12-Day Balkan Discovery Tour from Skopje to Ljubljana

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12 days (approximately)
Pickup offered
Offered in: English

Discover six Balkan countries in 12 days on a small-group journey from Skopje to Ljubljana, with an English-speaking tour leader, private air-conditioned transport and 4–5★ hotels throughout. Cruise through Matka Canyon and across Lake Ohrid to St. Naum Monastery, explore Tirana and Krujë, and follow the Adriatic coast through Budva, Kotor and Perast to Dubrovnik. Continue to Kravica Waterfalls, Mostar and Sarajevo, then Travnik, Jajce, Plitvice Lakes and Zagreb, before finishing with Postojna Cave, Lake Bled and Ljubljana. Guided city tours, a welcome dinner and a traditional Albanian dinner, and airport transfers on the start and end dates are included.

What's Included

Private transportation
Licensed local guides at selected sites
Entrance fee
Airport transfers on the tour start and end dates
Lunch
Dinner (Optional[3])
Dinner
Air-conditioned vehicle
Breakfast (Optional[11])
Breakfast
Accommodation in 4–5★ hotels for 11 nights
English-speaking tour leader throughout
Gratuities
Airport/Departure Tax
Personal expenses and anything not mentioned in the tour itinerary

Meeting and pickup

Pickup points
You can choose a pickup location at checkout (multiple pickup locations are available).
Pickup details:

Our professional driver will pick you up from any location, including the airport, or address you provide. Look out for our distinctive vehicle adorned with our logo, making it easy to spot. To ensure a seamless experience, our driver will also hold a sign displaying your name, making it effortless for you to locate them upon arrival.

Itinerary

Duration: 12 days (approximately)
    Day 1

    Arrive in Skopje & Welcome Dinner

    1 stop
  • 1
    Skopje

    Arrive at Skopje International Airport and transfer to your 4–5★ hotel. In the evening, meet your tour leader and fellow travelers for a welcome dinner of traditional Macedonian dishes.

    5 hours • Admission ticket free
    • Day 2

    Matka Canyon Boat Tour & Skopje City Tour

    3 stops
  • 2
    Matka Canyon

    Take a scenic boat tour through Matka Canyon, between steep limestone cliffs on the Treska River, with a visit to Vrelo Cave.

    2 hours • Admission ticket included
  • 3
    Macedonia Square

    Walk across Macedonia Square and the Ottoman Stone Bridge over the Vardar on a guided tour of central Skopje.

    45 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 4
    Old Bazaar - Skopje

    Explore the Old Bazaar, where Ottoman-era mosques, inns and craft shops line the cobbled lanes.

    1 hour • Admission ticket free
    • Day 3

    Ohrid Old Town & St. Naum Monastery Cruise

    5 stops
  • 5
    Lake Ohrid

    Arrive in Ohrid, North Macedonia's lakeside cultural capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    1 hour • Admission ticket included
  • 6
    Ancient Theatre of Ohrid

    See the Ancient Theatre of Ohrid, a Hellenistic amphitheatre above the old town.

    20 minutes • Admission ticket included
  • 7
    Chinar Tree

    Pause at Činar Square, the heart of old Ohrid, named after its centuries-old plane tree.

    15 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 8
    Church of Hagia Sophia

    Visit the Church of St. Sophia, known for its exceptional medieval frescoes.

    30 minutes • Admission ticket included
  • 9
    Monastery of Saint Naum

    Cruise across Lake Ohrid to St. Naum Monastery and enjoy time by its crystal-clear springs.

    2 hours • Admission ticket included
    • Day 4

    Tirana City Tour & Traditional Albanian Dinner

    2 stops
  • 10
    Skanderbeg Square

    Begin a guided tour of Tirana at Skanderbeg Square, surrounded by the city's key landmarks.

    45 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 11
    Xhamia Et'hem Bej

    Visit the Et'hem Bey Mosque, known for its finely painted frescoes, before a traditional Albanian dinner in the evening.

    30 minutes • Admission ticket included
    • Day 5

    Krujë Castle, Mrizi i Zanave, Shkodër & Bečići

    4 stops
  • 12
    Kruja Castle

    Visit Krujë Castle, closely linked to Albania's national hero Skanderbeg, and browse the traditional Old Bazaar below it.

    1 hour 15 minutes • Admission ticket included
  • 13
    Lezhe

    Stop near Lezhë for a seasonal farm-to-table lunch at the Mrizi i Zanave estate, made with locally sourced ingredients and regional specialties.

    2 hours • Admission ticket free
  • 14
    Shkoder

    Make a short stop in Shkodër, one of Albania's oldest cities, to see its historic center before crossing into Montenegro.

    30 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 15
    Sveti Stefan

    Follow the Adriatic coast with a photo stop at the Sveti Stefan viewpoint before continuing to Bečići on the Budva Riviera.

    20 minutes • Admission ticket free
    • Day 6

    Budva & Kotor, Perast Boat Trip

    3 stops
  • 16
    Altstadt - Old Town Budva

    Take a guided walk through Budva Old Town, with its medieval lanes, stone squares, historic churches and Venetian heritage.

    1 hour • Admission ticket free
  • 17
    Kotor Old Town

    Walk through Kotor's UNESCO-listed Old Town, with its squares, churches and fortified walls beneath the mountains.

    2 hours • Admission ticket free
  • 18
    Our Lady of the Rocks

    Continue to baroque Perast and take a boat to Our Lady of the Rocks, the famous island church in the Bay of Kotor, before driving on to Dubrovnik.

    1 hour • Admission ticket included
    • Day 7

    Dubrovnik Old Town, Kravica Waterfalls & Mostar

    2 stops
  • 19
    Stradun

    Stroll along the Stradun on a guided walk through Dubrovnik's UNESCO-listed Old Town within the medieval walls.

    2 hours • Admission ticket free
  • 20
    Kravice Falls

    Enjoy time at Kravica Waterfalls, where the Trebižat River forms a broad series of cascades, before continuing to Mostar for the night.

    1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket included
    • Day 8

    Mostar, Jablanica & Konjic, then Sarajevo Old Town

    4 stops
  • 21
    Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar

    Take a guided walk through Mostar's Old Town, from Stari Most to the bazaar lanes along the Neretva.

    2 hours • Admission ticket included
  • 22
    Museum Battle for the Wounded on Neretva River

    Visit the Battle of the Neretva Museum in Jablanica and its famous destroyed railway bridge.

    45 minutes • Admission ticket included
  • 23
    Konjic Bridge

    Stop in Konjic to walk across the restored Ottoman stone bridge over the Neretva.

    30 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 24
    Baščaršija

    End with a guided evening walk through Sarajevo's Baščaršija and old town, followed by a ćevapi dinner.

    1 hour • Admission ticket free
    • Day 9

    Travnik Fortress, Jajce Waterfall & Plitvice Region

    3 stops
  • 25
    Stari Grad, Old Town, Travnik

    Visit Travnik Fortress above the old town, with panoramic views across the Lašva Valley.

    1 hour • Admission ticket included
  • 26
    Pliva Waterfall

    See the Jajce Waterfall, where the Pliva River meets the Vrbas in the heart of the historic town.

    1 hour • Admission ticket included
  • 27
    Plitvice Lakes National Park

    Cross into Croatia and continue to the Plitvice Lakes region for your overnight stay.

    1 hour • Admission ticket free
    • Day 10

    Plitvice Lakes National Park & Zagreb City Tour

    3 stops
  • 28
    Plitvice Lakes National Park

    Follow wooden boardwalks and forest trails past the turquoise lakes and waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes National Park (UNESCO).

    3 hours • Admission ticket free
  • 29
    Ban Josip Jelacic Square

    Continue to Zagreb for a guided city tour starting at Ban Jelačić Square, the lively heart of Croatia's capital.

    30 minutes • Admission ticket free
  • 30
    St. Mark's Church

    Explore the atmospheric Upper Town and see St. Mark's Church with its distinctive tiled roof, near the historic Zagreb Cathedral area.

    1 hour • Admission ticket free
    • Day 11

    Postojna Cave, Lake Bled & Ljubljana

    3 stops
  • 31
    Postojna Cave

    Take a guided tour through Postojna Cave, one of Europe's best-known karst cave systems.

    1 hour • Admission ticket included
  • 32
    Lake Bled

    Enjoy Lake Bled with a traditional pletna boat ride to Bled Island and views of the castle and Julian Alps.

    2 hours • Admission ticket included
  • 33
    Ljubljana

    Continue to Ljubljana for check-in and, if time allows, a relaxed evening walk through the Old Town along the Ljubljanica River.

    1 hour • Admission ticket free
    • Day 12

    Ljubljana City Tour & Departure

    1 stop
  • 34
    Triple Bridge (Tromostovje)

    Finish with a guided tour of Ljubljana's historic center, riverside promenades, squares and bridges, then transfer to Ljubljana Airport for departure.

    2 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Supplied by Balkland

Tags

Multi-day Tours
Bus Tours
Private and Luxury
Cultural Tours
Historical Tours
4WD Tours
Culture
Zombie

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

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