Day 1: Sunday: Skopje (Macedonia)

We'll depart on a flight to Skopje, the capital of Macedonia. Upon arrival, we'll embark on an introductory tour of the city, which beautifully narrates the life story of the national hero of Northern Macedonia, Alexander the Great. From there, we'll visit the Matka Canyon Nature Reserve. The reserve covers an area of approximately 50 square kilometers and includes the Vrelo Cave, a variety of animal species, and plants. We'll have a walking tour followed by a boat ride on Lake Matka in the heart of the reserve. Overnight stay and dinner in Skopje.

Day 2: Monday: Skopje and Its Surroundings (Macedonia)

Today, we'll delve deeper into the city with visits to its fortress, which offers a unique view of the entire ancient city from above. We'll continue to the Church of the Savior, impressed by the impressive monument dedicated to the nation's pride, Alexander the Great, and the fountain adorning the monument. We'll cross the Ottoman Stone Bridge over the Vardar River and conclude in the city center.

Day 3: Tuesday: Skopje (Macedonia) - Mavrovo Nature Reserve - Ohrid

This morning, we'll leave the beautiful city of Skopje and embark on a beautiful journey along the border with Albania, passing through mountains and hills on our way to the historically significant city of Ohrid. On our way south, we'll visit the Mavrovo Nature Reserve and enter the fascinating mountainous terrain to visit picturesque villages, meet the Albanian residents, and enjoy a bit of laughter with the local storytellers along the way. Towards evening, we'll arrive in Ohrid, the charming city where we'll spend the next few nights.

Day 4: Wednesday: Ohrid (Macedonia) - Sveti Naum Church - Drin River

This morning, we'll explore the surroundings of the beautiful city of Ohrid and hear the fascinating story of the city, once one of the most important cities in the Bulgarian Empire. Our important stop today will be at the Drin River, where we'll arrive at the northern lake shore and take a short walk to the source of one of the Balkans' most important and impressive rivers, the Drin River. We'll pass through numerous vendors selling their colorful merchandise to every passerby and board one of the boats for a magical ride on the calm river amidst the weeping willow trees adorning its banks. After the ride, we'll stop for lunch at a lovely local restaurant, where we'll get to know a bit of the fascinating Macedonian folklore before continuing to the Sveti Naum Church, one of the most important churches in the history of the Balkans. The interesting church, built in the 9th century and almost completely destroyed, but rebuilt in the 14th century, impresses with its wall paintings and approach to the Christian concept of eternity.

Day 5: Thursday: Ohrid (Macedonia) - Berat (Albania) - Tirana

This morning, we'll leave beautiful Macedonia and head west to cross the border between the two Balkan countries and journey to Berat, the 'city of a thousand windows,' a nickname earned by its magnificent preservation of traditional Albanian architecture. We'll admire the city from the fortress and visit the Mary's Church, which has been turned into a museum of Christian art. We'll descend to the lower city and visit the ethnographic museum and the Tekke (prayer place of the Bektashi) adorned with a stone door with two David stars. Is the false Messiah Shabbatai Zvi buried here? We'll continue to the Osum River that crosses the city, lined with hundreds of houses, each with its facade of windows. After completing our tour of Berat, we'll stay in this wonderful town for the night and have dinner.

Day 6 | Friday: Berat (Albania) - Kruja (Albania) - Tirana (Albania)

This morning we bid farewell to beautiful Berat, a place we will surely miss, and continue our journey northward to the city of Kruja. Here, we will learn about the fascinating story of the national hero, Skanderbeg, who led his battles against the Ottoman invaders for decades during the 15th century. We will ascend to the city's fortress and explore the historical museum and ethnographic museum, then wander through the "Turkish Bazaar," a testament to centuries of Ottoman rule. The Turkish Bazaar is one of the pleasant markets you can visit, rich in unique Balkan arts and crafts at reasonable prices. Perhaps we'll purchase a wall rug for the living room before heading south to Tirana, where we will embark on our first introductory tour if time allows and welcome the weekend.

Day 7 | Saturday in Tirana

We will spend Queen Mother's Saturday in the Albanian capital, wandering through various sites on a walking route during the Sabbath. Upon Sabbath departure, we will attend a special Albanian folklore performance together.

Day 8 | Sunday: Tirana (Albania) - Shkodra (Albania) - Podgorica (Montenegro)

This morning, we'll continue exploring the city of Tirana (some tours will be combined with Sabbath walks from the hotel area). The capital of the Albanian Republic, founded in 1614 and known as the capital city since 1920. We'll tour the impressive city center, see the "Et'hem Bey" mosque built in 1794, the clock tower from 1830, and the statue of the Albanian national hero, Skanderbeg, who successfully fought against the Ottoman conquerors and gained worldwide fame in Albania. From here, we'll proceed to Shkodra, on the shore of Lake Shkodra. The city, once the capital of the ancient Illyrian kingdom, became a Venetian stronghold in the Middle Ages with the construction of a massive fortress, 'Rozafa Fortress.' We'll climb to the fortress, from which we'll enjoy a magnificent view of Lake Shkodra and the confluence of the Buna and Drin rivers. After the tours, we'll cross the Albanian/Montenegrin border near the capital city of Podgorica and head to Kolasin for the night's stay.

Day 9 | Monday: Biogradska Gora Nature Reserve - Jeep Tour Day (Montenegro)

This morning, we'll ride off-road vehicles and ascend to the beautiful Biogradska Gora Nature Reserve. We'll embark on a unique nature trail through the Biogradska Gora Nature Reserve, abundant with breathtaking landscapes, vast water abundance, and the magical beauty of the Balkan Pearl. Towards noon, we'll reach Lake Biograd and go for a short walk around the lake, crossing between green trees and stunning reflections. After the lake hike, we'll return to Kolasin for the night's stay.

Day 10 | Tuesday: Towards the Adriatic Coast - Durmitor National Park - Budva (Montenegro)

This morning, we'll head westward through one of the deepest canyons in Europe to the Durmitor Nature Reserve. Upon reaching the reserve, we'll head to Black Lake, an impressive alpine lake where we'll embark on a not-too-difficult hiking trail among stunning mountains, lofty peaks, and snowy landscapes. From here, we'll continue on a stunning scenic route through the high mountains we've explored in recent days, the magnificent lakes of the Albanian border, the Adriatic Sea shores, and the Bay of Kotor. Towards afternoon, we'll arrive at a small and beautiful town named Cetinje, where we'll admire buildings from different periods of governance. Then, we'll continue to stay overnight on the Adriatic coast in Budva.

Day 11 | Wednesday: Budva - Bay of Kotor (Montenegro)

Today we'll explore the enchanting Bay of Kotor and stop at several breathtaking viewpoints from which we'll gaze upon the stunning fjord landscapes. The Bay of Kotor was selected by Lonely Planet's website as one of the top ten favorite destinations in the world for 2016. As part of our acquaintance with the magnificent fjord, we'll embark on a walking tour in the old town of Kotor, impressed by its stunning alleys and Venetian story, and then return to our hotel in the Budva area.

Day 12 | Thursday: Budva - Podgorica - Back Home

This morning, we'll have some time left to wander through the beautiful city of Budva along its colorful streets, getting to know the seafront and the wall surrounding the entire old town. After touring the coastal town and being impressed by the picturesque fishing village of Sveti Stefan, we'll transfer to the airport in the capital city of Podgorica from where we'll fly back Home.