Mavrovo National Park

North Macedonia · Europe · Visited 14 September 2025 · Established 1949

I haven't fully explored Mavrovo yet. I entered the park from the Albanian side to hike Mt Korab, the highest peak in both North Macedonia and Albania at 2,764 metres, and reaching the summit put me technically inside the park's boundaries. I'll be back to explore the rest of Mavrovo properly when I return to this part of the Balkans to visit the neighbouring Shar Mountain National Park.

That said, even from this single visit, Mavrovo made an impression.

Hiking Mt Korab

The trail starts from Radomirë, a beautiful mountain village on the Albanian side. It's a long hike but not too demanding in terms of technical difficulty. The main things to watch out for are the sun in summer (there's little shade on the upper sections) and snow, which can linger on parts of the route all year round. Even in the height of summer, some sections require walking through snow, so come prepared.

Near the peak, I got to see the Korab Waterfall, the highest waterfall in the Balkans at around 130 metres. It's fed by snowmelt from the surrounding peaks, so it's at its most impressive in spring and early summer and can dry up by late August in particularly hot years.

An interesting fact

Mt Korab is one of very few peaks in the world where the summit is shared between two countries and serves as the highest point for both of them. Albania and North Macedonia each claim the same 2,764-metre peak as their national high point. Every year on 8 September, North Macedonia's Independence Day, an international climb to the summit is organised, drawing hikers from across Europe.

Why it's worth the visit

Even from a single hike, it's clear that Mavrovo is something special. It's still well off the mainstream tourist trail, and the landscape feels wild and untouched. I barely scratched the surface, and I'm already planning the return trip.