Canyon Matka (Jezero Matka)

Matka Canyon is a picturesque canyon in Macedonia, which was created by the Treska River, which made its way through the mountain range. Visiting the canyon for every tourist will bring only positive emotions. Fresh mountain air, rocky green slopes, transparent water surface of the lake – what can be more beautiful for a vacation? After excursions you can relax in cozy hotels, located nearby, enjoying quiet music and amazingly delicious food, which will be prepared with great pleasure by local chefs. Interestingly, the rock of the canyon is marble.

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Highlights

Every year the popularity of Matka Canyon increases more and more, attracting tourists from many countries. An interesting fact is that the canyon is forbidden to photograph, as the hydroelectric power plant is a secret object. However, tourists do not pay attention to this feature at all and quietly take pictures of excellent landscapes.

Its history of origin is very interesting. In 1938, the local authorities blocked the river with a dam to make a reservoir to provide water for the newly built hydroelectric power plant. The created lake over time turned into a really interesting and very beautiful place of recreation, due to which an amazingly beautiful lake with turquoise-colored water was formed.

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Matka Canyon is home to many species of animals and plants, some of which are listed in the Red Book, and some of which are found only here. The very name of the canyon emphasizes that this is where life originated.

The hiking route through the canyon is equipped with benches and fall protection, and the “lazy” can order a boat ride from the restaurant.

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Attractions of Matka Canyon

Churches and monasteries

There are several churches and monasteries along the lake near the canyon. The most famous is the ancient church of St. Andrew, built in 1389. There is a path to it near the lake, which you can walk along. The construction of this church took place long before the canyon was filled with water, so now only a few meters separate its walls from the water. There is a pier, restaurant and café next to it. On the rocky slopes of the canyon you can see other medieval monasteries that have hidden here from the intrusion of casual travelers and foes.

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Caves

Another attraction of Matka Canyon are about 10 caves of varying lengths. Some of them are only visible from the side of pleasure boats traveling on the lake.

The most famous cave is called Vrelo. Millions of years of erosion have created this geological wonder, richly decorated inside with stalactites and stalagmites. Experts believe that Vrelo Cave may be one of the deepest underwater caves in the world. The cave consists of two halls with a total length of 176 meters.

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In the first hall, countless bats live on the ceiling. There are so many of them that in the semi-darkness of the cave it seems that the vault of the ceiling is alive and all moving. It also smells awful with the products of these bats. In the “transition” between the first and second halls lurks a huge stalagmite named “pine cone”. Its height is 3 meters.

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In the second hall there are two lakes. One is small and uninteresting. But the second is very tempting. Its length is 30 meters and width of about 4. The lake has not yet been studied, but there are suggestions that its depth can reach 500 meters, which allows you to call the cave Vrelo the deepest in Europe.

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Kiro Angeleschi, the diver who first explored it, says: “Diving into the darkness, you enter another world. It’s an unforgettable sensation. You have to be extremely focused and collected and have no margin for error.”

Four years ago, Kiro took part in a special expedition to explore an underwater cave. At that time, an international team of divers and speleologists was led by the famous Italian diver Luigi Casatti, who set a new record by diving to a depth of 212 meters.

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Lake Doiran

Another natural wonder of the Matka Canyon is Lake Doiran on the border with Greece. It is a lake of tectonic origin, but not very deep. It is considered one of the richest lakes in Europe, with 16 species of fish. The color of the water in the lake is emerald, very unusual and beautiful.

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The shore of this deep-water body of water was dubbed “Russian beach”, due to the fact that some Russian ambassador easily dived into the icy abyss. The others present did not have the fortitude to do so!

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Every year its popularity is increasing, attracting tourists from many countries. An interesting fact is that the canyon is forbidden to photograph, as the hydroelectric power plant is a secret object. However, tourists do not pay attention to this feature at all and quietly take pictures of the excellent scenery.

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Tourists

Matka Canyon is located just 17 kilometers southwest of the city of Skopje (about 30 minutes away). It can be reached by bus, cab, or as part of a tour group.

At the entrance to the canyon there is a parking lot, a picnic area, a place for swimming. There are tents and stores. Along the canyon built a route for rafting. There are organized routes for rock climbers.

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