MONT BISTRA
This mountain range (Бистра Планина/Bistra Planina) covers 573 km2 in the southeastern half of Mavrovo National Park and part of Kičevo municipality. It includes fifteen peaks over 2,000 m above sea level, culminating in the Medecina/Меденица ("honeycomb") peak, at 2,163 m above sea level, near the village of Galičnik. Renowned for its forests, caves (undeveloped for tours), numerous rivers and small glacial lake Senečko (at 1,870 m a.s.l., 4.4 km west as the crow flies from the village of Mavrovo), it is also the setting for many sporting activities: skiing at the Zare-Lazarevski resort, off-piste skiing around Galičnik, paragliding, hiking, horseback riding or mountain biking. An 11 km trail links the Mavrovo National Park information center with the village of Vrben/Врбен (130 inhabitants, above Mavrovi Anovi) via the Koža peak, 1,740 m above sea level. Another, 14.3 km long and considerably more difficult, connects the Zare-Lazarevski resort with Galičnik via the Medecina peak. But one of the most frequently recommended routes is between the village of Nikiforovo/Никифорово (population 50, on the eastern shore of Lake Mavrovo) and Sandaktaš peak/Сандакташ, at 1,983 m above sea level. It requires an 8 km walk (approx. 2h30) with a 700 m ascent. It presents no particular difficulty and offers superb views of Mount Korab, Lake Mavrovo and, to the southeast, the Treska valley and the town of Kičevo.