North Macedonia & Kosovo Road Trip – Route, Tips & Highlights

Travelling to Southeast Europe, especially to the Balkan countries, is becoming increasingly popular and attracts more visitors every year.
While destinations like Albania or Montenegro have long been on many travellers’ bucket lists, few people still consider a trip to North Macedonia and Kosovo.

One reason for this might be that both countries are landlocked and have no coastline.
But that shouldn’t stop anyone from discovering this region.
What many in Western Europe have yet to realise is something people in the Balkans have appreciated for years: the stunning beauty of North Macedonia.
Lake Ohrid in particular, with its crystal-clear water, has been attracting visitors from neighbouring Balkan states for decades and is considered a true gem, especially in summer.

The country also offers a wonderful mix of culture, history, and nature.
Mountain regions perfect for hiking, clear lakes for swimming and relaxing, as well as peaceful villages and vibrant cities lie remarkably close together.
Most highlights are only a short drive apart, making North Macedonia ideal for a diverse and flexible road trip.

Kosovo, with its capital Pristina, complements the travel experience with impressive monasteries, a bear sanctuary, mountainous landscapes for hiking, and remarkable hospitality.

What other sights and highlights you can expect during a road trip through North Macedonia and Kosovo, you’ll find out in this post.

HOW TO GET AROUND IN NORTH MACEDONIA AND KOSOVO

Perhaps you are like us. When planning a road trip, the first thing we check is how far the individual stages are from one another and which mode of transport is best suited.
For North Macedonia, we clearly recommend renting a car.
It gives you maximum flexibility and comfort, saves time, and allows you to reach remote places that are difficult or impossible to access by bus.

We booked our rental car in advance through DiscoverCars.
The process at the counter went smoothly, so we were able to start our trip right away.
For us, it was important that border crossings were allowed. When picking up the car, we were asked which countries we planned to visit and had to pay a fee of 35 euros for entry into Kosovo.
That was all. At the border itself, only our passports were checked.

Good to know: North Macedonia has toll roads. These small fees are paid directly at the booth either in cash or by card.

Of course, there are also bus connections between larger cities such as Skopje, Tetovo, and Ohrid.
However, for travellers, the timetables are difficult to understand and it is uncertain whether departure times are always followed.

BOOKING YOUR ACCOMMODATION BEFORE THE TRIP

A road trip is full of beautiful and unforgettable moments, but it can also be tiring.
To save time and avoid stress along the way, it is worth booking at least some or even all of your accommodation in advance.
This way you make sure you find places that truly suit your needs and avoid ending up with overpriced or unsuitable options.

A helpful tip is to choose hotels with free cancellation so you can stay flexible.
We booked our accommodation through booking.com and had very good experiences with it.

OUR ROAD TRIP ROUTE

We spent ten days in North Macedonia and Kosovo at the end of October.
Since North Macedonia is a small country and Kosovo is even smaller, you can see an impressive amount in a relatively short time.
Ten days were ideal for our itinerary. If you have less time, we still recommend planning at least one week.
This gives you enough time to explore the main sights at a relaxed pace while gaining a good impression of the people and the culture.

FROM SKOPJE TO PRISTINA

Our accommodation: Downtown Apartment
Recommended stay: 1 to 3 days

Our road trip starts and ends in Skopje since the country’s international airport is located there.
We saved the city tour for the end of our journey. After arriving, we picked up our rental car and drove to the capital of Kosovo, Pristina, which is about an hour away.

The route first follows the highway and then a well-developed country road until you reach the border.
The process there is quick and uncomplicated. You show your passport and continue your journey.
In Kosovo, the highway leads for many kilometres through beautiful mountainous scenery before reaching Pristina.

Pristina welcomed us with golden October weather and pleasantly mild temperatures.
What we saw and experienced during our stay in the country’s largest city can be found in detail in our separate post: Pristina – Top Sights, Highlights & Travel Tips for Kosovo’s Capital.

For anyone who wants to visit Pristina only as a day trip and does not have a rental car or is not allowed to cross the border with it, there is the option to book a guided day tour from Skopje.
A suitable tour can be booked here: Day Trip to Kosovo.

MATKA CANYON

Our accommodation: Canyon Matka Hotel
Recommended stay: 1 day

After a wonderful stay in Kosovo, we drove back to North Macedonia in the afternoon.
The drive to our next destination, Matka Canyon, which we consider an absolute must-see in the country, took around one and a half hours.

The area as it exists today was created in 1938 when the Treska River was dammed to supply the capital, Skopje, with electricity.
Since 1994, the canyon with its impressive natural scenery has been designated a natural monument.
The area around the canyon is ideal for climbing, hiking, fishing, kayaking, boat tours, cave visits and, for experienced divers, even cave diving.

Due to its location only about 35 minutes by car from Skopje, Matka Canyon is very suitable for a day trip.
However, we had read beforehand that it often gets very crowded, especially in summer but also in autumn.
To avoid the crowds and later focus entirely on exploring Skopje, we decided to stay overnight at Canyon Matka Hotel, the only hotel in the canyon.

This decision turned out to be perfect for us. The hotel, accessible only via a narrow cobblestone path along the rock wall, is located right in the canyon.
Parts of the building are built directly into the rocks, and the entire restaurant stands on a stilted platform above the water.

Thanks to a gate, the hotel grounds and the kilometre-long hiking path along the rock wall are reserved exclusively for hotel guests in the evening and early morning hours.
This allowed us to enjoy sunrise in complete peace, with the path almost entirely to ourselves, and to fully take in the stunning landscape.

Good to know: The hiking trail along the canyon is a very narrow dirt path that is well secured in some places but less so in others.
On the left side, the drop leads several metres straight down into the water.
Anyone who feels unsteady when walking or is travelling with small children should carefully consider whether this is a good option.
Alternatively, you can explore the scenery by boat, which in this case is probably the much safer choice.

After breakfast, we booked a boat tour at the dock right next to the hotel. There are several tours available with different durations and prices, and you will find a clear overview on-site.
Payment is accepted in cash only. Normally, the boat operators wait until enough passengers have gathered for a tour, which is not a problem later in the day due to the high number of visitors.
Since we were among the first guests that morning, we were able to enjoy a private boat trip for a small surcharge of about eight euros.

The ride took us about twenty minutes upstream, passing steep, rugged and overgrown rock formations along the turquoise water.
At one point, the boat operator turned off the engine so we could take in the silence of nature combined with the spectacular landscape.
With a beautiful memory in mind, we returned to the dock. If we had not been travelling with a small child, we would probably have visited one of the caves or gone on one of the hiking tours.

OHRID AT LAKE OHRID

Our accommodation: 3M Apartment
Recommended stay: 2 to 5 days

Our next destination is only about two and a half hours from Matka Canyon or from Skopje.
Ohrid, together with the lake of the same name, is the largest city in the south of North Macedonia and is located just a few kilometres from both the Albanian and Greek borders.
Especially in the summer months, Lake Ohrid is one of the most popular travel destinations in North Macedonia.
The turquoise lake with its crystal-clear water is a wonderful alternative to the sea and offers refreshing cooling on hot days.

But the lakeside city also has its own special charm in autumn.
What we saw and did during our stay in Ohrid, and which alternatives the lake offers besides a classic beach holiday, we describe in detail in our post Ohrid and Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia Sightseeing and Highlights.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ROUTE WE DROVE R1106

For the drive back to Skopje, Google Maps showed us two possible routes.
Either the same road we had taken on the way there or an alternative route that was supposedly only about thirty minutes longer.
Since we already knew the first route, we spontaneously chose the alternative.
Looking back, this turned out to be a fantastic decision because this road is one of the most scenic routes we drove in North Macedonia.

The road led through a very rural region that looked stunning in late October with its colourful autumn scenery.
After the small village of Dolna Belitsa, which seems to consist of no more than five houses, the road became very narrow and single-lane.
At that moment, we were no longer sure if we had taken the correct turn. Reception was poor, but the navigation system showed that we were on the right way, so we continued.
The road widened slightly but remained single-lane. It climbed gently uphill and below us lay Lake Kozjak, which looked more like a river than a lake from this perspective.
Eventually, we drove through a truly impressive landscape.

Fortunately, the surface of the narrow road has been newly paved and is therefore in good condition.
However, the slopes are not protected from falling rocks, so larger stones and small debris can sometimes be found on the road. Extra caution is required here.

After about forty-five minutes of driving, a large yellow sign appeared. To be honest, we didn’t know what it meant at first.

A few minutes later, we reached the spot called Delnica Skopje, which Google Maps even lists as a sight.
There we found a second large sign along with a barrier. The man directing traffic explained that the sign indicates the opening times of the upcoming road.
The pass road ahead is even narrower than the previous section and does not allow oncoming traffic. For this reason, it is only opened in one direction at specific times.

Make sure to check the current opening times of this route in advance.
Otherwise, you may have to wait up to two hours or find the road already closed when you arrive.
The man at the barrier also advised us not to turn around, as the alternative route would take significantly longer.

Once the road was opened for us, it led uphill through the forest in a series of bends for several minutes.
The road surface is in moderate condition and, as mentioned earlier, extremely narrow.
Stopping to take photos is not possible if other cars are behind you. On the left side, there is only an occasional guardrail.
Most of the time, the drop goes several metres straight down into the forest without any protection.

Despite the signs of a forest fire that damaged large parts of the area this year or last year, the route is still very scenic.
At the top, you are rewarded with a beautiful view over the mountainous region.

If you don’t mind taking a small detour on the way from Ohrid to Skopje and are in the mood for a bit of adventure, we can highly recommend this route.

SKOPJE

Our accommodation: Luxury Apartment at Diamond Center
Recommended stay: 1 to 3 days

The final stop of our road trip is the country’s capital.
The impressions we gathered there and the sights and highlights you can expect in Skopje are all described in detail in our post Skopje Travel Guide: What to See and Do in North Macedonia’s Capital.

USEFUL LINKS & RECOMMENDED TRAVEL GUIDES FOR YOU

• Discover the best accommodations
• Find affordable flights at skyscanner.com
• Find affordable rental cars at DiscoverCars
• The best Travel Guides for North Macedonia
• Unique Excursions to Experience in North Macedonia

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Note: This blog post contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or purchase something through these links, we earn a small commission. There is absolutely no change to the price for you.