1230 meters it is the highest town in the Balkans.
During Yugoslavia it was populated with around
5,000 people. Infrastructure for winter tourism
was sufficiently developed with a couple of hotels,
ski lifts and one of the rarest Doppelmayr chair
lifts that starts from the town and finishes at the
highest point of the ski fields. Because of climate
change and the development of many more ski
centers in the region, Krushevo as a ski center
had very little chance to be competitive and stay
in the tourism business as winter destination.
Fortune Favors the Brave
Then a shift happened - a group of enthusiasts
in early 1990s figured out that the surroundings
of the town, especially near the famous landmark
Mechkin Kamen, have one of the best conditions
for paragliding and hand gilding in Europe.
Because of the predictable weather patterns and
lack of strong winds, thousands of adrenaline
seekers started visiting Krushevo from all
around the world, and numerous professional
competitions were held. The future looked
good, but regional tourists failed to recognize
the potential for other outdoor sports, as not
everyone is meant to be a paraglider or a hand
glider. Krushevo desperately needed promotion
and development of other outdoor activities,
such as hiking, mount biking, horse riding,
water sports, etc. Modern travelers need more
experiences than ever, people are tired from the
identical Starbucks and McDonald’s offerings
in every city they visit. Krusevo is the perfect
getaway — it is rustic, clean and full of potential
for tours and activities!
The Beginnings
In June 2017, we planned the first festival with
paragliding as a starting point and a trademark
outdoor sport. In cooperation with the local club,
we offered a special price to all participants
who wanted to try tandem paragliding. We also
marked two tracks for mountain biking, a 20 km
one and a 40 km one, we invited hiking guides
to lead groups on hiking routes of 10 km and 20
km. Next was the development of the camping
ground; we selected the lakeside as a camping
zone, where we provided fresh water, showers
and toilets, and we secured the cooperation of
the local authorities. They helped cover some
of the expenses and provided infrastructure
assistance. Since we also wanted to highlight
the local culture, we asked the local museums to
open the doors for all of our participants. This is
EMERGING MACEDONIA
19