At the stunning Matka Canyon in North Macedonia, the Vrelo Cave appears as a labyrinth of tunnels. The quiet caverns and reflective pools inside make it a must-visit while in Skopje.
Vrelo Cave is undoubtedly the crown jewel of Matka Canyon’s ten caves. Its uniqueness and beauty even landed it on a list of the world’s top 77 natural sites in the mid 2000’s.
The project by New7Wonders of Nature was a global poll dedicated to finding the seven natural wonders of the world. Surprisingly, North Macedonia had two entries, the other being the stunning Lake Ohrid.
As one of the deepest underwater caves in the world, its inclusion should be no surprise. The amazing thing – it’s still being discovered!
A LOOK INSIDE VRELO CAVE
Vrelo Cave is actually a combination of two caverns and lakes. The first is an underwater section called Podvrelo that goes (at least) 240 meters deep. Depth surveyors have been going on periodic dives for years, trying to find out how far it really submerges.
The second cave is the above water Vrelo Cave. This is the area you’ll get to see when you visit! The ceiling is full of stalactites and curved walls that are lit up by multicolored lights. At the end, you’ll find the two lakes. Their still water gives off a mirrored reflection in the wide brightly lit hall.
Fun Fact | Speleologists (cave researchers) believe that the water only entered the cave after Matka reservoir was built in 1936. This is indicated by the presence of stalactites in the water.
Colored lights make for a cool viewing experience.
The entrance to the cave is 50 meters above ground, so you’ll have to walk down some steps to reach the pools. Don’t worry, there’s a grated metal stairway that will lead you the majority of the way. Tread lightly though, as it gets slippery in places.
Matka Canyon
I can’t mention Vrelo Cave without also bringing up Matka Canyon. A natural canyon with steep cliffs and vibrant blue waters, it’s a picture-perfect place to spend the day.
There are so many activities to do in Matka other than the journey to the cave. On the water, you have a boat journey up the Treska River, kayaking, and water biking.
Hiking is popular in the area, especially along the river. Make sure to keep an eye out for some of Matka Canyon’s diverse animal species. Bats live in the surrounding caves and there’s a wide variety of native butterflies. The venomous horned viper snake also lurks in these parts, so be careful where you step.
You’ll find a number of churches and monasteries around the canyon as well. The most famous of those is the St. Nikola Monastery which stands high above the water.
If you’re not feeling like any of the above, just sit at the restaurant and enjoy the spectacular views!
How to get there by bus?
To get to the cave, you’ll first need to catch bus number 60 from Skopje to Matka Canyon. It leaves from the Central Bus Station every 1-2 hours. Inside the ticket office make sure to ask for a round-trip ticket to Matka Canyon.
When you arrive at Matka, follow the walking path towards the Matka Dam. After the dam, the canyon opens up to show a few restaurants and rental shops. One of these buildings is a ticket office that offers boat trips to and from the cave. If you’re having trouble, just ask around and someone will help you out.
The boat leaves as soon as it fills up and costs 400 MKD. The roundtrip excursion takes about an hour with 20 minutes of those being dedicated to wandering through the cave.
Activities | If you’re feeling like a workout, you can rent a kayak and paddle to the cave. I’m not going to lie, the kayakers looked like they were having a lot of fun!
I highly recommend escaping the city and exploring the haunting and beautiful Vrelo Cave. It’s truly the highlight of my Matka Canyon trip!
