We Organize Thrilling Winter Tours in Macedonia That Are Gaining Increasing Interest

It’s April outside, but in our hearts, it’s summer. Another winter has passed with closed borders, limited travels, the pandemic, and protocols. Warm days are coming, giving us the warm hope that borders will soon begin to open.

With the start of vaccinations, negotiations for issuing green passports, and statements from most experts that the pandemic is nearing its end, all of us in the tourism sector see light at the end of the tunnel and are preparing to return to the good old way of functioning.

Фото: Shalev Cohen

Macedonia is already ready for foreign tourists, and Macedonian travelers are eagerly awaiting to visit their favorite global destinations.

When it comes to favorite destinations, Macedonia has been among the top choices all winter, attracting many tourists who are enthusiasts of adrenaline sports. So, as we reach the end of yet another winter season, we have contacted SharOutdoors, the people who are among the best organizers of mountain tours with skiing on wild trails.

They have been present in the Macedonian mountains for quite some time. The agency offers tours in the fields of free ride skiing with a snowcat (cat skiing), ski touring, and since last summer, E-MTB or mountain biking with electric bikes.

They organize snowcat skiing on the slopes of Mount Shara. The starting point is Popova Shapka, from where they venture deep into the mountains. Ski touring or split boarding is organized on every mountain in the region that offers suitable conditions for these sports.

For a successful tour, you need a good and experienced team. SharOutdoors has trained and experienced guides who will always take you to the spots with the best conditions for sports. We will introduce you to one of the many cool guys responsible for the overall organization.

Our team spoke with Mihail, the man who, in the very first sentence, confirmed our belief that Macedonia has enormous potential for developing adrenaline winter sports.

"Macedonia is mountainous and abounds with peaks, valleys, rivers, lakes, and pastures, offering so much to visit," he says. According to him, it is interesting that despite the small size of our country, it has so many things to offer on the tourism market.

The season that just passed, SharOutdoors primarily hosted tourists from Macedonia and the region. Mihail says that in recent years, there has definitely been a noticeable increase in interest among Macedonian tourists when it comes to adventure sports. This can be seen through the demand for outdoor equipment, the increased sales of ski equipment, and bicycles designed for ski touring or mountain biking.

Also, it is encouraging that more and more gatherings are being organized in adrenaline sports. Interest is also growing among individuals to organize tours or courses for beginners.

According to SharOutdoors, people are satisfied with what is being organized for them. Mihail says that if there are dissatisfied tourists, the dissatisfaction usually comes from the overly high expectations they have developed from videos and photos presented on social media, which are made to attract attention, not to show the real picture.

Honest with everyone reading this at the moment, Mihail says that ideal conditions on the mountain are not always guaranteed. Weather conditions on the mountain are constantly changing, and everyone should be prepared for that. His advice is always to do what you love, without expecting everything to be perfect, because as he says, the things we love also bring disappointments.

When asked about the favorite spots in Macedonia for SharOutdoors, Mihail says that Macedonia is, overall, a beautiful country, and it’s hard to speak on this topic. As an agency, they operate in the territories of Mount Shara, Korab, Bistra, and the Ohrid region. For them, good locations include Mount Koralb, the entire Ohrid region along with Jablanica and Galicica, and of course, their home, Mount Shara.

SharOutdoors collaborates with many agencies that organize FreeRide tours. They have experience with countries across Western Europe and are also in contact with the American and Australian markets.

According to them, foreign tourists, unlike local ones, have much more trust in professional guides and the recommendations offered during the tours. They are hopeful that soon they will be able to welcome back regular tourists from Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Since last year, SharOutdoors has also started offering summer tours. They organize mountain biking with electric bikes, allowing even less physically active tourists to complete a 30-40 kilometer tour and enjoy the mountain.

On the other hand, they also organize hiking tours in Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania, and Bulgaria.