From Skopje: Matka Canyon, Painted Mosque&Arabati Baba Tekke
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
A day that takes you from the stunning serenity of Matka Canyon to the vibrant heritage of Tetovo. Explore the mesmerizing Painted Mosque and find peace in the centuries-old Arabati Baba Tekke.
Step away from the city's hustle and enjoy a full-day escape into nature, history, and culture. Begin your journey at Matka Canyon—home to rare wildlife, dramatic cliffs, and crystal-clear waters. Glide across the lake by kayak, take a boat ride to Vrelo Cave, or simply relax with a meal on a terrace overlooking the canyon. Continue to Tetovo, a city nestled beneath the Shara Mountain. Discover the beautifully adorned Painted Mosque, a true Ottoman gem, and feel the calm at Arabati Baba Tekke, a tranquil Dervish monastery. A perfect mix of beauty, tradition, and discovery awaits!
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
Matka Canyon
Due in large part to its proximity to Skopje, Matka Canyon is a popular destination for citizens and tourists. The canyon is one of Macedonia's foremost areas for alpine hiking. The climbing season begins around Easter and ends in November. Kayaking on the Treska River is a popular activity, as are fishing, hunting, and swimming
Painted Mosque Sarena Dzamija
The Painted Mosque (Šarena Džamija) in Tetovo is a stunning 15th-century mosque known for its vibrant, hand-painted exterior and richly decorated interior. Unlike traditional Ottoman mosques, it features intricate floral and geometric patterns, making it one of the most unique mosques in the Balkans. Situated by the Pena River, it offers a blend of Islamic and Baroque artistic influences, creating a mesmerizing cultural landmark.
Options
From Skopje: Matka Canyon, Painted Mosque&Arabati Baba Tekke
Pickup included
What‘s Included
English speaking driver/guide
All transfers with comfortable A/C car or minivan
Pick-up and drop-off (hotel or any location of your preference in Skopje)
Meals and drinks
Entrance tickets
Optional boat ride to Vrelo Cave at the Matka Canyon (8.5 EUR/ 500 MKD)
Personal expenses
Tips and gratuities
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
63 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Engaging day trip to Makta & Tetovo
amirs202,May 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An excellent tour with a lot of variety. The guide Damir was very engaging and well informed. He allowed for a good amount of time at the sights and was flexible throughout. He also pointed me to the best dishes to try in a traditional lunch. Very pleased overall.
Terrible experience – not worth your money!
onuryX673XR,Oct 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00We joined their tour today, and it was an absolute disappointment. At every single stop, they made us pay extra entrance fees, even though the tour wasn’t cheap to begin with. The guide was completely uninterested, offered no useful information, and just dropped us off at each location. It felt more like we were paying for a taxi ride than an organized tour. I strongly don’t recommend this company – save your money and plan the trip yourself; you’ll have a much better time.
Amazing
monzerc2023,Sep 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was amazing, the guides are super nice (The lady guide) has so much knowledge. Highly recommended for people spending couple of days here
The best tour & guides ever!
mollysY3422UD,Sep 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a lovely day! Beautiful scenery and amazing guides - so knowledgeable, friendly and helpful! 10/10 recommend Skopje daily tours!
A tour to take.
marioz787,Sep 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I recommend this tour. We really enjoyed all the places we went to, but it is important to take the boat trip. The scenario is so nice. A big thank you to the guide Olivia, she explained so well to us.
Excellent way to visit and enjoy with Helena !
Cruiser64061174594,Jul 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very nice and very interesting trip with Helena today ! A lot of explanations about history and the places we visited. Very kind big smile ! Plus, refreshing for a very hot day !
Matka Canyon tour
Catherine C,Jul 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We went to Matka Canyon, and also visited the Mosque and it was truly breathtaking! We were a family of six including two kids and two grandmothers so the age spectrum was wide and we all truly enjoyed our time with our tour guide Smiley. He was knowledge, very considerate of our elderly mothers and managed to keep our kids entertained. We weren’t rushed and truly were able to enjoy our experience. We enjoyed our time so much that we booked a second tour with Smiley from Skopje to Lake Ohrid and once again had a fabulous time. His recommendations of where to have lunch were superb! If you get a chance to go on a tour this is a great one and hopefully you will have half the fun that we did. Thank you so much Smiley for an amazing time and for making each family member feel seen and special! Catherine & Mario
Perfect!
K W,Jun 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great tour, great guide. We felt comfortable and had a great day with many beautiful impressions! Matka must have been seen. Olivia was a very charming and cheerful travel companion!
Amazing experience
937edak,May 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour guide was Smile. We really appreciate his effort. The weather was not good in our tour day. However he planned the day according to the weather, so we had no problem. He explained everything well and he introduced Macedonian culture to us. Everything was good but I strongly suggest to see the mosque. You will have both nature and culture day :)
agency to favor if you want to visit North Macedonia
228jeanfran oisc,Mar 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was GREAT!! Toni was my guide during this half day and it's been a really long time since I had a guide as well. It explains in a clear and simple way the history of the sites we visited (also talking about the history of North Macedonia and the Balkans in general) and we are not bored for a second! on the other hand I thank the agency that I contacted the same day to find me a place for the same afternoon and I had an almost immediate response (while I contacted them before 7am!) In short, I will not hesitate to call on this agency the next time I visit the Balkans (because the agency organizes tours on demand throughout the Balkans).
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Operated by Skopje Daily Tours - See you in a day!