Ancient North Macedonia tour

Planet

On this trip we stay in the 12th century Monastery of Saint Joakim Osogovski for a night of tranquillity nestled amongst the forest covered hills. By staying here we’re helping to contribute to the cost of preserving this beautiful monument, as well as giving us a fascinating place to stay. We also stay overnight in the Pelister National Park, which helps to fund the conservation of this place of outstanding natural beauty.

To help reduce the level of pollution within the urban centres, the sightseeing tours we operate are mostly done on foot, which is also a great way of seeing all they have to offer first hand. When coaches are being used for these small group trips we keep the size of the coach to a minimum, so rather than using gas guzzling 40-50 seaters we opt for more environmental friendly 15-25 seat coaches that use less fuel and therefore admit less carbon.

We will take a trip across to Thassos Island by local ferry, which gives us the chance to meet the local people and to utilise public transport. Once on the island we have the option to explore on foot, travel on the local buses and visit a number of small archaeological sites that don’t get anywhere near as many tourists as those that are located on the mainland. Another lesser-visited archaeological site that we include on this trip is Vergina – the ancient capital of the Macedonian Kings. Our entrance fee helps to conserve this important historical location for future generations.

In addition to the above, we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key and so all staff, Tour leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our UK Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage. As well as this, we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of UK travel industry bodies Tourism Concern and AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.

As a company we support Cool Earth. Protecting rainforest is one of the most effective actions to tackle climate breakdown. CoolEarth work with indigenous communities empowering them to conserve their forest; keeping CO2 locked in.

People

This trip takes us away from the tourist trail to discover some of the most fascinating parts of Europe. Tourism is still relatively new in the Balkans, but it is a significant part of the economy. Our trip takes in the highlights of Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece, but also gives us time to explore less visited areas. Getting off the beaten track has great benefits; by spending money in rural areas we are able to benefit communities who have fewer income generating opportunities. Our hotels are generally small family-run hotels. We mix our meals between various local restaurants to spread the business and taste the wonderful regional cuisine.

More great local food is available for our picnics purchased at local shops, so we can really see that we benefit not only our hosts at the hotels but the wider community as well. We will visit the typical Macedonian village of Vevchani where we have the opportunity to have lunch and this isn’t a location that normally receives many tourists. Also in Kratovo we have the chance to enjoy a homemade lunch, which is often accompanied by traditional bagpipe music, which is played by a gentleman in his 80’s who wants to ensure that visitors get to experience the folk music that is unique to Macedonia and so dear to his heart.

In Podmochani Village we will visit a small ethno museum, which is owned by a local farmer to showcase his impressive collection of jewellery, weaponry, coins and over 140 national costumes, some of which date back over 300 years. Running the museum helps to subsidise his income from farming the land.

We use a Macedonian Tour Leader and local guides on this trip who know the region very well. Learning about the places we are travelling through and their people is very important to us. Our Tour Leader will be able to explain aspects of the history, wildlife and culture of all three countries visited. Our Tour Leaders are trained in responsible tourism matters and work to our detailed Responsible Tourism Policy.