61 Years Old and Hiking Mount Pelister Almost Every Day

Meet Letka. A woman from Bitola, who at 61 years old hikes Mount Pelister (Baba Mountain) almost every day.

Letka's story is yet another motivational lesson that we add to our collection of stories featuring individuals who will help transform tourism in 2021.

She says that she lost her job during the months when the pandemic shut many doors. Sitting at home, stress and extra weight pushed her to take a new step in life—namely, to start hiking.

She organized her first hiking trips on her own to "Tumbe Kafe" in order to build her fitness. For her, this was also the toughest period, as she hadn't been physically active to that extent before. But as the months passed and with the arrival of summer, things became much easier.

During the summer, she decided to take an even bigger step—climbing Mount Pelister. She says that this mountain is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. Full of oxygen, freshness, and stunning nature. For her, the most important thing is to protect the mountain from fires.

She started hiking regularly to certain points, often accompanied by a few women whom she constantly motivates. However, she admits that she is also afraid of the wild animals that live there.

She achieved success by climbing Big Krchin, at an altitude of 2341 meters above sea level. For her, someone who says she is not an experienced hiker, this is one of her most cherished accomplishments. An interesting fact is that she is a vegetarian, and during the hike, she carried only dates and goji berries with her.

Last Saturday, she visited Pelister and walked 25 kilometers, and by Sunday, she was already in Bitushe with young people. She explains, laughing, that they moved quite fast, and she could barely keep up with their pace.

Letka suffers from night blindness, but this doesn't stop her from achieving success through her new way of enjoying the country's tourist destinations. Let this be the motivation for you to get out of the house as well.