From Wooden Spoon for Ajvar to the Olympic Games

Many people contact us to ask if we sell kayaks, which is completely normal considering that the name of our platform is Kajak. Nothing controversial, guys, on the contrary, this is a great moment because it shows that interest in nature activities is growing among Macedonians.

This situation prompted us to have a conversation with Lazar Popovski, an active kayaker who has achieved many successes and today is considered one of the key people responsible for the success of kayaking in Macedonia.

There’s no kayaking enthusiast who doesn’t know Lazar. But for the rest, this read might be a great motivation to start something new in life, which could very well be kayaking.

Lazar says he was quite active from an early age. He recalls regularly paddling in a wooden spoon for ajvar, and he first got into kayaking after learning how to swim. He learned all of this in his first and only club, "Ilinden 90."

His love for kayaking was inherited from his father, Micho Popovski. A former kayaker, national champion, coach, and one of the founders of the Macedonian Olympic Committee. They competed together in four Olympic Games, Lazar tells us, adding that he will forever be grateful for every day spent in this wonderful sport.

The Treska River in Matka was his childhood playground, but over time, it became a serious training base where Lazar prepares for World and European Championships, as well as the Olympic Games. Today, the headquarters of Kayak Adventures Macedonia is located on the Treska River. When it comes to recreation and team-building, his first choice is always Lake Mavrovo.

Lazar believes that Macedonia has an exceptional geographical position and a mild climate, which allows kayaking activities for recreation to begin as early as February and sometimes extend until mid-November.

Kayaking, as a sport and recreational activity, is one of the fastest-growing activities globally. Lazar mentions that this trend is also present here in Macedonia, both for kayaking and rowing. However, kayaking requires prior training, making it different from the popularity of cycling.

In the early years when "Kayak Adventures Macedonia" started operating, they had many foreign tourists who were already experienced. Today, while foreign tourists are currently on "standby," domestic tourists are becoming more frequent. They recognize the company's expertise, the safety they offer, and the experience they provide.

Domestic tourists are often enthusiasts who want to learn new skills, specifically kayaking, but sometimes their motivation is just a one-day trip on the water in nature, he says. For these reasons, they started organizing kayaking schools, one-day and multi-day kayaking courses on rivers or lakes. Some of these tours include: a kayaking tour on the Treska River from Matka to Saraj, covering 7 kilometers, one-day excursions on any lake for recreation or team building, and they are of course open to personalized concepts depending on the tourists' ideas.

For those interested, they can contact Lazar at 071 200 200.