Design your own Tour
Follow the steps below to start creating your own itinerary.
What to see and do?
Birds, plants, mammals & more
History & Archaeology
Local Food & Wine
Walking & Hiking
Gather your friends
and plan your trip.
Follow the steps below and write down your preferences on our Enquiry Form.
We'll then send you a draft itinerary,
based on your requests & ideas.
To finalise it, we can exchange emails
or arrange a time to call you.
Before we start
A note on philosophy
To fit our Responsible Tourism principles, all tours have three essential components:
Interpretation of the Region
selecting activities that show you the whole natural and social system in the region;
how Man and Nature interact and influence each other.
Working with Local People
it costs a bit extra, but we don't use one 'guide'.
We want to involve as many local people as possible in your tour.
Dialogue
this is the most important part;
visitors talking informally with locals during activities and meals,
exchanging stories from inside and outside the Region.
For more info on this, you can read about our philosophy here >
Step One
Who will come?
Just adults? What about your kids?
Most eco-tours are aimed at adults, but we also offer activities for young explorers. Have a look at our short video for 'Nature Detectives'. These tours and activities are perfect for kids and grandkids who want to do something different.
We're really eager for children to learn about nature and culture, so we'll offer sizeable discounts for the children.
Every season brings its highlights
Spring: April - June
The best time for nature lovers. One has to keep the local climate in mind though. The high mountains mean that weather in April and May can be temperamental.
Summer: June - September
It starts to warm up, but it's still great for nature. It's also perfect for culture lovers who want to stroll around and enjoy long lunches in the sun.
For those carrying a lot of photographic equipment, July can be a bit hot during the day, with temperatures around 30'C. Hikers thinking about July need to have early starts. Fortunately, the altitude in the mountains means that evenings are cool even in July. By mid-August the nights often require a jumper.
Autumn: September - November
Just like spring in the mountains, autumn brings a bit of rain. Autumn is best for hikers and those who fancy cultural activities in warmer weather than northern Europe. It's also great for mushrooms and the changing of the leaves. Spring and summer are best for nature, although we do have interesting birds that are resident here all year round.
Winter: December - March
People don't associate the region with snow, but we actually have a few small ski stations. Yes it's cold, but seeing the huge lakes and mountains covered in snow is quite something. It's also the best time for tracking animals.
Step Two
When to come?
Step Two and a half
How many days?
We'd like you to see a bit of all three countries that we call home, and the best way to do that is by travelling round the Prespa and Ohrid lakes. This needs at least 7 days, with 10 days being ideal.
If you have more time, we can visit other amazing sites in the region. Hikers will love Mt Olympus and the Vikos Gorge (the deepest in Europe). And for history fans there is the oracle of Zeus at Dodoni.
Or maybe you'd like 7 days of activities around the lakes, and then just relax on the beach for a week at nearby Halkidiki.
Mt. Olympus
Dodoni
Halkidiki
Fly into one airport and out of another?
We don't book your flights, because you can probably find them cheaper. So you have flexibility to choose any days and any airport. Let us know where you'll be and we'll come pick you up.
Thessaloniki Airport is the closest to us and also has the most flights. But for a real adventure you could consider flying to Tirana, Albania's capital and the next big city-break destination, or look at UNESCO protected Ohrid.
If you want to spend a week on the beach after, you could look at departing from Athens airport after visting a Greek island.
There's space on the booking form to ask about this. We can advise you.
Step Three
Airports
Focus on nature or culture?
Or combine bits of everything?
Some of you may want to see just birds, or butterflies, or Orthodox churches.
But the history of people and nature here is so interesting that we suggest you try a mix.
Have a look through the boxes below.
On the Booking Form you can tick what you're interested in.
Step Four
What to include?
Birds
Over 200 species, including the world's largest colony of Dalmatian pelican
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Butterflies
More than 150 species have been recorded here, compared to 55 in the UK
Plants
New species are being discovered all the time and the current count is over 2,000.
Mammals
More than 60 species roam our region, including bear, wolf, jackal and Balkan lynx
Nature
Cities
It's not just mountain villags.
The local cities have been important since Roman times.
Churches & Mosques
The Byzantines and Ottomans both built magnificant sites
of worship
Archaeological Sites
Man has lived here since 5000BC, so there are plenty of ruins to see.
Architecture
Add an afternoon of touring vernacular architecture in towns & mountain villages.
History & Culture
Cooking
Food in the Balkans is a great mix of Central Europe and Anatolian cuisines.
Beekeeping
We're lucky to have organic beekeepers who'll show you their hives and honey
Mushrooms & Plants
People here still forage for medicinal plants and mushrooms.
Wine tasting
The region's climate, soil and local grape varieties produce superb wines.
Boat trips
The best way to see water birds, and also the region's hidden monasteries.
Nightwalks
Walking through the forests and by lakeshores at night is a whole different experience.
Cycling
Many touring cyclists visit the region, and it's mountains are also great for mountain bikes.
Walking & Hiking
All three countries have trails perfect for short walks or
long hikes.
Activities
Take your decisions from above and enter them into our form
This gives us enough to get started and we'll then send you a draft itinerary.
There's also a box to add any important extra bits, like vegetarian options.
Step Five
Enquiry form
