Water level and visible traces
At the highest water level of Lake Mavrovo, only part of the roof and half of the bell tower of the submerged old church can be seen. In summer, when the water level is low, stone grave slabs and archaic tuff crosses may become visible at the archaeological site of Sv. Nikola. Both features depend on the lake level, but appear under different conditions. If you are travelling to Mavrovo to see either of them, check the current water level in advance.
Cave and hiking trail in Mavrovo
The entrance to Šarkova Dupka Cave can be reached via an approximately ten-minute walk along a prepared path with steps. This time estimate applies to the walk to the entrance, not to the duration of a cave visit. The cave is accessible to organised groups and is suitable for educational visits and excursions. If you plan to visit, take the group format into account and check the current visiting arrangements in advance.
The hiking trail from Mavrovo to Chavkarnik starts at the ski centre in Mavrovo and ends near the village of Chavkarnik, close to a sheepfold. The start and finish are in different places, so you can think of the hike as a route between these two endpoints. At Šarkova Dupka, the focus is on the walk to the cave entrance; on the hiking trail, it is on the route from the ski centre to Chavkarnik. The two activities therefore require different planning: an organised cave visit on the one hand, and a hike between named places on the other.
In the wider destination of Mavrovo and Rostuša
Galichnik has two cultural events that take place every year: the Galichnik Wedding Festival is held every year on St Peter’s Day (Petrovden), 12 July; the Art Colony in Galichnik takes place every year in August. The events are held in different months. Check current event announcements before planning your trip around either date. For travel planning, these calendar dates offer a different point of reference from the visible traces at Lake Mavrovo, whose visibility depends on the water level.
The wider destination of Mavrovo and Rostuša also includes Duf Waterfall at the end of Duf Gorge; it is about 25 metres high. A marked trail leads there through the gorge from the centre of Rostuše. The walk takes approximately 30 minutes. The trail is easy to walk and has a wooden handrail, but it is steep in several places. When planning, take both the approximate walking time and these steep sections into account. As trail conditions can change, check them before your visit. In terms of walking time, the walk to Duf Waterfall takes approximately 30 minutes, longer than the approximately ten-minute walk to the entrance of Šarkova Dupka.
Discover more destinations: Trebishte, Mavrovi Anovi, Galichnik, Lazaropole, Janche, Leunovo, Rostushe, Nikiforovo.
See the wider destination guide: Mavrovo and Rostuša.
