed over, so there was plenty of shade on the boat. Because you are sailing there is also a breeze, so it was a pleasant way to visit the gorge. It is also possible to book a boat trip of an hour or two and then you will also visit the caves in the area.
Another way to visit the gorge is by kayak. They rent kayaks for one or for two. So this way you can explore the area together with your kid in a kayak. You pay by the hour for a kayak.
Matka Canyon Macedonia with kids: food and drink
At the beginning of the canyon, where you can also rent the boats is Hotel and Restaurant Matka Canyon. Here you can have a drink and possibly a bite to eat. In doing so, you can sit inside or outside. Especially if you sit outside by the water you have a great view of the canyon. We thought the price of drinks was not too bad and had expected a higher (more touristy) price. We ourselves did not have lunch there, as we visited the gorge early in the morning.
Matka Canyon Macedonia with kids: conclusion!
We thought it was definitely worth visiting this gorge with our daughter. Because we were able to drive our own car, we didn’t have to find out much and drove straight to the gorge. We took a boat for half an hour, which was also enough to get a good impression of the gorge. Then we had a nice drink and all in all, with transportation, we spent about three hours on this activity in the gorge. Especially if you spend some time in the capital Skopje, it is definitely a must to visit the gorge!
Matka Canyon Macedonia with kids: Where to stay?
The Matka Canyon is located near the capital of Macedonia Skopje. Here you have plenty of overnight options for families. We list some good options.
Budget hotel: Hotel Portal (the first night I (Joep) slept here alone while waiting for Sanne and Sophie to arrive by plane the next day. Great hotel to stay for that price. I personally did not find breakfast very tasty, but for that price per night you cannot expect much. If you want to stay in Skopje with kids for cheap then this is definitely a very good option!
Mid-range hotel: Alexandar Square Boutique Hotel
Luxury Hotel: DoubleTree By Hilton Skopje
At the DoubleTree Hilton hotel, we slept two nights ourselves. We found the price-quality ratio of the hotel very good. Luxury hotel with super good breakfast and well under a hundred euros a night. We were there during the period with corona when there were few other tourists, so the price may have been lower than usual. Certainly we found the wellness of the hotel to be a very big plus!
For a list of all hotels in Skopje with kids check here.
